A chat over coffee....

 

I've just had a wonderful morning with my baby girl Ruby

We dropped Finn off at preschool for a "make up day"

from when he was sick a few weeks ago, then

Ruby and I  did a little shopping and went to a local

nursery for morning tea.

Ruby enjoyed her Baby Chino and a play in the playground,

while I relaxed with my Skim Flat White and watched the water....

We also shared some fruit skewers and honey yoghurt!

Yummo!!!

What a great way to start the day!

She is now tucked up in bed having her rest....

as for me.... can't keep avoiding the  housework ....

Hope you've all had a great start to your day too!

Love

Danni xx





I'm so thankful to be able to have times like this!

It's the new Black you know....

So, I turned the big 4-0 a few days ago - I have had a wonderful celebration - I'm calling it the Festival of my 40th!


On my actual Birthday the Big Cheese, Ruby and I went into the city - shopping for part of my Birthday present.... we walked out of the shop with not 1, that's right folks, but 2 of these:

Lucky girl, right???

( understatement of the year!)

The Big Cheese commented that he's ruined poor Ruby for life -

having had her first Tiffany & Co experience at 2 1/2!

I have been so completely overwhelmed by the events of the last couple of days - I am still floating!

Saturday the Big Cheese organised for me to get my hair done!
 Then my wonderful friend Karen took me out to get our nails done
 and then off for a nice lunch and a few (too many) of these:

Then we were picked up and came back home to what I thought was a dinner to be with just a couple of close friends.... but look at this face:


I think that says it all - don't you????

Yep - you guessed it - the Big Cheese had organised a small surprise get together with some of my nearest and dearest friends.
It was just overwhelming ( have I mentioned that???)
There were friends there that I'd known since I was 3, 23 and 33 ...
 there were friends from so many stages of my life
 and each and every one of them has a huge chunk of my heart!
We had a great night - albeit a late one with a few too many bubbles consumed ;) !!
I was blessed by so many wonderful gifts - each one holding there own significance to me. 

My gorgeous friend Trine made me this - 
it was sitting on my doorstep when I got home


( the box has 40 Lollipops in it!!!)

And flowers! Oh my! My house smells DIVINE 

My eldest niece made me a gorgeous "banner" to go on the door ~ she
picked each petal and painstakingly stuck them on! ( she's 5)

And I just have to share the card she made me...

she kept having to add layers to the cake to fit all my candles on...

then realised she put 46 on there... "oh well..."

Don't you just love it??

And I will be soon doing a post about the (almost) completed renovations - but I can't wait to share this: 

 

My sister and parents bought this for my Birthday - isn't it STUNNING!!! I just love it - and can't wait for my afternoon cup of green tea tomorrow - I will assume the position!!! It is in my new 'study" - a perfect spot with the afternoon sun streaming in!


I am truly blessed to have such wonderful people in my life - and if it's true - that life begins 40 - the preview I've had looks pretty fine!

Love  and light to you all

Danni xx

Blessings....

Here's what I'm thankful for lately...

My beautiful boy's laugh

Bringing colour to someone else's world

Older generations taking the time to spend with younger ones

Breakfast and coffee with my baby girl

Grandparents

Fresh flowers - they smelt really good too

as you walked in the front door!

Cheeky smiles

Sunny days

Neighbourhood friends

Freckles and blue eyes

Moments captured

Love

Danni xx

Hope...

I heard this quote on an episode of "Criminal Minds" the other day, and it struck a chord with me. Funny where our inspirations come from isn't it?

      "Hope is the thing with feathers,

 that perches in the soul,

and sings the tune without the words,

and never stops at all."

~Emily Dickinson

When I was Google-ing (!) to find  the exact quote, I came across Nietzche's thoughts on Hope too:

  "Hope in reality is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torment of man"

What a sad way to view the world.

 I think I much prefer Emily's

What is Hope?

What does it mean to you?

Hope gives me something to cling to , to aspire to , to encourage me to achieve I guess.

It helps give inspiration and is a driving force in collaboration with

other foundations like faith, love and determination.

I was thinking about this during the week - without Hope, I may not have been

a mother to this day.

Without Hope, I would have given up on so many opportunities and

situations in my life that have lead me to where I am in my life

right now.

Without Hope, I may not get to where I want to be in the future ~ as

unknown as that is for me

Without Hope I wouldn't have anything to
Close my Eyes Make a Wish and Blow on!

 

Without Hope I wouldn't hold onto my dream of wanting to

make a difference in other children's lives by

attempting to be a Foster Parent.

Without Hope - I'll never reach the end of my ironing basket!!!!

Pink Bird of Hope by Middleburg Folk Art Studio

Off to primp my feathers

Danni xx

No Matter What...

Who would have ever thought that I'd be using Boyzone as an influence

or inspiration for my blog...
or at all really????

I heard/listened to/sang this song at Church the other week,

and haven't been able to get it out of my head ever since.
( see, I told you that music has a big influence on my life
-it has a way of talking to me and makes me think)

It was only after talking to my beautiful, honest
and skeptical friend ,
(who is here from overseas at the moment)
that I realised and had confirmed just how much
I love my Church,
what it represents
and how much it's helped me to grow.
So Thank You dear friend x

I'm slowly learning to have faith
in my faith

I'm slowly learning to have faith
in me!

"No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true "

I LOVE that line:
What we believe is true
My beliefs are my truths,
just as
your beliefs are yours.
Isn't that great?
Even when I'm not certain of what my beliefs are,
and even if our beliefs vary,
isn't it nice to think that they are still valid,
that they still provide comfort and peace to us,
as individuals?

Listen to the song here (click)

 

Lots of love to you ALL

No matter what

 

Danni xx

Summary Sunday!

It's been a while since I've taken the time to stop and think about what I have to be thankful for this past week - I randomly do of course but to really think and look back on my week in a positive light is what is needed today!

A few close encounters of the non-patient/non-tolerant and inappropriate kind this week from myself - something to keep in check this next week going forward. It's all about lifes' lesson's isn't it???

In no particular order:

I am grateful for my beloved camera. This is like another child to me and I take it just about anywhere... I'm such a lucky girl ... a good camera enables you to take lots of lovely pics... and the wonder of digital photography allows you to take 563 thousand photos before you get one decent one.. without running up exorbitant processing bills.

Finally my very OWN photo of a dandelion on my Blog!



I am thankful that I have my health,  a roof over my head, clothes on my back and people who love me surrounding me. So many others less fortunate than ourselves out there. I  really am blessed. I have a LOT to smile about.

It made my heart melt when my 2 babies were sick together this week ~ they gave each other "huggles" and shared blankets, tissues and water bottles. I love that they are still so full of love even with high temps and sore tummies. I love that they can still smile - even when feeling really rotten.

I am thankful for some sunshine after all the rain and grey-ness we've had lately - great for a day trip out to a park with bubbles and Ice-cream ! The kids had their first ever ( soft serve) "Mr Whippy" van ice cream... I think the photos speak for themselves!

I was thinking this week how very lucky I am to have a bit of an artistic "eye" - and how that allows me to be a bit creative and to do things on a budget ( which pleases the Big Cheese ) . I found a gorgeous little magnet that had "Welcome - family faith & friends" on it - and knew straight away what I wanted to do with it. Found the perfect frame ( which coincidentally matches my little clock) and voila! another piece to add to my vignette on the foyer/entrance dresser/bookcase/junk storage thingy!

This week had some trying moment but also some wonderful laughs and conversations with people very dear to me. I am very blessed with the friends in my life.I love that they "get" me and know what makes me tick ... and what gives me the giggles.... I love that a quick phone conversation can put so many things back into perspective when feeling a little lost ( for example a text message from a very dear ( and very loopy) friend of mine asking me if I'd ever noticed that the cartoon character Miffy's Mum had a moustache.. and if I had noticed.... was I as concerned about this issue as she was?And did I want to join the crusade in saving Miffy's Mum from looking just like her Dad, but with a pearl necklace????? ) ( please remember that I DID preface the description of this friend as loopy!!! But oh how I love her loopy-ness!)

I wish that I could take away my friend's pain and sorrow sometimes and replace it with rainbows and happiness. I hate feeling helpless when friends are struggling with difficult times.I have learnt ( finally ) not to take other's issues on board, but I still hurt when they hurt and want to make it all go away for them. I wish I knew the right things to say.  I can't take it all away - but I'll Close my eyes, make a wish and blow.



Love

Danni xx

P.S: It's just a little after midnight Sunday.... I think this can still count as Summary Sunday! The Photos took too long to ... oh well doesn't matter! Talk soon xx