Brianna
Holiday!!
Aug 23rd
We managed to take a holiday this week! Despite the super rainy weather it was great 
On monday we took a “holiday at home” day. We went to the breathing space cafe at indooroopilly for breakfast then caught a train into south bank where we visited the science centre. From there, we had lunch at southbank and went for a play on the park before catching the train home again.
Malachi @ the science centre
Binna and Mummy @ the science centre
Malachi playing @ southbank
On tuesday morning we packed all our gear and decided to head up the cost (it was sunny then )
Trying on the new swimming gear from daddy.
First stop: underwater world!
Next stop: the shearwater resort @ kings beach…. only by now it’s raining!! (these photos were taken from our balcony early wednesday morning)
but all was not lost – the kids enjoyed watching playschool
and we went on a bit of a shopping spree!…
…which resulted mainly in lots of great bargains (new clothes) for daddy – but some super cute nighties and socks for the girls too (amongst other things)
lots of fun!
we’re back home now and slowly getting ready for the weekend! Jer and I are heading away for our church couples retreat overnight tomorrow night. My dad will be having the kids for a little bit in the evening, then Adrian will be looking after the girls here and Julia is taking the brave step of looking after malachi for the night 
Flower Girl Practice Dress
Aug 9th
Brianna is going to be a flower girl in Erica and Joshua’s wedding next month so I made a trial of the pattern Erica picked for her – it’s super cute (haven’t done the zip or the hem yet).
I’ve cut a purple one out for Bella too (can’t leave her without a new dress if Binna’s getting one ) – will finish it later today I hope! Still no new sewing machine, or contact from the seller 
i’m hoping this isn’t my first bad ebay experience
I think this is a first!
Aug 9th
Lots of Sewing!!
Aug 2nd
I bought a new sewing machine this week!!! But it hasn’t arrived yet Hopefully it will either today or tomorrow – but I’ve been going sewing crazy in anticipation (I have a machine that belongs to a friend at the moment)
I picked up some sensational buys at scaafs last week (remnants were 50% off already reduced prices). I got 1×1.35M of funky denim for $6.25 and made a skirt for me, a skirt for binna and a reversible bag for me! (pics below)
I finally got around to doing a reconstruction on a denim skirt I picked up from an op shop ages ago in a “fill a bag for $10″ bundle. It made a super cute skirt for ellia and the inside of the bag.
I also got a remnant that was 2.5m x 1.35m of a very cool stripey cord fabric and made a skirt for heidi (no photos, forgot to take one before she left!), a matching bag for her and one for her husband too (he was having bag jealousy so I made him a “man-bag” to match hers – don’t know if he’ll actually ever use it tho! )
The Denim Skirt (before)
… in action (she wouldn’t let me take a nice photo)
Brianna’s Skirt
My bag
Heidi & Justin’s Bags
Mid-year update
Jul 24th
After having a few people (lovingly of course) provoke me, I am finally here updating our blog. The last three months have been an absolute whirlwind, Jeremy had three work-related trips to SE Asia (Hong Kong and mainland China), we had conference at church, youth camp and Jeremy had a trip to the USA for a church conference in California! Of course that was on top of the usual craziness of life in the Smith house! Jer has resigned from his job at Pool Systems (effective 17th August) and is taking a full time position on the church staff as youth and music director. We’re all very excited about what the Lord has coming up for our family!
The children are all growing quickly – Malachi is such a little man now. Brianna is being challenging but is enjoying learning to read and some early numeracy skills. Ellia is … well, Ellia – she’s unique and wonderful, hyperactive and incredibly affectionate!
Now for some photos… My camera has been out of action since earlier this year due to me losing the battery for it (and no I have no idea how I actually managed to do that). However, last month I got a new phone and it actually takes pretty decent photos – not as good as Jer’s new phone… but that’s not the point!
This key rack was made for Mr and Mrs John after Mrs John mentioned they needed to get a new one as the old one was getting a bit tired in it’s old age. We were hoping to have it done for her birthday but it ended up being about a week later! From L-R the handprints are Bella’s, Binna’s and Malachi’s. I did a practice run of Malachi’s on a piece of paper which worked wonderfully only then he didn’t want to do it again on the “real thing”!
This pelican lives outside Mr and Mrs John’s front door – the girls think it is designed for riding on, so of course Malachi has copied them. He got off before I got the photo tho! So cute!!!!!
This photo was taken mid July while we were at the airport waiting to pick daddy up from his trip to the US.
