gidgegannup show 2015

we went off to the gidgegannup show again this year and had a great time! madeline had the time of her life, going on 3 different rides (one of them twice...) and looking at everything around her. joseph was quite happy to chill in the pram and eat watermelon for lunch as we walked around taking it all in.

we have been the last few years in a row and have been so pleased with the show... it's like a small scale version of the perth royal show, (without the crazy prices), without the crowds because it's country enough, with some smaller rides, exhibits, livestock to look at, petty zoos, displays and lots of stalls to browse. plus, some great food and all the show bags! we didn't get a show bag this year but we still had a great time. 

our babes chilling at the show...

and what's a show without icecream?

the funniest bit? my feet when we got home. i had been wearing my havaianas and because most of the show is on the oval and the neighbouring paddocks, my feet were filthy! we had a great day though and will definitely be back again next year!

5 years of mat and jen

can hardly believe it's been 5 years today since i was the maid of honour at the wedding of these two adorable people. time flies when you're having fun (and building a house and buying a block and having a baby...) i love you two crazy kids and look forward to the next five. xxx

my new old cupboard

a few years ago i was driving home and went past a beat up old cupboard on the side of the road not far from our old house. i quickly called a friend with a ute and begged him to come and help me collect it so i could take it home and put it in the garage. he thankfully did and it remained there until a few weeks ago when we moved and my parents took it home to begin the restoration process.

i have put the pictures of  it looking lovely up first, but it was so so so beat up. the tin side which is now chalk board was almost completely off, dad had to reattach it before mum could paint it for me... there were paint stains all over the door inside and out, more than half the shelving was missing, the door was terribly hard to close once it was open because it's so heavy that it buckled the cupboard as it opened... and the paint job was cracked, peeling and looking like crap.

but yet again my dad undertook a job he really didn't want to do, all because i asked. he reinforced the cupboard to make it stronger, he painted the inside, replaced the shelving, painted it, fixed the hinges, fixed the door and then delivered it back to me. what a legend. i am completely in love with it and can't wait to fill it up, with my kitchen things... i have attached some pics below so you can see just how bad it was and some of the process... i love my dad! he truly is the best. thank you! xxx

welcome to ellenbrook ward!

we had out first day at our new ward today... everyone was so lovely and very welcoming and we discovered some old friends as well as making some new ones. we are so happy to be there and now we are going to love it here. joseph did not have a good day... he obviously didn't sleep very well, grumped around all morning, threw things everywhere and even lost some things out of doug's wallet that we still haven't located. then he screamed for the entire sacrament meeting... only to fall asleep in the pram the minute it was over and sleep for the rest of church. little dag. lucky he is so completely adorable or i would be furious with him!

madeline went straight into primary happy as a lark and loved it straight away. she told me on the way home, mummy i love my new primary and told me about her new friends (both of whom happened to be daughters of girls i know, so that was nice...) there was also a nice man who hasn't been a member all that long, who meets the children at the door of the primary room and hands out lollies. no wonder she likes it here!

we even got invited to someones house for dinner... and had a lovely time. as you can see the kids were happy as can be at bed time, so i took the chance to get a few pics with joseph (i am always taking them and never seem to actually be in them) and as soon as madeline saw, she wanted to get in on the action... fine by me! any excuse for a cuddle with my big girl! i known one day soon she is going to be too big for cuddles with mum so i take every chance i can.

here's to sundays, my favourite day of the week! ♥

clackline day trip

it was my dad's birthday yesterday so i took the kids up to visit for the day... i always love going to clackline, there's just something about going home. madeline loves the same things i loved when i was a kid... running around the verandahs, looking at everything and "driving" up the gravel roads. (on someone's lap of course).  i'm so glad that my children have the chance to be country kids, even though we aren't living there.

i especially love the old lion monument... watching her climb up and down it all by herself is adorable... in her ninja turtle shirt that my mum bought for her.

(side note, this girls is obsessed with the ninja turtles. she has a baby doll that she has named raphael the ninja turtle. not just raphael, you have to say raphael the ninja turtle, that she takes everywhere. to the shops, to church, to bed... it is the funniest! i love hearing her introduce him to people. this is my baby her name is raphael, raphael the ninja turtle.hahahaha)

joseph also had a hair cut while we were visiting nanna... he has been okay every other time, but this time he was completely unimpressed and screamed his face off the entire time mum was trying to cut. in the end she gave up, and he has a few pieces that are messy and all over the place, it looks a little like he went a few rounds with a lawn mower above his right ear.

poor love, i am just hoping he is not traumatised for life... otherwise we are going to not be enjoying ourselves during future hair cuts. i couldn't resist sharing this photo though, although he is so upset, he looks so darn cute!

joseph is twenty months

is it really that time again? another month has passed? well our little man is now 20 months old and getting into all kinds of mischief! he is obsessed with splashing in the fountain and throwing the pebbles into it, even though it makes his daddy angry, which makes him giggle even more. he has finally worked out the toddle bike that madeline used to ride and is scooting furiously up and down the backyard much to maddie's glee now that he can keep up with her. 

if something frightens him, he comes rushing to me calling, "mama mama mama!!" it is so adorable. i was nearby when he accidentally turned on the dryer the other day playing with the buttons and he quickly rushed off to me calling me. i love hearing his little voice and i am hoping he learns more words soon... he learned to say emma this month and everyone thought it was his cousin emma, but it was actually from watching the wiggles mini show emma, maddie used to sing the song over and over and over e-mm-a emma! e-mm-a emma! until one day he just her off and screamed emma himself as if to shoosh her. hilarious. 

he still loves his toy cars and everywhere we go he seems to have at least one wedged in his hands, more if he can manage it. he loves all his toys though and when he wakes up in the morning if there is nothing waiting to lift him out of his cot, he reaches over the end to grab the toys that are there and plays with them in his cot for a while. 

he is such a bundle of fun and energy, running everywhere and is so very rarely still. we love him so much and so glad he is ours ♥

happy birthday oli!

not only did we have a primary presentation yesterday, but my mother in law also had her birthday. we are so blessed to have her in our lives and love how much she loves us. she is kind and generous, loves to buy her grandchildren gifts and loves to love them!

family is so important to the samoan culture and i feel blessed each and every day that she openly accepted me to be a part of hers. she is certainly one of a kind!

we love you oli/mum/grandma!

from all of here at the kendall casa 

xx