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! ❤ 

country kids

this is life in the country. my dad is part of the local lions club and often drives their "train" (a ride on lawn mower towing rainbow carriages made from old barrels) at public events. with that, comes the perks of sometimes being able to bring it home for your grandkids and their friends. hahaha.

and that's what we did today... started our day hanging out at aunty jenny's house - then moved the party to my parents house where the train rides went on all afternoon and the kids thought all their birthdays and christmases had come at once.

i mean seriously, look at these happy little faces!

joseph was even more stoked after grandad let him sit on the mower and pretend he was the driver

he and his "best friend" jacob had the best time!

it's the country life for me!

such a cute little setup too!

my kids were even more stoked when they got it all to themselves the next day when the rest of the squad had gone home and it was just the kendalls...

hanging with the grandies

it was the best! i love that maddie has nannas hat on here too, it looks so cute on her.

and to top off our visit, i made a birthday cake for my nephew declan who will be visiting tomorrow with his parents. hopefully he loves it!