package for baby g

posted this package off for my newest nephew - who is still cooking away nicely - in the uk. my middle oldest brother and his wife katja are expecting the little one in april (and thankfully never read my blog) so i can even tell you all about what's in it... and thankfully because of how organised i was - could send it sea mail - for half  the price! yay!

onesie on top with a handstitched-on vintage tie (found in the op-shop of course) - made by me!

australian animal finger puppets - kangaroo, koala, treefrog, crocodile and platypus - from funky kids at karrinyup shopping centre

waffle wraps - from target australia

fox and deer double sided bibs (tartan backing!!) - from target australia

plastic soliders - from target australia (an absolute obsession of aaron's as a child)

funny magnets with raising your baby tips - for katja

and the cherry on top an amazing vintage tie from the local vinnies (which is exactly the same as the one aaron rocked as a child, please see photo below...) i almost screamed when i found it, i was so excited - i only hope he appreciates it!)

cannot wait til he's here!!! australia post - please deliver! x

behind the red dress

warning and disclaimer...

the following images are confronting and contain topless material. they are not in any way meant to be sexual. the aim of this project is to raise awareness for breast cancer. if you feel as though you may find these images offensive in any way, please do not continue to read this post.

"every day we walk past people. these individuals appear normal but under their clothing, sometimes their bodies tell a different story. beth whaanga and photographer nadia masot aim to find others who are willing to participate in this project so that they can show others that can affects everyone. the old and the young, age does not matter, self examination is vital. it could happen to you."

this beautiful and amazing woman is our dear friend beth. she is the same beth that introduced me to my husband, the same beth that our little madeline beth bears the name of. beth is 32 years old and in november 2013 underwent a double masectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. the months that followed were both frightening and heartbreaking for her and her husband, not to mention their four young children, yet beth has borne her trials with grace and still come out on top - fighting as always.

after posting these photographs to facebook on sunday morning beth experienced both support and criticism from friends and those who surround her daily life. she awoke monday morning to discover over one hundred and thirty people had removed her from their friends list - as well as learning that her photographs had been reported to facebook over and over for pornographic content. 

facebook has now reviewed her images and ruled in her favour - allowing them to remain in place, for now. however people are continuing to report them, as her message goes global - with thousands of shares - even ending up as far away as germany - on twitter! they will be featured in the wednesday "courier mail" newspaper in queensland, australia - where beth and her husband have lived since their wedding in late 2003.

these images were taken by another dear friend of ours - photographer nadia masot - who has poured her heart into them, she and beth have been dear friends for years, and i can only imagine the heartbreak she felt when taking them. 

ladies, check yourself. beth took these photographs to promote awareness, not to disgust, shame or make anyone uncomfortable. she wants nothing more than to save lives, to ensure that is doesn't happen to someone else. please ensure you are aware of what could happen to you - or someone you love - and feel free to pass this message along.

beth we love you and we always will!

x♥x

happy families...

heaven forbid one make it through a pregnancy without having some cute pics taken, so on saturday we went off to our favourite little park, the stirling civic gardens (for those of you who want to check it out and do your own pics there... it's right next to the stirling train station (near the stirling council offices) - and those who don't know the stations by name, that's next to ikea) and yes - that's the same bench that we have our favourite family pic on!!

dominique is awesome at taking pictures and offered to do them for us, and seeing as it was the coolest day we had had for weeks we took full advantage of it! saying that, it was still pretty hot (about 28 degrees) but at least it was bearable.

maddie has such big personality and is so determined to be independent, that sometimes it's hard to keep her still, but she co-operated well enough for us to get some cute pics in.

it's kind of funny when i think i have never been this far pregnant. to count weeks and days, madeline would have been born the next day... so i have had my pictures done on the exact same day both times. that's kind of cool!

so - now... we are on countdown, there is a week today until baby k is due. i have been to the clinic earlier this week and being that all my blood results were normal, i won't be induced this time around, so i guess we just wait until it's ready to meet us! 

big big thanks to niques for an awesome effort as always... 

we love them!

a testimony of missionary work

“our missionaries are going forth to different nations . . . the standard of truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (history of the church 4:540)

i have a testimony of missionary work. i know that because of it, my family is where we are today. two brave and beautiful women that I was privileged to call my grandmothers, took a chance when prompted by the spirit and listened to the young men who knocked on their doors, not knowing how their husbands would respond. one discovered that her husband had been born into the church (!!) and was less active, the other had her husband wish her well, but swear it wasn't for him... which didn't last long.

because of the decision these women made, my mother and father joined the church and my family was given the opportunity to be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple. my two oldest brothers have served missions. my parents are currently serving a mission assisting the people of western samoa. i met and married a worthy priesthood holder in the temple, who had also served a mission. my family now also has the chance to be together for eternity. i hope that one day my own children may also want to share the gospel with others from the example that has been set for them.

without the missionaries in the world, there would be so many searching for the truth - that would have no chance of finding it. i cannot express the joy i felt when the lowered ages for elders and sisters were announced, allowing for the flood of additional missionaries to begin... and for the call that we are currently awaiting - for dominique! her papers are in and all there is to do now is wait and see where she will be going. it's so exciting - and no matter where she is going, they will be so lucky to have her!

greenmount guess the dress

last night i had the absolute pleasure of being invited to the greenmount ward young womens new beginnings activity - "guess the dress"

my gorgeous niece laura called and invited me to be there and i am so glad i made the trip - as it was truly an amazing night...

the young women from the ward had approached the relief society sisters and asked to borrow some dresses from significant moments in their lives (wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses, ball gowns, debutante dresses) to showcase them in a fashion parade - where those attending would "guess the dress" from a list of names, for who had originally worn it.

it was such a thrill for me (and i am sure laura's mum donna - who is married to my oldest brother - and grandmother) when she was the first one out... wearing her grandma pam's 50 year old wedding dress. was so so cute and i couldn't help but snap a few pics of her in it to keep.

  

was such an awesome idea for an activity, i wish i had have thought of it when i was in young womens...

i then found out from pam (donna's mum) just after that their wedding anniversary for 50 years is next year and that a big as party is going to be in the works... can hardly wait - pam and bob have been friends with our family as long as i can remember, and what a milestone to celebrate! ♥ they were the first couple to get married in the dianella chapel (our ward - next to the perth temple!) which had not long been finished. little piece of history right there! 

hunger games part 2

finally saw the hunger games - with mat & jen... last night. maddie thought all her christmases had come at once to see them, she'd been asking for jen non-stop for weeks (ever since we went up to visit and get the bassinet) "where's aunty jen? i go see aunty jen? i see the emu?" so funny!

i liked it! i thought it was very well done and thankfully followed the book quite well (i hate it when they ruin a good book by making it a movie... twilight? dead and buried.) the books really impressed me, i thought it was such a fabulously original concept... (even though it's such a sad story!) and i was glad to see the movies thus far have been quite true to them. 

jen and i were discussing the books afterwards - and i would like to make a prediction right now... we were stuck reading this ridiculous book called "animal farm" in high school and we hated every minute of it, (yes, yes i am fully aware of the fact that it's a "literary masterpiece" but the two of us hated it with a passion, it went on and on and on and on and onnnnn about a topic that could not have interested me any less...) but i think that in 20 years time, high school senior english will be reading "the hunger games". hopefully they will appreciate it as much as we did, cause it is great. so well written and one of those books that you really don't want to put down.

so - you read it here first - hunger games, coming to high school english! if i'm still writing in 20 years - watch me gloat.

threads for the baby

my husband loves his music. he's obsessed in fact. maybe it was one of the things that really brought us together... mutual love for music? but we don't always see eye to eye on it. there are some things that i'd rather he didn't listen to when i was around... but that doesn't mean i don't know he listens to it.

we also love our fashion. him especially, he's quite the styler and often gets comments on his snappy dress sense (yes i just said snappy)... i follow so many people on instagram who have gorgeous kids dressed in fabulous clothes and love to see what people have come up with.

this morning i was instagramming up a storm while doug was playing his xbox, and came across the kids on beau hudson (check out their website, super cute kids clothes, i have already snapped up a few things) rocking this amazing t-shirt from passive juice motel which i knew doug would kill for! so, i got off my high horse and bought it. i am sure maddie can rock it like a pro (maybe...) - and it will certainly be worn by another baby kendall given the chance. 

doug loves biggie and 2pac. like i can't even tell you. although i probably could - as i've been told time after time why they were so important... so when i kept scrolling and realised that they had 2pac mini tshirts? in the cart that went too.

as well as a mini plush 2pac cushion

and a plush biggie... 

mum i'm sorry - but i couldn't help myself.

their whole website it full of very cool things for kiddos (and adults alike...) go and check it out.