Blueberry face

Just had to show you all this picture. Manon loves blueberry's, can you tell??!!

Healesville Sanctuary...

Is a great place to visit, and that is what we did last weekend. Its a zoo-like-place set in natural Australian vegetation, only housing Australian Animals. About 1 hour drive north-east from us. The zoo grounds are very lush and national-park like. We had a great time last weekend. Manon's highlight was the Tasmanian Devil and jumping in muddy puddles. Erik and my highlight's were hanging out in the rain, loving being close to the Aussie bushland again, and watching our daughter love jumping around seeing all kinds of W I E R D Aussie Animals.

Muddy Puddle Jumping at its best here!

She loves Ballet!

She loves it. Manon really loves Ballet, who would have known it!? So here are some more pictures of her weekly class.

Renovations..

Well they are done now aren't they because, well, we are living in a nice newly renovated home! BUT, finally I have found the time to get it together and upload some pictures of the work in progress to get us to this point. These pictures are more towards the final completion of our house. So things are looking pretty nice here! Not really the state we bought the house in - OH MY!!

I will upload pictures of the finished product as soon as I can xox

The Hallway. Fake wooden paneling was remove, floors taken out, re-stumped, and recycled timber oak floor put in. The new floors have not been sanded and polished as yet. Painting has not begun as yet, as well as no power outlets or lighting completed as yet.

Living Room. (Taken from the kitchen end). Hole was punched though the wall and that glass door was put in there, 1920 recycled door we found at a salvage place. Heater taken out, air conditioner taken out. The kitchen was not put in as yet in this picture. Flooring taken out, re-stumped, same as in the hallway. No sanding and polishing as yet here either. No lighting or painting in etc...
Laundry Room. Was the original bathroom. MY GOD THAT WAS UGLY!!! That window was put in, floor tiled, walls completely plastered again. There was a funny little recessed shelving unit, and that was covered over and plastered up.
Bathroom. Was the laundry room and a really weird space. Walls were removed, and the space was opened up. All the fixtures did stay in the same place. Fake wall was added in to hide new plumbing and to recess the mirror cabinet. New everything in the bathroom. Tiles etc...
Window was an exit into our back yard. We had that covered in and a small window was put in. The door is a 1920's recycled timber door we found at a salvage place.

Me, the birthday girl!

WOW 32 eh?? Holly CRAP! How did that happen? Well, I guess it did. And I guess I have to be happy that I got to celebrate it with my whole family.

My sister came over for the whole day, with her daughter, Clea. And we had fun fun fun. A yummy lunch, loads of cake, and then I caught the tram into the city for some fine dining with Erik while she babysat... my sister is the BEST!!

Here are some pictures of this festive day...

A morning prego photo

The lunch feast
Clea and Manon wanting to eat so much cake
Manon once again loving eating her bread sticks
All of us blowing out the candle

Ballet...

Well to be specific, the glittering tapping wonderland of ballet! And that is what I signed Manon into like any crazy mother might! Her first class was just hours ago and SHE WAS ADORABLE. She was so good (in that she listened to the teacher Miss Lollypop and didnt run around too crazy like)

She was so excited on the way there that she was giggling in the back seat of the car sitting in a "poof" of her tutu!!

Here are just a few pictures of her before we went, and before the camera ran out of batteries. More pictures and a video to come next monday!!

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The photographer

Manon has taken in a big way to get her grimy little sticky hands on using a camera. Here are some of the pictures she has taken recently of her mum and the couch...

Back-yard-i-gans!

So every weekend that comes, I find Manon and Erik pottering away in their back yard! Digging, building, sitting around. Too cute. Check out below for an picture update on its progress...