Author: Belinda

My Name is Luke….

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Apparently Ben has changed his name!!

We popped into  visit Uncle Cam in his city retreat while he recuperates from surgery.  Uncle Cam was talking to someone who Ben did not know when Ben confidently introduces himself…. except  he says ‘Hello my name is Luke’.  To which Uncle Cam smiles and says ‘Are you sure your name is not Ben?’ .  Ben just shrugged and smiled.  I can just picture it as I am sure a pretend blaster gun was pulled from his pocket at the same time duzs..duzs.duzs…..duzs. For those who are saying ‘Who is Luke?’.  It is of course the one and only LUKE SKYWALKER the ultimate Star Wars Jedi Knight!!!

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10 Reasons to be Grateful….

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A new chapter of my life began this year with Ben starting Pre-Prep.  Ben is so enjoying Pre-Prep, he is settled and he is so happy.  So for the first time in three and a half years I have time on my hands.  And I really can’t believe I’m a little lost with what to do with it.  Do I go back to work, do I start my own little business, what to do…….?  Don’t get me wrong I am not complaining.  I feel so blessed to have choices.  So I have been thinking how lucky I am and made a little list of what I am grateful for. So here it is in no particular order (it’s a bit random really):

1.  I am grateful for my wonderful family – my wonderful husband who just wishes me to be happy and my beautiful son who makes everyday an adventure.   My Mum and Claire for putting up with all my whining!!  But not only my everyday family but all my family. We are all very different but all so blessed to have each other.

2.  I am grateful for Ben’s Bunny.  The smelly (its a job to get it in the washing machine)  little bunny that he loves to bits.  It calms him, comforts him and makes him happy.  Although he doesn’t need it as much as he once did.  I still love it!

3.  I am grateful to have choices.  How fantastic is it to be able to choose my next adventure.  Do I stay with the safe and return to the classroom or do I enter the unknown and sew my way into business.  Decisions……

4.   I am grateful for our beautiful dog Bonnie.  It is so lovely to come home to wonderful greeting every time.  She is my teddy bear.

5. I am grateful for my Camera – Nikon D80.  After years of taking photos, studying photography and working in the industry ….. I lost my passion for it.   My wonderful husband bought this camera  for me when our son was born.  I am sure he hoped I would fall in love with photography again.   It didn’t happen then… but it is happening now.  I forgot that amazing feeling – looking through the lens and capturing something special.

6.  I am grateful for this blog…. I love documenting the little things in our life that make it special to us.

7.  I am grateful for Honda, Penny-Penny, Woof and Buzz (our lovely ladies…hens).  For very little effort they supply us with wonderful eggs everyday.  They also all have their own personalities and it has been a joy to get to know them.

8.  I am grateful for old stuff – I love old wooden furniture…. farm style mostly.  Wooden crates, old chairs, old cupboards…….oh so lovely.  Old glass jars, kitchen bits and pieces, crocheted doilies, braided rugs….I could go on forever. I feel my heart skip a beat in antique shops – love, love, love it!

9.  I am grateful for Star Wars believe it or not.  I grew up with Star Wars.  My brother and I shared many moments together playing Star Wars.  I didn’t realize that ‘Star Wars’ would cross my path again but this time with my son.  I know that at times I curse all that is Star Wars and wish Ben would just have a conversation that didn’t involve Anakin, Obi Wan , Luke, Yoda…….  But it is a joy to watch Ben’s imagination grow and develop.  And my inner nerd secretly loves Star Wars too!

10.  I am grateful for flowers.  Aren’t they lovely.  Flowers can make me smile anytime anyplace.  I love them – any kind – love them!!  They make a house a home.

Oh that is TEN already….. just have to add I am grateful for Ben’s teachers, my vegetable patch, Cam being out of hospital and of course my blessed life and all the wonderful people that are part of that.  Ohhhh are you feeling the love xoxo

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Linking up with Paisley Jade – Things I am Loving xo and Life Made Lovely – Life Made Lovely Monday

Charlotte the Padawan Jedi

We popped in to see our wonderful old neighbors on the weekend. I really should stop referring to them as our ‘old neighbors’ and more as our ‘dear friends’. I can’t thank them enough for all the cups of tea, their wonderful children and amazing advise while I was struggling with everyday motherhood when we lived next door. I was always made welcome in their home and I am so grateful to them all.

As I said we popped over and were blown away by the excitement that Ben’s party invitation had caused. Charlotte and Finlay both put on their costumes to show us. Charlotte was Anakin Skywalker and Finlay was Han Solo. Charlotte had also memorised the invitation and recited it to us……. so fabulous. She also had begun to make her own book with the wording from the invitation. She had used her stencil book and Star Wars lego stickers. And we are not talking about a rush effort here. Charlotte had spent a considerable amount of time on the project. I was blown away……..

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We can’t wait to see you at the party Charlotte…..the Force is strong with this one!!

(For those who don’t know what a Padawan Jedi is – it is a Jedi in training.)

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A Big Day in the City xo

We had a day out on Saturday in the city.  Cousin Tom and Cousin Maggie joined us on a trip to the Queensland Museum and the Gallery of Modern Art.

I had to giggle to myself on our way there.  Tom and Ben wanted to listen to the Star Wars sound track and this was the result. (Excuse the filming – just close your eyes and listen…. just a bit cute).

We arrived at the Museum and vooom everyone seemed to head in a different direction – all excited to explore. We wandered through two floors.  Our favorite exhibition was the Animal Zoo.

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We then headed into GOMA – Gallery of Modern Art.  Ohhhh it was so lovely.  My sister-in-law has been telling me how wonderful it is.  And you know….. it was all that wonderful and more.  The exhibition was ‘Art in the 21st Century’….. fabulous.  We quickly lost Tom, Ben and Andrew at the Lego table – a sea of white lego.

There is so much to see and do –  a slide from the top floor to the bottom, quiet nooks to explore,  fabulous art and a wishing wall straight from heaven!! Maggie and I made our way to the wishing wall to see what it was all about.  Artist Rivane Neuenschwander has developed an amazing interactive art piece called ‘I Wish, You Wish’.  An ancient and spiritual tradition from the depths of Brazil has found its way into a modern art installation in the heart of Brisbane.  Neuenschwander’s installation bedazzles you with over 10,000 brightly coloured ribbons hanging from the walls. Each ribbon has one of approximately sixty wishes printed on it, such as “I wish for a lovely family,”  “I wish I had more time for myself,” and “I wish I had magical powers.”  You are invited to take a ribbon and then in return you are expected to write your own wish on a piece of paper and put it in the hole on the wall from which you took the ribbon. In following with the tradition, you are supposed to wear the ribbon until it wears away, and then your wish is said to come true. Neuenschwander then prints the written wishes onto new ribbons and so the project sustains itself.

Maggie  had no trouble coming up with a wish ‘We wish my Daddy all BETTER’.  We wrote it on a piece of paper and rolled it up ready to put in the wall.  We scanned the colourful wall for a wish to take.  Maggie chose ‘I with for a lovely family’.  I really had to hold back the tears.  What a beautiful gorgeous girl.  This amazing piece of art was just the wish that we needed.  Maggie and Tom’s Daddy- Ben’s Uncle Cam-Andrew’s brother is doing fabulously.  He has jumped one massive hurdle and still has a few more to go for a full recovery.  Every wish helps xo

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After our amazing wish, we headed back to the boys at the lego table.  What amazing creations!!  We will definitely be heading back to GOMA soon!!

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On the way back to the car Ben spotted an ice-cream van….. and did the bolt!  Andrew chased after him and returned with Ben and  ice-cream to share.  When  driving home Tom commented that the Brisbane skyline looked like the one made of Lego…… so I took a snap out of the windscreen – it was a beautiful day.

There really is something special about family.  Watching Tom, Maggie and Ben together is a joy xoxo.

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Linking up with Life Made Lovely Monday xo

Fiddle Fingers

Ben had become very quiet today…… something that ‘mostly’ lets me know he is up to no good.  I found him on the lounge with my iphone, in the App Store, looking at Star Wars apps.  What can I say…… ‘Thank goodness Mr Fiddles Fingers doesn’t know the password!!!’  Technology is just second nature to him.  I am sure Apple give their products to small children during testing!  He knows his way around my iphone, the ipod and is quickly working out the imac.  Time to tighten the rules when using technology I think!

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