FERN Friday
We discovered a gorgeous place in Freo called FERN, which is some kind of community garden with a vegan café attached. So beautiful, was a wonderful morning!
Trip to Perth Zoo
So we went on a trip to the zoo and I pretty much took no photos of animals and lots of my kids. It’s how I roll.
A City Adventure With Twiggy
The Perth central city has always been NEAR the Swan River but the main shopping precinct is a few blocks up from it. That meant there was this beautiful river with… well… kinda nothing there. So they built a brand new Quay which was opened to the public a few months ago. Perth being a very suburban place, the average person who doesn’t work in the city, doesn’t have much need to go there often, so I still hadn’t seen the new Elizabeth Quay. After a school holidays filled with sickness and being cooped up inside, I decided we were due an adventure and we planned a trip on the ferry from South Perth over to the new spot to explore. And of course, we had to give our holiday visitor, the school turtle Twiggy, a good adventure before he went back to school and to visit a new child.
I could have just driven to the city but where’s the fun in that?! When Scarlett first brought Twiggy home, she said she wanted to take him on a boat, and the ferry seemed the perfect plan.
Off we set toward the ferry terminal – Scarlett looking a little unsure!
We had just missed a ferry so we had a little play at the playground while we waited for the next one.
Swing with a view! Soon enough, it was time to head over the ferry.
And we’re aboard!
A short but exciting ferry ride and we arrive at Elizabeth Quay ready to explore.
First on the agenda – ice cream! Luckily the ice cream shop was opening up just as we arrived on the doorstep.
After a delicious ice cream in the sun, we decided to head over the curvy bridge to explore.
Scarlett decided she wanted to check out the Bell Tower (the tall pointy building).
Up we go in the elevator (that I had trouble looking out the window of!) to the top viewing deck of the Bell Tower!
Next down to see the bells ringing.
And the bell ringers doing the ringing!
And out (through the gift shop of course!) to let Isla stretch her legs at the playground.
After meeting friends for a yummy lunch, it was time to hop back on the ferry, gift shop purchase clutched in hand.
Once across, we decided to squeeze the last ounces out of the day with one last play at the playground.
Scarlett told me on the ferry home “I wish this day could start all over again.” I think that means our adventure was a success 🙂
Post Nap Snack
Put Isla down for a nap and forgot I’d left some toilet rolls on the bed. Heard a rustling on the baby monitor and figured Isla had woken from her nap – went in to get her and found she’d helped herself to a little snack lol! Couldn’t stop laughing! (And don’t worry, I didn’t let her swallow any – she was just having such fun I had to get a couple of pictures!)
Christening the New High Chair
Isla turned six months, we bought a brand new high chair, and decided to give it a go. It didn’t stay sparkling white for long… 😛
Scarlett’s First Day of School
Well, es ist soweit – the little surprise bean that prompted the start of this blog started school!
In Western Australia, “kindy” starts when you’re 3 if your birthday is before June or 4 if your birthday is after June. Or something like that. I dunno, it’s bloody confusing, all I know is, Scarlett has an August birthday which meant she started kindy this year, not last. Kindy is usually part time and can be done at a primary school or community kindergarten. Scarlett is going to her local primary school where she’ll likely be continuing her schooling, and is doing five full days a fortnight.
We spent lots of time talking about how exciting it was to start school and we even got to meet her teacher in her classroom, so when the day came she was mostly excited with a little bit of nervousness thrown in. I knew that she was so beyond ready for this though and sure enough she kissed me goodbye happily and had a great day :-). She has been settling in wonderfully and the teacher has told me she is “an old soul” and “unique” (in a good way :-P).
Naturally I took a few photos to document the occasion 🙂 Aussie primary school kids usually wear school uniforms. I think it’s freaking adorable!
Morning snuggle in the big bed before the first day of school!
She had to go and check herself out
Time to go!
Back home and time for some boobie snuggles with little sister
Coffee, chocolate, Harry Potter and SILENCE! Am I supposed to be enjoying this quite so much…??
Then I figured out how to use my phone as a camera remote…
And got some self portraits of me and my littlest munchkin
Babe finally went down for her nap… 10 minutes before we had to leave for pick up 😦
Time to go, my poor sleepy one
Home time!
Time to kick off her shoes…
Say hello to sister…
and enjoy an after school treat.
Rocked it!
10 on 10: Sisters
Time to resurrect my poor wee higglety pigglety blog! This year I’m participating in a 10 on 10 blog circle with some talented ladies – basically we each publish 10 images on the 10th of each month, with free reign as to what those images are. It should at least get me blogging again!
With the addition of my little munchkin Isla to the family (I really must blog about that sometime soon!), I felt it was only fitting that my first 10 on 10 post be of my wee sisters, who adore each other and keep me busy.
Once you’ve viewed my little crazies, it would be awesome if you’d click through to the 10 on 10 submission of the incredibly talented Marta Musa and continue to follow the circle to see more takes on our project!
Also, there are actually 11 images here. Because I suck at rules. Sorry not sorry.
Christmas Day 2014 {on film}
Well, here we are, arrived back in Perth and before we knew it, Christmas was upon us! Scarlett enjoyed putting out food for Santa and the reindeer, and woke up to lots of pressies under the tree. Unfortunately Adam had to work in the afternoon, so I decided to take Scarlett to the beach which was just beautiful and was the perfect was to spend Christmas evening.
Because we’re living in a temporary furnished apartment, I don’t have my computer to edit digital photos, so I decided to shoot a roll of film on Christmas day. I shot this roll of Fuji Superia 400 in my Canon Elan IIe and these are straight scans from a local camera shop. They aren’t perfect and some of the colours are a bit funky but I’m not going to adjust them. Cos you know what, film is imperfect and a bit funky and that is the fun of it. I’m tired of always questing after perfection in my photography. This year I’m aiming for less perfection and more fun and creative freedom!
Cos cars and nail polish is how we roll 😛
Motel Living (Part One – Black and White)
After our couple of weeks in Wellington after moving from Australia to New Zealand, it was time for Daddy C to start his new job in Palmerston North, so we did the two hour drive north and bunked down in a motel room together for the next few weeks. There are certainly challenges to having two adults and a two year old living together in a motel room for weeks, especially when said two year old is still adjusting to the time zone change, not to mention in the transition phase of slowly dropping her day naps (but not quite…). However, we were lucky in many ways. Our motel room came with a little kitchenette and a separate bedroom for Scarlett, which was great. The back door opened out onto a large grassy, tree-filled park complete with little stream, which Scarlett and I spent many hours “sploring”. As well as having a trampoline and swing just outside the door. So we managed to fill our days without driving each other too crazy! 😛
These images were taken on Kodak Tri-X 400 film on my Canon Elan IIe camera and scanned on my Pakon. I am sharing them as part of the film mama blog circle. I would love for you to check out Seattle child and family photographer Kim Hildebrand’s lovely film images by clicking here and then you can follow the circle all the way around back to me. I hope you enjoy this little taste of true black and white film!
Scarlett Coffee
Scarlett went through a phase of really loving going to a café with me and getting a “Scarlett coffee” (a little cup of frothed milk, actually called a Fluffy or a Babycino). She never actually drank the milk and she doesn’t like marshmallows, but she would play with the chocolate on top and just feel cool cos she had a coffee just like mum.
These photos were taken when we were stay in Wellington in March and the whole Scarlett coffee thing was still an exciting novelty.
She has lost interest in Scarlett coffees now. Maybe she realised she doesn’t actually like to drink them. I really miss our little café coffee visits.
(Images taken on Kodak Portra 800 film on my Canon Elan IIe and scanned on my Pakon).
Hide and Seek
Scarlett’s new favourite game is hide and seek. She would play it all day if she could, and she can play it anywhere. Even in Nana’s tiny courtyard.
Images on film – Lomography 400 except for the last two on Fuji Superia 200, shot on my Canon Elan IIe and scanned on my Pakon.
These Little Wonders 