Mat is 40

Today is Mat's 40th birthday. He is one of my oldest friends, we've known each other since I was in Kindergarten. It had been years since we had seen each other, but then he turned up when I was working at Woolies in high school, dating one of my friends! We reconnected and were inseparable after that and many years later, he ending up marrying my best friend! What are the chances? Anyway, I love the dude and would do anything for him, so being at his 40th was the actual best. This awesome photo, taken on Jens new phone (I am just a tad jealous) shows him perfectly, the country life, surrounded by mates, drinking a beer. Perfect.

It was actually such a good night, cold as anything, but that was no issue once they got the fire going! The kids all ran wild in the paddocks until they got too tired, at which time I took the boys back to mums and they went to bed while Madeline and I hung out.

Mat the party planner went all out and there was good food, a lotttt of drinks and even Mat's 40th stubby holders to go around.

Perfect!

Hanging with the bestie - photo by Maddie our 11 year old photographer haha

and one of Mat with Jen and baby Sophie 

The fire was raging - and provided some awesome light in the photos. It's just not a country party without a fire!

Mat decided an actual birthday cake wasn't necessary and instead had Jen make some poop cupcakes. They were so cute - and also so weird haha. But certainly tasted good!

Highlight of the night was definitely watching Mat smash up the piñata that I had so carefully filled with a buttload of lollies from Kmart. The kids went wild when it broke open, only to have the adults scrambling for first dips after a friend had jammed the top section full of mini bottles of spirits. Classic. Made it all the more perfect for Mat. Best bit was that he hit it so hard one of the bottles broke - even though they were all plastic! Wild. Had the adults cracking up.

Next day found us back in the paddock again, fire still burning away much to the delight of my kids. 

This girl of course needed to pose for photos and send them to her city mates. She's not quite a country girl, but she is sure trying.

She cute though. Haha.

Happy 40th Mat. Let's hope there's at least another 40 in you! ❤ 

a pretty hot night!

there is nothing better than an epic fire... and the bonfires at my parents house in clackline are famous! the build them up until they are so big it's ridiculous and then light them up with family and friends around to share the fun.

(mums helpful path from the house to the paddock)

this one over the weekend was no exception... there was a stack of us on hand to watch as dad tipped a bunch of petrol around the perimeter (goodlet's love fire and explosions... i swear it runs in our blood!) then threw a match in and ran off! it went up like nothing i've ever seen before and between grace cackling and maddie screaming... it was certainly a sight to behold.

burning in full force

sitting with my love enjoying the raging heat

of course the fires are always so huge that there is no way you can get anywhere near them to toast marshmallows, so our crew of kids scrambled around collecting their own little stack of firewood to make their own fire, which after a little while was successful enough to start toasting. so cute! i love our little people!

especially this one... look at his swollen little cheeks full of marshmallows. he looks good enough to eat!

of course a party in clackers wouldn't be complete without the bestie... it was a great night!

doug's 30th bday bonfire!

doug turned 30 on friday 3rd september
that's a pretty big deal -
so we thought we would celebrate in style
with a freaking huge bonfire...
at mum and dad's place in clackers

the bonfire has been built gradually over the last 3 or so years - with mum and dad just chucking stuff (sticks, branches etc) on it whenever they can - so it was huge. isaac (our resident firebug) turned up with a couple of cans of degreaser and decided to spray some on it - only to have mum laugh and tell him that she thought he would need more than that to light it. but to be honest...
i doubt he even needed that to get it going
- cause within seconds it was off!!!!

and as you can see - the flames were ridiculously high - and the heat?? unbelievable!! the photo shows the closest we could get without getting burnt. madness i tell you.

me and jen

dannii lisa and i

even after a few hours it was still huge - looking like a furnace - and any attempt at roasting marshmallows scored the attemptee a burnt hand - until mat ripped a branch off a tree and made a "marshmallow tree" and roasted us all some :)

rob and bianca turned up about 1/2 an hour after we lit the bonfire - and when they arrived and i came out to meet them pink as anything - bianca said, "wow you look warm - shall i leave my extra jumper in the car??" extra jumper??i don't think she even needed the one she had on!!

luckily we had the local fire-ries on duty
making sure nothing got out of hand.
thanks mat & jen! haha

mum and dad got a lamb and spit roasted it - much to the delight of all in attendance... went down a treat with all the roast vegetables and cauli cheese mum had slaved over all day...

followed by sticky date pudding ...
with sparkler candles (of course!)
and an amazing coconut cake (courtesy of miss jen)
complete with chocolate icing.
like a giant bounty bar!

happy 30th bebeh...
here's hoping you're still this hot in another 30 years time.
love you!!!
xxx

P.S. props to the parentals on an amazing job with the
assistance provided to organise the coolest bday party
i have been to in a very long time!!
thanks a heap...
we love you lots!