photo-a-day | day one hundred and forty-three
Today's photo comes courtesy of Zoe… Russ took her, Xan and Willow down to the pool here in Pucka so I gave them the camera with instructions to get my photo-of-the-day… they did a great job and took some great shots… but this one is my fave…
photo-a-day | day one hundred and forty-two
Our good friends Chris and Vic came over today to watch the football… their gorgeous daughter, Lily, came dressed up in her red-and-white pettiskirt, so Willow just had to get hers on… halftime in the footy and it was time for some photos!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and forty-one
Oops, I did it again! Another day missed :o( … but I will not dwell. Onwards and upwards!
Friday is Darci's hockey night… and she has her game-face on!
josh and tia… a sneak peek!
I had the pleasure the is morning of photographing two very cooperative and photogenic kids… Josh and Tia were a photographers dream! Sheridan – your kids are gorgeous… I hope you like this sneak peek of our session!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty nine
Zeus loves me <3 and I love him.
(photos taken by Darci)
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty eight
I was trawling the house tonight, looking for my photo of the day… I snuck into Xan and Willow's room where I was sure they were both sound asleep… wrong! I pointed my camera at a very peaceful looking Xanthia… and she turned around and looked at me!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty seven
Today we have two sickkies at home… Xan (again!) and Darci have both been taken down by some cold/flu/gastro bug… but it wasn't ALL bad…
… when I came home for lunch, I found these two sitting up in Darci's bed, watching a movie on Zoe's little player and eating soup and toast made by Russ! This is the way to be sick!!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty six
Willow… just out of MY shower… now lying on MY bed watching MY tv… cheeky imp!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty five
Party time!
Today is the day that Jaimi Patricia Bingley turns 18!! I just can't believe it!
We had the joint 16th/18th party tomight, and while Jaimi found it all a bit over-whelming, she coped very well and both her and Zoe had a wonderful night!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty four
We are having a big party tomorrow night ot celebrate Zoe's 16th (her birthday was in Feb) and Jaimi's 18th birthdays… as a surprise for Zoe, we flew down her two best friends who moved away at the end of last year… Rachelle from Townsville and Emily from Sydney… they were all so excited!
For her birthday, Rach and Emily created some beautiful artworks for Zoe… how clever are they!?
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty three
Russ was out bush for his birthday, yesterday… so we celebrated, with a birthday pavlova, tonight…
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty two
Another day curled up on the couch and Xan is good as new!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty
The only one keeping me company (if you could call her loud snoring that) at this time of night!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirty one
I am home with a sick girl today… but even the horrible croupy cough
can't keep the smirk off Xan's face!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty nine
Zoe looks a little too happy to be doing homework… don't you think?
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty eight
Cruising around Sydney Harbour… so this is how the other half live!…
I could get used to this!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty seven
The view from our hotel room in Sydney… that's Darling Harbour just behind us… awesome!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty six
A bit of a sad day in the Bingley house today… one of Darci's pet rats passed away… RIP Harper *sniff*… so I decided to take a photo of her remaining rat, Scout… licking my finger as she is loves to do!!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty five
Darci had a school disco tonight… so, of course, i had to sneak in with my camera!
(Darci is the one directly below the ':' in the time stamp, with her hoodie on)
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty four
So Darci says to me – "What has two thumbs and is awesome?" …
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty two
A girl of many faces… straight out of the shower!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty one
Every now and then (when they really need me) I volunteer at the local Salvation Army 'Hop-In' (a free recreation facility for locals)… it's not a hard job… I just look after the place, sell a few drinks and watch TV a lot.
Tonight was my turn, and because Russ was on duty (24hr shift at work), and Darci had a few friends sleeping over, I took all the girls to the hop-in with me…
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twenty
Russ and Xan have taken Darci to her hockey game in Monash tonight… Zoe is out babysitting 3 year old twins… Jaimi has gone to bed… and so, it's just me and my baby!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and nineteen
Xanthia is the perfect little model… always ready to volunteer for a photo! Thanks Xan!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and eighteen
I'm just not feelin' the love today… so here is the best I could do… (who said there would be no more self-portraits?!)
photo-a-day | day one hundred and seventeen
Look what I got for Mothers Day!!… I know, I know, it's not Mothers Day yet… but I'm a lucky girl and I got my pressie early!!
Tonight Willow and I had to give it a test run… and what a success!! I can see a lot more baking going on in this house!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and sixteen
This is where I found Xanthia this morning… dressed in gym clothes; head phones on; music blaring; little legs pumping! She was most excited to tell me that she "burned 100 calories"! I'd be a bit worried about her latest trend… except she then came inside and ate nearly a whole box of BBQ shapes… followed by lunch!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and fourteen
Half time in the U11's… Xan and Willow went
on to win 2-0.
photo-a-day | day one hundred and thirteen
Russ making some final adjustments to Darci's kit before the game…
Hockey season is upon us!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and twelve
Willow and 'Princess Matilda Puff-puff Bingley'!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and eleven
Xan helped cook our dinner tonight… just look how TALL she is getting!!
meet the McConnachies…
If only all my sessions were this easy… fun, relaxed, cooperative – awesome!
And just check out my new favourite location… ok, so it turned out to be some guys 'back yard'… but he didn't mind and it was just too fantastic to pass by!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and ten
CRAZY HAIR DAY! (for a gold coin donation to aid Caritas Australia )
photo-a-day | day one hundred and nine
Ok, so I was grasping a bit for ideas… but it was late, I was tired, and he was willing! Besides, what's not to love about my Sheldon?
photo-a-day | day one hundred and eight
Just for the record… I did NOT buy Xanthia bubble gum! Instead she got it from the man who NEVER allowed me to have it as a child – my dad! Thanks Pa!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and seven
Our first live game of the season… we went to Etihad Stadium to see our Sydney Swan boys annihilate North Melbourne by 40 points… a bit excited? You bet we were!!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and five
A couple of weeks ago, for reasons beyond my understanding, Jaimi took a pair of scissors to her fringe! It was a fairly severe 'trim' she gave herself and I have been trying to come up with a solution to Frankenstein hair ever since… we tried cutting her fringe much thicker, to cover the damage, but she just kept playing with it…
So today we took the plunge and cut the rest of her hair to match… and while we were at it, we added a few foils… red and white, of course!
introducing Henry…
I took his mum's maternity photos back ~here~ and now he has arrived!
We didn't get to take a lot of photos… the boy was hungry and then wide awake!… but we did get some good ones!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and four
Well, I did say that today would be Willow's turn… but we have something to celebrate today so Widget is just going to have to wait.
It all starts when your beautiful little girl is born… you dream of all the wonderful things she is going to achieve in her lifetime… the frilly dresses and curly pigtails… the academic awards and sporting prowess… how she will grow up to make you so proud…
But nothing really prepares you for the day your gorgeous young lady comes home and says – "Oh My God… I came THIRD in the Sports Slurping competition!!"
'The what?' I hear you say… well, you and me both! As it turns out, while in Melbourne today with her school class (obviously learning some very important stuff!), she stumbled across this – Sports Slurping – going on in Federation Square… and Darci just couldn't resist!
She actually rang me at work to secure my 'parental permission' so she could enter… and then proceeded to come third in her heat with a respectable 1:46min… and for her trouble, she was given a hat, a sweatband and a holographic cup – what more could a girl ask for?
What more could a proud parent ask for?!
photo-a-day | day one hundred and three
Oh No… can you believe it – I missed a day! I seriously thought about taking the photo at least half a dozen time last night… and then totally forgot!! Bugger, bugger, bugger!
Oh well… I am not going to let that one little glitch stop me! As Ralph Waldo Emerson said –
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some
blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you
can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high
a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense"
So it is done.
Today, I asked for a volunteer for my photo of the day… two hands went up – both Xan and Willow couldn't wait for me to point the camera at them… today it is Xan… and tomorrow it will probably be the Widget…
photo-a-day | day one hundred and one
My poor Cleo… she is just not feeling herself today :o( Hopefully she
will be back to her bouncy self tomorrow – or its off to the vet for us!
photo-a-day | day one hundred
DAY ONE HUNDRED!!! I can't believe I have made it this far… only two hundred and sixty five days to go!
The last Saturday morning before school goes back… and this is where I
found the girls – Xan and Willow on a mattress on the family room
floor… and Zoe and Darci squished up on the couch in the lounge room!
photo-a-day | day ninety-nine
10 Brownie Points to the first one to guess what dance Darci is trying to imitate?
photo-a-day | day ninety-eight
Whatever game Darci is playing there on her Nintendo DS – it must be realllly interesting!!
photo-a-day | day ninety-seven
It's 11:30 on a Wednesday night and just look at where I found Xan… on Zoe's laptop playing NeoPets!! Going back to school next week is going to kill her!
photo-a-day | day ninety-six
Russ and Willow were working together to build a solar-powered windmill… it was a kit that Santa brought and they are finally getting the time to build it!
photo-a-day | day ninety-five
The annual Easter Parade in Bendigo is well worth the effort of attending… community groups, car clubs, Scottish bands, marching girls and, of course, the wonderful Chinese association… I just love it!
The culmination of the parade is the awakening of 'Sun Loong', the longest Imperial dragon in the world! It is just a phenomenal sight to behold!
Some fun facts about Sun Loong…
Sun Loong (meaning New Dragon) was brought to Bendigo from Hong Kong to replace Loong in
1970. He was
created by Lo On Kee, a traditional dragon builder.
Sun Loong is the longest Imperial dragon in the world, at
more than 100 metres in length. He requires
52 people plus 52 reliefs to carry him. Sun Loong is covered
in 4,500 scales, 90,000 mirrors, 30,000
beads and his head weighs 29kg.
Before he appeared in 1970, he was blessed and brought to
life by 101 year old Mr James Lew, who
dotted the new dragon's eyes with chicken blood. Sun Loong was
first awoken to accompany Loong's last
Bendigo Easter procession in 1970.