MERRY...wait for it...CHRISTMAS!!!

Today around the world a day of joy, love and peace is being celebrated. This won't be a long post, not even a medium OR small post, it will be tiny! But I wanted to take the time to wish all my 'many' readers and followers a very, very, Merry Christmas. Have a wonderful day!

Day 1 - Camping, Pebbly Beach

Ok, so here goes, if any of you are curious of the whereabouts of 'Pebbly Beach', it is about a 15 minute drive out of Batemans Bay. If you don't know where that is look it up on google earth or something.

Anyway today was the day we were going to be making the trip down the coast to Pebbly, we woke up in the early hours of the morning and quickly finished whatever packing that had not been completed the night before.

When all was packed (TIGHTLY might I add) into the car we were off driving down the road (at 7:00am) towards Kiama to go pick up my bestie - Kaitlin. By the time we picked her up it was around 7:15am.

It was a long drive and the time felt increased by an hour because of all of the cushions we were squashed in the back with, it was like, "I feel like I'm sitting in a over-packed cupboard where you desperately try and hold back the contents from raining out on you when you open the door".

Anyways when we finally arrived it was 9:30am making the trip about two and a half hours long. We hadn't traveled down to Pebbly for about two years now, AND it used to be an ANNUAL trip!

But the old dusty that you would travel down to get to the entrance of the national park had millions.....and I mean MILLIONS of potholes, so instead of a leisurely ride through a gorgeous old forest we were sitting on the edges of our seats telling dad if there was a pot hole coming up so he could avoid it, it amazing how much shadows can look like potholes!

Anyway we did arrive safely and when we drove into the campground a strange sense of nostalgia came over me, I have such fond memories of this campground and this area as a child, actually ever since I was a baby, a newborn, me and my family came here for about a week each year.

As soon as we arrived we bounded out of the car and walked down to the beach for a bit of exploring, we walked along the beach heading towards the next 'beach' along, Pebbly Pebbly Beach, (for clarification the shore is all pebbles) we didn't quite go that far though. We found a couple of nice pebbles and shells but we didn't stay there for to long because we knew that we still had 3 tents to completely set up.

We helped dad set up the big tent for a while but, when the majority of it was finished we wanted to go back down to the beach, this time we went in the same direction this time constantly bending over to pick up shells, we walked along and along this time going all the way to Pebbly Pebbly Beach, but sadly, although it was probably for the best, I forgot my camera.

As we made our way back to the camp almost an hour later we had a seawater fight and both of us got ourselves fairly soaked, so yeah, it was a good thing that I forgot my camera.

By this time of day it was lunchtime and we indulged ourselves with the finer things in life, basically my lunch was a nuttella sandwich on white bread, mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm .... YUM!

One of my fondest memories of our once annual journey down to Pebbly Beach was the fact that wildlife there was very much used to humans and human attention and from my earliest memories I remember feeding the extravagant bird life and even the kangaroos. But this trip you would only see the 'roos early morning and late afternoon. And as for the bird life it seemed as if they hadn't been hand fed in years!!!!

But I stood there for a while after lunch with a handful of seed trying to lure one very timid King Parrot. Eventually I guess the temptation was to much for him because eventually he launched himself from the tree's branches onto my now aching arm that held his dream.....SEED!

The King Parrot...

And again...

A Rosella...

And a Rainbow Lorikeet...

So yeah we pretty much ignored the greenies safety-non-scientifically-proven-signs saying 'PLEASE DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS', well they survived fine before so those silly sign writers can just go and let us and the birds and other wildlife just do what we like. Ugh.

Anyway we left the birds to enjoy what was a heaven in the life as they know it, and headed out on another walk, yes to the beach, this time we went prepared and we brought with us little disposable plastic bags that would probably annoy those greenies even more. Hahaha.

Anyway, we filled those up on our walk, but I think this was my favourite walk of the day, we kind of just sat on the rocks and watched the waves roll in each time bringing different shells and pebbles for us to look at pick up and admire...then add to our bags.

What we found....

It was mid-afternoon now, and since we really didn't bring anything except for cans of tuna and spreads we needed to go shopping, so we headed into Batemans Bay. We filled up our trolley and headed back home.....nothing much interesting about that =D.

When we came back to the ground, we helped unload the car, and then we were off...yes this was our fourth walk of the day, on this walk we didn't go the same way we had for the past three walks we just went straight, heading directly to the ocean.

On this walk we sat in the sand talked, built sandcastles and ran around, Kaitlin went NUTS! Like SUPER NUTS!!!! We dug holes...."Must...Reach.....Water.....Must.....Reach....Water", so yeah that was good fun. We were doing that for awhile, but the we kinda got hungry so we headed back to camp for dinner.

We helped prepare dinner, then when it got dark we sat around the gas light for awhile, but after this full long day we were ready to go to bed, so we did, at nine that night we called it quits and went to bed.

In the process of getting into my P.J's that night I found that I was severely sunburned on my back and upper arms from constantly facing the sun on all of our walks....it was very hard to go to sleep that night.

Anyway, me and Katie needed to pee in the middle of the night so we got up and exited the tent, now when we went on one of our walks in middle of the day mum and dad happened to see one very large goanna.

They told us stories about how arrogant it was and all of that, but the one crucial detail they somehow forgot to mention to us was that they don't come out at night. So back to needing to pee.

We walked straight out of our little dome tent and there was this possum sitting there, we weren't too affected by that, but it certainly reminded us about the goanna, so we edged around it (the possum), and began the journey to the toilet.

At every little crunch or crack we would swing our torches around the place and look for an animal (goanna), and then huddle closer together, let me tell you, it was an experience that night, but we made it, to the toilet and back to our tent.

It was the perfect end to one very full and long first day of camping...

More stories to be told soon.....on Day 2.

Home Sweet, Sweet, Home!

Yay, we're finally home from Pebbly Beach, it was AWESOME!! I had so much fun. I won't go into detail about the trip at this imediate moment, as I will be updating what happened day by day.

Although yes I know, this post has been quite delayed considering I arrived home last Saturday, but with all do respect my big bro, Anthony...who has taken up residence overseas, Denmark to be specific, came home on Monday and I have been relishing my time with him, as I know it's short, he'll be leaving us to go back in three weeks time.

So it's been busy....how's everyones Chrissy *wink* going? Finally all my pressies have been purchased and I'm nearly done wrapping them all. I LOVE, I mean LOVE the Christmas season and although for some people it's a stressful and non-happy time of the year it's the complete opposite for me.

I feel so happy during the Christmas season, it's such a time of joy, this is Jesus' birthday. And I love the fact that as we wander aimlessly through the shops and the supermarkets, that the music playing is (mostly) praises to our king, unbeknown to the passers by or the employees they are filling their minds with songs of our Saviour!

I just love it!!! But any way, I will soon post a day by day, diary of our experiences camping, forgive me if it's not posted/begun until after Christmas, but I will do my best.

Thank-you for the wonderful year this has been and I want to wish all my readers a very, merry Christmas!

Saturdays...

Saturdays usually go in this sort of pattern...

1. Wake up
2. Go back to sleep, still tired
3. Bored in bed, get up
4. Get on computer check out FaceBook
5. Have shower, etc. etc.

I think you get my drift, they are not all THAT interesting, some Saturdays, to add dome spice we have a youth outing to Kiama or maybe a church sausage sizzle (how exciting *sarcasm*), considering it's late at night on a Saturday forgive me for my boredom.

Today was not so bad, we did have a youth thing, and we did have a sausage sizzle, and I still did that list up above (in case you forgot,scroll to top and re-read =D), so already my day was turning out to be better than most.

Today was actually our church's 'Battle of the Bands', I was largely involved with the pieces we were doing so that was good fun. We got down to church at around 3:30-ish and did a little practice, now the church that we battling it out with (Canberra) were running about an hour behind schedule so...that delayed things.

But anyway when they finally arrived we had good fun, We sang 4 songs

1. Hosanna - Hillsong - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGJdTpMUcU

2. None But Jesus - Hillsong - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axqXMuW8x1U (which I led)

3. East To West - By Me - The lyrics are in this post.

4. Lord Your Holy - Done by a number of people - We sung it some thing like this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17iSx-xVW8I

So yeah, check that stuff out, it's pretty awesome and if your wondering who won? Well, the youth leaders decided that since we were both SO good =D, they decided to not make it a competition, so no-one REALLY won, which is ok, I like it that way, nobody is better than the other or anything like that.

So yeah this Saturday was good! I'll post again soon.

A Season of Joy!

Christmas is on it's way, and one week ago I was sure I could feel the breath of summer...but now...God has opened the floodgates of heaven. And as disappointing as the lack of sun may be...and the hilarity that my friend is peeling while it's cold-ish...I think that the rain is simply GLORIOUS!

I think (I know...isn't it amazing!)...hahaha...anyway, I think that the rain smells GREAT. I think that rain can both heal and destroy a land, rain has the power to either cheer people up or make people feel worse.

Rain! I just love it! And because our school is on a flood plain we get SO SO many puddles when it rains, my friends and I spend much of our school days 'Singing in the Rain', or 'Splashing in the Rain'!

Speaking of school I'm counting down the days till it's let out!!! I'll miss two days to go camping down the coast at Pebbly Beach! SOO looking forward to it. Thank-fully I won't be alone camping away with my mum and dad, my bestie Kaitlin will be joining us...YAY....

Dreaming of beach filled days, trips to Mogo town and zoo, sunburn, sunrises...ahhhh....Can't wait! The glories of camping! We used to always go camping as a family but now with both Nic and Ant living overseas, it makes camping as a family difficult.

Even with Ant coming back for Chrissy this year he won't be able to make it in time for our camping trip...*tear*....but we'll survive, May his praise be continually on my lips...

Ok...going back to Christmas. Today I gave out my first Christmas presents of the season, little brown paper packages tied up with coloured ribbons (Gorgeous, if I do say so myself!), these were for all my bestest buddies! Candles for one, headbands for another, a watch for someone special, and a pencil case to reflect ones personality.

Christmas shopping is now at full speed. Ideas are rushing in and out of my head, along with the money in my near empty wallet =D, but thats ok, God will provide all my needs according to his riches in glory!

And my prayer daily is that during this busy, but merry season, we will continue to have God at the TOP of our priority list instead of the shopping, the cooking, and even the giving, that we will remember the TRUE meaning of CHRISTmas, and make the TRUTH the centre of it.

I'm Melting...In Spring!

Wow, what glorious days we have had down here this past week. Boy I felt sure that is was summer not spring! But glorious as it was today the floodgates of heaven were opened and down came the rain.

But let's look at the beautiful week that has just passed us by... the afternoons were perfect for enjoying the sunshine,

Hoping to get a tan one of these days.....preferably not skin cancer....just a little sun absorption =D.

But yeah, it's bee real nice over here in Australia. We have our yearly exams on at the moment, so your prayers would be accepted graciously. Blue Skies will be comin' soon...I hope....

The gardens are alive with colour and life, how many gorgeous spring butterflies I have seen, with the sun on my back I could sit in a garden all day taking photo after photo of the little joys in life that God has provided us with.

And even more than that our garden is in it's prime time! We have gorgeously big tomatoes growing great! Just pulled in a big crop of rocket, spinach and strawberries, I'm even beginning to some baby squashes! Flowers are everywhere, showing that fruit is on it's way...

Can't wait to get picking!! I can't wait for summer! I can't wait for camping, I can't wait till Christmas!!!!

Who I want to Be...

There is a person behind every cold glare that is longing to be loved, even in every warm smile there is a soul longing for affection. Everybody has goal, places they wish they were, places they want to go, who they want to be.

I don't know all that yet, I know I want to travel the world and share the sights with everyone I know, I know I want to serve God wholeheartedly, I know that I want to help the helpless, I know that I want to be the one that people turn to, I want to be the light, the joy the fun.

I know that I don't want to be cold, hated or mean, I don't want to be a warning to others I don't want to be pityed, I don't want to be disregarded, I don't want to be rejected for who I am.

On the bus this morning I revised the person that I want to be and to be seen as. I found that I want....

• I want my praise and worship to God to be genuine,
• I want to be changing and moving forward (not backwards) in my relationship with God,
• I want to be a good example to others,
• I want to be loved for who I am, not who I'm TRYING to be,
• I want to be a lighthouse to the lost,
• I want to shine brightly in this world, so that no-one will not know that I am a child of God,
• I want to have a caring heart, a loving heart, I want my heart to be compassionate towards others,

I want my life to be filled with these things, I want my life to be overflowing with God and the things of him, I have plenty of things I want to be and don't want to be, I'm praying that I'll be able to achieve all this and more for the glory of my God.

No longer Seedlings...

Do you guys remember when I posted about my baby seedlings? (If not you can read that blog here). Well, they're growing up fast and strong! I think my thumb is beginning to show the faintest green =D.

I brought in the first of my crop yesterday, I had a small bundle of bright green spinach, along with some mint, as well as half-a-basket-full of rocket...(it's growing REALLY well).

But not just the Rocket but everything in my garden seems to be going well...Thank-you Lord! So I'll put up some pics to show you all just that...

My Rocket, Spinach and Mint...

My overgrown fruit trees that are in need of a trim, but we're gonna have to wait until after it's given us all of it's fruit...which are heavy laden it's branches...

My beans, my beans! Look how big you have grown!

Herbs....

My tomatoes are also growing well, and have now been staked up for extra support...no flowers yet.

And last of all my strawberries, in amongst the jungle of leaves and stalks there are many little green strawberries that I can't wait to sink my teeth into...(when they're ripe of course).

So yeah, hopefully my garden will keep all this growing up! Can't wait until all is ripened and ready to eat!

Canberra Pics...

Sorry about the delay in this post, but here it is. I've still got plenty...lots... GAZILLIONS more. So this is kind of like a preview to what it was like and how the grounds were etc. So yeah, hope you enjoy the pics of my day at Floriade!

The sign coming in...isn't it HUGE...the grounds I mean.

They had a display of decorated knomes...ain't it cute!

The 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road' theme.

These really cool but really weird flowers...

The ferris wheel...

Again..
The grounds...
Again...

And again....

You remember those gorgeous little flowers from my last post? This is it! So yeah, I had a good time and God blessed us with a beautiful day, clear blue skies, blazing sun...thank-you Lord!

Catching Up

OK, this post has taken me a while to publish and for that I'm sorry. It's taken me a while to actually get on a computer. I'll try and combine the last couple of days in this post, make sure I put up some pictures...so yeah hopefully I'll be able to catch up on it all.

So yeah here goes...

We made our way down to Pambula, it was a long three hour drive, through flat plains, down a mountain...all in all it was just tiring.

But thank goodness we didn't leave straight away first we made our way to Floriade. Again like in Bowral the flowers were GORGEOUS! All out in bloom but because we made it to the festival a little late some...or a lot of the flowers were wilting/browning. But that's OK the majority of the flowers were in great condition.

I took plenty of pictures and most of the time I was left to trail behind while my mum and aunt wandered up on ahead. They had several different displays on, such as the 'Follow the yellow (yallo =D) brick road', 'Cloud dreaming', 'Aladdin's lamp', 'Native Garden' etc.

In each of the displays they placed the flowers out so that when looked at from above their shape and format will look like the theme...get it?

So that was all really nice, and at the end we decided to go onto the Ferris wheel, to get just a nice view of the whole thing. It was great we could see what all or most of the designs and themes were supposed to be, and supposed to be seen as...it was quite something to see all the designs and such.

After Floriade, we made our way to Pambula, which I've already said was a long tiring drive. Anyway we were warmly welcomed my my Aunt and Uncle, and for a while we just sat catching up, eating chips and cheese and crackers.

It was really nice. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching the Commonwealth games, dinner was great. My Aunt had made a homemade meat-pie...it was SO good. At around eleven we made our way to bed.

I slept really well, woke up late (as usual, I'm always the last one up) to the smells of brekky. They put on a feast for us! Bacon, eggs and tomato...it was really good. We didn't stay at their home for much longer after that.

My Aunt showed us around Pambula for a little while and then we began the long 6 hour journey home. I think I managed better then, in that trip than I did when we were going to Pambula from Canberra!

We didn't do the trip in one big chunk we stopped twice on the way home, once to look around Mogo town, and the next to have dinner in Nowra. Mogo town has to be one of my favorite places to go too. I just love the whole town and the feel it has about it. Whenever we go camping we always go there for a day...to look around, buy some knick-knacks...you know?

So we stayed in Mogo for about an hour then headed back to the car. On the way home I kept on seeing these gorgeous pinky-purple flowers on the side of the road...I liked them so much that I told (asked politely) mum to pull over and let me pick some!

Which she did...I love you mum! They were really pretty as I guessed, so I took some pictures and picked 5 little flowers...other than the fact that they stunk, it was really nice. About half an hour later one of the flowers petals started falling off, then the next and the next until I had none left *tear*.

So that was the end of that...at least I got some pictures. So by the time my last wilted flower dropped it's petals we were in Nowra. Where we stopped and had wraps at Opporto. YUMMM!

40 minutes later we arrived home, ahhh it's such a nice feeling. So that's where my little expedition ends...sorry this post took so long to write. I'll make sure I post some pictures soon.

Canberra - Day 1

Well, it was a long trip down here... three hours if not more. But I think I did well. Usually I hate travelling in a car for a long amount of time (a long amount of time is the equivalent to and hour or more). Your skirt rides up, your feet go to sleep, your hair goes funny... Ohhh the pain! The trauma!

Anyway, I managed this time along. We were about to walk out the door, when what do you know? The phone rings. So we answer (obviously), turns out it's my unlce. He wants us to deliver something to my aunt who is a marriage celebrant, because she is marrying my second cousin.

They were a little late so we ended up being delayed at my uncle's house for another hour. So when we arrived at my aunt's house another three hours later, it was too late to go to Floriade this afternoon. So we're going to go tomorrow instead.

Soo, it's been good, we've kicked back and we watched the Commonwealth Games, I did my nails, so they are all filed and beautiful now. Looking forward to a delicious baked dinner, and tasting the cream sauce my aunt has been raving about all afternoon. Smell delicious.

Soo will hope to write tomorrow about our adventures at Floriade, and the long trip to Pambula. Looking forward to what the day will bring.

Bowral

Hey, yesterday me , my Nan, mum and dad made our way up to Bowral (about half and hour to an hour from my place) to meet up with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins who were going to take Nan home with them back up to Mardi.

Anyway it turns out that we were early and my Aunt, Uncle and cousins were running about half and hour late. Meaning that we had about 40 minutes to spare.

It was rainy, overcast and freezing, I was ready for lots of sun and had only a T-shirt on...my excuse?

"Well it was nice and sunny at home!"

So yeah I was cold. But I think that once you've been in the cold for a while it kind of numbs you, and you don't really feel it. I mean if all you care about is being warm then you would have died, but I didn't really think about it so I was all good.

Anyway we had 40 minutes to spare...what is there to do in Bowral? Well, as you should know it's spring over here...(gorgeous) and Bowral is famous for it's tulips. So were went to Corbett Gardens, where they had a simply GLORIOUS display of tulips and a few other flowers...it was simply beautiful.

I did take photo's...here a a few.

Weren't they pretty! They are only a few but my, you can really see God's creative efforts can't you?