Boys and their toys

Here are a couple of shots of Ethan and Jasper having fun IN the toy box! Ethan had a haircut yesterday (actually all of them had their 'back to school' haircuts) and Andrew is not too happy with Ethans, but like I say to him, it will grow back. And yes, Ethan did attend his cousins birthday in his pyjamas, Spiderman ones to be exact! Like to see you guys try to pry them off him. What is it about Spiderman that drives some kids obsessive?

Happy Birthday Ruby xxxxx

Tonite we had the pleasure of helping Ruby celebrate her very 1st birthday.
A little bit late (but not too much!) we arrived and gave the birthday girl lots of kisses and cuddles and her gift. It was quite funny because as I sat down with Ruby and Liane, I noticed a pop up toy that they had given Ruby. Lucky, because I was thinking of getting her the same thing, and Liane reckoned that they were looking at getting the same bath toy thingy that we had given her. That wouldve been funny :)
Anyway we did the photos and the cake and the party and by then the birthday girl was pretty much buggered, what with all the noise and excitement. Oh and Liane had given the kids these cute shaped sparklers to light. And then of course, someone gave Andrew the job of lighting them and showing the kids some 'cool' tricks. Just a big boy at heart that 30something year old is. And Ruby looked so pretty in her party dress.

More Video

A collection of photos, old and new

Experiment Post

Okay so after alot of stuffing around, I have FINALLY figured out how to post videos on my blog... and the stupid thing is, its sooo easy now that Ive done it once!!! Heres an old one of Ethan taken about Oct/Nov last year, on a buzz coz he can ride a scooter properly.

Then and Now

Patience and Ethan, Dec 2005

Patience and Ethan, April 2007

Maddisyn' s Birthday Sleepover

Yesterday was Maddisyns birthday party/sleepover.

Everyone arrived about 1:30, we ate about 3:30 and all parents were gone by 6, leaving a household of 2 adults and 10 kiddies. During that time, the men managed to watch their rugby, leaving the mums, as usual, stuck with the chores grrr. Good for Dave Doyle, South Africa won! Anyway, once we got rid of all parents and settled the younger kids at the table with drawing materials and paper, andrew and i turned the lounge into a sleep out and watched some movies as one by one the kiddies dropped off into lala land. Destiny was the last to go to sleep and that was at 3:30AM! Maddy and co enjoyed the night but it was still a relief as the overnighters got picked up and we were back to our normal chaos!

Grandma Love

After nearly 3 long months, my mother decided to go home yesterday to NZ. We had a lovely roast lamb and veges at our house the night before to farewell her off, and then I took Maddy to see her for her birthday the next day and decided to do this rather unorganised but sweet shot.

Even though my mother and I swing between liking each other and arguing, she is always good to our kids. It was a bit sad when she said goodbye to them all, they are all quite close (Well the 10 that are pictured. My mum has 17 grandkids in all).

BUT shes back in 2 months.

AND AND AND

Maddisyn had a lovely birthday. She got heaps of love and stuff from NZ to OZ , but her fav at the moment is her new kitten Gilligan that Daddy bought her and the lovely dollshouse that her godfather sent her. So thanks to all that made the effort to make her feel special :)

Love to all

Kiddies Portraits

Today we went to Pixie photos and got the kids portraits done. And it was a mission!! The theme was denim and black and it came out real nice. The effect was wonderful. And, thankfully, Ethan smiled on cue. Here are a couple of homemade shots

A lovely long weekend

We had an awesome, if not very tiring, weekend.

Our family took it easy on Good Friday, in anticipation of the next couple of days. Andrew started ripping our gardens apart. The problem with where we live is that there is bloody sand everywhere!! which is very annoying as we have such thick lovely blue carpet and its hard to get the sand out once its in.

Saturday we bought trailer loads of these lovely little red pebbles and Andrew spent the morning laying plastic and covering the gardens with the pebbles. Its come off looking very effective and we have only the plants to do and its done. Andrew is so good at creating stuff, it seems to run in his family. And it has minimised the sand very well too. That night we went to Hopas house for his birthday party. It was so much fun, even more fun when my mother (some grandmothers are so good!!) took all 10 grandkids back to my house to babysit, and left their parents to it. Needless to say we were very grateful. Andrew and I ended up staying the night at my other bros house which I was looking forward to not waking up to any kids. Yea right. Andrew was up after only a few hours sleep, wanting to go home and see his children!!

Sunday was a good end to an otherwise very busy weekend. We arrived at Jas's birthday and after giving him his present, we got right into the easter egg hunt, then some party food and the adults had their champers and roast yumyum. It was a nice cruisy party amidst alot of noise and kids but I think Jasper had a good time. Andrew was chuffed that Ruby is finally used to her Uncle. He got lots of cuddles kisses and smiles. He hardly ever really sees her as when hes at Lianes shes asleep or he doesnt stay long enough for a very productive visit. But now, just like her brother, she adores him.

Brother and Sister

Mums Premonition

One day you are going to have a child just like you!

Well those wise words from Andrews mum have become prophetic. Andrew does have a child just like him!
Ethan is so much like his dad that he has me in fits of giggles all the time. Andrew on the other hand is tearing his hair out, at least when he has hair.
The thing is, though Ethan can be a handful when its just me, when Dads around, he steps it up a notch and can sometimes become uncontrollable. But he does it in such an easygoing manner that I can deal with it alot better than dad can.
Example:
Ethan has a no fear complex when it comes to some things. Like climbing onto the roof-rack of my stationwagon and jumping. Ethan has just completed a jump and has climbed onto the bonnet in preperation for another one. Dad comes out.
'Ethan. Get off the car!'
'No Dad. Im jumping' is the reply as Master E shimmys up the windscreen.
'Ethan! I mean it!'
'NO' by now he has made it onto the roof.
Dad rushes at him to grab him before he completes his task, but as he reaches for him, Ethan puts himself just out of his grasp, and remains that way as his Dad runs around the car trying to grab him. Hearing the commotion, mum comes outside.
'Ethan, get off my car!!'
'Okaaay mum. ' in an exaggerated voice.

Face as black as thunder, Andrew glares at me..... as his son jumps off right next to him, gives his dad a grin, and makes for Andrews car to attempt climbing that!!

Hes just so into everything. Liane and I will be having a visit and Ethan will do something or I will be filling her in on some of his latest escapades and her reply will be

'Andrew used to do that too!'

Birthdays and Holidays

Well April is a very busy month for the Barrons and their extended family. Birthdays are in abundance and the school holidays start in 2 days.
It all kicked off on Saturday with the 6th Birthday of Destiny. As it was a party for her school friends, Maddy and I trooped of to the venue (Fun Station) and you wouldnt believe the amount of birthdays were happening at this place. Kids were absolutely everywhere, yelling, screaming and running sround. At one point it was hard to move and my head was pounding and I was wishing that I had been fortunate enough to drop the kid off and go! But as the place emptied out, it became a bit more bearable and fun for me and the main thing is that Destiny and the others had an awesome time. Maddy stayed the night at her cousins so we were one kid short.
This weekend is Jaspers 2nd birthday. It is the 1st time we have had the pleasure of being there for one of Andrews siblings kids birthday so it makes it a bit more special for us, like xmas was. The plan at the moment is to celebrate Jaspers birthday on Easter Sunday so that we could combine the two. So its easter egg hunt, brunch (Liane wants a roast yumyum) and birthday cake for Master Jas. My family (well the Doyles extended family too) will be there as well so Jasper wont be short on friends for his big day. Its so cute watching Jasper, Ethan and Patience play together, they get on so well, well most of the time. Ah you all know how it is with small kids. There were other plans that had been made for easter, but since that was thrown back in our faces, we are going to have a rockn good time anyway! And to top it off, Easter Sunday is my brother Hopas birthday too.
Then a few days later is Maddys 6th. We wont celebrate that till the weekend and we are unsure what we are going to do yet as she keeps changing her mind!
Then the 20th brings Miss Rubys 1st birthday and the 21st is my brother Davys, so alot to celebrate thats for sure.
And in amongst this is the darn school holidays and the launch of the boat that Andrew and the crew have been working on so hopefully Ill be able to find a babysitter and make it to the launch party. And the kids sit their portraits on the 12th so to all who appreciate our lovely kids, copies are in the mail kiss kiss

The Beauty of my Family

The kids and I were walking thru the mall and as Maddy, Ethan, Liam and I were waiting for the girls as they went into a shop to purchase something, a lady approached me.
Being polite, I smiled distantly as she introduced herself and went onto this big spiel about the company she worked for. To be honest, I heard maybe 2 sentences as I wasnt really interested as I figured her to be trying to sell something.
Imagine my surprise when she said that she would like to get my kids into some modelling, that they had the right look, the attitude (Maddy was chattering away to her and Ethan was repeatedly saying hello while Liam was just smiling at her) and were simply gorgeous. A couple of catalogues, some ads on tv and whatever else that came their way.
She gave me a bussiness card and insisted I call her and left me a bit stunned but very very proud of my kids , and with a very big head I must say. It makes you feel so wonderful when someone compliments you on your family.......
THO
I dont always feel that way. Its cute with kids, but annoys the hell out of me when its your other half. Andrew, at 33 (nearly 34!) has this nack of making females do his will, without even trying. He can barter with them to his advantage, sweet talk them into letting him do things that hes not supposed to, and the admiring looks he gets really ticks me off.
Yea like youd be as impressed if you saw him first thing in the morning as he rolls outta bed, or when he comes home from work covered in crap and the same mood to boot!