Welcome 2018

 

 

As we leave this year and venture into a new 365 days I can say I have never been more excited!

 

2017 was a fucking shit year for not only me but for my family, friends and acquaintances. I honestly pray that we all embrace 2018 with arms and minds open wide! We all cannot move forward if we bring with us the baggage that kept us down in the passing year.

 

We have all loved, liked and lost this year - some with jobs, finances, ventures and some with family and friends with sickness and tragedy but the important thing to remember is that we have all been challenged and we have learned.

 

I truly send my love to you all and wish that 2018 is magical and that all your dreams come true - please take care and forget the past as it cannot be changed but remember the good!

 

Lots of love to everyone.... from me to you xxxxx

Yea, Victoria

Our adventure started leaving Frankston bound for Miranda, New South Wales.  Clare and Charlie live there (Clare is Noel's sister and my gorgeous sister in law) and Charlie is our adorable niece.  They live in Miranda which is on the southern outskirts of Sydney.

 

However our first stop was our long time favourite bakery in the country.  The Provender Country Bakehouse located in Yea.  A town located in central Victoria 100 kilometres north-east of Melbourne.  We always stop at this bakery when we are travelling up to the high country or up through the middle of the state to other destinations.

 

And something for the Richmond supporters.....

 

Pizza Pie

 

 

Award Winning Curried Chicken and Vegetable Pie.

 

Really love this place... the pies are award winning and so yummy.  It's well worth stopping there if you are in the area but as you can see above it does get really busy especially on weekends and holiday times.

And we are off.....

It is AFL Grand Final Day Public Holiday in Melbourne and we had the car packed and on the road by 6am!  We are Sydney bound as the first leg of our journey.  The ultimate destination in this family road trip is Woorim, Bribie Island, Queensland to be with Mam (and Grandma) to celebrate her 70th birthday.... we are all looking forward to the adventure!!

 

There is five of us travelling this time as Kirraly, Oliver's girlfriend, is making the trip with us.  I hope she enjoys the adventure and finally doesn't realise that the Murray family are actually a pack of nuts and weirdos.  It has been many years since the whole family has gone to visit Mam.  I made a trip a couple of years for a girls week with my aunty Maureen and cousin Alison which was a fantastic time - infact a time I will always treasure.  The kids have always come up for school holidays but obviously as they grew up they stopped coming or should I say they stopped needing to come to be babysat.

 

 

And we are off........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time flies.....

"Time flies when you are having fun" they say.... I say "time flies when you are just stupidly busy and time poor!"

I haven't given up on blogging and to be honest my food blog, A DASH OF FLAVOUR, also has felt the effect of our busy lifestyle...

I will try and catch up and show you all some highlights that have happened over 2016.... and also make a more conscious effort to keep up to speed with all that the House of Murray are doing.

Peninsula Saints Youth Girls vs NZ Kahu Youth Girls - Game 1

I have just received information about game 1 played today.  The Peninsula Saints Youth Girls won against the NZ Kahu Youth Girls 7-1-43 to 5-5-35... what a fantastic start for our Victorian girls.

Alex is number 15.

Well done to all the girls.

Welcome 2016

As we all start 2016, the New Year, I cannot help but be thankful that I actually made it here in one piece.

December was a mammoth month for not only me but for our family.

December saw our eldest child, Oliver, finish high school - an end to an era for our 17 year old and I guess, with options open, the beginning of a new adventure for him and we are so proud of him and the way he is becoming an absolutely charming young man! While Oliver is now facing life decisions Alexandria, started made her transition into year 10 without a hiccup.. There is never any need to be worried when it comes to Alex and school work but as a mam I do still worry!!

Noel missed the redundancy cull late November! Thankfully! Needless to say December was quite somber in his workplace and with having a four week break over the Christmas period it should be interesting as to what things will be like upon his return.

I too had some interesting swings and roundabouts in 2015 and managed to find more than the occasional brick wall. I was presented with opportunity and decision in the last two weeks of December which makes January 2016 exciting in many ways..

We all had a wonderful Christmas! Having our family with us, being surrounded by love and happiness is one of the greatest gifts anyone can have although, at times, it is not interpreted that way!!

Grandma, my mam, is down as per usual from her home on Bribie Island and enjoying the extra hot Melbourne summer we are having at the moment. Aunty Clare, Noel's sister, and Charlie also flew in from Sydney to share the Festive Season with us all. It's magnificent that with all the miles between us we still manage to get together and celebrate the important moments in life.

Nana and Grandad, who had a horrible 2015 with an accident on a cruise ended up with Nana having an impromptu hip replacement and an awful long road to recovery, were in great spirits as were Uncle Sean, Noel's brother, and Aunty Vicky, Christian and Daniel.

We saw in the New Year surrounded by some very special people but it wasn't an overly massive evening!! Nicely relaxing in the pool, chicken souvlaki's for dinner and with a few champagnes we said goodbye to the year that was and welcomed in a year of new beginnings and endless possibilities....

Happy New Year everyone... May all your dreams come true in 2016 xxxx

Wedded Bliss

22 years of wedded bliss

Noel

I loved you yesterday

I love you today

I will love you tomorrow

I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.

I love you not only for what you have made yourself, but for what you are making of me.

and I thank you xxxxxx

Reflections

Sitting back last night I realised that if I don't keep this blog active then I will haven't nothing to look back on......


My external hard drive has broken - I have lost all my digital photos... 8 years worth. so angry and so disappointed.


Need to start again... although my kids have grown up (nearly) so I don't have any cheeky baby photo's or growing up, there are holidays and places that we may never do/see again, people past and present, etc, etc.......


So here goes.....