I'm going on a road trip.................

The face of Summer ..............

You know those times when they look so darn cute you have to show the photo. Yesterday this cutie pie and I went to open day down at the little local school. Now when I say little, I'm talking 25 children in all. Next year the children are all changing schools, Robbie is of to high school and Cassie is ready for a change. So next year will be a new start for them all. But back to William, he was so shy but once we got there he soon warmed up to the teacher. I am so impressed with this little school, it has 26 computers, a massive library(that's important to this family of readers) great classrooms..OK I fell in love with the little school. The main reason I am moving Will is they want to keep him back next year, not that I mind this as he is really struggling with grade 2. Being the soft child he is though it would do him more harm then good seeing all his friends move on with out him....At the Flagstone Creek school they are combined classes, so even though he will be in grade 3 he may be doing grade 1 or 2 work. I know this is the better option for Will.
This week I have managed to get the pool house cleaned out. OK it is a start, I would love to paint it all white in here, but I haven't got the time so we'll see. I can see it all pretty and shabby chic in here but I don't know how long pretty would last...

Of course the reason I won't have time is this morning I am going down to Armidale to see my wonderful friend Angie...Did I mention....... I....... am going, that's right folks no children..They are all staying home being looked after by my favorite daughter Chloe (she might read this so major sucking up here) Four days I am going away for, I am so excited that I was awake a 4.30 this morning, didn't think I should wake the kids that early so here I am doing a blog instead.

Now I am going out to vacuum the car, and then probably sit out there waiting for the kids to go to school so I can leave....hahahahaha. Dam I have to make breakfast and lunches first, then I'm sitting in the car beeping the horn. Do you think 7 am is too early to drop them off?????

Blessing

Mandy

Lifes Pathway....Where are you taking me?

The photo at the top of my blog is a picture of how my life has been.....I am crossing a bridge in life and I don't know where it will go...

Life is a journey and I feel that my journey is about to turn another corner...

As most of you know since I lost Greg last year I have been running our Auto Elec business in Toowoomba.

Going from a stay at home Mum to a working Mum has had it's challenges never mind also being a single Mum, as one lady bluntly pointed out to me....The most challenging is not having enough time with the children.

Well it looks like the business is going to be sold..

We put it on the market 2 years ago when Greg first got sick. Now though I am getting cold feet, it will be like losing another part of Greg all over again when it is gone.....I have always joked that just when I've learnt every thing about the business and start enjoying being there it will sell.....How true those words were.

I am thankful that I am a Christian and I know that life doesn't throw any thing at me I can't handle...most days that's all you have to hang on to...I also know I have a God that loves and cares for me......So why am I worried? because I am a woman and that's what I do..I do look forward to the days when I can spend more time with my younger children as Will is growing up way to fast. Robbie is in high school next year and Cassie in grade 10....

So........I am going to believe that what ever happens Sell or Not sell it will be the best path for the children and I......Hmmmmmm I think they call that faith....

Thanks for listening to my rambling

Blessings

Mandy

Garden Update............

Thank you for all the wonderful comments left yesterday...I had a wonderful day of nothingness(is that even a word) I did get the folding done at about 6pm as the children didn't get home until 7pm with pizzas...My life was complete at that moment...hey I LOVE pizza.Above is my over grown herb garden. In the middle is my Nectarine tree, not that you can see it for the Dill....
I got in and gave it a good weeding and planted other herbs that had been sitting in the bird bath waiting to be planted.

Then I moved on.....The budlia needed a good hair cut as did the Mulberry tree.Lots of weeding to be done here in this back garden still but I have made a start and a mess.

Now this morning I have to bring the trailer up and clean it all away.........

As I was wondering around the garden yesterday busy drinking coffee and making garden plans...I thought what a pretty area this is becoming walking down to the pool and cubby.

Hmmmmmm, not so pretty when I got there. So I decided it is time for a make over, some pretty plants out the front and hanging baskets for sure.....Now what about inside, I should give it a real make over.....



This is what I found!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a mess! where to start! What to do?

So I did the only thing there was to do, I closed the door and went back to the house and googled Pool Houses for inspiration.............So the pool house is on the list of things to do, or as some may call in this house The to hard list.....

I hope you all enjoyed your Sunday where ever you are.

Blessings to all

Mandy

A Lazy Sunday...............

It's Sunday and ALL the children have gone out to Roma to visit Jessica. I am home alone.......alone ,quiet, peaceful, I think you understand...

So I should be making my bed......

Or even be folding all the washing that is clogging up my Laundry...
and I should really be up at the Local Hall helping at a working bee....


Instead though...
I think I will plant these plants that a friend gave me 2 weeks ago.
Then sit here and have a coffee and read a little while..

Continue walking down here.....

dead head a few roses

Then may be just may be I will make the bed and do the folding......

Enjoy your Sunday...

Mandy

Laying In The Sun............

Laying on the ground and looking up through the Jacaranda Tree is so therapeutic....In fact I love laying outside and watching the clouds in the sun......O.K I may be spending way to much time indoors at the workshop. The advantage to owning your own business is I can sneak off and blog. Next week I should able to spend more time at home, well that is the plan any way.
Every thing has arrived for the bathroom, this weekend we will be getting in and making a start on it. Today on the way to work I bought my paint. I am painting in Antique White USA and the trimmings in Chalk USA. I have never painted a wall in my life, lots of furniture just not walls. But hey how hard can it be, I am excited to start painting...So nights will be spent painting, I will start with the office, then walk in robe, then bathroom. I will leave my bedroom to last as then I should know what I'm doing.

More photos when I start to paint, now though I am sneaking away from work to go and do a bus run.....

Blessings
Mandy

Busy In The Garden..............

I have been busy in the garden over the weekend, there is always lots to do. We have also had alot of rain so it has been a good time to transplant and get the weeding done.

I had to get all the veranda stumps replaced as they were all rusted through. Needless to say between the rain and bobcat the garden was a real mess I was able to transplant the roses and saliva's that were there. I decided to plant a hedge of orange blossoms around the stumps, as they won't need much watering. The bore water is what rusted the stumps so I wanted something that won't need alot of water. The garden is looking so lush and green at the moment. In the background you can see my Echeuim which is about to flower for the first time. At the moment mowing is a full time job. I bought myself a catcher for my ride on mower for my birthday and it makes it a lot easier, no more raking and now I will have plenty of mulch.


Below is the dinning room which is going to become my bedroom, to the left is the door to my soon to be en suite and the right is the door to my walk in robe. I will start painting the walk in robe and office this weekend. Hopefully I will be in this time next month. I am enjoying the renovations and getting my hands dirty, it is surprising what you can do when you put your mind to it. I am not doing it on my own of course I am just the helper.

Don't my floors look good, Ok I keep going on about them but really I am loving them humor me please.

Blessings

Mandy

Dinning Room to Bedroom................

Here are some renovation photos, I will try to get some more for you.

Below is what is now the dinning room, well this is going to become my bedroom. I am also going to have a ensuite and walk in robe... But first the floors...

After five years of having the carpet ripped up I finally got the floor boards polished, they look so good am wondering why it took me so long!Above and below is Williams bed room, you can see how great they turned out. I am so happy with the whole lot.

I will try to explain the renovations I am doing..
Below is the office and spare bedroom as it used to be...

Now this is the office nook, to be painted and the book shelves to go up. We don't need a big office as every one uses there lap tops in there rooms.

The door way into the spare bedroom is now all boarded up and the spare room is going to be my new bathroom :)

Now between the office and spare room is this little room now witch will become my walk in robe. Confused yet?????

I have a plan you will have to wait to see though....

Sorry about the photos they were taken on my phone I remembered to get some batteries for my camera so I will get some updated ones.

\I have taken my laptop to work and am blogging here, so now I am going to visit some of you while it is quiet....

Blessings

Mandy