Sunday, August 30, 2009

Playdates with friends

On Friday Jack and I went over for a playdate with his friend Jared and his little sister. It's interesting to see boys playing together. The whole fight/wrestle/roughhouse thing must just be inbuilt in their genetics. It makes them seem so grown up already. I think next year with the influences from school are going to make a big difference to Jack's play behaviour. I think because he's an only child he may get a bit of a shock when he's mixed with so many other kids. He goes to daycare of couse and there are a few kids there that are a bit rough and it's always one of the first things he tells me about. I'm having lots of mother worries already and school is still months and months away. Maybe I really should home school him.

It wasn't all wrestling though, we went outside and the kids played playdough for awile before having a bit of a kick around with the ball and some chasey.Jared making some playdough wormsJack and that tongue...And look, it's catching...And then yesterday our friend Tricia invited us over for a BBQ and a play. Jack wanted to take over his bubble stuff. Here's Sofie making some giant bubblesAnd here's little Piper. She was having a ball trying to eat everything in site, the sand, some leaves...Jack playing in the sandpit.Sofie hanging upside down on the monkey bars. And as we were leaving the kids got to do sparklers...
This morning Jack and I went to the movies with my friend Charlene to see "Up". It was a lovely movie, sad and sweet and funny and nice. Animated movies nowdays are just so well done. The colours and the amazing details were just stunning. It's a very nice family movie to see but be warned I did tear up a few times.
Ciao

Friday, August 28, 2009

Jack's First Fishing Adventure

Jack has been talking about going fishing lately so we bought a little rod and reel set the other day and yesterday we headed down to the beach.

We started out at Ross Creek and Jack and O caught this little guy (which of course we threw back in). Jack was a bit freaked out and it took some encouraging to get him to stand next to it. We kept getting snagged on the rocks and Jack was getting a bit restless so we decided to head over to Cooee Bay instead and do some beach fishing and have a splash around. Jack was interested for about 5 minutes before he gave up.
I had a bit of a go and caught this whopper!!
It was a bit windy down at beach and there was a bit of seaweed around but it's still nice to wade around in the ocean and get a bit of water therapy. Ahhhhhh the beach, so relaxing......

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sunday at the Great Western

My friend Tricia phoned me this morning to let me know that there was a family fun day on at a local pub called The Great Western. I really really needed to be cleaning my house but I just can't stand the thought of missing out on something fun so Jack and I headed off to check it out. When we got there it was not quite the crowds I was expecting, apparently it was just a small event so our kids ended up with the jumping castle practically to themselves all morning and jump they did!!
Jack, always with that tongue sticking out...
Ollie...and Sofie (she's calling out to her Dad who's a chef there in this photo, "Dad, watch me")I love this photo.And here's Jack's little gravel rashed patches from where he slid across the dirt on his face the other day, his legs move faster than his body some times.And having a ride on the shetland pony. This very same pony was used just moments earlier as a bucking pony for some of the young cowboys and was still giving the odd little skip around when the kids were riding on it.And Jack hanging off the rails of the bull ring.We did see some bull riding and some juniors on some potty calves as well. Crazy sport that bull riding, definately not something I hope Jack wants to do in the future.
And here's a couple of photos from our bubble blowing session the other afternoon.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Sweet Ava

I've spent tonight blog browsing, checking out all sorts of things including some of my favourite regular sites I visit. One of the sites I visit on a regular basis is the blog of Sheye Rosemeyer, an Australian photographer. I'm sure originally I would have come across her site from a link on EB about the story of her precious angel daughter, Ava.

Ava, the Super Princess tragically passed away on the 5th of February 2007, today would have been her 6th Birthday. I have read and re-read Sheye's blog numerous times over the last couple of years. Her writing is breath-catchingly honest and beautiful. Here is a link to her blog.
Happy Heavenly 6th Birthday Super Princess Ava.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Well....

A quick rundown of what we've been up to...
Something very exciting happened this week!! The new Stockland shopping centre extension opened!!! ROCKY NOW HAS THE BODY SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAY!!!
The extension is very nice, much larger than I thought it was going to be and oh so many new stores. It's so nice to have so many choices!! Jack and I went to the grand opening on Thursday with my friend Charlene and her little daughter Aeryon and then we went again on Friday with Owen. I bought a really nice pair of earrings but not much else. On Friday when we went with O we were sitting watching the clown do his magic show, O was standing up the back behind us. The clown came down into the crowd to let the kids pat the bunny rabbit and then handed it to O and went back up on stage, then he called O up on stage to bring the rabbit up. He asked him to help with the show and got this tiny little bike for O to ride (he fell off, he said it was just acting), then O helped the clown ride the bike. Teeheehee, it was very funny, Jack's eyes were glued to the stage.
Also on Thursday my Aunt Diane and Uncle Paul arrived from Sydney. They came up for the triathlon that was on at Yeppoon on the weekend. It is soooooooo nice to see them. They came over on Thursday night do some stuff on the computer and then Diane showed me all the photos from their trip to Europe. The architecture and sculptures and murals and things are just awesome, absolutely breathtaking.
On Saturday night, Coach Grice had organised for the kids to play a little exhibition game during half time at the local soccer match. Jack was hilarious. He ran around the field, not really doing much at all, just running, he decided he wanted to be goalie and went and stood watch over a goal, unfortunately it was a spare net that was off to the side, not even part of the game he was in and then he went and found a spare ball off the field and brought that in to play as well so there were two balls on the field. He had fun, that's the important thing + there was a jumping castle. What more could a four year old ask for, running around kicking a ball with friends and then a jumping castle, perfect way to spend a Saturday night.
So after Jack's soccer on Sunday morning we headed down to the coast to watch the triathlon. We didn't get there until lunchtime so they were already on the run leg. It's incredible to think that people can push their bodies to such extremes. Five or six hours of constant exercise, I just cannot imagine how that would feel. And look at Paul, over five hours of swimming, cycling and running and he can still manage a smile on his final pass by. Amazing.Here's our motley crew, my Mum, my Grandma & Grandad, my Aunt Diane and my Uncle Rob and down the front, Jack (of course) and Paul recovering on the grass.After the race we headed back to the beach house and then down to the beach for a bit of a splash. It was a bit windy and a wee bit chilly, not that Jack minded though. We got down there and he ran down to the end of the beach where there were a group of kids and then right down the other end of the beach and then we came back to the middle and he splashed and dug and yelled and kicked and ran around until the cold finally got the better of him.He was so funny. He would stand in the shallows, fighting the waves as the came in and screaming out at the ocean, "You want a piece of me". He's been using that phrase a bit lately, not sure where he picked that up from. Then he was yelling something about "by the power of ????", don't know where that has come from either, maybe the Power Rangers. It was so funny to watch.Monday was back to the norm, work/daycare and then soccer in the afternoon. Today daycare were having a Pirate day!! Perfect for us since Jack had a pirate party this year, we already had a costume and I sent along some of the party paraphernalia we had left over.Jack and I baked a batch of cupcakes and I made up some pirate face toppers. Apparently they were a hit but Jack tells me he missed out so now he wants me to make another batch for him. And lastly here is my entry for last week for the Embellished Idol competition. Unfortunately I havn't made it through to the next round. I might still do some of the challenges though, time permitting.
Well that it from me. I'm off to do my tax, exciting hey.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Multicultural Festival

Sunday was the annual Multicultural festival held at the Heritage Village. There are still a few of the normal market stalls along with some community info stalls, rides and an array of food from across the world, that's my favourite part. There is also a variety of different music and dance acts in a few locations around the grounds with a main stage near the food area.
Of course Jack and Owen had to have a ride on the camels. It's impossible to get away with Jack not having a ride on the camels, he's practically a pro.Then we stopped to have a look at the animals. Jack fed the Daddy goat and then...he got to nurse the cutest little goat. It is only days old (still has it's umbilical stump). It was just so adorable.We went and checked out the couple of rides and things that they had and Jack had a turn on the jumping castle...before we grabbed ourselves some yummy lunch from the Hare Krishna stall and sat to watch a couple of the acts. We saw some gorgeous little girls doing a dance routine in the most beautiful sari's and little pink fairy wings. We had timed our lunch to catch some tunes by a local band called Busby Marou, we've seen them before at the Australia Day celebrations and they are really good. The schedule was a bit out so we got the added treat of seeing another band from Rocky called The Short Fall. They are great!! I've seen them at one of the local pubs too and they have such a great sound, fantastic vocals.
After lunch we had a look at the rest of the stalls and Jack and I had a ride on some spinning ride before we headed home.
When we got home Jack decided he wanted to do some cooking. He saw an episode of Play School the other week where they made "Raspberry Mousse" so he wanted to make it the other day and because it was cheaper to buy mixed frozen berries he then wanted to make Blackberry Mousse yesterday. It's quite nice actually. It's just mashed up berries mixed with yoghurt and cream and some smashed up meringues mixed through. He only has a few spoonfuls of it but I'm happy to let him make it anyway, anything to try to encourage him to eat fruit.
A random photo of our very relaxed, very pretty but very demanding cat, Kitti-Mae...And my entry for round 2 of Embellished Idol...

It feels good to be back scrapping but my mojo is not really flowing at the moment, I'm sure it's not helped by the cramped messy condition of my scrap room. Should try to get around to clearing it out some time, it's just such a big job.

Anyhoo, better get off to bed.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

The Rocky Swap & Embellished Idol

Two annual events in one!!
It's that time of year again, the Rocky Swap was on yesterday. I can't believe how much stuff people have to sell. I got a few things...
This cute little embossed metal jewellery box,
This little cheese dome and board,
and I also got a Sims game and some of the expansion packs for it and some fudge and coconut ice (yummy!!).
Owen only got 1 thing, sweet potatoes, 5 huge big monster sweet potatoes. He loves baked sweet potatoe with cinnamon butter.Jack got a few things too of course, a junior scrabble game, Ben 10 Uno, some books and a pinwheel. It took us a good 4 or 5 hours to check everything out. We were looking to buy a 2nd hand bike for Owen and I to ride but there were no good ones.
Our friends the Hutchinson's were in town for the Swap so we met up later in the afternoon with them and our other friends the Bruckners and the Williams's for a play at the Riverside park and a sausage sizzle. Jack had a ball and it's so nice for him to be able to get out and play and do something really active. He had an early night last night after all that walking and playing.
Also this week is the start of Embellished Idol. Hopefully I'll be in it...?I can't seem to get my picture to load but anyhoo here is my layout for week one.

Well I guess I'd should go and tidy up this house, it looks like a bomb's hit it.

C ya

Memory Journal

 So I decided to start a memory journal this year inspired by the amazing Heidi Swapp.  She is so talented, I just love her style.  I'm ...