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