Another give-away

So this time Ann from eight acres of eden is giving stuff away for us Aussies and also for the New Zealanders. Her 100th post. Wow, has come a long way... Love reading her stuff. So inspirational.

Go over and have a look and enter if you want to. Good luck. xo

http://www.eightacresofeden.com/2010/07/another-giveaway

Cheers Damaris

One last Jumper...

Sharon's Tree :)

When I went to Ladies Group last Friday I came across another Jumper... For the Warwick Jumpers and Jazz Festival... It was Sharon's. We all take over her house every Friday this term. :)

Great job Sharon. :)

Cheers Damaris

Tannymorel Sports Day has arrived...

Joshua ready for a great day. :)

Joshua competing in the 800m running race...

Well today was the day!!! Joshua had trouble sleeping last night as he was just too excited. He wanted the Sports Day to be last night and not have to wait...

I took a couple of extras and we got to Yangan State School just before 8am. Boy was it cold... In the car it was lovely and warm but outside it was freezing... Russell poured heaps of water on my car windows in order to get rid of the thick layer of frost. Was lovely to see everything a tinge white. :)

We help set up the shade cover and Joshua got ready for his first race... 800m. He got 4th Place so did really well... There were only a handful of schools competing this year. The last two years we had more schools I am sure. One school only had 6 kids in their school... We didn't do much better at 14 but we sure gave it our best shot. :)

Joshua's end results were:

1st - Ball games
2nd - High jump - 1.06m
2nd - Long jump
2nd - 100m sprints.

Very proud of him. He did soooo well. Our school also got the overall points Shield as well. Well done everyone. :) You kids ROCK!!!

Cheers Damaris

Happy Birthday Russell...

Happy Birthday Darling...

Yesterday he turned 45... Where has the time gone... We were very happy to be able to enjoy the day together... Since Russell has had to work away from home since November 2008, we have always tried really hard to ensure that he is home for all the birthdays in the family... His Birthday was no exception this week...

We are having a great time enjoying having him home during the week. We are truly blessed...

Cheers Damaris

Proud Mummy Momment...

Timothy having just gotten his certificate...

Acting Principal giving his encouragement speech...

Can't wipe that smile off his face...

Today Russell and I went to an Awards Ceremony for Timothy. It was for good behaviour as well as contribution to the School Community... He loves doing his Ag as well as learning to be a Room monitor...

Well, we went today and it was fantastic. The Principal's speech was also very good. Very uplifting and from what I have been able to ascertain, Timothy is the only student from his Alternate Program that got the award...

We are very proud of him... Went out for a failsafe McDonald's ice cream afterwards to celebrate. :)

Cheers Damaris

Joshua's new Account...

Joshua's New Passbook Account...

For a while now I have wanted for Joshua to get an Account at the Bank so that he could save some money up... So off we went and got him a Dollarmite Account.

Only problem is he wants is out again half the time... :( Needless to say he has to have my signature in order to withdraw which will not happen for many years to come. :)

So now the boys both have accounts and they will keep adding to it every month so that they get interest... Wonder how much they will end up with... :)

Cheers Damaris

Adam...

Here is Adam taking a picture of me taking a picture of him... hehe

Cheers Damaris

School Kids Pride and Joy...

Our School's Beautiful Tree...

Joshua pointing to his creations...

How good looking is that Tree???

Our kids at school did up their tree as well for this year's Jumpers and Jazz... Isn't it pretty??? Couldn't not take photos and brag...

Excellent job, kids... Very proud...

Cheers Damaris

Jumpers and Jazz

The beautiful Sunflower...

The leaves are attached to the trunk of the Tree...

This photo I took for Timothy... He loves his stuffed dogs. :)

Well it is that time of year again and this year the celebrations started off on 15 July. They will conclude next Sunday with markets and lots of Jazz music... It has been piped through the main street of town during this last week and has been nice walking along seeing all the different trees dressed up for winter. :)

Maryvale School of Arts Hall has a number of dedicated locals that have put together a beautiful sunflower this year... Oh how proud I am to have seen this one grow from a little 'pup'. It has been fascinating watching it grow into the end result... I was supposed to have made green worms from French Knitting but didn't end up getting time to finish it. Other things kept getting in the road... I do feel bad about it but am glad to still be able to enjoy the end result.

Well done Ladies... My sincere Congratulations. :)

Cheers Damaris

Being a good wife...

My effort...

Well others may not think it is apart of their 'job' but I do... I like it that as a stay-at-home-mum I get to spend time at home doing home stuff... This is very important to Russell and I. He is the breadwinner as such and I make sure the home runs nice and smoothly... One of those jobs included would be the ironing...

I don't have any ironing to do other than Russell's shirts for work and that is only four shirts a week as the Friday he works from home. But since the operation on my hand I have only been able to do two at the most and then I am in too much pain so for a while now, Russell has been doing that job for me... Something I don't feel good about.

I am very old fashioned that way I guess. I believe that the meals he has at night time during the week should and do come from home. I ensure that I make extra and he gets leftovers frozen for him so that he has them in the near future. A taste from home. :) He has a hard enough time working far away from us so I feel that the least I can do is help with reminders of home and to iron his shirts for him...

Well this last week I was home three days... Tuesday to Thursday and on Thursday I was procrastinating about doing the last cupboard in the house. It needs to be rearranged as it is not working for me at all... So I had time to kill and prayed that I would have the strength in my hand to iron some shirts for him... He had 12 in total waiting to be done. That is three weeks worth and I know a huge help for him...

Well, I did it. :) I got them all done. I took my time and still it only took me 5 minutes per shirt just like before my operation. Some of it was done with my left hand but either way it got done. :) I was rather chuffed...

I might do big blocks like again in future rather than just one week at a time and see how it goes...

Cheers Damaris

Adam's Visit...

Adam freaked out with the massage chair...

My beautiful new toes...

Two of my three sprigs of orchids...

Timothy and Joshua tormenting poor Adam...

Lots of Uno was played... :)

One of my very closest friends came to visit our home yesterday... He has been in Melbourne now since 20 March, not that I am counting or anything... Nearly 4 months since I had seen him. Oh what a wonderful day it was...

He arrived just before 9am so we quickly went down to School so that Joshua could see him before he started his school day... Then back home for a coffee and off to town for a bit of spoiling... Adam had a manicure, I had a pedicure. Oh and I also had a paraffin wax treatment. Oh how lovely was that. First time but certainly not the last. :)

After that we had a lovely lunch at Bryson's. Love that place. Was very, very busy... The busiest I have ever seen it actually. Also then found out that a friend had gotten engaged. How lovely... Congratulations Ben and Holly. :)

Then we were off to do some shopping to get the boys something small from Adam. I got some beautiful orchids from Adam as well. :) How lucky am I, yes very :)

We went to Aldi to get some essentials and then got home... Lots of Uno was played and Joshua showed Adam how to play Old Maid. That was fun to watch.

Russell made the most divine Chicken and Leek Pie with 5 minute Carob Pudding with Cream... Yummy... Dinner was a HUGE hit. :)

The boys got allot of time in with Adam which was nice to see. My boys apparently are the only ones that he knows that give such great wedgies, wet willies and tickles... Oh how proud am I???

Anyway they all got their own back and Adam sure didn't miss out. Good times was had by all. :) Was wonderful to have lots of conversations with him and am glad that he is soooo happy in Melbourne. :) That is a true blessing.

Cheers Damaris

Jack Frost was here...

Photo doesn't do it justice, white sheet everwhere...

Trampoline covered in ice...

Russell's I30 covered in a sheet of ice...

This morning was a little chilly I must say. :) I love the cold. Must be my European roots but feel much more alive in the cold than in the heat. It just wears me out... I saw Timothy off this morning as usual and went to take our electricity reading and took some piccies of the surroundings. Also loved coming back inside to where the heater was working overtime... Yummy and warm. :) Perfect Winter's Day. :)

Enjoy the pictures. :)

Cheers Damaris

My Immediate Family from Yesteryear...

My immediate family...

I love my immediate family very much. They all have their own quirks and I love them all for them. My Mum and Dad I phone them each week to see how they are going in their own lives... I share mine.

My youngest sister Lis is up at Boigu Island for the second year so I ring her every week as well. The others, Markus, Tina and Chris I ring once a fortnight. I love the contact that I have with them. I get to also see what they are up to and feel included in their lives. I share what we are up to and they share their lives. I love it and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy to know that they are there, even if it is a phone call away...

This photo was the last official photo that my family had taken by a photographer just before we left Austria on 13 March 1983. I was 11 at the time and am on the right... Oh, I remember this soooo well. We were such good kids sitting there for the photographer. I also remember the photos being given out to people as a keepsake afterwards.

This Picture I got from my first visit back to Austria back in 1992. My Auntie Suzie gave it to me. It had hung for all that time on the wall of my Dad's Mum and Dad's place and they had passed away so when I went over it was given to me. I brought it home, had it framed and have had it displayed proudly ever since.

It evokes allot of good memories for me. I love it. :)

Cheers Damaris

First time for everything...

My first white sauce, EVER. :)

Last night I had a heap of chicken to use up... What to do, what to do... Didn't want to make Schnitzels as we just had that on the weekend... I decided to be very, very bold...

I made white sauce for the very first time EVER... Yep you heard right. I have never before made white sauce. How and why you ask??? Because I have a brilliant hubby that makes it better than anyone I have ever tasted... Why test perfection, I say. He came with 30 cookbooks, I came with 3. There, end of story. :)

He is awesome in the kitchen and I love to be there at the same time. A main reason our kitchen is as large as it is as I love it when we cook or bake up a storm together and still have plenty of space...

Anyway, back to the sauce... I didn't deviate from the recipe as Russell is known to do. I just made the straight white sauce, in Bimby off course. I was not tempting fate and doing it by hand. hehe

It was a huge success. Timothy said it was a 5/5 and that it tasted "Brilliant". He had a huge smile on his face. Joshua liked it also but I suspect he likes Russell's more. Never mind. Was certainly not a competition. I was just happy to be able to say that I did it, after all this time... :)

And to boot there are three meals for the freezer for Russell to enjoy when away during the week... He is coming home tonight, late but he is coming home. Can't wait to see him. :)

Cheers Damaris

Remembering my Oma...

I honour my Oma by using the candle...

Whenever my Oma (my Mum's Mum) would come to Australia to visit she would always bring some goodies with her. The times I went back to Austria she would also give me goodies to bring home with me... She has been gone a number of years now but I treasure her old belongings very much...

This candle I have had since before I got married and therefore have had it a little while (over 17 years)... I used to think that I should hold onto things from her and treasure them from afar but I have changed my thinking allot lately...

Many years ago I started using the cutlery set she gave Russell and I for our Engagement Present. I couldn't handle them coming out of the box to begin with but wouldn't have them anywhere else but in my cutlery draw now as whenever I use it I think of her. Same with when I see Irises... She is always there...

The candle has angels all over it and is supposed to be used at Christmas time. I am using it now. :) Always been a bit of a rebel or as some would say, the black sheep in the family. If there was mischief to get up to I would be the leader... hehe

The candle was a hard one to bring out and use though, I must admit. Cutlery, sheets, doilies etc you can see them for a long time while using them but with a candle it slowly disappears... That is now what is happening with mine. I have had it for so long so am trying to make it last and it is doing a great job. It is a non drip candle which is also handy but I usually will light it each night while Russell is not home. That is three nights a week. I turn the lights off in the power box so we don't use them and use candles instead... I love the atmosphere and the shadows that they throw. It also ensures that you slow down and relax more, which is important after a hard day at school or at home.

I am really starting to like lighting it but am not looking forward to the day it is completely gone...

Cheers Damaris

Giveaway time...

Ann from Eight Acres of Eden is giving away a $40 voucher this week from CNS stores.com. Made a mistake and entered it but is only for US and Canadian readers so here is your chance if you are from there to enter and get yourself into the draw...

http://www.eightacresofeden.com/2010/07/100th-post-giveaway-gift-card-from.html#comment-form

Cheers Damaris

Love watching him in Action...

My man, doing his thing... :)

I am soooo glad that I have Russell in my life... For soooo many reasons and one of those is that he splits/chops wood really, really well. :)

I like a warm house. :)

Cheers Damaris

Another new addition...

Ave the Axolotl...

In her new home...

Joshua finally got his Axolotl yesterday. She is called Ave... His pick as his animal. She is settling in well. We tried to feed her bloodworm this morning but she wouldn't take it from our hand... Will try again tonight...

Apparently they can live up to about 15 years. We do hope to one day breed with her. She is soooo cute and Joshua is falling in love as we speak. :) hehe

I even had to email photos to school so that he could brag about her. :)

Cheers Damaris

Love my sisters...

A plaque that all three of us have from our last Straddie trip. :)

Today is one of those days... Went to a new church that I had not been to before and had a great time... Joshua came with me and is now wanting to go during term when Sunday School is on as well... He had a great time.

Today I am missing my sisters... Both Tina and Lis... Lis is now back with her husband Phil on the island up at Boigu, 5km south of PNG. She spent her holidays in Cairns and from all accounts had a ball. My Mum and Step Dad went and saw them while they celebrated their 9th Wedding Anniversary at the same time as well...

Tina, like my two brothers, I ring once a fortnight so that I can keep in contact and also stay a close part of their lives... The last few conversations have been short and I miss our chats... I miss Straddie most of all today... From changes happening around here I won't be going back there for a while and changes are afoot with my sisters as well. Still am hoping for a holiday between Christmas and New Year but probably won't be to Straddie. We may have to go up the coast I think... Springbrook has also been talked about at some point or another... Russell and I had our honeymoon there, so lovely memories...

Either way... Today, I miss them terribly and can't wait for the next time when I get to see them. Love my sister hugs...

Cheers Damaris

Another job finished...

Finally the towel rack is up...

Towels at the ready. :)

There is always something to do around here and this is another job that has been completed... finally...

Last weekend we had trouble getting the towel rack up as we didn't have the right wall plugs. The lady in the hardware shop sold us the wrong stuff so Russell had to get different ones during the week. He was armed and ready this morning. :) hehe

So here is the end result. There are four rods so we could all use one towel each but what we have decided to do is the boys use one and Russell and I use one. Cuts on the washing as well. Only drying freshly washed bodies after all. This way also because I still put together all four rods we can hang them over two rods each and this will aid with drying. :) Win, win all round. hehe

Cheers Damaris

Look what Tiffany is doing now???

A very inviting atmosphere. :)

Went in the other day to have my nails done... They needed it trust me. :) While I was there I had the pleasure of being the first waxing customer as well. :) I got my eyebrows waxed and lashes tinted. My eyes always water when I put on mascara so don't even bother anymore. I just tint them when I think about it. Was such a lovely relaxing time. :)

Thanks Tiffany for looking after me once again. :) hehe

Cheers Damaris

Building time...

The poor pool umbrella...

Joshua in his new sandpit cubby... :)

We had this pile of underlay put there, oh a while ago, let me say it that way. :) Over time the boys have used it for making jumps for their bikes and currently it is being used as a sandpit. :)

The other day Joshua went fossicking around the place and found our umbrella that we used to use over our last pool... He is using it now as a shelter, clever boy...

Underneath there is room for four kids apparently... He was in there with a friend the other day while it was pouring outside yet they were nice and dry underneath it. :) They had a ball and Joshua is still working on it. It is always a work in progress off course. :)

Cheers Damaris

What a treasure...

A creation from my darling Joshua...

Joshua was playing with his Mighty Beanz collection yesterday morning and look what he came up with all by himself... Can you make it out???

It says: D and R = Love, meaning "Damaris and Russell = Love"...

How cute is my boy??? Yes, very :)

We have been having a really relaxing time just the two of us... Timothy should be off to Tempin' Bowling in Toowoomba with Bluecare today so again he will have an awesome day. This is really good as he had such a hard time going there and getting used to it all in the first place. As he is verbal it was very hard for him to connect with others that are not. Now he loves it and Bluecare try their very best to ensure that he is teamed up with another person that fits more to him. They try hard with all their clients and I can't thank them enough for our little break... Four nights... It has been bliss...

Russell is home tonight to enjoy the last night with us and we will make sure it is a lovely one. Tomorrow Joshua and I are off to Ipswich Hospital to see the ENT one last time and hopefully get the all clear. Though there have been some dodgy nose incidents of late... Still hoping and praying that this is the one that closes his file after 9 long years...

So all in all this holiday with just Joshua has really brought out his warm side... He has had a great time spending most of it with me and including me really well in his little world. I think that having No Technology Day on Mondays and Low Electricity Day on a Wednesday has really helped that. One game he insisted on each night too has been the game we play where we both think of someone we know and have to take turns saying nice things about them... He loves that game and so do I...

Cheers Damaris

New Look Fridge...

Love clear, shiny surfaces :)

On the weekend I had some time to kill and had remembered a time when I had read somewhere that a while clear fridge made all the difference to the kitchen...

I already have a large kitchen but thought I would give it a go. Not that there was too much of anything there beforehand really...

So I took everything off from both sides that you see when in the kitchen. I cleaned it with Jif and polished the surface. The butchers block next to the fridge got a tidy up as well... I did keep things that needed keeping, ie. Thermomix quick instructions, Timothy's Timetable. That sort of thing but put them on the side next to the laundry as no one sees it there unless they go on that side. :)

Well I must say that I am really pleasantly surprised that it worked as well as I had read. I now wish I had done it allot earlier. Better late than never though. :)

Cheers Damaris

A day out and about...

A warm Winter's day...

Timothy was rather sick after this one...

Off course he found a tree to climb. :)

Joshua trying to swing and be cool...

Timothy swinging, his way. :)

Yesterday we were slow to get up and ready for the day. It is holidays after all... We had an extra boy stay the night and he left just after 9am. After that we potted around and tidied up a little. Not much needed doing...

Then at lunchtime we had our lunch and headed off to Warwick. There we had a couple of errants to run and a couple of things to get from the shops. Can you believe it??? Woolies ran out of Home Brand Self Raising Flour... I still can't. But there you have it. Hopefully there are shelves stacked full of flour again today as I need to have some at home... Aldi would have worked out $.05 dearer and every bit counts when I am down to the end of shopping money...

We had 1/2hr to kill before Timothy was due at BlueCare so we ended up going to Lesley Park. Oh how glorious it was. The sun was out, the kids were playing and laughing. The park always looks soooo differently when there are hardly any leaves on the trees. Looks so much bigger...

Here are some pictures of the Park and my boys. :)

Cheers Damaris

Update on The Cubby...

The base is completely done. :)

Back frame and most of front frame done. Window assembly checked out...

This last weekend Russell and I spent chunks of it in the shed. Saturday and Sunday as well... Here is the end results so far. :)

Cheers Damaris

New additions to the house...

Hand Towel Holder...

Russell putting up my Toilet Roll Holder...

The finished product... :)

Friday night and yesterday, Russell and I put up our two toilet roll holders and one hand towel holder... We are in need of different wall plugs for the towel rack so they will be purchased this week and then that rail will go up next weekend.

To have the hand towel holder has been amazing. I didn't realise just how much difference it would make but there you go. I now have a sink that doesn't have a hand towel draped all over it. So much more white to see...

We had rain night before last so I put out the plants from the bathroom into the rain to give them a little pick me up and to clean off their leaves. I didn't put one back that would normally sit on the bench next to the sink. Now that spot is all nice and white from the bench as well. :)

I have not looked at the bathroom sink as cluttered before but since removing the pot plant and the hand towel I am so happy that I did experiment as I like the end result much more... more clean space, less clutter. :) Gotta be happy about that.

The toilet roll holders is something else to get used to and am still reaching for the paper from where it used to be for the last 2.5 years, sitting on top of the cistern, next to the flush button... Will take time to get used to it but will happen I am sure. :)

Cheers Damaris

Joshua and his Mighty Beanz...

Joshua's own creations...

So I went and got my nails done with Tiffany yesterday. Was time as they really needed filling. Was lovely to see her again. There was a little surprise for me too and that was that she now does waxing as well. Woohoo... I loved being the first to have my eyebrows waxed and lashes tinted... She did a great job all round. Hey, what else is new. I feel like a million bucks after I leave her place, every time. :)

While I was being pampered, Russell and the boys went to Big W to see what they had to offer from their huge Toy Sale... Timothy ended up with a Nerf Gun. Hate them but he is paying for it and we made a huge deal on where he could release the little bullet things... Not near the fireplace, dogs, people's heads, that sort of thing...

Joshua got a Mighty Beanz Flip Track. He is having a ball making different tracks and taking photos of them just in case he forgets them. He is having a ball also finding out that the next Series (2) is now for sale at Big W and not just Series 1... He really wants the glow in the dark ones and there are only 5 in the whole series...

Love watching him race two of his Beanz against each other and the cheering that comes with it. :)

Cheers Damaris