On the road...

It's been ages since I have written a post, but we have been so busy, I just haven't had time- but I have managed to take many many pics that I am glad I made the effort to snap. I have also been keeping a personal hand written journal of our trips and adventures and created a few digital scrap pages, so hopefully when we get home, I can collate it all into albums with the memorabilia I have collected on the way.

It's hard to believe we have been away for almost 3 months now, on the whole it has flown by and we have really enjoyed our time.
When I look back, we have covered a lot of ground and an awesome mix of experiences. Each week really deserves its own post, but I know that won't happen.

I am going to start from where we are now and go backwards I'm thinking...
Once Marcus found out he was in the USA PGA, we decided that it would make sense to stay longer in the UK and fly from there instead of Melbourne. We managed to use points to all fly over, so I was so excited to see what the USA is like. After a 7 hour flight to New York, we connected onwards to Orlando, Florida. Many golfers live in this area, so we thought it would be a good base for a week to chill out and make the most of the warm weather. Marcus has been able to play a few courses and go to the range most days, whilst we have had lots of fun at the pools at the resort.
I get the guilts on many occasions whilst we drag the kids around the world- one reason is that they miss out on important weekly lessons like swimming... so a week like this means we can get Archie's confidence going again and hopefully when we return home, we can get them both into a 'normal' routine that includes swimming lessons. Normal... who am I kidding?! I don't think we will ever have a normal life, but we can at least try when we are home :-)

The USA has been great so far- friendly, laid back nature; good weather; awesome Disney World; good shopping at nearby outlets; a good apartment and most importantly- a good bed! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed in 5 weeks time lol
The food has been OK, nothing awesome or overly healthy, but then again, we haven't ventured too far from the resort, so I am sure there are great restaurants around. We have just found it easier with the kids to order in after some big days out in the 33-35 degree heat.
We decided to head to Disney World on the Thursday and went to one of the 7 parks, Magic Kingdom. We nearly didn't get there after Archie misbehaved big time. We sent him to bed the night before and tossed and turned whether to go or not... If he woke up horrible to us again, we were going to be firm and not go. But of course, he woke up sweet as pie and seemed like he realised how horrible he had been to us, even saying sorry. So we told him what we were doing that day and what we expected of him and he was awesome all day. We are trying to teach him that he is very lucky to have all these experiences and I hope in time, he will come to appreciate it all- the last thing we wish for is spoilt children. But after all, it is not their fault that they are on the road... I would rather buy them experiences than oodles of toys for their development and our sanity!

Tomorrow, we are driving 6 hours north to Kiawah Island for the PGA. Very much looking forward to an exciting week ahead. Then we will head back to the UK for a few days before driving up to Scotland for a week. Marcus will then play Swiss Open and KLM Open in Holland, whilst we will stay in UK. Then before we know it, we will be on the plane heading home to Mac Dog! It's going to be so strange to go home, but we can't wait!
We have had an incredible 3 months and are so grateful we have been able to do it. Luckily the kids have been fantastic most of the time and haven't disturbed Marcus and his preparations each week. It wouldn't be fair on Marcus if they weren't great travelers/sleepers. We have never been together so much in our whole 10 years together- it's been awesome for all of us for many reasons.

I have so many more posts to get down- Lily turning 1 and all her tricks; Denmark; Sweden; Jacquie traveling with us to Paris, Cornwall and British Open and just simply hanging at our place in Surrey. But they will have to wait... all in good time :-)

Hello London Road...

After a long but successful 24 hours of flying, we have made it to London! Boy oh boy, it's a bloody long way! I can't wait for flight technology to cut a few hours off that trip... I think Archie thought it was going to be like our trips to Corowa... not quite buddy!
After getting a few dirty looks for having kids on the flight, they managed to settle down and really flew so well. I under-estimated how good they can be in difficult situations; Archie chatted away to the attendants and watched way too much in flight tv, whilst Lily happily played in her cot, slept or ate away. They had their moments, but on the whole we were so relieved that they were great little flyers and had several people compliment us and asking to take a pic of Lily looking out waving to everyone!

Then came the hard part- good old jet lag and ouch, did it hit us all! Luckily Archie managed to sleep on the flight for a few hours until an hour before we landed at 6.24am, so we managed to keep him awake until after lunch and by then, he was delirious!
Lily however, woke on the flight with 4 hours to go and didn't sleep again so by the time we got our luggage and caught a cab to the apartment and got everything inside without Marcus (he drove a hire car home), she was beside herself! I can't really remember what time it was when she had a sleep but she crashed big time and of course, we had to wake her otherwise she would of slept all day I'd say.
We walked down to the shops to get a few things but we must of overstayed, as we had two screaming cherubs in the shopping centre, who then cried all the way home... The poor possums, all they felt was their mind telling them to sleep but we were dragging them everywhere! Archie yelled, with tears down his face "I want to go back to Beaumaris!"
So after a few hard days and nights, we are getting back to normal, with Lily sleeping from 7-4am and Archie is still sleeping now as I write at 5.30am.

I had a little cabin fever last night from being inside all day, but we thought it would be best to slog it out at home for the first few days and let them sleep in their beds, so that will recover quicker. Today, Saturday, they should be right to get out and about and not break down in tears, so we are off to Saville Gardens this morning and then a BBQ tonight.

It's now nearly a week since I started this post and we have been non-stop since then!
We went into London on Tuesday and had a great day at Hyde Park- such a gorgeous place, especially the Diana Memorial- we were lucky with weather of 26, so it meant Archie could get in the water and have a ball!

Then Wednesday, we had an annual Ladies Day at the golf for wives and partners, which involved a cooking class, masterchef style with a great chef Jason Atherton. His food is quite simple but tastes great, my kinda style!
Then the golf Thursday and yesterday, I had the opportunity to help out with the Tour's Charity this week- The Children's Trust. I can't describe how much I loved doing this and it hit me hard to see the daily struggles these families go through and was a real reality check as to how lucky most of us are to be blessed with healthy children. The children had a great day and it was so good to chat to them and their parents and siblings. They are all in care for different reasons- Martin was in a car accident and now in a wheelchair with severe language and physical impediments. Jack was at home one day and felt dizzy, then suddenly had a bleeding in the brain in 3 vessels and went into a coma. After 3 years, he is now speaking really well, starting to walk and determined to do so much more. Whilst dear Moe was walking home last November and was hit on the head because he was black and is now paralysed and overcoming major hurdles with speech and so much more. But the smiles kept coming all day and nothing bothered them- I need to remind myself of their amazing attitude when I think I'm having a bad day.
I felt so grateful to spend the day with them; their enthusiasm and positive outlook on life is incredible.  This was such a humbling experience, I hope I can volunteer for many more days like this.

And today, we are chilling at home after missing the cut yesterday by one shot. Marcus is really disappointed after feeling so good all week, but this is a crazy game and one bad round can hurt big time. Not to worry- he has already been back out there hitting today and preparing for next week.
I forgot that it is much harder to watch live than on the internet!
We have a few days at home before Marcus heads to Wales and we head of to Denmark for a week. So excited about seeing everyone over there, heading to Legoland and maybe, just maybe a little shop in Copenhagen... but who am I kidding, with 2 kids in tow, I highly doubt it unless it's a toy store!
'Til next time...

Tuesday WITL

It was a very chilly day today, so it was kinda boring being inside for most of the day, but we get these days once in a while hey.
We were lucky that the rain stopped to walk to kinder and collect Archie like we usually do. He was happy to see us and had a great morning.
I have started the pages and got the pics in there so far- it is hard to narrow it down and choose, but I am being ruthless, otherwise I will never get it finished!
Here they are so far:

Even if I can just do this much each night, I will be super happy come Sunday. It has opened my eyes to how routine we really are, but it works for us. Sweet Lily has her head on my shoulder and thumb in mouth before we even get up the stairs for her sleeps, how can one not adore that.
Alrighty, bedsville for me. 'Til tomorrow...

Week in the Life

Today I have started a new challenge, a somewhat huge one at that- documenting this week of our life, via photos and journaling and hopefully, bringing it all together in a digital album in the near future.
Ali Edwards is the guru behind this awesome idea- she is simply inpsiring and I am in awe of her talent in digital design, photography and writing.
The concept is very cool but it is a huge task, one that I hope I can keep up with and keep the momentum going.
As you know, I love photos just a little too much, so this project presented a great opportunity for me to practice different techniques and get a little more creative with my shots.
Today, already I can say that the project has been worthwhile- I took the time to play with settings: I changed the white balance to cloudy and tungsten; I took the same shot with different shutter speeds and ISO's that presented me with a range of creative outcomes- some were great and some were horrible! But I felt like the challenge of getting the right exposure in every shot was a little easier today. So after a week of snapping, I can't wait to see what I learn.
I ended up taking 100 photos with my DSLR and 16 with my iPhone. I then selected ones that I thought I would use for the final album and edited these in Photoshop. Once again, I learnt a few more tricks to enhance my shots twofold, so again, this can only be a good thing!
I then selected photos to put onto 2 pages that will make up my Monday spread. These pages or templates are from Ali and are fantastic and all editable to suit my preferences, such as colour and text.
Throughout the day, I took notes on what we did at certain times; funny quotes; what we ate; observations and anything else that was part of our normal everyday routine.
Before I started, I also wanted to include some number facts and decided to tally 3 things today- the number of hugs & kisses we had from dawn to dusk; the number of books we read and how many strawberry punnets we ate! A little quirky but I loved the outcome (Let's just say we are an affectionate, book reading family!) 
I haven't yet documented my notes, so there is still a bit to do for today, but I am stoked with what I achieved today, both in the photo snapping and the after process (which I always struggle with in other projects).
Going digital and using photoshop has definitely simplified things and I am glad I went this way.

Below are the pages and what I have done so far (click on them to enlarge)- there was nothing special about today, but that is exactly what is so good about it- it is celebrating simple things in life that we sometimes take for granted.
I am already looking forward to what tomorrow brings us and hope I keep this enthusiasm going!

Hard day at the office...

Today for many reasons, has been a really challenging day for me and I am glad that it is nearly over. Usually, I try to think of the positives in everything and rarely go into depth about the negatives, but I've been so upset today that I feel journaling will help me move on.

Archie started to become really hard work the week that Marcus was home (last week)- we both noticed it and I guess we hoped he would improve and be ok, as he usually is great when Marcus leaves.
But this time has been very different and he has really turned on me. No matter what I say, he yells at me and it is breaking my heart. Jac has seen him in action this week and she too is amazed how terrible his attitude towards me has been, at a mere 3 years of age.

I want my gorgeous little boy back, the little Archie that always used his manners and gave me cuddles just 'cause he wanted to. I want my happy go lucky Archie back, the one that has that cute chuckle that melts my heart, not breaks my heart.

I know that deep down it is partly our fault; he is quite mature for his age and all that he must handle- we can't expect him to adjust perfectly every time Marcus goes, even though he pretty much has up until now. He adores his Dad and it is evident that he is missing him oh so much at the moment. So much so, that I think I am copping the brunt of his longing for Marcus. Bless you buddy, I miss your Dad like crazy too.
But how do I approach his behaviour and get him to understand that he is hurting me? Easier said than done, that's for sure... I've tried ignoring him; having chats like 2 adults about feelings; yelling back; sending him to his room and giving him my full attention when Lily is asleep and it is all failing me big time.
I thought that maybe when he was in his room this morning I could storm in with Marcus on the phone, telling him that "Daddy can hear everything you are saying to me in America!"... Marcus spoke to him sternly and he sounded a little threatened and regretful and we thought it might do the trick. But half an hour later, he flips over the tiniest incident and world war 3 is on again.

Oh Archie, you really are breaking my heart and I hope that you will improve in the very near future, as it can't keep going like this. I know some Mums have kids that test them every day, so I must think of this and be grateful that this is my real first major test- he is healthy and on the whole, an amazing little man that I love to bits, but geez... you are dynamite at the moment! I am sure tomorrow will be a better day...

As much as I know traveling with Marcus will be a whole new challenge in itself- I am really looking forward to our time together as a family and having Marcus around to help with discipline issues on a day to day basis. Maybe that is what he needs, a little more stability from us...

I had just about had enough at around 5pm this evening, so I decided to head outside and take a few photos, which might sound a little crazy, but the kids love outside and it seemed to make Archie a happier boy and Lily loves watching him... and I too automatically felt better about things- my camera is my saviour, a way for me to escape my somewhat small dramas and feel alive and happy again. Here are a few snaps that I am grateful for of the cherubs.

Daddy's back :-)

Today I thought I would start with a picture that means so much to me... it speaks volumes and needs no words but whilst my thoughts are fresh, I will share them. I quickly grabbed my iphone this morning and managed to take this photo just as they had left our house for Kinder. Archie was so excited that 'Daddy' was going to take him and I think Marcus was quielty just as stoked. They have a great bond, I just love watching my boys. It can't be easy for either whilst Marcus is away, but they manage to have great chats on Skype and simply continue where they left off whenever he returns. I love how Archie's head is tilted slightly, just making sure Marcus is listening to his every word. It is days like this where I feel we are lucky that Marcus can be involved in his daily activities. Yes, he might miss many things, but when he is home, we are fortunate that he can work his golf schedule around us and I like that very much.

It has been a month since Marcus was home last but it has really flown. He had a really consistent trip, making all 4 cuts and finishing strong in India in his last week, tied 4th. Good results definitely make it all worth while. He has been training hard this year and really determined to stay in the top 100, with a goal of top 50 in the near future. I have no doubt he can do it- I am of course a biased wife, but I think he prepares well and he seems to have a good balance between golf, family and other interests which is so important. We will head to Europe this year for around 3 months, I am really looking forward to it and I am sure it will be a huge adventure for the kids, more zoos!

Lily has changed a lot in the last month and she was giving her best smiles this morning when she had cuddles with Daddy. She is sitting up so well now; still loves her tummy though and moving off the mat most days; she loves dropping things and getting me to pick them up; she loves bopping her head , so much so that I worry she will hurt herself; she is a great sleeper both day and night, having 2 good 1-2hr day sleeps and then punching out nearly 12 hrs at night, it is incredible- Archie was never this good! I keep waiting for it to turn pear-shaped as we are mighty lucky to have two sleeping through the night... Poor Archie, I'm sure he wasn't that bad, the little munchkin! I do remember quite clearly having a shocking few weeks around his 8th month but the rest is quite blurry ... I wish I was more thorough with my journal writing with him as an infant to compare them both- it's going to be a challenge to back track to do a proper baby book for him.

As for creativity, I have done a little here and there at night and Project Life is going along nicely, though I have been a little into MKR and now Revenge on tv! Here are a few things I have completed:

A photo wall mixed with a range of photos that I hope to change often. I have changed from Green and Teal to Orange and Teal and loving the bright, happy orange, so I inlcuded a few embellishments in the frames to co-ordinate.

Another 6x12 extra page for Project Life- I can write so much more and love adding them to the album- this has been created in Photoshop, printed and then a flower and no.7 added on top.
And below, another extra page after a photo shoot with the cherubs. Click on the photos to enlarge.

Well, that might have to do for now, we have a very busy week ahead, starting tonight- I am off to an Italian cooking class tonight with Kath and Robyn, Yummo! I am also doing a photography class this weekend, so I hope I can share some tips and really improve my photos, can't wait for that! xoxo

Project Life update

With Marcus still away and Archie having a week in Corowa, I managed to get quite a bit done around the house- first priority was book work for Marcus; cooking and then I was free to have a play in the study!
Here's what I've done so far:

The first entry of 3 pages is from our holiday down Blairgowrie- we had a nice relaxing break together, with a few family visitors.

Miss Lily had her first dip in the ocean... love those cute teeny tiny toes! Iadded the text in Photoshop before printing & then added a journal filler card & buttons to dress it up.

I'm loving incorporating iphone pics from various apps, they come out really well. Also love seeing Marcus having a beer & relaxing- I had a drinking buddy for once!

The following spread was from Archie's Birthday- a slight red theme once again!

I added the extra half page with Archie's Q & A's, completed in Photoshop, with some tape ribbon stuck on top.

We then had a family outing just before Marcus left, it was down in Frankston at the Sand sculpting- it was amazing, we may have even liked it more than Archie!

And with that, I am nearly up to date. As you can see, some weeks I have made a lot more effort than others, but it really doesn't matter what one does, so long as the stories get told.

I'm still loving Project Life, who else is in??!!