BIG DAY OUT

Yesterday was a pupil free day for Connor.http://www.flickr.com/photos/notanartist/
So, we left piles of washing up, unmade beds and unscrubbed bathroom floors to take an adventure into the big beyond, that is we donned our bicycle helmets and rode from home to Nobbies Beach. http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffe/
Along the way we spotted - a sea plane, lots of construction work, many people walking and an old boat dragged up from the bottom of the sea.
When we got to Nobbies we saw WHALES AND DOLPHINS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colloidfarl/
The whales were heading toward warmer waters and having fun spraying water out of there blow holes. The dolphins were surfing amongst the board riders swimming in and out and enjoying themselves (we could tell by the smiles on their faces!)
We met Grandpa who was to be our taxi home, but there were more adventures to come! We headed up to King Edward Park where we saw more whales and had a roll down the hill. Then we went to Bar beach and had fish and chips in cool cardboard cones.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mance/
We were exhausted by then, but managed a stop off at Darby's for some afternoon tea and then headed home to sit by the fire.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flutterbye856/
It was quite a day - unfortunately all without a camera! Thank you Flickr!

Piles of Goodness

My boots arrived today from Dublin, via Vancouver!  Thanks Kt Mac, I boot-scooted up a storm as soon as I opened them - they're awesome.

It was Lettuce Harvest Day today at the garden, and it has to be spelt with capitals because it was Major.

 We're going to whizz up a whole lot of rocket pesto because we're leaving on Sunday and there is a lot of lettuce - rocket, butter lettuce, iceberg lettuce, oak leaf lettuce, lolo rosa and one other unidentified lettuce.  

We might be able to chow through it all if we had rabbit genes, but we don't so I need to drop off the mother lode with my gardening buddy.  

And we bloomed some more flowers, aaw.

the secret...

Sooooo Amazing isn't it...

The real thing, a seret passage way and look at the books on the shelf even...???! WOW

Inside a castle...

Kati the tree hugger! A real Moose!!! COOL!

AMAZING wood paneling & fire places!

Find out tomorrow what she's doing....

An amazing location for a Christian Conference center! And awesome 'right on' teaching! XX

Going Retro

Seeing as Lin started to ramble down Memory Lane I thought I'd join her.  I cycled out to the kringloop today to buy some second-hand books for some holiday reading.  I always check out everything in the shop and guess what I found?

Yup, looks like we're going to have to have some friends around for a game of Bingo, the prize being a Flake of course!  Maybe we could break it out when Mum and Kati get here.  We need to introduce Andrew to the joys of a good old game of Bingo.  Now we'll just have to remember the call numbers: Legs Eleven, ummm...I forget any others...anyone else remember them?  Oh well, if all else fails I can go butterfly hunting with the groovy net/bag thing that comes with it.

Saturday morning stroll...

Mmmm I love the outdoors
I love Ireland when it's not raining
I love nature
I love having my camera back (thank you God!)

So take a stroll with me in the grounds of Castlewellan.....










































What you can almost see in the pcit above ina boat with two men... I was enchanted and mesmerized, they were fly fishing WOW (Dad we are going to learn! Father daughter bonding!)














































The above little cottage was gorgeous (but holey!) And had a secret walled garden... Mmm my childish heart jumped and raced!

Mr Whippy

Number 17 of my list required me to post a video on Four Sisters.  So here it is.  

Just a word of explanation: I love the IKEA ice cream machine.  Yesterday we caught it on camera and then I gave myself a crash course in Final Cut Express resulting in my masterpiece.  Perhaps not award-winning, but I'm on the way to finishing my list!

PS Unfortunately the ice cream didn't fall back into the holder.  Maybe next time...

PPS If this video doesn't work try this link.

Spreading the Love

OK, I don't have a lot of time to do things like this, but it sparked my imagination and I think it would be totally fun. I have written to The Toy Society to ask if I can do something similar. How fun would it be to drop a toy and then hear who had found it. I think it would be a great lesson in sharing also for Connor and Kenzi......and my sewing room is getting closer to being finished so I can sew.
A clip for Kenzi I have been working on. Supposed to be a flower more like a fried egg.
The answer to my riddle in an earlier post was our new fire. It's a delight and a dream. Thanks DADDY.
And lastly a glimpse of the table and decorations that Kenzi and I did for Mumma and Brenton's birthday celebrations last Friday night.

Water Colour Memories

Today we went to a performance at a theatre at the University. It was amazing. We couldn't take photo's of the performance, but here are my enraptured children!

As I was sitting in this theatre that I have not been in for years I was transported back to a moment in time when the Dungog Highschool Rock band played for a music concert in the same theatre. I was a bit of a groupy, drooling all over the boys and their mullets, tossing my permed hair and battering my eyelids ever so seductively and innocently in their direction. Mmmmmm, those good old 80's - who would have thought I would look back fondly one day. Any way, I just remember this rock band playing, the top floor nearly falling down because there were way too many groupies jumping the top floor and me thinking they were the greatest band in the world!
Time has moved on and I now think that permed hair should be outlawed, batting eyelids innocently leads to big trouble and the best band in the world.....well at the moment it is a toss up between The Beetles and The Supremes. I am glad time moves on.

Why We Are Thankful Alphabet

This is a list that we have been compiling after dinner over the past few weeks.
A - apples, animals, aprons, angels and Andrews
B - bananas, baths, birthdays, babies, ballerinas, Brenton and Bubushka
C - Connor, cats, Calli, cars, children, cousins and classes
D - doctors, Dad's, dances, diversity, dogs, Da, Dudushka, Den
E - eggs, everlasting life, entertainment, Emily, eyes, ears, electricity
F - food, family, friends, fried eggs
G - Grandpa, green grass, green leaves, green, God, God children
H - house, horses, holidays, hats, health, hugs, hospitals
I - internet, Izaac
J - Jesus, jonquils, jumpers
K - Kati, Kenzi, Kristen, Kem
L - Linli, light, love, lemon lime and bitters, lemon curd tart, Lena
M - Mummy, Madison, moments, Mumma, movies, medicine, meat
N - newts, Newcastle, nights, Nika, Nintendo DS
O - octopus, octogons, open fires, op shops
P - pictures, ponies, pets, pies, planes
Q - Queen's, Qantas
R - rainbows, Roen, red, races
S - swimmers, swimming pools, sport, sleepins, songs, Stephen
T - toilets, tea, Triniti, tortoises
U - umbrellas, undisturbed sleep
V - very big kisses, variety
W - water, waves
X - x-tra huge bowls of salad
Y - Yulia, yogurt, yummy chocolate, yodelling
Z - ZZZZZZZZZZ's

Not Mine

But I have some very similar to this one that I brought home from my garden today.    

They're like a little splash of sunshine spouting from a glass on our kitchen bench.

And this is how it all ended...

The only way all exam periods should end.  With handfuls of sugary, sweet treats.