Behind the Lens.

Love when the fog sits low in the valley on these mornings. It's so beautiful. Just before the kidlets wake up!

So.... I have actually managed to get out and about with my camera this past couple of weeks! A lot!!! So lots of photos this time. Hang in there cause there is a couple of crackers. 

One particular afternoon, the sky really turned it on, so I grabbed KaKa, left Garrett watching TV and raced out to get a few quick shots. It was amazing! It looks as though I've over-edited it, but if anything I've toned it down. It was so vivid!

It was a shame that I didn't get a chance to grab my tripod, but I only had about 10 mins of the sky being like this before it was gone.

I've learnt so many things from my photography club and we had an outing to Helow Creek where I managed to get a couple of nice astro shots. 

It's fun anyhow. 

My cousin Jess came to visit for a few days last week, so I took the opportunity to have someone spinning some steel wool for me. It's a crazy affect and we had a lot of fun doing it. I'm pretty happy with some of our shots. 

This was our first attempt. Pretty flukey shot.

I also took a couple of milky way shots and with the moon lighting up the landscape it was pretty cool.

This one above is actually a mirrored image of the shot below, but I really love the affect. I especially love the dragon heads at the very top of the tree!

And some more photos of my  babies of course!

Master photo bomber.

Nanna actually made it over for a visit last week too which was so lovely to be able to catch up!

We made a trek up to Stanage Bay for the day with cousin Jess and her little Louie. Kaka is absolutely crazy and eats all the sand!

Jess and Louie

I decided that we should get some family photos done, with the kids growing up so darn fast, I can't believe Kaka is already 10mths. But because the lady who took the photos for me was going to be late on the Sunday afternoon, Grandma wasn't going to be in the photos, so we had a practice run the afternoon before. I really wanted the three generations and I'm so please that Jess was able to take the photos for us. We got a couple of really lovely shots. 

Everyone in my family is photogenic bar me lol. 

Love this

and this

and this

and this

I managed to take a couple of sneaky ones of Jess too. My two favorite Jess's. 

Love this one! I just love this face she makes. 

Three generations. 

So lucky to have such a beautiful cousin... just wish she lived a bit closer. (Rocky has an Aldi now Jess!!!) 

DMK Photography

So these are the ones that Donna sent me through after our photo shoot, to tide me over until she has them all finished. I'm so happy with them and gentlemen if you're ever looking for a nice gift for your wife.... a family photo shoot is such a lovely idea you can find Donna here. 

My crazy little family! So much love!! I would not have anything any different! All that I have done, I would not change a thing because I'm right where I want to be. 

From my phone:

So I've said it before, but going back through my phone is always a good reminder of what we have been up to. 

Found this poor fella, dead in the middle of our paddock. About 500m or more from the creek.

While hubby was away in Darwin for a week at a bucks party (I know, I know, jealous much); the kids and I were kept fairly busy. The first couple of days I set the task of restoring and old dilapidated fence around a turkey's nest. One of the those jobs that has been needing to be done for ages, but just haven't gotten around to it. In all honesty, I may have bitten off a little more than I could chew, trying to manage with the two kids.... but we managed none the less (being stubborn has its benefits sometimes). Below is a picture of Kaka's makeshift bed in the back of the buggy, while I pulled up old wires and strung some new barb out (with the help of my right hand man of course). 

The video below shows a few snippets from what we got up to.

With the fence repair completed after a couple of days, we had planned to spend the third day doing a lick run but it didn't take much convincing from grandma for us to change plans and head to town for the night (my short supply of cream for my coffee addiction had absolutely nothing to do with the decision).

So a night in town then the next day after collecting our grocery order, we did a quick stop at home to unpack groceries, run dogs and repack car for a trip up to the neighbours at Couti-Outi to go fishing at the beach.   

My little fisherman had a ball and every time someone would catch a fish he got a bit excited and want to throw a line, but then quickly lost interest and went and played in the water. Meanwhile Kaka mostly sat and ate the sand, which I'm sure you're interested to know, travelled through her system and came out the following day. 

Coolee and Lou caught a few lovely barra and I was lucky enough to be sent home with some fillets. It was to die for! So good to have such lovely neighbours and it's a shame we don't get to see them more often.... but life happens and everyone has been busy! 

After a day to recover we badly needed to do a lick run. So we piled in the truck and went and put some out. But as you probably seen in the video, it got a bit tiresome for poor Kaka after a while. She's such a little trooper though. Just sat there in her little bumbo the whole time. 

There was a bit of excitement in the camp when dad got home! 

My gorgeous cousin with her little Louie. 

Louie, so damn cute!

I love this mob!

Love this one!

Won't be long Jess and Louie will be bigger than you!

Soooooo, that's what's been happening! Busy, busy, busy!! I'm actually a bit knackered tonight. We got up at 4:30 this morning to go and climb a mountain. I have done a few nursing shifts this week in Yeppoon, just keeping my hand in, and I have been driving past this mountain twice a day. So I was a bit inspired to climb it. Fortunately, it wasn't really that tough, apart from it being dark, but we are both fairly fit at the moment. Was a really nice way to start the day, but I'm definitely ready for bed!

I got some pics with my other camera but I haven't had a chance to look at them yet, so will wait and see if i got any good ones. 

Anyhow, I think that's probably enough for one blog, crickey sometimes it doesn't take long to pile up. Who else is praying for rain? Another day closer surely? They have forecast some for this weekend down south so I hope those poor buggers get some reprieve.

Anyhow people I've been reading about the Dalai Lama lately, so I'll leave you with this one...

"Know the rules well, so you can break them affectively"

Cold mornings and dreamy afternoons.

As you can probably tell, I'm getting a bit more organised and getting a few more photos of my baby girl. She's so darn photogenic! Just like her daddy. 

Even with those blasted teeth giving her curry, she is still gorgeous. 

Our little "Sprite" pup. Going to be a little star I think. 

Had a series of these photos but none in focus of course. Was so cute though! They were having a good old yarn and then it was, "oh struth, mum's watching.... act normal". 

My little cowboy. 

From my phone:

Justin had the opportunity this year to go and help out at Paradise Lagoons campdraft. He, Lou and Coolee even made it onto the news!

Meanwhile mum and the kids stayed home to mind the forte. Luckily the weaners were well broken in and no dramas for us to move in and out every day. Was funny to be driving along, with one kid sucking on a pouch for dinner and me spoon feeding the other spaghetti, all the while driving along pushing weaners up and commanding dogs. Would have been a pretty funny sight, but you do what you gotta do and it was nice to be able to get out and about. 

We even went for a little walk on old Joe. Poor old pensioner but the kids loved it. Jess was so funny trying to 'giddy up' on his back. I bought the kids a little saddle at an auction the other day, so hopefully now we will be able to get out a bit more. 

All the action gets a bit much sometimes though. 

Every time I post a photo of the creek I get frustrated at myself for not taking regular photos from the same spot so you can see the comparison. This is ridiculously shallow! Even just since the photo in my last blog where I shot the pig, the sand bar has gotten massive. Unbelievable the change!

That sand bar never used to be there. 

Managed to dig myself out of bed early this morning to run the dogs before the kids woke up. Was so beautiful. I should have raced and grabbed my SLR, but I was slack. Maybe tomorrow morning it might be just as pretty.

So we've been out and about today doing a few jobs. I made an improvised cot in the back of the buggy so Ka Ka could have a sleep. Its times like these I really love my life and appreciate the opportunities that we have to be able to raise our kids this way. 

What are you grateful for? How weird is this weather? Cold and then hot!! 

I found this little gem when I was scrolling through facebook. 

I think it could apply to daughters as well, but I love the sentiments in it and will print it out for G man to hang on his mirror.