Camping 2012

 

 

We have just had the most lovely 4 nights away at a campground in Pottsville - about 1 1/2 hours south of Brisbane.  The kids had a ball, the campgrounds were lovely, we had great neighbours (including 2 little girls - 5 & 7) who the kids played with from brekkie til bed time and it was such a nice break.  The only complaint was that it wasnt quite long enough!!

1. From the campground looking up to the ocean.  We swam mostly in the creek/inlet - which the kids later referred to as the 'soft' beach (as opposed to the 'wavey' beach).  The water was pretty shallow, so great for the kids and the tidal movements meant you could walk up to one end of the inlet and float back to where everyone was.  It looks a little brown/grey in this photo but hte water was really really lovely - just the overcast day making it look a little murky.
2. Three happy campers eating brekkie
3. one more very happy camper!  Lucy spent a lot of time in these chairs.  As she is not yet rolling (almost, but not quite) they were a perfect place for her.
4 & 5. First fish!!  Matilda in the first photo and Annabelle in the photo holding the rod.  Very lucky - we had only been there about 10 minutes when they each caught a fish within 5 minutes of each other.  And then nothing more for the next half hour.  And very funny - after reeling in the first fish Matilda dropped the rod and screamed (because the fish was flipping around) which of course created a domino effect and all three girls ran in different directions screaming..... Damian just stood look there looking confused!
6. Olivia building a 'sand' man and a drip castle
7. at the wavey beach! - watching, watching, watching the waves......
8.  ....... and RUN!!  They had so much fun doing this.  The other little girl in the photo is one of the little girls that was next door to us at the park.  After watching and running for about 15 minutes I took all the kids back to the camp ground, we changed and went back for a swim.  Given that the girls wouldnt put their faces under the water 3 months ago I had thought that they probably would be a little apprehensive about the beach.  Couldnt have been more wrong.  They absolutely loved it - jumping in the waves, going deeper and deeper having Damian and I jump them over the waves and then lying down in the shallows looking back to the sand dunes and letting the waves wash over their feet first and up to their heads and then getting tumbled by those waves.  I think Annabelles smile was in place the whole time she was in the water.
9. Bicycle bandits - after playing in the water all day and waiting for dinner - it was bike riding time.  As soon as one kid grabbed their bike, suddenly kids appeared from everywhere with bikes & scooters.
10.  Annabelles first tooth out.

Meet our new family members - Jan 2012

1. Lucy has started reaching for things which is really exciting - she concentrates soooo hard and then swings her little arm and grasps whatever she is focusing on. She has also (just) started giggling - such a beautiful sound.
2.  What to do on a stinking hot day....... sit in the doorway where the aircon is blowing and have a picnic of course!!! - with all your friends.  This was so cute, the kids even rolled up tissue paper and stickytaped it together to make fish and chips.
3.  Little girl in the big bath.  She loves kicking in the cool water (it has been really hot up here lately).
4.  Four girls chilling out in front of the TV together.
5.  Lucy had had a really unsettled morning.  This is where/how she finally crashed for a proper sleep.  Completely naked, in the middle of the busiest part of the house - the cross road between the kitchen and bathroom and inside and outside. We were doing craft on the mat beside her and she just slowly drifted off.
6.  Is it all rubbed in Mum??? - Annabelle self application of sunscreen.
7.  Meet our newest family members....... Annabelle is feeding Lilly (white), Lullaby (black), Penny (red) and .... wait for it...... Butterfly (red).  Yes, a chicken called Butterfly.  Olivia's choice.
We bought the chickens on Christmas eve and the kids love them. They are really tame and come when called. 
8. We all got a surprise when we found two eggs the other day - didnt think they would lay for a few more weeks at least.  This is Olivia showing me her find.  I love this photo - kids in their undies and gumboots holding eggs from our chickens - almost like they are on the farm.
9.  Matilda showing off the eggs.
10. approximately 2 minutes later....... only one egg left!  The kids comment 'well, at least we know they are good eggs'. 

Christmas 2012 #3

 

 

1 & 2 - beautiful little Lucy, contemplating the world whilst asleep and peeking out from behind the ruggies she got for Christmas.  She is such a chilled out little girl & a very easy baby.  This week (she is about 2 1/2 months old) she has started concentrating on objects held in front of her (or on a mobile) and reaching for them and grasping them) and has just started lifting her legs - getting ready to roll.  She is full of smiles and is close to giggling - if I squeeze her thighs she makes a sound that is half giggle, half in pain sound - like she is not sure if the sensation is meant to tickle or hurt.

3.  First tooth!!Matilda is the first one to have lost a tooth - growing up too fast!

Christmas 2012 #2

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Kids all ready to go for  a swim.  We have been really lucky to have the use of a pool across the road while the owners are overseas for a few weeks.  The kids got the noodles and swimmers for Christmas so they were very excited to be all dressed up this day.

2. Hmmmmm, supposedly eye shadow.......  and very hard to convince Olivia to let you help her do her makeup.  But you know, I think she does a pretty good job!

3. This day was almost as exciting as Christmas day - we bought the kids their school shoes.... they spent the rest of the day dressed in full uniform - as can be seen in the next photo.  Funny, Damian told them to go and play with chalk when they were in their uniforms.  They found the glitter paint instead, and yep, ended up with paint all over their new uniforms- thank goodness for napisan!!!

4.  Practising for their first day - Annabelle in their normal day uniform on the right, Matilda in the sports uniform on the left (and yes, I did have to double check the photo before saying which child was which..... pity the poor teachers!!)

5.  And little Liv trying to keep up.  When the girls werent looking she snuck their shoes on so Dam and I let her put the whole uniform on. She had been feeling a little left out for the day but had lots of fun dressing up too.



Christmas 2012 #1

 

 

 

 

From the top

1. The night before Christmas! - just after Santa had visited

2. The kids 'dancing' to music being played on their new CD player.  They got the player as a combined present and each got their own CD - I am already sick of hearing the 'Fairies - Lullaby' CD.

3. The kids bouncing on one of their Christmas presents

4. Matilda

5. Lucy just chilling out.  This was taken the week after Christmas so when she was about 2 months old.  She spends lots of hours on the back couch while I am either hanging the washing, doing something in the back yard or doing craft/activities with the kids.