Grateful for the Water.

When we moved house, last February; Chris was adamant our new house HAD to have a pool. To be honest, I didn't think we'd use it very much. Who was I kidding?! It's been a god-send this summer. With temps soaring around mid to high 30's by mid morning and lasting til late night, we've been in and out of the pool a whole heap!

Jayden and Ella having a late afternoon swim today.

{Excuse the blurriness of the above photo, but kids move.....and they move fast!}

Jayden {Chris's son} is here. We love having him around! Ella is just beside herself with excitement that her big brother is in town. They haven't left each other's sides since he disembarked the plane and we picked him up at the airport. 

Today, in between a shopping trip and some mini-motorbike fun, they swam. And swam. And swam. Dinner was had early and baths were missed....as swimming was on the agenda :)

I have been feeling very grateful this week. To have the swimming pool. This house. This family. I'm a lucky lady!

And Mr Ryder - aka - the water baby....has been indulging in lots of water play. Nothing but a nappy has become his summer uniform. Bring out the hose, clam shells and a few bath toys and he's in his element.

Oh yum - those delicious little legs.

******I'm linking up with Bron and Kidspot in the 52 Weeks of Grateful. It's such a gratifying experience to stop and think about what is good in our life. And what we're grateful for. Focusing on the positives!

*********And while I'm tootin' on about having a pool and how good that it for us...in this epic summer heat. I have to say that my heart and thoughts are going out to those who are or have been, affected by the recent fire storms and bushfires. Such tragedy. Our house backs onto a huge state forest. I can only imagine the devastation and loss a large-scale fire would cause. And in the true gist of this post - I am grateful for so much right now. And am sending lots of hope to those effected.

***********

What are you grateful for today?

Wordless Wednesday......{We're on the Move}

{Playing along at Sarah's today}

Our house is officially on the market! We're feeling a mixture of sad, scared & SUPER EXCITED!!! I'm loving looking around for a new place to call home & planning for our future! But also sad to say goodbye to our family home we've known for the past 5 years....Ella's 1st home! Moving house is such a roller coaster of emotions....good & stressful :)

ENJOY your Wednesday and wish us luck for a quick & easy sale :)

Week~A~Boo.......{Christmas Love, A New House & BBQ Bliss}

It's almost 10pm, we've just walked in the door after an afternoon out & about :) We've carried a sleeping, unbathed.......but very contented little girl from the car into the snuggly, safety of her bed & unpacked the bags & eskies from a weekend of fun! I'm tired & completely & utterly 'weekend-ed out' {in a good way of course}, but wanted to get my week-a-boo post up for the night :)

Saturday morning brought in a lovely gust of Christmas wind! Before 7am, we were already elbow deep in red & green paint with glitter & stamps & rollers & glue :) Whilst I pumped out some really old daggy Christmas music {which I secretly LOVE}, Ella & I made a couple of metres of hand-painted wrapping paper :)

{I'm linking the painting photos up with Kasia'a KIDDY ART! Head over there for lots of crafty inspiration}

Chris then returned from his run & a massive bacon & egg breakfast was on the cards :) With full tummies & a craving to spend time as a family.....we headed down to the beach to a gorgeous broadwater park :)

{We love having him home after a week up North on business!!!}

We then headed to Chris parent's NEW HOUSE :) It was moving day for them! So, we greeted them at their new place to help unload the trucks & crack open a bottle of bubbly to celebrate their gorgeous new home!

Their new pool....had me at HELLO :) I am already imagining endless summers spent here!

And.....on Saturday evening...the CHRISTMAS TREE went up :) I may have even shed a tear.....just watching my 2 Loves hanging balls & tinsel & lights! Have I mentioned that I love Christmas? heeee!!

Saturday night, I fell asleep putting Ella to bed! I think I may have drifted off before her :) I was EXHAUSTED....bigtime!

Sunday.....today! A morning of shopping, baking & cleaning :) We then headed back to Chris's parents for a late afternoon swim {which only Ella & Chris's Mum ended up braving as the afternoon became quite overcast!} and a BBQ! It was LOVELY! We picked up Chris's Nan on the way and my parents met us there too! It was BLISS! I mention on here {quite a lot} about living in the special moments & taking it all in....but it was again this evening that I stepped back, had a look around & thought "Wow...this is it!" "This is what makes me happy.....makes me complete.....energises me.....motivates me.....THESE MOMENTS!!" Moments when our 2 families are combined as one....LIVING, LAUGHING & LOVING! I love watching them dote over Ella & truly hang on to every word that comes out of her mouth! I love watching Chris teach my Dad how to use his new iPad and my Mum & Chris's Mum have D&M's about life! I love it....every little part of it! And tonight, as we relaxed by the tennis-court, lagoon-pool, vegetable-garden, underground-carpark BLISS of the Chadwick's new residence, I watched Chris in the moment as he was the chef on the teppanyaki bbq & loving being right in his comfort zone there.....I watched {probably with tears in my eyes.....as always lol} Ella go-go-going {as she does} and took it ALL in, baby! Coz it's these moments, that help me through the bad times, stressful times & sad times! 

{Above: Terribly blurry I know......but I love it all the same!}

What did you get up to on the weekEND? I'd love to know {or see}, if you're a blogger {or even just a Facebook user}, link your weekend shenanigans back to here :)

Have a fabulous week my friends!

Shadow Shot Sunday {4}

These photos were taken yesterday at my parent-in-law's house! They live on a gorgeous big lake, and after we enjoyed a loooong swim in the pool which overlooks the lovely lake, I then got out the camera to snap up these shadowy shots:

And this one below isn't a shadow as such, but a reflection.... of me taking the photo into the glass bi-fold deck door. I love how you can see the lake & the resort apartments on the other side of the lake in the background.

I'm playing along with Hey Harriet and her weekly linky post ~ Shadow Shot Sunday!

Happy Sunday everyone!

See you later for week-a-boo!

See you next week.......

Happy Friday Lovelies!

Here's a little photo of what Miss Ella & I have been up to lately! She is Tinkerbell OBSESSED at the moment and after watching the latest Tinkerbell movie she insisted we made a fairy house {just like Lizzie} for our garden fairies :) Gosh, I love her at this age & the fun we get up to!! I have more photos to upload but am in a slight hurry....as we're off on our first family camping trip today for the weekend....I can't wait! Fingers crossed the weather is kind to us as it's a little cool & overcast today!! We're heading into the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Mountains near Woodford....YAY I can't wait!! I'm so looking forward to a weekend with no internet, no phones, no work.....just quality family time with good friends, great food, adventure & fun!!!

See you all on Monday for Week~A~Boo :))

Have a lovely weekend!

Bubble Fun.....{At My House}

At the fair on Saturday, Ella got a super cool Bubble Gun!

So...you can imagine what we've been doing at our house ever since :)

Isn't it amazing how much fun can come from the simplest thing......BUBBLES!!

For more At My House posts, head over to Lou's!

What's been happening at your house lately?

P.S Ella now has her own blog too! Head over here for a look & see the magic of the world through the eyes of a 2 yr old ;o)