The last few days!

the last few days of Summer have gone and Autume is in the air!

Sure its still not really cold, and if we were in France this would be summer almost...But one does get used to heat, and when the wind gets a bit chilly, well we get a bit cold!

We are still able to enjoy some swims at the beach but I wonder for how much longer?

I am sure Tullula will try and get us in the water for as long as possible, she just loves to get wet.

A true Water Baby!

Two Languages at Home!

Some of you may have noticed that I am French!
Now if you were to talk to me in person, you would never have guessed it!
Actually most people think I am from South Africa...I get asked often where am I from, but one day a lady said to me "So where in South Africa are you from?"...It truly chocked me as it was so blunt!
I did learn English there when I was 7, well it most likely started at age 5 when we were in living in Tanzania, but I went to school in South Africa...Two different school, first in PE (port Elisabeth) then a dramatic change to Lanbert's Bay, an Africans school!!! A language I hated at the time!
 One person said to me once, "wow but your English is perfect" I replied, "well yes I am what we call a true Bilingual person" (in reality I am trilingual)...
So, as you can Imagine I LOVE languages; and to me its very important to be able to speak more than one because I love to travel just as much!

So naturally I talk to Tullula in French.
ALL of the TIME, with out exceptions!!!

It has not been easy, and at times still can be a challenge, but I have come this far I am not going to stop. Plus the hard work well and truly is paying off!
I once heard Stephen say to someone "I did not think it was going to work at first, but it has"...He never told me he did not think it was going to work!!!!
When Tullula was born it was easy, as she was born in a French territory, so naturally French was everywhere and really talking English was being the outsider!
When we came back to Australia, she was 2 months!s
I continued to talk to her in French, and slowly realised how left out I was. How I was not including people around in what I was saying to her! How Some people we thinking I was being rude!
And I realised I had created a bubble and I was in it alone!
I would talk to her, about things we were about to do, and no one would know what I was about to do, I was leaving them out, unwillingly!!!!
But I knew I had to continue, if I wanted my child to have a good change at being a true Bilingual like I...
As they say that to be perfect in two languages, one has to learn it before the age of 8, after that your most likely to have some sort of accent! (I'm not sure if that's really right but well)
So I continued to talk to her in French!
I was told that the next hard step would be when she starts talking that she would most likely do so in English as after all that was the dominant language around!
Well, sure she says things in English, but hey she says a LOT of things in French as well! And actually at times we wonder if she does not say MORE in French...One thing is certain she understands EVERYTHING I say to her!
So you can imagine how pleased I am...Very Proud!!!
Now its easy, I don't care what people think or if no one knows what I am about to do, she knows and that's what matters to me! After all I can then communicate with the rest in English.
I have tried to do some research on it all and found a very interesting article in the Australien Parenting Website about how it actually was a good thing to teach two languages at home (of course when possible); this website/article says: 

Language is more than a way to communicate – it’s a living expression of culture, community and family ties.

Its such a true statement for me, and that's partly why I don't care and its easy now, because after all I am French, that's who I am, and even if my English is perfect I need to represent my culture, and I need to pass that on to my child! I may be white skinned like many Australians, but reality is that Stephen and I are in a Multicultural relationship, and we need to cherish it, never forget!
I do sometimes repeat what she says to me in English, but I right away then say the same word in French. Like if she points to a bird and says "Bird" I yes "yes Bird; Oiseaux!"
I think its the way to go, at least its working for me/us.
I am aware that she will take a bit longer to talk than most children growing up in single language house holds, but we all end up talking in the end, don't we?

 
 
The article was from the web site Http//raisingchildren.net.au and the article was writte By Talaris Institute.

TuesDay TulluLa

I want to go swimming! Got her bathers and swimming ring, shoes on and out the door! 

Good thing the sea pool is 3 minutes  away!

Give Away!

This is my Very First Give Away!

A lovely pair of earrings that I have made!

Its made from Stainless Steel wire, with sterling Silver Hooks and some very pretty Turquoise stones!

They are fresh, they are light and super easy to wear!

  

So how does this give away work? Make a comment Below, like my facebook page to also make a comment there and Ill draw out the lucky One!

Dont forget to spread the word!

The Draw will be on the 25th of March.

Ten On Ten

Ten On Ten, One photo every hour for ten hours!

An incite of our days and a great project done by  Rebekah from A bit of sunshine!

 6am...My little Fish Pond!

 7am....The sun is up and the view is nice...

 8am...Tullula watching some old cartoon! and yes drinking her milk.

 Hmmm....I wont say what time this is....But that's was my ten on ten photographer!!!

 That's right Tullula, not many shots are been taking in the position!

7pm Its Full moon and I can see it from sitting at the dining table! I Love it!

Today I went to a Yoga fest, and I left Stephen in charge of my ten on ten.

He did start off the day well, but then went out and forgot the camera, then had a nap and forgot to take more photo's...So by the time I got home, the day was all most gone and well it was left at that!

So I'm sorry this time it will not be a full set.

But then that's life and that's what this is all about, the good days and the mishap's ones too!

Twenty Dollars Later!

That's the price to pay!
A few weeks ago I wrote this and well what I ended up doing is going back to see my psychiatrist! 
I used to see her on a fortnightly basis when I was dealing with Post Natal Depression and Anxiety/Panic Attacks I was having!
But after going to the see my Doctor, and bluntly saying I was depressed, she said that really I did not have all the symptoms of depression and maybe all I needed was to talk to someone! Ok, after all I'm not super keen on taking a pill every day for any sort of reason (yet I do take some things).

So here I am again, sitting in this chair, saying as much as I can in an hours session. Probably getting carried away at times as I tell my very long stories! Then every now and then, I cry and she hands me the tissues!
That sight kinda makes me smile inside! She must do that a lot, hand the tissues over!!!
I talk and talk, about what I miss, the things that are all wrong in my life, how I feel about this and that, the relationships I don't have, the friendships I miss...The way of the Europeans (no offence, but we are a particular breed), and the things that I do love about living in Australia!
Sure I complain about my partner and even mother in law (we have not been getting along AT all for a year now) it saddens me...But I just need to talk and talk!!!
I know people here, but reality is that I don't have friends I can open up to, so this is my outlet!
My $20 bitching time, my $20 pity party and someone to listen, how great is that?
Sometimes we just need to let it all out! I do have a Diary, have had one since I was 12. It used to be a wonderful outlet for me, to write and write! But these days I find it hard to write, when I have someone lying right next to me in bed! And reality is I need a person, to talk to and listen to me!
So $20 will be just fine for now!!!

 

Wednesday Night at the Hall

It has been a month now that we have started dancing classes.
We go to the local Community Hall, next door are some people learning to line dance!
But us we have been doing "Salsa"; "Tango"; "Cha-cha" and a bit of "jive"...Its been a LOT of fun, well it is now, after the first few weeks and we are comfortable with the group of people we are with!
As for Tullula, we have a little blanket that we lay in a corner and we have a her bag with toys, books, milk and her "Dou Dou" (that's what we call her comforter/little cloth that she uses to suck her thumb with) and yes she sits and watches us! The first week she did not move a bit! The second week she came and danced; Stephen had me in one hand and I had her in the other!
The third week, she got her own bag ready to go, and from then on she now just knows that thats what happens on Wednesday Night! Momy and Papa, dance!
In the hall there is this picture of this lady watching over us; I think she must enjoy that spot and I like to look back up at her. Dancing gives me so much joy and I hope Tullula will too find that joy, in the meantime I hope she enjoys watching her parents Dance!
 

TuesDay TulluLa

Tying on Momy's Shoes, and loving the attention! Walking around the apartment!

 

The LittLe ThinGs thAt Make ME hAppy.

Stephen got me this Chilli Plant. I love my Plants, and I love a bit of Chilli!

There is a saying in Mexico "Suave pero picante" Soft but spicy! 

I like to think that that's the way I am, the woman I am can be.

But hey, life does need a bit of spice and they are so good for us!

I just Love my plants, and they do make me happy!

What are the things that make YOU happy? 
Add the things that make you happy here, in this link! 

 Come on and join in, this linky will be open until the 15th march, and if you miss out, don't worry there will be another one next month!!!