Day 30 "Something Beautiful"

Well well well...this is the last post for this challenge. Thank you to everyone who has read my blog. I hope it has encouraged you to take photos or everything and anything around you.

“True joy of nature is when every drop of water shines like a pearl.” 
― Anamika Mishra

Today i choose nature as my something beautiful. Even the ugliest tree has beauty in it.

Day 28 "My Favourite"

Ok so I managed to decide what I was going to take photos of and last night was the perfect opportunity...except I failed!!!I forgot my camera and it was too far away to fetch since I don't go to Hogwarts. Never mind! Second best option was my phone. Quality of photos not as good but made the challenge to be creative even more...challenging?

I think Mamma Mia's has to be my all time favorite restaurant. This is also where hubby took me for our first date. We had Mamma Mia pizza by the beach and it was just so yummy hubby didn't even notice the oil dripping down his chin....

So when I saw Grabone has a voucher for them I took the opportunity and last night we had a lovely family night out...

We were so worried baby girl was going to loose the plot because she'd had the last of her shots and was so miserable all afternoon, not to mention we didn't eat till late but she was better behaved and more relaxed than me and hubby!!! She ended up eating 1 1/2 slices of pepperoni pizza....

So if your in Auckland and haven't been or visiting Auckland make sure you book a reservation with Mamma's in Mission Bay. Price range $$$ but definitely yummy. Thank you GrabOne.

Day 29 "A Great Memory"

Yes i know! I was supposed to take photos of my favorite but I'm not sure what to do! Books? Baby again? snow?...That one might be a bit tricky...will have to keep pondering on that one! Anyway a great memory amongst many is my date day on mondays with baby girl. Since sister-in-law always teases me about how much this blog is about baby girl I'm determined to end these last few days of the challenge with a BIG focus on her just for sister-in-law!!!!

I tried experimenting with angles, close-ups and black and white. I think they came out ok. Some better than others.

Day 27 "Made You Laugh"

This movie made me laugh! I still laugh when we play this at Christmas time. Its become a yearly tradition now! I've honestly yet to find a better Christmas film... 

Feeding the ducks with baby made me laugh. She's obsessed with "quackies" and is quick to point them out in books or when they come to our front lawn but when we went to Western Springs I thought she would be overjoyed! But instead she was terrified! oh dear! It was funny though...

At a birthday party, Baby Girl was in her element on the car ride. She was totally cruising...

It made me laugh that she wanted to keep driving and wouldn't let her friend drive....lol...

Day 26 "A Simple Goodness"

Today's simple goodness is nature. I love how the flowers grow and bloom even when we don't care for them, feed them or water them. It's simply amazing!...

Of course baby has to feature somewhere in my blog so here she is! There is such a simple goodness in an infant. They haven't learnt yet to be deceitful, lie or yell "I hate you". They love you unconditionally and never hold grudges. I love her feet. They are so small and yet simply perfect in every way...

I love the heat and light that the spring and summer suns bring with them. Such a simple and reliable goodness. We know each day the sun will rise regardless of the weather or our mood...

Each of these simply goodnesses cannot be controlled and should not be attempted to control. They simply exist and provide much needed blessings in our hectic and crazy lives.

Day 25 "Something You Consider a Triumph"

Trying to capture motion is a bit of a challenge and I'n not sure I would consider these photos a triumph but hey! I tried.

So went to Western Springs to feed the duckies or "quackies" as baby would say and she was absolutely terrified!!! lol. At home she's obsessed with looking for quackies in the back yard.

The one below was hilarious! Me running to try and get the duck to fly and take a photo at the same time. I still thought it was cool...














And of course baby is definitely a triumph for me!

Day 24 "Something You Cherish"

On my 8th Birthday I had returned home from ballet to find the neighbors and my best friend from church had gathered at my house. I was so exited because I had thought they had forgotten my birthday. It was at that simple party at my house that I got gifted a music jewelry box with a twirling ballerina inside. To this day it still sits in my room and holds all the jewelry I posses...mostly junk or childhood jewelry I've kept.

I still wind it up sometimes to watch the ballerina dance because in my head that ballerina is me.

Day 23 "A Recent Splurge"

Ahhh admission of money spent...can I do this? Yes! But only if hubby doesn't read my blog. But then again...he's probably the only one who does! Ok...here are some recent splurges that we either bought together or didn't break the bank.

For our movie night we bought little treats...I remember buying twizzlers in America but i should have remembered that I didn't like them then and I certainly didn't like it this time...DOH!!

Now this was a beauty of a splurge. Did NOT realize how much turkeys cost....better be worth it this Thanksgiving...

My favorite! I bought some pink plastic chairs for my baby and she had so much fun posing for me I just had to take some photos! She did some great poses but I couldn't take photos fast enough. Yip! Definitely a future model or star lol...

Day 22 "Something You Miss"

This was a silly one.  I miss many things and many people. I miss my childhood growing up in Venezuela. I had a wonderful childhood, great friends, interesting culture and wonderful food. I miss that there hasnt been much progress in the right direction in Venezuela. I miss the lack of morals in NZ politics.  I miss travelling. I miss having money to do with what I want. I miss flatting with my awesum friends. I miss going to the movies or out to a restaurant or a night in a flashy hotel. I miss studying (even though I only finished two weeks ago!). I miss not weighing as much as I do now. I miss reading a good book. I miss going on dates with my husband...oh dear! I think that's enough!!! Nostalgia is not always healthy!

One thing I really do miss though is travelling so be prepared for todays overload of holiday photos! In particular our trip to the States and Venezuela...

First I miss Hollywood. Not the centre but around it and its places of interest. I certainly don't miss the stressful driving or the grime...

  

I miss the beautiful blue skies and Venice Beach....(for this shot I made Nathan run towards the birds to disturb them into flight....I'm just glad I didnt get poo'd on!)

I miss shopping at Dulce and Gabbana...hah! Lets be honest! That never happened but I do miss Chucky Cheese as I remember having a fun filled birthday there as a child...

    

                  

I miss Yosemite National Park. Such a stunning place!....

         

             

I miss Cathays Valley and Maripo

                           

I miss Arizona and its amazing scenery and cactuses and Western movie feeling. I miss Vegas not for its gambling but for its outragiousness. I miss the Grand Canyon for its majestic beauty. I used to have a viewfinder and slides of the Grand Canyon when I was a child so it was amazing to see it in real life...

 

I miss DisneyWorld and the fun we had there. I have fond memories of a birthday there as a child and was very happy to return! I miss our Venezuelan friends whom I spent my childhood with and who were very good to my parents...

         

                 This was our first home in Venezuela, Chivacoa. Still there and if you look real close there is someone in the doorway!

I miss the Venezuelan beaches with its clear blue waters and epic scenery....

I miss the Andes and especially miss Chicha, a drink made from rice...
             

I miss Valencia where we spent our last five years before coming to NZ. I especially miss our old home and our neighbours (below) who are still there...

 I miss my old school where I learnt German and had a lot of fun. I miss our old church which is located on the school grounds...
                                     

I miss the National Parks (Venezuelan's are very patriotic)...
                                     

I miss the Intercontinental Hotel where we had friends managing it and so got to spend many fabulous days playing and swimming in the pool...I miss the scenery at night in Valencia....



We also got to spend a night there with the lovely friends that were taking us around and I miss them too.

Anyway! Thats enough. We have a wonderful future to look forward to and I cant wait to see what it holds for us. I am sure there will be many more holidays overseas for us visiting friends from my childhood. I hope to see my God parents in Texas before they go to be with the Lord so that might have to be a soonish trip as they are in their 90's! Oh that money would grow on my lemon tree...