4.4.11

a blog love award...& reflecting on life abroad...

happy monday...i am counting the days till my little brother arrives from australia with his gorgeous wife & two gorgeous  gals...
it's been three long years...& i can't wait to show him our life here in this english village...
i have had so many thoughts of home this last week...
especially those *beach orientated*...as he is a lover of the ocean like my husband & i...
i don't necessarily long for the ocean...i guess i know we'll always return to it...
but i do like to keep it in my life in some way...
the kids talk about our beach suburb at home often...
the links are strong & happy...
so i am so looking forward to his ocean stories of autumn hitting sydney & the beaches...
i am also looking forward to throwing him into our country life here...
his wellies are at the front door...
the girls are booked into horse riding lessons
&
i can't wait to teach my lovely sister-in-law to bake country bread & drink earl grey tea...


whenever i have people visiting from australia, i seem to spend endless hours over cups of tea & glasses of wine reflecting on our *time* here, away from the beaches of sydney...in the english countryside...
the experiences our children have had...
the travel they have done...that we have done as a family...
the personal achievements we have all enjoyed in so many ways...
my wonderful blogging friend Jane, who writes the heart felt, inspirational blog that is *life on planet baby*...got me to reflect even more on our times here with a very generous award...

the kiddos in rochefort-en-terre france
jane sent me some *blog love* & friendship via an award that celebrates our connection through blogging...
this award was literally created to say "I love your blog and thankyou for inspiring me"...
i love the honesty & simplicity in this award...
isn't that why we blog & share...to inspire one another...to record the moments of our lives that make us tick!?
jane is always an inspiration to me...
i am proud to be a loving, focused mother who does live in the here & now with our children...
& in many ways she encourages me to truly focus on those moments...


the girls at a bread making festival in france
so thankyou my dear friend...
& now...much to my hmmmmm...not horror...but slight trepidation i must share my very first post with you...{as the award dictates!}
i haven't gone *back there* till this moment...so here goes....
let's head over *here* together now...


ok...wow i have to say....
that wasn't actually so bad!
it makes me giggle that i threw out my very first post in the new year, with a house full of kids & a very excited, inspired edge to my voice...
even though i was in the deep throngs of winter...
what d'ya think??
that was a year ago now...
& the journey on line has developed & rolled with my journey in real life here in the countryside...
i wouldn't change either of them for the world...




so thanks jane...
you made me face the blogging past because i inspire you a little...
that makes me feel pretty special...
&
on that note...
after that little moment walking *back to the beginning*...
i'd like to ask a few gorgeous women who inspire me to do the same...
suddenly i desperately want to read the first post of a few of my favourite & best blogging friends...
why have i not thought of spending a pot of tea & a quiet hour doing this before?
{thanks again jane for some inspiration- i am going to hang out at the beginning of some loved blog spots today!}


so in no particular *loved* order...
i want these gals to know how much i value their moments in my day...
their thoughts, their creativity, their moments of friendship...

the gorgeous, chic, thought-provoking Lou at *lou boo & shoes*
my sweet english rose, new-york living friend & loving mama Laura at *a place for tea*
the photographic genius & wonderfully brilliant mum that is Amy at *lucky number 13*
the beautiful, generous, adorable simone at *the bottom of the ironing basket*
the infectious & oh so delightfully lovely Maureen at *day dream living*
the incredibly talented angel of a blogger Tina at *rubie's place*
&
my favourite new place to stop by...Alicia's heartfelt, warm mothering blog that is *la famille*



grab a tea & go hang out with these gals...
inspiring my everyday...

i'm sorting travel photos...
&
thinking about what we've done over here...
washing & you know the regular stuff...

enjoy!

xox





17 comments:

  1. thank you so much melissa :) i'm completely flattered to have inspired you! and please know you are such an inspiration too! xo {alicia}

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  2. Well my friend, this is such a lovely surprise! Thanks so much, (infectious, me?) BIG smile on my face now! And Jane is a true sweetheart, she is one of my daily's too. Gotta run, will catch up later, mama duties are waiting!
    Maureen x

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  3. This was a lovely post and congrats! I love reading your blog. You deserve this award! I'm heading over to those blogs right now!

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  4. Aaaah, what a lovely idea! I'm not surprised you were given this award, Melissa. Your blog is always such a warm and welcoming place to come to.

    Have a marvellous time with your brother.

    Sarahxx

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  5. Hello sweet - thank you so much, so nice to see my name there, what an accolade. I take it as quite a compliment to inspire you given you are about the most creative person I have come across. What fortune brought us together...if we weren't separated by the length of this country, you know I would be round for tea :-) Lou x

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  6. Yes....and I would be hot on Lou's heels....and staying so long you would have to kick me out!! LOL!!

    Thank you so much you lovely girl, this is wonderful.....goodness only knows how much of an inspiration you are to me and to many others.

    I shall be sure to check out other blogs you have mentioned xx

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  7. you are truly deserving of this award ... love to you all
    have a great visit

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  8. I'm a little sad it has taken me so long to discover you! What a gorgeous and inspiring blog. I'm a new follower!

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  9. Love Janie, love you
    and love the blogs that
    you chose to recognize,
    Melissa! I had ONE glorious
    day last week with my pal
    from New Zealand, and when
    I told her about some of my
    favorite bloggers in England,
    I mentioned YOU and how much
    your writing "voice" reminds
    me of her : ) Popping off now
    to see what else I missed from
    you while I was gone.
    Big Hugs,
    xx Suzanne

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  10. Hey Misso, we cant wait to arrive and we have packed our favorite home made pizza dough and pita bread recipes with us, and a small drop of ocean from Australia of course. See you in a few days!!!

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  11. Well deserved award Melissa :) I always feel inspired and happy when I visit your lovely blog x

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  12. What a wonderful award! Congrats! You have made me reflect back too... and enjoy the journey... I am so glad I found so many amazing blogs, you are so right.... it is a world of sharing and caring, support and inspiration ... I am so looking forward to visiting your other lovely bloggy friends (I already adore Tina and have visited the gorgeous Jane) Enjoy your family visit! It is such a joy to have family when you live so far from home! X

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  13. Hi Melissa
    Haven't seen you around for a while. Lovely that your brother and family are about to arrive. That should give you a slendid dose of old Oz.

    I bet his girls will love the horse riding over there. Every girls dream.

    It's getting a little cold here morning and evening, so Winter is leaving her calling card.I have told the kids no heater until May, so we are getting out the odd jumper now. It will be slippers next week I think. No matter how hot it gets in Feb the ineveitable chill rolls around about now.

    Hope to see you at the Beach House soon. We went saililng on the weekend and you may recognise some of the shots.

    Best Carolyn

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  14. Hi Melissa
    I haven't blogged you for ages so the time is now! Somuch to catch up on and all much better over drinks in your kitchen than in plain font text! Highlights are: Evie has survived first term at high school. Has so many newfriends she's not surewhich one to invite over first! Eliot got Jimmy Richards at school this year so first male teacher and he's stoked! Ash is at Pine St 3 days this year...which gave me the time to think about going back to work...and one thing led to another and I started this week! Part time (3 days) in IT for the old Spastic Centre (now Cerebral Palsy Alliance). So far so good but early days yet. Gary well and continuing on his lifelong golf journey! He's off for a golf weekend in Melbourne this weekend. I had a girlie weekend with my friend Victoria in Shoal Bay a few weeks ago - can't wait for you to meet her. Enjoy time with Ben - he bnow teaches lots of Ella & Evie's friends from MWPS. Congrats on the award, you are such a lovely friend to have and deserve more awards! Lisa x

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  15. Oh, Melissa! My goodness, I'm just catching up on my favourite blogs (I always leave them until the last) and can't believe what lovely things you've written about me here. Thankyou, Sweetheart - I can't believe that I could possibly give you any inspiration but I sure am delighted and honoured to be your friend.

    I love your choice of other bloggers - I'm now following another two gorgeous souls, thanks to you.

    Enjoy your precious time with your brother and his family. No doubt the cousins will get up to all sorts of high jinks. Can't wait to hear all about it. J x

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  16. What a lovely post. Enjoy the time spent with your Brother and family. It will feed your soul =0)
    Ness xx

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  17. I love this post, Melissa! And not just because i am mentioned either : ) Wow--your first post doesn't even seem so beginner-ish like mine did, I am kon dof embarrassed looking back at my photos taken with my old camera but it is fun taking a glimpse back, too. I don't even know how I found your blog in the first place but once I read it for the first time I felt like I could totally relate to you and your way of writing was really like chatting with an old friend. YOU are so inspiring to me and so many others. Thanks for sharing a little piece of your world with all of us and for including me in this list. XO

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Thanks for taking a moment...x

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