Our Holiday in Goolwa - 20 to 26 June

Well to get us out of the house we decided to take the boys on a mini break to Goolwa and to be tourists in our own town! I was lucky enough to be able to secure a holiday house through my union at work, and because we went in winter in the off peak season it only cost us $215 for the week - there is nothing better than a good bargain holiday!

We don't get to head south of Adelaide too often and it has been probably 10 years since I last visited Goolwa. I could not believe the extent of damage to the Murray River. I have heard all of the reports on the news and really did not think that the reports were anything to be taken too seriously. The water is honestly that low that it almost look like you could walk across the river with a pair of gum boots on. Here are some photos of how low the water really is:

Any way despite the dismal water levels we still found ways to amuse ourselves and even found a patch of river where the paddle steamer named 'The Oscar' did some trips. Harrison loved this, the bottom of the boat was all open and showed the engines working and the driver even let him have a go at steering the boat, he offered to let him blow the whistle but Harry declined telling him it was too noisy! However in my sons reluctance, I grasped that whistle with a firm grasp and let rip!!!!

Whilst the weather was sunny it was still really cold and Graham being a good dad, made sure Mitchey was snug as a bug in a rug!

In a couple of weeks it is Harrison's 4th birthday and I had promised him that I would take him for a trip on the Steam Ranger train which is a steam train that runs from Mt Barker through to Victor Harbor - great plan but I did not anticipate that the steam trains were in their sheds waiting to have their wheels replaced. So the plan was to take Harrison on the Cockle Train which runs between Goolwa and Victor Harbor and that way he would forget about my birthday promise (that I wont be able to keep) - No way man, he loved the trip on the cockle train but then gladly reminded me that I am still taking him on the Polar Express Steam Train (that is what he calls the Steam Ranger) - I am in big trouble!!!!!

We took quite a few trips into Victor Harbor, did some local shopping, had lunch and ice creams in the local gourmet pizza bar (my friends that know me well know my love of gourmet pizza) and of course what is a trip to Victor Harbor without a walk around Granite Island! We treated the boys on a trip across to the island on the Horse Drawn Tram, then made the venture around the island.

To start the journey around the island you have to go up approx 100 steps to start the tour - Graham and I provided quite a fair bit of amusement to other tourists as we carefully manoeuvred Mitchell's Pram up the steep steps. It was a lovely walk around the island, we stopped half way and had lunch then continued - we kind of forgot that Harry is not quite 4 years old and what seemed like a leisurely stroll to us was like a trip up Mt Everest to him. The poor boy got so tired that he went to bed early that night and without any protest!

Quite a few times throughout the week we went to different beaches to have a look at the Southern Wright Whales that come to South Australian waters. We went to Minlaton, Port Elliot, Victor Harbor but saw them best at Beecham Beach, they were so close it was amazing. I tried to get a photo of them spouting water out of their blow hole but every time they did it, I wasn't quick enough with the camera, so here is a picture of what looks like a blob in the water but is actually a whale the size of a semi trailer:

These a few of my favourite photos from our week away, this is me and the boys taken at the lookout called 'Freeman's Knob', a beautiful spot - probably one of my favourites:

Here is Graham and Harrison taking a walk around Rapid Bay - Mitchell was asleep in the car so I stayed with him, it was way to cold there to take him out anyway

And finally a couple of my favourite pictures of my precious boys enjoying their trip away!

(Sorry to all my facebook friends, you have probably already seen the photos, but at least my blog has the story behind them xox)

Amanda's 30th Birthday Party

Today is officially my youngest sister Amanda's 30th birthday, (Happy Birthday Chicky) but to celebrate her departure from the wonder years (that being anything less than 30) she held a great party where the theme was to dress up as either a hero or villan! Amanda dressed up as Dracula and looked beautiful, she enjoyed herself and it was great to see her having so much fun. (A little too much fun by the end of the night but if you can't lash out on your birthday, when can you?)

Now believe it or not this is the first real dress up party that I have been to since I was a kid and found the concept a lot of fun. I had no idea what to wear and after spending about an hour in the costume shop decided on the 'Queen of Hearts' who was the villan from Alice in Wonderland. The dress was great, but towards the end of the party I ditched the shoes and took off the hoop skirt that made me look like I was still pregnant!

Graham, well the decision was made as soon as he tried on the 'Buzz Light Year' costume! He was so funny, and the fact that he actually dressed up was also a miracle - I really did not think that he would do it!!!!

Mum was there, she dressed up in a roaring 20's outfit, and looked lovely as well, I think her theme was 'Roxy Heart' from the musical Chicago - not sure if that is Hero or Villan!

Speaking of effort - I think there was only about three people who did not dress up, so all round it was a fun night. We went with our very good friends Rachel and Michael, and it was great to get out of the house, get the kids babysat and enjoy good adult company!

It was a great night - even if I did have a midnight curfew to get home to hungry Mr Mitchell.

One note though Amanda - next time you cater for an event, be sure to contact Africa to let them know you will be sending over the left overs to put their country out of poverty!

Harry has been published!!!!! (Again)

Well once again Harry has made an appearance in the magazine 'Take 5', this time on account of my mum - his photo was so cute that it actually appeared twice in the magazine, on the contents page and on the kids photo page.

Harry is wearing a rabbit suite that was actually made for me when I was some where around his age. I believe he spent a day at Nana's house playing dress up and striking a pose for nan when the camera was out!



I'll have to send in some pictures of Mitchey and see if we can get him published too, don't want him wondering one day why he didn't get his 15 minutes of fame too!

Thanks for putting it in mum - Harry loves it, and I hope you get your $50 bucks prize money soon!

The things we do to our kids!

Just a quick catch up to share some photos that I thought were way too funny not to share! Yes these are the dreaded 'show at your 21st birthday' photos'. Taken at mums house, poor Mitchell was the only kid that we could manage to get a photo of in the crazy wig, Tre and Harrison didn't want a bar of it, and I guess rightly so, when your mean old mum posts them on the web!!!

Love you Mitchey!!! xoxox

Easter 2009

What can I say, celebrating Easter with young children has made the holiday so much more exciting and wonderful than what I ever imagined!

Previously I looked forward to Easter, because it meant that I got a 4 day paid holiday from work and it generally meant a road trip to some holiday house, or a trip to see my Melbourne relatives (which I do miss doing I might add). Now with Harrison at the age of 3 1/2, his innocence and excitement at the prospect of some silly rabbit hiding chocolate eggs around our back yard was so amazing to watch.

We got up just before him and scattered some small eggs around the back yard for his own private Easter egg hunt - we didn't hide them too hard, he is only 3 and getting up at 6am does not really put you in the right frame of mind to put them in too many bushes or hidey holes around the back yard.

When Harry got up and came into our room, he knew it was Easter, but did not really know what it entailed! We all got up and took him out side, and that is when the excitement and the hunt began!

Harry was told that once all his eggs were found a special treat was also waiting from him, and was hanging from the clothes line....... We didn't really think that too much chocolate was necessary so we thought he would also like a small gift. Lets face it, I am not going to let him eat very much chocolate at a time, and by the time the grandparents and aunties spread the love we will end up with a fridge full of chocolate eggs that will probably cure late night cravings for myself that is really not needed!!!

Graham provided a helping shoulder ride to help reach the special gift..........

And of course knowing my darling sons obsession with Thomas Trains, he got a new one to add to the collection, this time 'Gordon' Train was provided to perhaps take over the role of favourite train from 'Henry' (only time will tell!)

Oh and it did not take long to realise that mum and dad was actually going to let him eat some of the collected chocolate - this was all before breakfast so he was allowed a few bites, then had to have some cereal before continuing on any type of chocolate binge!

Being a baby unable to eat chocolate did not stop Mitchell from getting his share of eggs either, he wont get to eat any this year, but the pretty paper did occupy his attention for quite awhile as well! Mitchell received a couple of new outfits instead of chocolate, which is a little boring, but I look forward to the next few years of having two innocents to share the experience.

Twinkletoes

I really have not had a chance to update my blog of late, the boys are keeping me very very busy, but I just noticed from my last blog that I promised to post some pictures of the Twinkletoes pictures that I have had done of the boys. These are probably some of the most precious memento's that I own from my babies, the type of items that you usually say 'Hey if there was a fire this is what I would grab first' (after of course the kids, husband and pets).

This first one is the one I had done of Harrison when he was 4 weeks old, luckily at this age we were able to capture almost a half smile, I think it was a lucky shot because I don't think actually smiled until he was about 7 weeks old.


Next is the one that I recently picked up of Mitchell, at the same age of 4 weeks it shows that already his hands and feet are much bigger than what Harrison's were.


I messed up when doing my order for Mitchells and did not get the same color frames, but oh well, what can you do.

A week ago, we ventured out into the Adelaide heat to get our family pictures done. We went to an independent photographer named Jason, who has set up his own studio after working for and being trained by Gainsborough Studios.

Jason was obviously very used to photographing children because he quickly took Harrison's shots, and within 10 minutes of the sitting, Harry was going stir crazy and would not pose for any more photos - Thankfully the ones of him have turned out really well.

Initially I set up the sitting for photos because I needed a good photo for Mitchell's 'Twinkle Toes' portraits, and because we did not get any professional photos of Mitchell in Hospital, I wanted some lovely new born shots.

I am not really ready at this stage to immortalise pictures of myself, not until I kind of recover from having Mitchell, but I did really want to get a good picture of Graham and the boys to put up in my room, so I opted for the below photo, (which Graham hates I should add, but I love).

I know we didn't get Mitchell in the below photo, but it is such a cheeky photo of Graham and Harrison that I could not resist in buying it as well.

Ill add photos of the Twinkle Toes portraits in the next day or two - stay tuned!

Three weeks on.......

I find it really funny when you have a baby, people ask you 'Is he a good baby?' well apart from drinking milk and sleeping at this age, the babies don't really do much more than that. I figure as long as Mr Mitchell is doing that, then he is a good baby! He is on 3 hourly feeds, day and night, so I guess you can say I am not getting too much sleep at the moment. It is hard but this baby stage is so precious and gorgeous and lasts for such a short amount of time, that I am grinning and bearing it!

.

Here are some pictures of my second little treasure - I think already his features are changing and he is developing his own character.

It took nearly two weeks but we finally manged to get a photo of the two boys - Harrison will never make it as a model, because when you tell him to smile this is what you get! LOL

Here I am with my boys - just missing Graham for a family shot, but I figure we will get one eventually!!!!