I ♥ Faces

No more Chocolate Pout

I ♥ Pets

Patch & his akubra

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Weekly Winners 13 2009

uh oh ...I just realised blogger ate my post and my weekly winner photos ...

Mistake #1 - It was late and I never checked if it actually published .We had a power outage at some stage when I was half way through uploading. It only saved the title.

*sob* and then I restarted, uploaded and published. It only had the original title . I feel such a d o p e ! I remember getting the error message connection to the server has timed out blah blah ...on another page was trying to comment on. I hate malfunctions ...it was my lucky #13 2009 WW post.cue ...for freaky music (if only it was that easy) Here are but a few... it takes me so long.

March 22nd - 28th edition 13

WW is hosted by Lotus.

Sunrise

Misty (foggy) mornings are here

Buried treasure (lost ?)

Rainbow hands (artwork from the Kid's Hospital)

Waiting

'Bye'

One more (smile) for the road ...
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Tell me Thursday ... I found him

well to tell you the truth Amy found Incy wincy.

I took this photo two months ago .
It took me ages to focus the camera to get the web to stay in shot - it kept disappearing ...I was ever so glad the spider who lived there wasn't home at the time!
I posted it yesterday - my bloggy friend, Amy, seems to have found him in Wales ...

WARNING ~ Arachnophobics beware

See more Tell me Thursday ...about Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday - where is Incy Wincy ?

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My wish list & other musings

For a long time I wanted to come up with a strategy to be more organised at home, to plan things better
...to not run late or stress at the chaos of getting out the door ...
it is still a work in progress. I am so behind !

• I'd would like to entertain at home more ...since going out with 2 yr twins is not fun !

• I'd like to start a photography course and to learn about my Canon camera & buy / learn how to use Photoshop

• Learn to plan my 'child' free time more effectively on doing something for myself rather than wasting time on the computer house work.We all appreciate a little time to ourselves now and again. I just appreciate it a bit more LOL .
  

• I want to finish decorating the Brothers' room from baby teddies to cars/transport ...before they turn 3

No other news of any note.

• I am sad didn't get my kittens back , the animal carer decided they were far too stressed around small children ...so she sent me an email two weeks ago. It wasn't a good week so I didn't pursue it.

• An online friend , Jenn , lost her precious baby last week. There are too many little angels up there ... leave some here Lord.
  

• I the 'mean' time I am sick , and I have tired little boys who won't go to sleep till late, wake early and then want to watch the Wiggles at 6am .The other males have issues that make them really stressed, depressed , sad or all three at same time. I wish I knew what to do and say to help them.It is hard not to feel grumpy some days.
  

• I still find time to notice all the precious moments in my life , and enjoy every single one of them. The future is a blank slate, waiting to be filled with shared dreams and adventures.
  

There are three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Days Of Grace

1. Sunny Autumn days
2. Endless hours of the Wiggles ;)
   
3. Special visits with my friend ,L
   
4. Almost toilet trained twins
   
5. Promises of a new day tomorrow.
   

♥

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Weekly Winners 12 2009

March 15th - 21st edition 12

WW is hosted by Lotus.

From sun up (on an early morning walk)

To son down ... shh (he didn't have a sleep at preschool)
my week has been ultra busy so I didn't have much time to capture photographic memories.

Catch ...Crash

finish the punch line ... wreck it !

Hear no evil, Say no evil, See no evil ...

Will the last one to leave please turn out the light . Bye !

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Smiley Saturday

I've had a great week, most certainly topped by visiting our friends Tiff, Noah & Ivy - Mary & her children joined us too.Spending a wonderful day hanging out in the Hunter Valley...sans wine and with very little whine ;).The food was delicious and so was the company.The kids played so well together.

I had the best laugh yesterday on Lilly's life blog. I was going to post about my first trip with my Moi moov navigation GPS (when I visited Tiff) but Lilly's is so much funnier ...imagine voice skins for your Tom Tom (mine is a moi moov, also there are Navmans etc...the electronic voice & map to tell you where to go politely)

warning : Ozzy says the F' word

The GPS wanted me to go a much longer way than required.I knew where to go but I was expriementing.I also wanted to be forewarned of my up coming turns.

"Karen" was not impressed I turned where I did and kept telling me to do a U turn when I could ...I ignored her. She remained calm and repeated her instructions ...over and over. Who wants a nag in the car, we left the horse and buggy behind years ago.LOL

It would have taken me about 15kms out of my way I estimate ...you would think the GPS would learn from their mistakes on the way home Karen started again.

I don't think my DH will be taking Karen for any drives with him.

Lastly ...well you know me I love freaky coincidences!

I have been using my pedometer while walking every day for almost 5 months. Last Sunday when I was uploading my steps onto the 10,000 steps sites I noticed this. I honestly did not make this up.

(Click to enlarge)

Two weeks in a row I counted 100,027 steps on my pedometer ... I am at over 2,000,000 counted steps. I haven't lost any weight but I haven't gained any for the naughty things I eat ;0.

I joined the 5 mins for Mom Ultimate Blog Party and I am enjoying meeting new bloggers (and comments). There are so many wonderful bloggers but unfortunately not enough time in the day to visit them all.

Welcome to ICLW visitors today. Got to run, things to do, places to go, real friends to see.
Don't forget to visit other Smiley Saturdayers at Lightening's
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Cupcakes

I love cupcakes and right now I am thinking about cupcakes ...any cake. A party isn't a party without cake. I got up early to make a chocolate cake...but there isn't much left to photograph.

My boys would quite happily eat any cake covered in lollies, chocolate, smarties. Well they eat the lollies first.

Then the cake they apply all over their face, with chocolate grins ear to ear . They would probably rather only eat the lollies I decorate with. I am not fond artificial colourings but you are limited if you want to use Smarties.

These are some of my favourite cakes from flickr ...


1. Groom's cake!, 2. choc n pink, 3. Drum Grooms Cake, 4. More cupcakes!, 5. White and dark chocolate bow @ Amphora Bakery, 6. Cupcake Bear!, 7. Birthday Cakes, 8. Flowers bring colours... Happy Birthday!, 9. Noah's Ark Cake @ Amphora Bakery

Welcome to my Ultimate Blog party post ...and ICLW visitors . I know some of you are doing both.
What is your favourite cake recipe ? and what decorations do you prefer ?

I want to try making these monogram cake toppers ...awesome !

editted to add ...I just remembered about these cupcakes - it's a blog all about cupcakes

I would love to win these prizes being in Australia we are disqualified from most but anything you win is a bonus ;) .

• INTL 48 — one 7×5inch photo in a 10×8inch mat

Provided by: hickspixoz Photography
and Our Aussie Half dozen
Prize details: Browse the stunning photographs in the online galleries at and choose your favourite! The prize will fit into a standard 10×8inch frame.

• INTL 36 — Custom Blog Design for Blogger, WordPress or TypePad: Get that look you’ve always wanted for your blog with a custom blog design by Sara*s Pixel Studio!
  

• INTL 35 — Blog Designs by Sheila

Provided by: Blog Designs by Sheila
Prize details: 1 Premium Blog Design valued at $50.00 for Blogger platform only, that includes Header, Backgrounds, Blog Button, Favicon, Navigation Bar and installation.

• INTL 40 — $20 gift certificate for MobiStories, digital picture books for kids

Provided by: MobiStories
Prize details: Keep kids reading, even on the go! The leader in children’s digital picture books, MobiStories, is delighted to donate $20 worth of downloadable books that can be played on virtually any digital device and taken virtually anywhere.
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Ultimate Blog' n Party

Join the blogging event of the year over 1500 blogs joined in last year. It is your chance to meet other bloggers, do a little mingling and promote your blog. It is also your chance to win some fabulous prizes. It is sure to be a lot of fun. It starts today ...tomorrow in Northern hemispshere.
Anyone can join in...

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Tell me Thursday ...

Yesterday, I got a comment from the lovely bloggers at Tell me Thursday ...if you know all about Wordless Wednesday and my failure to be such ! - you'll like it too.

Tell me Thursday gave me a link .They asked me to tell you about my Wordless Wednesday.Though a picture paints a thousand words , a few more won't hurt. The story behind is cute too.

That's my boy

Yesterday I did a brief 'I can explain' in my comments instead of the Wordless Wednesday post for a change - here is more of the details.

I had a nicely wrapped present (actually two) in a gift bag at the front door. We were packing to go away for a few days midweek mid January. I was waiting for my DH to return with the car.

It was 3 weeks after Christmas but it was actually a belated birthday present for Ivy & Noah. We were hoping to catch up with them when we went away.

Sam happened upon the pressies but opened only one ...despite never having dressed himself in a skirt before - he did a great job. I was busy ( truth be told ...on the computer) and he came out to the family room proudly to show me.He loves new clothes LOL.

I had my back to him ... he was saying ..."Look Mummy, mummy look..."

I was saying "yeah , yeah what do you want"

I had no idea ... I turned around as he ran off. He had no idea boys don't wear skirts ...well unless you are a Scot' or Tribal men.

I ran to find my new camera , quickly, before I removed the clothes to re wrap the present in case he got it dirty. I ran down the hallway and snapped him.

Funnier still ...but it wouldn't have been so appropriate to post.The reason the photo is so narrow - my other twin son I cropped out of the picture in the background because he was wearing only his T shirt holding/stretching his 'dangling thing'.

Boys will be boys ...I love the many reasons they give me to blog laugh.

---

Days Of Grace *

1. The Wiggles for their ability to keep toddlers quiet and sitting on the lounge entertained and to teach them to sing.
2. Warm autumn days
3. Special Friends (you know who you are ...all of you really) who share yummy lunches,desserts & recipes
4. Soft Aloe vera tissues for sore 'green' noses
5. Late afternoons in the park ...enjoying last of daylight savings.

*not sure what # I am up to ... goodness gracious I'll have to check
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Ps to turn off my music,the playlist is still at the bottom till I work out a better place for it.

Wordless Wednesday -

That's my boy

Treasure Ireland

Of course I do ! The masculine form of my name is Patrick.... Patricia.
My maiden name was very Irish too - it was one of the common surnames in Ireland.
I have enjoyed my day immensely.
Here are five of the best clean jokes for Days Of Grace too. Laughter is the best medicine.

Happy St Patrick's Patricia's Day to you - with fairness it is about time the women saint got a 'shout' out.

1. 'O'Toole and his wife are in bed one night and they hear the neighbour's dog is barking its head off in the garden. Somewhat disturbed by the noise, O'Toole explodes, 'Botheration and that!' and storms off downstairs.
   He comes back upstairs five minutes later and his wife asks, 'What did you do, O'Toole?'
   O'Toole replies with a wide grin, 'I've put the dog in our garden so I did, now let's see how they like it.'
2. Gallagher is in Boston and he is waiting patiently, also, he is watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing.The cop stops the flow of traffic and shouts, 'Okay pedestrians'.
   Then he allows the traffic to pass. He did this several times, and Gallagher is still standing on the sidewalk.
   After the cop has shouted 'Pedestrians' for the tenth time, Gallagher approaches him and says, 'Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?'
3. Murphy lost a hundred dollars on the Melbourne Cup, a famous Australian horse race. He also lost another hundred on the television replay.
4. Kieran O'Connor always slept with his gun under his pillow. Hearing a noise at the foot of the bed, he shot off his big toe.'Thank the Lord I wasn't sleeping at the other end of the bed,' Kieran said to his friends in Donegal's pub. 'I would have blown my head off.'
5. O'Gara was arrested and sent for trial for armed bank robbery.After due deliberation, the jury foreman stood up and announced, 'Not guilty.''That's grand,' shouted O'Gara, 'Does that mean I get to keep the money?'
   

♣ ♣

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Weekly Winners 11 2009

A little birdie told me -

It is the unbroken leg edition ... of

March 8th - 14th edition 11

WW is hosted by lovely Lotus.

Hello Foot (see the full photo story below)

Brotherly hugs -yay Sam

Hip hooray - it's play time

Hi Mum
Up here !
Monkey boy on the monkey bars

Pardon ...
Of course I have my licence right here !

He is a pedaling
Look two boots !
Lovin' the sand pit again

Join the I love duplo train ..
'Bangle' boy ...
Don't be shy - anyone can join in Weekly Winners
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Smiley Saturday

Smiley Saturday & Days of Grace

1. The biggest smiles in our house this week were on Thursday day we said goodbye to the plaster cast after 6 weeks and 2 days.It had to be sawn off with the "tickle machine".
   
2. Then when they finished my little guy sat up and said "thank you" unprompted , flashed a smile at the two physios , they were charmed by him. We were so proud of him.
3. So was the smile when he got run about with his brother in the Kid's hospital playground.
4. The bath time smile was the best of all.It's the simple things in life we miss the most.
   
5. Life is so much easier again.I am so thankful I don't have to carry him everywhere and he is walking more every day.

See more Smiley Saturdays at Lightenings ...what made you smile last week ?
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Paraskavedekatriaphobia

No fear ?
My greatest fear is that someone might ask me to pronounce it.It is the fear of the number 13 or Friday 13th more precisely. (I won't bore with the Greek of it -you can google it or Triskaidekaphobia).

Fear always springs from ignorance

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is feared by many cultures and many building worldwide don't have a floor numbered the #13th floor , but of course they still have a 13th floor.

Thank God it is Friday ! ...though really !!

Today has not been a good day but at the same time nothing bad happened. It was just so damn busy,stressful and I never got to eat lunch ...3 plain sweet biscuits till 5.15pm. I was that busy. Even a p stop was unattainable, I barely managed one busting till 5.13pm .

I thought a lot about all the things I did today and it being the 13th. I am seriously not that superstitious but it crosses my mind .I start to marinate in my worries and fear. I have also had a dull headache and felt a bit off ...starvation can do that I know ;0

The fear doesn't cripple me and make me want to hide under the covers all day. Though that wouldn't have been a bad idea. I didn't sleep well.

So I am not really superstitious but you know I think about it.

Is 13 really associated with bad luck ? I am just saying ...it only 55mins to go of today I should be safe ?

When I was almost 18 my parents bought a house number 13 ...I had fears about.Three years later I moved out to a #26 ;) (truth and I didn't chose it myself- it was a share house with a friend).

They lived at #13 for 24 years almost (Dad a few years less) with nothing too sinister ever happening. But I remember someone saying #13 's are hard to shift. My SIL's sister was the purchaser.

My Dh's sister and mother (my inlaw's) have birthdays on 13th. They obviously had no choice in it. Two nephews just missed out 12th & 14th...bet they were glad or maybe boys think it kind of cool.

I wonder how many c/sections are planned for 13th ...my original c/s was 14th July ...it would have been tough had they suggested 13th a possibility.

In our business we didn't have a straight #13...superstitious reasons yes ! One day we foudn out it was #4 that was worse for some cultures ...13 or any number that reduces to 4 ~ 1 +3 =4.

Do parents fear the 13th year ? (another mystery) or celebrate the bloom of adolescence with joyful anticipation.

When I do a Thursday 13 I usually have 14 items ... I know I don't get it.

I remember enjoying the first few Friday 13th movies ...I only just found out they made 12 ! 13th has to be a hit for sure !!!

Have you got any good Friday 13th stories ?

♥

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Before I was a parent ...

... I was a paediatric nurse who had lots of theories about children.FAIL

Now I have three (living) children but no theories. FAIL.

At best I was nominally prepared and could change and fold cloth nappies, use real pins and make formula and I did know most of the kiddo characters.

It seems the person who knows most about parenting is our 15yr old ... gosh I hope he isn't a parent soon ... won't go there but God really only knows now he has a very attached girlfriend.

Some days I don't have a clue. I admit it I am clueless.

Even my husband said to me today 'why don't give you a really useful 'how to do it' manual when you take a baby home' (let alone two...imagine Babies for dummies.)

It is a mystery to me why children don't come with fail safe instructions or even a warranty

Many years ago when I was working as a nurse one evening shift an article was being read aloud.It was called Are you ready for parenthood - the same author wrote a much longer version in Women's magazine .The mums in the 4 bed room were really rolling on the floor laughing and I was dropping nappies to mop up the puddles ;) and helping them up again after I had a good laugh myself. It was so true.

That brings me to the parenting dilemmas in this household .From toilet training to body piercing, bed refusal to another who won't get out of bed ...parenting is challenging .Being older does not make us wiser. Dating dramas are also top of the hit list and schooling.

Our eldest came home with his ear pierced by a friend Tuesday, the same day we found out he has been skipping whole days and some classes. We had no idea...I had an inkling.

All the while I thought I was losing control of my mind and going mad .When I came home a few times to find things different, internal doors open I had closed , the alarm off, and just an odd feeling that stuff had been moved.

I had my suspicions confirmed the other day, I told my husband, my husband rang the school for the absentee report. A huge shock . Our son changed to the local public highschool this year at his own insistence, we let him because we wanted him to be happy. We were disappointed in his actions.

It was not pleasant confronting him .We have mostly sorted things out. He struggles with school - I know he could try harder and apply a bit of more effort though. He would just rather do other things.

He hates many subjects because they are irrelevant to him. We have had some other issues as well. He is a good kid with but testosterone !! and a temper. I feel his adoption has a lot of to do with things too.

I read somewhere a mother of 15yr old boy explained every time she wanted to scream at him she counts to ten and says testosterone over and over till the urge to throttle him passes. I almost nodded my head off.

It's still a work in progress. We are I am far from perfect , I am not infallible (does that sound right) I can be annoying and picky but I am trying harder. I can be wiser ...yet some days the quantity of decisions I face overwhelms me. Tensions run high and fast.

I am always thankful to find I am not alone ...other parents who KNOW or share a bit of their hard earned wisdom. I get relief (serious or otherwise comic relief) from connecting with parents everywhere.

Though being held captive by twin toddlers means it via the cyber world of late. They lock the doors behind me now, and I have to bribe them to let me back in the house or to undo the car doors (when they are in their car seats -it's okay I have the remote keys). The defiant NO's have hit too .

Parenting is mostly an awesome adventure that it takes us to our wit's end and beyond. While it is a black hole of mystery
...why does my teenage son eat mushrooms in Beef Strog at his GF house
...where do all the odd socks go
...why do teenagers spent so much time saying nothing to each other but txting back and fro~ can you understand the txt spk , or on msn.

Parenting it is a lot of fun I wouldn't swap it for anything...but sometimes I think a teenage swap would be neat... or maybe not better the devil you know. Did you ever watch wife swap. They always picked 'extremes' to swap.

I wish I had all the answers but that might spoil the fun.

On the brightest note this week ...Sam had his cast removed this morning. He was so sweet and good. After the physios finished he sat up and said 'thank you' unprompted. The physios said they wanted to keep him LOL. They told us to hold him down initially as most children don't like the tickle machine (the plaster cast saw) ...sorry pictures tomorrow.

Saturday ,the carer at the gym creche told me too they were both lovely little boys and she wanted another 20 like them ... because they said please and thank you and played so nicely.I told my Dh and he raised his eyebrows and said are you sure she had the right kids - at home we have to referee them now.

I can only make a commitment to parent to the best of my ability , acknowledge my deficits (that I don't know it all ...yet) or compensate by making it up and faking it ...what do you do ?
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Do you proof read ?

Trust me this is worth 3 mins 31 secs of your time ...very funny and quite clever ;). A timely warning about the The The impotence of proof reading.

PS I lifted this from here

Days of Grace

1. Fun you tube videos
2. 2 days to go for plast(er) off day
3. Fluffy cloud days
4. Craft at Playgroup
5. Playgroup mums' morning tea ...yum yum.
   

♥

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Weekly Winners 10 2009

March 1st - 7th edition 10

It’s the WW extended farm edition where we went last weekend.
WW is hosted by Lotus.

Coming soon to a TOILET near you me

Still nursing
Stampede

Hard at work

Like Father Like Son ...grandson
Happiness is ... a ride on a bike with my Daddy
Time to reflect

Unexpected visitors

Boys will be boys

I heart clouds

Take me Home country road ...

Toddlertown Earthquake (my only back in town one, shot with my Canon)

I couldn't get other pics I took this week off the small point & shoot ...
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Karma Kermit Saturday Surprise

Another Saturday and lots of reasons to smile ... or not !

I choose to smile and see the glass half full. It's been a hard few weeks and there has been plenty of disappointments. I will blog about them later.

Thursday 26th February we headed 4.5 hrs to Western NSW and the farm. The Brothers were so excited to see the tractors, cows and motorbikes.

The weather was hot but no were near as humid as Sydney so it doesn't feel so bad.

Alas, I had limited opportunity to connect ...to you my internet community. I briefly enjoyed using Mc Donald's free wifi ...yay but my battery died ...boo !!.I wrote this last Saturday actually but re edited it.

Anyway on to something to make you smile because it is Smiley Saturday.

Early last Saturday morning I was woken by the Brothers sleeping in our room at the farm.It was pitch black. They nursed and went back to sleep (thank Godness)

I went to the loo to do what you normally do.

It was very dark but I didn't turn the light so as not to assult my senses.

I sat, quickly, I had to go :)

Suddenly, I felt 'something' moist brush my 'hoo haa' ... I screamed, albeit a muffled scream, and jumped up ( I didn't want to have anyone else come rushing to my aid, LOL, as I ripped my undies and PJ's bottoms off) I knew it was a Karma (aka Kermit) toilet frog sent to pay me back.

I turned the light on , turned my glazed eyes on my crumpled pants in the corner ...I picked them up and shook them . I shut the loo lid . The big 'jolly' green giant Kermit jumped at me.



I was pre-warned about about frogs in the other laundry toilet. They are very naughty frogs who unravel the toilet roll so they have to put an elastic band on it LOL to stop them.At night they also put a large piece of cardboard on the toilet pan to stop them coming out. cue ...twilight zone music

Of course I ran to find my camera .
He was headed back to his hideout ...

After I snapped a few photos I weighted the loo lid down to stop him giving me another surprise later. He was searching for a way back in ... I went back to bed.


I couldn't find him at 8am. I then saw a gap between the seat and the toilet bowl.I shrugged and thought to myself 'tomorrow I am turning the light on'.

I had a shower about 9am ...as I reached for the hair conditioner ... Kermit jumped . It was too close in the shower , I screamed .I went to the door , yelled for my DH to come get Kermit . Kermit was relocated to the water trough ...though I doubt he'll stay.


Ps ...Soon after I took this picture one of the other boys J (7 ) found another frog, 'Freddo' in the toilet. He joined Kermit in the water trough. Later that night 6 kids (aged 2, 2, 3,6, 7 & 10) kids had fun lifting the frogs out out the stick ... against our instructions. But the frogs didn't jump even when given a chance.Sadly the next morning one of them had 'croaked' and the other was missing ? Don't know if it was Kermit or Freddo.

Pss -It's been a busy week and I am back working two days plus had lots of things keeping from visiting your blogs, commenting and returning comments.I've been feeling a little low and flat ! Iwas in a slump .No joke but I'm feeling a bit more 'rounded' again.

I'm so sorry had to clear my google reader too,largely unread , -so if anything important or significant happened to you last week ...drop me a link line so I can go catch up on your news.

Before I go ...a favour to ask I did see another of my twin blogs friends Amy @ Double Delight is resurrecting her blog after almost a year so please go encourage her - She has something very special, humbling and exciting to share. Go cheer her on.

♥

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Weekly Winners 9 2009

February 22nd - 28th edition 9
It’s the farm edition of WW, hosted by Lotus.
We got to spend three days at the farm in mid western NSW.It was a welcome and much needed break.

Old but still puts in a hard day's work ploughing paddocks for a new crop.

New Tractor Time

Me, my Dad & the Yamaha ha

Not quite a Yahama ...yet ..
Daddy !!

Sad on the Sidelines

Happy at last

Birds

Dusty boots & Dozer

Rrrrmmm

Construction Cousins

Dusty feet foot ...can wait to get back on his two feet (2 weeks to go)

Motor Bike Dreaming

Late night ...early riser yawn zzzzzzzzz

Please ! my turn next ?

Bull ..y - tried to chase us

Saturday night
I had more but I that is enough for tonight ...
I had limited ,to none, Internet access. I had a post drafted for Saturday but my notebook battery died at McDonalds just as I putting the finishing touches up. Oh well ...


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