Better Homes and Gardens - Kawana Forest Style

Well have you ever had one of those moments watching BH&G on Friday nights going - "Tarra Dennis is making what? That junk still looks like junk once she made the final thing. She's better off just buying a new one that making THAT". Well I do, but decided to go against the trend and actually have my Tarra moment. I had an old lamp that was once pink and white. I painted it long ago to be blue and white with a yellow lampshade (don't laugh). I've now decided to repaint it back to being pink and white and repaint the lampshade and sponge on pink flowers so that Kirrily can add it to her new room. So i went to Spotlight, bought all my goodies and they have sat in the bag for over 3 months when i decided enough was enough - it's time to paint.

First coat of white on the lamp, she's looking pretty dodgy. With BH&G in the back of my mind and mocking myself at even bothering with this, i pressed on. 3 coats of white later, i'm feeling better, the lamps looking pretty good. This today, i started with the pink paint over the dark blue. Well that looked shocking. the paint didn't want to cover so 5 coats later on the fiddly little bits, it's all done. I was getting a warm fuzzy feeling, finally. I sponged on the flowers using my template with light pink paint and what can i say - IT'S BRILLIANT!!!!. Would i do it again, probably not, but at least i can tell Kirrily that I created that for her new room. So here it is.





We also had a trip to Logan to visit Ikea. Apparently 'they say' it's bigger than the Gabba. I'd have to say it is pretty big but also haven't been to the Gabba. We bought Kirrily a little table of her own so she can eat, drink and colour in and make as much mess as she likes and it's contained to one spot (well almost). After that we saw the signs to the Gold Coast. Why not, we're this close. So off to Currumbin we go. It was a beautiful day, lovely and warm although a little windy. It feels strange that the Gold Coast is now the same distance as Sydney was to Newcastle.

We also went to Cotton Tree again and had the buffet breakfast at the Surf Club. Kirrily polished off 2 servings of my scrambled eggs and was still begging for more when we left and took her for a walk.

We also had a visit from Maz, Dave and Jacob. Jacob is now a boy, not a baby and i almost didn't recognise him. Kirrily and Jacob played on the swings and we all had lunch which was great, although not long enough as they all are home back in Newcastle already.

It's also time to get back to having another Tarra moment. what else can i make.

What can i say!!!!!!

Q U E E N S L A N D E R

Noosa is a mess

Well we survived yet another 'June' storm. We were here this time last year when it was raining and a big red boat landed on Nobby's Beach. Noosa main beach is still closed to the public with 6-8m of sand washed away out to see. There is nothing left but a rock retaining wall which was there 'just in case'. We had water views in our backyard as our neighbour behind us, Des (who sounds like Sam Kecovitch the Lamb Man) and Cheryl (who is a lot like Colleen from Home and Away) kindly drain their water into our backyard. Some people pay big money for water views. The grass was fertilised jsut before the rain hit so the lawn is brilliant green and very healthy and thick. The plants did need some water.

All this rain led me back to my beloved stamping desk. I had 2 precious cards to make:

1. Sophie had a little girl. i jsut love making baby cards. For those that are going "oh yeah never heard of Sophie" she did the make up at my wedding. If you ever need makeup from Myer, she works there. She's absolutely awesome.


2. Izzy B's birthday (aka Isobelle Zwort). She was here for a visit last weekend visiting her Grandma and Granddad as Dick turned 60. Not good weather for b'day parties. I gave Abigail the present for Izzy so she doesn't know what's inside yet. (by the way, it's an I not a 1 if your wondering).


Nothing else has been happening as we've been inside hiding from the rain.

Next week, Maz arrives. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! can you tell i'm excited to see people. I must show her the Copenhagen Icecream shop at Noosa. mmmm.........

testing out the 'slide' show

Swimming Lessons!

Kirrily has been going to swimming lessons now for about 5 weeks a the pool at Cotton Tree. Since the first day she has improved a lot.

The first day she didn't want to get into the pool but Davina (her teacher) had 'the duck' which luckily for me, meant Kirrily would get into the pool after-all.

Since then she has been jumping in the water, running along the mat, spider wall and paddling back to the edge and even doesn't mind being plunged under the water. Today she was also a wizz at floating which is definately a good thing to know if she ever needs to save herself.

Today she had and extra lesson to make up for when she was sick. This nasty little girl, Roma (who names their kid after a tomato anyway) bashed Kirrily in the head. Kirrily said "naughty" back to her but Roma's mum just laughed it off and claims her child doesn't like other children and she just does this. grrrr... Nasty Roma. Lucky for us, we aren't normally in this group. We go back to our nice group tomorrow with our nice teacher, Davina. Davina was hit by a car on her bike and hasn't been there for 2 weeks. She is OK apart from a few broke bones, a broken bike and terrible scratches. Imagine what the chlorine does to those scratches if they weren't healed. eeeek.

So here are a few happy snaps that 'Nan' took. I have cropped my face out of some as the facial expressions where shocking when i was getting splashed by the water.







Wouldn't you know it, one of the ladies in the group, who's name escapes me as i have pregnant brain, is from Newcastle. Lived in Adamstown Heights. Small world. She now lives in Twin Waters. Her little girl, Amelie (which is pronounced more like Amity) is rather cute and doesn't hit anyone. We do have a Caitlin and she's a bit rough too but she thinks she owns the pool as she's been there since she was 6 months and is basically a fish.

That Nasty 'J' Word

Late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, we had a visit from - the SW winds. They reached speeds up to 100klm/hr and boy did they hit hard. Our fence was rattling, things in the garden had blown over and when we woke up, it was 11 degrees. OH NO!!!!! The true Queenslanders (those are the one's that have been here longer than about 5 yrs) were ringing into radio stations, newspapers and TV coverage on the terrible cold snap hitting SE Queensland.

Are they dreaming? Cold? Doona's? Winter Woolies? Huh? Maybe i'm used to the cooler temps of Newcastle but 22 in the day and 11 overnight - that's not cold.

However, i did open the forbidden cupboard. It has been left untouched since our arrival almost 8 months ago. It's "The Jumper Cupboard". da da DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. So yesterday i had on a thin cotton jumper, today a long sleeve T-shirt. the kids are running around in the street in shorts/thongs and shirts. It's not cold. We sat at Cafe Envy at Cotton Tree and the only table left was out the front in the shade with the wind gusting around us. They bought us blankets to wrap around ourselves. Kirrily looked like such a cutie with a blue blanket and her new hoodie on, but guess who forgot to take her camera and my mobile phone camera wouldn't work as it was almost flat. I must say, it's great living in Qld - it's "cold" (well sort of) but you still see most people wearing thongs or sandles on their feet.

Oh well, at least we'll have the winning State of Origin team this week. Now that's something that might warm them up.

We're Back - touch wood!!!

Well time has been flying by. Since my last blog, our computer has been cactus. Trend virus is spastic to say the least. I know, i know, i was warned against getting Trent - it will slow your computer, not good at all...... but still we got it. Works great on David's machine, but mine has been really bad. Firewall this, download problems that, help desk people must be sick of me. i'm going to invest in new software as soon as i can and be rid of this Trend crap immediately!!!!!!

Anyway, back to Qld and our adventures.

We've been laying low and i've been laying very low this last 14wks. Morning Sickness is not a good thing. I've also renamed it - all day and night sickness.

We had a great mother's day. i cooked my own pancakes which didn't last long, went to Big W to buy Kirrily some clothes as her pants are now shorts, then David took me to Aldi at Noosa to buy nappies (for Kirrily, not me). ahh romantic mother's day. :-) We did however, have a delicious Organic vegetarian lunch which was gladly accepted by my tummy, walked across to Noosaville along the River and had the best coffee eclair thingy i've ever eaten. It was almost standing room only along the river. Great day eventually even if i did cook dinner as well.

Kirrily is growing like a champion - finally. she is getting taller but as she runs everywhere flat chat, she isn't putting on much weight. still a little 10kg girl. Dr's don't seem worried. She has found the mop and loves cleaning and mopping the floors, using the vacuum and especially loves hosing the gardens (and me when she can catch me). The tears and screams can be heard for kilometres when the hose is turned off. she just loves it so much. i did come off second best the other day with all my pants wet and shirt too. However, this was histerical to kirrily so i couldn't help but laugh too. She chased me and mum and dad today and hosed everything and then got the paintbrush and was happily painting with 'special paint' or as i like to call it, water.




We've been to Manly too. Believe it or not we have a Manly in Qld as well. not quite as busy as in sydney though or as pricy. Best fish and chips ever at Manly. The photo dosen't come out very well but it was a spectacular spot. Anyone wanting to visit here soon, i recommend it highly. It looks out across the Bay towards Morton Island and Nth Straddie. I think there is also an island call Cutchie Mudlow or something like that too. what a crazy name.

and then there is this photo - no reason to add it other than i think it's cute. Kirrily loves the "wee wee's" or the swings in English. Wee wee's because i guess she goes weee weee weee on them. this was one of our 1/2 hr rides we had at Golden Beach. There's just not stopping her.

HOpefully i'll blog again soon if this silly computer behaves itself but i don't like my chances.