A Pictorial Catch Up: Take two

Trevor and I got to be grown ups at my beautiful cousin, Megan's wedding. Having not been out to a glamourous "do" for a while, I was conctantly changing my mind about what to wear. I ended up changed out of this top before the reception into something much nicer and more formal, after deciding that I hated this one! Things you do....

The boys have started year 1, and Prue caught the school bus to preschool for the first time. poor Tommy, the bus driver!

Hamish and Lachlan at their swimming carnival. They came first and second respectively in the 17 metre any stroke, and 17m kick-board. So proud of both, but a little glad that Hamish had a chance to shine. Talking about shining (and bragging!), Lacho came 1st and Hamish came 3rd, for the second year running, in their school cross country!

Gold coast holiday, January 09. White water worls, lots of fun!

A Pictorial Catchup, or, The Lazy Blogger

Well don't you hate it when blogger only uploads half of your photos?? Anyway, in light of the slight gap in recent posts, here is a few (now a very few) photos of what has been happening.
Above, 6/4/09, Prue turned 4. Very proud of herself.

And any four year old will tell you that all you need to "go and find Dad and work with him" is your Dora bike, a green tutu and some pink fairy wings, a vegemite sandwic and black knee high biker chick boots. Of course!

The kids on the roof of Parliamnet House, Canberra. Hamish looks very happy!

The grass slope out front proved much more fun, entertained them for an hour or so. Rolling, jumping, cross country training. Lucky they didn't get asked to leave. Typical bush bunnies!

Christmas........, or Am I Ready?

Well it has been a while, Christmas is hurtling closer and I still haven't done Christmas cards. Bummer. I am actually starting to lose motivation given that it has occurred to me that they may not reach their destination by Wednesday if I post them Monday, and as for those overseas gifts and cards, well......

Never the less we are looking forward to Christmas, which will be a little different this year. We always visit mine or Trevor's family alternate years. Obviously I love going home to Armidale. My dad is one of 5 brothers, my grandmother is still alive, and most, if not all of the family always congregate together.It used to be at my grandmother's house but now rotates amongst the houses of the Armidale members. It is predictable, comforting, tradition blended with a little something new (newer every year), with a plethora of cousins, and now, the great grandchildren, of which there are already 6. Trevor's family on the other hand tend to have a smaller Christmas. They are a little less likely to spend Christmas all together, there is less tradition, more chance of tension, but just as much fun, and with 6 siblings and 13 grandchildren, it still proves to be quite a large gathering. This year, Trevor has actually decided that he doesn't feel like exchanging Christmas cheer with his family (a little too much tension, a little bit too little fun), so we are spending it for the first time ever with friends (our "non blood-tied" family), and we can't wait. I do have some feelings of regret that we aren't doing the family thing, or is it just anxiety at breaking with tradition and going against the flow? Regardless, we will wake up in our own home, open presents, and have a light brunch. Yep, I said brunch! I am thinking of some sort of Turkey Salad, any ideas? I have a turkey breast to cook the day before, must defrost it soon. We will then head to Dubbo a bit after midday join with all of our friends. There will be swimming, and kids close in age, and good wine and great company. I can't wait, have I said that before? So as we do something a little different this year, I wish you all a Merry Christmas, however you are all spending it! I hope that everyone is with someone that they love, and who loves them.

A new banner, by the very talented Neek.

Well we have had a very busy week, what with dance concerts and what not (that for another post), but today we had a lovely day at home. Monique and the kids came out, and Monique generously took around 300 photos of my kids. those same kids who refused to stand still. If you click through about 20 of the photos very quickly, you actually get a movie of Prue "tap dancing" on the ramp at the front gate. Thank you for you patience Neek.
Anyway, we had a lovely day, the kids all played well and had a ball, and I have some beautiful photos of my kids, that I could just not produce on my own. Monique has given a little sneak preview by making this lovely banner for me! A pity I couldn't line it up properly, I am sure I could if I fiddled, maybe that is a job for tomorrow! Anyway, thank you Monique. I love the photos, and we all had a nice day!

For Months.....we have been growing out this child's fringe...

yet today the little madam found time, I am not sure when as she has been following me around all day, to cut it! Strangely, not the disaster it could have been I suppose, she just gave herself a short, vaguely neat fringe, as opposed to a mohawk or a reverse mullet or something. I think it may actually look worse since I tried to "fix" it.

A funny (slightly embarrassing) story)

This last week or so has been hectic, no, bedlam! Late nights up baking culminated in a very hectic, long day on Wednesday at the Preschool Market day (well done girls). I raced to town having put the boys on the bus, dropped Prue to the babysitter and parked in front of the town hall (on the sunny side so as to unload all of the cakes). I then stayed there ALL DAY until 4pm. At that stage I was just looking forward to getting Prue and going to Mrs Quarmby's house where the boys were for a sit down and a nice cool drink and a chat before tap dancing.

So I unlocked the car and noticed a lot of black oil in the floor well of the driver's side. hmm, what the? So I couldn't find my mobile and decided to drive quickly, get the kids and go home immediately. As soon as I started the car, lots of REALLY HOT black stuff leaked all over my foot. I parked in the main street to go to the ATM to pay the babysitter and was still in a dilemma when my darling husband hurtles past in his Beverly hillbilly-looking landcruiser ute! Excellent I think. So I flagged him down and he gave me that look that only farmers can give immediately before or during harvest, which meant "don't hassle me, what do you want?" So I REALLY flagged him down!

When he stopped I pointed out the problem area, which elicited a lot of mumbling about there being no oil in this part of the car. Anyway we drove home in convoy, having stood up a few people, raced into the Quarmby's and given Neralie the panicked account, dragged the kids out mid game, with no more oil having leaked since I flaggged Trevor (typical). I had a nervous drive home waiting for the car to explode or the steering to give out! Trevor didn't get to look at the car until 7am this morning when I said "Is my car driveable????". He walked back in as I was eating my Fibre Plus saying "we have a major problem, the car is seriously broken". Strangely his voice didn't have the harried, p-ssed off tone that would normally go with those words. So I turned around to look at him...and promptly burst out laughing spraying fibre plus and milk all over my darling husband. He was holding a small black bottle of......SHOE POLISH. Apparently, in the heat of the day, the liquid in the bottle of SHOE POLISH had expanded and leaked everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, shoe polish! Imagine if I had taken it to one of the local mechanics and said "excuse me but my car is broken"!!!!!

I love them because.....

Whether it's playing in the mud, or choosing to sleep in the same standard single bed, they love each other too!