Princesses and party dresses

Theses past few weeks have seen a lot of beautiful little princesses, and a certain mister have thier birthdays. But one particular little girl made me feel super special.

Hannah B (as she is affectionately known) just turned eight and to mark this occasion she was having a high tea party, complete with little sandwiches, cupcakes, pink lemonade miniature tea cups and tiny little fairies scattered around the garden. And to this particular party she was only allowed to invite 6 friends and she chose to invite me miss Steph (or as Hannah insists on calling me Stephi).

I was so flattered that this little girl would chose to use up one of her invites to have me at her party that I just couldn't say no. I cleared my schedule and went all out. As the invitation stipulated I was to were my prettiest party dress, well you might care to know that I am as tomboy as you get and hate wearing dresses but how could I not. So I chose my prettiest dress out of the two or three I own and wore it along with high heels and stockings I looked quiet the part even if I do say so myself.

I had a lovely afternoon with Hannah and all her beautiful little friends, all dressed up in 'spinny' dresses, cute little food ladening the table with everything pink from sprinkles to lemonade to fairy floss.

Happy Birthday Hannah B I love you, and may God continue to bless your sox off. Xx



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Amazing people

I am so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life.

I suppose these people 'stand out' (for want of a better word) in the tough times of our lives, but I feel they need acknowledgement, even in the easy times of our lives too.

This is just that...

Lauren Rowbottom...
An amazing friend and roll model. She's been there for my happy days and my many sad, to give me advice, prayer, hugs, tissues for my tears and to make me smile. God sent her onto my life to help me learn how to forgive the virtually unforgivable (well at least in my human opinion).

Felicity Rouse...
She is again another amazing woman pursuing God, she challenged me to live a life devoted to him. Encouraging me with the wonderful words of wisdom from books written by other people who love the Lord with their lives, and with music and heart felt lyrics from more passionate Christians. And I thank her greatly for this encouragement and all the heartfelt prayers she poured out for me.

Shelley Wright...
Yet another amazing woman, she is a bubbly life force that's affectionately known as Shelby. She is defiantly a woman whom I admire, look up to and love. She keeps me smiling and helps me to see things in perspective, she has this uncanny ability to know when I need cheering up or just a casual care-free day or a big hug. Again she is another woman who has prayed for me. I love her and can not imagine my life without her.

And another amazing woman who I'm sure will be surprised that she made this list, even thought she is every bit deserving...

Rachel Pelentsov...
Were do I start she is a new addition to my life but in the short time I've known her she has made such an impact in my life. She is an incredibly wise, and knows what advice I need to hear. She is not only the chick I hang out with just coz, but she's the one I turn to with the tough issues too. She is a woman who lives by actions not just words. I look to her and see someone who loves the Lord, and wants to live her life to please Him. She is one of my best friends and my life would feel empty without her there. She's a real encouragement and I just want her to begin to understand how much I appreciate her, and that's just the half of it.

I again just need to say what a blessing these women are to me. God has sent each of them into my life for a reason and I thank Him for that, and for each of them.

Thank you God,
And thank you ladies



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House sitting

I have written a few posts about house sitting so far, but this one I hope will be different, because the experience of house sitting was very different this time round.

Not only was I house sitting with two of my best friends, for 3 weeks I might add. But it gave me a first hand taste of what 'moving out' would be like. And I loved it...

You see I live at home with my mum and dad and as much as I love them I am so ready to move out, and now after this I want to even more.

Other then strengthening my desire to 'spread my wings' so to speak, I also really enjoyed the experience of spending a lot of face time with Rachel and Emma my before-mentioned friends.

This might be a weird comment to make but when you think about it you might spend all day with your friends but you still go home to your own bed and you don't see them every morning when you wake up. But the experience of being with your friends all the time and learning to live with there little annoyance, and they with mine was really good. I think it strengthened our relationships and gave us the opportunity to learn lots of little things out about each other.

Over the three weeks we watched a lot of movies, both scary and funny, and Em's favorite tv show Private Practice which Rach and I kinda really began to like. We went bike riding, baked a banana cake.

On one of our last nights there Emma cooked dinner for us, it was an amazing roast, with carrot, potato, sweet potato, and cauliflower cheese (the best I've ever had).

The last day we spent cleaning and even that wasn't that bad. It was really sad to leave the freedom of living away from home and living so closely with my friends. I really missed them the next morning.


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Riding free (again)

Just this week I have been out horse riding twice and have loved every magical minute of it.
As I have mentioned before my friend has just moved, and this ment that I could go and explore the new neighborhood.

Monday:
Although the ride started a little rock to say the least (Megs stood on my foot and bruised it quiet badly, it swelled up and was quiet tender and painful) by the end of the ride I was all smiles. I found a little lane way that was covered in grass and flowers, so beautiful. I cantered up and back half a dozen times before heading back to the paddock for another canter and some bare back warm down.




Today:
I decided to be a little more adventurous and went all the way to the end of the road were I found a reserve with horse-riding trails. It was marvelous, Megs and I eyes wide open, ducking and weaving through the trees, wind in my... Helmet. Magical, just magical, once I worked out Which way home was. Then back home for a hose down, for Megs not me. Although I did end up just as wet as she was after she shook all over me.



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Riding Free

There is nothing on this earth that is as freeing as riding a horse. Well in my opinion at least.

Just the other day I went to see my friend who recently move to the country, although she was a little busy we had a quick coffee, and I saw her new house and how she had made it their home with her creative touch. She also recently moved her horse (Megs, whom I have mentioned in previous posts) to her new house, and I being the avid horse lover did not pass up the oppotunity of a ride. It had been some time since I had last ridden... and boy did my body tell me that the next day.

Anyways this particular afternoon was a beautiful one with a few showers here and there. I quiet like the rain so I didn't mind riding through it. It would sprinkle then clear up just enough to dry-off before it came again.
It was quiet out in the paddock not much noise from anywhere, just the steady sound of Megs canter as I discovered all the twists and turns to this new stretch of land. I like the quiet it gives me time to think and pray and contemplate a whole bunch of things that I tend to push aside in my busy day to day life.
During one of the 'dry' patches a woodpecker came out to visit, he was happily pecking away at the tree in the neighbouring paddock, I had never seen one in action before. He was focused and determined and majestic all at the same time. Isn't Gods creation beautiful.
At one point I was cantering straight up the paddock, my hair blowing in the wind, rain lightly dusting my face and I couldn't help but think how amazing and free I felt. Gliding through the air the thudding of hooves resounding in my ears, how magical, how heavenly, how utterly speechless I was. And how in awe of God I was for this opportunity, this time spent with Him.

The Shack

... sorry it took me so long to post this but I attempted several times to post a video, unfortunately it didn't work, so you will have to miss out on that funny and slightly embarrassing footage...

Isn't it funny how people leading a background/non-speaking roll in the play known as your life sometimes for some reason or another become a main character? Well that's the case with our new friend Rachel. She is a more then welcome new friend and has made my life all the more enjoyable.
Which leads me to the story of our fun weekend at her shack in Stansburry.
So as mentioned above we, being Rachel, Emma and myself went for a little holiday down to Stansburry to celebrate Emma's birthday. This trip was fun for a lot of reasons but I will just share with you a few of the highlights.

• A random night hike, during which Emma hurt her knee, and I piggy backed her up a very steep hill.
• The giant light outside the hotel which Emma decided to lick.
• The play ground, were we hung up-side-down from the climbing frame by our feet.
• At the same playground we decided to hitch a ride on the lockness express. (the photos are not flattering)
• Fishing although unsuccessful, cold and slimy wasn't too bad.
• The wooden spoon. Thanks Emma!
• Ping-Pong balls. We had seen you-tube footage of guys bouncing ping-pong balls off all kings of things and getting them into a cup so we attempted to do the same. We succeeded a few times, and our stunts were a little more 'beginner'.
• Squid fishing in the tidle pool at night. Again unsuccessful and really cold, but we got lots of casting practice.
• The wind farm. The windmills were huge and amazing and a little scary.

• The gate at the wind-farm should not be flipped over. All I can say is ouch! (see previous post)
• Cruzing hanging out the sunroof. So much fun.

• Fish and chips at the tidle pool. There were lots of seagulls and we got them to come so close, it was awesome.
• Then a $40 bet that resulted in me fully clothed dripping wet and freezing, with no towel and a 20min drive home. Crazy. (I tried posting the video but it wouldn't let me.)
• The Standsburry pub... no vegetarian meals. Grrr.
• To different park that night. We are so cool. lol.
• Teaching Emma to drive a manual shes actually really good.
• And soooo much more...

All in all it was an awesome weekend with two awesome friends and it was a little sad we had to leave.

Clumsy

I have just discovered that I am extremely clumsy.

Some might mistake this for lack of co-ordination, but I assure you it has very little to do with my ability to catch and throw a ball, and a lot more to do with my lack of attention and forward thinking.

Over the past few weeks I have managed to....

• Fall dramatically of a chair (in front of a class of yr. 7's I might add). I had really impressive bruises and a really sore back. Ouch.


• Bump my head on the monkey bars, after successfully flipping off of them.


• Hook myself with a fishing hook, after we had finished fishing.


• Stacked, tripped and stumbled numerous times.


• And the most clumsy of all, flip over a mettle grid gate, and smack the crown of my head on the gate.... gee was that stupid or what? I can't begin to describe the headache.

... I always have these unexplained bruises... and I have no doubt that they came from one of my clumsy moments. Just pinpointing which bruise came from what particular moment is the hard task.