Forgotten Camera

How would you describe a picture on a day when you forgot your camera?

The wind blew gently enough to take the sting out of the midday sun. There was a faint white line through the sky, evidence of a light breath of cloud that had since passed by. The tide was in, so much so, that sitting on the edge of the sand and rock line allowed the waves to tickle at your feet enticing you to bathe in their waters.

A perfect Summer day on the beach has no measure of comparison.

The turquoise waters, made a deeper green in areas by the submerged rocks, complemented the faultless rich blue sky. Fish and chips, family on a picnic rug and the sea gulls tempting fate for a stray chip completed the scene. A spirited 7 year old running through the gulls laughing as she spun her arms around her, face pointed at the sun, is a picture of the simple joys in life.

A glance to the horizon, I think I see a whale's tale breaking the surface. A sense of magic fills me as I witness not a whale's tale but a pod of dolphins playing in the water. They break the surface, putting on a performance with spirit that yells, "Freedom". These are the things that I am grateful for. For living in a beautiful part of our world where we can freely immerse ourselves in natures' gifts.

It's been a sad week for us. We said an unexpected goodbye to one of our dogs. I've posted some recent happiness to remind of the simple joy around us.

Want to know something that makes me happy? There's 20 school days left this year. That is very good news.

Love and joy to you all

Briohny xxx

p.s.

A happy 35th birthday to the one, who after 11 years, still makes my heart sing.

7 Deadly Sins

7 Deadly Sins...

Number 1 being Gluttony! I spent ALL WEEKEND eating and now I'm paying for it. Good Food, Good Wine, Good Company.....yes, yes, I know, the simple pleasures of life, but I tell you

G-L-U-T-T-O-N!

To continue my poor form, I am revealing a little of my dark side and confessing to you my 7 deadly sins.

1. Glutton - See the opening to this blog... Food, Food and Food

2. Lust - after my husband, particularly in summer when he's all bronzed and yummy

3. Greed - 'me time'

4. Sloth - lying in bed watching old episodes of Ghost Whisperer on DVD

5. Wrath - when people disrespect our natural world and fellow man kind.

6. Envy - skinny people

7. Pride - in my ability to do my job well

Combining a pinch of all the above stirred together in one melting pot I'd like it if you'd leave a comment and share your 7 sins.

I'm off to sloth on the bed and feel sorry for my gluttonous self.

Balance is More Than a Set of Scales

Life is all about balance. I’m not talking about the work-and-family-doing-everything-not-enough-time kind of balance. I’m talking about the universal balances of day and night, good and bad, earth and water; the Yin and Yang of life. The balance that when unbalanced makes you feel all jittery or impatient or agitated or snappy or out of sorts or all of them all at once in one big knotted ball of tangled wool and cotton and dry grass. The kind of imbalances that make you want to cry and yell at the same time but neither the tears or the noise will come.

I think we are all guilty at some stage of acknowledging but not addressing these inner balances that are such a necessity for long term functioning (and peace of mind).

After a little reminder, I went to a wonderfully intuitive girlfriend’s house who reminded me that the passionate, career, fire in my belly side needs balancing with the soft, sensitive side. That when one dominates the other great imbalances occur in all areas of our life... Energy flows where attention goes... hhhmmmm, I must remember that mantra.

I have had no desire to scrapbook, photograph, paint, sew or anything else that may stimulate that 'other side'. To be honest, the very thought of doing any of these things made my stomach nauseated, and too a degree inexplicably agitated. It was a case of finding every excuse to not balance my imbalances. Not enough time, what's the point, too much work to do, house is a mess, tellie is more interesting (sounding familiar to anyone else?).

I then became afraid, afraid of being creative.

I swallowed the growing ball of I don't know what that was continually ping ponging around inside and woke the creative goddess within from her slumber.

Here's what she produced....

An elephant painting for mum

A thank you present for Izzy

It is ok...

Art Journal

Ironic that the place that can make me harsh is the place where I find the trigger for my wake up call. On the last day of term we have something called ACE day. It's a time for kids, who have remained on a behaviour level of zero all term to be rewarded for their good behaviour. The teachers each decide on an activity ranging from music to sport to art, to anything they basically want. The kids then pick three activities. My favourite this time around was a teacher who decided to let the kids loose with boxes of coloured chalk on the school cement pathways.

It spoke to my slumbering unbalanced inner counterpart.

We had rainbows and robots, peace signs and love hearts, noughts and crosses and smiley faces. There were messages of love and friendship and lots of laughter and conversations.

Such simply simple joy.I think there should be more of it at school.

I have painted myself a little reminder that sits in the dining room near my work space. Next to my computer table is my art table covered with paints and stamps and brushes. A nice reminder about balance.


I believe I can be balanced, I believe I can work and play, I believe I have friends who care and a family who loves. I believe in love and the warm Spring sun on my face.

I also need to acknowledge this girl, who although is a complete stranger to me, keeps my artistic light shining.


Thank you for reading....
b xxx

It's All Good

Love the fact that tomorrow is Spring.

Love the fact that life is good....

A word of advice

Jillian's advice for grown ups...

" All you have to do is think with your heart that you can do it"

A picture speaks louder than words. Either that or I'm just being slack.

Who says a dog is a man's best friend?
Top Quiz Kids

Mother's Day Breakfast
7 is a magical number

Backyard Blitz

Grandma Love

Briohny xxx

p.s Yes my husband still exists... 30 days til he can surf again.

Susannah, if you are reading this, email me at briohny76@hotmail.com

For No Reason in Particular... just because I like them.

Are you partial to collecting something over the years for no reason other than you like them? Me, I've been collecting advertising postcards since year 12. You know those free postcards with the cool images on the front of them?

I don't do anything with them, in fact they've been sitting in the same box for years. I love it when I find one of these postcards with a truly cool image on the front.

I think I'll start a new series of blog entries dedicated to some of the favourite cards from the years.

Next time you're near a City Beach, duck in and grab a postcard. Trust me, it'll make you smile.

Layouts, Shoes and Bags

The pizza boxes in the top of my cupboard had become full which meant I had to either a)

buy more pizza boxes, b) pile LO's ontop of pizza boxes c) ignore it and find somewhere else to begin piling or d) organise.

Option 'd' saw me empty my albums and the pizza boxes and decide on some sort of organisational / filing process. I ended up going by person and age, except for the family pile the christmas pile, the Tony and me pile and the my favourites pile.... The kids, for the first time, actually browsed the piles of memories.

Whilst on a role I thought I should organise my pile of shoes and bags. So we did something completely unrelated and went shopping at the Billabong factory (love that place)... stay with me, there is a connection.

I found myself another bag to which my lovely husband replied. "Great, why don't you get two and then you can put all your shoes in all your bags!". Got to love his way of thinking. I ignored the sarcasm and informed him that was an excellent idea.

Do you think this replaces the "Oh, this old thing, I've had it for ages" excuse?

Aim Straight

This entry goes out to my lovely Aunty Chrissy. The goddess of 3 teenage boys and a DH.

I Spent all day in a spring clean. Without the 'spring' and the supposed joy that comes from such a clean... the worst job... the toilet! We have one nearly teenage boy who can't / won't / too lazy to aim straight. After gumption, bleach, spray and wipe and boiling water my toilet still doesn't look like one of those glamorous white bathroom tv ads.

How does the afore mentioned goddess manage it with three boys using the one loo?

Today is a Good Day

"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." ~ Winnie the Pooh

Sometimes all you need to put a new perspective on things is a bit of girlfriend time.

Once again feel all happy with the world and with my scrapbooking.

Thanks lovely ladies
B xxx

Why Do You Do It?

Scrapbooking for me has become somewhat of a 'sigh' event. You know those things in your life that you sigh when you are doing them? Dishes, dinners, cleaning the house... scrapbooking has become that for me. Don't get me wrong I still LOVE LOVE LOVE scrapbooking but I'm not lovin so much doing the scrapbooking. Make sense to anyone else but me?

Maybe I analyse the process to much, maybe I've lost my mojo, maybe time is a factor. Tell me, why do you scrapbook? Do your kids look at the pages you have done? I read the articles and blogs that talk about creating family heirlooms and wonder if that is what I am really doing. My kids show a vague interest in the pages.

Maybe I scrapbook knowing that it will be my great, great, great grandchildren that will look at the pages and reminisce what life was like 'way back then'. Is that what it is? Do we scrapbook not for our immediate families but those that are to come?

So in an attempt to not be so analytical or critical I am exploring other crafts. I've got the trusty sewing machine out all inspired to create something all Etsy. Here and Here are my sources of inspiration and the multitude of links attached.

I'm hoping from here, that my love of 'doing' the scrapbooking will once again be rekindled. I'm off to refamiliarise myself with my grass roots, a bit of Ali and Elsie love I'm thinkin....

Bridges to Cross

One of our family traditions began at the beginning of 2006...and stopped at the end of 2006... only to be re-ignited again in 2008. Kangaroo Point was a place, where at least once a week, our family (mum and dad incuded) would make our way to the river level, exercise and follow it up with a BBQ. In those days I would do the 8k city loop run with a dear friend of mine, hubby and dad would run 12k+ wherever the path would take them and mum would sit and read a book, mind the table and watch the kids, the result was obvious, great fitness, weight loss and happy times.

Today, in an attempt for everyone to 'get back into it', we made our first trek back in. Needless the say things have changed. Mum is 25 kilos lighter (I KNOW! SHE ROCKS!), Dad is still running half marathons (yes, yes he rocks too) and well Tony and I are 10 kilos heavier and substancally less fit.

Do you like how my 50 something year old parents are thinner and fitter than us 30 somethings?

The result was I still held my head up when the Lorna Jane clothed running bunnies 'jogged' passed, I was insipired by the sweaty, well toned men when they ran by and I was proud when my husband met me at the bottom of the Goodwill Bridge.

Happy Running

Briohny

Happiness is....

Taking the lid off a brand new tub of icecream after you have been shopping and eating the melted creamy bits around the side.

Gentle Reminders

So last night hung out at a staff scrap with these girls. Trying to get class samples up and running. The ol' blog topic came up followed by "gees, it's about time for you to update your blog". I like these gentle reminders. It lets me know that my cyber ramblings are not falling on blind eyes. Speaking of blog readers.... Lorna, if you are reading this, post your blog link in the comments. We'd all love to read how our own 'Kath and Kim' are travelling.

Considering the boys have gone to the cricket and Jillian is with friends, I thought I'd create a to do list. Got the house to myself for a while....

• Sleep in
• Once again begin my 'lose weight get fit' resolution (doesn't help that I have a bag of pods beside me)
• Finish Emily's challenge from last year
• Begin Emily's challenge for this year
• Finish class samples for the Princess
• Sloth in front of Foxtel
• browse ebay for I don't know what
• update the songs on my ipod

Here's my not to do list

• Eat the whole bag of pods that are beside me
• vaccum the floor
• complete none of the scrapbooking projects above
• sit and watch repeats of friends/sex and the city/will and grace all afternoon

Happy Saturday to you all.

Appointment Reminder

"Mummy! You're growing something!" Jillian exclaims a few centimeters from my face.

"Mummy! You're growing a Moustache!!!" Jillian exclaims while touching my 'upper lip'

"Mummy! You're turning into a man!" Jillian exclaims horrified.

Much more subdued now...

"Mummy? Does this mean I have to start calling you Daddy?"

Meet my verbal appointment maker reminder person.

Nothing Says "I Love You" Like Sharing Left Over Pizza

When it's love you give, then in love you live.

All for Love, Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart

Today is Tony and my 6 year wedding anniversary. YAY for us, yes congratulations and all that jazz. The day was 'nice' and typically us; not making a big fuss with 'special days' just hanging out at home, enjoying the simple things like cricket on tellie, jigsaw puzzles, cordial, good company and left over pizza. Anything else would not be being true to ourselves.

Our wedding day was true to our sense of being and true to who we are as a couple. Hence, the above wedding photo. We had a 5pm wedding down in Coffs, ended up with 3 photos of the kids with us (my only regret), Tony had an eye infection that was made worse by the antibiotics he was allergic to, I forgot to change my earings and mixed gold and silver (Shock horror for some), I wore bright blue, Josh stood beside me for the ceremony, we wore no shoes, had no speeches or bridal waltz, guests took home lollipops from the centre of their table, my husband and his mates continued the party on the beach while I chatted with a girlfriend in our room, and we played in the pool/beach/sand for our wedding snaps and we would not have had it any other way.

I had to add this photo in, purely for Jillian's hair. Check out our little Mowgli, oh, and you can get a look at Tony's eye too.

I hope your memories are filled with the simple joys of cordial, left over pizza and great company.

Briohny xxx

What's Your Year?

Love, Love, Love this book, this woman's work and reading her blog. Each year, this post gets me thinking. What's my word going to be? I wonder what direction other people would like their year to go in, Was I true to my word last year?

Peace was my focus for 2007 and I believe it to be a year that I learnt more about my inner peace and harmony than any other. So yes, I was true to my word last year.

At this moment in my life I feel a little like Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi (save for the crazy father and robot friend). Frustrated at Yoda for trying to teach strength, perseverance and self belief when the impatience and sense of defeat often overwhelms. Yoda's words of "Do or do not. There is no try" form my foundation for my 2008 focus; take control.

No more excuses, poor time management, excess 'playing' in front of the computer, obscenely late nights, buying that 'must have' item, no more of those little, but significant bad habits. It is time to take control.

Kath's blog had a quote which I love.... "There are years that ask questions and years that answer" What word will be your focus for 2008?

Peace and Love to you all

Briohny

xxx

Turn Your Head Sideways

Tony here...

Check out little surfer girl. Not bad for only having ridden a skateboard on the road. Looks like santa will be bringing two surfboards next year...one for him and one for his little surfer girl.