Birthday Eye Candy!

It's my birthday.

Since The Hubbster wouldn't pose for me, I thought I'd treat myself whilst keeping with the farm theme of course!

For Clara

The service for my Nanna was held in our beautiful Cathedral.

This is where my parents were married, where I was christened and confirmed, and where my fathers funeral was held.

It was also where I sat one rainy afternoon, a couple of days after my dad had died, looking for some kind of comfort at the most distressing time.

It's beautiful inside. And cold.

The church was full for Nannas' service. I moved to the microphone to support my cousin who was reading the eulogy.

We walked outside into the grey skies and the rain. I watched as my mother mourned for her mother.

That invisible cord that bound them together was no more.

My job for the day was supporting her.

I hugged my cousins and my aunts and uncles. The priest said to me "there is alot of you, isn't there".

I secretly smiled because that statement had so much power.

We have a big family. We have gone our separate ways. But we come together in times like this for each other.

It rained at the cemetery and it was so sad. I looked down at Nannas coffin, lowered in the ground and hoped she wasn't too cold.

She layed next to her husband in peace.

I held it together most of the day. I cried when I said my final goodbye as I dropped a red rose into the ground.

And when her Elvis was played, I came undone.

Travelling Again

I'm back at Sydney Airport. The third time in 10 weeks.

You'd think I would now be a seasoned traveller. But alas I'm just a country hick.

I've forgotten my toothbrush, my deodorant, my long black socks, the headphones for my Ipod and my blingy headband I wanted to wear tommorrow.

I'm obviously going shopping in the morning.

Unfortunately this trip is not a happy blogging experience. My sweet, gentle Nanna has passed away at the age of 92. I'm heading home for her funeral and a reunion that will be epic.

You see, I have a very big family. Mum has 2 sisters and 3 brothers. And I have so many cousins, possibly millions. And they have partners and kids ecetera.

I can't remember the last time we were all together. I mean all of us. Possibly when Pop died and that was over 20 years ago.

It's such a bittersweet reason for all of us to be together. I wish it was a more of a happy time...

But I kind of think how happy Nanna would be knowing HER family are all together.

I'm really missing my kids today. I've felt a bit teary all day, seeing little ones with their parents at the airport and at the train station.

I suppose it has to do with the reason for this trip.

It's nice to get away, but I can't wait to get home to them ♥

Win a New Ford Territory for a Year and $5,000

When I found out I had to write a blog post around the topic of "drive", I thought to myself:- "well this is right up my alley, or my long, steep craggy dirt driveway!".

You see, I live out of town. Hence my name Farmers Wifey.

We live on 75 acres in the glorious country. It takes around 10 minutes to drive to school, that's one kilometre down our steep craggy dirt driveway.

Here's my first vlog of my driveway. It's totally ridiculous and amateurish.



Then one kilometre along our dirt road, then around eight kilometres into town to our school.

It also takes half an hour to drive into town, where our children have their social lives.

This includes music and sports such as dancing, gymnastics, football and the skatepark. If I want to drive to the movies, it takes around 35 minutes. If I want to go shopping, it's the same.

We do hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of kilometres each week!

We drive over this railway crossing over 40 times a week.


Oh this one as well.


And we drive across this creek crossing over 40 times a week.


Except when it is flooded like this. Then we stay at home and watch dvds.


(I wonder does Ford make boats? I must look into that.)

What am I telling you here? We live in our car!

The kids occassionally do their homework in the car, or play their electronic game consoles.

We need to pass the time from one activity to another. Our car is like our second home.

This is my life.

The kids and I love to play games in the car, while driving in for our shopping, dancing or football, or driving to school in the mornings...

We refer to the first game as "the movie quote game".

We take it in turns to...well...say quotes from movies we love and see who can guess which movie we are referring to.

It's kinda like, I'll say: "Hello, my name's Bruce" "Hello Bruce"......from Nemo or

"You didn't file your paperwork"......from Monsters Inc or

I do the funny noise the bird makes in the movie UP which usually has the kids in hysterics..

The second game we play is the one I like to refer to as "Lets say how awesome Mummy is".

I start off by saying something in a singing tone and the kids repeat, like this:-

F/W Mummy is awesome

Kids Mummy is awesome

F/W Mummy is beautiful

Kids Mummy is beautiful

F/W Mummy cooks nice dinners

Kids Mummy cooks nice dinners

F/W Mummy is skinny

Kids Mummy is skinny

F/W Mummy's a good dancer

Kids Mummy's a good dancer

F/W Mummy's smarter than Daddy

Kids Mummy's smarter than Daddy (by now the kids are hysterical).......

The last game is a new one...we start off by singing the iconic song "The Wheels on the Bus" and in the verses we make reference back to "our" family.

Here, I'll show you:-

The wheels on the bus go round and round round and round, round and round The wheels on the bus go round and round All the way to town The people on the bus go up and down up and down, up and down The people on the bus go up and down All the way to town

Then we continue on with verses starting with:-

The tweens on the bus go yeah whatever or

The mummies on the bus go do your homework or

The boys on the bus go Ben 10 rocks or

The mummies on the bus go clean your room or

The kids on the bus go it's not my stuff or

The daddies on the bus go get off the computer or

The mummies on the bus go where's the wine or even

The mummies on the bus go kids you're busted

As you can see, we spend alot of time in the car.

A typical day for me would be loading the three kids into the car, all across the back seat, squashed in together. See how happy they look.


We drive in to school and I carry on to work. I use the car several time in my day driving to houses for inspections and back to school at 3pm.

We then drive back home, get changed and head off into town for sports and social activities. The kids, not mine.

The first stop could be singing lessons.

Then we might continue to the skate park while the girls go to dancing and gymnastics.

We sometimes get home after 8pm.


Because we spend so much time driving, I need a car with good seating flexibility, where I can spread out the kids so they keep their hands and feet to themselves.

And they don't fight.

I also need loads of boot space for the scooters, school bags, dance bags and smelly football boots.

And I need a cup holder or two for my water and for my hot chocolate to keep me hydrated during the endless hours I spend driving.

And I also need some awesome fuel economy because I'm not spending all of my hard earned cash at the petrol station.

This is what I need. The New Ford Territory.

Do you think my Akubra will go with this?



This is my entry in the Kidspot/Ford Top 50 Bloggers Comp. I'd love your vote.




So tell me, do you drive. Do you spend alot of time in YOUR car?

Vote for the Wifey...please ♥

I am so thrilled to be included in the Kidspot Top 50 Blogger list......

If you could spare a vote, please click the link below and the thumbs up icon.

I'd be ever so grateful and you only have to vote once. So I won't need to stalk you.

STEP away from the cow.

This is what happens when you let a country girl loose in the city.

She just can't keep away from the cows.

We found this bovine in the underground bar, sitting next to the cactus.


I'm not quite sure what she was doing there. She wasn't drinking but I think she was eating the peanuts.

If I could have packed her in my luggage I would have brought her home to live out her days on my farm chewing on a buttercup.

Cocktails and THE car

As I sit at Sydney Airport watching the planes go by, I reflect on last nights celebrations at the Kidspot/Ford Top 50 Bloggers Party.

I was lucky enough to meet with Kirrily on arrival yesterday and we made our way to the gorgeous hotel. After some preening, we had drinks in the darkly lit and mysterious bar with Beth, Mrs Woog, Bern and Bianca.

Yes I am namedropping.

The cocktail party was amazing....we met THE CAR at the door and proceeded to have photos taken on, in and surrounding THE CAR..or my car.

We took our bubbly upstairs to the gallery and it was mingling, chatting, hugging and squeezing for a couple of hours.

I was so happy to catch up with some bloggers I met at the Conference in March, and to meet some new ladies as well....

After the cocktail party finished, a group of us walked in the rain in our high heels to this strangly named and down an alley somewhere bar called the Shady Pines.

I was worried I was being taken to a retirement home but I was assured by the good ladies from Kidspot that there would be no old people there.

It was a cool bar and we proceeded to have drinks and chat to random men sitting around barrels (thank you Mrs Woog for the laughs).

Kirrilly and I shelled and ate our weight in peanuts as we were so hungry and before leaving I kissed a stuffed deer/bull/bear. I expect the photo will turn up somewhere.

We walked around Oxford Street and I love this area of Sydney, with its dark alleyways leading to amazing bars and gallerys and the little terrace houses we passed.

And the interesting and strange people whose stories I wonder about.

I finished the night with the best quiche I have ever had, snuggled back in my comfy bed watching the Discovery Channel.

It was such a wonderful night and it was made possible for me by the good people at Kidspot and Ford. Thank you for flying me to Sydney and allowing me to stay in a fabulous hotel.

The thing that is close to my heart right now is that even though we come from all over Australia and lead different lives, we can come together and connect over our shared love and passion for blogging.

I think I have found my tribe.

And if you are a blogger, you will understand how important that is.

Waiting on some great photos to post as my camera phone pics are dark and blurry.

The Wifey does Sydney. Again.

I'm leaving on an airplane....again!

The good people at Kidspot and Ford have kindly sent me to Sydney for the TOP 50 BLOGGERS COCKTAIL PARTY!

And it's all in capitals because it's going to be AWESOME!

I get to squeeze some of my favourite bloggers I met in March at the Conference...

Of course I'll post all about it tommorrow. I feel very lucky to be included in the Top 50 with some amazing women.

You all know who you are ♥

In the meantime, could you please vote for my little country blog...I'd be ever so grateful.....Here's the magic link!

Best Mother's Day EVER!

My favourite breakfast in bed - toast and vegemite and a cup of tea.

Brought to me on a baking tray......

Three children sitting around me....watching me eat.

And drink my tea.

Crumbs in the bed.

Present time......

The best part of all was the effort and excitement from the kids who wrapped and wrote messages to me...

Tickles and wrestles in the bed.

My three little birds...who made me a Mother.








Happy Mother's Day Mamas..........

Blogger Butts

It's been another busy week...I haven't blogged.

I've ran around. The usual stuff....

We played tennis again this week....we have a tennis court, which makes up for the crappy living arrangements...

Our tennis is improving every day, we can actually have a great game and we only lose one or two balls over the fence now.

I realised today, whilst trying on my cocktail dress that I need for Monday Night (I'll tell you about that on Tuesday!), that I really need to take this Blogger Butts Challenge seriously.

I have so many beautiful clothes and they just don't fit me. They feel tight in the wrong places...I just don't like it.

This is the dress I am talking about...This photo was taken during "the big gym binge of 2007/08", where for 6 months I hit the gym and lost so much weight and got so ridiculously fit, I looked amazing.


We then moved out of town, away from the gym and my good habits disappeared.

I am still looking for this motivation.

I hope I find it soon.......

I am wearing this dress on Monday night, and it feels tight around my chest and back. I remember how it felt when I was fit....it felt loose.

Bugger that.

I think I have found the photos to carry with me to remind myself that I.Can.Do.It.

And to also remind myself how good I felt.

How was YOUR week?

Cupcakes anyone?

As promised, I present our cupcakes made lovingly by the three kids...

And they were delish!

What did we do today?

It was such a brilliant sunny day today....the peace and fresh air was just divine.


I thought I'd tell you about our day. We woke late and did some grocery shopping in the morning.

The Hubbster spent the day underneath the house (oh that's where our computer chair is) wiring in the powerpoints and running cables....

I decided it was a good time to clean some window frames and window screens in the new house. The dirt and dust needed to be wiped away so as not to stain the aluminium.

A glass of wine was also called for!



Can you see the difference after cleaning?


We did some of this.....


And then I thought it a great idea to let the three kids loose in the kitchen making cupcakes.

Alone.

I hovered around taking photos waiting for the carnage..but..they did so well.




I love this last photo of all the helping hands...

Tune in tommorrow for the finished result!