here we are...

What a classic, I can't believe I'm putting these pictures up here........look at us...no makeup, daggy clothes,hair not done, but we saw the light against the trees and Tom took the pictures. I love them really, I mean this is us, no pretense here, this is the beauty of 27 years of friendship, I love seeing how our bodies have changed, the wrinkles that have advanced, the fact that even if we wanted to dress up & go out & take some photos that were a bit more glamorous & flattering we couldn't have...... because just to the side of us there were 8 kids, and if we had of gone inside & got ourselves dressed up, well it just wouldn't have happened, because we would have been mobbed, probably for food, or to settle an arguement. So instead we seized the moment & ran to the light, & here we are........this is us..... X

Welcome Home Marni & Tom....

Our home recently accommodated, 5 adults, 8 kids & a whole lot of chaos......and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.....Marni, Tom, Spike & Rudy have finally left London & returned to the land of OZ. Although they will be living in Sydney, it is still a heck of a lot closer than England and a good excuse for Nits & I to get away.....after all Marni is going to need a lot of help & support while she gets settled in isn't she??!. (Haven't been to Sydney since I was a kid) OK so I have noticed that it gets harder to have our really great long conversations these days, they seem to happen in between little people asking for food and fights & tears & tantrums, but hey , they still happen.....just a bit more disjointed than the old days. I can say the laughter & love has not waned or changed in 27 years of friendship & when the three of us are together it still feels like we are 8 years old. Such silliness is still enjoyed and that is great for the soul. So now we shall make some more memories with Marnz here, it had been too long that Nits & I spent wishing she was home............

The Spicer family- Tom, Marni, Spike & Rudy

Lola having fun on the swing

And the gorgeous Parthenides girlsMia , Asha & Lola

Urban Cowboy

I snapped this man sitting at a cafe' in Bangalow the other day....I thought he was pretty funky........I wonder what his story is.........

Happy Birthday mum

We had a lovely celebration for mums 66th Birthday. Hope you had a lovely day mum.....we love you xx

Union gala day

On Friday, Logans class of 4/5/6 participated in a Rugby Union gala day at Bangalow. These kids have never played union before although some have experience with Rugby League, and they only had a week to get some training in and to basically learn the game. When we arrived it was instantly obvious that we were the underdogs!. We were surrounded by schools adorned with vibrant jerseys, sporting logos and sponsorships from their towns' businesses, complete with head gear, shoulder pads and even matching socks!. Bring in Bonalbo central school......school shirts some with, one without, some with football boots some without, some with mouth guards some without, definetely no matching socks.......oh, & 5 girls!. Well did we give them a run for their money.........these kids had determination that could have built Rome in a day!. After they got over the initial shock of how tragic they looked compared to the other teams, they set about to show them that it's not how you're dressed that counts, it's about heart. And they had plenty of it. The team work they displayed between the boys and the girls was so admirable, they knew they needed to back each other up to get through the match, and in true feminine style our "ladies" were there in the thick of it. They were pushed, shoved, stomped on, flung about and held back, but they were there 100%. WE (the parents) were screaming our heads off, and doing the necessary parental coaching from the sidelines, because all parents are experts on the sidelines aren't they?! They had the best day, and so did we. We were so proud of them. I'm sure all the other teams will always remember those Bonalbo kids. Well done guys. (and ladies!).

News.............

Another weekend has been & gone and we are inching closer to the holidays.  My calendar has been absolutely chockas with so many school activities, It's like they have waited till the last few weeks of school to jam as many things in as possible......Logan went to Coffs Harbour for three days for his camp, Summer went to Seaworld for an excursion (again)!, Logan has a football gala day on Friday at Bangalow, there has been dentist appointments, school photos, concerts, my head is reeling with dates & times & places & obligations & I just can't wait for the holidays to start!.  On a sad note though our Che has moved back to Grandmas.  We have realised again it's just not possible to live here, do school & work two part time jobs.  I have just had to face the fact that I have to let go........I know she is only 16 but sometimes things happen & I guess you have to stretch that cord way before you expect to.  I was getting so angry & resentful at her because she was never here & we were missing her & we were thinking that she was finding reasons to not be here.  But if anyone is going to put up their hand up & volunteer for something and be involved in something it is our Che, and that is what is taking up most of her spare time, being involved in anything that is available to her.  So that was all been a bit of a down time for me.
On the upside though,  today is the official day that Shane stops smoking!.  I finally got my way after just a little bit of harrassment and just a little bit of resentment on Shanes part!.  He has been cutting down for the last couple of weeks and today is the day of no more!!.  I have to get him patches tomorrow while I'm in town just in case....I know he can do it without them........but it will ease his mind to have them on hand.  Boy, you guys have no idea how hard it was to get him just to put a date on the calendar to work towards.....it nearly ended in divorce I can tell you!.  So please send out your positive thoughts for him, I think he's going to need them!.  The change since he has cut down is already remarkable, I can't wait to see if he actually puts on weight which he really needs to do. 
We have made a start on Summers cubby using only recycled timber we have laying around.  She is very excited and can't believe after years of asking that she will finally have one.  I'm just glad that I won't have to clean up all the other "cubbys" she erects all over the place.  That child can make a cubby out of anything!.
We recently had Brian & Linda & Pop over for a visit from W.A.  It was so nice to finally meet Brian & Linda.  Aside from Pop, I have never met any of Shanes family and Shane hadn't seen Brian since he was about 17.  So it was a really lovely week getting to know them and it was great to see Pop again.  I think Finny remembered him from the last visit.........

 This is just the foofster doing what he does best....eating!, or helping to clean up, however you want to look at it...... !

We are now the proud owners of two sheep called Rosemary & Thyme.  They are a pretty strange breed and actually look more like goats!.  They are very lovely though, and Thyme is due to lamb any day............(She's the freckly one)