TWENTY || Years of Birthdays {and the conclusion of this series}

So I had this brilliant idea to find a photo of me on every single one of my birthdays, and scan and post them on {for} my 20th this year. I think I actually started uploading late last year. For more recent years it wasn't too hard to find the photos (although some years there aren't any very good ones :P), but for the years before we had a digital camera, I haven't managed to find everything I was looking for. Apparently we've lost a lot of photos because they were stored in the garage which had a leaky roof for a long time :'( We may have a couple more in albums, which I'll consider uploading and adding to this post if we find them soonish. In the meantime, though, I'm not going to abandon the whole post because of the years I'm missing.

This will be my last post for this month, so it is also the conclusion to my series TWENTY. My birthday month is coming to an end; the celebrations are over; I no longer have to think about my response when someone asks my age. 

I didn't feel any different as a 20-year-old on July 2nd than I did the day before when I was 19 (surprise, surprise), but I know I've grown since this time last year. No doubt the coming year will present new experiences and challenges, and this time next year I'll look back and see how much I've changed. 

Thanks so much to everyone who has sent me cards, gifts, and wishes, or followed along for this series! :) July is just about over, but stick around in August for more posts on the blog -- my work schedule is pretty busy but hopefully I can make time to carry out my plans for this spot on the web ;)

: : Day 1 : :

: : 1st birthday : :

Jump a few years since we're missing the photos between here . . .

: : 8th birthday : :
{Yes, I scanned this out of an old journal}

: : 9th birthday : :

: : 10th birthday : :

: : 11th birthday : :

: : 12th birthday : :

: : 13th Birthday : :

: : 14th Birthday : :

: : 15th Birthday : :

: : 16th Birthday : :

: : 17th Birthday : :

: : 18th Birthday : :

: : 19th Birthday : :

: : 20th Birthday : :

Warren & Suzanne || Anniversary

Suz -- thanks for being my first friend to tie the knot, thereby showing our increasing ages and making me feel old ;P lol

Happy 1st Anniversary you guys ;)

and . . . I wish you many more. Love ya

Wedding posts over here and here.

Warren & Suzanne's Wedding || Part 2 {Reception}

Apologies for these first images; tbh I didn't think of getting the camera out until speeches, and the camera threw a fit with the lighting (a.k.a. lack thereof). Oh and I basically stayed where I was so you get to see everyone's heads :P lol

: : Speeches : :
Groom + one groomsman gave speeches
All bridesmaids spoke
Nice job you guys! :)

: : Cutting the cake : :
{Ruffles + burlap}

: : Wedding Favours : :

: : Handwritten signs everywhere #love : :
{FYI, sparkler sendoff ran on homeschool time ;)}

: : Burlap : :

: : Above the bridal table : :

: : Table arrangements : :
I baked 200 brownies for the afternoon tea and got to take one of these beauties home. #score

: : Bouquet : :
Lovin' those beads!

: : Photo booth : :
Call me weird, but the hay everywhere smelt so good . . . #countrygirlatheart

: : Pinecones + glitter : :

: : Another table arrangement : :

: : The best table there ;) : :

And because I'm so awesome I completely forgot to get photos of us at our table etc. #fail But our table was fun. You'll just have to take my word for it. Caught up with some old friends too which was awesome. Stuck around to help with the clean up, then headed home. Except I was giving a friend a ride home and McDonald's is distracting. #midnightsnackandconvo

Warren & Suzanne's Wedding || Part 1 {Ceremony}

Suzanne and I have known each other since roughly the time my family joined the homeschool group (13 or so years ago!!). We've done sports, Bible study, and celebrated birthdays together. It was wonderful to celebrate her wedding with her back in February! 

Congrats Warren & Suzanne -- wish you two a long and happy marriage :)

{Photos in this post by Mum; editing by me}

: : Wedding card I made : :

: : and Mum's : :

: : Wedding party : :

: : Groomsmen : :

: : Bridesmaids : :
{(Left to right) Georga, Leisa, Esther, Ruth}

: : Signing the registry : :

During the signing, a friend played River Flows in You. That piece should be mandatory repertoire for every pianist! ;)

{10 on 10}

#1

: : That time of year already! This is my first one done, will be busy with the rest in the coming week or two! : :

 #2

: : Everyone else is in bed, so the neighbour's cat is making himself at home! : :

 #3

: : My Snowy <3 :="" td="">

#4

: : Yep, peeps, I got it. Yay! :) : :

 #5

: : Working on it. One of these days I'll graduate! : :

#6

: : See below : :

 #7

: : I think I've said before that Summer is my favourite season. : :
But wedding season isn't so bad either! ;)

#8

: : End-of-year certificates for recorder students : :
I've taught for two whole years now!

 #9

: : Abstract photography? : :

 #10

: : So when I photograph plants, the background gets thrown out of focus . . .  : :
now I just need to get the same effect with portrait photography!

Becka's 18th Birthday

Becka did a double-celebration for her 18th birthday (also in June) this year - ice skating one Saturday afternoon for everyone, and a mothers & daughters dinner at Masala on a Tuesday roughly a two weeks later.

Ice skating; left to right: Esther, Marieke, me, Becka, Suzanne
Jarrod, Toby, Rueben S., Ruth
Jordan, Middy, Rueben R.
Mum, Bryce, Abigail
Maria, Danielle, Monique, Dad & Diana, Natalie & a friend

We actually had more people come ice skating but some had already left when we took this photo...
Except for the blisters afterwards, it was awesome!! haha :P

A photo I talk of myself before we went to
Masala, and yes, I've photoshopped it...

I don't have much to say about Masala (Indian restaurant in Papakura) either I'm afraid, except that the food was great and we really enjoyed talking and being together. Oh yeah and we got some cool pics ;)
Afterwards we went to McDonald's for dessert :)

: : Me with Becks : :

: : Suz and I : :

Athletics Prizegiving

The most recent athletics season ran from late October 2011 to late March 2012. Prizegiving was held at Clayton Park School on Saturday, May 19th.

Although Laura was born before the end of the season, this was the first time the club had seen her, so she was very popular, to say the least! lol

I helped out again this year, getting the athletes from a certain age group in line, removing from the pile certificates for those athletes not in attendance, walking around the outside of the hall and bringing the group in again through the back entrance next to the stage. When either Terry or Albert was ready (they were presenting the awards), I handed the pile of certificates to him, and went to get the next pile and start the process again! I was pleased we only had a slight drizzle occasionally, otherwise I could have been quite wet!



Essie and I

 Finally it came to my turn. "Bianca Jago: First in . . . {everything}, overall aggregate, total track, total field." [Yeah, I was the only person in my age group! haha] Honestly though, I'm not sure how one is supposed to carry that many trophies at once! :D


I think Diana and I brought home three trophies each . . . we're building quite a collection now!

After all the age groups had their certificates, the other trophies were awarded, i.e. Sportsperson of the year and others.

  

Once the award ceremony was completely finished, we could all go out the front for sausages, drinks, and ice blocks. It started getting cold and dark, so a few of us came inside to hang out, and were given a chocolate bar each...yummy!

Hanging out afterwards (sorry, I don't have a good pic)
Clockwise: Jarrod, Diana, Suzanne, Esther, Ruth, Monique, me