The excitement of a Kindergartner!

Tears of joy were running tonight! It was not only an exciting night for Harry but this mommy was so proud to see her big boy loving his new school. Tonight Harry had his open house at his new school, Bryn Mawr Elementary.... running eagerly through the big blue doors, huge grin on his face, looking for familiar faces, excited beyond belief! "Mommy is this really my school?"

We walked to his classroom and met his teacher for the first time, Mrs Wilson. She is just wonderful, enthusiastic, sweet and outgoing and we are lucky to have her as a teacher. We spoke briefly and a great impression was left on both Dave and me, not to mention Harry who has not stopped talking about her.

His class room is bright and colorful, with a huge playground just outside the windows. The kids each have a locker with their name's already marked on it, its so organized and ready, big school is about to happen!

I am sure this will be the first of many wonderful stories to come from school and we look forward to blogging all about his school experiences.

Here are some photos of Harry enjoying his first moments in his classroom....

Learning to let go!
Thomas is off to Preschool in a few days....

Today was the Hillcrest Preschool open house for all students attending this year! I am not sure though if Thomas realised it was for him? He is so used to visiting the Preschool because of Harry. Thomas will be in the same classroom with the same teacher. Which is wonderful, we love Teacher Becky. I just hope Thomas understands that he will be starting here in a few days!

Its very exciting, although a little sad. Its a time of very mixed feelings and crazy emotions! For a mom its scary, not being there to protect your little ones 24/7 trusting that they can do it on their own, or with the help of a teacher anyway. Hoping that they make friends and will not get picked on or bullied. Why do I want to be so over protective all of a sudden? If anything I should be letting go and encouraging their independence....help! Maybe I'm the one with the separation anxiety this time?

Blog 100.....

What better topic to blog about for my 100th post than Blogging!

I am addicted! Like you couldn't tell, 100 blogs in less than 3mths....crazy!

It's wonderful to finally have a place for all the photos I take, not only of the boys but of life and all the day to day happenings.

I just wish I had of started it earlier, like when we first moved to the states, or when pregnant with Harry. So from time to time I will have "flash back" blogs. This will be stories from the past that I would love to share and have documented....

I will also have flash back photos (thanks Amber for that great idea!) I'll try and post some pics from the past....could be quite hilarious and embarrassing actually...hehehe!

Anyway, I hope all who are reading my blog are enjoying it!

Thank you so much to everyone who stops by and reads and an extra huge THANK YOU to all who leave a comment, I LOVE reading your comments!

View from where I blog in my front living room...so pretty!

Today we are buying a big boy desk!

It feels so official, Harry really is a big boy now! We are off to hunt for a big boy "work" desk today. He is so excited to have a place he can work and not be constantly annoyed by his little brother. Harry has his heart set on a bed/desk, one where the bed is up on a platform like a loft bed and the desk is under it. We will see though. He has a queen size bed so I am not to sure if they make ones that size? Any how, we are heading out and I will update when we get back to what we find...
Harry is so excited I just had to blog this moment! I wish I could share the excitment with you all through the computer. Its like he's one the golden ticket....hehehe!

Its paying off.....

Monday morning only means one thing to me now! It used to mean sleeping in, recovering from the weekend, doing nothing much at all. Well now I am up and ready to go by 8am and out the door for the gym by 8:30! Such a change. Its such a great way to start the week!

Today my personal trainer took my body measurements again, first time since starting which was about 5 weeks ago. I am down, nearly 3% in total body fat and have lost 4in from my waist!!! WHOOOO HOOOO! I felt like doing a dance, although I am sure the goofy smile on my face was enough to say it all! I am so excited that all the pain has been doing something. This has given me great motivation to keep going, knowing that its all making a difference!

Summer....Please stay a little longer!

We had a beautiful weekend of sunny, warm summer weather. That was until now! The rain's have returned and looks set to stay for the next few days....grrrr

Here are some of the latest summer blooms from my garden.

Chocolate Milk Bubbles
Today was a day full off Corvette's Coffee Choc milk & Crayon's

On the way to IHOP this morning, we stopped at another one of my favorite local Coffee houses...Vince's Its just up the street from us, maybe a 2min drive if that! They serve wonderful Italian coffee in a great atmosphere a real cafe feel from back in Aus, not your Starbucks type place at all! Full of the character and charm of an old Italian cafe, big comfy couches, rich cozy colors on the wall, lots of vintage prints, somewhere you want to buy a coffee and then hang out at for a while! Oh and did I mention the coffee rocks....so strong, just what you need first thing in the morning!

Daddy taught the boys how to blow bubbles in their chocolate milk! The excitement on Thomas face was so worth it...."more bubbles daddy" Harry drew a beautiful picture of his red power ranger today at IHOP, while Thomas is really into trying to write letters. He will ask us to write a letter for him and then he tries to copy. It will just be a stick, but he is really trying! The boys love coloring and playing the games on the activity sheet. They have a find-a-word, which I have turned into a "find the letters in your name" game. What great entertainment for them and what a great break for mom and dad!

While in Issaquah today, we dropped in on Triple X after breakfast to see what car show they were having. Today was the Vette's.... oh soooo sexy! We all went today and had a wonder.....
Harry reminding Daddy not to touch the cars "just look daddy!" The owner was so impressed by Harry's behaviour, he thanked us for teaching Harry to respect others cars and then asked Harry if he wanted to sit in the drivers seat! You should have seen how the face lit up, Harry got to sit in a beautifully restored Vette.....truly the highlight of his day!

The Renton Art & Antique Walk

Harry had fun checking out all the art and "old stuff" he even

a painting of Nikko

After a fun time with our friends today, Harry and I headed home. Off we went through downtown Renton....what's the buzz? I thought, so many people, stalls, displays....oh we just have to stop and check it out!

It was the annual Art & Antique walk in old downtown Renton. We parked the car and went exploring this fun festive day in Renton....Harry was excited how all the shops had candy and cookies for the kids!

relized when I got home I didnt take many pics of the displays!

Some great little finds in Downtown Renton....

Sips Espresso Stand

Kat and her girls will not only make the best coffee to get you going in the morning but also offer great conversation and friendly service, just a wonderful way to start the day!

Sips drive through espresso & down the street Common Ground Cupcakes

Common Ground Cupcakes

Yummy cupcakes and a fun place to meet up with friends!

Antique Shops Galore

Renton has some of the best antique stores around. I could spend whole day and a whole lot of money browsing the eclectic collections in the 20+ stores

Feathered Nest

A wonderful little store full of great vintage finds, unique little pieces and oozing in French flare! Love it, I think its my favorite downtown store.

Here are some other shots of old downtown....

Such an eclectic mix of old fashion barbers to new gourmet restaurants. We have lived here nearly 8yrs and in that time it has turned from a nothing to look at place into somewhere you want to explore....so much culture and so much diversity, I love Renton!

Liberty Ridge Park is officially open for play!


The ribbon was cut the Mayor gave a speech the council members supported and the community turned out in droves....even the local newspaper was there!
What a successful opening ceremony for our wonderful community playground!


The kids were so excited to play on the new structure and make lots of new friends. Harry played with his school friends from down the street and Thomas played with his little buddy Miles from across the road.

I think the highlight of my day was meeting Norma McQuiller a city council representative who helped make the whole project happen. Norma is such an amazing advocate for the community. Not only helping create a real community here in Renton with all her wonderful community projects, but who is also a real local Renton resident so in touch with the community and its needs! Norma is someone who I really admire and respect a lot, it was great to finally meet the person who I am constantly reading about in the local paper with all the ways she gives to the community....Oh I could go on! I hope to work with Norma on some community projects in the near future.


Here is the group of wonderful people that made it all happen!
I love this playground and how it has brought a community together!

The SUN is back!
Our fun morning of friends waterplay & gardening

After a week of clouds, rain, storm warnings, thunder & lightning and wind....the sun is a welcome sight! Thank God that summer is not over quite yet and we can still enjoy some outside play.

The boys and I spent the morning with a group of friends at a new spray park in Tukwila. It was great! The boys loved running around, jumping, ducking, splashing, squealing and laughing! They have water cannons in the shape of Nemo's, there are fountains to run under, water that bubbles out of the ground and many other unexpected things that squirt when your not looking...What a fun place to be on a hot summers day, we can not wait to go back.

After a few hours of playing we came home for lunch and then spent the afternoon playing in the backyard. Such a beautiful day, I think its around 75deg today with a slight breeze and perfect blue sky.

The boys were happy playing in their fort, so finally I had a chance to garden! I bought a few plants last week before the bad weather set in. I had been looking forward to getting them in the ground. The garden smells so fragrant, I planted some white geraniums, lavender, rosemary, passion vine and a Italian cypress. Fingers crossed I planted them in the appropriate places and they survive. Still trying to get a grip on this gardening thing!

Such a beautiful day, don't want to spend too much time inside on my laptop!

The new table, its finally here...

The boys are just as excited as I am. Harry wanted to play table tennis on it with a plastic ball and Thomas, well you will see what he uses it for......

We are looking forward to creating lots of wonderful memories at this table!

Its only a table....

Its amazing how sentimental and attached you can become to worldly possessions...I keep telling myself its just a table!

But its hard to see a table go that has so many wonderful memories around it....

Our first family Christmas, Birthday parties, Special romantic dinners, craft nights with the girls. Every little dent and scratch tells a story.

This was one of our first piece's of furniture purchased here in the states, something that said...we live here and not just on a vacation. The time has come to make room for bigger and better things. I have a new table on the way which I am so excited about.

Today I said good bye to my dining room table, I've passed it on too a good friend, just like so many of my friends have in the past with their furniture. Its gone to a good home!
The new table will seat 10 and is huge! We are looking forward to making many more wonderful memories around this table. Our next family Christmas, the boys next birthdays, dinner parties with friends and so many more.

As the table does not come with chairs, Dave and I have decided this Fall to search our favorite little antique stores for interesting and unique dining chairs to go with it. Its going to be fun!

The table arrives with in the next hour, I will post some pics when it gets here....I'm so excited!

Pain can be good....right?

As most of you know I have been seeing a Personal Trainer at 24hr fitness....and love it!!! Well most of the time....ha! Its hard work and my body gets pushed hard, harder than I would ever be on it. My PT takes me way past my comfort zone and into the burning, painful, tear inducing zone! But its all good. I still go twice a week and I really feel such a difference in so many areas. While I have not lost the pounds I was hoping to at this stage, I am well and truly looking and feeling better. I have an energy that I have not had in years, I feel more able to keep up with the energy levels of my boys and to top it off....I have dropped a dress size!!!

Right now, I am feeling muscles I have not used in a long time. I have been home for 3hrs since my work out and I am in pain....My butt and my arms, my legs...OK everywhere is talking to me! But its all good!

House update...my new art print has arrived!

"Avranches" Not to sure who the artist is. Its a beautiful vintage travel poster from France. I just fell in love with it when I saw it. It really did become the color inspiration for my (not so formal) formal living spaces.

I love that it has an umbrella too, such a Seattle thing...lol! So its like a combination of my love of France and Seattle with Art Nouveau flare. I am getting it framed and will show you when its hanging on the wall....

Scissors Harrison & Hair

Hearing from the living room a very proud scream off "Look what I did Mommy!"

I came rushing into see what the excitement was all about....Did he clean for me? Did he do a beautiful drawing? Did he eat all his breakfast?.....hahaha!

That's not what he was excited about!

The first thing I notice was a pair of bright blue and green kiddy scissors in his hand. I thought great he has been doing craft. That thought quickly ended as I turned to do a quick check of the room for cut drapes or upholstery.

The worst fear was then discovered......

Sitting neatly on the corner of the coffee table was a little bundle of blond hair....who's was it? I quickly checked out Thomas as it was Harry holding the scissors after all. Nope he's little head of hair was fine.

I then went over to Harrison, without saying anything he says "what?" as if to say he was Innocent! From the front he looked fine, but on inspecting the back of his head....there it was a bold spot, the size of a milk bottle lid smack bang in the middle at the back....oh Harry!

So of cause I had to do the mom thing and grab the camera. He was so proud of himself as you can see in the photo with the big grin. No scissors for Harry for a while!

The LR playground is nearly complete



Yesterday, Dave and I forgoed our traditional Sunday breakfast at IHOP. Instead we dressed in work gear and headed up to the new Liberty Ridge park to volunteer our time.
Luckily the weather was kinder today, not the scorching 98 like the previous day, we even had a light shower that was icy cold and so refreshing. Even though brief it was a welcome treat.

The huge play structure was erected on Saturday, I was hoping to make it to help. But you guessed it, Dave had to work! So Sunday it was too be.
Sunday's focus was to get the cement poured around all the footings...Dave rocked it with the cement mixers and really made a huge impact with the success of the morning.

I was on wood chip duty. I think they had 20t of wood chips to be shoveled. Its amazing what a sweat you work up shoveling. An hour of shoveling and barely a dent was made in the huge mountain of wood chips.

There was a great turn out of volunteers, all residents of Liberty Ridge. It was wonderful meeting and working with our neighbors in this way....Really did have a "raising the barn" feel about it! Working together to better our little community. I look forward to getting to know my neighbors more (especially the wonderful mommy's I met) and now with a great common space to meet, Its been made all the more possible.

Next weekend we have the official opening ceremony for the park. It will be exciting to see who shows up for it....you will have to check back though to find out!

Soft & delicate Hydrangeas....

One of my favorite things about the house when we found it was and still is the garden! The previous owners did such a beautiful job establishing a very fragrant and visually pretty garden for all 4 seasons. Besides the beautiful wisteria and jasmine that cover the pergola and the tulips and daffodils that bloom at the first sign of spring...

The Hydrangeas have to be one of my favorites! There are a total of 15 huge Hydrangea plants on the property, most of which are over 20yrs old and originated from the previous owners, grandparents property. They are just stunning and range in so many colors, from true white, periwinkle, purples all the way to magenta and teal!

Liberty Ridge gets a new playground!

The day has finally arrived! The new community playground is being constructed for our estate. For weeks now, they have been preparing the site. Located just up the hill, we drive by it every day with cries from the backseat "is it here yet?"

This weekend members in our community as well as local Renton gov representatives will do their part to build the structure. It will officially be open for play with a ribbon cutting ceremony next weekend.....whoooo!

Here is a pic of what it will end up looking like

Here is the little blurb from our local Newsletter about it....
NEW LIBERTY RIDGE PLAYGROUND:
LIBERTY RIDGE RECEIVES AN OVER $23,000 NEIGHBORHOOD GRANT FOR A NEW PLAYGROUND! PLEASE JOIN US FOR A WORK PARTY ON AUGUST 16-17th. The playground will be located in upper Liberty Ridge, in a common area at the corner of SE 2nd Pl. and Edmonds Ave. SE. The project will take two days and will be followed about a week later by a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony. As part of our commitment to the City, community members will provide "sweat equity" (i.e., time and energy to build/install, etc.). For more information by going to http://www.freewebs.com/libertyridgeplayground/
Thank you!

Thank you city of Renton and HOA for making this happen....its so exciting!

August in my garden........


Not sure what the pale pink flower is? The ones on the right are roses that smell so sweet!


The garden along the back fence, Harry the little garden gnome!



Love this photo, not sure what it is though? Let me know if you have any idea =)


French lavender & huge hydrangeas



My lawn, just had to have a pic while it looks so good!
The Wisteria is blooming for the second time this season...
I love my garden!

Harry's favorite super hero.....Spiderman!

Its true love! He is obsessed with anything Spiderman. I am sure if I showed him a Rorschach ink test he would only see Spiderman or something Spiderman related....lol!

As a reward for being such a wonderful helper this week. He got to choose a book at the store last night. You will never guess what he picked......