Learner On The Loose

It's that time again.

Son number two has decided that it is time to take hold of the wheel. The steering wheel that is. He is back on track and hitting the streets as a learner driver for the second time around, after his first attempt at getting his drivers licence was interrupted by emergency surgery last year which prevented him from driving for quite a long time.
His confidence is returning, and thankfully he is now getting back to his old self lazy, cheeky helpful, strong witted and determined. All in      all, it's great to have him back :)

Yesterday was his first lesson with a qualified driving instructor. I don't know who was more nervous, him or his silly mother (me) and being the concerned mother sticky beak that I am, I hid behind the lounge room curtain watching, waiting, fingers crossed that he would do well, with camera in hand of course snapping photos through the fly screen (not obsessed much)

It's a daunting experience learning to drive, it's a big step towards total independence. A lot of teens (mine included) think that they "know it all" when it comes to some issues, and attitudes can sometimes get in the way. Especially when being taught something by parents.

Here in Queensland (I am not sure about other States) Teens are able to obtain a learner drivers licence at the age of 16. They are then required to complete at least 100 hours of driving, 10 of which are to be completed with a qualified driving instructor.
We as you know have four sons. When our eldest son who is now 19 first got his learner licence, we as "first time" teaching someone to drive parents, decided to start the lessons off first and finish off with the driver instructor to "work out" any minor issues that may have cropped up.
This time however we have changed our strategy. This time round we have opted to put son number two through the driving school first and also finish up with a few extra lessons at the end of the 100 hours, to polish off his skills and help him gain his licence with confidence.
It's a decision that both son and parents are happy with, and if all goes well, it is most likely what we will also do with sons three and four.

It's a big step in life, a lesson for me in learning to let go and stop fussing (if that is possible) I still get butterflies when our eldest drives off into the sunset and I am not sure that, that feeling will ever subside.
It's a mother thing !!

So as my boy drives off with the instructor today for his second lesson, I think that I will stay away from my hiding spot behind the curtain and let him drive off in confidence and with pride in himself.
I have complete faith in his ability and even though it is hard to watch them spread their wings and fly, I am so very proud watch him go fourth and begin this next part of his life's journey.

Nervous Excitement

My mind is racing, the butterflies have set in. There is a weird feeling of enthusiasm which is the positive, and a little bit of hysteria which is the negative. I am both thrilled and excited, yet scared and unsure at the same time.

Its only 20 days until I board the plane, 20 days until I throw caution to the wind, put my insecurities behind me and step forward wearing my big girl pants.......

Only 21 days until I attend the Digital Parents Conference for 2013 !

I purchased my "early bird" ticket back on July 31st 2012 thanks to a gentle nudge from a dear friend, and have had the printout stuck to the front of my fridge ever since. It's safe there.
Once something is secured to the fridge in our house, everyone knows it is important so there is a less chance of it being removed and lost, never to be seen again !!

It has been a long wait, an exciting wait, a sit on the edge of your seat wait. But now that it is literally just around the corner, I am starting to wonder what I have got myself in for. I am nervous. Attending something so big, something that is so new to me, something that I still don't know all that much about is daunting. I never put myself out there. I have never wondered out into the big wide world alone and unsure before. It is a little scary if I am to be honest.....

But 2013 is it !
It's time to spread my wings.                                    

I am going to head off into the unknown with a positive attitude that's what I am praying for anyway I am going to embrace this challenge with open arms, I am excited to meet the lovely people behind the wonderful blogs that I have discovered and I am determined to come away with an arm load of information to turn my own little blog into something special.

I am also beyond excited to finally meet a dear friend that has held my hand from day one, and helped me out with Craftypjmum beyond what I could ever imagine. Jules is the reason that I finally got off my backside and started Crafty, she gave me the confidence I needed to put myself out there and stop doubting myself.
I owe her so much. In her I have found a life long friend.

So now, it is just a matter of deciding what I am going to wear !
I mean I certainly don't want to look like a goose
I don't need any extra help in making a fool of myself                    


Linking up with the lovely Jess for IBOT :)             

Tortellini and Vegetable Bake

It seems that I am getting back into the "swing" of things in the kitchen. Much to the delight of my family, I have been rediscovering the oven of late :) and believe it or not I really am enjoying serving up the new recipes that I have been creating, and making me smile is the positive feed back I am receiving from everyone.

If you have a large family, you would know that pleasing everyone all of the time is no mean feat......

So this week for my Sunday Smile Post, I am sharing yet another hit recipe that put a smile on my families face this week.

If you give it a whirl.....

Enjoy :)

Tortellini and Vegetable Bake 

1 pkt of feta filled tortellini

1 sliced carrot

1 cup mushrooms

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas halved 

1 tbls butter

2 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces 

1/3 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp cornflour

1 clove crushed garlic

1 cup milk

250g soften cream cheese

1 tbls lemon juice

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

grated cheese

Cook tortellini in salted boiling water according to pkt directions adding the carrot for the last five min of cooking, and the peas for the last minute. Drain and leave aside. 

Heat butter in pan and cook chicken and mushrooms till chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat.

Mix together chicken broth, oregano, flour and garlic. Add to pan with milk and heat through while stirring until mixture thickens. Add cream cheese and continue stirring until smooth.

Stir in lemon juice.

Combine pasta mix, chicken mix and sauce mix and carefully stir through cherry tomatoes. Place mixture into a greased oven proof dish and top with grated cheese. Bake at 200 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden.

Another dinner winner makes me smile :)

Holiday Memories

For this weeks flashback, I decided to look back on a time that I will cherish forever. A time that has given us a wonderful family memory that is still reflected on and spoken about often.

A family holiday.

We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of Australia. The tip of the Great Barrier Reef, only an hours drive from the beautiful Whitsunday Islands and Airlie Beach, so it's not unusual for us in the summer to pack up for a relaxing day trip. 

However every now and then we take a week long trip to "get away" from the daily grind, and being not far from home it is an easy trip to make.

Our first week long trip to the Whitsundays was back in 2005, we had been living in the area for at least three years and had done many day trips, but decided to throw caution to the wind and pack up our tribe for a longer stay. 

It was magical....

Days at the beach, long lazy lunches and BBQ's by the resort pool. The boys had a blast. It was a dream that became a reality, a parents dream to give our sons the opportunity to make wonderful memories.

The day before we left, we decided that we would take the boys on an adventure of a life time. A day cruise to the Islands. 

What an amazing experience..... 

The water was perfect, the breeze was light. It was perfection.

We got the opportunity to go down in a submarine to see the sea life close up. WOW I was lost for words, gob smacked. And the boys reaction was a delight on it's own.

All aboard the submarine

But the best part of the day was stopping at the beautiful Whitehaven Beach where the boys learnt to snorkel for the very first time.
Turtles swam by, fish came right up close, close enough to reach out and touch. It was an experience that we will never forget, one that we will cherish forever.

We have been back many times since, and done many cruises. But I have to admit that the first experience of anything, is the one that sticks to mind.

Snorkel fun

Linking up with the lovely Cathy for another Flashback Friday   

A Day For Me - Part One

This week I will not be rambling, I do it quite often. It's an awful habit of mine and I'm sure that it annoys my family very much ! (whoops, see there I go again)

Being a SAHM is a full time job. It's hard, it's exhausting and the pay is not so good. However, for the majority of the time when teens are not hating on parent authority the love received is so worth much more then any $ paycheck.

It was a joint decision from the start that I would stay at home with the boys, I felt that for me it was the right thing to do, however I do admire the Mums that are able to juggle both family life and a career I tried and failed miserably

Like all women, I do crave "me" time. Time alone, time to be girlie a necessary in a house full of boys No interruptions .......

Tomorrow, or rather today when you read this post, my day has finally arrived. At long last, I have the whole day to myself. No obligations, no housework (I worked my butt off today to clear tomorrows work load) No kids between the hours of 8am and 2.30pm and no Husband from 6am to 5pm.........

Ahhhhhh Sheer bliss :)

                                                                                               
I'm kind of excited to tell you the truth !
What will I do ?

I guess you will have to wait for next week to find out, because for now....

I'm out of here

Linking up with the fabulous Grace for another round of FYBF

I Put Manu First.....One Day I Will Learn

It was my own fault. I let the family eat in the lounge room so that I didn't miss out on watching "My Kitchen Rules".
I love like Manu :)

It happened, what I knew was a possibility, but I decided to remove that niggling thought from the corner of my mind. Manu was on TV after all.
I love like Manu :)

Slow motion......
Darn it, no matter how fast anyone moved, there was no way that it was preventable.

It was a nasty mess
Spaghetti bolognaise all over cream carpet :(

Noooooooo

I lost it

There was absolutely no need to

It was after all my fault. I should know better. I am the parent. But it was time to watch Manu.
I love  like Manu
That is my only defence !

My poor boy, he was like a startled possum, he didn't know what to do, where to go or where to look. I froze and let Hubby take charge, that was a miracle a great help while I gathered my thoughts, calmed my state of mind, controlled myself, and went in search of carpet cleaner.

It wasn't my son that I was upset with. It was myself. It was completely and utterly NO fault of his, which I did explain to him when I calmed down (for the record, I never yelled or screamed at him, I just kind of froze and turned a lovely shade of purple) I was totally wild at myself for allowing my wants and needs to come above all else. I was selfish and self obsessed.

One day I will learn to think before I react, I will breathe and count to three before blowing things out of proportion. It is only carpet after all even though I am still battling with the stain and many times over, things like this will happen in life........

I made a mistake, I said sorry.
But did I learn my lesson ?
No....

We continued to eat in front of the TV.                                        

Can you blame me ?
It was after all Manu :)

If I See One More...

There is something small that is really starting to grate on my nerves. One thing that is making me see red. The reaction that this tiny item gives me, is one of complete rage ! It lurks behind the door. Waiting, smirking, making fun of me. I know it shouldn't be there, it knows it shouldn't be there and of course everyone that resides in my home knows that it shouldn't be there, yet almost everyday its there......

I am talking about a necessary household item that I am sick of finding innocently laying on the floor. One that I am tired of picking up. An item that I would love to stop purchasing to make my point, but cant.
That item, the one that is sending me round the twist......

TOILET ROLLS !                                                 


They are evil. No, it's not them. Not the rolls themselves but the people that leave them laying on the floor once they are empty.
My teens !
I have become so enraged at the sight of these poor innocent rolls lodged behind the toilet door, that this week I gave my boys an ultimatum......
Either put the empty rolls in the bin, or they will be put on a rotating roster to clean both the toilet and the bathroom !! (this is on top of the existing roster that they already have of basic chores) they were also told that I would be watching them scrub to make sure that the job they do is Mum clean not teen clean !

It may seem harsh, to some it may even seem cruel. But I am at my wits end.
Respect ! that's all I ask for, a little help now and then.
It is certainly not to much to ask or expect for someone to walk down a hallway and place an empty item in the bin.
My boys reaction, they asked me to put a bin beside the toilet (just like you have mum) my answer to that. NO ! 
Maybe that would be a great solution to my problem, if they would stop peeing on the floor and aim straight.......
The boys have until the end of the week to rectify there "bathroom behaviour" (so far, only one roll has been missed) lets hope they get there act together or a scrubbing they will be and a relaxing I will be !!!

Lets see how they go. I am watching very closely

My empty toilet rolls and I are happy to be linking up with the lovely Jess for IBOT :)

Valentines Day - Keeping It Simple But Sweet

22
That's how many Valentines Day's that Mr Crafty and I have celebrated together. I remember our very first, we had been "dating" for five months we were both still at school, and at that time, part time jobs were not on our minds.....that being the case, we of course had no money a bit like this year really so Mr Crafty's mother supplied and cooked dinner for us which we shared by a beautiful candle lit table for two, set by Mr Crafty's youngest sister.
Oh the memories !

This year with so much going on in our busy lives, I thought the day would pass without a second thought, so my aim was to create a simple but sweet dinner for two at home, to show my Valentine that even though our lives may be crazy hectic right now, he is never far from my mind and always in my heart.

I set the table in white, and started the meal off with Bruschetta, a family favorite. Our main meal was Plum Glazed Pork served with a variety of baked vegetables, and for dessert we had Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream, Chocolate Coated Strawberries and tiny chocolate hearts. I spent all afternoon in the kitchen lovingly preparing the meal and keeping my fingers crossed that I burnt nothing :)

I succeeded !                                      
The meal was a hit with the whole family (we had a lot of back ground noise as three of the boys were home and romantic music was replaced with the TV show "Storage Wars") that's family for you :) but all felt right with the world.

After convincing myself that Mr Crafty had forgotten Valentines Day this year, I was taken aback when a delivery of a dozen red roses, champagne, chocolates and a gorgeous teddy bear arrived at my front door......
He remembered, and being the sook that I am, tears formed in my eyes, even after all these years he always makes special days ones that I will never forget.

Linking up For FYBF with the lovely Grace !

1988 - The Global Push

It's Friday !!
And you know what that means......
It's time for another Flashback.
Time to embarrass ourselves a little further.
It's time for a giggle :)

WHEN WILL I, WILL I BE FAMOUS ?

Ahhh yes, lyrics that use to send me into a spin. A song that I am sure my mother still has nightmares about. The song had no great meaning just a "cool" catchy beat and three gorgeous guys belting it out .... please don't judge me for using the word gorgeous, I promise my taste has improved immensely over the years !

I had a huge poster on my bedroom wall of Matt, Luke and Craig, and together they were the British trio that were formally known as Bros.

Bros

I thought that they were the best thing to ever walk the earth, a trio of dreams. Every day I would bid that poster good morning and good night and more often then not spend my spare hours twirling around my bedroom, hairbrush in hand singing sappy love songs to them as if they were right there in the room with me ......

How cheesy !!

The "Global Push" as the 1988 concert was named, was the first ever concert that I went to and believe it or not, I still have the program

The Original 1988 Program

When I look back now, it gives me a giggle. A teenager obsessed is a force to be reckoned with !

Today, as I watch the hysteria that revolves around One Direction, memories come flooding back. It's great to see that same enthusiasm. The same love for an idol/idols. And I am sure that it will continue on for many generations to come.....
After all, our mothers had the Beatles didn't they !

Joining the lovely Cathy for another round of Flashback Friday

What I Do For One, I Do For All

Last night we attended yet another Year Eight welcome evening at our sons High School. It is an event that is held each year so that the parents of the "new" High School students can mingle, and introduce themselves to their children's home room and subject teachers, year advisor and principal.
For us, it was our fourth time attending this information evening so most of the teachers I already knew. Yes, most teachers at the school by now know me by name and I am often greeted with the knowing smile of "here she comes again" !

I am often asked why I continue to attend these school functions time and time again when I already know "the drill" when it's the same thing year in year out.

It's simple....
What I do for one of my children, I do for all. No matter how many principal speeches I have to sit through, and lets face it, they are ALL the same :) and no matter how many tours of the same school I have to take, it doesn't matter, for each time I do these things with each of my sons it's a bonding time, it's magical. To see how each of them enjoy new experiences and their individual reactions is something that as a mother brings me happiness and joy, and I do not want to miss out on a single event or experience that involves my boys.

No matter how many children I have, I believe that they all deserve my equal attention and interest in all that they do. So yes, if that means attending the same functions and listening to the same speeches, I am there !

Linking up for my 100th blog post with the lovely Jess for IBOT

A Family Favorite That Makes My Boys Smile : Pasta Bake

I have decided to do something a little different for this weeks "Things that made me smile" post. It's been an emotional week and one that I would rather not rehash. So I am putting this week behind me and moving on to what I am sure will be a super new week ahead :)

So instead of letting my weekly Sunday post slide, I decided to share with you one of the many homemade meals that make my boys "smile" when I comply with their requests and feed them a favorite for dinner.

PASTA BAKE:
4 1/2 cups pasta
2 tsp crushed garlic
500g lean beef mince
diced onion
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup grated zucchini
3/4 cup diced capsicum
800g tin of diced tomatoes
3/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbl spoon salt reduced chicken stock powder
fresh basil
grated cheese

Cook pasta as per pkt instructions. Leave aside. Saute garlic and onion, add mince and cook through. Add remaining vegetables and cook for further 3min. Stir in all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.

 Reduce heat and let simmer for 15min until liquid starts to reduce.
Stir through cooked pasta and simmer for another 5min.
Pour into an ovenproof dish and top with grated cheese.
Bake for 35min till golden brown.

Serve with your favorite steamed vegetables, or salad of your choice.

I actually have to double these ingredients to feed my tribe, so adjust them to your liking.

This is easy to make and a winner for may boys. So all in all I guess the fact that I made my boys smile by serving them up one of their favorite dishes is also something that made me smile when I witnessed the empty plates and heard the the chorus of voices asking for seconds :)


I hope everyone has a great week ahead of them, and that many things happen to bring a smile to your faces.



One small smile is better then no smile at all xx

A Photo Board, An Angry Bird and a Quilt...

This year I vowed to get my lazy butt into gear and get my craft mojo back. It's been missing of late and it's irritated me more than you could ever imagine. I never use to be without a project on the go. Now, thanks to some lovely creative ladies and their inspiring blogs, a little bit of thought and planning on my part, and a whole lot of mess on my kitchen table, it seems that I am back in the swing of things creating left right and center with a few hits and misses thrown in for a laugh along the way.

The first project that I decided to try my hand at turned out to be nothing short of a disaster. Well not a total disaster, more of a giggle. And yes I would say my crafty "miss" of the week :)
If you have read my post about my Owl collection Find it here you will know that I just love my little collection of Owls and dislike one somewhat  So after finding a pattern for a gorgeous fabric Owl, I gave it a go .....

WHAT THE....            

It looks more like a rabid angry bird ! Oh the giggles that came from my boys were infectious. There was no way that I could look at this Owl or whatever it is without falling into fits of laughter myself.
I actually have it's mate cut out in preparation to be made, but I do believe that one of these creatures around the house is enough .

My second project this week was much more successful. I have wanted a fabric photo board for a while now and figured that instead of purchasing one, it would be a lot more fun to make it.
The result is one that I am really happy with.

And I think that I will make another for myself and maybe one for my mum for her birthday.......

So yes, I am pleased to say that I am slowly getting my crafting mojo back.

I am at the moment in the beginning stages of creating my very first quilt. I feel a little daunted at the process, but if I take my time, I am sure that it will turn out just fine.

 Fingers crossed.

Linking up with the lovely Grace for FYBF

Captured Memories

Have you ever just clicked away with your camera and taken a series of casual shots that turned out better then you ever dreamed ?

I am really getting into the spirit of Flashback Friday Cathy is doing a wonderful job motivating everyone and I am having a great old time sitting down with a coffee pouring through my vast collection of photos I really must sort them out one day

Anyway, I was unsure exactly what to share with you this week, but when I came across these photos, I instantly knew that they were perfect for this weeks Flashback.

I remember the exact day I took these photos, my youngest and I were meant to go to the park to "test" out the new camera that Mr Crafty had recently purchased. Unfortunately, our plans had to be ditched when we woke to stormy weather. After dropping the eldest three boys at school, we returned to the dry comforts of home for some indoor fun.

He was watching "Hi Five" I remember his giggles and his cheeky toddler dancing, I grabbed the camera and began to snap away, it was magical, but if we could turn the clock back and let him see himself, I am sure that I would be receiving those teenage sighs and rolling eyes "Oh mum, how embarrassing" .... but it's a time that I will cherish forever and these photos capture him perfectly.

I am quite proud of these photos and I hope that by sharing them with you, you might just catch a small glimpse into the fun, loving personality of my little guy who is no longer such a little guy anymore

Linking up with Cathy for Flashback Friday

Fabric Message/Photo Board

Finally ! today I got the chance to make the fabric photo board that I have been itching to make for quite a while now. I have seen them everywhere in the home ware shops to purchase, but decided that with a little imagination and some of that golden spare time it would be just as easy to make one of my own.

Items needed !

• Canvas (size of your choice)
• Cotton batting/wadding
• Choice of fabric and co-ordinating ribbon
• Buttons
• And a staple gun

And here is the result.....

Fabric must be crease free to prevent puckering

Make sure ribbon is equally spaced

When stapling, pull fabric as tight as you can

Finished project

Finished product with photo of my babies

I am quite pleased with the end result and cant wait to fill it up with more pics of my gorgeous family. I am also hoping to get some more supplies to make one for my Mums birthday which is just around the corner.                                

The Pocket Money Debate

There is quite the debate going on in the media at the moment concerning "pocket money".
Are our kids getting a fair deal ?

A new study is "claiming" that pocket money isn't keeping up with inflation.
Do our kids deserve more ?

The study says that on average, parents are giving their children $10 a week but they are failing to keep up and give the kids a "pay rise"........

Personally, my idea of pocket money is to teach our kids the value of money and start them off on the right track by teaching them to save and not to rely on the amount of money that they receive. By doing odd jobs around the house such as making beds, taking out the rubbish and doing dishes, my boys have over the years been given pocket money depending on the amount of "jobs" they have done and whether or not they have done those jobs to my satisfaction !
One of the most common questions in our home when the boys claim to have finished their jobs are.....
"Is it Mum clean or kid clean ?"
It may seem harsh but I am not one to just hand out money for jobs completed. We are all apart of  a family, living together under one roof and we are all responsible for taking part in keeping things neat, tidy and clean.

It's called team work !!

And helps to teach the kids core values and responsibility.

My kids do not go without, they are not used as slaves. In fact compared to some, my kids get things darn easy if I were to be honest.
Please don't get me wrong, I am not against pocket money, all I am saying is that in our house, when pocket money is received, it is earned and not just given out because "society" claims it is the right thing to do and as far as a "pay rise" goes, sure by all means ask away, but I can bet your bottom dollar that to receive a raise, you will also be asked to do a few extra things to warrant that rise.

What do you think of the study ?
Do you think the amount of pocket money that kids receive should reflect inflation ?
Do your kids help out with household chores ?

I am interested in your views.

Linking up with the fabulous Jess for IBOT :)

Things That Made Me Smile - WK5

Whoops, I nearly let the day get away from me, I almost forgot my 'smilie' post. It's Sunday all ready, my it came around quickly this week.
With the return of school and the struggle to gain some form of routine (yes, for some reason this time I am struggling to sort myself out) the week has rushed by at an alarming pace.
But thankfully, just as I was about to head back to the kitchen to sort out tomorrows lunch boxes, I realised that I had something more appealing to attend to :)

So lets go !!

So many things gave me reason to smile this week, they don't necessarily have to be major occurrences. Sometimes its the smaller things in life that bring us more joy. For example this week for me, something as simple as the sun showing itself after a long weeks absence was enough to put a smile on my face for a few days running. Spying and buying a few fabric bargains at Spotlight hidden from Hubby shhhh got me giggling like a school girl (they will magically appear in the next few days)
Spread out on the floor pouring over paint charts and sharing a small but cheeky smile when Mr Crafty caught me yes I am about to paint the house AGAIN.
A relaxing swim, a coffee date.
Receiving a pretty bunch of flowers.
And enjoying the wonderful aroma of my new gorgeous Black Raspberry candle.
So many small things that all add up to an amazing week.
I am so grateful for these wonderful gestures that made my week enjoyable. I hope that at some point during your week you to were able to smile and enjoy life's simple pleasures to.

Oh and I almost forgot !!

I just purchased a Chicken Coop :)

Keep smiling xx

Date Night...

Sometimes you just need to spend one on one time with your partner. No kids, no interruptions, just time for the two of you, and this year I am determined to do just that. Quiet dinners for two, walks along the beach and the occasional coffee and conversation.

Last Friday (gee, its been a week already) we decided that a night of fine dinning was in order, so after making sure the kids were fed, we waved goodbye and set off to try out a new Yum Cha & Seafood Restaurant. 

It was divine......

Because there were so many delightful dishes to choose from, making the decision very difficult. We decided that the banquet for two was the way to go, and we were so not disappointed. Everything was cooked to perfection and the wait staff were very friendly. I could not find fault at all.

Our meal consisted of 

• Home made steamed dim sim
• Pork won ton soup
• San Choy Bau                                                                         
• Peking Duck
• Garlic Prawns
• Sweet & Sour pork
• Sliced Beef in Szechuan Chili sauce
• Special Fried Rice

It was a meal to be fit a king, and although there was more food then either of us had imagined, we stayed until we could eat no more and were bursting at the seems.

We had a wonderful night chatting and reconnecting over a lovely bottle wine. It is something that we needed as a couple and something that we will continue to do for ourselves and our marriage. With our boys older now it's time that we make the effort to connect and continue to make time for ourselves. 

It's easy to loose yourselves in the fast lane of life, and we all need to stop and slow down every now and then to connect with the one we love.

 Linking up with the lovely Grace for FYBF

I Do

As a little girl I had many dreams of how my wedding would be, and when the day finally came, it was all I had ever imagined and more.....

I met my Husband in High School. I was 16 he was 17 and from day one we were inseparable. We got engaged on my 18th birthday and immediately I began to plan my day.

It was perfect.

We were married on March 5th 1994 at Hopkins Uniting Church at Lithgow NSW.
We had four Bridesmaids and Groomsmen in attendance, and exchanged vows in front of many family and friends.

I was 19, my man was 20. And now when I look back at these photos for Flashback Friday I honestly cant believe how young we were.
It was a beautiful day and everything that I dreamed of. I just couldn't wait to say "I do".

Our special guest. Our 8 month old son

Whenever I look back on our day, there is not a single thing that I would change. My childhood dreams became my reality, and I married my Prince Charming. Next month we celebrate our 19th Wedding Anniversary, and in the not to distant future there may be plans in the works to renew our vows.........

Happily linking up with gorgeous Cathy for Flashback Friday