Carpet Python

Check out the smile on my animal obsessed boys' face when he got to hold this massive python at Wildlife World the other day. 

Lily's first day of kindy - Take 4

Lily started at her new kindy today - her fourth and hopefully her last before she starts big school. She's so confident in the school environment that she just waltzed in, started playing and hardly noticed when I left. A few of our friends children also started there today so she was completely at home - she even tried to comfort one of her friends who was crying, going over to her and saying "It's ok Maya, we're going to have fun". So cute.
She has been going to her daycare in Mona Vale twice a week for nearly two years and absolutely loves it so she could have easily stayed there until she started school; but we wanted her to go to the preschool in Newport as it's the main feeder school for the primary school so it will make her transition a breeze. Plus it's in the same street so drop off/pick up with the two of them will be easier. But sentimental me just could not bring myself to pull her out of her first daycare completely so she is staying there for one day a week until the end of the year, when most of her class will leave for big school anyway (she's one of the youngest and won't start school for another 2 years). 

She absolutely loved her first day. When we got there to pick her up she was running around in a skirt with all her friends pretending to be hula girls - and completely ignored us. The ignoring was expected, she hates leaving - but the dress was a surprise. Lily does not wear skirts or dresses EVER - not even for dress up, so this was unusual - just wish I'd taken a picture.

Helping me to pack her lunch. They provide lunch at her daycare so she hasn't had to take a packed lunch for a while - she was very excited to have a lunchbox and morning tea container "like Austin has for big school". (This isn't an old photo - the Christmas shirt is a bit of an obsession at the moment, she spilled cereal on it though so I managed to convince her to change it before we left)

Lily being Lily - refusing to smile for a picture outside the front 

Ok I'm inside - "now I'll smile for you"

Passed out in the afternoon - a tough first day of playing

Dinosaurs alive

Taronga Zoo has had a life size dinosaur exhibit on for the whole of the school holidays and ever since we had a quick look when we were there for the New Years fireworks, Austin has been begging to go and see them again. So with not much time left of the holidays, off we went early on Tuesday morning.
They were really awesome replicas, they all moved or roared and one even sprayed water; the only problem was that Lily thought they were real and spent most of the time hiding behind my legs . . .

on the sky safari

Allosaurus

this was Lily's unimpressed look for most of the day

T-Rex

Fossil Dig

on our way to Grandma and Grandpas house afterwards
we had a marathon public transport session that day - 3x buses, ferry and train and then home by car that evening with Steve

"nah nah nah nah nah, you don't scare me"

Bluey

A while ago I got home to discover the lid on Austin's snake tank slightly ajar and the snake missing. I completely freaked out, imagining a snake would come crawling over my legs at any moment, and phoned Steve to come home immediately. He searched everywhere but Boots was nowhere to be found, and as the weeks and months went by we realised he was not coming back.

Austin took his disappearance quite well, occasionally saying how much he missed him but not seeming sad at all. How attached can you really get to a slimy snake anyway?

We were going to get him another one eventually but then the other day one of the regulars came into Zubi and told Steve his blue tongue lizard had had a whole lot of babies. He offered one to Steve who of course jumped at the chance. So now we have a baby blue tongue who Austin has given the very original name of Bluey. He's ok I guess, cuter than a snake and definitely a lot nicer to feed - no need for rats in my freezer anymore - just crickets, veggies and pellets.

surfer boy

Austin got his first foamie for Christmas this year so we have been at the beach most afternoons, with Steve patiently trying to teach him the basics of surfing. He's stood up a few times (even if it was only for a few seconds) and is really loving it, even if most of the time he ends up falling off. 

This summer there has been a big change in him, now that he knows how to swim he is completely confident in the waves, maybe a little too confident for my liking. He loves nothing better than being dumped by a wave but my heart skips a beat every time his head disappears under the water.

Performing his surf moves for me at Bundeena, on Boxing Day

Camping

Through school, ballet and surfing we've become friends with a group of families who do a lot of camping together. They are all mad surfers and go up the north coast for a week every January. Well they invited us along this year and in spite of my vow at our last camping trip, (where we went the luxury route and stayed in an ensuite cabin) that I would never do tents or shared showers again, we decided to give it a go.
5 whole days - could cranky pregnant me handle that long with stinky toilets and without my GHD . . .
After numerous trips to the camping superstore where we spent way too much money buying 'essentials', and then another trip to the bike shop to spend more money on a bike rack, we squashed our gear and ourselves into our too small car and set off up the coast. We went to Sandbar/Bushlands, which is about 3 hours away at Pacific Palms (near Forster), Smiths Lake is on one side of the campgrounds and a beautiful deserted beach on the other. Austin and Lily had an absolute ball - there were fifteen kids in total and they spent all day running around getting dirty, riding bikes, swimming, surfing, fishing etc - and of course Austin's best part - toasting marshmallows on the campfire every night.
I actually had so much fun and the tent/toilet situation wasn't a problem - well for the first three days anyway when the weather was absolutely amazing - I even went swimming which is unheard of for me. Then the rain started and it just wasn't that fun anymore. I'd definitely do it again, but just make sure I check the weather report more closely next time - and get out of there before the rain comes . . .

A protected rock pool area that the kids named 'Magic Beach'

Cannonball

The rocky walk to 'Magic Beach'

Austin taking a break from the sun and the surf

Steve trying out one of the guys' stand up paddle boards - "No Steve you already have enough toys..."

Lily and Maya

When the surfs too scary it's safer to have your own pool

Emergency bike repairs

Resident Goanna

Austin and Fletch hitching a ride around the campgrounds. It was so so hot this day - zinc cream and umbrellas a necessity.

the fun of trying to cook bacon and eggs in one pot and on one burner - I see more money being spent at the camping store before our next trip . . .

three's a crowd...

Friday Favourite 7.12.12

"this is our rainbow house Mummy"

Sun Sea Crab and Me

Austin also had stage time last week at his schools end of year concert. 

His class and another kindy class combined to put on a skit based on a book they had read called 'Sun Sea Crab and Me'. They have been practising hard all term and Austin was one of the narrators so he had a LOT of lines to learn. When the night finally arrived he was so excited to perform, there was no fear or nerves in sight, he just wanted to get up there, do his thing and have fun with his friends - which he did.

his school doesn't have a big enough hall to fit all the parents in so they have their concerts at the local high school,  I made him pose for a picture outside the sign of course

Austin leading the lifeguards (narrators) as they march onto stage

we were in the front row and he sees us at this stage (most probably blinded by my flash)

dancing to Rock Lobster at the end

Friday Favourite 30.11.12

summer nights in the city

Chinese Doll

Lily had her first ballet concert last Sunday. And boy what an eye opener it was for me with my non-dancing background. Extra practice EVERY Saturday morning for 5 weeks, dress rehearsals, stage make up, hairnets, lots of hairspray, special beige underwear and a huge crowd of parents, dancers and helpers all doing their bit. I couldn't believe how professional it was - and how much hard work the dancers and teachers all put in! 

Lily had an absolute ball, she loves being on stage and especially loved being around the older dancers - even Austin was in awe when he saw one in a proper tutu, he whispered "Look mum, it's a real ballerina". 

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the actual performance yet because we weren't allowed to take any, so these were taken outside and on the dress rehearsal day. The performance was adorable, imagine 20 of these little cuties all on stage together, completely uncoordinated of course.

my first attempt at make-up, not so easy with a 3 year old. I quickly decided we would have to skip the eyeliner

backstage preparations

Friday Favourite 23.11.12

for you Michelle . . .

Since I haven't blogged in ages I thought I'd take up my cousin on her challenge to post a favourite photo each week, surely I can manage one photo a week, even if it isn't technically Friday.

So here's my photo of the week

I love the expression on Lily's face here, it captures her crazy little personality perfectly. One of Lily and Austin's favourite little games at the moment is to take turns racing down the path at speed, wobbling and squealing away on purpose - then they crash into the hedge at the end. Fun hey???

more soccer

Austin started summer soccer on Thursday. It's a really fun and festive short comp which is played in the late afternoon which I love - it means it doesn't take over our weekends. He's playing in under 7's which was a big step up in terms of the speed of the game and it was the first time he's played with goalies and proper markings on the field. It was so go go go that I got tired just watching them. In the end they drew the game 3-3, he was shattered afterwards but he absolutely loved it, and as an added bonus he went to bed early without complaint . . . bliss.

cooking lessons

Lately Lily has taken a real interest in what I do in the kitchen and wants to help (or hinder) all the time. The other day I started another one of my numerous health kicks and decided to make a big batch of this Mexican style coleslaw which is really yummy - and I'm not normally a big fan of cabbage or regular coleslaw. So the food processor came out and Lily was all over it, giggling and saying to the vegetables "you go down you".