12/12/12…..

Posted on December 12, 2012 by natalietrew

Today is a very special day! 12/12/12….what a significant date! Today marks the last day that includes a date with consecutive numbers that we will ever see in our life time again! Because of this I want to reflect on what I’ve done today…..

Being a Wednesday it’s always my down day after working my two days on Monday and Tuesday. The girls and I always drop Bailey off in the drop off zone at school and then come straight home and potter. I’d already tidied up around the house first thing when I woke up, because today’s task was to do all my baking for the kid’s teacher’s gifts, and that I did. In fact I baked 36 cupcakes, a batch of choc chip cookies and two batches of tim tam balls! All I have to do now is ice the cupcakes tomorrow and gift bag them all – I have 5 to do in total!

Today is also a significant day in my life, as it is the last day at home with just me and my gals! Tomorrow is technically the last day but we go to the shops on Thursdays so today is our last day to hang at home! We’ve shared many laughs today. The girls are so funny together and individually. They’ve enjoyed licking the bowls of the cupcake mixture and the beaters too. They are my taste testers and never once have I had a bad review 🙂 We played outside for a little while and once Mia went down for her nap, Sienna and I had a lovely lunch together….I’m really going to miss my lunch date next year:( I even managed an hour to myself while both girls napped at the same time!

In the afternoon we went and picked Bailey up from school and captured yet another significant moment. Today marks the last day my son and my two nephews will be at the same school together as Sebby is off to high school next year!

Another fantastic moment of the day was reading my son’s report card. It brought a tear to my eye to see all As for effort and all high or very highs with one sound for SOSE. Bailey has had lots of issues with his ears again this year, so to see how well he has done at school makes me one proud mumma!
He also received a reward for his level 1 behaviour….now to consistently apply this to home lol!

The rest of the afternoon was bliss:)…we ate popcorn and mangoes for afternoon tea and then went for a bike ride to the park. The kids had a wonderful time enjoying all their favourite things! Bailey kicking his footy, Sienna practising finally being able to swing herself on the swing and Mia going down her favourite slide! I even managed to get my Christmas card photo so I can finally start making my Christmas cards!

I did have a scare though I thought for 10 minutes that I’d lost my mobile at the park…eeeek! In that moment I was feeling awful, terrible – how can a mobile phone cause such grief if lost lol! My phone isn’t just a phone though it’s my life. My camera, my blogging, it’s all done from my phone…thank goodness I found it in my clothes cupboard….I know I’ve lost it completely lol!

All in all 12/12/12 was a great day filled with lots of lovely moments and milestones! It ended just as great as we were able to spend an hour with Kane when he got home at 6.30 having dinner, dessert and looking at our Christmas lights!

RIP Daniel Morcombe….

Posted on December 7, 2012 by natalietrew

I’m sure there wasn’t one person in Australia today who didn’t stop for a second to pay their respects to Daniel Morcombe and his family.

9 years ago a happy family who were enjoying life and the festivities that bring us at this time of year, had their hearts ripped out, torn apart and then stood on! The day their son went missing…..A son, grandson, brother, cousin, nephew and friend. Gone. 9 long pain staking years of searching, hoping, grieving. And today the Morcombe family can finally lay their beautiful boy to rest.

As I watched Daniel’s ceremony along with many other millions of Australians, my heart sank each and every time Daniel’s parents, Denise and Bruce Morcombe’s grief stricken faces were in view of the television screen. The braveness of Bruce when he read his piece and the sorrow that overtook Denise’s face as she shook her head at the thought of having to say a final goodbye to her little boy. As a tear dropped from my eye, my daughter asked me are you crying mummy? I put my arms out and there we sat hugging so tightly, appreciating what we have. When you are having a bad day, you only have to think of the Morcombes and that sure puts things into perspective!

I can’t even begin to imagine how they must feel now and over the past 9 years. Parents shouldn’t have to bury their children. It’s gut wrenching enough when children are taken from this earth by car accidents or terminal illnesses, but the way Daniel was taken…..how, as a parent, do you pick yourself up and recover from that!? Denise and Bruce Morcombe are such an inspiration and through their grief and pain have always showed their strength, courage and dignity when dealing with the media….what wonderful people, no wonder Daniel was known for being so mature, loving and thoughtful!

When I woke up this morning one of the first things I thought of was Daniel and his family and how they were feeling. As a mum, if I was Denise, I would give anything to hold my boy one last time. I would tell him how much I loved him and how proud of him I was. I would tell him to be brave and to try not be scared….I took the opportunity this morning to spend the extra time with my babies in bed. One by one I held them tight and gave them several sweet little kisses on their beautiful little faces. I told each of them I loved them and then squeezed them extra tight!

Sadly no one knows what’s around the corner. Daniel’s story is one that has impacted on Australia as a nation and although for the Morcombe family their story didn’t conclude with a happy ending, they sure have made it their job to bring such great awareness of child safety and stranger danger. In this situation they could have curled up in a ball and stopped living, but they chose to take the positive path and made sure Daniel’s legacy will always live on and that I am sure will happen!

So to all the mums and dads out there, make sure you give your little ones an extra big cuddle and kiss before bed tonight. Don’t sweat the small things and remember to stop and listen to your children when they want to talk to you! Life is so precious and way too short. I appreciate everyday that I am here on this earth being a mum to my three angels and I sincerely hope the Morcombe family can find peace now that their son has been laid to rest….RIP Daniel Morcombe – you will forever be in the hearts of many Australians near and far!

Trew’s Christmas Traditions #1 – Our Christmas Display!!

Posted on December 5, 2012 by natalietrew

This blog piece is the first of many Christmas traditions that I shall share with you over the coming weeks! As I’ve stated several times we LOVE Christmas!!!! We love EVERYTHING that goes with it!!!!!

The first thing we do each year to start the festive season off is decorate our house with a tree, ornaments and lots of lights…I mean 2000 of them! About 4 years ago now we started putting up lights out the front of our house. Each year since then, we have added and added to our collection and this year is our biggest display yet!

The kids just love it! We spend about half an hour each night sitting out the front looking at our lights. The kids get their pillows and blankets and lay them out on the driveway and soak up each twinkle of every light. We often have our dessert out the front and have had a picnic dinner out in front of our lights as well!

Inside we always have the kids help us decorate our tree. That is their favourite part of turning our home into a Christmas wonderland! Traditionally each year so far, Bailey has put the star on our tree because he is the tallest! I always place the kid’s Christmas bears under the tree…their nanny bought each of them one the year they were born:)

Like every celebration, I always decorate my red wall!

And what would a Christmas be without being able to count down until the big day….

We are so happy with how our decorating has come together this year! I hope the next few weeks go really slow so we can lap up and enjoy all the hard work that we’ve put in to make our home the land of Christmas!

Let the Festive Season Begin!

Posted on November 30, 2012 by natalietrew

This weekend officially marks the beginning of the festive season! Whether it’s celebrating with friends or family, it always involves lots of laughter, eating, love, giving and receiving!

Each week from now I will post a blog that is related to something that we traditionally do at christmas time. We are in love with this time of year and the excitement that it brings our children! We started preparing for christmas two weeks ago now when we got out all our lights out and started decorating the front of the house. So far we up to about 2000 lights with the finishing touches happening this weekend!

There is something so endearing about this time of year. Between Santa, reindeers, holly, red and green, stars, bells and snow flakes, it’s a wonderful time to decorate, celebrate and appreciate out family and friends! Now that we have children we have started many ‘Trew Christmas Traditions’ that we intend on continuing for many years to come!

Enjoy the festive season and I look forward to sharing with you our Christmas joy during the month of December!

Me & My Gals…..

Posted on November 28, 2012 by natalietrew

It’s been almost two years since we welcomed a second daughter into our family. Almost two years of being a party of 5 and almost two years since Bailey started school, therefore almost two years since its been just me and my gals at home!

We’ve had so much fun together! It’s been such a precious time watching Sienna nurture and love her baby sister. The time spent watching my daughters form their beautiful sisterly bond, has been captured and enjoyed over and over again. They laugh at each other, help each other to do things, they play nicely, they annoy each other, but one thing is for sure they look out for each other each and everyday!

The realisation that Sienna starts prep next year is really starting to hit home and as of this week, there is only three weeks left of the school year, which means only three weeks left of just me and my gals at home! Mia is going to be lost without her big sister. Her big sister is her one person who no matter what, will drop everything when Mia says “Sie Sie play!” Sienna can be half asleep and she will still drag herself outside to make her little sister happy! It will certainly take some time to get use to!

For me, I will miss the laughter! The girls laughing at each other and with each other is like music to my ears! So often their laughter will stop me in my tracks and I will just sit and watch and laugh with them! Mia is the funniest little person I know….who will be there to share in her antics now!? Sienna is such a proud big sister and always gets excited when Mia learns to do something new….Mia’s biggest fan is starting a new phase and the time they’ve spent together over the past two years will be so very different now!

But like anything, we don’t have a choice and we have to move on with the change! I don’t particularly like change though!!!!!! Like I said, it will be hard at first, Mia and I will feel like there is a piece to our puzzle missing, but we’ll get use to it…it was exactly the same when Bailey started prep! We are so happy for our Sie Sie girl and know that she is going to have a blast at school!

So in the next three weeks I plan on enjoying my time with just me and my gals – I will embrace it and all the greatness that it brings!

Exercise is a Drug…But a Damn Good One!

Posted on November 23, 2012 by natalietrew

If I was told a year ago that in a years time I would be obsessed with exercising I would have laughed like someone was telling a funny joke! I know what being obsessed with exercise is like…I’d been there and done that before! I was off on another track (having babies) for a while, but eventually found my way back on the track that I knew for many years before becoming a parent!

I look back at what I was like and wonder how I existed with the lifestyle I led! I got myself into a pattern of bad eating habits, poor sleeping and never getting out to exercise, but then one day I decided to change all of that and although they say losing weight is 80% food and 20% exercise, it’s the exercise I now do that has enabled me to become the strongest person I can be….it is my drug I take which helps me cope with the throws of life!

For me, exercise….
*Helps me to clear an overloaded brain…so much can go on at the one time around here and there are days where I literally feel like my brain is going to explode….but once I’ve exercised I can come back to the same situation with a clear mind!

*It helps me to manage my busy life without having regular meltdowns….there are times of the month or certain times of the year when life becomes so busy I just want to stop and scream…this feeling is becoming a faded memory of the past since exercising!

*It allows me to think positively….it’s so much easier at times to look at an ordinary situation with a negative attitude…since exercising I feel so much more calm when faced with a difficult situation!

*It allows me to get so much more done in a day…before exercise, I would have days where I could barely put one foot in front of the other, now I just get up and soldier on until things are done!

*It allows me to feel confident as a mum, as a teacher and as me!

*It allows me to feel strong…like I can handle anything!

*But most importantly it allows me to feel awesome! Keeping fit and eating healthy helps me to get out of bed each day with a step in my stride!

You often hear people say ‘your obsessed’ with exercising or ‘it’s their new obsession’! Once exercising for a while, like a drug, your body starts to crave it, your mind keeps telling you need it, which is where the obsession starts! But when put into context and compared with actual ‘drugs’, I know what I would rather choose! If my ‘drug’ in life is exercise and for me that’s running, then I’m proud to say I’m an addict! Because at the end of the day like any obsession with the cravings and withdrawals….exercising may be a drug in habit, but a bloody damn good one!

Guardian Angels……

Posted on November 22, 2012 by natalietrew

Today my family celebrates the 52nd birthday of a very special lady who sadly passed away 16 years ago:'( This lady is my aunty Lyn…the lady who was my god mother and who was like a second mother to me.

The passing of aunty Lyn was nothing but gut wrenching! I remember it like it was yesterday:'( I remember her being beautiful, happy and vibrant at my twin sister’s 21st birthday and before we knew it she was in hospital having a lump removed from under her tongue which ended up being cancer! The big C word…it’s criminal, it’s awful and it’s nasty! We were so hopeful and positive that once the lump was removed and radium was administered, she would go into remission and we could go back to embracing life for what it was…sadly that didn’t happen:'(

After 5 short months of being diagnosed with oral cancer, my beautiful god mother passed away peacefully with her loved ones surrounding her. On that day, May 22nd, I distinctively remember her waking for a moment and then taking her last breath! I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry, I wanted to hurt something!!! How can life be so cruel:'( That day two little boys lost their mother, a husband his wife, a mother and father their daughter, a sister and brothers their little sister and we lost our aunty Lyn!

Not a day goes by where we don’t stop and think about her. Aunty Lyn and her family were a huge part of my childhood memories. We spent many holidays together where we would play tennis, cards, swim, eat and laugh a load! When I close my eyes I still remember her smile, her voice and her infectious laugh! I was 16 when aunty Lyn passed away and I still wish everyday that she was here with us!

But even though she is not physically here for us to kiss, cuddle and talk to, she is with us in spirit. When Elton John’s Candle in the Wind (which was played at her funeral) plays on the radio, we believe that is her signal to us that she is close by! Her time on earth may have been up, but her memory will live on forever.

Sadly, 7 years after my aunty Lyn passed away, her eldest son Scott, was tragically killed in a car accident! Once again our family was forced to face another gut wrenching situation:'( That was tough. That was indescribable pain that we thought we were recovering from and we were knocked down at the point where we felt like we were starting to get up. But to help us with the grieving process of Scotty, we will always find comfort in the fact that he is together with his mother and I bet they are having a beer together as I speak:)

Our family has been through a lot in the last 16 years, but the love and close bond we share, has enabled us to grieve together, laugh together, share memories together and pick each other up when we feel down! As much as we’ve all asked the question why us, we are now at peace that we live each day with not one, but two guardian angels who look down on us and guide us through the mystical maze of life!

Happy birthday aunty Lyn…may you and Scotty be dancing in the heavens above. We love you both and miss you everyday!!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxox

The End of a Road….

Posted on November 16, 2012 by natalietrew

Today marks the end of another class of graduating year 12s! It’s such a massive thing finishing school. For the past 12 years, these young adults have been spending 6 hours a day, 5 days a week institutionalised and suddenly they are now set free to conquer the world! Some will go onto study, some will travel, some will get a trade and some will get stuck into working straightaway! Amongst the class of 2012 there will be doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, builders, plumbers, athletes and the like! It’s up to them now to make of themselves the best they can be, after having many influential people in their lives since the first day they started school!

This day and moment brings me back to my last day of school! I still remember it like it was yesterday…even though it was exactly 15 years ago! For me it was such an emotional time in my life! I loved school and what it provided for me! It was fun, it was full of social gatherings be it discos or sports days! It served a purpose and most of all it brought me wonderful friends and the person I would one day call my husband!

The last week of high school was one of the best and memorable weeks of my life! The formal, speech night, graduation day, our celebration trip to Dream world…memories that will last forever!

The Formal….

Oh the day after the formal….

Lol

Speech Night….

Literally a handful of awards:)

The last day of school….

Walking out of the school gate for the very last time was both scary and exciting! Scary as I was saying goodbye to my safe place, the place where I was the most comfortable and confident, but exciting because I had the world at my feet and the rest of my life ahead of me to pursue my dreams! And that I have! I live with no regrets – wishes yes, but no regrets! I’m proud of who I am and what I have achieved in the past 15 years! I’ve become a teacher, a wife, a mother and a home owner! I’ve travelled overseas and along the way have experienced many ups and downs which has helped shaped the person I am today! But of course I owe a lot to my wonderful parents and the up bringing they provided us!

So if I was to give a speech to the graduating class of year 12 it would be….

Live life to the fullest, but keep safe. Life is a precious gift that should never be let waste away! Enjoy your younger years while you still have them and if you can travel and see the world through different eyes! Reach for the stars and don’t give up on your dreams. You have the ability to be whatever you want to be so keep striving to turn your dreams into reality! Think wisely and use your common sense! Don’t do what others tell you to do, do what you know is best for you and your future! When you’ve got something good going, don’t let it go and keep working at making yourself better! It’s up to you now….you are now after all these years in complete control. This maybe the end of the road for school, but it’s only just the beginning of what could be something pretty special!

If you are doing your absolute best than that’s all you can ask yourself of!

Don’t Forget…..

Posted on November 14, 2012 by natalietrew

We are getting to the crazy time of year where our to do lists are as long as our arms and we start to feel overwhelmed that things are just not going to get done! For the first time, as a wife and mother, I feel the most relaxed and organised I’ve ever been at this time of year! We’ve finally finished spring cleaning the house, just in time to spend the next couple of weekends turning our house into the land of ‘Christmas’!!! We are super excited, the kids are super excited and we can’t wait to live, breathe and eat everything Christmas!

But one thing that can happen at this time of year is forgetting the most important things in life! Yes we are all super busy and yes we are all super busy with stuff that is mostly unavoidable, but we can’t forget how to enjoy ourselves and relax (where we can) with the ones we love! Christmas only comes once a year and is over in the blink of an eye and if we spend the whole time highly strung and stressed over things that really aren’t worth the extra grey hairs, we’ll all look back and regret that we didn’t just simple embrace the festive season for what it is!

Today I got up and had my list of things I wanted to do, but thought why? Why should I fold the washing today when I can read a book to my children? Why put a load of washing on right now when my three children are cuddling on my lap? Why should I tidy up my laundry when my daughter is asking me to play tennis? So my today’s list didn’t quite get finished, but I don’t care, because my children are more important than any list I’ll ever write!

So this is how I will get through the crazy busy time of Christmas….if I want to I will, if it’s not important enough I won’t! I will still do what I HAVE to do, but I will do it and then treat myself to something that makes me happy – my children, my husband, running, crafting, baking, decorating! I will make sure I enjoy spending time with my friends and family and when I do have some time to myself I will use it wisely! I will stop when I’m tired and I will go like a crazy lady when I’m full of energy….but most importantly I will not forget why we celebrate this time of year in the first place!

Life is busy. Life is a rollercoaster. But if we let the business of life take over then we will forget how to live, how to love, how to enjoy! So don’t forget this festive season….stop, breathe, look around, and enjoy life for what it is!

A Snip in the String!

Posted on November 11, 2012 by natalietrew

Things are changing. Bailey is becoming a mature little man, Mia has left her baby days behind her and is becoming an independent little lady and the biggest change that is round the corner is Sienna starting prep. That means when school resumes for another year next year, I’ll have two out of three of my children going to school!

When you become a mum for the first time, you really only think about the kisses, cuddles and laughter that will be shared with your little ones, but my goodness it’s so much more than that! With each age brings a new phase. For the first few years the phases are ones that are managed from the home and then they turn 4 and 5 and they have to go to school! School! That means 5 days a week, 6 hours a day of being under the influence of someone other than yourself, husband or grandparent! It’s the first bit of the apron string that is cut forever and it’s really hard to stomach!

From the second Sienna was placed on my chest she became my little princess, the sun that brightens up my day with her infectious smile and laugh. Up until the age of 3 and a half she was only ever cared for by myself, my husband or my mother. When she started preschool she was so sad:( She cried when we dropped her off and was ecstatic when we arrived to pick her up! She would beg me to let her stay home with nanny. But then she started to cry less and less when we dropped her off. She started to become confident when having to leave me. She finally found a love of learning and enjoyed having a place that she could call her school!

Thank goodness! I was beginning to think Sienna was never going to want to cut her piece of the apron string, but slowly, bit by bit she has. You spend days and days leading up to the first time they have to leave you feeling sad and terrible and then when they cry and have to be ripped off your leg, you wish that they were happy and excited to be there…you can’t win! Sienna is so much like me. I always cried when I started school for the first time, which makes it even worse because I know exactly how she is feeling! Bailey has always been so different! He has hardly shed a tear when he’s been dropped off somewhere for the first time!

Yesterday was the beginning of what will be a wonderful prep journey for Sienna. It was Runcorn Heights prep orientation day. Sienna was exposed to her teachers, aides, peers and classrooms. She had a wonderful time after feeling a bit apprehensive before we got there. Yesterday showed me that my baby girl has matured and developed so much in terms of her confidence and self-esteem since the beginning of the year! I know I didn’t leave her, but there was no sign of tears or shyness, just lots of smiles and her having fun! This made my stomach feel settled and I was left feeling happy and content:)!

Then the moment when you purchase their school uniform for the first time! They wish for you to rush home so they can try it on. The shirt went on first, then the shorts and finally the hat. They instantly go from your baby to this big grown up that secretly you wish you could squish back up to a baby! You feel the tears wanting to drop from your eyes, but you don’t want them to notice! How did this happen? How did I go from breastfeeding, changing nappies, celebrating her first word and first steps to a prep student, in what feels like a blink of an eye!

This time should be easier, I’ve already done this before. But it’s not. No matter how many times I get one of my children ready to embark on their school journey, I always feel sad…happy for them, but sad that another chapter has closed! But as they say as one door closes another one opens. The new phase for us will be strange and different! I haven’t had one child home with me for 4 and a half years and Mia is going to miss her best gal like crazy! But I know this is the beginning of my little poppet’s education, where she will begin to stamp her mark on this world and for her to do this successfully, I have to set her free and snip that part of the string!

My big prep girl…she looks so adorable and grown up in her uniform:)

My Party of 5

Author Archives: natalietrew

12/12/12…..

RIP Daniel Morcombe….

Trew’s Christmas Traditions #1 – Our Christmas Display!!

Let the Festive Season Begin!

Me & My Gals…..

Exercise is a Drug…But a Damn Good One!

Guardian Angels……

The End of a Road….

Don’t Forget…..

A Snip in the String!

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