And that was October, over and out....almost

Happy Halloween!

For the last few years, the girls and I have donned our scary outfits on the last evening of October. Me driving around for two hours, or more, and them getting a massive sugar rush, and sometimes an adreniline rush at one particular house, that even freaks me out. 

This year however, we are staying home and having everyone come to us. I am not really sure if this was a good idea, but I hope the girls have as much fun, and the weather is kind. I also need to whip up a couple of spooky ghost costumes by 4:30 this afternoon! 

It's been raining and blowing a gale, which is not conducive to prize winning flowers for the show. I made the mistake of saying it outloud to Izzy, and nek minute, she walks inside with just about every flower cut off my Just Joey rose, to save them from the weather. God Bless her little soul. I hope none of them were the winning rose! 

The Millicent Show is on this weekend. The girls and I are putting in entries this year. Last year I won a sash for my Irises. That was pretty awesome, and unexpected, so I am hoping the weather doesn't batter the garden anymore this week.... please. But I guess everyone is in the same boat. Thursday is drop off day for all entries. Thinking about is making me nervous! 

The girls birthdays are the weekend after the show, which I have done NO organisation for. The only thing I know it is going to be a small affair, not like last years whole class party! so much going on! I am trying to not think about it all at once, because I start to panic. What I really need to do is make a day to day list, so my brain can digest it in smaller, organised chunks. 

An InLinkz Link-up

The 139th Millicent show

Cockpit of the Royal Flying Doctors replica plane

A lesson in backing myself and not being a worry wort

Thursday started out OK. It was show entry drop off day. It should have been easy, but a few spanners got chucked in the works, and it turned out a little stressful. Not too bad, we got there in the end.

Summer entered five things in the kindy section, and ended up with three firsts. Her decorated biscuits, her craft work and her vase of flowers. Proud mumma. She ended up with the most points and won a colour-in book pack, and six dollars, which was swiftly spent as Woolies on Shopkins.

Isabel entered a couple of photos, a potted cactus, some flowers, a painting and drawing. She won firsts for her sweet peas, her white flowers and her cactus. The photo of her sister (pictured below) came first! Awesome!

I wasn't expecting to do as well as I did. It came as a bit of a shock. Well, when Mum told me I had won the best bloom of the show with one of my Irises, my immediate reaction was one of those amazed and drawn out "Fuck off"s. It was a nice shock.

I had an attack of the sads on Wednesday, thinking I shouldn't have entered the Iris section, as mine were a bit shit. I almost didn't take them in either.

Anyway it just goes to show, I should have been backing myself, instead of second guessing and thinking I couldn't do it. I did, and I have a pretty green and gold sash too!! It pays to have a go, even though my head was telling me I wasn't good enough. Good things can happen.

I also won a first for purple flowers, and my mixed rose arrangement, which is alright considering I had no idea what I was doing!

I didn't do too badly in the photography section, and was surprised at the photos that did actually get prizes. These are just some.

First place - B&W wildlife or animal study

First prize - Action or motion

First prize - child study

First prize - birds

First prize - B&W people or portrait. Crazy. It's just the photo I have as my laptop screensaver!

Second prize - A touch of blue

I won firsts for everything I entered into the garden produce section, taking out the overall points. Yee hah! Overall, we all had a pretty good darn show! Pumped for next year!

Now that the annual show is out the way. Today is Summer's birthday, and Izzy's on Wednesday. I have a joint birthday party to organise for the weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Something I hadn't prepare earlier

Just a quick one from me, as I am spending way too much of my little time, going through all my photos in preparation for this weeks show entries.

This Millicent annual show is on over the weekend, and I'm entering some produce and flowers from the garden, and photos. Exciting, but SO much to organise and do. Bit nervous about actually having any decent roses to actually enter.

Thursday is the day I have to drop everything off. I still have to order my prints online, and get Brett to pick them up after work in the Mount before then. It's stressing me out just thinking about it! Hoo, breathe.

The kids are putting a few things each in the show too.

Isabel has been wanting to use my camera, and I've been cautiously letting her. She's getting one for her birthday (not an expensive one like mine), because she is showing interest in photography. Her sister and I have become sitting ducks, along with the next door neighbours dog. So she'll be putting in a few photos.

This is one of Izzys, a close up of her sister. It was a nice surprise to find this on my camera. It is awesome.

I'm off my meds now, and everything seems to be going ok.

There's so much happening between now and Christmas. The show, the kids birthday parties, the Christmas pageant, end of school concert. We'll get there in the end, just have to meet things as they come.

We've just gotten the Gymnastics concert out the way this past weekend, done and dusted. One to cross off the list. Isabel is starting pre competition classes in a couple of weeks. Apparently she 'has it'. I hope she enjoys it. If not, she can go back to normal gym classes. That's OK.

I hope you all have a great week, and remember to meet life as it comes. I am trying not to stress about what's ahead, because really, it will be just fine.

An InLinkz Link-up

It's show time

My place in time #67

Our show success

We've just had our local country show this weekend. Izzy entered into seven sections of the kindy competition and I in the photography. We did pretty well.

Izzy won or got a place in everything she entered, so proud. She was first in her craft piece, a paper mache bowl that she made and painted; her decorated biscuits and her chocolate crackles. Her painting received second place and her drawing, eggs and flowers got third. She won the overall points for the kindy section and won a jigsaw puzzle and $8.50. Pretty cool.

I entered 26 photos in the photography section and got 4 firsts and 3 second placings. Happy with that, not bad for my first photo competition. I won 29 bucks. Awesoooome. I spent $18 of it on wine. Awesooome!

Definitely doing it again next year, might even get Summer involved too.

Busy, busy...

It's all happening. This time of year is always busy, it all seems to be snowballing and before I know people will be pulling up for christmas lunch. 

We've just done Halloween. Kids everywhere, it was awesome. Awesome to take my kids out this year too. Summer was on to it after the second house and couldn't wait to get out of the car and get to the front door with her purple bucket. Boggy stayed home and gave out the treats this year.

I cracked up laughing as soon as I had finished painting her face, she looked bloody funny, a bit cute and just the a bit spooky. They both have enough candy to keep them going for a long while.

Yesterday Izzy had her gymnastics concert. She did so well, cartwheeling, somersaulting, trampolining and balancing along with the other Tiny Tots. 

The head coach is retiring and there is no one willing to take over, so kindergym and tiny tots may not be carried on next year. I may have to ask if she can go straight into the five year old class, because she is so keen and after seeing the other gymnasts perform today she is already trying and doing some daring shit.

This week will be busy too. Our local show is on this coming weekend. I've entered Izzy in the kindergarten individual section of the indoor displays. This involves seven classes in the competition. A painting, a drawing, a craft piece, 3 decorated biscuits, 3 chocolate crackles, 6 hens eggs, a vase of flowers. It's going to be fun. She's done the drawing and the craft item so far.  

I've entered 26 photos in the photography section. This is one of my favourites I took a year ago of the Beachport jetty for the black and white class, and one I took last week for the class 'a touch of blue'.

It's the first time for both of us entering stuff in the show, we're going to drop them off on Thursday for judging on Friday morning. Excited for both of us. It doesn't matter if we don't win anything, at least we joined in.

The girls will have a joint birthday party on Sunday, Izzys 4th and Summers 2nd. I'm not even going to attempt to make two cakes this year, I am going with already made off the shelf at Woolies for Izzy(she wants Spiderman), who knows what she will choose come Saturday arvo. Summer is having an icecream cake straight from the freezer section! No superwoman cape for me this weekend, thank gawd. 

Is your life busy, busy, at the moment?

Ever entered something in a country show?

Are you a birthday cake baker?