The Loves

Resolution Time

2007-01-22T10:08:00.000+10:00

I haven't really thought too much about 'new year's resolutions' for 2007. In previous years, I had a definite list of improvements to action before the year prior had even ended, but it hasn't been the case this year. I don't really believe in strict resolution guidelines... it's usually more just a general list of 'things I'd like to do better next year'. Anyway, working on the theory that there are always things to improve, this is my 'do better' list for 2007:

* Aim for a more balanced life ~ less crazy hours and stress levels on the work front, more time for the things I enjoy doing
* Learn to say no
* Eat better and exercise more, be happier and healthier
* Be more organised when it comes to birthday presents and cards. Actually put them in the post, rather than staring at them for months after the person's birthday. If, due to extenuating circumstances, I'm not going to be able to get them there on time, call/email the person on their birthday anyway
* Call or email friends and family more often
* Spend more time with friends and family
* Update our home with a new couch and soft furnishings so we enjoy our home more. Try to make some of the 'decor' so that it's more meaningful.
* Go to Fiji
* Buy new clothes occasionally so we feel a bit more fashionable
* Be more philanthropic. Find a charity that means something special to us and donate our time and/or money to a good cause.
* Write more and read more.
* Take more photos and get them printed. Finish our travel albums.

Hmm, it's funny how quickly the list items pile up when you start... Well, here they are, for all to see. I wonder how I'll go.

Happy 2007!

2007-01-03T11:22:00.000+10:00

Wow. Another year to begin. Such potential in a new year, I think. So many things could happen.

We had a lovely quiet Christmas this year, celebrating the day with my sister Rebecca; my brother John, his wife Megan and their two boys, Lachlan and Matthew; my brother David, his wife Naomi and their two children, Jack and Sophie; Naomi's parents Robin and Jenny and brother Rohan; Megan's mum Barbara, sister Kylie and her husband Mark and daughter Jessie. With all those names, it doesn't sound so quiet, but that's only half of the family it could have been. We definitely missed having the intrepid US travellers Mum and Dad, Jen and Neil, Aynslee, Ellen and Joe, Margaret, Mark, Eli and Flynn with us this year, but know they are having a fabulous time together in Marg and Mark's new home in Nashville. We also missed Chris and Penny, George and Lily, who are having a country Christmas with Pen's family in Victoria. Not to mention Ben's parents Penny and Stuart and brothers Lachlan and Tim, who are adventurously making their way down the Nile in a felucca at the moment. We hope all our travelling family are keeping safe and well.

After Ben and I awoke to find our presents from Santa on Christmas day, we went up to John and Megan's place to open gifts with the rest of the family. There were plenty of posed shots with our new gifts for the paparazzi in the room. Afterwards, we went down to the pool for a swim and hung out in the barbecue area while our delicious Christmas lunch was cooking on the barbecue. There were more swims after lunch and everyone was looking pretty weary by the time we went home at 6pm. I think Ben and I were fast asleep by 8pm!

On Boxing day, we packed up and headed to a little unit at Marcoola Beach, on the Sunshine coast, for a week at the beach. The weather was rather rainy and cold (apparently the coldest Boxing day on record) for the first few days, but we weren't worried about the weather - we quite happily watched the cricket and read our books inside. Although a very low-key holiday, it was nice to be away from the office and computers for a week. We also got to catch up with some friends during our stay - a fish and chip lunch with Lisa, Darryl and Matisse at Mooloolaba, lunch at the Coolum Surf Club with Cathryn and Nathan (from Sydney), and lunch at Carolyn, Matt and Martin's beautiful new home at Kawana Island. On New Year's Eve, we decided to head back to Brisbane just for a few hours to celebrate the impending new year with the Mitchells - another soiree at John and Megan's house. While Ben and I love each other's company (most of the time!), it was nice to share the festivities with the family, rather than being by ourselves up the coast. We arrived back at Marcoola just after 11pm, in time to call Penny, Stuart, Lachlan and Tim for an update on their travels and hear the fireworks go off at Marcoola Beach. I think we were in bed by about 12.01! The weather for most of our holiday was magnificent and we were really lucky to be able to have a break for a whole week.

Now we're home again, ready to launch into the new year. I'm still thinking about my new year's resolutions... think I should just start by cleaning my office! It's a bit hard to get the old brain moving again after a week off, but I'll get there... I'm sure it will be a cracker 2007!

The pre-Christmas To Do List Decreases

2006-12-12T15:11:00.000+10:00

Phew. The Christmas newsletter for Grassroots IT is finished and sent, which is always a relief. I'm always terrified to press send (what if it's not perfect??), but it's nice to get emails back from a client saying "oh by the way, we've been meaning to ask you about..." or a message from a friend saying thanks for latest edition. So, in terms of staying in people's thoughts, the newsletter is a very good thing.

I'm also rather proud of my efforts with our Christmas logo. I think I should play with Illustrator more.

Slowly, the pre-Christmas "things-to-do" list is decreasing and we're a little closer to holidays. It's nice to tick things off lists. I think I only create lists so I can tick things off!

Dear Santa

2006-12-03T19:20:00.000+10:00

Santa, I know I'm very blessed and I'm not wanting for much, but if you need a few tips for me for Christmas, here are some ideas of things I might like...
* Body Butter from The Body Shop
* Respectable PJs for when we're staying somewhere with friends/family
* A writing set from Kikki-K
* James Morrison "Undiscovered" CD
* Kelly Clarkson "Breakaway" CD
* Bernard Fanning CD
* A women's cap
* The M.I.L.K. harcover books on Love or Family
* Bloom lip gloss
* Dangly silver or green earrings
I'd be just as happy with a love letter from my beloved husband, or any little surprise. Thanks Santa... promise to leave you milk and biscuits, and a carrot for Rudolph :)

Would the real Annie Love please step forward

2006-11-30T17:19:00.000+10:00

I decided a bit randomly that I would Google my own name and came up with the following:
* Ask Annie (hmm, not quite me)
* Annie Love Superstar Skiier (I think I would be very tragic on the ski slopes)
* Mrs Anne Love's story about her husband John, the miner
I obviously haven't made it to Google status just yet. Oh dear, I obviously don't have anything deep and meaningful to blog today ;)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2006-11-29T11:58:00.000+10:00

We're nearly at the very end of November and it's getting rather hot in BrisVegas. The kind of hot that makes the sky a hazy blue and leaves the steering wheel too hot to touch. Hmm, air-con at home would be nice. It hasn't yet reached December, but I have this overwhelming sense of Christmas rapidly approaching and too many things to achieve before it happens. I start recalling all my "Christmas resolutions" from last year... the "next year I'm going to start everything earlier, get my Christmas letter written before Christmas", etc list. I bought our first Christmas present yesterday, so hopefully that means I'm now "on a roll" and I'll find more perfect presents without having to face the shopping centre crowds. I really do love finding presents for other people, so I don't want to lose my "joy of Christmas" feeling.

How Far We've Come

2006-11-22T11:17:00.000+10:00

Inspired by Loobylu, I started thinking about the evolution of the Loves and how things have changed in my life over the past ten years.

10 years ago... I was finishing my first year of full-time uni at University of Queensland, studying business and arts(psychology). I was nannying for my sister's children, who were then 1 and 4 years old. I was desperately in love with a boy I thought I'd be with forever (of course), although a very cute boy at a Marketing lecture who was offering gummy bears also caught my attention that year. My beloved Grandma had died just before my 18th birthday and I don't think I'd ever cried so much in my whole life. I was living at home, in the home I had lived in all my life to that point.

8 years ago... I was living in London and working as a temp for Egon Zhender International. I loved that job. I didn't know anyone in London, but managed to find a few friends between work and flatmates, some of whom have ended up being lifelong friends. I had lived in three houses in the space of six months, and was desperately awaiting the arrival of three of my bestest friends to travel around Europe with over Christmas. I fell in love with an English boy who was living with his girlfriend, who finally kissed me on the night before I was leaving the country (always the way). Wonder where he is these days. I grew up a lot that year.

6 years ago... I had moved back home to save some money after living with Lisa in our very funky townhouse so far away on the 'south side'. I was single and kept meeting completely inappropriate boys. I was 'just friends' with a boy called Ben (aka. gummy bear boy from uni, not that he had any recollection of meeting me all those years prior) after sending him flowers at work. The flowers were well received, but he so wasn't interested in me. Oh well.

4 years ago... Ben and I had been together for about 18 months and he was just about to ask my Dad if he could marry me. Thankfully, Dad said yes. I was living with our friend Rohan at Bonney Ave.

3 years ago... We had been married for six months and had been living and working on Hayman Island for the same amount of time. At this point, we weren't seeing too much of each other, as I had somehow managed to swing a job on the Events team and traded in lifestyle for high stress organising conferences and weddings. On the upside, we were living in one of the most beautiful places on earth and had met some wonderful people.

1 year ago... We had been back in Brisbane for four months after travelling around the world for three months. I was temping for a telecommunications/data company, while Ben was ramping up the business we started. We had just moved into our own place after living with Mum and Dad, and it was nice to settle again and unpack all the things that had been in storage since we were married. It was the first 'proper' place we had lived in since we got married. We bought the little Daewoo off Penny. There were some pretty high stress moments at times, while I was working full time (covering the jobs of two people while they were on leave) and Ben was trying to establish the business.

Ten months ago... I remember thinking how long 'twelve months' seemed away. Turns out, it wasn't that far. I started working from home officially and didn't have too much to do, in comparison to all my previous jobs. I spoke too soon.

Six months ago... I started doing some design work for Highlife magazine. A new 'art director' started at the magazine after Amy went travelling. I turned 28. Ben turned 30 with an Indian feast at Rosalie. We joined the gym.

Two months ago... The new art director at Highlife decided not to continue after one edition, so I somehow inherited the job. My two new nephews were born. I had my wisdom teeth out (eek), then Ben and I both spent the weekend sick and on the couch (that wasn't how it was supposed to work).

Two weeks ago... I was madly trying to finish the Summer edition of Highlife, amidst trying to balance the other elements of my life (not well, mind you). I was going to the theatre with Karen and talking over citrus tart at a cafe for hours. Ben and I were spending Saturday at the races with good friends in the pouring rain.

Yesterday... I had finished the Summer edition and finally felt relaxed and balanced. We had our new team member start work for Grassroots IT. I spent all day doing the accounts for our business, welcomed my husband home enthusiastically when he walked through the door, finished work on time, cooked dinner and watched TV. I hadn't had a night like that for a while. Balance is good.

2006-11-21T13:45:00.000+10:00

What happens if you need a high resolution image of passionfruit and snow peas for a magazine layout and you can't find any stock images? Luckily I have a clever husband who came to the rescue. We had quite an amusing afternoon taking photos of fruit and vegetables, then things got plain silly with taking photos of fruit and vegetable faces. This one makes me laugh. Think it's definitely one for the office wall.

Sunday Nights

2006-11-19T22:07:00.000+10:00

I love Sunday nights. There is that sense of having a beautiful, relaxing day behind you, and preparing for the week ahead. There is the jazz on ABC from 5pm to 7pm. There is Ben cooking in the kitchen, either preparing for dinner or creating something interesting. (Tonight it was both - ocean trout and mango salsa for dinner, and also bottling chilli jam) There is going for a walk as it cools down near sunset and looking at all the beautiful houses in the neighbourhoods around us. And, for the next week or so, there is Australian Idol. Life is good. Sunday nights are good for the soul.

The Joys of Clients

2006-11-10T09:23:00.000+10:00

I have been sitting at my desk since about 7am this morning in my pyjamas, creating the seventh and eighth version of an ad for a particular client who obviously hasn't been happy with the previous six versions. I'm more than happy to review designs - God knows my layouts aren't flawless, and everyone has a different sense of style - but it would just help if they gave me one tiny iota of information to assist the process. Starting from scratch for the eighth time one day before deadline isn't overly helfpul. Sigh. Anyway, today I have started the day with a new sense of hope that we'll make some progress. Today, I promise to breathe deeply and not take things too personally and soon this summery Summer edition of the magazine will be with the printer and I can have a computer free day. Yay.

A Slightly Different Melbourne Cup

2006-11-09T18:33:00.000+10:00

Well, there were no horses, champagne or high fashion, but this year's Melbourne Cup was certainly celebrated in style. I have resigned myself to the fact that my life is rather different now that my best friends have children, but I love spending time with them and their cherubs. So, Melbourne Cup was spent at the Irwin home with Lisa and Matisse, Jess and Olivia, Karen and Ruby, and me. Lisa (hostest with the mostest) made a beautiful lunch of sushi, rice paper rolls with chicken, mince wontons and sweet chilli and cheese bread for us, and Karen finished it off beautifully with a home-made teacake (yum). My great contribution was hand made chocolates from the local nougat shop, Urban Bites, which we couldn't fit in after all the beautiful food. Although it's a race that 'stops the nation', we actually missed the race entirely (whoops... for which Karen was blamed, but no one else actually bothered to look up what time it was on), but managed to stop for the afternoon anyway. Thank God for a nation of horse lovers.

Irwin Roses

2006-10-12T10:12:00.000+10:00

I had a visit from my beloved Lisa and Matisse yesterday, and they came bearing gifts. How beautiful are these roses? Lisa is a very talented gardener and managed to create these roses in her own garden. I think I've taken about a million photos of them this morning, but none of them do justice to just how gorgeous the blooms are. I love them. Thank you.

Friends Since Forever

2006-09-26T21:17:00.000+10:00

It's so nice to have friends in the world that have known you since forever. Here are some of my very special friends celebrating our special friend Shannon's (oh, and her new husband Chris' ;) wedding day. It was the most magnificent September day with cloudless blue skies. One special part of the ceremony was when all the grandmothers were the witnesses who signed the register - we all thought that was pretty special. After a beautiful ceremony at the Church (with a rather funky Catholic priest), we all kicked up our heels across the road at the reception centre. Apart from simply celebrating a wonderful occasion, it was just nice to all be together in the same room for a while.

Boys Boys Everywhere

2006-09-26T15:29:00.000+10:00

How gorgeous. Another beautiful boy arrived into the world this week - Jamie Christopher was born to our good friends Chris and Helen on Tuesday, 19th September. He was a tad early (by five weeks!) but arrived safe and sound, only needing a few days in the special care nursery. Congratulations team Harris!

New Arrivals

2006-09-18T12:25:00.000+10:00

It's been a big week in the Mitchell family (I used to be a Mitchell before I married Ben) - number 10 and number 11 grandchild have both arrived in the same week. Though originally 'scheduled' two weeks apart, they arrived only three days apart. And they are both boys, which means that the boys are now winning 7-4. Congratulations Marg and Mark (and Eli) on the arrival of Flynn Alan, and congratulations Penny and Chris (and Lily) on the arrival of George William. Nice one guys.

2006-09-08T16:30:00.000+10:00

I think this is the most beautiful photo. Ben took this shot at Caloundra, when we were camping up there in June. He's so talented, my husband ;)

At Byron Bay

2006-09-08T16:17:00.000+10:00

This photo was taken at the lighthouse at Byron Bay, in May 2006. We were lucky enough to catch up with our beloved friends Damian, Sara and Liam as they were in Australia briefly. It was the most magnificent weekend to be at Byron, and we even managed to see the Byron Triathlon. I always wanted to see the Byron lighthouse, since my sister was proposed to at that exact spot many years ago... though I wasn't quite sure I was going to make it up that hill at times! Hard work, but we made it. Amazing views from the top, including a school of dolphins swimming below.