I spoke about my journey up until today, what inspires me, and how looking for (and documenting) the beauty in the mundane chaos of the every day can bring so much joy and peace to your soul. I was terribly nervous, but it was so lovely meeting like minded people, who in one way or another, maybe felt the same as I do.

I spoke at length about my 10 on 10 project, and how it really helped me see my wonderful world in a whole new light, as well as sharing a slideshow, that I wanted to share here. Its made up mainly of images from that particular body of work, as well as a few of my all time favourite images of my kids.

If you would like to know more about upcoming Giddy Up Breakfast Club, and sign up to hear about other fantastic events, see here:http://www.giddyupcameraclub.com/events

PS: The song in the slideshow is called “Without you” from and Eddie Vedder album called Ukulele Songs…. So basically 2 of my favourite things smooshed together in a glorious collection of songs. *sigh*

Morning cartoons

Trampoline

Reading to Mama Bunny

Quiet pondering in the rain

Arms outstretched

Retriever love

Obligatory posing

Also, I’m in the process of a little blog and website makeover, combining both to one site and a change in layout. Have a look around and tell me what you think! Its not quite finished, and needs some tidying, but you’ll get the idea!

A bit different this month, as I chose a few of my arvo images, instead of a timeline of our day. The rain here has been atrocious, to say the least, and although yesterday we were treated to some rare sunshine, it still ended in rain, but this intense sun shower, and beautiful rainbow. I’ve stopped trying to keep the guys out of the weather, as its been raining since January, and I gave up after a week.

And I know theres more than 10. My brain and eyes are tired.

* Early morning breakfast face      * Helpful bed makers    * Learning to lace    * Tree House adventures

* Dancing in the sun shower    * Rainbow     * Bath time

As a side, I was thinking of posting some blogs with more photos from my January Photo a Day? I have some lovely ones, and could only pick one to show you each day. What do you think?

** may or may not have been a humungous OR a ginormous stingray, but merely average in size.

Kindness. Love. Compassion. Teach it to your kids. Practice it everyday. Your heart will feel lighter, and the next generation will thank you.

Also, those of you following my Photo a Day will know we’re camping with a group of friends, and as it turns out, about to try and ride out some very severe weather conditions. We made the decision to stay (against my better judgment, dear husband, if you are reading this), while 85% of the place packed up and went home. We figured so many cars on the road in the weather was dangerous and thought we’d sit tight. Not sure now if it was the best idea, but we shall see……

* the calm before the storm

* nude party

* lunch decision makin

* Rudolph face paint and an advent calendar

* Christmas card designing

* team meeting

* lego clean up

* lollypop

* daily shadow ritual in the empty studio

* the cat, the cup, the dog and the Fat Baby

* light reading

I simply cannot explain to you how much I love this place and its people. I can’t wait to show you the rest of my photos, but we only got back early this morning and I’m so scared of my to do and email list, it will have to wait I’m afraid.

Our days started with breaky, a swim, some reading, some eating, a little nana nap, some more eating, a little drinking, and a BBQ. Repeat.

Lots to share over the next month, as well as Sydney Mini Sessions kicking off next week!!!!

.    el    .

xoxo

* Harry unpacking the dishwasher, which is one of my most hated jobs and pretty much the only reason I had kids was to make them do it so I didn’t have to.

* Being waved off to school by his sisters

* Darcy’s sticker chart: She gets a sticker every time she does a wee on the toilet and after 5 stickers she gets a special surprise from the lucky dip!

* Bath time

* Harry always has piles of books lying around, even though he’s only learning to read. They’re under his pillow, on his bed, in the bathroom, in his tree house, on the dinner table. Everywhere.

* One of his favourite places to read is in a cubby he made for himself in a hidden alcove under his loft bed. He loves it under there, and says its where he goes when he needs to “be by himself, or just think about things”, which I assume to be things like lego or scooters or breakfast. Probably.

* My Lily Bear: bathed, clean and fast asleep in the lounge room.

And a little animation of some rainbow nail painting…

~ brekky

~ before school board game procrastination

~ morning chores

~ veggie garden love

~ Teddy Wilson

~ lunch at my desk

~ team work

~ the wind in his hair

~ afternoon tea juicing

~ my dearest friend & the red shoes

Those of you that follow my work will know how much I love Black and Whites. I like them so much more than colour images most of the time, so I’m trying hard to move away from the safety of them and get my colour images to somewhere I can be as proud of. Sometimes its good to get out of your comfort zone a little!

Don’t forget to check out these others that are also doing 10 on 10 and be sure to show them some love! Angie Baxter, Lea Forbes, Rowe Timson, Tracy Lee, Renee Coombe. I’ll link some more next month.

Have a great week!!!!

el    .    xoxo

My friend Brooke was here staying with her family last night, and we got a lift to school this morning in her new Kombi van, which was the highlight of everyones year. Sitting next to her in that old V-Dub giggling sent me straight back to 1998 sitting next to her in the original V-Dub doing exactly the same thing, only this time the car was full of snotty kids! It was the happiest of mornings, and I’ve spent the day grinning. Spending time with her made me feel so incredibly happy, even if it was only for the one night.

Today was Friday. School for Harry, and a day spent with my girls. Its been a long week and we’re all ready for the weekend…..

el   .   xoxo

And I know this last one makes 11, but it’s Harry’s favourite saying this week, and I think its wonderful……..

Happy Weekend, Friends!

Recently, I started to feel a little resentful of the way I was spending my days. My kids are little and they see me as an extension of themselves. In their eyes, its my sole purpose in life to cater to their every need. Food is put in front of them at roughly the same time every day. Their drawers fill up magically everyday with clean, folded clothes. They have healthy lunches packed for them and plenty of beautiful books to choose from for me to read to them. They adore me, and tell me a million times a day. I know they are happy because they run and smile and laugh. But, as yet, they are not very good at being grateful or thankful. I started to feel like I had lost myself somewhere, and didn’t know who I was without my kids.

Then, just last week, I watched as Lily, who’s 4, got herself ready for her shower, turned the water on, made sure it was the right “lovely & warm” temperature (with my supervision, of course), washed herself, turned off the water, dried herself, picked out and got in her pyjamas, got her favourite book from next to her bed and settle into the couch to quietly read it. All by herself. I didn’t have to help once. I can’t remember when that happened? When did she start doing that? I suddenly became very conscious of the old cliché of how fast time was flying.

I heard a saying the other day that I keep coming back to: “The days are so long, but the years are so short”

I don’t want future El to look back on today and only remember the mundane chaos. Because, if I’m honest with myself, I love the chaos. I created this chaos. And its full to the brim and over flowing with love and laughter. Thats what I want future El to remember. Harry learning to read and proudly ticking off his book list every day. Lily painting her nails. Darcy trying to master the two footed jump on the trampoline. And the mess. The never-ending mess.  These things are too easily lost amongst the bedlam.

So. To remind myself that these days are the ones I will look back on with pride and love, not with exhaustion and resent, I thought I would tackle a 10 on 1o Project this year, inspired by one of my favourite photographers, Molly Flanagan. I really want to document a whole year in my hectic life, but time constrains don’t allow for a photo a day I’m afraid. A 10 on 10 suits me. Essentially, it involves taking 10 photos on the 10th of each month (funnily, like the name suggests ) of our day, however boring and mundane. Roughly one photo an hour, for the duration of the day. For although my life is a whirlwind, I really am grateful for the love that surrounds me everyday, however unruly. I want to embrace the pandemonium! I don’t want to look back in 20 years time and only remember the key moments. I want to remember the value I placed on conversations at breakfast, putting on slippers, the tanties at dinner time.

So here is the first entry. It was the darkest, rainiest, and gloomiest of days. And Yes, my house is messy. Always. I apologise in advance if you decide to follow along with me.

If you want to participate along with me, let me know, as I’d love to follow along with you! Comment below and share this post, as I’m sure there are other tired but happy mums out there who maybe need a little reminder that if you look for happiness and love amidst the chaos, you’re sure to find it.

xoxo