Pottering and the park

Today was a lovely, lazy Saturday - a perfect way to wind down after a very busy week.  I've been crazy busy this week, fitting in appointments all over town and trying to study for these damn exams I have coming up.  I'd decided to take today off school work, which was much needed.  Duane worked this morning, so unfortunately no sleep-ins for me, unless you consider the 6am wake-up that my little cherubs decided was wake time!

We spent the morning pottering around the house in our Pj's, something I relish now that our weekday mornings are so rushed and hurried.  I scrubbed out the oven with some Norwex cloths that I bought at a party-play thingy - I'm so in love with this product, they actually make cleaning fun!  The kids amused them self washing dolls in a plastic tub of water and then making playdough farm animals.

Then this afternoon we met up with the usual gang at the beautiful botanical gardens.  Trude wanted some photos of Jasper, so we spent quite a lot of time chasing the poor kid around poking a camera in his face!  He was the perfect little baby model though, although played very hard to get sometimes - such a quick little boy!
We got some very cute photos (not hard with such a cutie though!)

 

 ~~Cute Miss Lucie~~

June 4th - Green

 

The photo challenge today was of something green.  This beautiful tree, at one of our favourite parks, looked absolutely glorious is the setting afternoon sun.  It's not a perfectly composed shot, but as I can't bear to take of my 50mm lens, there are limitations with how much I can fit in the frame!  

June 3rd - Clouds

Today was a beautiful crisp Gold Coast day - absolutely perfect!  Too perfect in fact, as when I went out this morning to take cloud photo for today's challenge, there wasn't one to be seen anywhere!  Just a light blue sky.  It wasn't until this afternoon when I ventured out from under a stack of textbooks, that I saw the clouds starting to hover.  It was still a perfect afternoon, but a scattering of wisps clouds scattered around gave me some material.

The photo below is the view looking out from the side of our house, into the Hinterland and beautiful Mt Tamborine

And as I couldn't decide which photo, here is another.  Of a dying tree that's over our back fence.  I love how by changing the photo to black and white, it completely changes the feel of the sky - all stormy and broody.

# 2 - What you wore today.

Today was a rarity for me.  I had no kids and no appointments to attend, so it was a day to stay home and study.  I only had to go out in the morning for school and pre-school drop off, something I could easily get away with in a t-shirt, jeans and my beloved birks.  These birks are the most comfortable shoes that my feet have had the pleasure of touching - little bits of heaven!  I know some say birks are ugly and old lady shoes - but I say try before you bag!  Isn't that right Miss Beck?  Funny that after the right royal bagging I got at a Mothers group dinner about the "ugly plank" shoes - most of the culprits went and ordered there own!  Ha! 

Anyway, so this was part of what I wore today whilst sitting outside in the winter sun, trying to understand the theory behind Pharmacokinetics  - really, really interesting.

1st June Photo Challenge - Self Portrait

The first day of the challenge is a self portrait.  I'm normally the one behind the lens, so it is a little out of my comfort zone to be on the other side.  I only had a few minutes this morning before leaving for the day, so I had a play working out settings, then gave the camera to Xav and said "shoot away".   So this is me - straight out of the shower (well, after getting dressed!).  Me in all my "bags under the eyes, uneven skin tone, dry lips and in the middle of a cold" glory!  I've never really been interested in make-up, but as I get older I'm thinking I might take it up!

30 day Photography Challenge

I on a blog stealing splurge at the moment!  All the cool kids are doing this, and I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon too - it looks like fun!  I probably don't have the time to be doing this, although it does appeal to my procrastinating side right now!

Tina Fey: "A Prayer for My Daughter"

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half and stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her when crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes and not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers and the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

(Thanks to Ave for finding this!)