Monday, February 02, 2009

A 'Pro' Shoot by Barnaby Miles




































































































































When our fabulous friends Barnaby Miles Wilshier and Howard Spreadbury were in Sydney in the new year with we were lucky enough to spend the afternoon with Barnaby's family and friends at his parents house in Contarf. Barnaby is a professional photography and a very humble one at that. He is such a dear friend and such a bloody character that when we see each other we just carry on like idiots and don't really talk about work. So I decided to check out his website after they had left to see what he has been up to and I was completely blown away... http://www.barnabywilshier.com/
I have watched Barney work so hard over the years, first studying at uni and then working as a photographers assistant and just look at him now! He is one of the most amazingly talented people I know. In fact, I cant believe I have a friend that is SO clever.
We were lucky enough to have him point his camera at little Maddie and his gorgeous niece Freya. Maddie and Freya were great mates from the moment they met, in fact they swapped shoes within 5 minutes of meeting each other (a pair of green crocks for some white flip flops - sign of the times!). Here are the snaps. Thanks Barnabs... we love you xx

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Home Making...





























































































































































































































I just downloaded a couple of weeks worth of photos from our digital camera (thanks mum, dad and uncle mikey for the fab camera) and it made me realise just how lucky we are to live in Sydney. It is, quite simply, a gorgeous looking city! We have spent the last few weeks filling our weekends with little family adventures including Maddie's first trip on a Sydney Ferry (she was thrilled to the back teeth and kept repeating... "mummy, daddy, we are on the fairy boat!"), trips to local beaches and lots of visits with friends.
What struck me is not only how beautiful the city is but that all our friends have now bought houses and turned them into lovely homes. Proper, grown up homes! They are not all necessarily multi-million dollar mansions but they are warm and cosy and have character. There is nothing better than catching up with friends in a home that is full of love. Watching them buy something and then flush it full of their own personal touches. I must admit that not owning our own home is one of the things that causes me the most nocturnal anxiety (and believe me, I could worry for the entire country! I am up most nights worrying about one thing or another). Even though I like our little house and I love living across the road from Meags and Martin, I don't really feel like it is a home. I want to fall in love with a house and make it a home for our little family. Simes and I are both SO BLOODY RUBBISH with money. We need to get our shit together and save for a deposit. We have had such a blast during our 15 years together and rarely said 'no' to any adventure that has come our way, but I fear it is time to grow up and focus on our finances. It kills me that we are paying someone elses mortgage every week by renting.

OK, so if everyone else we know can do it so can we. We want to own a home and I am going to make it happen in the next 12-18 months. There. It's in writing. Now I have to make it happen.