December Daily - 8th

DToday was FUN.  Busy and tiring but FUN.

Met my sister and her kids for brunch at the Pancake Parlour.  I thought mine was delicious (bacon, eggs and a blueberry pancake), Jamie had hot buttered walnuts, Mark had Bavarian apple, Jo had a short stack with strawberries.  Sheena and Ryan both had ice cream (!), Ben had an "Alice in Wonderland" (one pancake with ice cream, choc topping and sprinkles) and Roy had 2 gluten free pancakes with ice cream.  Not sure why we needed to know that, but now you do.

Cousins having a lovely time together

Roy enjoying his gluten free pancakes

Sheena

No that was not too much icecream and choc topping

Then we went down the road to the Box Hill Miniature Trains.  It was fantastic.  The train ride was quite reasonably priced, it took a decent amount of time and most importantly the kiddies loved it.  Jamie had some pressing business to deal with so he didn't go on the train but caught up with us at the park afterwards.  Here is a smattering of pics from the afternoon.

 Then some more...

Ryan was chatting up some girls and then coaxed Roy to play too

On the miniature train.

Cutie pie Roy

Mark does not look like he's enjoying himself.

Ben driving the train

Sheena is a star at the Monkey Bars

Uber cute one of Ryan on the train

Day 6 - Phi Phi Island Cruise

About the leave the harbour

Our boat was a similar size to this one had around 150 people on board. Lunch provided, very nice. We had three stops, two to go on land and the other was snorkelling off the side of the boat.

Mark on the lower deck.

My fellas on the little boat going to our first stop

Ryan all decked out for snorkelling.  Do you think he went?

The crazy wooden boat that took us ashore.  Jamie has a close up of the motor, the blokes that drove them had the best bodies and depending on where I was sitting, they looked naked.  Noice.

Fish feeding frenzy, I was right amongst this!

Beautiful clear waters on Khai Island

SItting with the little dudes.

Maya Bay - where The Beach was filmed, might have to rewatch it.

Maya Bay again. Too rough to stop.

Monkey Beach - again too rough to stop (phew)

Amazing rock structures

More amazing islands

Swimming at Phi Phi Don Island.  Jamie took my Halle Berry shot.. but not posting that.  Don't quite have Halle Berry's figure

Just add cuteness

Phi Phi Island

Today's post was bought to you by captions only.  The seas were rough. The scenery was beautiful, the food was amazing.  Happy that we went.  Everyone liked the swimming.  

Gearing up

Went though all the emails from our hotel.  Its nerve racking, hope its as we are expecting, two rooms right next to each other.  Our room looks so nice, its open to the pool, so we're going to have to be neat or we're letting the team down.

Spent the night at Nathalia with the inlaws last night.  I would be quick to call it the best trip there ever.  It was just me and the kids, it was more relaxed than other times and we achieved something.  Spent 2.5hrs shovelling wood chips to a new garden bed.  Even little Ben had a rake.  Felt so good to give something back to them.  They are always helping us.  Our dogs are staying up there whilst we go away.  They are loving it.  Get to bark at cows, have a huge area to explore. They are lazy, so they are safe.

Today was the Bush Bash - sort of an Easter Festival.  There was a Turtle Parade, all the kids dressed up as turtles or butterflys/moths and walked down the main street.  Ryan really got into it.  Ben was a little bit little for the backpacks so he carried a stick with a cardboard witchety grub on it.  Then an author read her book about a long neck turtle which was partly written in the local aboriginal language.  I would have liked to get the book , but it was $25.. a bit much I think.  There was a display of live turtles that the boys really got into it.  Mark on the other hand is all about the food, more to the point, the drinks.

Walk for the Kids

Did the Walk for the Kids today.

Its part of the RCH Good Friday appeal, which is held every year here in Melbourne Town.  Supposedly they raised $2million.

We were in the "short course" of 5.5km in the white zone.  White zone is for walkers, prams, wheelchairs etc.  I went with Jo and her friend Keri.

Despite all of those people.  We were last for 85% of the course.

We had to stop for the other two to go to the loo, the line up was big, and there were only 3 toilets at this spot at we were at the back of the line, so 20 minutes later, we re commenced the walk.  Not another person was in sight at this stage.  Once we hit past Birrarung Marr, on a tollway road, a car was backing along the road.  Weird the roads were closed for the FunRun.  The bloke in the car said "ladies, anyone behind you"  Nope we think we're last... he said, that's a shame I'm meant to be last.  And then he super slowly followed us for 4km!  It was excruciating.

So many people cheered us on.  Some teased us for having an ambulance behind us.  Then we overtook a woman with what I'm guessing to be cerebral palsy and we ended up being 2nd last.  Managed to chat the entire way and it was very pleasant.

At the end we were part of the tens of thousands that were milling around The Myer Music Bowl and the atmosphere was happy and sweaty.

Afterwards Jo and I went out for brunch and that was also quite delightful - despite no butter.

Caught the train home.

More of scenic Sydney

Top Left: Circular Quay / The Rocks
Top Centre: Well duh... The Opera House
Top Right: A Ferry
Middle Left: The same ferry.
Middle Centre: That ferry cruising off (I think ferries look cool)
Middle Right: Opera House again.
Bottom Left: the underside of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Bottom Centre: Anzac Bridge, I'd never even seen it before.
Bottom Right: View out of the car whilst on Anzac Bridge on the way to Ikea.

Trip to Sydney

Ryan and Christy on the ferry from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour (yes we are total tourists. I have no idea where to go in Sydney other than those places. Might put a bit more effort in next time. Dear little boy was a little bit sleepy at this time.


One of the the other ferries.


First attempt of a photo. Decided this one wasn't very good, so took the one above as well.



The iconic Sydney Opera House.

Nobby's

This was our trip to Nobbys. We walked along the breakwall expecting it to have a nice cooling breeze, but alas there was no wind at all. It was very hot, I got a little sunburned. Ryan slept in his pram. There is a photo of a coal ship, these are HUGE ships and they come right into the harbour being pulled by a tug boat, but they are silent. You are casually walking along and the next moment there is a giant ship next to you. Very weird. Just before we returned to the car, we sat on the grass (ok I sat, he lay down) next to a beautiful man made pond. He wasn't very happy about this, hence the poor photos.

Just so you are aware, my plan is to upload a new photo on most days. They won't always be of Ryan, might be of Mark or God forbid, Jamie or me. Or it just might be something I have cooked, a place we've been to. Very much looking forward to tomorrow, when we are travelling to Sydney for the day. Hopefully will have lots of nice shots of us around the traps in Sydney.

Toronga Zoo

Thursday we went to the zoo with my friend from work Ella and her two girls Jena and Kayla.
Marky has a *thing* for Jena - which is really just friendship but because Jena is a girl, its a *thing*.
Here are some photos from the day.

A long time between drinks.

This is ROY DECLAN GEARY. He's our new little nephew/cousin born on the 5th June 2008 to my dearest (and only) sister and her hubby. Roy was a chubby bubby when he was born 4kg or 8lb13oz in the old money. That is Jo's nose and supposedly has a real Geary look as well. Sheena hasn't had much time with her new little brother as she was ill when he was born, so she was kept away and now little Roy is quite unwell. He was born with a VSD or Ventricular Septal Defect. He's currently in the cardiac ward at the Royal Children's Hospital, so is in really good hands. I'll give updates when they come to hand. I'm just busting to smell him... baby and milky.. yum.

I spent a week down in Melbourne waiting for Roy to be born, oops I mean helping out with Sheena in Jo's last week of her pregnancy. I adore Sheena, she is so magical. Happy, loving, bright and funny. We ripped off some Kelly Travolta who said that "Suri Cruise is a real artist". Suri is the same age as Sheena and that is 2.5years old, granted Suri is probably not delayed, but she is still a two year old. Anyway, Sheena did a scribble on a piece of paper and as a supportive adult, you praise the heck out of the drawing. I said to Jo... "you must be so proud to have such a talented artist"... well we thought it was funny.
There really is something about "blood" Sheena just knew that I belonged to her (if you know what I mean). After church on the Sunday that I arrived in Melbourne, Jo and Sheena were already at my parents house, I squealed and made a fuss, well she wouldn't let go.. cuddle city.




Jamie stacked his motorbike. It was his first accident and all he got was a grazed hip and a bruised ego. He was only going about 50km and it was really wet. Lots of people stopped to help him, I just love Novocastrians.

Birthdays...
Jamie turned 34 on the 6th June. We went to Forster for his birthday weekend. Connie and Paul came up to visit which was very nice. It rained ++++. Paul cooked us some lovely meals. I love not cooking. We stayed at Smuggler's Cove which is a 4.5 star caravan park and I'd highly recommend it. We had a 3 bedroom unit which was better equipped than my home. On our way home we had a kerpuffle. There was a clunk... we couldn't find the stick it sounded like we ran over. Next the temperature gauge went right up and there we stopped. Our three vehicles were out of action... I got to drive a gorgeous brand new Nissan Maxima for a week... I want a Nissan Maxima, or a Mazda 3, or a Corolla, or a Honda Jazz... umm I want a new car, but will have to make do the "heap of junk" that we call the Commodore. The photos below were taken on the side of the road, in the rain, waiting for a lift/miracle.

Mark's 10th Birthday was very very exciting for him. He was having his first party in 5 years. We invited 6 boys and they ALL CAME. Now I knew girls were noisy, but I had no idea that boys can squeal as loud as girls, but the added excitement of defiance. Well we survived it. Cost far too much money. A pinata, lollies, party hats (no idea why we did that) and because my oven has broken I had to buy a cake... delicious. Too many pizzas.
BUT Mark enjoyed himself All the kids did as well, there were only two that were the stand out annoying ones. The other 5 were great. All were picked up by 9.30pm and we went to bed. We Jamie and Mark had to shoot each other with his toy guns. We got him a game of Uno Attack (very cool people), both sets of grandies got him a PSP game. Jo got him a book which he likes a lot and then there is the CD - Novelty Songs of the 60s and 70s with Up there Kazaley. We're enjoying that. A huge thankyou also to Kathryn (the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world) for the PSP and caring for the puppy dogs. You are a marvel.
The boys after singing Happy Birthday (Madsen had a wet shirt after apple bobbing, hence he was shirtless)


Cake, the toilet paper game which turned into a toilet paper war!!! the pinata, the chocolate game.. YUM

Wow did you make it to the end??? If you did, please go have a cup of tea and good lie down, you deserve it. I'll try not to neglect you so often.

Vietnam War Museum

This is from when we went to Phillip Island. Dad and Mark went to the Vietnam War Museum and I let Mark take my camera.
PS. A huge thank you to Jen Hall for the instructions on how to do that. I jealously looked at her blog and wondered "that must be so hard", well she told her blog readers and now I know that it is simple as point and click.