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Not long after New Year our little princess turned 4. I don't know if I can call her princess as much as I used to cause the attitude she has shown since then has made her more like the devil child.
We had a little party for her at the Mt Annan Botanical Gardens with some of her friends, and then afterwards we went to Mum and Dads for more cake and coffee. She enjoyed her day and got some wonderful presents.
The Girls
The boys
We welcomed 2009 in with a huge BANG!
It was hot, my parents have a pool, so they kindly let us take over their house for the evening and most of the next day. We had a combination of good friends and family; this along with good food, a substantial amount of alcohol and lots of laughs made it a night to be remembered by everyone (even when I did lose my engagement ring down the cracks of mum and dads decking) it ended well, we managed to hook it out the next morning.
At home before we left. Mart in the background obviously under the influence already
Some of the oldies (Dad, Uncle Vic, Mum and Nanny Margy)
Ang & Paul
Well, Ive neglected the blog for a few months. I havent really had the time, it was really hard over the school holidays, the kids had good days and bad days, boredom mostly, and that extra 1.5 weeks that private schools get over the christmas break makes it almost 2 months that the kids have off.
But Im back, and Im starting to get a little more organised. Hayley has started Pre-K and is enjoying absolutely loving it. On the other hand, I dislike Tuesdays and Thursdays when she is at home with me and is rather testing of my patience. She has lots of little friends, and is learning lots and lots, her brain is like a sponge, the latest from her is "Mummy, I know how to say Amen now"! The Pre-K kids get involved in Chapel and also do a little biblical studies session in their classroom each day.
Jack has made an ok start into Year 1. The first 3 weeks were a little hard on him. It is different to Kindergarten; Kindergarten there was still alot of play time in the classroom, from the first day of Year 1 it was straight into learning. It was ALOT more structured and I think it took him some time to get used to. The last two weeks I have seen him back to his normal happy self; his reading is coming along in leaps and bounds, and he seems to enjoy his homework, spelling words, and reading for 10 minutes each night. He then has to record each book he reads into his reading diary. Cricket has finished this week, I cant see him aspiring into a budding cricketer but he cannot wait till soccer starts again in a few weeks time.
Im well, adjusting to having to get two children ready for school by 8am but that has proven to be alot easier than expected. Everything has to be done by a a strict time frame, you cant be late for anything and if you are Im sure it will just fall apart. Mart has some exciting things happening, a possible sale of our business, possibly a big career change, we'll know more by the end of the week and hopefully he will have signed the contract.
Anyway, Im back. There will be lots of posts coming up, I really havent done anything since Christmas and I do have lots of pictures to share.
Happy reading.
Sorry, interrupting the 2nd part of the Christmas post to do this; I stole it from Sal.......you bold everything you've done.
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited The Great Barrier Reef.
5. Stood under the stars in the outback, the real outback – think Uluru.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to the Gold Coast’s theme parks – anyone, you take your pick.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sung a solo.
11. Bungee jumped, jumped out of plane, been paragliding or hang-gliding, hot air ballooning – you get the idea, you’ve been hundreds of metres about earth in a seemingly flimsy contraption.
12. Visited Melbourne.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Had a child. Raised a child. Worked with children.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Been to the Snowy Mountains.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Visited the Brett Whitely studio in Surry Hills, Sydney.
20. Slept on an overnight train or bus.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Been backpacking. Are you nuts, I dont backpack!!
23. Taken a mental health day.
24. Been buried in sand with just your head and toes sticking out.
25. Held a possum, kangaroo or koala – or any other native Australian animal.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Been in a fun run.
28. Been on the Blue Mountain cableway.
29. Seen a total eclipse. I think so!
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Played, or watched, summer cricket.
32. Sailed, kayaked or canoed our beautiful waterways.
33. Seen the Daintree.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Visited an Aboriginal settlement or mission.
36. Learned a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Toured the Sydney Opera House.
39. Tried rock climbing (indoor or outdoor), abseiling or just simple bush walking.
40. Visit Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art.
41. Been to the Tamworth Country Music Festival.
42. Sunbaked at Bondi.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Broome.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone fishing.
49. Seen Tasmania’s old growth forests.
50. Been to the top of Q1, on the Gold Coast.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Driven the Great Ocean Road.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Norfolk Island.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Guide biscuits.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone jet boating.
66. Visited Port Arthur.
67. Bounced a cheque.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favourite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Australian War Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Federation Square.
74. Been on the Murray River.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Travelled, or climbed, over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Three Sisters at Echo Point, Katoomba.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited St Mary’s Cathedral, in Sydney.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Been to Hermannsburg.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited Parliament House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Saved a pet.
95. Been to the site of the Eureka Stockade.
96. Swum in The Whitsundays.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a mobile phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.
The build up to Christmas here was huge, the kids were the most social little butterflies . It really feels like we have been hardly home for the last 3 or so weeks. Monday before christmas I had to finalise the shopping, there was no way I was going to tackle it the last two days before christmas, on Tuesday we met up with the Macklinshaws (Jacks best friend from school) and we all had lunch at the local and exchanged Christmas gifts. That evening we met up with 3 of my school friends at Moorebank Sports club for a meal and a chat, Mart got to meet them as well, and it was a really nice night. Christmas Eve, I braved Macarthur Square, wanted to get the kids some new clothes, and both needed new shoes desperately. Surprisingly enough it wasn't as bad as I thought, the kids whinged and whined alot, they were sick of following me around shop to shop, but I bribed them with Maccas and a trip to the Vlatkos house that evening to exchange more christmas gifts.
The plan was to have the kids in bed nice and early, but of course a planed plan never works out. Got home from the Vlatkos about 9pm, after Jack almost using an entire 2 litres milk for the reindeer and leaving Santa about 10 packets of tiny teddies he was ready to sleep. I was sure I was in for an early wake up, but I was poked and prodded at 6.45am, which is much better than expected.
Nothing beats the delight on childrens faces when they wake up to presents galore on Christmas morning. I think my two were both very impressed with there new toys.
Jacks was very musical this year with a drum kit and a proper guitar for children, he also got some mega block navy things, arts and crafts stuff, puzzles, and a remote control monster truck....Santa your so clever.
"What I always wanted Mum....."
Jack with drum kit.
Jack with Guitar on his back.
For my little princess this year was alot of Barbie. Santa brought her the Fisher Price Digital Art Studio, and a Barbie make up kit which seems to be the number 1 gift; she also got the Barbie boat, some arts and crafts things, and some games.
Hayley loving her Make up Kit.
Hayley after doing her makeup. Isnt the Orange eyeshadow just delightful :/
Breakfast went out the window that morning, bad Mummy, but they both wouldnt settle down enough to eat, and I was a little to relaxed myself to even care to much.
**disclaimer** its midnight, I must sleep now before I turn into a pumpkin, Christmas part two tomorrow.
Good night y'all!
Saturday 20th December - NSWMB and Platinum Property combined Christmas Party; GREAT NIGHT! We all went to dinner at a restaurant in Darling Harbour, cant remember what it was called, but it was Italian. I had the nicest Fish Ravioli for entree, yep the Ravioli was filled with Barramundi, it was delicious and for main I had Osso Bucco on a bed of creamy garlic Mash. YUM! From there we headed across to the Lyric Theatre at Star City Casino and watched the second last show of the musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert. OH MY GOSH! The show was fantastic! I really didn't think Mart would enjoy it but it was really hard not to. Todd Mckenney definitely stole the show.
Mart and I before the show.
Thats about the only photo of the night, I was to lazy to take pictures and noone else wanted to. Originally the plan was for us to stay overnight at the Casino, but when I found out that the room was costing $350.00 for one night and lets face it we'd hardly be in it anyway, we quickly turfed that idea. I can do alot for $350.00, and I can sleep in my own bed for free.
