Donna at 24 Weeks.......

Each time she comes around for her pics, I don't think she looks a lot different. However, when I look at the photo from the month before you can always see a difference in her shape. Donna is so neat and tidy, she looks fantastic!

We took a measurement of her waist line last month and she has grown 3 cms since then, so that was exciting!!!!

But in bigger news......I FELT THE BABY MOVE.....yup that's right, very excited Aunty Leanne here. Aunty Leanne has had a big week! We were sitting at the computer looking at the photos. It was a very gentle movement but I felt it all the same, how cool is that!

So here are this months pics.............

1st pic 20 weeks and now 24 weeks

.........and this pic to the left is my pic of the month.

Totally natural, although the sentiment behind the pic is nothing like it portrays....at first glance you would think that she was fondly nurturing her growing belly.........yeah right........, she was in fact trying to get rid of a dirty mark on her top!!!!!!

But I love it anyway!

I Love this Kid.....

I got Phillip this jumper on EBAY, initially I was going to keep it for Christmas, but changed my mind. So I gave it to Celina to give to him, the last time she was down.

I rang her tonight to see what he thought of it. A little while later I got this email from him....


Hey!

I tried on the jumper you gave to me, and I think its not too bad. It is a bit long at the arms, however I will grow into the sleeves soon enough, LOL.

I really appreciate this gift, and it shall warm me up on the coldest of winter's nights.

Lots of Love, Phil

Isn't it just the best email, how polite is my nephew. One very proud Aunty here, I just had to share!

I love you too, Phil. You are one of the best!
Love Aunty Leanne

Scout Leadership Presentation.....

Last night, Renée was presented with her Scout Leadership Certificate and Badge, we are a very proud family right now!!. For those that aren't Scout minded that read this, it's lot of hard work and a very big achievement.

Renée had attended a course in March this year and there were several other activities that she had to plan and run within her troop, document them and submit them for assessment.

The success here is paramount to her getting her ultimate goal of the Australian Scout Medallion. She has about 7 months to get all the work finished that is required to achieve this, so fingers crossed she will get there.

Here are some pics

....with the District Scout Commissioner

She loves Betty......

Renée's girlfriends went to the show this year and they all put in to come home with a Betty Boop Show Bag for her.

So a couple of weeks ago before Taeqwondo practice, hence the uniform, she displayed some of the items that came in the bag, namely the Bandana on her head!!!!

This kid of mine can be such a scream at times, check these out.......

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Taeqwondo - Aaron grades to Red Belt 2

Aaron had Taeqwondo gradings this morning and he did really well. He successfully graded to Red Belt 2......therefore only Red 3 to go and then the big one - Black Belt!!!!! He was most impressed with his efforts today, as were we, he was fantastic!!!!!

Way to Go Aaron!!!!

Here he is doing his pattern and to the right receiving his certification.

Below....his belt adorned with his second stripe!

Part of his grading, is to spar. He isn't too bad at either, getting quite aggressive, although I do get a little nervous when Aaron has to spar against Renee, she can at times get a little overbearing with him. Today however, he did really well against her, check out the video link below and watch them spar!!!!!

The link will take you to a site to view. You can also view Renee doing her pattern getting ready to grade to Black Belt at Christmas time. The video isn't the best but you get the idea.

Little Blue Eyed Casanova......

This little dude is the son of my best friend Patty, everybody meet Ryan. He makes such an impact on everyone that meets him. Ryan is full on, but gee he makes you laugh, he is so witty at five!!!!

He loves the girls too, and he isn't too fussy on how old they are. A few weeks back I took Celina up to Patty's place for a bit of girl time. Ryan took quite a liking to my sister, cuddling up with her most of the night, hanging off her every word, was so funny. The next thing he is asking Celina if she would like to come to his bedroom to laydown on his bed for five minutes!!!!!! Celina was stunned LOL.

He wanted to take Aleisha home last Friday night as well, only for a little while, but wanted to take her all the same, totally cracked me up.

And here he is when he stayed over the other night, curled up in bed with his sister Lauren (left) and Renee totally lapping it up.

Yup nothing wrong with his male hormones.....

Aunty Leanne loves you Ryan.

Lazy Sunday.......

Sundays can be the best day can't they.

The boys woke up at about 8.30 or so this morning and we didn't hear a peep out of them. They just laid back in bed playing gameboy and nintendo, doesn't get much better than that!

Breakfast was eaten at about 10.00 and we haven't seen them since. They are still in their PJ's, but who cares, total relaxtion. (Oh and don't mind Aaron's Pyjamas, they were meant to be mended, in the end the whole leg was torn off and he likes them like this LOL). They are now playing playstation together. All we hear is laughing and giggling, totally funny.

We are having a quiet day too. Renee is working on the Family Tree and I have washing in the machine. Rod has put a roast on for tea, yummy!!! Totally a No Rule Sunday today!!!!!

A further update, the afternoon of today was much the same as this morning, totally quiet and relaxing, the best kind. Check the kids out each with a computer, hmmm modern technology at its best here.


Then there was time this evening after showers for a little rough and tumble. Both boys are so enjoying the time they have spent with each other. Right after this pic was taken they both collapsed in fits of laughter.

And to finish off, check out these smiles.......

Fun Filled Friday night and Saturday

Gosh it was busy here last night, people coming and going and the phone going crazy LOL. Dad went up to Waikerie yesterday morning with Aaron, to pick up Jarrod (nephew) to come home for a couple of days. Aaron and Jarrod although cousins are also best mates and just love getting together, you only see them at feed time, when they are together and even then you have to be at them to stop what they are doing to get them to come out.

The boys arrived home last night at 8.30, they had a fun filled day at Celina's first though, having gone bowling and then playing on Papa's CB radio. That was great until Uncle Barry got on the other one and came on saying that he was Policeman Barry. Phillip, being the eldest of the boys, quickly took charge of the situation apparently, taking the radio from Aaron explaining who he was trying to resolve the situation. Aaron was freaking out....LOL, thinking for a while there that it really was a policeman on the other end. Jarrod apparently cottoned on pretty quickly. All in all though it gave Dad, Celina and Barry a good laugh for a while! Would have loved to have seen the look on their faces, Dad said it was hilarious....

We also had Aleisha stay over last night, now she is a little girl, who is lives with her brother and her Grandfather. Their mum died a few years back and she is on the look out for a mum. She is trying desperately to set Grandpa up with someone, telling him he needs to get out more, she really is a love. Although having said that she is a little hyperactive and does get quite excited, but she is a darling. So we had her over last night, to give Grandpa and big brother a little bit of a break and also give her some girl time.

We pulled out the kites today and she had a hoot doing that, she managed quite well too, given there wasn't a real lot of wind around today, we spent a good half an hour doing that, it was great.

We also had Lauren, stay over to add to the whole girls night in. Now Lauren, try as she might had some real trouble getting that kite up and keeping it up LOL. Was so funny and Aleisha thought it was great.....Aleisha was trying to be so helpful and offered her kite to Lauren, but she was determined to get it up herself, she got there eventually, it was hilarious...Lauren was really willing that kite up in the end, desperation LOL. And check out Renee, she really got dressed up for the whole affair, she managed to stay in her PJ's all day today.

The kite flying took place whilst the boys were at the movies, seeing the new Jackie Chan movie, Rush Hour ( I think), they loved it. Rod said they were laughing the whole way through it.

By the time they got home, Aleisha had left. They both sat down and played computer - Runescape, rocks around here. We have just got a second computer (thanks Ben) so both boys were able to play together along side of each other, they had a great time.

And Celina, Jarrod is just fine. We served up his favourite meal tonight, Chicken and Chips. As I type this they are in the spare room playing on playstation, although just at this second they have just emerged looking for Icecream. Life is Good!!!!

A fun couple of days.......

This is going to be a bit of a long post, I don't really feel like scrapping, but have some photos that I want to share, so blogging is a kind of comprise.

School holidays have started and even though I am working all the way through these holidays, it still does give us an opportunity to slow the pace a little, without all the rush that comes in a busy household with school aged kids. Renée's report was excellent, she is just showing a little attitude, comments like "she is spasmodic" and "could achieve more if concentrated on the task" were written. However having said that she got A's in her core subjects, so we were very pleased with that. She likes to have fun at school, I remember being a little the same!

Aaron didn't get a report this term but he did get his school photos back, he doesn't like them, he thinks he looks a little goofy....I dont' think so. I tried to explain that this is how he looks and sometimes the funny faces are one of those little personality traits that you have this time, this year. He will probably still hate the photo when he looks back through them in years to come, but a mother loves any photo of her kids, isn't that right!

End of school term also brought the end of Scouts for the term, and the kids went ten pin bowling Friday night. My psuedo daughter, Cyra (Renée's best friend at school), also came. Cyra and Renée get along so well. Renée can be a little plain jane, she is a little like me in that respect. Cyra, however, knows very much how to use her girly charms and likes to make the effort to look her best LOL. Renée who would ordinarly take about 10 minutes to get ready to go out, took about an hour along with Cyra to get ready the other night. Hair straightners, make up, mouse, spray.....you name it was used. I must admit though it is nice to see the girls dress up occassionally, we don't get to see Renée do it very much that is for sure. This is a pic they took of themselves on the mobile phone.

Yesterday morning it was early up for us girls. Dad took the girls and I to Waikerie to see Celina, John and the kids. Rod and Aaron didn't want to come this time, instead they opted to stay home to watch the footy (which we won't talk about LOL, both are Port supporters). The idea was to take the boat out, this was the first time, since earlier in the year, so dad was keen, as were Renée and Cyra. Celina and I however, thought it would be a little cool, it was very overcast, but hell what do we know, we are just the mothers!!! We got up there and the boys didn't want to come, instead they stayed home and helped John build a pergola, they were the smart ones.

We went to Barmera - Lake Bonney (for those of you that may read this and don't know where that is, it's in the Riverland, South Australia. The lake was awful, so choppy, but that boat was going in regardless. On the way up there, I had a phone call from Renee, asking if there were sharks in there, along with crocs....dad had obviously been spinning the girls a yarn and Renée rang to check it out with me, talk about a scream, Celina then pipes up and says "yep and there are Piranas too". Renée had it sussed with that, but up until then the girls weren't too sure.

Here they are ready to get in the water. The first one is their fat impersonation, not sure of the purpose of that, they are mad, totally mad! The second one is meant to be the nice one, I tell ya, gone are they days where you acutally smile for the camera and actually look happy, so frustrating!!!

The biscuit was first, I love this thing, so much fun and all you have to do is hang on, nice and easy to do. Renée is heavier than Cyra though and subsequently the balance of the biscuit was off, but got some cute pics of them before Renée just couldn't hang on any more.

(right) Then it was Cyra's turn on her own......

...and then Renée (left). Here she is totally showing off, we were coming into shore so the boat was slowing down, it wasn't long after this pic, however, that Cyra suggests we give her a little burst of the throttle and off she goes, straight off the back!!!!!!

Then it was out with the knee board. Cyra hadn't done this before, but wanted to give it a go, despite the water being so rough and choppy. Renée had her turn first.

Cyra, also got up after a few attempts, but I forgot to take the camera out with me, when I was spotting for her, so I missed out on pics of her, was pretty annoyed about that LOL.

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We got back to Celina's, John and Phillip had finished the structure for the pergola, it looks great, Celina was so impressed.

They did however have some sad news. They have geese, and they had two babies hatch in the morning, only to be found by John shortly after hatching, dead. The big male goose stomped on them, they were so fluffy and cute. I suggested to John, that he separate the male from the others, to try and have her save her last egg (although we aren't too sure that one is fertislised).

Here John, is with the big male (doesn't he look like Farmer Joe LOL), rotton goose, then with Jarrod, giving it a pat, and the last pic is of the mummy on her egg. Poor thing she was so distressed. She is the bird in the back ground, you can just see her egg under her.

Aside from that though, the day was great, I so love spending time with Celina, we are very close. I love her bits. We crawled into bed about midnight, Celina and I shared, and then chatted until about two in the morning, I was so darn tired when I woke up this morning. We had to get up early to get Cyra home before midday.

The final pic is of my sister, with her puddy cat Elliott, she loves her cats, they have two, and they are totally spoiled. It's not the best pic of her, as we weren't long out of bed LOL, but I figure on my blog I can put anything on here and that will teach her for keeping me awake half the night!!!!!! Sorry Celina, NOT!!!! Love your guts girl, Leanne, xxxx