Sisters!

Sister love after a little concert of singing and dancing performed just for me.

 

 

How it thrills my heart!

Little ballerina x 2

In theory, having Jasmin and Lily do ballet together, is not only the cutest thing in the world, it is also completely practical!

 
1 class. 2 little girls.  9:30am. 1 hour.

I know I could choose to chat with other mums and socialise during that hour wait. But there's that book sitting in my bag and a wooden chair just outside the door...What better arrangement could there be?

Did you notice that the beginning of this post said; In theory :)

The reality of this little 1 hour dream on a thursday morning is this. 1 sweet 4 year old that runs into class who I don't see for an hour. 1 sweet little 2 year old that is not quite ready to stay in a 1 hour class. The last few weeks she has lasted 1/2 an hour but today, even that was a stretch.

As much as I want to keep taking her in the hope that she will stay in the class for the hour, I don't know if I will. I see other people getting frustrated at their little ones that also won't stay in the class. But that's not me. She's 2. Her professional ballet career can wait to begin untill she's at least 3. Or maybe even 4 :)

Instead, we might just dress up at home and dance around to music like this. It's fun, we get to do it together and it's free.

Jasmin on the other hand will keep going and I can swoon over her adorable attempts at 'moves' like Demi-plié and first position. 

Little Sisters

Being one of seven girls in my family, the idea of having more than one daughter of my own, a little pair of sisters if you will, always made me feel incredibly excited.

After being raised in a household with that many girls, and going to boarding school and living with 100ish other girls for 2 years, I was under no illusion that having 'young ladies' is always a walk in the park :) or that my girls would always get along. 

But still, I imagined beautiful harmony with two sisters that would love each other more than anything else in the world. They would be best friends from the very beginning of their little lives..........

hahahaha! I can't help but laugh a little at this. Especially because I already knew. I knew that while my sisters and I are now the very best of friends, it wasn't always so growing up. And while I know my own daughters also love each other, there's not always perfect harmony between these two head strong girls of mine :)

As they both grow, I am pleasantly seeing small changes. There is more understanding and communication between them and the stretches of happy play are extended. There is more laughing and playing, and less hair pulling and crying ;). When I see them wrapped up in a world of "you're the mummy and I'm the baby" and I see them playing happily together, I could quite easily sing out loud, "la la la la laaaa". Actually sometimes I do, and it makes them laugh!

The picture below is something I see quite regularly. The two of them wondering around the house, and when Lily can't quite reach something she wants, Jasmin jumps down and tells her to stand on her back :)  Yes, my baby who is only an inch shorter than her big sister, and who weighs the same amount, uses her big sister as a stool.

It is a pleasure to watch these little sisters in cahoots with each other!

Time Out for Women

There is something so inspiring about being in a room filled with almost 2000 women.Women gathered together from all around Australia for the same reason. The purpose and desire 'To become'. I doubt I was alone in feeling the power and significance of this day and the influence that would leave that room.

I especially loved being there with my mum and a few of my sisters. I know I say this often, but I really love being in a family full of sisters. I loved sharing this experience with them and discussing the things that resonated with each of us, and talking about the new ways in which we each hope to 'become'. 

A few of my favourite things #1

Laurel Christenson your story was for me!

Laurel shared with us her journey that began about a year ago when she started preparing to run a half marathon. She told us about a "treading class" she was in, where she was doing high intensity interval training on a treadmill. While she told her story in a really funny way, the message was actually about not holding ourselves back with all the excuses we make about why we can't do things. It was a message about not stopping ourselves from achieving things with self doubt.  

At the point when Laurel was about to quit running and get off the treadmill, her trainer realised what was happening and came over to her and said (think Jillian style trainer from biggest looser ;)....

"Don't you dare stop. You can do this".

Laurel insisted that she couldn't and said she had to stop.


The trainer then jumped up on the front of the treadmill and said;

"Don't you dare be the one thing standing in your way"!!!!



I don't know how these words could not have impacted every woman in that room. As I heard them, It was like I was watching my own 'self set limitations' flash before my eyes in slow motion.

With the encouragement of her trainer and her own self will, Laurel went on to finish her interval training that day and 6 months later (or so ;) ran her first half marathon. 


In Laurels own words she said;

"When I stepped off that treadmill, I had the "ah ha” moment of my life.
I realized I simply was not who I thought I was.
I walked into that class with limits on my abilities and ideas about what my life was supposed to be........I walked out of that class knowing I could never be the same again".

"I became the girl who does the thing I thought I could not do.
And that is who I am now".

As I later re-told this story to Rylan, I had another 'ah ha' moment myself. I realised the importance of the trainer in her story. It's not just about believing in our selves and not standing in our own way. It's about listening to and believing the trainer when he says "you can do it - I will help you". It's about recognising that the ultimate 'trainer' is our Savior. Our biggest advocate and the one who never gives up on us even when we threaten to give up ourselves.


I came away from Time Out For Women feeling lifted and inspired to not just DO more but to {try} and BE more!


You can read Laurel's full story here and I absolutely recommend it!! 


More favorite things to come tomorrow. maybe :)

leaving on a jet plane.......

Ok maybe not on a jet plane, just on a plane.......

 

.....for 5 days without my babies for my annual "sisters retreat" with my family on the Gold Coast.

I Can't wait to cuddle my new nephew and see my sisters and sleep through the night and maybe even sleep in in the morning ;) Oh what luxury :)

no, I'm not pregnant again :) this pic is from last years retreat ;)

While I will miss my babies, I really can't wait to spend time with my sisters and do all the funny crazy things we do together....the kind of things you only do when you're with your family :) 

And to Chad. Thank you Thank you Thank you :) I will come home completely refreshed and patient.......for at least one day ;)

Sisters retreat in review

Ok so maybe I was a little bit wrong about the sisters retreat being relaxing and an opportunity to catch up on sleep :) We had CRAZY late nights and were out and about doing lots of things!! But sleep deprivation and all, I LOVED it. Every minute. Especially being back in my parents home with my sisters. 

I must admit I love going home to the place where I grew up. There's a feeling I get when I enter that front door that I don't feel anywhere else. A feeling of familiarity that I never tire of. And even though I have my own home now, this place of my childhood and teenager years is also still my home. And I love being there.

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Some of the things that occupied our time.......

We stayed in a gorgeous hotel for a night and had this amazing view from our room. The sunset was gorgeous!

Went out to a delish Japanese restaurant and had sukiyaki ......

and sampled other delicious Japanese cuisine......

gave love to our little nieces and nephews that us Sydney sisters only see a few times a year......

 

stayed up late talking and laughing and doing a fun creative writing workshop......

Had a morning devotional about Motherhood and enjoying our children!

Went shopping.

Had some family photos taken (by my sister'n'law Alana) for my Mums birthday......

And just enjoyed being together!

I'm so grateful I get to call these beautiful women my sisters! How I wish we all lived closer!!

ps) As previously mentioned I was hoping to find my patience while I was away, and i'm happy to report that I did. I was totally patient for the first day of being home ;)

Sisters Retreat......

In 2 days I'm 'running away' with one of my sisters and rendezvous-ing with the rest of my sisters (and parents) on the Gold Coast for 5 days.

 

5 days.

Whatever will I do without my constant little companions for this time.....I'll tell you what I'll do. I will sleep through the night (unless I'm too busy talking or I have to go to the bathroom :)  Eat delicious food. Talk until I laugh and cry. Do some fun 'workshops' we have planned. Talk and laugh some more. Celebrate my parents birthdays. Finally attempt to buy that new bra that is about 5 months overdue (sorry if that's too much information for you :) Relax (maybe?) and find my patience that I seem to be loosing soak up this time before my life turns crazy I have my new baby. I Can't wait to be with all my sisters (and parents :) and spend this time with them!!

Now I just have to get everything organised before I leave......aaaarrrgggghhhhh........

Home

The best part of being away from the boys for 5 days was definitely when they picked me up from the train station and Rylan and Zahn came racing up the ramp chanting my name while jumping on me! Man I missed their little faces and was so happy to be home with them again. It was SO SO cute watching chad and the boys all crowd around Jasmin and gush over her. She is so loved and adored by those boys - I love it!!!

Now despite missing the boys, I LOVED spending 5 days with my sisters and parents. It's always nice to have uninterrupted 'talk' time (which is constant) with girls that love to talk as much as I do, and with girls that really are my best friends!!!!

I love my sisters and my mum and am so grateful for each of them and for the friendships we have!! It's so inspiring to be with women that love the gospel, love being mothers and know how to have fun!

I love discussing (and learning) what works (and doesn't always work) with our kids. I love laughing till we cry (which is often) and being our 'un-edited' selves.....(which means crazy, loud, crazy and loud :)

I miss them already!!


A few pics from our getaway.....



Jasmin getting ready to take off........look at those cheeks :)



Goodbye Sydney......see you in 5 days :) wahoo



Birthday dinner for Zara - (I can't believe i have a 12 year old sister!!!)



Emma and Fiona



One of the highlights of our trip was going to the temple with Zara for her first time. There is something really special about being in the temple with your family!!!!



Mum and dad with their newest grandson Ammon (love that baby :)



Mel and Ruebs



Cheeky brothers, Jayden and Ruebs



The birthday girl Zara, and Maddy



Kaydy baby



Ammon (and auntys) sleeping........



Asher my genius nephew (seriously when he was like 2 years old he could read......genius :) and he's so cute!!



Olivia.....Jazzys 'BFF'. Such a sweet gorgeous girl



And Neets giving Ammon some more baby love (clearly he's feeling the love :) haha!!

We had such a great time. And to Chad - THANKS for being such a great hubby and 'letting' me 'party' (used very loosley in a relaxing, talking, reading, hanging out with my sisters) kinda way! I know you had a CRAZY busy week so THANKS for the time to getaway!!