Head in the clouds..

We're home from our holiday and but my head is still in the clouds. It feels like we've been away forever and that I've stepped back into someone else's life. I'm thinking about the sunny bubble we were in while away, and the special time we spent together.

Bill, I had so much fun hanging out with you, looking a shells, making card houses and being close. So close that we both got the same cold, the same asthma and now we have matching puffers!

Little Rosie, how much fun did you have? I loved watching you be a baby dolphin in the pool, jump over a million waves & swing yourself up to the sky.

Thanks for sharing you love of life with us, for making us smile every day.

Thanks for the happy days, honey. The Wire, the rockpools, the coffees,

& your sweet love x

So glad you came Char,

it wouldn't have been the same without you.

You were amazing last night by the way, Cleopatra.

Sweet Sunday, holiday girl. Shells & sand, pin dives, Snap & Crazy Eights, op shops & icecreams, beautiful kisses and cuddles,

and funny moments like when you skirt fell down in the plane!! Oh my goodness!

Lovely Lucy, summer honey pie. Books & donuts, surfing on the waves, laps in the pool, hanging with the gang in the sunshine.

Funny girl, you make me laugh. Thanks for your big girl hugs & your caring ways.

So it's back to reality now folks. I'm looking forward to so many things!

Markets, catching up with friends, a wedding, Melbourne with Lucy & Ella,

the school fete, three special birthdays, being in the garden, sunny days,

garlic harvest, and so much more.

What are you looking forward to?

Much love to one & all, see you soon xo

Sunday

One of my favourite things to do while on holiday is visit the local op shops.

And one of Mum's favourite things to do is jigsaw puzzles! I found this beauty at the Lifeline Op Shop in Maroochydore, isn't it fantastic?

I also picked up some games for the kids. Battleship was one and also two decks of cards. We've spent lots of time making card houses, and matching up number cards, fun!

I found this little French embroidery & hand made thread rolls at the Salvo's Family Store. I might need to visit Merrilyn for some tips I think.

And don't you love second hand books? This one is our Book Club book this month too, I loved it. Have you read it?

The girls also got some clothes, Bill found some Simpson toys & I fell in love with this vintage Ric Rac, yay!

There is a lot of fun to be found outside too. This gorgeous creature, a blue tongued lizard, was sitting on the path yesterday.

Anyway, our holiday is coming to an end soon, it will be hard to say goodbye.

Even so, I do love home and I can't wait to get back to all our pets who I miss. I wonder if Freddie is still at the back door looking in? He will be getting two new companions soon, how exciting! Our excellent neighbour, Connor, is looking after all the pets for us & Max & Daisy are at the Doggie Motel. Can't wait to see them!! Hope you are having a happy Sunday, see you soon xo

Mooloolaba

Greetings from almost sunny Queensland! We are here on holiday at beautiful Mooloolaba, a place we always return to.

My grandparents, Nan & Hume, loved the white sandy beaches and dreamy weather here and holidayed many times in the same area that we now visit.

Our first day or so were a bit flat as it rained continuously and the forecast wasn't looking promising. But things picked up and although it hasn't been super sunny it has still be so pleasant and warm that we are as happy as clams.

This is the view from the end of the path outside our front door.

Sitting here now I'm listening to the surf rolling in and the native birds calling out, perhaps their message to me is "Relax, unwind, let yourself go!"

And I am.

I'm really enjoying being in a different space, I love the sea, it's so soothing and mesmerising. As a child I spent alot of time with Nan & Hume on the beach, near where they lived, it was one of the best parts of my childhood. Maybe this is why it is such a happy place for me.

It's been great being with Mum too, spending some more time with her has been a highlight. The kids are having a great time, in between a few fights of course. The early waking is a bit hard on everyone so we are aiming for earlier nights. This sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

Being on holiday can be intense. Away from the routine of home, living in a small apartment, hanging out together all the time, it's fun but also can be tiring.I'm really conscious too of everyone's needs (what's new?) and I'm trying to weave a line between helping & getting them to help themselves. It's such a juggling act trying to keep the ship steady sometimes, but I'm just going with the flow and not stressing too much. They're great kids and just like them, we are continually learning how to get along with each other, respect each other & be responsible for our own emotions.

For the most part it's been fantastic. I love the relaxed pace and I can feel myself slowing down and loosening up in the warmth. Ahh...if only Daylesford could get itself a beach and some tropical weather I'd be in heaven every day.

What are you up to? I feel a bit disconnected from blogland, although I have had a little peek around. Thank you to all the lovelies who commented on my last post. What a fun night that was. I forgot to mention that I managed to put my outfit together on a shoestring. The dress was from Target ($39!) and the cardi was a second from Rivers ($9) & I borrowed my heels from Char. Yay! Anyway, it just goes to show you don't need to spend heaps to feel good. Better skedaddle, hope all is well in your world, see you soon xo

Somewhere else

Hello lovely friends...I'm home from our holiday in beautiful, wonderful Queensland. It's strange being home when I still feel like I am somewhere else. Not here in Daylesford, not in the warm and soft air of Mooloolaba but somewhere in between.

Somewhere with a million thoughts flying in a whirl,

And then none at all.

Somewhere kind of dreamy,

A place that's neither here, nor there.

I wonder when I will come back to earth. Hope it's not too soon.

lovely Charlotte

Meanwhile here are some photo's from the trip. I hope this isn't boring, I know other people's holidays are not necessarily thrilling, especially if you have been stuck at home with rain and cold. Don't worry, just have a look and pretend for a minute you are on a tropical island...

Rosie getting her nails done.

Bye for now sweeties, see you soon xo

Greetings from Mooloolaba

This week has been pretty amazing. We have flown hundreds of kilometres from our Central Highlands home to the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland. We are staying right next to the beach at Mooloolabah and it's pretty close to paradise.

Jumping in the pool is a big priority right now.

As much as I love living in Daylesford it's so nice to be WARM and also to be somewhere so tropical and beachie. The kids are having fun although they are so tired from so much swimming and beach fun that they are taking it in turns to be cranky. The sun wakes us just after 5.30 in the morning so the days are long!

I haven't been blogging at all which has been weird but fine too. I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone when I get home. I have managed to find some great local opshops though, I'll do a show and tell in my next post.

Yesterday after several days of near perfect weather a huge dust storm swept through. Top soil from inland turned to dust and made the sky & the light the eeriest shade of red. It reminded me in a way of the mist in Daylesford in winter.

Walking on the beach has been a highlight. The sand, so soft. The water, so blue and clear. Bill has been skipping stones and finding smooth rocks and colourful shells.

Its fun hanging out with the kids, with Mark, with my mum. Family is so important to me and having time together, like this, is the best.

I am loving this holiday so much and just stepping out of normal life has been so good for me. It's still tiring and hard sometimes, as family life is, but I am already thinking of booking in for next year! I am missing our dogs though and the chooks, this brush turkey is the closest thing to a chicken that I've see so far!

Hope you are all having a great week, lots of love, see you soon xo