Progress Photos - Frontyard Blitz

These are photos I took today. Although there is still a long way to go, we are starting to make progress.

Unfortunately I could have done more today but I ran out of bin space.

We are going to replace the old railway sleepers with sandstone retaining walls. I'm still not sure what I am going to plant in the bare spots, but I have time to decide that. We can't plant anything at the moment because the morning frosts would kill them.

So as you can see, it is starting to take shape.

Can you believe there is actually a path there??

Still a long way to go but you can see the difference.

I Hate Winter

We are all sick in this house.

It started with Jarryd a week ago when he developed a croupy cough. I increased his asthma puffers and thankfully it didn't develop into anything much. On Monday Nikki was home from school with a headache and cough. She felt better by Tuesday to go back to school but it developed into a cold and fever and she was off school again on Friday. Now I have a very stuffy nose and a cough which won't go away. But mummies can't get sick. We just have to soldier on. Now Ashleigh has started coughing tonight.

Now get this. We went to the football last Sunday night and Steve was screaming and yelling so much for his team that by Monday he had lost his voice. That was all that was wrong but being a sook, he went to the doctor on Tuesday and got 2 days off work!!!!

I had a very busy day today. Jarryd had soccer this morning and then myself and a friend of mine, Diana took our mums out to lunch which was lovely. We have done this a few times now and it is really nice to escape for a couple of hours and catch up with a good friend and our mums without the kids. Pity we went to a hotel where a couple of families were having kids parties so it was rather noisey.

Then when I got home, I did a job that I have been putting off for weeks. Cleaning up Jarryd's room. He is a hoarder like his father and he had so much crap that needing putting away or throwing out. I should have taken a before and after photo because it looks fantastic now.

Tomorrow I want to spend a couple of hours in our front yard. Slowly but surely I am making a dent in the weeds and overgrown plants. I'll take another photo. Then we are taking the kids to see Shrek 3. I have heard from a few people that it's not as good as 1 & 2, but the kids can't wait to see it.

So once again, another busy weekend. Oh for a weekend doing NOTHING!!!!!!

I hope everyone in blogland is having a great weekend.

Ashleigh's 9th Birthday

My baby turned 9 last Thursday. I can't believe where that time has gone. I was 8 months pregnant with her when we moved into this house so we have been here for 9 years now.

We had a family lunch for her on Saturday and then her school friend's slumber party on Saturday night.

It was such a busy few days leading up to it. I realize why it's so much easier to do a Macca's party because there was so much work and we spent so much money. I think I spent about $200 all up for both parties, which I think is too much but then I read a report in our Sunday mail this weekend about how some parents spend up to $2000 on their kids parties. How ridiculous!!

Then yesterday Ashleigh had another party to go to - her best friend Olivia who is in the pink standing next to Nikki (in the white top with the hood)

I was talking to Olivia's mum and she told me Olivia was also invited to another slumber party on the Friday night and the kids all slept outside in tents!!! I was in shock. Thank goodness Ashleigh didn't get invited. I would have been furious if she had slept in a tent on a freezing cold winter's night. How stupid are some people!!!!

After Ashleigh came home from her party, I took the girls to K-Mart because they had a 4 day special on where you buy one pair of footwear and get the 2nd pair for 70% off. Nikki got a very classy pair of brown boots with a heel and I got Ashleigh a pair for $9. How good is that. They would have been $30.

Then we went to the football to see Port play Essendon. We are all Port supporters and Steve goes for Essendon. Port won and Steve has lost his voice from yelling so much. It was a 4pm game and it was sooooo cold. The days have been around 12-13 degrees here in Adelaide and it got so cold because it was a twilight game. I had on about 4 layers and we took our blankies, beanies and scarves and I still was cold. Lucky we won. Yahoo!!!!

How cool are these little teacups we made. So simple and very popular. The kids helped me and we made them in no time.

The Bratz outfit Ashleigh is wearing was a present from us along with her nintendo ds. She was very spoilt.

It was Ashleigh's birthday on Thursday and she had a slumber party on Saturday night.

We had 5 girls plus my 3. Notice Jarryd was the only boy but there was no way he was going to miss out. Everyone behaved so well and it was a great night. We even managed to get some sleep - lol.

Frontyard Blitz

This is our very overgrown front yard that I mentioned that we are making over a couple of weeks ago. These are the before photos and I will put up progress photos as the makeover comes along. It will be a long and slow process because I don't intend to pay to get rid of garden waste. We have 2 garden waste bins that get emptied every fortnight to I fully intend to fill these bins every fortnight.

And as anyone knows who does weeding, it's hard work and very good exercise.

Picture Post

We had the nicest, most relaxing weekend for ages. Steve belongs to a golf club that have an annual family weekend away every June long weekend and we always have the best time. There are about 20 people who stay in the Tanunda caravan park in the Barossa Valley and there are a few kids around the same age as our kids.

They guys go off and play golf on the Saturday and Sunday and the wives and kids entertain ourselves exploring the towns in the Barossa or visiting the local attractions and wineries.

This is the cabin we stayed in and it was lovely and in a gorgeous setting.

I really look forward to this weekend every year and it's so interesting to see how much the kids have grown in the 8 years we have been going. Ashleigh had her 1st birthday the first year we went.

Nikki, Ashleigh and Jarryd playing with Ashleigh's icecream set she bought.

Jarryd has been getting into lego lately and built this racing car with very little help. Not bad for a 6 year old!!

There were lots of animals to feed and pat and Jarryd really loved the donkey. He was one very friendly donkey.

The kids at fairytale cottage. We went there last year and enjoyed it so much the kids couldn't wait to go back. The best part is the bird and rabbit enclosure where they can hand feed the animals.

Because of a lack of time and because I haven't updated for soooooo long again, I hope you enjoy the photos of our family weekend away.