Counting Down

to the September break....we're camping at Fingal, providing it doesn't either burn down in the bushfires or flood and float away in the next three weeks. I seem to have this voodoo effect on the weather every time I cross the border....we camped underwater at Easter. I'm really looking forward to some down time with the boys...they're the perfect age for camping - happy to leave me under my umbrella with a book while they spend hours in wetsuits with their dad, paddling their boards halfway to New Zealand. We start our days early (like pre-5am early) and finish when we like, the boys eat 8 meals a day and I have to make a daily run to the shops because "we're starving" is the Hartwell family camping motto. I have to remember to buy bait "see if they've got maggots, mum" (eugh!!) white zinc and aloe vera for post sun recovery. Finer 50% needs a daily paper to keep him up to date in case the world ends and they forget to notify campers. We'll watch sunrises and sunsets, whale watch and fish, build sandcastles and do yoga on the beach. I'll listen to the trials of Henry VIII on audio book while the boys surf. FF will drink beer and pretend to fish while snoozing on the sand. I'll take photos, the boys will moan and FF will threaten to hide my charger. I'll comb sand out of Sebi's hair and he'll fall asleep before I'm done. We'll count fireflies at night and just hang out together. Bliss.

Quiet Time

is on the agenda this morning....the tribe of three plus one have gone Laserforcing, leaving me alone with the housework and The White Queen. I've been hanging out for this to be released, as it deals with a really interesting period of English history, but I have to admit to being a bit gobsmacked at the price .....I didn't buy it when I first found it at Borders and QBD and A&R, because I simply couldn't justify the $38 price tag!! However I was in Big W picking up some prints and found it on sale at $19.74 which is much more in my budget. It's a good read, too...not as opulent as her Tudor series, more earthy and violent....the whole "descended from Melusina" bit was really well written, and the fact that witchcraft was seen as a tool rather than a myth was fascinating reading. Totally looking forward to the next one. (definately checking Big W first!!)

You don't have to be mad.....

but it helps you blend in....this is #1 son at Cav Road's MAD (music art drama) night on Tuesday. They were told to dress crazy, so himself decided that "vintage hippie" was the look for him. I think the scariest thing about the whole deal is that everything he wore is still a workable part of either his fathers or my wardrobe....except for the headband. And I seriously don't know how he could see what he was doing....the whole performance was done with the lights out and minimal stage lighting, so add sunglasses to that and you're seriously flying blind. The education department has no respect for those of us with chronic camera mania....I'm still amazed I got any workable shots, as my whole approach was limited to "point camera towards noise and cross fingers". Not the most technical of methods, but effective, as far as it goes. I figured I was pointing in the right general direction when I heard Kit stop playing long enough to hiss "MUM!! enough with the camera already !!" He'll thank me when he's older.

I Want Candy

he's just good to look at....end of story.

Catching Up

Did you miss me?? It's been a while since I went a week without posting, but it was either stop to breathe or stop to post, so I went with breathing...sorry bout that. Sebi is almost halfway through his therapy course at the Mater, and it's really paying off....he's coming along in leaps and bounds independance wise, plus his frustration level is at an all time low....brilliant!!! Kit is knee deep in assignments again, as well as up to his ears in decibels thanks to the ipod station nana presented him with last week. The volume seems to go up in relation to the amount of homework being completed, so at this rate he'll be getting straight A's and a bionic ear by the end of the semester. My photography site is going great guns ATM, better than I could have hoped for when I took the plunge. I've had a steady stream of enquiries plus some great feedback from the shoots I've completed, so hopefully my new wide angle lens isn't too far away, fingers crossed. Of course, my dream machine continues to sit under glass at Harvey Norman, but hey, I'll settle for what I can pay for, at least for the moment. Although Santa, if you're listening, mama would like the Canon 5D and the lens pack in her stocking. pretty pretty please I know my chances are beyond slim (think "realms of fantasy" and you're pretty close to the mark) but a girl can dream, no??
I'll leave you with a shot of last weeks photoshoot....can you say "camera shy"??

Bracelets/ Birthdays/Broncos BBQ

The weekend has been pretty flat out, with both Kit and yours truly doing the birthday thang.....himself got an Ipod touch from FF and myself, plus a docking station from his nana, and a leather ipod case from Seb. Saturday evening FF and I went to the pub for a few drinkies and then a few more with Rach, and I got another charm for my bracelet, making a total of seven....not too shabby :)
We took Kit and his best mate Jake out for lunch on Sunday, and then Kit was chosen to attend a Broncos training session and BBQ at Red Hill, and was kind enough to take his father and brother with him, leaving me a man free afternoon to recover from the night before.
Here they are, meeting Sebi's hero Darren Lockyer, plus Alfie Langer,(more my generation than theirs, lol.) but they had a good time and Sebi got his jersey and his flag signed.

Birthday Bonus !!

I realise this is a truly appalling photo, but my hands are still shaking, lol. The tribe of three surprised me with TWO charms for my bracelet this morning....The gorgeous peridot circlet was from Kit...it's my birthstone, which I've been eyeing off for weeks, but the biggest surprise was the other charm, which Sebi gave me..... You probably can't see it properly, but it's a Piglet!!!! Piglet has been Sebi's nickname since birth, and I really wanted a piglet charm. I looked EVERYWHERE, and found Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore, but no Piglet....so the tribe have obviously been on the prowl. As soon as my hands settle down, I'll take some proper backlit pictures so you can see the real deal.

Pitching a tent

at the Mater seems to be on the cards for us this week...Sebi has appointments/clinics on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, plus a referral appointment Wednesday evening. Kit had subject selection night at school last night, to look at his year 10 choices. He'll still be accessing the unit so is allowed to drop one elective subject, which leaves him with Maths and English as his Core essentials, and three elective choices...at this stage we're looking at Music (no brainer, really), Multi Media Studies and Historical Studies. These will actually stand him in good stead if he wants to be an archaeologist or a librarian (!!!) This from the kid who only reads pokemon guides, lol. He was interested in looking at Bio science, but he's just not up to handling it at this stage. If he decides that he really wants to split atoms with a chisel, then he can do adult entry uni courses after year 12 and decide then. We have till 7am Friday to get his preferences in order and then to post them online to the school. After which it's first in best dressed and we cross our fingers and hope for the best.

Up and Running....

Finally....at long (long) last I have my photography website up and running. You can check it out here. It's been a lot of hard work, but I'm stoked with the response I've gotten so far....I have one shoot under my belt, another this week, and a family portrait shoot coming up shortly. The best part of all this is being able to work this from home and still be on call for the boys. They have to come first, so it's great to be able to combine things and have it work out so well!!