This is the one I chose for my photo for the day….

And here are the rest.

These were taken on our camping trip just before school went back. Right before the big floods that sent us home early. We spend lots of time camping with this little group, and as they are our neighbours, they are an everyday fixture in our home. They are our family. There had just been a big storm and lots and lots of rain, and I quickly took these while there was a reprieve in the wet weather, while the sun was going down. The last few, including the one that made the photo a day, it was almost pitch black, hence all the noise in the images, which I actually quite like!

I love all their different expressions and personalities shining through. These photos are like visuals of what it feels like in my head at the end of the day, and that makes me smile.

I might try and post some more of my favs from January every Sunday.

Heres the one that featured last month, with Darcy holding the torch.

And here are the others that I took in that 15 minutes before the mozzies and the boogie man came and carried us away…..

After a hellish few days here in Queensland thanks to flooding, things are almost back to normal programming. Summer holidays are over, and Harry and Lily are back to school, Lily for the very first time. She strolled into that classroom with her head held high and never gave me a second glance, waving and grinning at me from across the room of crying little boys (its always the boys that cry!!!), like she’d been there her entire life! Harry has had a slower and quieter start, missing his best friend, Colt, but I think he’ll be fine.

The sun shone for a few precious minutes on the last day of their holidays, and already, in just a few few short days, so much has changed. This was the last photo of my Lily Bear before she was a big school girl. Darcy, oblivious to how lonely she was going to be without her friends by her side everyday. Harry, old enough to eye roll and protest his sisters cuddles, but little enough to still secretly love it. What will the next 12 months bring for my favourite people? How much will they change? I’m excited and sad all at once thinking about it.

Thank you so much for spending January with us!!! I hope you have enjoyed it! I have had so many beautiful, encouraging, inspiring emails, texts, tweets and facebook messages, it warms my heart that I haven’t bored you all to death!!! You’ve all heard me talk about how much the focus of my business has changed this year, and that includes posting more of my own personal work, so I hope you’ll continue to be involved.

I’m sorry I was unable to post the last few days. I’ve posted a few from this afternoon to make up for it.

Love from El, Harry, Lily and Darcy

xoxooxox

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……

Unfortunately, it looks like we might be rained out tomorrow, with heavy rain and flash flooding predicted, but today was one of the best days we’ve had as a family. One I hope the kids remember forever.

Kids under 7 are pretty uncooperative, generally, when it comes to posing for photos, but I love this one. And yes, Darcy is shining a torch. It was quite dark when I took this and she is obsessed with it.

Today I am thankful for life long friends and summer holidays and good mozzie spray

(Oh, and also Nikon cameras, who ARE very cooperative, especially in low light)

You can’t take a drum kit camping, can you?!!?

Today I am thankful for Australia Day Long Weekends in our caravan, and for future rock stars, also in our caravan…..

And Oh how I love bath time because it may or may not be code word for Wine Time

Today I am thankful for secret spy code words……..

I miss my little baby Harry, but I can’t help but be curious about the beautiful man I know you will be one day. I see glimpses of him every now and then, and it makes me catch my breath.

Today I am thankful for quiet conversations with a little boy, wise beyond his years, and for him helping me forget about how much I hate folding and putting clothes away, and talking about trolls and dwarfs in Middle Earth instead……

Today I am thankful for thoughtful friends and cooler weather and the universal language of kids…bubbles…..

Harry went over to the back door to talk to the cat and they both lay there staring out onto the back yard for ages, then out of nowhere he broke the silence with “How long do you think it would take me to save enough money to buy a pool?”

Today I am thankful for dreaming big and wide!!!

Today I am grateful for my sweet Lily Bear, who’s emerging quiet, gentle, but persistent self confidence makes me proud to stand by her side.

Thats not to say she has transformed onto a princess over night though, lets not get too carried away! It has spaghetti bolognese, dirt and boogers all over it, as well as lots of other unknown grot. A tutu does NOT a ballerina make. Believe me.

And of course, her trusty side kick, Teddy Wilson, never far from her side.

Today I am thankful for the beginnings of a butterfly from my sweet little caterpillar, even if it is only an illusion

More than half way through this project! Hope you’re not all sick of me!!!