Documenting Delight: day one hundred and fifty two {finger painting}

{oh i'm sorry, did you say finger painting? i thought you said hand and arm painting}

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and fifty one {have lollipop, so now i will participate in your photo mum}

It is a common occurrence,  early evening is approaching and I am unhappy with the photos I have captured for the day (or eeeek, I haven’t even managed to bring the camera out at all.) Today, the kids just weren’t happy with being around my camera. So, I pulled the sugar card. They were in. Phew.

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and fifty {help! i'm trapped!}

One the way home. Eight hours straight with one stop at the Holbrook to visit the decommissioned submarine tourist attraction. We were expecting the worst but much to our surprise the kids handled the trip home remarkably well. Lach is now convinced that this is the way we will exclusively travel from now on. Hmmm, we'll see.   

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty nine {CERES & lunch with friends}

{in a seed pod at CERES}

A little family holiday to a fun and funky city was well earned but the real reason we make the trip to Melbourne was to spend time with our dear, dear friends Melinda and Chris and their two girls. Chris was our friend when Lachie and I were living in Sydney and only newly dating. We were long living in Canberra before the beautiful Melinda came on the scene. In fact the first time we met Melinda was the day before our wedding.  With young children we have only visited their hometown once before, on their wedding day three years ago. Thanks to phonecalls, cards, letters, emails and of coarse Facebook we have remained firm friends despite the distance. Setting a cracking pace Melinda and Chris have welcomed two delightful children, Maggie and Edie, since our last visit. I was beyond excited to hug these two gorgeous girls in the flesh.

To spend three days with this kind and loving family, to see the three older children bond so quickly, to soak up the gentle and patient approach to parenting this couple practise all left me wanting to bundle them up and take them back to Canberra. I am forever grateful that their family is closely connected to ours, but at the same time I do get a tad bit sad that we live so far away.

{baby edie. 3 months old. adorable.}

{miss maggie. 2 and a bit. pure cuteness}

So on the last day together we got a bit sentimental and walked through their wedding venue, CERES, before joining them for lunch one last time. A long lunch where we watched our kids play, where I cuddled baby Edie and tried to push away feelings for a third baby and where my love and respect for our friends grew even more.

{ahh yes, edie's here. I'll just put her on}

{once finn got over the shock that he was actaully allowed to draw on the windows with these textas, he whipped up a pretty impressive picture of a street sweeper}

{alrighty then I'll just be loading up the two plates for lunch}

{delicious lunch prepared by Chris. with heston blumenthal’s triple cooked chips no less}

{a parting gift for harper from melinda. custom made winter clothes for harper's much loved jemima doll. is that not the sweetest gift?}

Blessed to travel this parenting journey with others.

Blessed to have firm friendships where distance doesn’t interfere (much).

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty eight {trams and laneways}

{a little puzzled by the tram timetable}

{not on a tram. not in a laneway. harper bought the cuteness to this photo, so how could I leave it out?}

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty seven {hitting the streets of Melbourne}

{waiting for the tram. getting a little impatient}

{building a stalagmite @ the Melbourne Museum}

{"just like in 'the very hungry caterpillar' mummy"}

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty six



{still on the road, but getting closer to our destination}

{driving in constant rain. a month's worth of rain in one day according to the reports}

{huzzah! we are in melbourne. well, in a bath in melbourne}

Documenting Delight: one hundred and forty five {on the road}

{after four hours in the car and lots of requests from harper to "let me out!!!!!!", we arrived at our half way point for dinner and a rest}

The car journey begins.

With eight hours to Melbourne we thought it was best to break the trip up with an overnight stay in Aubury. It was a smart move. Travelling over dinner time and arriving close to the kid’s bedtime: not so smart. But we made it.

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty four {road trippin' with toddlers}

Tomorrow we hit the road. A trip to Melbourne to visit dear friends. When we started planning this mini holiday Lach mentioned that he wanted to drive rather fly. I cringed. I am the first to admit that I don’t deal particularly well with two kids in the back and a long car journey. Heck, sometimes I don’t cope well with a ten minute trip in the car with Finn and Harper. But I am a planner so I have been sourcing tips and activities to make this road trip bearable, and optimistically, fun. After four years of lots and lots of small and big road trips, we have caved and borrowed a portable DVD player. I am certain it will get used but I am hoping its usage will be on the minimal side. Again, optimistic.

So I am armed with a bag of tricks and food. Fingers crossed we make it more than one hour out of Canberra before I crack it and switch the first DVD on.  

A peek inside my travel activities bag:

{alphabet + animal flashcards laminated and attached to a metal ring. source: Mr Printables }

{last road trip the kids each had a mini notepad for writing in. unfotunately they found it difficult to draw on as it wasn't firm enough. i thought these cheap clip boards with blank paper attached might solve the problem}

{mix & match magnets by DJECO}

{mini whiteboards and whiteboard markers}

{a stack of audiobook CDs and children's music CDs}

{a travel snack box: i snatched this idea from harvest moon by hand. i bought two medium sized divided craft storage boxes and filled them it with a variety small dry snacks.} 

{inside the travel snack box}

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty three {how you fell asleep}

Finn, each night after your Dad reads you a small collection of books we leave the light on for you so you can read alone before you fall asleep.  From outside your door I hear you flicking the pages, reading out loud and sometimes you even sing a tune or giggle when spot a funny illustration.  Then there is silence and know you are asleep.

Most nights when I come in to turn off your light and give you a final kiss goodnight, I find you with piles of books scattered around your head.  Tonight I found you just like this. So engrossed in your book, but also incredibly tired you must have pushed through your tiredness until your hands could no long hold the book up in front of your face.  When I spotted you like this I laughed, then called your Dad in, then of coarse I grabbed my camera.

Documenting Delight:day one hundred and forty two {puzzles after breakfast}

Documenting Delight: day one hundred and forty one {rainbow party}

Today we had the pleasure of attending Finn and Harper’s cousin Sofia's Rainbow themed birthday party. Her mum, Suzie, created an amazing party; a visual feast for the eyes, scrumptious food and thoughtful touches that grabbed the children’s attention.

Suzie is a talented sewer/crafter and is an organisational master. Hosting children’s parties is her arena. The girl has been putting together classy dessert tables well before their popularity hit the likes of Mummy blogs and Pinterest. In putting together this event she harnessed the powers of Pinterest (for good, rather than the time wasting I seem to be drawn into), sourcing some great ideas, alongside a few original creations.  

When I arrived I didn’t know what to photograph first. There was so much to take in and I really wanted to do all her hard work justice. I took my time, focusing in on all the bright and beautiful details and once again walked away from Suzie’s house vowing that one day I will learn how to sew. 

Get ready, I went a little overboard with the clicking today.  

{the birthday girl's rainbow skirt. handmade by her Mum. yep, she's got talent}

{our budget didn't allow for a new rainbow party dress. instead I purchased this crochet-covered beaded necklace from the black sheep to add a little rainbow colour to harper's outfit}

{handmade rainbow bunting}

{circle garlands: scrapbook circles sewn together}

{party food; for the kiddies and adults too}

{a rainbow of flowers: gerberas, cornflowers, roses and chrysanthemums}

{rainbow jelly cups}

{mineral water rainbow drinks}

{100's + 1000's pinwheels and polka dot cookies from Donna Hay Kid's Magazine}

{THE rainbow layed cake}

{stunning cake topper: tiny rainbow hearts}

{playing in the birthday girl's new cupcake shop}

{a rainbow beauty shop was set up for all the kids to select some accessories and get their nails painted. genius idea from Suzie!}

{harper's first nail painting experience}

{a small milk bottle collection previously used for flower arrangements. repurposed today as a rainbow pencil display.}

{rainbow streamers handmade by Suzie as gifts for all the kids}

{the BIG cake reveal}

{a thumbs up from Mr Finn}

Thank you Suzie for allowing me to share all the love and effort you poured into your daughter’s party. It was a joy to photograph and be a part of.