The big move...

Well, the moving part is {nearly} officially over...
We have a very empty and sparkly clean house, and tomorrow we will hand the keys to our first real home as a family unit back over to the landord.
It has been a mammoth week...
Can't say I'm sad to be on the other side of the hump really!!
And I ache from head to foot...

{Moving Day Survival Guide}

I've been so good recently, but this week it has been back on to sugar,
diet coke and junk food to keep me going....

This week I finally succumbed to Abbie's virus and developed a full on head cold,

I couldn't sleep at night for things whizzing around my head,
Then last night had a 2.30am freak out when Hannah fell out of bed onto a concrete floor at the holiday house we are staying at, giving herself a split lip and a blood nose in the process.
Poor kid!!
Thank the Lord that the damage was minor all things considered - she still has all her teeth and appears to have all her brain function intact. What a relief!

So those exceptions aside, overall the move has gone very smoothly.
We haven't had too many major hiccups with the logistics and the main thing is that
WE ARE DONE!!

The container is packed, and off on it's big journey.
Stay safe please little treasures...

I would just like to announce that I am officially going on a cleaning strike -
Yep, it's official, no more cleaning for me for the next month.
I think I must have done my years supply in the last 3 days!
(like 6.30am starts to 10pm finishes with hardly any breaks - boo hiss).
Hence the strike begins tomorrow.
Well, ok maybe on Tuesday once we arrive in New Zealand.

So, 4 more sleeps left of living in Australia...
My brain doesn't know whether it's more sad or excited.
Or straight out wetting-my-pants-nervous about all that's ahead.
Talk about mixed emotions!
I'm secretly wondering how many times I'll cry between now and Monday...
Or thereafter even.
I'm putting my money on it being a few!

Speak to you again soon...

20/52... the Party edition...

   **  A portrait of my children once a week, for 52 weeks...

Hannah:
A certain someone had a birthday this weekend... We celebrated in style with a "fairy party" at the fairy dance school with all your closest friends. There you are above writing your name all by yourself in the "big book of fairy birthdays".
You had a wonderful weekend! The smile just about never left your face and I hope the celebrations served as the perfect way to finish off your time here in Australia.
Happy 5th Birthday my beautiful girl!!

Abbie:
You've had a bit of a tough week this week...An ear and respiratory infection has seen you stuck at home all week with 3 adults all otherwise absorbed in packing and cleaning.
Not much fun!
Add to that the fact you've had to ingest all number of nasty medicines and drops to assist you in getting better for our flight in a week, (awesome timing hey - typical that you should get your first ear infection since your operation last year the week before we are due to fly!!!) AND the fact that this weekend has been all about your sister and it's made you ever so slightly miserable at times.
I think you've coped remarkably well all things considered, and it has been such a relief and delight to see you having so much fun at the festivities this weekend and feeling a bit more yourself.

I love your little tongue of concentration as you colour in your picture above!

***

One of my favourite photos this week actually must be this one of my two girls together...

I love the bond they are developing!
Tis sweet indeed!

Joining up with Jodi here...

Box City...

We are on the final countdown to the move here now!

It has been a b.u.s.y but productive week...
I have been dutiful at following a to-do list on my phone.
- I don't know what I would do without it really, because I find that unless I write it down as I think about it then it weighs on my mind and I start to stress out about the millions of things left to do.
With such long lists it is easy to forget to do something important.
Since my phone is always near my side, using the reminders app has been ideal for me as I can then jot down my notes where ever I am, set reminder alarms if necessary, then tick them off as I go.
Too easy.
I highly recommend it.
Of course it would be even easier still if I didn't have to do the jobs in the first place, but never the less it makes it a lot less stressful trying to remember the all ;)

During the week my house has gone through various stages of looking like this;

Because I've been trying to use the lounge to sort and store.
Having everything centralised makes it a bit easier to group the last random things in to a somewhat sensible order.
It just makes for a very messy house.

Keeping on top of the clutter is especially tricky now that there are no homes for things, and as a person who likes order I find it rather frustrating having mess everywhere.
{Having 2 guests in the house who are also living out of suitcases probably does not help that either.}
With two little "helpers" in the house it is often an exciting adventure finding out what the kids have stashed in our suitcases or packing boxes next ;)

This week the boxes have been packed,
the cleaning has began,
the garden has been tidied,
windows washed,
painting has occurred,
more trips to take things to the charity stores,
and yet more boxes have been packed.
Just the kitchen and last minute linen to pack and I think we are done with the boxes...

Oh yes, I am so sick of packing!
I feel like I've been doing it for mooooonths. Which partly true I guess because I did start months ago.
Thank goodness we are nearly to the end of it all...
It's so hard to believe that there are only 6 more sleeps to go!!
In 6 sleeps this house will be emptied of our family and we will hand the keys over to the next family.

We have loved our little house by the lake and sea.
This has been our first home as a family of four -
As a complete unit.
And it is currently the only ones the kids know.
It will always be dear to our hearts.
I can imagine that we will each shed a few tears as we say goodbye to it.

But it is time to move on to the next adventure...
I wonder what life will have in store for us next.
Not long until we get to find out...