Fiji? Bali? Hong Kong? Or............

The local DUMP! Yes, I'm a girl that knows how to show her boys a good time! So, whilst my poor husband loaded the trailer up with decking for the alfresco area (hey, it'll get done at some point, just like the lanscaping)!!! I got my camera out! Wow - the dump is an amazing place for some real down and dirty shots! (literally very dirty as my boys school uniforms proved the next day, while I was attempting to 'clean' them)! Pallets, milk crates, reels of barbed wire (ok, we won't go there) - the dump had it all! Oh and all of those sinks and toilets (why would anyone buy a second hand toilet)???? Ummmm.......

Ollie became the 'Farmers Crest Model' - it 'just so happened' - pure fluke, that after I uploaded the pics onto the pc, I noticed I had photographed him in front of a load of milk crates wearing a top that said 'Pint Sized Hero'! I feel a few 'adverts' coming on! Cameron, became 'Emo' for 10 mins - that lovely, moody, teen, hoody look and Aaron - well, Aaron disappeared off and came back with the 'barbed wire' on the roll - which is why I told him to 'put it back and sit in the car you silly boy'!!! Did I not warn them the dump was damgerous??? Errmmm, perhaps not!

To make up for it we popped over to my friend Sam's (actually I 'lost' her telephone number for the umpteenth time, so had to ask for it AGAIN)! While we were there, Pete (Sam's other half) got the dirt bikes out. 10 acres, our 3 plus Sam's littlen Thomas let loose on 90cc's! They had a ball. Aaron only managed to fly over the handle bars once (he stood up and did the Steve Irwin ' wahooo' pose), Ollie also came off - or rather got dragged along, which has put him off for life! And Cameron?? Well he was like 'Driving Miss Daisy' - all sensible - a nice, leisurely ride around the paddocks, followed by a 'cup of tea'!







Beautiful Thomas X















Of course, I had my camera with me, and of course I managed to capture Aaron looking 'sooo Mr Cool' in my friend's purple Doc Martens (he 'forgot' his shoes - again)!!!! Oh and guess what???? I got home, rumaged through my bag...and have managed to lose Sam's number AGAIN!!!! How is this possible? (its ok I'll see her at the school tomorrow)!







Mr Cooolllll ..... cherry Doc Martens - you go boy!




Time for tea anyone?????

Ollie's birthday seemed to go on FOREVER! We took him to Brisbane to the science museum ( I won't bore you with the pics of that - needless to say they had a great time, but it really hasn't changed since 2004 when we last went there)! My friend Michelle flew in from Singapore - timed it just right with our little trip! It was great to sit and chat for ' a bit' (too short) and meet her gorgeous friend 'B' (no not like out of Cell Block H) - kinda was hoping Mark would have the initiative to take the boys off somewhere and leave us girls to chat, errrmmm he didn't and I haven't let him off with that one!








Afterwards it was lunch by the river and undie shopping for me at DFO http://www.dfo.com.au/ - wow I love that place! Elle Mcphereson undies that actually fit and are sexy (well a girl can't help being a 32D - just thought I'd rub that in again SallyClaire)! Not quite sure it was the kinda birthday Ollie was expecting!





Wonderful to see Carly, Andy, Anya and Ryder Bourne - such an amazing family, heads firmly in the right place - despite the jetlag X











We also got together to share a very special moment at the beach; we got some beautiful pink and white balloons, pink ribbon and attached special messages and quotes for little Ava Rosemeyer who passed away last Febuary, aged just 3. It was a very windy day to put it mildly! I was expecting to get lovely shots of the balloons quietly drifting towards the heavens - what I achieved was this sudden mad rush where Ollie let go and............they were gone!!!! Not even a 400mm zoom could catch them! We know they've gone to right place tho, thats all that matters X

And PLEASEEEEE just a reminder to parents, never leave your children and babies in cars, even if your just popping into the shop or to get the kids from school. Yet another beautiful life has been lost this week, a 3 month old baby girl from Toowoomba. Sheye and Crayte Rosemeyer have been passionately compaigning since their loss of little Ava to try and prevent this ever happening again to another family, yet despite their best efforts and those of their friends and family, the unthinkable has happened. We really need to be vigilent, we need to remind parents of the dangers. Please speak to your local schools and ask them if a copy of 'Ava's Rules' can be put on the school notice boards or in the newsletters (I will attach a postcard size one here that you can download and copy).























Ava's Rules postcard can also be downloaded from Ava's memorial website; http://avarosemeyer.memory-of.com/About.aspx

and also for Ava, a beautiful pink sunset above some beach huts taken in the UK, Dovercourt by my sister Fern X










This photograph (slightly edited by me) was taken by Fern when she took baby Sam to meet his Great Grandma for the first time in hospital. Unfortunately my Nanna has had a fall, she has a colles fracture to her left wrist and a nasty gash to the head with a few sutures in. I found it quite a touching image, especially as she is so sick, get well soon, we think about you and miss you every day chick X .






We've also sold my beloved RAV4! But, its ok, I'm all over the emotional 'letting go' part as we sold it to Jack & Ashleigh - not only do they have very good taste in cars, but also in shoes and tattoos! (ooo that rhymes)! Thank you Ashleigh for letting me photograph your tootsies - I'm not that mad - honest! But I am still very impressed with the shoes and only $10 in Melbourne!!!





Just a quick reminder that I'm in Sydney for a week from the 15th May - bookings are being taken for the 16th and 17th May, after that its chill time XXX





Please visit my website for details - link on right side of this page under Funky Photography.

And baby turns.....9!!!!!

And how he was back then .......... just a tiny little boy with a lot of fun......

On the day this picture was taken, we almost lost Ollie - it was a day none of us will ever forget. We were at a BBQ, I put the arm bands on him as he was still learning to swim. At some point in the afternoon he removed them. I remember feeling suddenly 'silent and calm', I could hear people talking, echoing almost, but couldn't hear their exact words. My hearing was focused on the pool. I couldn't see Ollie. I remember feeling sick in the pit of my stomach, I remember seeing someone under the water, with blonde hair - I assumed it was his older brother Aaron he could swim and was always fooling around. It all happened so quickly. It was a split second where I shouted for my husband Mark - he raced over to the pool and pulled him out. He was conscious, but only just. He was blue, his lips, tongue,gums completely blue. He was barely breathing, we laid him on his side, he coughed up a lot of water, I could hear him wheezing and struggling to get air. It was a day we have never ever forgotten. He was under for around 30 seconds. Witnesses describe him moving, fighting to stay afloat then suddenly the movement stopped. It was around that point that my attention was 'drawn' to the pool, and instinct took over.

He was only 3 at the time but said something amazing, he could 'see a light' and see 'daddy coming to get him'. This was impossible as Mark had to race from one end of the garden to the other. That evening whilst sitting beside his bed, I cried and cried. I told my sister what happened, she cried. Things could have been so so different that day.

I know I moan and whinge about the kids (who doesn't), but when I look at Oliver, Aaron and Cameron, I am so grateful for having them, I'm so scared of losing them, I appreciate everything about them. If my senses hadn't been suddenly drawn to the fact that 'something was wrong', if Mark hadn't rescued Ollie (my hero, and he didn't even have to wear budgie smugglers) if I hadn't acted so quickly in clearing his airway etc then our lives could have been so so different. Maybe thats why I photograph my children almost every day (poor things)!!!!

OK depressing part over, time to celebrate as my baby is 9, cheeky and incredibly gorgeous!!!

So, on the 7th May 1999, Oliver James Patrick Jones emerged (via caesarian AND forceps -eeerrrmmmmmm, ouch) into our world! I can honestly say, from the moment he was born, he's been the most content, calm and free spirited child I have ever known. Even as a bub he would just sit for hours on end, watching the Jones Family madness (much more entertaining than Teletubbies). With 2 older brothers, I often watched (occasionally in horror) as they would feed him, change his nappies and carry him downstairs (by the arms)!!!! (ok so my motherly skills weren't exactly spot on)! He never cried, just smiled. He learnt to take a lot of rough and tumble! Even the Health Visitor was surprised at how much the kid could take!!!

Today, my baby turns 9!!!!! How did that happen?? Where have those years gone??? To me, he still is and always will be the baby of the family. He's still just as calm and content as he was on the day he was born. I love him, and his brothers so much its scary (Mark would agree I'm one scary lady when it comes to protecting my boys)!!! I still wake at 2am every night to check on them, I still sit at the end of their beds, watching them sleep. I miss them and think about them every minute of the day when I'm at work, or when they're at school. I have been known (Mr Rugins close your eyes now) - to take the boys out of school for the day, just so we can spend the day together (ok, in my defense they may well have had slight colds..... who knows!)

Anyone that knows little Ollie, knows just what a cutie he is (not biased at all)! He loves being different to the other kids at school. Having long, blonde, curls that (due to the nitty problem at school) I quite often have to put in a bun, or tie in a ponytail (noooo, I do not want a girl)!!! He loves the simple things in life; his friends, the outdoors, wildlife, wearing wacky clothes, building sand castles on the beach, playing with his toy soldiers - it amuses me no end that I find them patrolling the house in one form or another. He loves to climb into bed with Mark and I on a morning and cuddle up to us still sucking his thumb. When I drop him off at school, he always turns around and blows me a kiss. He's a child that never asks for anything. Its incredibly difficult to buy presents for him! With the other two, all I hear is that infamous 'I want, I want, I want" - with Ollie, he's just happy with what he gets, and, more often than not, they're the older two's hand me downs!

So too our gorgeous, happy go lucky little boy, HAPPY 9th BIRTHDAY!!! We all love you soooooooo much! We hope we can give you the most fantastic birthday present you deserve! Your one request was for me to design your very own birthday card.....I hope this one will do, as it just sums up the way you make us see our life.

X Mummy, Daddy, Cam and Aaron X

A very special mention to my Nanna in the UK whose celebrating another birthday! Heres a girl who knows how to do it in style - she fell and broke her wrist (tut tut Nanna - been on the booze)??? Get well soon, we think about you everyday and love you so so much! I'm sure Katy, Fern and Maggy are looking after you well (if not, you're in your 90's - you have permission to be demanding and act as dotty as you like)! Love you Nanna X

Oh and in an edit to the above re Ollie - have just spent the morning denitting the child again - deep joy!!! X