Hunter Valley

 

Us sisters took my Mum for her 60th Birthday for a drive to the famous Hunter Valley a couple hours away from Sydney. We picnic ed and wandered all day. No kids, no worries, just the girls...twas splendid!

All of us...for now!

What a dream, to have most of us around. Chris was visiting from Adelaide so we all got together on a rainy winters day. 15 kids just between us, can you believe it?! Can't wait till April and Mike arrive!

Beach holiday

Just returned from a 5 day stint at a south coast beach. Our annual family get together has grown with families returning from overseas. Having Jessica and Justin and their families here made it memorable! We had the luxury of the choice between the beach on one side and a lake on the other. On a few of the days the beach was too rough to swim at so we went over to the calm lake. It was ideal for fishing, swimming and Kayaking and for Haydn to paddle around.

Visit to the farm

Jess and I took the kids to visit a 200 year old farm where we were able to see how they lived then, collect eggs from the chicken coop, and feed the cows. It was hot but Haydn walked nearly all the way through the 45 min. tour.

Housewarming!

Yay! So we moved! Got most of it done in one day thanks to Shane's hard work and Thank you to my Dad, Mike and Marty who all pitched in a did a few loads. Much appreciated! So we are pretty settled now and have just about gotten everything we need. I still want to get a few shots of inside the house but here are a few of the yard. I really love this yard! Even though it's freezing right now we're getting some great sunlight streaming through and making good use of the bbq. Man, Shane can do a mean woodfire chop.
The cubby house is just a bonus and the kids are really enjoying it. They actually painted it since this shot was taken. Shane rebuilt that little front porch and laid the woodchips. We have 13 tall trees in this yard! It's gonna be beautifully cool come summer. We also have quite a nice pergola that we hope to get a good large outdoor setting for , lots more potted and hanging plants. Anyway, I'm chuffed! Hey, what do ya think of my new haircut? Top pic...it's quite short and longer in the front. All the blowdrying of winter makes it easier to handle.

Second week of schoolies

Superheros saving the planet in Blacktown. Jay loved it and especially wanted to meet the Hulk afterwards. Alan was too cool for all that....oh no, "it begins" is all that's going through my mind. So we have survived school holidays and we're coming to the end. I've actually quite enjoyed lazy mornings in bed, wandering the neighbourhood and just spending more quality time with my boys. Shane has had this week off as well so I'm getting some good driving in and we're having good family time too. We miss him when he works a lot. Yesterday Marty and co came over with their PS so between that and our Wii 6 kids and 3 big boys (Nat, Shane and Marty) got in some quality gaming hours. Just as well it was a rainy day and perfect for sitting around. They had fun!

I made myself scarce and hooked up with Lynn and the Buckley girls and their 5 babies over a buffet lunch! Yup, 5 baby boys! Well, Karen has one older one and one baby. When it rains, it pours! It's wonderful, they are all such great women and friends and wonderful mummy's!

We are looking for our own place so send up a prayer for us to find a suitable house nearby. In these times the rental market is tight so we're under no illusions that it will take a miracle but God is in control and knows what's best!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! How is yours going? I was awoken on Good Friday morning being beaten with a toilet brush! Thankfully it was the new (ish) one. Haydn, what a love...he was desperately sick the last few days. I'm not sure it was his molars coming in because Alan had to stay home the last few days of school too? That's his fake smile he does every time a camera is pointed in his direction.
Jay had a Easter hat parade on his last day. Below are a few pix. I made the hat though he "directed" me.

So school holidays have officially kicked off and we succumbed and bought a Wii. I'm opposed to children spending too much time in front of TV, computers and other such boxes but I think this is more active with the controls you actually "do" bowling and tennis plus we're doing our bit for the economic downturn and "stilmulating the economy" with the lovely little back-to-school bonus we got for them. Those living in australia know what I'm talking about.

Jay's parade and another class with their hats. Lots of ideas for next year!

Goodbye Summer, sniff

Today is the first day of Autumn but only officially. We still have a few months of good weather left in us...I hope?! I haven't been feeling myself these last few days. Again I'm run down, it's so not like me. I would usually be the one that never gets the flu when everyone is dropping around me and now I'm getting it in summer. It makes me want to reassess my diet and lifestyle to get the most out of this body of mine.
Anyway, Serena and the 2 littlies are with us for the weekend. She's been staying with Anaik while Zeth is down in Adelaide getting a house set up etc. Haydn and Ray are so cute together. Haydn is usually chasing Ray who is giggling and running away. Ray is 4 months older but smaller and more petite, it's so cute to see them playing together and I wish they weren't moving so far away!
Shane was promoted to assistant manager on Thursday! Last week he was pulling long hours but it won't always be like that. By June he will be the Branch Manager of the Studio too! I'm so proud of him! It was certainly just a matter of time for someone to recognise his photography and leadership ability.
And he got me a budgie last week. It is just a baby but has been handreared and we plan to keep it that way. Below is Dixie on Jay's shoulder. We love it.

Beach Holiday /Family reunion 2009

Yum!

Mum has this great muffin book so I tried my hand at these babies "Apple muffins" and they turned out great. I wanted to put something yummy in Jay's lunch box to surprise him on his first day of Kindy tomorrow. They're quite simple and healthy, I even replaced the regular self-raising flour for wholemeal self-raising flour and chucked some sultanas in.

Try it!
225g self-raising flour
150g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tblsp sugar
155g butter
3 tblsp honey
2 eggs
170ml milk
3 apples peeled and chopped into small chunks

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C
Basically sift dry ingredients together
melt butter and honey than cool. Combine wet ingredients
Stir till just combined. Spoon into greased muffin tin. Makes six big ones!

Classic bath shot

Wedding photo's

Mr and Mrs Luna

This is by no means a comprehensive set of photo's. A professional photographer took millions of them on the beach and of the entire evening which I'm sure will appear on Amber's blog just as soon as she gets them. I just realized I hardly have any of the couple or ceremony....or the "dress" which Anne made. It was a flowy skirt Amber had found at some market that Anne added beads and lace to and then a corset type top with trumpet shaped lace sleeve that she'd made from scratch!

The set up and preparation was an incredible team effort! Basically everyone pitched in with preparing cakes and decorating etc. Chris (my brother, who is just about finished his chef apprentice) made 3 of the 4 salads, roast potato's and pumpkins then proceeded to carve the chickens and Lamb. What an angel! My part was tying all those bows on them chairs.... besides controlling the music and other such random jobs.

They got a Marquee set up in the back yard and an outdoor heater to warm up the evening. Candles were literally everywhere and illuminated the night. Twinkle lights and tea lights were in holders mounted on the outdoor walls and throughout the garden, flame torches and centerpieces made from sand and seashells in glasses. Tables were covered with Crisp white linen and the lawn chairs were transformed with covers and apple green sashes.
I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. You can click on the "view all images" icon to get a better look even. Enjoy!

Packing, moving and Adelaide trip

Everyone...I'm OKAY! It's so strange to be away for so long and I keep meaning to grab a moment to catch up here. At the time I dropped off the planet we were in the midst of packing and moving. We said goodbye to Serena and Zeth. Sniff. It was bittersweet. Sweet because we got their pad (upstairs to Mum and Dad) but sad to have to say goodbye.

After cleaning and clearing their place for 5 hours!....I kid you not!... we spent another 3 days till we were fully moved in. After an unsuccessful garage sale (...to try and make a little return on all the leftover stuff.) we were well and truly ready to CRASH!

Lucky for me, Lynn had booked our flights to Adelaide early to give us 6 days off! So here I am! And I've been having too much fun to go anywhere near the Internet. I have to say to Shane, thank you sooo much for being so cool about letting me go for so long right during a hectic time in our lives and with our car just giving up on us. We had to buy a new one (well, another one, not new) that's just cleaned us out but it's a good car that will hold it's value. And the Lord ALWAYS supplies and takes such good care of us. We're spoilt!!

Holly and Haydn

Haydn having a cuddle with Grandma Ann

Well, the first couple days in Adelaide I was able to take it slow and unwind with some light preparation for Amber and Miguel's wedding. Their "wedding dinner" had already turned into much more!

I went and had a look at Rob's beach "shack". It's really just a little apartment but he reckon that's sounds more romantic and it is actually right on the beach. It's been nice catching up with Anne and Gary too and Clare. Chris even came down from Sydney and Arthur and Leilani, Phil and Claire. Lotsa fun!

On the Thursday night Miguel was escorted by the Rob, Chris and the boys out for a Bach Party. All I heard is stories of hot wax, permanent markers and floggings. Standard Bachelor Party stuff (I'm told).

The wedding itself was wonderful, beautiful, spontaneous and sincere. Instead of walking down the aisle. Migs and Amber emerge together to the song "From this moment " by Shania Twain and made their way over to the head of the table and begun with telling us all about how they "came to be". They then exchanged sweet nothings then "the kiss". Toasts followed, music and the night rocked on!

We have been spending the last 2 nights at a Deluxe bungalow on the Adelaide shores. The boys played tennis, volleyball and swam and generally made good use of the facility's. I walked around with Haydn and recovered...ha...no, it was very relaxing.

And last night Shirley (Robs girlfriend), Mel (Peter's girlfriend), Claire (Buckley), Amber, Liz and I went out for dinner and a strip show at Madame Josephine's. Guys were serving drinks in their sneakers and jocks whilst lap dances went on all around us. Renee (of Gary and Clare) met up by that time and ordered a lap dance, along with Shirley who had arranged a surprise one for Amber. Twas fun to observe!

It was an opportunity I could not pass up (though nearly did). Clare and Holly minded the Baby for me and later on Lynn slept with him till I returned. He did great, I'm told, and just slept. Holly has been all over him and such a blessing to have her help through out the wedding when I was running around putting last minute touches on things and doing the music.

Isn't that darling?! -- Miguel is going to make a wonderful father.

Photo's of the wedding are following shortly! We'll see it I get to it before I leave. I wanna get to the beach this afternoon for a wander then will be flying back up to Sydney early, early! Stayed tuned! XX