if you go down to the woods today...make sure you wear your sports uniform

Austin had a Teddy Bears Picnic at school on Tuesday, it's something they do every year for the Kindergarten's and causes much excitement. They each take a plate of food to share, a blanket and their favourite teddy and go across the road to the park for a few hours of teddy fun and games.

After Austin's birthday and party I was a little jaded, so I was just going to send him with a box of tiny teddys but at the last minute I decided I couldn't do that so I rushed off to the shops at 7pm the night before to buy the milky way bars, smarties and chocolate to make these cute little teddy cars I'd googled. They were easy to make but took way longer than I thought they would because I had to keep re-melting the chocolate as I could only make 6 before it went hard   (I had to make 24). It was another late night for me...

...but it was worth it to see his face the next morning when he spotted them, is there anyone who loves sweet stuff more than my boy???

I put this note in so I can remember this story in my old age but the note says they must wear their school uniform. Now Austin has sport on a Tuesday which means sports uniform which I thought would be fine, but Austin was adamant that "Mrs Parker told us Mum" that they must wear their proper uniform. He wasn't to be convinced otherwise and in the end who am I to argue with Mrs Parker??? I was going to bring the sports uniform just in case but in the last minute rush out the door (ok trying to get him to pose for the above photo) I left it behind.

So as we are walking into school we pass one of his classmates wearing sports uniform and I can feel Austin stiffen slightly, and as we get closer to his classroom and we see more of his friends all wearing sports uniform he becomes more anxious until he eventually comes to a complete stop and bursts into tears. My poor little rule-abiding boy, he can't handle the thought of doing the wrong thing, having the wrong thing or being in the wrong uniform. I tried to calm him down and tell him I'd go home and bring his sports uniform back but he wasn't having that, by this stage the bell had gone and his teacher came over to see what was wrong. I told her and asked if I could take him home and get him changed which she agreed with straight away - I'm sure the last thing she wanted to deal with was a hysterical child.  

So we went home, got him changed and dropped him back at school - and all was right in Austin's world again...

Father's Day

Fathers Day!!! It's like Mothers Day, a silly money making day and I don't really see the point but hey if anything it's a nice excuse to get together with family. We met up with Mum, Dad, Linda and the kids (Shaun was in the UK) in Marrickville to take Dad out for an early dinner. Dad likes what he likes and doesn't cope well with weird, unusual or 'foreign' food. So it was back to the local Chinese (not that weird Thai or Vietnamese food girls) for Short Soup, San Choy Bow, Curried Prawns and Beef and Black Bean. And surprisingly it was a great meal, as much as we mock my Dad there is definitely something comforting about those dishes we grew up with. Plus the kids behaved themselves which is always a bonus - thanks to Linda who came well prepared with snacks and colouring in.

Happy Fathers Day Dad - you are the most loving, gentle, generous and hard working man I know - thanks for everything you do for us and thanks for just for being you - love you so much. xo

The gorgeous Zack looking pleased with himself - first time in a highchair

Dad with all his grandkids

first freckles...

...two weeks of Bali sunshine and swimming and this was the result - look at all of her freckles....

...and two days of being back to a Sydney winter and this was the result - red, chaffed lips and chin. 

Time to give up the dummy I know, but I just can't bring myself to do it, she still loves it so so much.

fire...

We bought one of those cheap fire pits at Aldi a few weeks back and have had such fun with it. The kids love it of course and Austin takes great interest in the whole set up and tending to the fire, probably just making sure its perfect for his marshmallows later on...

There's nothing like a fire, red wine, marshmallows and some stargazing on a cold crisp night - it makes winter just a little bit bearable... 

ballet 'concert'

Lily started baby ballet a couple of months ago but as they don't allow the parents to watch (they say they get too distracted) we had no idea what she had been learning or how she was doing. But on the last day of term they let the parents sit in to watch a little 'performance'. 

It was sooooo funny and cute...

Trying to do the splits like 'Miss Melissa'

In typical lily fashion she was swinging from the barre about 10seconds before this and got told to stop, hence the sheepish look on her face.

Warning: this is 4min long and a 'grandparents only' kind of video

Winter???

Anyone that knows me well enough will attest to me being quite the whinger when it comes to winter and cold weather!!! But not even I could find anything to complain about the last few days, it's been so beautiful, warm and sunny. Yesterday the kids even got the paddling pools and hose out and had a great old time spraying eachother and pretending it was raining...

Schoolboy

So we've come to the end of another term already, and it's time for some more firsts...first school photos and first reports...

Ahh the smile that's not really a smile...was gutted when I opened this, I really wanted to see that gorgeous gap!!!

KJP

I was so disappointed with the report, not because of its content because he did really well, but it's all just so impersonal and politically correct, and sounds like a computer program has written it. I know it's showing my age but I prefer the old-school style reports, where teachers told you if you were hopeless or if you were brilliant and what you needed to work on.

The only thing he is hopeless at - using a computer  - I had to laugh, sorry Brian!!!

Excellent efforts for PE and Art - surprise surprise - not!!!

Well done Scubba, we are so proud of you and the way you've taken school life completely in your stride. You have made so many new friends, you love your teachers and you absolutely love going to school. You work so hard and we are amazed by how much you have grown and learnt in the last few months. xo