oh as if - it's halloween

a few weeks ago, i saw this costume online and decided that madeline absolutely needed to be cher for halloween. no question about it. i then promptly forgot about it, until i saw someone selling the same one on marketplace a week before. haha. with australia post still failing miserably with their efforts to get anything anywhere on time, i jumped at the chance to snap it up and she looooved it. first step was to get her to watch clueless, which she also loved - (lucky - or i might have had to disown her...) so then she couldn't wait to wear it.

add on a fluffy backpack, white flats and a fluffy pen - done.

she was most disappointed that we weren't trick or treating at home, but still loved dressing up with her favourite cousin - miss emma, who threw her dorothy costume together on the fly. i'm a little bummed you can't upload videos here to be honest, as she even got the hair flick and signature "as if" perfect on my instagram story. 

funniest part was, the lady we bought the costume from had actually bought it for book week (which makes my traditionalist book week eyes twitch) and had managed to find a clueless novel?! so maybe we will be getting a second wear out of it next year. solid gold. 

dion is 50

i have been so blessed to have the most wonderful older cousin. dion was already 12 when i was born and i have always looked up to her. she seemed to have it all worked out, found her lifelong love when she was still in high school (they are still very happily married!) and was good at everything, always impeccably dressed, with perfect hair and nails and to top it off, is one hell of a mum! plus, she is just as ocd as me, so that makes her even better in my books. i just love her!

i felt so very special to be invited to celebrate with her on saturday night as she and her husband had their joint 50th. even more so that i was allowed to help by bringing along some desserts (brownies and lemon slice) for this amazing dessert table!

i was introduced to all her friends as "my favourite cousin" which made me feel even more special. she has always had a special bond with my mother, having spent a lot of time with her growing up and she was all smiles chatting with the two of us even though it had been quite some time since we had last seen her.

but in all honesty, my favourite part of the night was taking selfies with her and my other cousins that were there - her two sisters. family over everything right? it was a wonderful night and so so good to catch up after far too long apart. ❤

 

fun with the cousins

just what we all needed, a day to chill out with the cousins in glen forrest, cause it was freaking hot today! i loooove their backyard, since jared redid the pool fence, it's as though they have an infinity pool and it has the most glorious view of the bush. i could sit out here for hours.

alex loves getting in the water with maddie and emma holding him and it's so cute watching him splash about in the water

maddie had all her mermaid fantasies come true, lounging on emmas blow up tail in the water

and alex loved emmas big ass rubber duck

it was a great afternoon and they all loved it

especially this unexpected water baby who ended up going back in the pool after they'd already had a swim in their bathers - in his undies! i'm at my cousins, it doesn't matter. apparently he's obsessed with the water and stayed in there for hours with aunty donna watching from the kitchen window as she cooked. an afternoon well spent, brings a week of content. ❤

 

mundaring sculpture park with the cousins

our kids have loved having their cousins visit from queensland! we have had a great time together and i have enjoyed every minute of the giggles and fun. we met halfway between our house and mums house today for a play at the mundaring sculpture park, which is truly one of the best parks around! it is amazing, if you have kids and live anywhere about (or even close enough to drive out there) it is totally worth it. i cannot emphasise this enough. there is so much to do and see!

one of our favourite things there is the big lizard in the sandpit which is fun to climb on and dig about  - and apparently take photos on too!

time with family is the best... i only wish these little ones lived closer so we could play all the time.

nanna (my gorgeous mum) with her youngest grandbaby, my little alex ♥

what a great afternoon we all had together!

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i also noticed today that a "little free library" has been added to the park. these are honestly one of my favourite things ever... found all around the world (there are even a few in ellenbrook, including one at my kids school!) they are a small weatherproof cabinet stocked with books, allowing the public to take a book and leave a book. it's so fun! i am always on the look out for them and love it when we find one. what can i say? after all these years i am still a giant book nerd :)

a day with the cousins at caversham wildlife park

aaron and his family visiting from queensland called for lots of family time and today we all met up at caversham wildlife park (inside whiteman park, just a 10 minute drive from our house). our little monkeys had a great time together and spent the day running, yelling and giggling at full speed. i love to see them together and wish time and time again that they lived closer so we could do this all the time.

first things first, silly photos by the dozen are a must!

the kids loooooved the farm show and sat in awe (you'd truly think that it was the first time mine had seen it and that they hadn't seen it multiple times and one of them just a few weeks back haha) as the dogs rounded up sheep, the sheep was shorn, the lambs were fed and the whip was cracked about. love it... it's so much fun for them to watch! 

meanwhile, doug missed the show for the second time as baby alex had a nap outside in his arms. it seems to be his favourite place to nap.

maddie went and hung out with the rabbits and the guinea pigs. she is convinced we neeeeed one or the other and asks me on a regular basis if we can get one. i tell you what, it will not be a rabbit. i am still scarred from the angry white one we had when i was in primary school. they might be cute, but they get annnngry.

this little babe enjoyed his day as his siblings and cousins clucked over him as they ran past the pram. he is just so loved and with that cute little face it's easy to see why.

maddie and grandad stopping for a picture together. we are so lucky to have this awesome man in our lives... he was the best dad and is now an amazing grandad too!

katja looks completely horrified in this pic, because she is not a fan of snakes. not at all... and jonas decided along with aaron that they needed to hold one and she needed to get in on the action. i don't think felix is really convinced either judging by how far away he is standing.

how cute is this baby! oh we love him. our other kids ran off with my parents and we had a lovely time pretending for 5 minutes that we only had one to worry about.

we stopped halfway for lunch in the picnic area and had a cake for jonas who celebrated his 5th birthday last week. you can see how chuffed he is with his cake. he is the funniest!

maddie loved spending time with the kids, she dotes on felix (and has since he was a tiny baby) and insisted on picking him up and cuddling him "like a koala!" they were so adorable!

we went into the farmyard area this time, which i hadn't actually seen in previous visits and madeline fell in love with this little lamb. i can't blame her, he was very cute! i'm so glad to have these lovely parks local so the kids can experience all the farm things that i took for granted in my childhood.

before we left for the day we managed to get some fun photos of us adults, thanks to madeline who is a little too familiar with using my camera. i love this one of all of us crazies together. i'm so lucky to have the family i do.

and one of nanna and grandad and their walking grandchildren. so cute! i love them all to bits! ♥

an afternoon with the cousins

sunday afternoon after church found us at the cousins house in glen forrest. i love watching them all out playing together. it was cold, late in the afternoon and the cul de sac they live in was deserted, but somehow a lemonade stand was constructed (this isn't the first time it's happened either, must be the country setting and the abundance of lemons in the backyard!) on the back of uncle jareds ute and we had to come by and buy a cup. with gumnuts, cause no one had any money!

these three are the cutest! i just love them! ♥

p.s. the sign says "don't forget to recycle" hahaha

cousins in primary

church in northam is so much fun, especially when it's just you and your cousins! madeline and joseph had a ball with jonas and felix this morning.

madeline was her bossy little self, but the boys seem to be okay with it and just go along with whatever she says. it's so funny to watch them.

i only wish they could stay longer!

marshall family picnic

a very long time ago, my mum lived in mount pleasant with her parents, younger sister and younger brother. years have passed, they all have children of their own... and some of those children have children of their own... we don't often get together all at once, but this week on the public holiday we did! and it seemed most appropriate that the "marshall family" picnic was held where it all began, in mount pleasant.

we met up at deepwater point, what a gorgeous spot! i am definitely filing that one away for future reference... mum was telling us while we were there that she used to swim there nearly every afternoon after school during the summer and i can see why. ♥ there was even a perfect little beach where the river lapped up against the shore and the kids were having the time of their lives playing in the sand and making castles... and a lovely little gated playground. 

most of the marshall family! i am sure gramps and nanna would be so happy to see what they have left behind.

joseph and isaac (the youngest of the next generation) little second cousins, loved hanging together and babbling away under the trees...

my cousin renee and her niece taelor, little sweetheart. she is so much fun to watch, always happy and giggling away. 

next gen isaac ♥ 

madeline and emma, always together if it's an option. i love hearing them laugh.

the three littlest girls enjoying their time in the sun, while uncles and dads and cousins ran about collecting the balls they were so gleefully throwing to the ground.

new friendships make me happy, so this photo of these little second cousins is the best. let's hope the next catch up isn't too far away. big big awesome thanks to my oldest brother jared for making it happen... it was an awesome day! :)

charlee turns 8

my cousins daughter turned 8 this week and we were invited to help celebrate at their house today! charlee is such a lovely girl, with wonderful parents and we had a great time hanging out with them.

madeline thought it was christmas and her birthday all at once, charlee has a lot of nice toys and was happy to share, so the girls played and played between chatting with the adults.

and my clever cousin dion who constantly puts the rest of us to shame with her mad domestic skills, had whipped up this bright rainbow icecream cake. yum. 

happy birthday charlee!

renee loves chris

it has often been said that your first friend as a child is your cousin... and i know that in my case it's definitely true... my mother found out she was pregnant with me, not long after her sister gave birth to a baby girl and we grew up together. we spent our school holidays together, chatted about clothes and boys and every single thing.

and on friday, i got to watch her walk down the aisle, escorted by my beaming uncle, to marry the love of her life. i have never seen her look more beautiful, or happier - and i am so glad i got to be there.

renee and i at the reception

renee and chris were married at the western australian maritime museum, under a boat, in front of a completely windowed wall. it was the most amazing setting - and as the sun got lower and the room filled with light, they promised to love each other, for as long as they live. doug and i were fairly close to the back of the room and i got to watch her face light up as she saw chris standing there waiting for her to join him... what a special moment. 

some of the gorgeous flowers that were scattered around the ceremony and reception. what a beautiful job the florist did... i was absolutely loving the flowers and colour choices.

at the beginning of the ceremony the celebrant made special mention of loved ones who couldn't be with us. among those were roy & gwen... renees mother and my mothers parents. it was so nice to hear them mentioned and then to walk into the reception and see a photo of them along with renee's other grandparents on a side table.

they also had an incredible guest book... a jenga game, that people could write their names and a message on. very cool!

my cousin jaydons (renees younger brother) daughter was the flower girl... and was just the sweetest thing in the world. her navy tulle dress... sweet little braid and flowers in her hair. i just wanted to cuddle her. so adorable!

and of course, my adorable parents... the very best people i know. i love this photo of them. they always look so happy!

no wedding is complete without a couple of good selfies. here is a photo of me - and future me. i am rapidly becoming my mother... and i am amazingly okay with that. she's incredibly cool.

and my husband. how lucky i am to have him. for always.

we had a really great time at the wedding and are glad to have been there and been a part of your special day. thanks for inviting us renee and chris!

♥

"there is a happiness that has no end... it comes when marrying ones best friend"