The Gorgeous Growing McKenzie Family

This cute little family is about to be getting bigger :) YAY!!! And a good thing that is because the world needs more gorgeous kids.. look at him... he's just delicious! And he quite liked the camera :)

                    

And look at his good looking parents.. how could he not be handsome!

    

And look at this MAGNIFICENT bump.. looking so beautiful Jose!!

                                       

 

           

AND... more cuteness :)

                                      

You guys are awesome.. good luck for the next couple of weeks :)

xoxo L

Wrath against the wobble and puff...

I may be one of the most exercisingly laziest people ever.. I really enjoy activities such a couch lying, sitting or just general blobbing... oh and eating! I did get into running before I got pregnant with Levi, and I really started enjoying it. Well I enjoyed the feeling once it was finished :) And then after Levi, I just didn't have any motivation to restart since I was at my slimmest (because I was sick through my pregnancy).
This pregnancy has been much the same as the last.. so my goal with exercising is not to loose weight but instead to get fit and tone. To loose the bad giggly bits and just be healthy!! I went for a walk around a flat park the other day and was so embarrassed/shocked that my bum and legs were sore for the next couple of days. Plus if I walk up some stairs I puff hard out like an old old lady... uncool for a 27 year old!
So I have found a aptly named fitness guide.. "from couch to 5km in 8 weeks".. if you wanna look at it click here. Day one of week one- check! I found it very achievable but still a slight challenge. Need to get some good exercising music I think. The journey to fitness has began! Think I may have sore legs tomorrow sad to say! If u want to join me, let me know. Sometimes its easier doing these things with other people.
xox L

The Lovely McKean Family- Part One

This little family is just fabulous! I met Ingrid earlier this year and had the honour of having her as my student midwife for the journey of my pregnancy, birth and the first few weeks of wee Aviya's life. She is such a wise, caring and funny person and I really enjoyed having her along for the ride! She's going to be an AMAZING midwife in two more years time if your looking ;)

When she asked me to take some photos of her family I was, to be honest, slightly nervous. Kids are so hard to photograph, they move ALLLL the time and get bored of looking into a camera. The weather threatened to drown us today but ended up blessing us, putting on a show, slightly overcast and warm. The family looked amazing and once we warmed up a bit (the lolly pops helped!) we got some cute shots! Can't believe after only an hour I took 500 shots! Gasp! That's how gorgeous they are! :) This is a really neat family and I'm looking forward to part two of the shoot at the beach!

xoxox L

The Cake to End all Cakes...

If this cake was a kid it would be the ugly fat kid that no-one wants to talk to.. and then when u do talk to them they are so so so sweet that they makes you sick. You can only take them in VERY small doses!
Stevo may have said something like "its diabetes in a slice".. it sums it up well.
Because you cant see from the pictures.. its a chocolate cake, cheese cake with reeses pieces (35 big ones cut up), and caramel with peanut layered cake. Its yummy, but not sure I want more.. ever.
Anyway Happy Birthday Stevo.. Love you xoxooxx

As I said.. ugliest cake EVER

99% fat free.. true story.. cough. 

xoxox L

Models wanted

Just let me know if any of you want a free photoshoot.. need a couple of models for assignments and experience :) One day.. hopefully soon.. I wanna start a wee photography business. Watch this space!
Send me an email mrs.laura.downey@gmail.com

Church musings..

Its a long one sorry.. :)

Was at church woman's group today (aka Couch) and we were talking about celebrations. We had our church's yearly Celebration Sunday the Sunday just been. Today we talked about things we celebrate and what a celebration means. Obviously there is the normal things like Christmas and birthdays etc. But in Exodus the Israelites celebrated HEAPS of stuff.. and they celebrated every year and retold the story of what God had done for them. If we focus on the good stuff.. and celebrate the good stuff then when crappy stuff happens its not so much of a big deal.
Made me think about my own life.. Stevo has been cancer free now for 3.5years (I had to ask Stevo cause I forgot how many years). When we got the news that he was cancer free (after chemo and surgery) we had a celebratory dinner and thanked God for what he had done. But since then we haven't. It made me think.. what if? What if, every year we set aside time to celebrate and thank God for what he did. If we spent time telling our children what happened, it would firstly help our faith to build, but also surely would help our kids faith build.
Also made me think about Christmas. Christmas has almost become a celebration that I dread a little. Its complicated with families and trying to think about presents and decorations and trying to stop Levi eating the decorations :).. I just get tired thinking about it! But man.. I am so thinking wrong! We should be creating a legacy of thanks giving and celebration of what Jesus did! So have given myself a slap on the wrist and will be rectifying this!
And finally.. one of the ladies was talking about how, when her first 2 kids were little she was finding that she was waking up and going through the motions of the day. She was finding her kids draining etc. Then after reading in the bible it says that children are a blessing from the Lord.. she prayed and asked God to change her thinking. To help make them the joy that they are supposed to be.. she now has 4 kids (and wants more) and LOVES being a mum. I think I have fallen into this trap. I love my kids like crazy, dont get me wrong, and obviously it is going to be full on being a mum sometimes with 2 young kids to chase after and lack of sleep, regular showers and hot meals. But I find that I wake up in the morning counting the hours till nap time and then bed time... just surviving the day and collapsing into bed to repeat the day again. I'm not stopping to smell the roses and enjoy these gorgeous creatures I have growing up in front of my eyes. I need to change my thinking!

On other not so spiritual news..
I have been mad baking! Some may even call me the baking queen :) Its Stevos birthday tomorrow.. and since he really doesnt want a present (how can someone not want ANYTHING??!!) I decided to make him a really yummy birthday cake. So have been making a mammoth, seriously gigantic 6 layer cheese cake/chocolate cake. Hopefully it tastes yummy and doesn't clog his arteries too much. Also made some cupcakes and sultana loaf. Yum yum yumm!! (although think I cooked the sultana loaf too long.. boo!) So bed early for me tonight... I am sleepy! Will put some photos up of the giant cake once its finished :)