September in the Rain

Hello sweet friends! Welcome to NatashainOz.com. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I have just returned from a relaxing but very rainy week away at the beach. Our Spring break began with rain and it looks like it is going to end with even more rain. Apparently we have recently had the heaviest September rainfall in at least 10 years with a prediction that there is plenty more to come!

September in the Rain 

#TuesdayTune - A Few of My Favourite Things!

At the moment I am celebrating my first year of blogging by hosting a give away of some of my favourite things. 


Give away closed!

I am sure that you will agree with me then, that there is no better song to share for this week's Tuesday Tune  than A Few of My Favourite Things from The Sound Of Music. 

Source

I hope you enjoy this version which is from a Julie Andrew's concert in 1989 and it is a medley of some of my favourite songs from The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. 


~The link isn't working properly so just click on the link where it says "Watch on You Tube" and it should take you straight to the song~



If you have a favourite song that you would like to share this weekend for Tuesday Tune, I would love to hear it! 


You can post a song from any post, old or new. Please help me spread the word about this weekly celebration of music by linking back to this post and if you want to, you are most welcome to use the Tuesday Tune button.

<br /><a href="http://www.natashainoz.com/search/label/Tuesday%20Tune"target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZHmRUs0AUsQ/T9U9Sxvo_dI/AAAAAAAAJFE/bB8GBaDbJnI/s180/Tuesday%2520Tune%2520Button.jpg" border="0" /></img src="https:></a>

I would love it if you could leave a comment telling me why it is one of your favourite songs. If you don't link up a song today I would still love to hear about your favourite song, so please leave a comment. 


I can't wait to listen to and learn about your favourite songs this week!


Don't forget to click here to enter my Favourite Things Give Away and be sure to visit Laurie who hosts Favourite Things Saturday, a party where people share a few of their favourite things each week. Thanks for having me Laurie!

Thanks for visiting today and I hope that you have a beautiful weekend, full of all of your favourite things!


Best wishes,
Natasha In Oz 

A few of my Favourite Things Give Away!

In the last few months I have been so lucky and have been tagged with some wonderful "awards". Thanks so much to these lovely friends for the following awards:

Debbie from Beautiful Dee's, Claire at To Be Me Jewelry, Chyme Cindy, Blondee from Blondee's Diary, Amy at Artistically Amy, January Asia and Steven Hui from The Caffeinated Globe, Mya from Elbows on my Window Sill, Anastasia from Sweet butter Bliss and Cathy from Just an Aussie Girl!

So now I have to obey the rules and I have to:


1. List the top ten things that make me happy.

2. Share with my favourite bloggers and ask them to do the same.

3. Link the blog's I choose and link the blogs of the people who gave it to me.

So....I hope the following people don't mind being tagged with these awards!

I have chosen:

1.Blondee, Debi, and Johanna to receive the Trendy Blog award because their blogs are natural, beautiful and welcoming.

2.Dawn from Dawn and Aggie, Elizabeth from I Heart Sunny Days and my son Big Al to receive the Sunshine award because they make me smile.

3.Cindy from Purple Froggie Clay Stuff, Melissa from Those Northern Skies and Allessandra from Random Tips to receive the Bright side award because their blogs are positive, happy and bright.

4. Dawn from Mom-o-logues and my daughter Maddy, Rosie from Roses and Rutabagas and Susan from My Place to Yours to receive the One lovely Blog award because their blogs are just....well...LOVELY!

If you haven't been to visit any of the sweet bloggers I have mentioned then please go and say hi-you will be glad you did!

Now, to the 10 top things that make me happy:

1.My Family

2. Reading magazines while relaxing with a cup of tea.

3.Going to the Beach

4.Christmas! Have you seen my new Christmas Blog yet? Please pop in if you have a moment!

5. Disneyland...at Christmastime!

6.Teacups

7. My kitchen!

8.Candles

9.Pink Roses

And the final thing that makes me happy, thanks to Marty from A Stroll Thru Life,  is decorating with cloches! Thank you Marty for introducing me to the cloche!

I love the way that I am able to share my favourite things with my blog friends and that they have taught me so many wonderful things. I am very grateful to so many people for making my first year of blogging so wonderful and rewarding.

When I started this blog one year ago I decided that I would use it to give thanks for the wonderful things that happen in my life. I wanted to spend 5 minutes a day focusing on being positive and grateful. I wanted my blog to be a celebration of my family and of all of things that my life special. I wanted to blog about my favourite things in life and I wanted to meet new friends from all around the world.

I have learnt so many things this year but the most important thing has been to give thanks for the many things that have made my life so happy.

So to say a big thank you to my blogging friends I am having a give away....A favourite things give away!

I am giving away some of my favourite things to two people. The first gift will consist of an Australian made candle and an issue of Australian Country Style magazine which comes with a "Keep Calm and Carry On" tea towel.

I loved this magazine so much I bought a copy for the winner and a copy for me!

The second gift is another magazine, "Notebook", and a New Zealand made lavender soap which sits on a wooden soap dish.

If you would like to join in and enter you must first be a visible follower. I will use the random generator thingy to select my two winners so please leave a comment telling me that you are a follower. If you would like to add something to your sidebar about this give away please let me know you have done so in another comment and you can have another chance at winning.

I will post these gifts to anywhere in the world so all of my blogging friends are welcome to join in!

The names will be selected on October 1st.

~Give away is now closed~

I wish I could send all of my blogging friends a gift as you are all so special to me. Thank you so much for your support, comments and of, course, Friendship!

Blessings and best wishes,

Natasha In Oz 

5 Minutes with....Simoney!

Hello friends! Welcome to NatashaInOz.com

It is my 1st Blogoversary this week and to start my new blogging year on a high note I am introducing a new monthly feature that I am calling

Natasha in Oz spends 
5 Minutes with....

Like so many bloggers out there, I have found blogging to be a great way to share ideas, learn new things and of course, make new friends!

One such friend is the gorgeous Simoney who is a fabulous blogger from New Zealand.

Simoney authors two blogs. Her main blog is called Great Fun 4 Kids and in this blog she shares stories about her family, her life in New Zealand and her faith. She also shares some great ideas for organizing kid's birthday parties.

Simoney's other blog is called Kids Click and this blog is dedicated to kid's photography. Each month Simoney suggests a theme and kids of all ages can take pictures which will then be judged by other kids. My kids, Maddy and Big Al, love this blog and have been clicking away since Simoney first started this blog.

So, let's spend 5 minutes with.....Simoney!

What’s your daily beauty routine? 

 Ha ha ha ha {sounds of hysterical laughter} BEAUTY ROUTINE??? I don't know if you could call it that. Before I collapse into bed at the end of the day, I wipe my face with Clearasil facial wipes and slap on some moisturiser. Usually it's supermarket brand stuff like Olay... but at the moment I scored a great deal on some RoC Complete Lift for dry and mature skin which is really yummy.

What type of music do you listen to when you are relaxing? 

I make my own mix CD's with all my favourite songs. Favourites at the moment include Coldplay, Jordin Sparks and Brooke Fraser.

What is your favourite fragrance?

Perfume is my thing. An overseas trip is not complete without a visit to Duty Free. My current favourite is Marc Jacobs "Lola" followed closely by "Daisy". A spray of delicious scent is my indulgence. I may look like crap but I smell good!

What are you reading at the moment?

I have just finished reading "Midwives" by Chris Bohjalian. Also on my nightstand is "Growing Great Marriages" by Ian and Mary Grant. I prefer the fiction!

Which room in your home brings you the most joy?

It's hard to pick just one; I love my house and after four years living here, I'm still so grateful we got to be here. But if I had to pick just ONE room... I'd say my dining room, in particular the window seat. My favourite thing in the morning is to sit there in the sun with a cup of tea and look out at the world. Very calming.

What is your favourite dinner party meal?

I am a great fan of Theme Dinners. We've done an Indian dinner, a Middle Easern Dinner, a Spanish Dinner, a Fancy Dinner party, a toga party and more. Any excuse to dress up and eat fancy, count me in.

Tea or coffee?

Tea. Tea at home (and with scones) but coffee at a cafe. A trim flat white.

Favourite holiday photo?

The one of me in the pool with my little one. The miracle of me getting into my swimmers and not caring. That's why I love it - it represents major progress in the way I see myself.

Describe your blog in one sentence.

A Real Life Rollercoaster - sharing the fun, the nausea, and the screams of family life, no holds barred.

Thanks Simoney for spending 5 minutes with me! It has been great getting to know you a little better.

If you would like to go and meet Simoney just click the button!

I hope you will come back and visit me on Saturday for my Say G'Day Party, a weekly meme for you to link up your tutorials, recipes, DIY ideas, craft projects, instagram pictures, pinterest round up posts...anything that you would like to share with blogging friends from all around the world! 

If you would like to join in with this week's party just click the button!

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting me in my little corner of the world Down Under!

Best wishes,

Natasha In Oz 

#TuesdayTune ~ Remembering 9/11

Welcome sweet friends to this week's #TuesdayTune post.


This is a rather solemn weekend for many as it is the nine year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It is also the weekend when my husband and I will be remembering the twin boys that we lost 15 years ago. My sweet little boys were born too early and now they are in heaven; they are guardian angels looking over us and protecting us each and every day. 

Today's Song is dedicated to all people who are remembering lost loved ones. It is a song of remembrance, love and faith....a song about Angels.

To Where You Are

Sung by Josh Groban and written by Richard Marx andLinda Thompson 

Who can say for certain
Maybe you're still here
I feel you all around me
Your memory, so clear

Deep in the stillness
I can hear you speak
You're still an inspiration
Can it be
That you are mine
Forever love
And you are watching over me from up above

Fly me up to where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile to know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are

Are you gently sleeping
Here inside my dream
And isn't faith believing
All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you
Just one beat away
I cherish all you gave me everyday
'Cause you are my
Forever love
Watching me from up above

And I believe
That angels breathe
And that love will live on and never leave

Fly me up
To where you are
Beyond the distant star
I wish upon tonight
To see you smile
If only for awhile
To know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are

I know you're there
A breath away not far
To where you are. 

ToddClassical 




I am linking this post to my weekly Say G'Day Saturday Party.

Blessings and best wishes, 

Natasha In Oz 

The guardian angels of life fly so high as to be beyond our sight, but they are always looking down upon us.  Jean Paul Richter

Giving Thanks For Teachers!

G'day lovely friends! Thanks so much for visiting me here at Natasha in Oz, my bloggy home, Down Under.

This has been a crazy week and I am so glad it is Friday! I have been marking papers, finalizing results, teaching classes and doing all of the other things that all teachers are expected to do.....I am so thankful that I am only working part-time for one term!

That is why I want to spend some time giving thanks for all teachers.

I am also thankful that I was not a teacher back in 1915! Look at this list of Rules of Conduct for teachers that I found on Little House on the Prairie.com

Imagine having to wear two petticoats and not being able to go to the ice cream parlor on a hot summer's day! I really should stop complaining about having a busy week after reading this!

Source

Anyway, I have only got one week left of my contract and then life will be back to normal again. It has been wonderful working part-time at my kid's school for the term but I am ready to finish so that I can dedicate my time to my husband, my kids, my family, my home, decorating for the Holidays and, of course, to my blogs!

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice. 

Meister Eckhart

 

Source

On the subject of blogs and being thankful, I am so grateful to my sweet blogging friends who have been by to leave comments. Thank you also to my lovely new followers! I am honoured that you have chosen to follow me.

Thank you also to the people who have linked up songs to my recent Father's Day Tuesday Tune post. Thanks for joining in! I hope that you will back on Sunday to link up again.

One last thing before I go and have a cup of tea and a lie down! I just wanted to let you know that it is my 1st Blogiversary next week so I hope you will back to visit then as I will be having a little give-away to celebrate!

Blessings and best wishes for a wonderful weekend,

Natasha In Oz 

Please join me each weekend for the Say G'day Saturday Linky Party!

You can also visit me at PINTEREST, TWITTER, 

INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!

Father's Day Tuesday Tune ~ You Raise Me Up

Welcome, sweet friends, to NatashaInOz.com and this special Father's Day Tuesday tune post. I hope you are having a great weekend. We have had a fabulous day today as it is Father's Day!

Vintage images from here.

So to pay tribute to all the wonderful Dads, Grand-dads and uncles out there, I am dedicating today's Tuesday Tune, You Raise me Up to you!

Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad. Author Unknown

Happy Father's day!

The song You Raise Me Up was originally written as an instrumental piece and titled "Silent Story." The melody is based on a traditional Irish tune (especially the opening phrase of its chorus), the Derry Air, which is best known as the usual tune to the 1910 song Danny Boy. Løvland approached Irish novelist and songwriter Brendan Graham and Irish novelist and composer to write the lyrics to his melody after reading Graham's novels. It was originally released on the 2002 Secret Garden album "Once in a Red Moon," with the vocals sung by Irish singer Brian Kennedy.

This version is sung by Irish "Boy Band" Westlife.

I hope you enjoy this special Father's Day Tuesday Tune, You Raise Me Up.

WESTLIFE - YOU RAISE ME UP [VJS]

Uploaded by maxwell2006-2007. 

I love hearing music from all around the world and learning about new artists so, if you have ever shared a song on your blog, I would love it if you could link up with me in my weekly Tuesday Tune Linky party!

<br /><a href="http://www.natashainoz.com/search/label/Tuesday%20Tune"target="_blank"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZHmRUs0AUsQ/T9U9Sxvo_dI/AAAAAAAAJFE/bB8GBaDbJnI/s180/Tuesday%2520Tune%2520Button.jpg" border="0" /></img src="https:></a>

Thank you so much for dropping in and spending time with me today. If you have a moment, please let me know what you thought of today's song and please also pop back later to listen to some other fabulous songs that my blogging friends from all around the world have shared. After all, as Confucius said, Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.

Best wishes,

Natasha In Oz 

Please join me each weekend for the Say G'day Saturday Linky Party!

You can also visit me at PINTEREST, TWITTER, 

INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!