A windy weekend....

The winds were wild in Sydney over the weekend. 

So when we heard about the Festival of the Winds at Bondi on Sunday, we thought it was the perfect place to see some kites in action and make the most of the weather. 

We arrived at the beach and found a parking spot fairly easily which is a rarity in Bondi on the weekend and walked down to the beach. It was a little crowded but not unbearable. 

We loved seeing the big kites against the blue sky but our favourite part was the people that had brought their own kites down to fly. It was so much fun watching parents teach their kids how to launch the kites in the wind, strings getting tangled, kites falling onto people. Lots of laughs! Everyone was having such a great time. Sometimes it really is the simple things.

We bought the boys their own "world's smallest kites" from a stall at the beach so they can fly them in our backyard. We'll make the most of this windy weather whilst it's here.

I've popped up some photos from our day below -

Sunday Drive - July 2016

It was our first Sunday in a while that we had no plans and nowhere to be. After a quiet morning at home we decided to get into the car and go for a drive. The sun was shining, we had the music on and we headed up to West Head and Akuna Bay in the Kur-in-gai National Park for a little family outing.

The bush was looking beautiful and the view across Pittwater over to Barrenjoey headlands and out to Palm Beach was stunning. Everything was lovely and green after all the recent rain and the sun was sparkling off the water.  I took the opportunity to grab some photos of the boys and the family. The boys are growing up so fast, they are changing by the day!

We took a little stroll down one of the bush trails up at West Head and promised the boys that we would come back another weekend for a longer bush walk.  It was a great impromptu outing.

How was your weekend? Did you head out for a Sunday drive?

My Mother's Day weekend

We had a Mother's Day weekend as we hosted dinner at our place on Saturday night for both our mums and families as it was the one time we could all be together.

Simon cooked a delicious chicken and chorizo paella, followed by 2 fabulous cakes and lots of champagne. I felt very pampered and I hope our mums did too. 

My contribution to the night was setting the table ;)

I couldn't go past those pink tulips without picking up a few bunches.

We love the Lemon Drizzle cake from Flour and Stone. 

It's the perfect blend of sweet with a tart tang! The chocolate cake was divine as well.

It was a lovely night.

On Sunday morning I woke up to handmade cards and gifts from the Mother's Day stall at school.

Bliss! I always love seeing what the boys choose.

We all sat in bed sipping sparkling apple juice from champagne flutes and the boys all made little speeches. It was so sweet. 

Sunday was a relaxed day at home. We were going to go out but it was a little chilly and we were all happy to stay put. I pottered around finding spots for my gifts, including this new Slim Aarons print.

In the afternoon my box of chocolates were opened and shared around. 

You can't go past a classic Milk Tray!

I felt very lucky and loved.

How was your Mother's Day? Did you get spoilt?

What did you get up to?

Our Sunday - markets, kombis and food.

My mum offered to mind the boys for a few hours on Sunday and Simon and I jumped at the chance to check out the markets and go to lunch.
We pottered around the local organic markets and bought a couple of candles, soap and some new succulents for the garden. It was so good to just wander around, just the two of us.
We then drove up to Palm Beach for lunch. The drive was all part of the fun.We took the kombi and had the windows open and the breeze streaming in.Pure Sunday driving.

We ate at Cranky Fins, which has a very cool, casual surf shack vibe. I love a restaurant with a unique decor.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at home with the boys potting up the succulents and getting ready for the new school week. 

How was your weekend?

all photos my own

Our Weekend

On Saturday night Simon and I decided to check out the Night Noodle Markets in Hyde Park. It was the last night and was part of Sydney's Good Food Month.

We  had heard it was busy but we had no problems getting food and a seat quickly.

The dumplings were delish!

St Mary's Cathedral across the road always looks beautiful but especially at night.

On Sunday after taking the kids to a party in the morning, it was lovely to have the afternoon just pottering around at home.

I took the chance to pop up to Bunnings and grab some new Hydrangeas for the pots near the front door.

Simon painted up a round table I found at Vinnies months ago. I had been looking for one for about a year.  It had to be just right. 
I didn't take any pics of the table pre paint job but it was just an ordinary old pine table.  Isn't it amazing what white paint can do?

We used a semi gloss enamel on it so it should handle the wear and tear of family dining :) I'm so happy with it. It lends a really fresh feel to the space. I love how the ghost chairs go with everything.
I also got caught up in the early Christmas decorations on display at Domayne. I had to add these ones to my collection. 

How was your Sunday? 

All photos are my own. They were taken on my new iPhone 5s.  I'm loving the new crispness and clarity in my pics.

Our Sunday.

We had the family over for lunch today as a surprise celebration for my mother in laws retirement.

We hired a huge paella dish and Simon made the most delicious paella with chicken, chorizo, prawns, rice, capsicum, tomatoes, corn and stock. It was a hit plus plenty for leftovers & lunches tomorrow!

It was the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon, the kids played in the sunshine, we sat around and chatted and Noah practiced his walking. He's up to 4 steps before falling down :)

I also tried out a new punch recipe which was a mix of lemonade, cranberry juice, rosewater, raspberries and lime. It was so lovely. I always like to make something different to drink for occasions just to make them a little special.
How was your Sunday? Do you like paella?