From boys to....well, bigger boys :0)

From this

☟☟☟☟☟☟☟☟

To This

☟☟☟☟☟☟☟☟

☝☝☝☝☝☝☝☝

this

☟☟☟☟☟☟☟☟☟

☝☝☝☝☝☝

And this

☝☝☝☝☝☝☝

and this, in a two and a half years!

☟☟☟☟☟☟☟

My house has been chokka-block these holidays!

Teenagers absolutely everywhere.

TEENAGERS!!!

I'm looking at these kids and it is dawning on me

that they are no longer children. 

This past weekend

the He-Devil and his mates were setting the 

youngest She-Devil up to cook them breakfast.

She's not allowed to enter the He-Devil's lair UNLESS

it is to do He-Devil's bidding, and she willingly jumps to attend to his

every whim, she's just that kind of girl (SO eager to please), however, much of the time

she is used and abused by the He-Devil!

I was on alert this past weekend and when she was sent

to the kitchen to make them a cooked breakfast,

I pounced!

The above photos are the result. {Bless my iPhone~curse the flat DSLR battery}

Initially I got....'ahhh never mind,' when I told him

enough was enough and that I was going to 

give him an impromptu cooking lesson.

It's not as if he doesn't have the most amazing male role model in his Dad,

and his wicked Uncle D (see here).

Juzz is an awesome cook. I just think that that is part of the problem.

There is always someone cooking that the He-Devil has just cruised along picking

from the veritable feast that is constantly set out before him :o)

Sooooo, with much complaining, the He-Devil cooked up

his own Sunday morning breakfast for his two long term buddies B and F.

They were the first two kids he bonded with when we came to town

four years ago!

I should have done the cooking lesson ages ago~he can prepare a few things~

..but you gotta start somewhere

don't you? Now the He-Devil has no excuse {{and he knows it}}....I don't think for one

moment he will all of a sudden start cooking ALL of his food

and I am sure he will try to rope the youngest She-Devil into it

as regularly as he is able to, however, he is

on his way and that is all I could hope for.

Boys WILL BE Boys after all!

Embracing Change

{because sometimes change IS good}

Have a great week everyone. 

Back to school this week, kids tomorrow...me on Thursday

Cheers

Jewelz

SIGH............

Come back and see me a little later!

Cheers

Jewelz

SOOC Sunday

SOOC Sunday~ albeit a little late due to technical difficulities!

Sun Rising over Lake Annean-Western Australia

'Our minds are as different as our faces. We are all traveling to one destination, happiness but few are going by the same road.'
Charles Caleb Colton 

Have a great week.

Cheers

Jewelz

Lest We Forget

One day in the year has involved the whole of Australia in solemn ceremonies of remembrance, gratitude and national pride for all our men and women who have fought and died in all wars. That day is ANZAC Day - 25 April.

On this ANZAC Day I pay tribute to those men and women.

THE ODE

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn*.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them."

Quote from "Lest we Forget" by Laurence Binyon

Charles Henry George Dawes

2 August 1910-18 July 1970 

10th Light Horse Brigade

(front row first on the right)

Lest we forget....

Poem by Laurence Binyon

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is a music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncountered:
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn*.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end they remain. 

They shall grow not old....as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn*
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.


* "contemn" original interpretation for "contempt"

The below excerpt comes from

the ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland Incorporated web site. 

Engraved forever at ANZAC Cove (see image below) are these words from Kemal Ataturk, the Commander of the Turkish 19th Division during the Gallipoli Campaign and the first President of the Turkish Republic from 1924-1938:

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives. You are now living in the soil of a friendly country therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

(Above) The Ataturk Memorial at Ari Burnu on the Gallipoli Peninsula. 
(Image from Tom Curran’s book Across the Bar)

Proudly Australian

Cheers

Jewelz

❤Thankful Thursday❤

Just a short post today. Trying out YouTube for videos. 

I found this video amongst the many picture files I have.

It was shot with my dear old Canon PowerShot 

point and shoot.

Thought I'd educate myself a little and explore YouTube,

so I can post short videos for our family and friends.

I am having a little trouble with the formatting tonight.

Every time I post my entry it is all over the place.

Try as I might the text is NOT co-operating. Going

with the flow I'm kicking the last post to the

curb and starting again.

This video was taken in hospital when Belle

was maybe two days old. I love the tenderness. I also

think it's cute that it appears Belle is blowing a 

kiss to Juzz as he is kissing her. Precious. 

I am so grateful this angel was gifted to us.

I am grateful for each of our children and that they

are, for the most part, happy HEALTHY children.

Cheers All

xXxJewelz

..............I ❤ Faces ~ Self Portrait.............

Putting myself out there again with my photography.

Part of that extension of myself is opening myself up to critiques. I'm cool with that. There is so much I am yet to learn, I'm having a blast exploring the medium of Photography.

I'm jumping in again this week by joining in the photography comp over at I❤Faces

The Adult section of the 'Self Portraits' Category

Pop on over and Check out all the awesome entries.

It is no secret to anyone that knows me that this is my one of my favorite Portraits.

My favorite SELF Portrait.

Contrary to popular belief it IS a relatively recent portrait.

O.K, O.K I know it is slightly misleading...IRL I may have a life-line or two that are slightly more visible than in this portrait. Alright there is actually a sh!t load.

THAT is why I like this photo. It reminds me of how old I feel, NOT how old I look!

It's just a simple black and white conversion of a photo I took on my trusty old Canon Power-Shot A610 point and shoot.

It was preserving the moment that I had snuck off and cut all my hair off.

I was sick of Belle tugging and pulling great chunks of it. I needed a change.

So, off I snuck to the Hairdresser.

The shot was only taken a year and a half ago...it reminds me of 

the 'Fresh Face' me of twenty Years ago.

I look at myself looking to the future.

'Oh What Wonders Await You Miss Jewelz, Oh What Wonders await!'

I like this shot and I'm proud to put it out there. Wish me luck.

My girlfriend Carla says she finds it very Audry Hepburn,

What do you think?

Cheers

Jewelz

Memorable Monday

Just stopping the Monday Madness for a moment.

Taking a moment to just breath

Cheers

Jewelz

SOOC Sunday~UnderTheTable

I spent a bit of time last week Hopping around the Blogosphere. I had a wonderful time exploring new sites. There is so much talent and inspiration to be found on the web. 

I {{heart}} that the web gives me the opportunity to connect with so many different people that nurture my artistic needs. 

Photography is Art. Some people may not look at it like that I'm sure. However for me and many others it is. In my little 'Blog Wander' the other day I stumbled on a nice little place to visit Slurping Life. On the weekends Melody @ Slurping Life invites you to post a link back to your site, where you post a S.O.O.C picture that follows the theme she lists each week. 

S.O.O.C = Straight Out Of Camera, no editing, just as it comes. 

After visiting Slurping Life last week I decided that this week I would jump in with both feet and get involved. She calls it SOOC Saturday [but Sunday link ups are allowed, because it's the weekend!]. Which is good for me because Melody's Saturday is my Sunday :0) !  

I waited eagerly all week to get involved. What would the topic be this week? Which of my many marvelous SOOC shots would I be able to use?   I will admit that when I found out Melody's choice my creative process was a little stymied. I take shots of the most weird and wonderful things, from positions equally weird and wonderful.  Amanda can tell you a story or two about the unusual places she's seen me get myself into when I've been trying to get 'the perfect shot'. 

Why was my attempt to join in the fun at Slurping Life stymied this week I hear you ask? I do not take many shots UNDER TABLES! Yep, that was the Topic this week. Talk about not making it easy for me :0) I pondered all day. I mentally went through all of my shots...I could not for the life of me think of one time that I had taken a photo from under a table. It conjures up clandestine images in my head. Sneaking peaks under tables, you never know what you'll find! Then this afternoon, just as I thought I was running out of time to join in this weekend, the universe delivered. Thank you universe :0) It would seem there is a something about Belle being photographed under things of late! Last weekend she was UNDER the trampoline!

I was busy this afternoon coming up with activities to amuse bored kids. It's the weekend halfway through their holidays. This afternoon our house was BOOOORING!!!  I got out a box of chalks and set them the task of brightening up the undercover area. 

Belle added to the creation by rolling around, Pro Hart style, on the developing art work. At one point during the afternoon, Belle was sitting under the table absorbed in her own little creative moment. That's when I snapped this shot. 

What could be more apt, than a young Downunder Belle, naked downUnder a table!

I have to admit that to preserve the Young Belle's modesty, I have cropped the image just a teeny tiny bit. I didn't think that was cheating. Just good manners.

Thanks for Visiting me to check out

my inaugural contribution to Slurping Life's SOOC~Under The Table 

Cheers from Jewelz who is

Smashing Cups DownUnder

:0)

Leave me some Loving Why Don't You!

xXxJewelz

P.S...Formatting has gone wild. Despite many attempts, some of this post is doing what it pleases, I notice there is a whole paragraph that has decided it wants to present in a bold font, no matter how many times I try to convince it it needs to present in a normal font!

Sigh!!! :0P pffft, so be it I say, so be it.

I am me~imperfections and all...and I love me!

Love my imperfections so much that I'm happy to jump in here and say...I was a little off when I joined in on Melody's SOOC Saturday. It appears you may post ANY SOOC photo...silly me LOL.

Well that just makes for an interesting Saturday SOOC now dosen't it!

I'm such a goose {{{blushes}}}..........

............Friday Free For All..............

Today I thought I would have a 'Friday Foto Free For All' to catch up on the updates I would have posted, had the household been free from a nasty ass bug! 

Yes, the Easter break was spent cleaning puke up, puking puke up and well without grossing everyone out everything nasty ass there is about six people in one house suffering from gastro eeewwwwwwww! I did give thanks that it wasn't ALL of us at the same time but none the less it was a pretty ordinary Thursday through to Tuesday!

I don't think anyone was feeling much like a 'choccie fest', we did however enjoy watching Belle, the first to show signs of gastro...actually the first sign was her coughing so much she started to dry wretch in the early hours of Thursday mornin. I was out of bed in a flash and sitting her up when the wretching didn't sound too 'dry' anymore. I lifted her up only to be showered in puke!

eeeeeeeeEeeeEeeEEeEeEEeewwwWwWwWwwWwwWwwwwww

Let the fun begin!

OK ok ok changing the subject~I devoted my 'return to Blogland' post to Jock, bless him, today I'll share Belle's Easter Egg Hunt. The older kids were NOT interested in consuming chocolate, well except Tessa-Joy. She wasn't really unwell till Monday!

Easter Egg hunts outside in Hedland are not events that can be long happenings. It's too hot see the bite into the egg photo, soft soft soft.

It would have been worse had we NOT had an enormous trampoline and grass that requires another mowing. This day the longish grass worked in our favour. Where else are you gonna hide the eggs? Our Community Easter Egg hunt organizers had the right idea. They used golf tees, pushed the into the lawn all over the place at the local swimming pools! Trade your golf tee for an egg at the kiosk. Great idea.  However, not quite the same for an excited two and a half year old! She was looking for bright shiney pretty paper, I think that is more attractive than the chocolate. Belle is not really a choccie fan!

A girls gotta have a basket to put her stash in.

Thank you two dollar shop for visiting before Easter! Hair ties to pretty up the basket.

OOoooh and it's gotta be pretty. Did I say that already? :0)

Then you gotta search through the long grass under the trampoline.

Hmmmm, where could they be?

Ah Ha. I think this might be something!

It is, it is.  Oh Wow!

Look Mamma Bird, it's an egg.

Mamma Bird, don't you EVER put that camera down?

This one looks good.

I'll just have a little nibble.

Hmmm, it's a little soft you guys.

Oh well, I'll give it a go anyway.

You know Mamma Bird, it's not THAT great.

But wait, what's that?

Look, it has smarties in it. I like smarties Daddy Bird. Do you?

OK, that was fun but now lets hunt for Bellas!

SShhhh, I'm hiding behind the trampoline leg!

BOO...Here I am! giggle giggle

I love you too Daddy Bird. Thank you for helping me. You are the BEST Daddy Bird!

........and you are the BEST Mamma Bird. 

Mamma Bird needs Sissy Bird to have her camera on her more often

 so you can see the kisses I get too.

WE LOVE BABY BIRD KISSES.

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter Break.

Now, leave me some lovin....Pahleeeeeze!

Lots of people visit me but only a few people leave me messages.

Blows kisses to those who do and even those who don't, cause I see that you visit. 

Thanks for dropping by.

I really didn't understand how much a small comment from someone can really make your Bloggy Day, until I started blogging myself!

It's not hard truely...unless you're in Bolivia like my dear dear friend Sue Evans and your connection drops in and out! Waves to Sue and blows  'miss you' kisses xXxXx

Grandma Froggy, you rock leaving me messages.

I love that you are not 'techno' challenged!

GAAAAWWWNNNNN give it a go.

Just hit the little 'comment' link at the bottom  right hand side of the post. It usually says 0comments :0(.....

Lets see if today we can break the record of 3 shall we? 

I dare you ;0)

Cheers All

xXxJewelz