Sunsets & Reflections

These days, the busy-ness (yeh I'm pretty sure that's a made-up word!) of everything gets in the way of Luke and I being able to get out and take pics for fun. Sure, we love photography and we have fun taking pictures in our sessions (I love meeting and working with clients!!) but sometimes we crave taking pictures without the pressure of having to take a 'great' picture.

Luke's sister is studying photography (and is great at it!) and asked him if he could take her out to the wetlands and salt pans North of the city. I decided to tag along on their little expedition and I'm so glad I did.

The calmness of the water and the colours of the sunset were stunning.

These are the moments that remind me of why I fell in love with photography.

Enjoy. xx

Our Casa

We knew it was going to be a good one after only a quick flick through the photos online. We walked into on a Saturday afternoon and for the first time after months of house hunting we felt 'right', this house felt like home.

After only one viewing and a quick negotiation, it was ours. We are now officially home owners, mortgage payers and lawn mowers.

We can't wait to put our own stamp on this house when we move in next month.

What we LOVE about this house...

It has a HUGE yard - growing up in the country makes me pine for space!
The 1980's architecture - hello to amazing light filled raked ceilings and sunken rooms
Solar panels - we are going to work on self-sufficiancy and add chickens and a vegie garden
Location - In a cute quiet cul-de-sac on the high side of the road
The size - not too big (seriously, we don't want to heat/cool a mcmansion) and not too small!
The decor - we kinda fell in love with how the bathrooms and kitchen are almost on trend again!
Pergola area - Yeh its big and we can't wait to host a million gatherings out there this summer (after we remove the green shadecloth and fix the mission brown paint job)!!
Did I mention the yard - Again, I can't wait to get my hands dirty 'pretty-ing' up the garden!!

Here 'tis!

Boys toys...

'Argh, it's our two year anniversary and I have to buy him a present!' I instantly knew I would be zero help to my friend in need!

Although I couldn't help her at all...it did confirm to me that I'm not the only one who has problems thinking of what to buy guys. Socks and jocks are the first things that spring to my female mind - but what young (or not so young) guy wants to invite their friends around to play with their socks and jocks?

Birthdays, Christmas' and Fathers Day's always roll around with the dreaded 'what am I gonna buy!'

Thankfully Pinterest came to the rescue for Lukes birthday last month. We usually buy ourselves joint gifts of camera or house things as our birthdays are only a month apart. This year? Luke has booked us a little weekend away. I still wanted to get him something little for the day, so I went down the novelty item road. Luckily I found something perfect which rolls two of Luke's favourite things together...photography and alcohol...hello camera flask!!

And now, back to the drawing board for Christmas!


xx

House-hunting, jonquils and why I want a mortgage

House hunting. It sounds as overwhelming as it is. Hunting for a house that you will live in day-in and day-out.

When I was younger I used to dream about the day I could choose where to live. I've always loved architecture and would day-dream out of the car window at various houses and what it would be like to live in them one day. I'd pick which mansion I would choose to live in and who I would live there with (my brain surgeon husband of course!).

Six months ago, Luke and I embarked on searching for our 'Great Australian Dream'. It was fun to begin with...as we pictured ourselves in this house and that. We emailed each other daily 'ohhh this is nice, what do you think?'. Then life got in the way and house-hunting got put on the backburner. A few months ago we picked up where we left off and we have discovered that we aren't cut out for house-hunting! Weekends spent at open houses, talking about properties and researching the market is tedious, and quite frankly, I'm over it! Why can't I just pick a house off the shelf, take it to the counter and pay my money?

We are very close to becoming house owners. We hope that the house we choose will be 'us' - unique, light, bright, on a big block and somewhere we can see ourselves making into a home. It's exciting but nerve racking! We are ready for the mortgage, the painting, the gardening and to enter the next stage of our lives as home owners!
Why I'm keen as mustard to have a mortgage:

• A backyard. You know that bit of grass that requires mowing and plants that need watering...yeh I love that!
• I'm clucky for a puppy! It will roam the manicured backyard.
• We will have STORAGE. Whether our house comes with cupboards/wardrobes or we have to build them...we WILL have storage.
• Storage will mean Luke will be encouraged to minimise his useage of the dreaded 'floordrobe'
• We'll have both of our cars off the street. Up until now our elderly neighbours have let us park our second car in their carport, but alas they have moved out!
• Kitchens are important. Our teensy tiny poor excuse for a kitchen will be replaced by a room two people can actually use together (we hope!)
• We will have a proper home office - this one is pretty high on Lukes list, at the moment there are papers, stationary, camera accessories sprawled out over both of our desks...it drives the OCD in me to breaking point!

The one thing I might miss when we move out? These pretty windows and the jonquils growing in our tiny garden. These pictures remind me of my childhood cubby house...