Day TWENTY-ONE -

Another family day, recovering from the big birthday the day before!  My Mackenzinator is a character!

DAY TWENTY-TWO -

Humph.  Need I say more.

DAY TWENTY-THREE -

I LOVE my husband.  My rugged early man hunter gather husband. (even if he did proudly gift me a marble cheese grater for Christmas!)

We packed a picnic (actually – I packed a gorgeous picnic) and headed to Healeseville Sanctuary for a fun day out. Will and I hadn’t been there for many years, and the girls not at all (oh – except Madison who went on an excursion a few months ago).  I highly recommend it.  So quiet, even during school holidays.  Plenty of room – lots to see.  The birds of prey show was fabulous!  We spent five hours wondering around at our slow pace, and that included a stop for lunch and another to sing Happy Birthday with the somewhat dodgy (but deceptively delicious) sponge cake.

Have a look at that spread – mmmmm.(we have no idea who the other people are!(Milla is Wilburs new shadow.  She HAS to be wherever he is.  It is gorgeous to watch.  It also means she only want him to change her nappy.  I am not complaining.Happy Birthday Wilbur! Not sure if the girls are more excited about the fact that I bought them each a mini can of lemonade (a VERY rare treat), or that there is a big wonky looking sponge cake to eat!Milla got stuck straight in.  No holding her back.  Much like her father.Happy family.

Spunky daddy, and cool daughter!

*sigh*

The ‘just about to get into the car for a long drive home’ obligatory fruit snack.

We changed it up today and met some friends at a different beach!  Point Leo is lovely – totally different to our beaches though!  The girls enjoyed a bit of rockpool rambling, and I relished in the chance to talk to another adult!  Always a bonus!

DAY SEVENTEEN-

Ahh – day seventeen.  I can’t remember a thing about it.  I only took one photo, which gives me more reason to believe that this should be ‘more than a photo per day’! (or maybe I should be more diligent at posting each photo actually on the day it was taken….) Once again – blurry.  Blurry shows movement.  Milla NEVER. STOPS. MOVING.  PERFECT shot.

DAY EIGHTEEN -

Another day kicking around at home.  These two photos melt my heart for a couple of reasons.

1. I love how Murphy is ‘helping’ Milla sunscreen herself.

2. I love Milla poking out her little tummy.

3. It makes me happy to see Wilbur there in the thick of things – planning his assault on his shed building, whilst watching the girls splash about.

4. everything.

Day nine turned out slightly different than planned – but that’s just how I roll!

Today was a Nipper day, so I ventured to the Portsea Back Beach with ALL the tribe in tow.  I hadn’t been to portsea in a number of years, and was dreading the trudge down and up the stairs with a Milla on my back, and two other Ms that are not huge fans of walking.  Times have a-changed, and there is a road/ramp that leads down to the beach.  Fabulous.  Today was super windy, making it quite cool – but much fun was never the less had!  The Portsea leg of the Nutri-Grain Ironman was held yesterday – pity I missed it – such eye candy amazing athletes!

Madison’s cold face, and Murphs ‘look at my windy hair mummy’ face!

We then met up with my FABULOUSLY wonderful cousins for a fish and chip lunch before heading to the front beach for a play, where we dug a swimming/jumping hole for Murph and Milla.  Such fun.  Check out that air!  Go Murph Go!

She was a super spoilt and lucky girl – but really – well deserving – and receieved and iPod touch for her birthday.  Both Wilbur and I were a little hesitant about buying her one, but then I realised the bargaining power I would have…….! She si now FaceTiming anyone she can – even me, from the laundry!

Check out the super early morning birthday girl!

Hello gorgeous…..

Mmm – I spent the entire day whipping up a chocolate mousse cake. Oh – divine.  So so divine.

Now – I know it’s meant to be all about Madison today – but I just had to add a little snippet regarding Milla and her ‘tool.  This IS Milla’s ‘toll, and beware if you even dare to use it.  She stands at the end of the bench for every meal.  She ” ‘elp oo Mummy” from that stool.  She directs from the stool.  It is hers and hers alone. I dared to move it to get Bill down – and the strife I got in…….  Look at the cute kneesies…..

Today was the sort of day where I went with the flow.  Prepared for the Portsea Twilight run (a whole 3.75km run at Point Nepean).  I felt good, yet slightly relieved that I hadn’t signed up for the 8km run, considering my one and only training run was yesterday!  Running was relaxing.  the actual getting to the run less so.Who would have thought that a 30minute run would take a day to prepare for – dinner and snacks for girls and babysitter. Making and tasting of delish triple choc muffins. (I may or may not have eaten a muffins worth of uncooked mixture….) Run girls ragged so they would be exhausted for said babysitter! Honestly – it was totally worth any (small) hassles.

Playing of wiggle giggle – minus the majority of the balls that a strewn aorund the house!  much concentration and giggling was had!

Mmmm…….  Just call me Queen Muffin-maker!

I LOVE to run.  i don’t quite get to do it enough, but am working on that.  It makes me feel good, and that is always good for the soul.  I have a number of running goals to achieve this year, and #1 was knocked off the list today.

Lastly, it is this gorgeous girl’s 9th birthday tomorrow.  She was having a top time on my op-shop skateboard thingo find.  One of my children will know how to skateboard.  I have been desperate to learn for many years.  I have the balance of an elephant on ice skates in butter. I will work on it!  Nine years ago I was labouring away at home.  Little did I know what we were in for!

Today was a better day.  I got up on the right side of the bed and stayed there.  i went for a quick 2km run around the block.  I felt great.  Now to work out a way of doing it every day without leaving my tribe to go solo in the house.

Madison was a Ripper nipper today at the back beach – a little rough for my little ones, so we went to the park for a romp.  Romp we did!

My girls a swing FREAKS.  They love the things.  I must say, swinging two little people at once, on separate swings is a feat.

Murphy no longer smiles for the camera.  it always has to be a ‘Murphy’ face.

The Mackenzinator is starting to discover she can hang and swing.  So she’s not the most graceful, lithe or co-ordinated girl out there, but her enthusiasm TRUMPS everyone.  Check out “my big jumps Mummy’!

Check out those purely kissable, squeezable and totally munchable cheeks…..

These two were attempting to jump.  Murph manages with much glee. Milla – not so much.  It’s hard work getting little legs off the ground.  Much easier standing and looking cute.

After much rolling and running down the hill, time for family portrait minus a couple…… I LOVE the self-timer, and all was going well after a few test shots until Milla decided she had her own agenda!

TADA!

Do it again Mummy.  Umm – I could be mistaken, but I think Murphy is trying to ‘love pat‘ squash Milla!

Oh we are lucky………

You know what?  I woke up on the right side of the bed this morning, but as the day went on, I must have swapped sides, coz I was CRANKY.  Oh so cranky.  No patience.  No love.  Nothing. NADA. It was a struggle to find some happyology today – but I did.  I am determined to see the magic and good. (yes yes Wilbur – I am sure you will quote me on that incessantly!)  I have taken steps to zap out of my crankiness tomorrow.  Early morning run (actually – my first an only training run for the Portsea Twilight 4km run I am doing on Saturday! DO you think I may have left it a little late…..), followed by a romp in the park with my tribe.  Running and romping will fix everything.

Wilbur spent a good couple of hours Ikea-ing on Christmas Eve to set up this little kitchen area for the little Ms.  Totally worth it.  They now have a better kitchen that me. They LOVE it.  Countless times I am offered cake and sausages and drinks. See the cake baking in the little oven!  Check out the ‘clicking’ shoes on Murph’s toes.  Such a wanted item.

This is Hervey.  When I was pregnant with MAdison (oh my gosh – NINE years ago), we went out to buy a pram.  We came back pramless, and the proud owners of Hervey.  Hervey is a black lab x border collie.  He is THE single most patient living breathing thing on the Earth.  He needs to be.  He has a MASSIVE crush on Flopsy the rabbit, and stands at her cage for the majority of the day, whining and barking and pawing at her.  Hervey-dog – i don’t think she’s interested in you.  Give it a rest pal.  When he’s not floosy-ing Flopsy, he waits patiently for food and ball activity.  (not HIS balls thank-you very much – those of the throwing kind).  He LOVES a good run after a ball, and will ALWAYS find energy for it. He’s a good boy, with a big heart and a massive capacity to clear a room when he fluffs!  He is 9and a half this week.  Happy Birthday Hervey-dog!

(a little bit of constructive post-blurring to cover little peoples’ faces…..)

It appears that launching herself headfirst along a slip n slide is pretty good too!

The “Ariel – Little Mermaid” slip n slide that Santa left us is barely big enough.  When we can, it looks like an upgrade to a big sheet of black plastic plus a garden sprinkler hose will do the trick!

Summer is fun!