Happy Birthday Hubs

June 24, 2009 / Renae / 1 Comment

As many of you know, I LOVE surprises. And I love giving them almost as much as receiving them! So the last month or so I’ve been scheming behind Hubs’ back, planning a big celebration for his 2nd 21st!! He was getting cranky that everyone else on college is having their 21sts so I thought “why not!?” So I went to work on the organising. I sent out emails, used my friend’s facebook account (cos apparently it’s easier than emailing the entire med student cohort) and got busy planning the cake. Just remember – I don’t do things by halves…

Here’s the progression of the cake:

With Hubs not around, I got to lick the bowl all on my own!!!!!!!

Maybe I should have shared it after all…

Enough about the cake. Let’s get to the prezzies! As some of you know, Hubs got a new SLR Digital camera from our families which he LOVES, but even better than that, I had a street named after him!!

(Biggest coincidence – this street is about 3km away from where we live and just around the corner from the pub we were having his party at!!! CRAZY!!!)

Right. The Party! There were friends, balloons, embarrassing 21st speeches, lots of beer and wine and a GREAT atmosphere at a fabulous pub called The Brunswick Green. I highly recommend it! I’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story…

Eeeeeeeeeew grooooooosssssss!

A couple of friends from Brisvegas – Jodes and Nate (and Hubs’ birthday pot!)

Hubs’ friend from Mackay was also down for the weekend for his birthday, so of course we had to meet up for a drink!!

A few nights ago Hubs and I were cuddling and he told me I fit perfectly next to him. Like a puzzle piece. It’s not hard to love this man.
Happy Birthday honey.

My week of footy

June 9, 2009 / Renae / 3 Comments

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! What a great few days I’ve just had! As previously mentioned, my friend Ah-dele booked herself in to come down to Melbs for the State of Origin and the Broncos vs Melbourne Storm (“I hate those Melbourne players”) game.

Here we are geared up for the State of Origin: GO MAROONS!!!

The atmosphere was really great and there were over 50,000 people there which is only a couple thousand off a full-house for footy games! It was SO much fun.

We even ran into a few people we know who happened to come down from Qld for the game! It was quite a close game, though the score (28-18) doesn’t really reflect that. The last 10 minutes were particularly exciting, and even though I never thought we were going to lose (not really, anyway), I realised that I’m out of “footy match watching” practice. My heart was racing!! Subsequently, I lost my voice again, but was TOTALLY worth it!

So then Friday night came around, and we were very excited to be heading out to Melbourne Olympic Park for the match. It’s a very old-school stadium and only seats just over 10,000, as well as standing room for a few thousand more. I reckon there were about 14,000 people there and probably less than a thousand Broncos supporters. It occurred to me that I’d never been to a game where my team’s supporters were so vastly outnumbered, but there we were, Broncos scarves (thanks TM!) and beanies and gloves and lots of enthusiasm:

Unfortunately, we got completely annihilated. 48-4 was the final score and we were gutted. It was never going to go well, 2 days after the Origin, and missing Hodges and Lockyer, but we couldn’t prepare ourselves for such an onslaught. We were NOT happy Jan!!! But credit where credit is due. Melbourne had almost as many players in origin as we did, and they had a blinder of a match. They just couldn’t put a foot wrong. Luckily, Melbourne is my 2nd fave team, so I don’t hate them too much for humiliating us!!

We left the game and headed to the Turf bar to drown our sorrows in cheap champagne and cheesy 80s and 90s music. A great end to the night!!

And they’re off!

May 27, 2009 / Renae / 3 Comments

Hubs and Wifey got off to a slow start with their flight being delayed by an hour but managed to make up time in the air they were picked up at Townsville by the boys and the beast to be taken off to their motel in Ayr where they spent the next 3 hours catching up on news and locking themselves out of their room luckily the landlord was on site and was able to let them in without too much trouble after a few beers and a few more rums it was bed time only to have to rise again at 8am Saturday for some brekky and more catching up on the Miller’s cane farm then it was time to get ready for the Burdekin races held in Home Hill and BOY didn’t Hubs and Wifey look a treat they jumped on a bus with a bunch of suits fascinators and heels and were on their way to the track after purchasing booze tickets and checking out the fashions on the field it was time to get drinking and MY GOODNESS did they put in the effort after 6 hours at the most fun races ever it was time to jump on the bus and head to Ayr’s one and only nightclub where they all enjoyed $3.50 basic spirits which they thought was an ABSOLUTE bargain then Wifey finished up a bit early while Hubs partied on and stumbled home with the boys around midnight and crashed into bed then the alarm went off at 8:30am to prepare for the trip back to Townsville and a flight to Brisbane where they were greeted by the ROARING crowd of their family they enjoyed lots of tasty treats supplied by family members after a quick Happy Birthday to Wifey’s Dad and a kiss and cuddle from Billy-Bob and Billy-Bob’s Mum as well and hugs from nieces and Nath-Neph it was back on the plane to Melbourne and a cab trip home and they were in bed by 10:30pm what a GREAT weekend what an AMAZING time was had by all and it was exactly the result we expected 🙂

Some happy snaps:
The boys and the BEAST (our hire car for the weekend – a Chrysler C300)

Hubs and Wifey looking HOT! (It was about 25 degrees and, well, you can see the blue skies to match our outfits!) Incidentally, my whole outfit (apart from my unmentionables) was borrowed! So thanks Chelsea for the fascinator, Ezza for the gorgeous dress, and Billy-Bob’s Mum for the shoes (technically she gave them to me but you know, I don’t want the truth to get in the way of a good story!)

Hubs’ hair took longer than mine to do!! (Totally worth it though!)

The boys at our table in the tent

Oh yeah, and we DID actually see some horse races (though, I didn’t place any bets!) Can you see the ambulance brining up the rear? The crowd cheered the ambos on as much as the horses!

Fascinating! (Thanks for the naked shot Hubs! Tee hee!)

Hmmmmm…. not so fascinating?

Some gorgeous fashions on the field entrants!! Lookin’ good guys!
(Note: Anne is a milliner and she made this stunning creation she is wearing!)

We MAY have contributed to the beer shortage that occurred by about 3pm…

I don’t have any photos to put up from the rellies visit in the afternoon (on a different camera) but I can assure you there were lots of hugs and kisses and food. Lots of food. We even brought some back home with us! Ha ha. Thanks everyone for a fabulous weekend! We had an amazing time!!

Happy 90th Harry!

March 2, 2009 / Renae / 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago, Hubs and I had the pleasure of attending Hubs’ grandfather’s 90th birthday. We had a great time catching up with family and friends, and meeting some new people as well – mostly family I didn’t know about! Here are some happy snaps from the day:

Wifey, Alma, Geoff (Hubs’ Dad), Harry, Hubs

Harry & Alma and their 2 sons Geoff & Wayne

Grandad Harry has dementia, but he seemed quite present for a lot of the party. Even though he wasn’t quite sure who some of the people there were, he could comprehend the stories being told by some of his old Navy buddies, and even corrected a couple of details along the way! He’s still pretty switched on when it comes to cheeky comments (on our wedding day I told Harry that I had just married his grandson, and asked if that was okay, to which he responded “well with you looking like that, I reckon I’D marry you!) but day-to-day things he struggles with a bit more.

Grandad & Grandson

Harry & Wifey

I’m so impressed with the longevity in the family! Both Nanna Alma and Grandad Harry are 90 now, and they had a few relatives there who were also in their late 80s and 90s. Not to mention my grandparents as well! I hope to have a loooooooooooooong and happy life with my lovely Hubs, and genetics seem to be on our side!

Happy 90th Harry! We look forward to celebrating 91 with you next year!

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!

January 27, 2009 / Renae / Leave a comment

A Beer

We celebrated in true Aussie style – in 28 degree sunshine, with some beers and a bbq.

Here’s Hubs cooking up a storm on our balcony:

I tried my hand at home-made potato chips.
POTATO CHIP FAIL!!

What a great day!

SURPRISE!!!

January 19, 2009 / Renae / 1 Comment

I arrived home from work on Friday to find my Mum and Dad in our house!!! They had decided a couple of months ago that they wanted to surprise me for my birthday, so they started conspiring with Hubs, who, in turn, conspired with the business manager here at college and arranged for them to stay in a couple of spare rooms here! Classic! I was SO surprised it nearly gave me a heart attack!

So we went out to dinner on Friday night on Lygon st (the thing to do) and then Saturday morning/midday was spent in the Emergency Department of Melbourne Hospital because Mum took a great spill on Swanston st (she’s okay – a sprained ankle that she’s resting today) and then Saturday arvo/evening we were at Little Creatures for birthday eats and drinks. It is a FANTASTIC place! The service was terrific, the atmosphere was pumping and the drinks were so tasty. And the FOOD! Yum yum yum. The mains were great, but the dessert took the cake, so to speak. Hubs and I shared a piece of chocolate mousse cake – oh wow! I think it’s the best dessert I’ve EVER had! Big call, I know!

As usual, here’s some snaps from the day.

The patient:

Silly Hubs:

Little Creatures beers come in 3 sizes: Pony, Little, Not so little. Oh, and a glass of wine thrown in for good measure!

I was so touched by how many people turned up to the party. It was so lovely to have friends from college, from Hubs’ uni course, and old friends I’ve known for years (who live in Melbs.) And of course it was great having the folks there too!

Sunday was my actual birthday, and I knew we were going out for lunch but had no idea where or with whom. So it was a lovely surprise to end up at Brandy Creek for tasty tapas, delicious wines and delightful views. And the weather! WOW!! It was without a doubt the nicest day we’ve had since arriving in June last year. 28 degrees, not a cloud in the sky and a nice breeze to keep it cool. Gorgeous!!

After 3 big days I was a tired little bunny last night, but we finished off my birthday weekend with a couple of beers, some wine, a birthday cake, a chat to my friend on the phone and some relaxing time with Hubs. Phew! What a fantastic weekend.

2 more sleeps!

January 15, 2009 / Renae / Leave a comment

TIL MY BIRTHDAY!!! I’m so excited. I LOVE celebrating my birthday. I have a party every year! This year’s party is going to be a bit different though, with the only “familiar” face being that of Hubs. I mean, I’ll know everyone who attends, but the usual suspects won’t be there. But it will still be GREAT!

It will also be cold, which is not something I’m used to in January. We’re having drinks tomorrow and the top temp will be 21 degrees! Chilly! We’ll just have to drink to keep warm.

Here’s a few happy snaps from my Mexican Fiesta Party last year:

The cake Lsl made for me:

TEQUILA!! Lick, Sip, Suck baby!

And it wouldn’t be a Mexican party without a Pinata. (It started off as a Llama!)

It got a little interesting towards the end, after drinking concoctions of Sangria, Tequila and vodka. Oh! And add a cigar for good measure! Ha!

‘

One of my best birthdays ever! Let’s see what shenanigans we can get up to this year! Happy birthday to meeeeeeeeeeeee!

Mum’s birthday brekky

December 10, 2008 / Renae / Leave a comment

On our trip home in October, Khicken and Kturtle put on an amazing spread for breakfast for Mum’s birthday. Here is the menu, accompanied by photos.

~ STARTERS ~
Breads, cheese, olives, sun dried tomato.

Smoked trout sandwiches, Dad’s salmon & avocado specialty:

~ FIRST COURSE ~
Herbed pikelets with pear and cream cheese, brandy, brie topping:

Asparagus and prosciutto bundles served with hollandaise sauce:

Field mushrooms topped with fun stuff:

Jumbo savoury omlette with caramelised onion (available dairy free as well):

~ SECOND COURSE ~
Grilled figs wrapped in prosciutto:

Seasonal tossed fruit, choice of yoghurts and Birthday Cake! Here’s a great photo of Mum and Dad with the birthday cake made by Mum’s friend:

And, as always with it was the little touches that made the day super-special. We also had sparkling white wine and coffees with liqueur of choice!

So thanks Kturtle and Khicken for an AMAZING feast and an all-round brilliant breakfast!

Happy Anniversary!

December 3, 2008 / Renae / 3 Comments

Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary to Wifey & Hubs!!

Here we are just over 1 year ago:

Hubs woke up to a real treat Monday morning, when I sang a song that my Dad used to sing to Mum on their Anniversary: (to the tune of Happy Birthday)

Happy Happy Anniversareeeeeeeeeee
Happy Happy Anniversareeeeeeeeeee
Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy
Happy Happy Anniversareeeeeeeeeee!

Okay, so Dad is not known for his musical genius, but we always knew how much he loves Mum. And now the tradition has been passed on to us! Then Hubs surprised ME with 2 gorgeous roses:

Hand made of course!

(I found out later that he hadn’t done any of his uni work for 3 days cos he was working on the roses! TOTALLY worth it from where I’m standing!)

Hubs also gave me this card:

which totally cracked me up!

We had a disc game on Monday night, so we went out for dinner along Hardware Lane in town on Tuesday night.
We had oysters for entree which were SO YUMMY

And the restaurant even sprinkled hearts all over our table for us! We had a lovely night listening to some jazz (which is what you do in Hardware lane)

And just generally had a lovely night out. Thank you Hubs for a wonderful year and I look forward to MANY more to come.

A dizzy Brizzy visit

October 22, 2008 / Renae / 3 Comments

Our recent trip home to Brizzy has made me homesick for the first time since being in Melbourne. We just had the most amazing time! Well, I did at least. Hubsband wasn’t feeling 100% but he made the most of it. Where do I start??

We arrived in Brisbane at 11pm and had to adjust to the 1 hour time difference. After a port/cuppa/glass of wine with Mum and Dad, we were off to bed. We had a lovely morning setting up at Nanny and Grandpa’s and Grandpa’s 90th birthday party kicked off around midday. It was raging! Well, as much as a 90th birthday party can be! We had a lovely afternoon and got to catch up with family and friends and got stuck in to some Amarula Cream which was just lovely. As you can imagine, there was plenty of food and mountains of desserts. We left around 6pm feeling full and primed for our next “event”.

In preparation for our visit, I sent word via the internet that we would be at our old local from about 6:30pm for anyone keen to catch up. I had a few replies so we were expecting a fairly quiet night with a few friends and a few beers. What we got was something entirely different, unexpected, and so very much appreciated. About 20 of our friends rocked up to the pub and we were there drinking beer (and Cosmos!!) catching up and taking VERY silly photos til after midnight! I was truly touched that so many of our friends made such a great effort to not only come out, but to stay til the end! (some even stayed longer than we did!) Hubs and I had to call it quits after midnight. We were utterly exhausted, and we still had 1 more party to go to for the weekend!

Mum celebrated her birthday on Sunday and my bro’s gf (let’s call her Kturtle) and I decided that something special needed to be done. Since I’m in Melbourne, Kturtle ended up doing ALL the work, but I know that it was a labour of love. You see, the thing about my Mum is that she does SO much for everyone else and expects nothing in return. So it’s nice to show her every now and then how much she is appreciated. I’m going to do a separate post about Mum’s birthday brekky, as there is just too much to show and tell!

Hubs and I arrived back at our doorstep at 9pm Sunday, happily exhausted after a fabulous trip home. And here’s what we have to show for it:

Nanny and Grandpa (check out the size of those cakes Mum made!!!)