Sisters...

Love my sisters... I am truly blessed to have had the privilege to spend the whole weekend with them...

I love it how we can be so different and it's all good... We are a perfect fit! Blessed beyond belief!

Blessings,

Huge Lilly...

My sister Martina got these from my Dad and Stepmum for her 39th Birthday last week... They're Huge!!! So beautiful and smelling so awesome... Martina even drew this one... So talented...

Blessings,

Baby sister time...

Spent last weekend with my youngest sister... My other sister and mum also visited... Was so lovely to have a girly weekend. My brother in law even made an awesome breakfast for us on the Saturday!

Lots of op shopping and markets were visited... Got some lovely candles from dusk too :) One of my favorite shops, I must say :)

Blessings,

Oh no! Not the Sisterhood Ring...

Noticed this afternoon after washing my hands that the middle cz is missing...

Will have to see if I can get another stone put in. Little bit sad at the moment about it as I do love to wear it. It was what I bought the last time I had a couple of days with both my sisters. Miss those times but times change things and sometimes you just can't go back, however much you'd like to...

Here's hoping I can get it fixed...

Cheers

Off for a visit...

My baby sister Lis and I...

Went to Lis' place for a couple of nights at the beginning of the holidays... Was nice to catch up with her and at the same time we visited my mum for the day in between to do some Austrian Christmas Baking... Had a ball. Was exhausted by the end of it. We were at it from 9:40am to 2:30pm. Great effort and got a heap done. Went home with plenty to share with the family :)

Cheers Damaris

Girl's weekend...

Lis greeted Tina and I with pressies :)

Beautiful Chico :)

We retaught Mum Rummy and I didn't even cheat once lol

Mum, Lis, Tina and I :)

My beautiful sisters...

Mooloolaba on Saturday...

Love getting together with my sisters... Think I have mentioned that a couple of times. lol Not last weekend but the one before that I had the chance to see them both again for two nights. We had a lovely time and my BIL Phil spent some time with us also. We went and visited Mum and Andy and were introduced to their new baby... Chico Oh how cute he is. And growing very fast :)

We also got me a brand new outfit for a job interview I was going for on the Sunday. Blessed to have sisters that know what suits and what doesn't. Still don't like looking at myself in the mirror but must say I looked pretty good :)

The whole weekend was wonderful. This was also the first time I didn't really need to get away so much. Was nice to all the same :) This time we didn't get a tattoo or a piercing. Think we are done with those... We all got a piece of jewellery instead :) Tina got a pair of ear rings, Lis got a necklace and I got myself a lovely ring with three stones in it. One for each sister...

Cheers Damaris

Sisters...

Lovely cakes made by my lovely Mum...

Sitting in my kitchen :)

Me, Tina and Lis... The three sisters. :)

I love my sisters. I have said that many a times but I really mean it... This last weekend I had the pleasure of spending it with them again. We also got a lovely visit from my mum. She brought two lovely cakes. Yummm. Time was spent just hanging.

I also went to a couple of markets as well. I love markets and like to go to them whenever the opportunity arises. Got some great bargains. :) Especially love the three tiered pot plant arrangement from an old guy that I got at Fernvale Markets. He was so lovely. :) Another favourite is that I finally have lemon grass again... Miss that from my last house. Also the two bird feeders I got were cheap and are really well made. One will go to the Hall for our coming up Cent Auction, the other is going out to the cubby. Josh loves it :)

All in all it was a lovely weekend and am glad that first weekend in June I am doing it all over again. :) Can't wait. :)

Cheers Damaris

Big Fellas...

These couple of green tree frogs reside at my baby sisters' place... They come out each night from behind one of the down pipes and sit a while. Then they hop off to do some feeding and come back again. They are so lovely to watch...

Cheers Damaris

Weekend escape...

View at Montville from the Cafe :)

Lovely coffee and shared gluten free Blueberry Cheesecake :)

Seafood platter for two anyone?

Uncle Phil and Aunty Lis watching over my babies...

Phil even named them...

This last weekend I was able to go and visit with my baby sister and her hubby... We had a wonderful time on Friday night. Lis and I went and saw our other sister first in hospital. There I taught Tina to knit... So glad I found out about it as she was going to have a night nurse show her how. I don't think so... Was lovely to see her knit as last time any of us could remember her knitting was in Austria... before 1983...

Friday night there were a few Black Russians had and went to bed about 4am on Saturday morning... Saturday we also had a morning tea visit from my mum. Was lovely to catch up with her and spend a couple of hours with her. My BIL then went off camping by himself as he was doing night fishing on Bribie... Lis and I ended up having another nap as we didn't have much sleep the night before and then went up to Montville for some cake and coffee as well as a look around some of the quaint little shops that are up there. The view was so wonderful and it was lovely and cool up there.

That night we watched a bit of TV. I don't have it here at home so took the opportunity to was some CSI shows. :) We were supposed to watch Ya Ya Sisterhood but ended up leaving it as the three of us sisters weren't there and it just didn't feel right without Tina there.

Sunday Lis and I went to the Caboolture Markets for Brekkie. I ended up buying some really cheap indoor plants. Love plants. Love it more when they are huge and only $2 each :) The benefit of coming in at the end of the day. I also bought three little ducklings. They would be about 1.5wks old I would say if I were to compare them to the ones that we have here... They are currently a Prep Class Project for Lis' class that she teaches. I will bring them home here when she is done with them in about a month :) The kids are going to love them and can't wait to hear tonight how their first day all together went. :)

Before going home I ended up having another snooze and got home 5:30pm just as Russell was dishing up dinner. :) The house was lovely and tidy just as I had left it and even the washing had been hung out. :)

At dinner, Timothy proceeded to tell me that it was OK with him if I wanted to go away for the weekend every two weeks... Apparently they all had a great time together, just the three boys...

Was wonderful to get away for two nights, I must say... Today Russell is back at work in Brisbane for the week and we are back into our routine... Can't wait for my next little mini holiday :)

Cheers Damaris

Happy Birthday Lily...

Birthday Day Girl Lily and my Mum :)

Tina holding my hand as we all visit :)

Last Saturday was my baby sister's Birthday... She was 29. She is the baby of the family. There are five of us kids spread over a 10yr span. :) This was her first birthday with us since she turned 21 so was very special.

I made sure I was there for it the whole day. :) Was a lovely way to spend it with my Mum, Sister and Sister-in-law Sandra. My other sister Tina was not able to make it but we ended up visiting her instead. So we still all saw each other. :) My other Sister-in-law Mary unfortunately couldn't make it either. Next time :) :)

We met at my mum's and we started out the day with a lovely cuppa and wonderful Hazelnut Sponge cake. Yummmmmm. Then Mum gave us a lesson on making Gulash. Being the wonderful cook that she is she put that lot to keep cooking away while we ate some that she prepared earlier. That was made with Nockerl which are homemade pasta bits (closest that I can describe it sorry). I was so glad at this point that I had not eaten any breakfast. You see I knew what was coming... :)

This is the sort of feasts that my mum used to make quite regularly many years ago and something that I miss terribly. Once Tina is better though we are all getting together again to make Apple Studel which is a speciality of Tina's :) Can't wait. Something that I have not made before. My Oma used to show me and try to encourage me to do it but once it came to the step of stretching that dough it was just beyond me. I was always so terrified of tearing it. Hope I can overcome that as I would love to be able to make it. For us it would have to be peeled Red Delicious apples not the green so that it was failsafe. Don't mind changing the recipe to make sure it fits our little family :)

All in all the day was wonderful. Lily and I ribbed each other allot as usual and had others laughing... I hope she enjoys her 30th year of life. She deserves nothing but the best :)

Cheers Damaris

5yrs old and still Yummmm...

Lis preparing the cake for demolition :)

Cake anyone???

My baby sister Lis and her hubby Phil got married nearly six years ago... Their wedding cake was a heavy mud cake... Yummmm at the time :)

Now they had to go back overseas to teach and work and then they came back to Australia and then Lis taught up in Boigu Island... No use for a top tier of the cake there either...

I have been taking it with me to three different houses over that time. :) My dear friend Margaret even had it for about a year while we were renting and building out here in Maryvale. :) What a treasure.

When we had Christmas at Lis and Phil's place few weeks ago, I took the opportunity to return it :) So it was defrosted and enjoyed by all. :) We all even got to take a slab home with us.

Was just as beautiful as the day they got married. Amazing. My other sister Tina did a fantastic job with the cake. I remember the days and days that it took. Such a perfectionist and what credit she is owed... I have a very clever family. :)

Cheers Damaris

Christmas Celebrations, Mark 2

Joshua performed his Diabolo show twice. :)

My Dad reading a Christmas Story...

Last week we spent the afternoon with Russell's family. Yesterday was my family's turn. :)

We all met at my baby sister and her hubby's house. Thanks Lis again for putting up with us all. You and Phil did a fantastic job hosting Christmas... Lots of presents were given out but nothing was overdone. Just right. :)

We had lunch first with my Mum and my Step dad. Then in the afternoon it was Dad and my Step mum's turn. We got there a little early and stayed a little late. Was a wonderful day. Great chance to catch up with everyone and to make new plans of when to see each other again...

Some of us siblings will be camping for three nights in a week so can't wait for that. Just hope the weather doesn't wash us out...

Great relaxing day was had by all... :) Oh, what a glorious day it was... Even got to visit with my sister Tina in Hospital for 1.5hrs hours. Thanks Russell for looking after the boys in the car during that time. :) Love you xo

Cheers Damaris

Family time...

Beautiful beach views...

Pirate Park for the boys...

Lots of trees to climb. :)

My view while eating...

These yummy prawns...

My Dad, Mum and Step Mum...

Cricket was also played...

Some of my family...

Lis in the foreground :)

Last weekend my little sister was down from Boigu Island for a wedding. Was off course the perfect chance to catch up with family. :)

Her hubby Phil and her have just rented a place at Caboolture so as it was a way for us to go we ended up making the most of the day...

Before going to Lis and Phil's place we went to Scarborough for a spot of home made lunch as well as a good long play at the pirate kids park and the beach that was about 30 metres away from the park. I also got a chance to go to Morgan's and get myself some prawns... I know not failsafe but when you are 2 kilometres from Morgan's you don't argue... I knew I would pay for it during the week but ended up not being too bad actually. I reacted allot worse to the Hot Dog and Coke I had had earlier that week... Won't be doing that one again...

It had been since Christmas last year that we had seen Phil and Lis and though I talk to her every Monday night, it was lovely to see her and to hug her lots... My Dad and Step mum, Mum and Step dad, older brother and this three boys, Brother in law and niece and us all got together and had a great time.

The kids discovered a close-by park which will be used I am sure at Christmas time as we are going to celebrate it there this year :)

All in all it was a fantastic day. So glad to have seen Lis, so sad to have had to say Good-bye again. But not for long as in December she comes back for good. :) Yay, gotta be happy about that.

My family is very, very important to me and I make sure I keep in regular contact with all of them. Now very much looking forward to Christmas... Such a wonderful time of year. After Christmas, us kids (that is what I call my brothers and sisters... long story) are going camping in the first week of January... Can't wait for that either. :)

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

Just the three of us...

A Symbol, My two sisters and I, there for each other, always...

My sisters are very, very important to me... Don't get me wrong I love my brothers just as much but there is a very special bond that Tina, Lis and I have and I am very proud of that... Not many sisters have that from what I have learnt over the years...

This is a statue that Lis gave me when she was first moving to London all those years ago, seven from memory... It has been broken but she mended it again. It has always come with me from house to house having a place of pride on a shelf.

This house is no different. I love this statue and I love that there are three of us in it... One for each sister. :)

Cheers Damaris