Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

I climbed the bridge and I loved it!!

What an incredible experience. 134m in the air. The highest bridge climb in the world. The surrounds of the Sydney Harbour and skyline. Watching the sunset. The exhilaration of climbing vertical ladders and the span of the bridge to look down at lanes of peak hour traffic and trains wooshing past! It was amazing.

These are the "stock" photos that they provide - you can't take a camera up there with you ... in fact you can't take ANYTHING - they put you in a space suit and give you hats, gloves and jackets that attach to it - anything that you could drop (which would become either a projectile that could cause damage to anything/one below or rubbish that would pollute the bay or gardens) has to be left behind. They even give you a hanky attached to an elastic on your wrist rather than take your own tissues.

We did a twilight walk (I highly recommend the time slot!) so we walked up in daylight, paused to watch the sunset at the top and walked back by night - with the city of Sydney lit up before us. It was magical!!

Of course that meant we got to buy their photos - but as a captive audience having just completed a 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience they hardly needed to do a big sell! :)

They also captured this video - which mostly demonstrates how windy it was (approx 30km/h). We were concerned they might cancel the climb because of the wind but apparently they only do that when it's "really" windy - as in, over 90 km/h!!!!

 

I would highly recommend you try it before you're 40 too ... or even after (apparently the oldest climber is well into his 80's and has completed the climb multiple times)!! It's not cheap but it's a great experience!
Thanks for sharing it with me Jac!! :)

Baking level-up

So, for all my cooking adventures and experiments, turns out I've never done fondant icing on biscuits before!! 

40/40 challenge number 18 ... here we go!!! (Thanks Jess for adding it to the list!)

I was in charge of the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" lolly buffet for my nephew Jacob's 1st birthday party,

 

My Mum and I collaborated to find lollies to represent all the different foods the caterpillar ate - some were quite a stretch!!

 







On Saturday the caterpillar ate a cupcake (among a plethora of other things) and I decided this was my big chance to try fondant covered cookies.

 








Unfortunately, I ended up in a real rush making them - so they're (hopefully) not my best work! The multi-colours are a bit much and I would've loved to put some detailing/embossing on the patty pans and maybe some sprinkles on the top ... next time!

Family Honour - Jacob

Jacob Thomas Craig Smith was born July 2, 2012.

In the hospital! Day #1

He is number four in the Timothy Smith clan and 13 years younger than his closest sibling! SURPRISE!!! :) 

He has brought a special kind of cute and fun to the family - with his blonde hair, blue eyes, noisy play and snuggliness. 

He was celebrated in "Hungry Caterpillar" style with a house full of friends and family - holding the floor with poise ... leading in the "hoorays" and cheers!! :)

I pray that he will grow in 'wisdom and favour' ... to be all that God would have him be. I look forward to watching him grow and seeing his personality, interests, abilities and gifts develop. 

Love being an Aunty ... xo

A tasty challenge

So Jessica Barnett suggested "cooking through an entire cookbook" as one of my challenges and I have accepted! :)

I've chosen a Donna Hay book. I'm a fan of her style and this book is great.

It's called "off the shelf - cooking from the pantry" - which is ironic, because most recipes require ingredients not often found in the average pantry! (It's something to do with teaching you how to organise your pantry to be most useful to you in managing your week to week cooking.) I chose it because it has a nice diversity of dishes and cuisines and a combination of simple recipes and those that will stretch me (either my culinary skills or my food aversions and fears!).

The book contains over 180 recipes - which means I'll need to cook 3-4 a week to get through it before May 22, 2014. I've already done a quick check for dishes that are season specific to make sure I get to them in the right months! I may need to strategise further to get them all done in time.

Jacqui and Nancy joined me on the maiden voyage - a tasty afternoon snack. I think they're excited to have realised that if I'm cooking through a book there'll be some eating to be done!! I believe they are up to the task. :)

1 - choc honey snaps

2 - coconut rice with caramalised banana

There'll be plenty of opportunities for eating ... especially some of the recipes that I'll be more excited to cook than eat myself!!! Let me know if you want in! :)

Family Honour - Paula

So today is the birthday of Paddle (aka Paula). 

She entered our family's world in the late 80's with a big smile and even bigger hair!

Circa 1989 (ish)

Big brother Timmy's first "grown up" girlfriend. Jeans with Looney Tunes characters on them. Ready to mix it with the competitive Smiths at board games and backyard cricket. THE loudest football fan I HAD ever heard and am yet to hear to this day (with the possible exception of her twin sister Lisa!)!! :)

 

The wedding!

They were married in 1992 and it was my privilege to cry ... I mean SING at their ceremony!

Over the years we've played netball together, quilted and crafted, cooked and created ... and laughed ... she loves a good laugh!! :)

Amongst her finest contributions to our family are the oldest and youngest (for now) members of the next generation ... and a couple of others in between! :) 

Christmas 2012

Oh .. and her gracefulness ... we can't forget her gracefulness!!! 

"Miss Graceful" award recipient! :)

Happy Birthday to you Paddle!! Love you lots!

Family Honour - Timmy

Timothy Craig is my eldest brother. Yesterday was his birthday. He turned 43!!

Birthday kisses from #2 daughter Steph.

Timmy's greatest strength is his compassion and sensitivity. He is caring and emotional and soft and squishy! 
Whenever we see each other he always gives me the biggest of hugs - which is great for a single gal like me to have a 'manly' hug like that from time to time! :)
He's been through some 'stuff' in his life ... and sometimes things have been pretty messy, uncertain and difficult ... but somehow he always 'comes through'.
He loves God deeply and I know his greatest security is found in the hope he has in Jesus Christ. I admire that in him.

In our family he was always the "good" child. Rumour has it he never got in trouble until brother #2 came along and taught him how!
He was always the one to try and keep the peace, to mediate between the rest of us siblings, to dob us in and tell us off!

Us in 1978.

Us in 2013

Now he's old(er) and has a big, beautiful family.
He's working in a job that seems 'just right' for him - using his gifts and skills and keeping him challenged and motivated.
 

Tim & his clan - Paula, Rebecca, baby Jacob, Thomas & Steph

#25 on my "40 things to do before I'm 40" list is to publicly honour each of my family members on their birthday this year.

I think I'm going to enjoy this one! :)

Love you Timmy. xo

Clearing things up

Just to clarify ... 

• I don't believe 40 will be the end of my life - either literally or figuratively
• I fully expect to continue enjoying my life after my next birthday
• I anticipate experiencing new things in my 40's and beyond
• I am not lamenting the end of my 30's or dreading the onset of my 40's
• I don't feel I have any lost time to make up for 
• I won't be disappointed if I don't tick off all 40 things on my list (once it's completed) 
• I am expectant that God will create more experiences than I could dream up myself

What this IS about ...

• I LOVE a celebration,
• I love to mark occasions and seasons
• I love any chance to honour, acknowledge and share with people of significance in my life
• I love fun, adventure, experimenting and playing

My list is still incomplete ... suggestions are still welcome. And the invitation is there for you to join me on any part of the adventure! :)


 

Starting out

There are only 354 days left of my thirties. I'm not sad about this ... at all ... I've enjoyed the last decade and I have no reason to fear being 40!

It started as a thought and then became the substance of several energising conversations and now it becomes this blog  ...

40 things to do before I'm 40

I've started on the list but it's not complete yet. I'm hopeful for your input to help me round it off. You can see from the list as it stands that there have been a variety of contributors to the decision process so far! =)

I want it to be a combination of "once in a lifetime" experiences, opportunities for reflection, thanksgiving and celebration, opportunities to learn, grow and be stretched, chances for positive interactions and relationship building ... and fun, lots of fun!

The list so far ...

1. Blog the "40 things to do before I'm 40" fun 
2. Finish an unfinished project (older than 3 years)
3. Give Alex the biggest hug!!
4. Cook through a recipe book from start to finish
5. Pick a person of influence from each decade of my life and honour them in some way
6. Go skiing
7. Write that book!
8. Do a backflip on a trampoline
9. Something to do with a canoe, Geelong & the possibility of falling out! (Kayleen or Mark?)
10. Make a TEN layered dessert (Jess requests a taste test)
11. Perform a 'pop up' musical number in a shopping centre (lots of family members ready to help with this one!)
12. Skydiving (potentially over Sydney?)
13. Fix the crack in the wall/ceiling
14. Drive the Great Ocean Road in a car with the roof down
15. Apply to another reality tv show
16. Retrace my life up until now - road trip style
17. Re-watch West Wing Season 1 to 7
18. Make fondant covered biscuits
19. Go to an event/concert/conference of an entirely different genre than my "normal"
20. Ride in a hot air balloon
21. Have a "Degustation Experience" ... (potentially at the Royal Mail hotel, Dunkeld!?)
22. Do the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb
23. 
    

Over to your help ... what can I add (I reserve full rights of refusal or tweaking of your suggestions!)? ... Anything you'd like to join me in doing?

I best get started! :)