photostory friday and the christmas mixed bag

pictures like the one below seem like a distant memory right now

prior to and just and after christmas, we had the most AMAZING SUMMER weather

as you would expect in summer!

we made the most of the great run of weather with picnics and BBQs and trips to the beach like this one with my folks, who spent christmas with us

for the past 3 days though, it's been cold and wet

BLECH

these pictures are from eastbourne beach

the first three pics are instagram from my iphone

LUUUUUURVE instagram!!!

i've always looked longingly at blogging photographers and their gorgeous photoshoot locales, particularly sandy beach/boardwalks and thought how cool it would be to take photos somewhere like that

today i had my chance

well, sort of!

it was SO HOT the girls didn't want to come out from under the shade, but i DID manage to snap a few shots on my phone

man, it has a good camera!

no post-processing, as i don't have the time to play around on the computer this afternoon

i still think they turned out ok!

and this is where me, mr scrappy, our 4 girls and one boyfriend will be tomorrow night

FIJI!!!!!

(and yes, it's the rainy season, but it's HOT, and there's pools, beaches and cocktails

and that's all good to me!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

wordful wednesday: christmas is for ALL children

there are so many photos i could have used today, but i couldn't go past this one:

miss 22 dragging out ALL the christmas presents from under the tree, checking each and every label until she found the ones with her name on them.

i just love it.

at one point, she looked up at her boyfriend, who was sitting on the sofa next to me and said:

"what are you doing?

get down here and help!"

classic

    

photostory friday and now for something completely different: NOT!!!

if you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that i like to dress up

A LOT

this photo was taken last saturday at the zumba christmas party

we were doing a dance routine

also taken on saturday - what's a christmas party without TWO fancy dress outfits!?!?!

my friend's barn dance

a 50th RED party

tara's 'glamorous sallies' 40th birthday party

me in my $22 dress and mr scrappy in his $8 blazer

grease sing-a-long on wednesday night

another friend's 50th

and of course our 'salvatian army' dinner party

the aim was to find EVERYTHING you needed for the dinner party at a thrift store

including dinnerware!

i hope you don't think i always dress in pink from head to toe!

and these photos were all taken within the last 12 months!!!

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

wordful wednesday and blowing the trumpet less blown

as women we are very quick to point out our flaws

we look in the mirror and immediately see, even seek out the 'bits' we like the least and the parts we'd like to change the most

if you don't do that, then YAY - i celebrate you

as i celebrate my own self

i have discovered [in my 40s], an acceptance of myself that i've had at no other time in my life

i can only imagine (hope and look forward to) this acceptance continuing to grow into my 50s

(which is only a little over a year away!)

i didn't know my husband took this photo

he was using the telefoto lens to photograph miss 13 during her rowing regatta, where without it, they would have been mere specs on the river/water

i was so happy to see this picture appear in our photo library when i uploaded the weekend's photos this morning, and i love my husband even more for photographing me in such a flattering light

my slim legs

my round butt

my nice shoulders

my zumba biceps

and my fabulous tattoo designed by my gorgeous daughter

what do YOU love about your body?