man wallet

With Christmas coming up I was browsing Etsy for handmade wallets.

I came across this great shop called tinymeat and they have stacks of different wallets. I am sure you will find something to suit your man/dad/brother/friend/cousin....and they are cheap too. Some are only $10!

*Thank you for the lovely heartfelt comments on my previous post. It means so much to our family. Some very special people come here to visit. I am amazed every day. xxx

PS - Dani I think you would look very cute in your cheerleader outfit. You make me laugh!

our son

I love this photo of our son Elton. Not only because he looks so darn beautiful, but because the picture, to Ben and I, is symbolic of the struggles Elton will face ahead of him. Elton has a long bridge stretched before him, with a river to cross and haphazard weather conditions.

Our little man is Autistic. Elton turns 4 next month and although I started noticing little patterns from a very young age, Elton was giving me a sign about Autism from only a few hours old. He hated to be wrapped up in his blanket. Ben and I actually joked on the day we were to be discharged. We were lined up with other Mum's, all pushing our little baby go-carts (cots on wheels) ready to face the doctor for our discharge. Babies were wrapped and swathed in blankets and there was our baby, in a singlet and nappy, no blanket looking completely disheveled.

You may of just had a baby and think "My baby hates being wrapped! Some thing's wrong!" Well it's a sign, but it won't be relevant for your baby. All Autistic children are different. The best description I have heard was that you might have a group of children standing in front of a bus and the bus hits them. Every child will sustain a different injury. Same with Autism.

Our child is extremely loving. Some Autistic children are not. That said, Elton can only be hugged for a certain amount of time, before he pulls away. Some days I wish he would sit in my arms for hours.

I don't want this blog to become all about Autism because there is so much more to our family. I don't want people to see Autism first when they meet or read about Elton and then see him. As my oldest friend Marie-Claire said "He is Elton and then he had Autism."

I also don't want to talk about it here like I am some person who knows it all. I don't. I use this blog as a light form of escape. A place to post lovely photos or talk about holidays or new places. It's also a topic that is about my son, and he might feel strange about it when he is older. Or maybe not, but it should be his choice.

We have been through the process of diagnosis for Elton since February this year. This is not something that happens overnight. It is a long and slow process and you need to be a team. No point in losing it or getting angry at your best players. Keep the team strong and moving forward.

We also had an assessment completed on our son a few weeks ago which gives him a ranking of where he sits on the Autistic Spectrum. Much like colours of a rainbow...red might be very mild and blue is very high. The psychologist placed Elton right in the middle.

The example of having a strong team keeps surprising us. Ben and I are reading all we can, trying new techniques and basically trying to be one step ahead of our son and be aware of what can be a trigger for him and nip it in the bud before it becomes out of control. We get by and we have a great life. We are happy.

For Elton to be placed in the middle was a surprise for us because we are coping. We didn't think we would be able to cope this well if our son had a greater disability, but we are finding out that we can cope. The best compliment I ever received was on the weekend when Ben's Mum, Mummsey said to me "you are the best mum I have ever known."

Lesley will never know what that comment meant to me, and all the times I have cried in the shower or with my head under the pillow at night wondering if I am doing things the right or the wrong way.

Elton has difficulties but we will work through them so that he can always be the happy child he already is. We know there isn't a cure, but you can learn to live with it and achieve many great things and be happy. That's all we want him to be. Happy.

smart cookie

I just wanted to share this space found via Dos Family.

A great example of thinking outside the box when only having a box sized space to start with.....

This was a renovated closet converted into a playroom. I love the flipped room...grass on the ceiling with the clouds on the bottom.

The shelves make great storage and I love the alphabet mural painted directly onto the wall.

We are ripping up the rest of our carpet and extending our boards through the entire home. I think I might look into fake grass for the playroom. How fun would that be for Elton and Audrey!!

jingle bells

Christmas is my favourite holiday and I love decorating.

This year because we are going away the decorations will be on a smaller scale, but I am packing a little tree to decorate our hotel room. You need a tree!

I thought I would share some lovely decorating images from now until when we go away, every week. Jingle Bell Wednesdays. :)

I love words. Bigger the better. You can buy wood chip letters for a dime a dozen. Just paint them to match your decorating colours for the year.

I also love decorating bedrooms. I like to share the Christmas spirit through the whole house, not just the room we sit in the most.

Glass jars, red beads, sea-shells and branches = lovely.

Button wreaths.

Get the kids farm animals and make a little Christmas display. I think this is my favourite image from today!

Wreaths.....

...and another one with a little owl.

I quite like the spindle Christmas tree. So lovely.

Cone garland hanging on the wall. You could fill them with treats and make it your advent calendar.

*We had a lovely weekend with Mummsey and Pa. We did lots of swimming and it was so relaxing and fun. I felt like I had been away for days and days.

melbourne town

Flinders Street Station and The Trams

Mummsey and Pa (Ben's Mum and Dad) are here for a quick visit and we are spending the weekend in the city at their hotel.

See you Monday and have a great weekend!!

Southbank DeGraves Lane

Cakes Shops on Ackland Street St Kilda

friday inspiration

delicate lace
tea for two

enid blyton and a frog prince

sigh. Everything in this photo is lovely.

button heart

vintage makeup train case

wallpaper, old clock and pink carnations

My favourite colours - pink, green and blue.

Have a wonderful weekend! x

i have a dream......

It's the Melbourne Cup Spring Racing Carnival this week.

Yesterday was The Melbourne Cup but tomorrow is my favourite race day - Oaks Day.

I love Oaks Day because it is my pick of the fashion. I love gluing myself to the tv and looking at the fashion. My favourite are the amazing hats.

I searched the net today to find a race look if I was going and money was no object.........

Hat - Louise MacDonald Milliner Fandango Hat in Black and Pink.

Vintage Black and Pink dress by Haute Mimi

Rupert Sanderson peep toe patent slingbacks

and a cute patent handbag with horses on just to suit the theme (team with the theme)....from etsy shop Tecla Artful Handbags.

A girl (cough...can I still call myself a girl?) can only dream.

sunny christmas

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We are getting quite excited about our first family holiday to the Gold Coast for Christmas.

We are going for 10 nights and are probably most excited about spending lots of time swimming, which also means sending commando Ben out to do a stealth run of the pool to stake out the lounges.

We felt ridiculous booking our holiday way back in January but the early booking got us a better room at the hotel for a great price with a view of the ocean. We are staying in one of the tall towers that dot the beach.

We have never been to the Gold Coast and apparently it is a sight to behold seeing lots of buildings rising out of flat white sand.

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We celebrate Elton's birthday on our holiday and we are taking him to Wiggle World for his special day. We also want to see a few other "worlds" Movie World and Sea World.

But mostly just take walks, swim, have fish and chips on the beach and watch the sun go down and enjoy 11 days knowing Ben doesn't have to go to work.....and also trying to stop Elton and Audrey from worrying that Santa will remember that they are staying in a high tower and won't forget them.

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Now after a year of waiting we can finally say "we go to the Gold Coast next month!" ....and this explains the sausage bathers. :)

happy birthday!

I had a wonderful birthday!

Ben made a rule that you celebrate your birthday then happy un-birthday. Two days of celebrations. He said it's only fair that you get two days because you wait so long for it to come around.

I was spoilt and received lots of gift cards from my family, so I decided to start my Dottie Challenge on the 1st November, and showered and headed out for a shopping spree.

It was the best shopping spree I have been on. Ben was like my man bag. He watched Elton and Audrey while I darted around the shelves. Ben carried all my things and he didn't complain once. What a man!

I was like a woman possessed and I don't know if it was because I was armed with birthday confidence or I decided to take my own advice following my 30 ways....but I did myself proud. I was grabbing things I wouldn't normally buy and didn't try one thing on. I also got the size smaller for all my new things because I have been on a "feeling better in my clothes" (we won't call it a diet) and decided to get clothes that fit my shape rather then drowning in them to hide it.

I got lots of new shoes and tops and shorts.........

3 new dresses, skirts and enough makeup to last me for months,

and a pair of bathers.

Buying a pair of bathers a few months ago would've made me break out in a sweat, but today I read all the tags and this pair said they would "flatten the tummy and smooth the hips"...sounded right up my alley.

So we came home and I had a fashion parade. I tried on all my new things and the kids were so supportive...'Oh Mum..you look beautiful" or "Oh Mum..you look like a princess".....I will take these compliments for as long as I can get them or until they tell me to bugger off!

Then I approached the bathers, saving these for last.

I pulled them on, and let's say thank goodness you put these things on in the privacy of your own room because now I know what a sausage must feel like. But after pulling and tugging, holly smokes! They looked quite good. Not model good or parading around the pool good...but good enough to go from the banana lounge to the pool in 3.5 seconds. Ben said "oh you look like one of those ladies from the 50's".....

I will take that. :)

Ben asked me what I wanted for dinner and I said I would like a french stick, stinky cheese and a glass of champagne. He then said "you are a cheap date."

We found a slab of the greenest stinkiest cheese (Stilton - my favourite. I could talk about cheese for months) and watched a movie.

Plus, we had my favourite - ice-cream cake with chocolate freddo frog heads inside. It looks like a frog autopsy, but it's delicious.

Thank you for making my birthday so special with lovely wishes here and on facebook etc. I can't believe I had people from all over the world telling me to have a great day. It made my day. x

30 ways No.30 love yourself

my image

The last 30 ways post and I have saved the most important one for the finale. Love Yourself.

Tomorrow (Halloween Baby) I will wake up and at 8.30am I turn another year older*.

Will I take my own medicine and live by my 30 ways?

I will try.

I will try to be smarter, learn more, read more, listen to music, buy fresh flowers and spend time outdoors. I will try to find the time to make a quiet spot in the day and pat my cat. I will make regular appointments for my health and see the dentist. I will laugh and listen and say no without the guilt. I will break away from my comfort zone and start a craft group.

I will take more photos of myself and not focus on my wobbly bits. I will feel good in my clothes and realise if I am confident and smiling and not tugging at waist bands I will look better. I will stick my big boobs out and feel proud.

I will accept that there is no changing certain people and as much as they try to hurt or blame me, it is not my fault. The issue starts with them. I will move on and look to the future, and keep my humour.

I will accept that time goes quickly but I will enjoy every moment and memory.

I will continue to love the three best people I know every single day and be a great wife, mum and friend.

But the person I will also tell is me.

Toni, I love you.

Why thank you.

Your welcome..........Oh by the way Happy Birthday......you old chook.

*hello 38!

30 ways No.29 time

my image

Time, time, time

See what's become of me

While I looked around

For my possibilities

I was so hard to please

Look around

Leaves are brown

And the sky

Is a hazy shade of winter

Hear the Salvation Army band

Down by the riverside's

Bound to be a better ride

Than what you've got planned

Carry your cup in your hand

And look around

Leaves are brown

And the sky

Is a hazy shade of winter

Hang on to your hopes, my friend

That's an easy thing to say

But if your hopes should pass away

Simply pretend

That you can build them again

Look around

The grass is high

The fields are ripe

It's the springtime of my life

Seasons change with the scenery

Weaving time in a tapestry

Won't you stop and remember me

Look around

Leaves are brown

There's a patch of snow on the ground

Lyrics by Paul Simon

Time.

My Mum and Papa-John came to stay. Papa came for 1 week and Mum for 3.

Mum went home yesterday and I felt so sad to see her go.

Time seems to get faster the older I get and although I can't slow it down, I have to appreciate and enjoy every moment because it will be over before I know it.

30 ways No.28 skin and bones

Bones.

Without strong bones we can't move the way we should. We get tired and the chance of a breakage is increased.

As women, it is important to drink our daily milk allowance to ward off Osteoporosis.

Buy milk that is high in iron and calcium and if you don't like it plain, mix it in a smoothie. Your bones will thank you later.

Skin.

I am as white as a ghost. You need sunglasses to stop the glare from my skin hurting your eyes.

When I was younger I would be happy if I got burnt because it would mean I would be brown in a few days time. After I got over the red skin and peel.

I haven't been in the sun for years now and I don't mind if my skin is not brown. I would rather have white skin then skin cancer and there are so many tanning sprays and creams on the market, you can pop them on and go about your business with tanned pins.

Protect your skin and your eyes. You think you are unsightly with white skin. Imagine how you would look with scars, missing parts of your face or the skin from your butt was now on your arm.

30 ways No.27 join in!

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I'm a shy person, but I try my best to not be a hermit and push myself to get out there.

One of the best ways to get involved is to join in - a club, a craft group, sports team, forums, dinner groups.......

Speaking as a shy person, I know it's hard to get involved, so if you are like me, start slowly. Join a forum for your favourite interest such as a cooking blog or a parent website for starters and build from there.

Start a craft group with your girlfriends and take turns rotating houses for the gathering. Buy your favourite biscuits and put the kettle on and have a chat.

I take part in the RVA online craft classes and have met some lovely ladies. I am also a Melbourne Brown Owl and you couldn't meet a nicer lady then head owl Pip.

I am also starting Tif's challenge on Saturday and I joined a 52 week photography group (that I am so behind in!) called Lens Us Together.

You could also join groups on Flickr and post your photos to your favourite sites.

Join in and have a go. You will be so glad that you did.

30 ways No.26 be kind

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“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

Audrey Hepburn

30 ways No.25 get organised

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I love to be organised. It's the obsessive compulsive trait in me. :)

You might like to organise your craft, maybe your pantry, your shoes or replace all your clothes on wooden hangers. You might want to keep all your bills in a folder or collect pictures of inspiration for your wedding. Tidy your handbag or go through your favourite blogs and keep them in a folder on your computer.

Whatever it is you want to organise there are some great ideas to keep your thoughts or your things sorted and looking good.

Kikki K and Smiggle have colourful binders, wall planners, stickers and albums. Cool luggage tags and bright pencil cases.

Ikea have great clips and buckets, pegs and magnetic strips.

Even your local handyman store can provide sheets of cork or chip board so you can make your organisation solution.

You might want to paint a wall in chalkboard paint or buy jars to pop your ribbon into. Maybe check out your local secondhand store for cute bowls or tins for storing thread or sew sheets into shoe holders to hang from your door.

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Whatever you decide to do, being organised will make your life a lot more easy and simple.