I’d hoped to have all my ornament photos shared by Christmas but I don’t think it’s going to happen -  we have a verrry busy day ahead!   I have a huge stockpile of photos so they’ll be coming for a while yet :)

I wasn’t kidding when I said we’ve been well spoiled over the last couple of weeks.. I’ve received some gorgeous hand-stamped jewelery from friends afar, beautiful pieces with custom inscriptions that I will share in another post when I’ve taken more photos.  I’d never seen it before and I just love how personal it is.

The boys had been asking for something to wear “for Ava”.  It’s been hard as whatever I’ve got them so far was too girly or too precious and I’d worry they’d lose them.   Lisa from Giggle and Groove had sent the most amazing decoration for Ava’s tree with little hand-stamped charms so I knew where to look :)  I found the perfect thing:  dogtags!

The boys are going to love these!  I’m so thrilled with them..

Here’s Lisa’s decoration again – how amazing is it?  Mandy so kindly let her use the carousel image for the pendant.   Thankyou again Lisa, for everything.

Speaking of things that make me swoon, look what I got for Christmas :) (For the non photo people, it’s a newer, bigger and better version of my current camera!)

Happy Happy Joy Joy.

I’m not sure I could ever say it enough – thankyou to every person who has made our Christmas so much more than it would have otherwise been and for making Ava’s tree so much more glorious than we ever could have imagined.

Love, Sheye xx

And some more images of amazing beauty, sent to us from all around Australia and the World over…as far as South Africa, Denmark and Canada and many places inbetween.  And not only decorations but this past week has seen all manner of gorgeous things – vintage books (yes, I squealed!), hairpins, a beautiful necklace and the lovliest slideshow DVD amongst much candy and chocolate and beautiful notes.  We feel so loved but most importantly, we feel Ava is loved.  Thankyou :)  (I’m processing more images this week so we have a Part 3!)

Love, Sheye x

I never expect to write about Ava.   I can’t do it on the “floating” days.   But this day is not floating..my heart is heavy and my thoughts shift continually towards my other darling girl.

It can be the smallest of things that have the biggest impact.  This time yesterday, I was web-browsing for inspiration for the kids rooms at Apartment Therapy..flicking through images when suddenly I saw a picture that included Ava With Wings (the Belle and Boo illustrations with Ava jumping on her bed)..It was so unexpected and surprising that it threw me off balance for the rest of the day.  I just sat staring at that photo for the longest time..wondering, again, how?

And the day turned into the night and we went to Cirque de Soleil and the jugglers juggled and the acrobats flew but all I could think about was my sweet girl.  Like when you drive somewhere and can’t remember parts of the journey, I would find myself floating back to the Grande Chapiteau unable to remember the previous minutes.  I’d been with Ava.  What I would give – there is nothing I wouldn’t – to be able to take her to the circus.

I went looking for a photo to include here and found one I hadn’t seen in a long time.  And like the image yesterday, it’s made me catch my breath and stare in disbelief.  Even now, almost 2 years on..it’s not one bit easier to understand how that day happened.  That she isn’t here and she isn’t coming back.   That this is how our lives have played out and that hers was so short.   None of it makes sense and most days, I simply accept that it is nonsensical and do my best to get on with this altered life that still has a lot to be thankful for.

Today though, Ava, and the missing of her,  is all around and I’m not getting on with a whole lot of anything.   I plan to spend the afternoon with Oprah and endless cups of tea.  I might even paint my nails.  The Superprincess would approve.

Love, Sheye xx

Ava’s Tree post is so big, I’ve had to split it into parts!

It’s going to be impossible to convey the excitement, gratitude and sheer amazement at the decorations that have so kindly been sent for our Ava Tree.  It’s astonishing, really.  Every single day the courier pulls up, the boys fight over who will sign, and the poor man staggers to our door under the weight of boxes big and small.   They then divvy them up (I love that the boxes make fantastic tools of bribery as well!!) and we all sit around as they’re opened one by one.  I so love this time each day, even if I do have to constantly remind the kids to keep the cards with the ornaments until I’ve seen them and try to wrestle gorgeous glass objects off Ivy every few minutes!

There have been the most incredible decorations picked out or lovingly made – so much sparkle and pink and fairy and ballet and whimsy that those prediction about needing more than one tree were entirely correct!  We have completely filled one and moved on to another!   This meant I could color co-ordinate each tree so the first is a white feather creation with all the softer colors and now we’re in the process of filling our regular family tree with all the brighter colors – those will be in Part 2!  Both trees look absolutely amazing and with all the cards hanging up around the house, it feels so nice to see them and know that Ava is still remembered and honored…what a gift.

We really have literally hundreds of not only ornaments but so many other things as well – beautiful jewelery, candies, treats for the kids, candles, buntings, picture frames, drawings, giant pens!, hair clips, sooooo much I can’t even think of everything right now.. All the beautiful cards and letters and photos sent – they all mean so much to our whole family to know people care enough to take time to do this – how amazing.

I intended to email every person as parcels arrived but it’s been a little more difficult than I imagined – before I knew it there were dozens and dozens of emails I wanted to write and just getting enough time to sit down at the computer while the kids are home on holidays and right before Xmas has been impossible.  I feel awful not to thank people personally but please know every single package received has made an enormous difference to all of us at a time that would normally feel so flat and full of sadness.  I really cannot thank you all enough but I’ll try – thankyou, thankyou, thankyou.

I have many more photos taken since these but I thought I’d make a start tonight and be back with more later this week!  I will leave shots of the whole trees until right at the end when all the decorations have arrived :)

Again, with so much gratitude, thank you from all of us.

Sheye xxx

You can click the images to see them larger :)

Well, no.  Not really.   I’m afraid I barely rate in the child birthday party stakes – I have no doubt that if I ever did try to become part of the play group set,  I’d be completely shunned once my party shortcomings were discovered.

So, thank the Lord for Nanny. She teamed up with Betty Crocker and together they turned out a masterpiece.    The fairy looked suitably impressed and loved her presents, in order of the least expensive first, of course.  We had a very impromptu gathering of seven with bowls of brightly colored sugary objects for the small people and good cheese and wine for the grown ups.    Who needs an event co-ordinator?

Seeing as this was taken with ISO 540000 with zero light, I’m just happy to see anything!  I love the natter going on here – Ivy is my Dad’s no 1 fan.

Mr Macey, giving me camera face as a trade off for something, no doubt.

And the party girl, all partied out.

Thankyou so much for all the sweet wishes :)
Love, Sheye xx