My Mums Group - A Big "Cheers" to great friends!!!!

Here is a blog dedicated to the good friends that I have made through my mums group.

I guess the journey started when a group of girls got together through CAFS to do fortnightly mums group information and get together sessions. The content of our sessions didn't really matter too much, because we chatted between ourselves, learnt from each other and formed friendship bonds very quickly.

The photo below was taken (I think) in late 2005, and from memory I think the ages of the babies at the time ranged from about 14 weeks to about 20 weeks.

From Top Left we have: Vanessa & Emily, Jackie & Abigail, Laura & Harrison, Amy & Bailey, Stacey & Harvey, Suzanne & Declan

Bottom Left: Nat & Jayde, Sue and a doll (LOL - Jake was home sick for our first group shot) and Carol our CAFS co-ordinator

As a group we continued to try and get together once a fortnight after leaving CAFS (exception of Nat & Jayde - they never came back - we must have been a scary bunch!), this worked and continued for a few months, then as we all started to go back to work, catch up times became a little harder, but we have still managed it!

These photos were taken at Gawler Fasta Pasta, in commiseration of Suzanne, Chris & Declan leaving to live in Queensland - (we miss you - come back to SA). Missing from the photo is Stacey and Harvey, they unfortunately left early in the evening because Harvey was a little unsettled. Sue and Jake were also missing due to other commitments.

As you can see from the below picture, we have even managed to get the 'husbands' in on the group!!!

From Left: Declan Chris & Suzanne, Harrison Graham & Laura, Bailey Scott & Amy, Abigail, Adrian & Jackie, Emily James & Vanessa.

Not long after Suzanne left for Queensland, Stacey Andrew and Harvey left to go and live in country Victoria, good for them, but bad for us. Our little group has dwindled, but despite distance and work hours we have all remained close, and our babies - well should I say toddlers are now growing up together and forming their own special bonds!

The above photo is our most recent taken on the 25th May 2007, Suzanne Chris & Declan came back down to Adelaide for a christening and we all had a catch up at the playground at Gawler Caravan park where they were staying.

The babies are now very much toddlers, and as we all get closer to the the 'terrible two's' I am sure we will continue to have each others support (it will be especially needed to help us mums recover from a morning of toddler tantrums!!!).

And as for our little mums group, well it is going to be expanding with Sue and Amy both due to have their second babies soon and Stacey and Harvey are coming back to SA to live in a few months. As for Suzanne and Declan - flights are cheap and email is free so we will definately continue keeping in touch!!!! (as per my previous blog on my QLD trip)

So girls - if you get a chance to read this:

"A BIG CHEERS TO US, OUR FRIENDSHIPS, AND LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER!"

Love Laura
xox

A week in Queensland

Ok, well last week Graham, Harrison and myself spent a lovely week with our friends Rachel & Michael and their children - Courtney, Jacob and Kayla-Jayde in sunny Queensland. The weather was perfect, it was around 30 degrees everyday in comparison to cold and raining in South Australia! (I am not complaining because we certainly need the rain) We stayed in a holiday village just outside of Surfers Paradise called 'Ashmore Palms', and as much as I was quite hesitant about staying there in the first place, it turned out to be quite a lovely place - and it certainly kept the kids occupied with the playgrounds and swimming pools when we were not out at the theme parks.

We went to every theme park that the Gold Coast had to offer. Our itinerary went like this:

Sunday - We arrived in Coolangatta via Jetstar Airlines
Monday - Dreamworld

Tuesday - Wet & Wild

Wednesday - Explore Surfers Paradise

Thursday - Sea World

Friday - Movie World

Saturday - Dreamworld & White Water World

Sunday - We left for Brisbane to spend a day with Suzanne, Chris & Declan

Monday - Depart Brisbane via Virgin Airlines back to Adelaide

So where do I start, well I guess at the beginning with Dreamworld. I have been to Dreamworld a few times now and it is always good fun. the rides such as 'The Giant Drop' and 'Tower of Terror' never disappoint - they definitely kept Graham and Michael amused!

For Harrison I guess the highlight of his day was the new feature of 'Wiggles World', Harrison is a total Wiggles nut, when the Wiggles are on the TV you can not get his attention, he goes into a Wiggles Zone! I tried to get his photo of him with all his favourite characters but he would not get out of the 'Big Red Car' and we could only get him with Henry the Octopus:

Day 2: 'Wet & Wild' this was a great sunny day, but the water was freezing there seemed to be no heating to it at all. I don't have a photo but Jacob and Kayla-Jayde were maniacs in the kids water park area, they loved it, whereas Courtney was fearless and went on all the scariest slides that even I was too chicken to go on - she was like that at all the parks, it was great!

Harrison, well he just laid back and enjoyed the atmosphere!

Day 3: "All roads lead to Nerang" ok a bit of a joke between us adults on the trip. We decided that today was the day to head into Surfers Paradise. We were all set to catch the bus, and we made our way to the bus stop - except we got on the bus on the wrong side of the road and instead of heading to Surfers via Pacific Fair we were headed to Nerang. Ok, this was a small mistake, because luckily when we got to Nerang station, there was a connecting bus leaving straight away to Surfers.

(Here is a photo of Surfers Paradise taken from the eye at Seaworld)

Ok, so do you think we learnt from our little bus mistake, well think again! After our day in Surfers, we caught a bus to Pacific Fair (We got that part right!). When we pulled in, I saw a bus on the other side of the road saying 'ASHMORE', we all sprinted off the bus and headed over. My mistake, yes ill admit it, but we ended up speaking to the bus driver behind it, and he told us that yes he went to Ashmore (even though the front of the bus said NERANG).

Well yes he definately went to Ashmore, but via the back streets of Nerang. It took us over 1 and 1/2 hours to get home (should have been a 15 minute trip if we did it correctly!). Good job we were not on the Amazing Race because I think we would of got eliminated!!! Sorry guys!!!

By the time we got back to the Holiday Village, every single one of us was grumpy and stressed and well over the QLD public transport system!

Here is a photo of Jacob, Kayla-Jayde, Harrison & Courtney taken near Cavill Avenue in Surfers Paradise:

And here is Rachel, Michael, Courtney, Jacob & Kayla-Jayde taken as a token of their first real family holiday:

Day 4: Seaworld - probably the highlight of my trip, this was the day that Rachel and myself did the dive with the Dolphins. We had such a great time, I think I can say for Rachel as well but it was defiantly well worth the experience and the $165 dollars to do it (crazy prices - Graham & Michael didn't think it was worth the money of course!)

After we got home from Surfers, my sister Amanda and nephew Tre arrived later in the evening to spend two days with us in sunny Queensland!

Day 5: Movie World - Well today was a great day, Amanda and I actually caught up with our Uncle John and Auntie Marina who were also holidaying on the Gold Coast. Here is Uncle John with Wonder Woman:

There was a new ride in Movieworld from when I was here last, it is the 'Superman' Roller coaster and it was very fast and very exciting, and yes I managed to get Uncle John, Graham and Tre on there in one go - Amanda was a chicken and sat with Harrison instead:

Harrison had his turn though, there were some water fountains in Looney Tune Village that he loved, we got him down to his nappy and he ran a muck, I think we sat there and watched him play for about an hour

Amanda and Tre also had a great day, here is a photo taken in the Wild West area:

Day 6: Back to Dreamworld and White Water World - today we went back to Dreamworld to have another go on some of the rides, considering it was the weekend it was not too busy. The difference today was we hopped between two parks. White Water World is right next door to Dreamworld and very similar to Wet & Wild - It was good, more water and of course the kids all had a ball - what is it with kids and water!

Day 7: Today we all went our separate ways, Amanda and Tre left to catch a plane back to Adelaide. Rachel, Michael and the kids headed back to a day at Wet and Wild and Graham, Harrison and Myself checked out of Ashmore and headed to Brisbane to meet up with our friends Suzanne, Chris and Declan.

I met Suzanne after I had Harrison in our mums group - every one of the girls in our mums group have now become great and valued friends - I love all the girls and babies all to bits!

Seeing the boys play together was great, they really interacted well - definitely not babies anymore!

Suzanne and Chris treated us to a lovely dinner, a walk around the area where they live and then we finished the night by putting the boys to bed, then out the back for a spa! It was just what I needed to end a very long and busy week.

We flew out of Brisbane Airport the next day back home to Adelaide, which was cold and wet when we got of the plane - but yes it was great to get home and get back to normal!!!!

Harrison - A photo I just had to share!

Ok, this is just too cute not to put on my blog, no story to it, just Harrison in the bath giving the biggest smile he could muster!

Swimming Lessons with Harrison

Ok, I can tell that my life has completely changed when the highlight of my week is swimming lessons with my son!

For the last 6 weeks Harrison and I have been going to swimming lessons at the Starplex in Gawler. The first week, Harrison clinged to me and would not let me go, now after just a few weeks he has become a little kamikaze - it is so exciting to watch him learn so much so quickly!

Graham offered this week to do Harrison's lesson, but I love it so much I can't share - not just yet anyway!!!!!

Easter Bunny Visits.....

Well this year was Harrison's 2nd Easter and was a bit more eventful than last year. Easter Bunny had left a trail of eggs from Harrison's room out to the family room where he had a few presents waiting for him (eggs from the bunny and books from us). He happily picked up all of the eggs in his basket and then sat eating chocolate for breakfast - oh the joy of being a kid!!

We bought Harrison for Easter the book 'Possum Magic' by Mem Fox, I think that every Aussie kid should have their own copy of this book. Last Easter we bought him 'Where is the Green Sheep' also by Mem Fox and it is his absolute favourite book, in fact we usually have to read it to him about 5 times before bed just to make him happy! Story time with Harrison is one of my favourite times of the day - he just loves books and I guess that is something you never want to discourage!

Amanda - The Graduate - March Update

About a week ago I got the privilege of getting to watch my sister Amanda, graduate for her degree in Nursing. It was a great day at the Festival Theatre and she looked so happy and smart in her robes!I was her official photographer for the day, and I think we got some great shots - (hope you like them darl). I guess by following her around, I also got to experience some of the excitement between Amanda and her friends - It was great!

Amanda congrats I am so proud, and you really did beat the odds in getting where you are today. You should be so proud of yourself - YOU DID IT - YAY!!!!

Grahams Birthday - March update

Just a quick update because it was so cute, in March it was Grahams birthday, and along with the usual presents, Harrison helped to make his daddy a birthday cake - considering he is 1 and 1/2 years old he did a fantastic job!

Ok so we cheated a bit, I bought a pre-made sponge cake from Coles and I got Harrison to decorate it. We made some chocolate icing then Harrison was in charge of making sure the bowls of lollies were put on the cake - it was very funny because some of the ones that actually made it to the cake were sucked on a bit - I did tell Graham that there was no such thing as white M&M's!! Only a dad can sit and enjoy a piece of cake knowing where the lollies had been!! :-)

Here is a photo:

The First Blog....

Ok Lisa, well on your advice I have started my own blog. Who knows how often I will get time to add to this but it could be fun.

Let see to start with a brief overview, this is the first Blog of Laura, Graham & Harrison. Here is a picture of us all:

Harrison was a little over tired in the photo, hence the tears and red eyes!!!! When looking for a photo of all three of us, I just realised that I have heaps of recent pictures of my boys but because I am always behind the camera there is nothing recent of the three of us together - Ill rectify this and post another blog soon!

Lisa, since you inspired the blog, I thought Id better put a picture of you an me too from when you were down in Adelaide. For anyone else reading, Lisa & Mark are my dear school friends who are seeking a more adventerous life in London!

Ok then, from this point anything remotely interesting, ill try to remember to add it to the world wide web, more so that my good friends overseas can keep track of the exciting life of a suburban working housewife here in Australia!!!!!! xox