It may not be winter, but it's definitely doable...

Look... Here's the thing... I love winter. Love, love, love it. I love the cold; how it slices through you, makes your skin clear (and yes, dry, but get a moisturiser people!), makes you cuddle up with a hot tea and a book, and mostly? I love winter fashion. Autumn fashion. Any kind of cold/cool weather fashion. Give me boots, scarves, jackets, cardigans, jeans, stockings, anything to rug up in. I feel that fashion in the cooler seasons is just so classic and chic, and I also believe that women and men (and women and men dressing children) are able to express themselves through cool weather clothing so personally. Enough about winter. I may just change my mind about this whole post, because it actually has nothing to do with winter or winter clothing, and I am suddenly melancholy for the cool.

In a nod to making myself a little more "spring friendly", I have done a little research on what I would like to wear this Spring/Summer. A little bit of what is on trend a little of what I just think is cool, fresh and yacht (love that for describing... anything!!).

Surprising how the dress makes it all real...

I had my second last wedding dress fitting today. My gorgeous little/big brother came with me, which was impromptu and actually really special. I honestly thought it would just be the "bones" of the dress; maybe the top half, and only to make sure that we have the right measurements, but I walked into the room and there was my beautiful dress on the dress maker's mannequin, basically finished and absolutely perfect. I was blown away, and beyond excited. It was exactly how I had imagined it.

Duncan (brother) came in after I'd put it on with my wedding shoes, and even though we were in a hot, dodgy little room, my hair pulled up roughly, barely any make-up on and with my dear old dress maker, her husband and mother... for me it was a moment to remember. My brother and I are extremely close, so this was a lovely moment for us to share. Both of us grinning, me posing (as per usual) and swishing my skirt around, still euphoric after seeing and now wearing my wedding dress!

So, here it is... The last few weeks before the day....

20 days until The Wedding

Dancers by Degas

I'm not a huge art buff, and I couldn't "talk" art even if I wanted to, but there is one artist I simply adore! I love how the tutus are airy and light, and how the pointe shoes are their shiny pink. And I love his fascination with red hair. Degas' dancers are divine...

This is my favourite. 

This is my bargain...

The Bargain

by Sir Philip Sidney

My true love hath my heart, and I have his,

By just exchange one for another given:

I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,

There never was a better bargain driven:

My true love hath my heart, and I have his.

His heart in me keeps him and me in one,

My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:

He loves my heart, for once it was his own,

I cherish his because in me it bides:

My true love hath my heart, and I have his.

A poem that we were going to use for the wedding, 

but had to choose between two. 

Sadly, this one lost. 

Was actually a very hard decision, 

so I thought I'd place it here because it is beautiful...

Have yourself a merry little Christmas with Tiffany... and Patrick Wilson.

In theme of websites found by my sisters, this is another sibling find that I have to share, although it's a video, not a website.

Christmas is around the corner (as is my wedding... omg), so here's a little inspiration. Why can't my Christmas be anything like this?? (Like, all of it... the whole video....)

(I would click on this video and watch it in full screen on YouTube. Really. It's worth it.)

Home is.... in any of these please!

Thanks to my sister Chrissie, I am officially hooked on a certain website that takes you inside and outside amazing homes from movies and celebrities. Seeing as I am obsessed with houses, this probably isn't the biggest surprise of my (or your) life. Hooked on Houses is one of her best finds and I am more than happy to give credit where credit is due - straight to her.

Some of these houses are iconic - "Father of the Bride" being probably my most dearly loved - and are used many times for many films. I love imagining how I would decorate if I were to live in them; how I would use each room, and what furniture I would purchase (with my millions of dollars, obviously) and place, what colours I would paint the walls, or which wall paper would best fit the style of the room/house. I imagine the parties I would host, and the InStyle magazine shoots of my decor... You know, the usual stuff you have to think about before purchasing a home.

The other aspect to the website is to give you a peak at how the rich and famous are living. Some more modest than others, and some completely ridiculous. If you're anything like me and you love stalking celebrities and coveting their lifestyles, then this is definitely a site for you.

Below are some of my favourite homes from movies...

"Father of the Bride" - Maple Drive... sigh...

"Something's Gotta Give" Hampton house

Hampton house interior... why can't I have this?

Hampton house bedroom - comes with own Diane Keaton

"Marley and Me" farmhouse... Actual house. I want this dog also.

What I would give to have this....

And thrown in for good measure - Julia Child's french home.... More of a fence and garden view. Stunning.

One of life's most important lessons...

This has been one of the most relaxing weekends Lewis and I have had for awhile now. Really not due to popularity (more so just a busy life at the moment), we have had our weekends booked up with wedding planning, birthdays, work, uni and trips to Toowoomba - basically just something on every time. It has been exhausting (but fun!), and we've both been saying how excited we are for next year when we have no concrete commitments... yet.

This weekend, however, has been a delightful "stop". From Friday afternoon to Monday morning it has been booked out solidly with house sitting for our dear friends. So we have been watching over this amazing house, and this house happens to come with two of the most beautiful young teenagers I've ever encountered. They are a sister/brother combo who have perfect manners, are considerate, funny, clever, chatty and go out of their way to make YOU (yes, US.. invading their house for the weekend and at least 10 years older than them!!) feel comfortable and at home. The weekend, so far, has been spent playing card games and watching movies; enjoying a tea and a book while they do assignments and play sports; curling hair and painting nails while talking weddings; pancakes and cold rock (while still making sure they get nutritious foods!!); race car tracks and mario cart. Today shall be reading altogether, mowing the lawn, baking and then settling down for the rugby (football??) this afternoon.
Obviously I'm not completely blinded by love for this pair. Children of any age are still children, still little human beings, that have mood swings and tantrums etc, and so I know they would not be peaches and cream every second of every day. Every time we get to spend time with them though, they amaze us at how socially comfortable and adept they are, and how at ease they are with company much older than them. I also realise that one weekend is just a minuscule amount of time to understand what real parenting is like, but I still have to say... they are divine.
They throw 'pleases' and 'thank-yous' around constantly and ask if you'd like to join in on any activity they may be doing. They make sure you know how to play a certain game and they go out of their way to help you pick it up and do well. They ask about your life; what you're doing and how everything is going, and want to know about you. They are not shy, nor are they too boisterous and won't let you get a word in. Always asking you what YOU would like to do or what YOU would like for lunch or dinner.

Now, although I put a lot of their 'perfectness' down to their personalities being just so lovely, I have to say that a lot of where this comes from must be their amazing parents. To be a good parent takes so much time and effort, so to be a great one must be a constant effort with all of your time devoted to your little ones, especially when they're not so little anymore and their own opinions start coming through, and that's only scraping the surface. Our friends have done a constant, amazing job with their children, and we tell them that every time we're lucky enough to get to spend time with them all. I am forever saying that I'm going to kidnap their children, seeing as they've done all the hard work so far and moulded them into considerate, kind-hearted young people, so all I have to do is reap the benefits!

I suppose the moral of my "story" is that a lot of people take parenting so very lightly; become parents quickly with no thought to the immense job ahead of them that is for a very long time - if it ever ends. My father says he still wakes up worrying about us all, just hoping that we're happy, doing what we want to be doing and not making mistakes!! Some parents don't take their job as a role model seriously and so go about being a bad example for their young, impressionable children.
These friends of our's are some of the most amazing parents I have come across, along with my parents, Lewis' mother and my sisters. I only hope that one day, when we're blessed to have our big family(!), that we have taken lessons from those around us, and raise our's in a similar fashion. We should be so lucky...

I must finish here as Lewis, Sarah and Matt are starting the blueberry muffins and I don't want to miss out on this! I want to soak up every minute of this delightful weekend before it's over and we return to our busy life...