LR’s birthday rolled around and, despite appearances, we managed to keep it fairly simple (no giant parties, sleepovers, movie nights, etc.) LR loved every minute of it and is already making plans for next year!
After searching nearly ten bike shops in the area we finally found a bike cool enough for LR.
After a month of singing along to the soundtrack in the car, as well as learning about it in music class, Sunday afternoon finally arrived. Grammy and Poppa took us to see the full production of Cats (Australian cast).
We all loved it. Fantastic show!
Oh well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr. Mistofelees!
Just four days before his actual birthday, RJ held his amazing pirate birthday party. He very specifically planned everything, from the location down to exactly what would be on the cake. Thanks to his meticulous plans (and a bit of assistance from his entourage), everything went according to plan. Major events were sword making, a treasure hunt, taking over a pirate ship, firing cannons and eating (an RJ favorite).
Toothpaste?! Bah! Real pirates use rum!
Despite the hot weather, we made it up to Gingin for the grape harvest, but Grammy, Poppa, Kath and Brad had already picked all the grapes and crushed them the day before we got there! We made the most of it anyway, picking a lot of figs and table grapes that were ready to eat. Mum cooked up some fig jam and we had a big sewing ‘sesh’ during the heat of the day, before going for an explore out in the paddock.
Our incredibly brave**, heroic** and good-looking** dad rescued us from this marauding beast** that had been ransacking the countryside and was intent on destroying the farm.
We found this guy having a drink from the dog's water bowl. He's a bobtail lizard which are pretty common around here.
**Hyperbole employed as official privilege of the author
RJ: Mummy, can I tell you something?
Mum: Sure, RJ. What is it?
RJ: (worried) When I grow up, promise that I can go and live at Grammy’s house, with Grammy.
Mum: No, RJ. When you grow up, you’ll probably have to live in your own house.
RJ: But I can’t build a house! I don’t know how!
Mum: You don’t have to build it yourself, you pay someone else to build it for you.
RJ: But I don’t have a wallet with any money in it!
Mum: You’ll have to get a job, so you can earn some money.
RJ: But I can’t do anything!!!
Mum: That’s why you go to school, to learn that stuff.
RJ: But they don’t teach us about jobs there!!!
Australia Day (January 26th) is a national holiday, similar to the 4th of July in the states, with the major (tragic) difference being that we can’t buy explosive devices at the shop just around the corner. We tend to go to the beach, eat a lot of barbequed food, and in most towns and cities there are big fireworks displays.
RJ getting his snack on, just before we head out the door.
We took a bit of a break last week and head off to the Southwest. It was very relaxing and the weather was just fantastic. The days were filled with horse riding, beach trips, exploring and even a couple of fishing trips.
Grammy and Poppa were there with the Melbourne cousins for the first couple of days, but couldn’t stay the whole time.
Grammy, LR, RJ and Daddy checked out Ngilgi cave. This huge room is called the amphitheatre and has great accoustics (especially for people who appreciate yelling children).
In Australia some families (ours included) carry on the British tradition of the Christmas pudding. It’s a magical beast, vaguely like a fruitcake (in the same way a rhinoceros is vaguely like a lamb), but heavier, denser, drenched in brandy and delivered to the table covered in blue flames. Fantastic stuff.
One of the traditions when making the pudding takes place after the ingredients have been put together and mixed. Everyone in the house gets to stir the bowl and make a wish. This year, the kids (LR, RJ and their cousins from Melbourne) helped out.
Grammy: And after we mix everything together, we each get to stir the pudding and make a wish!
LR: Why do we get to make a wish?
Grammy: Because the pudding is magic.
LR: Why? When does the magic get in there?
Grammy: After you put everything in and mix it together.
LR: (inspecting the bowls of ingredients in front of her) But where does the magic come from? Is it in the ingredients?
Grammy: No. It just happens after it’s all mixed together.
LR: … but…
Grammy: It’s like birthdays when you cut the cake. You just get to make a wish, okay?
(Unsatisfied with the explanation, LR drops the issue and adds it to her long list of the nonsense that adults insist on believing.)
Sorcery! Witchcraft! Complete and utter rubbish!
This year, our Halloween party was the biggest ever. Every kid from both of the Year 1 classes at LR’s school was invited, as well as all the children on our street and a bunch of RJ’s friends. It was absolutely crazy, but we did our best to keep them busy. Activities included the Haunted Garage, a “Yucky” dip, a piñata, a broom race, a treasure hunt, making disembodied hands and the grand finale, a total, all-out assault on Dad with water balloons.
LR, as Supergirl, decided the world needed rescuing.
RJ and Mum put together a great snapping turtle costume.
Follow the link to get to the rest of the pictures and see what went on!!!
On the weekend we visited a couple of places and went mulberry picking. It’s a messy, messy job, and people were only too happy to have us come along and make a dent in the huge number of berries falling from their trees. Grammy came along to help out and we ended up with a few buckets full.
RJ helps get the mulberries into the bucket.
LR helps Mum by keeping the bucket steady.
Grammy came along too. She was usually helping out on the smaller ladder.
Mum really gets up into those trees.
RJ climbed this tree so he could reach the berries better.
Grammy brings the bucket over so that RJ can drop his berries right in.
LR explored the highest reaches of the tree, picking a huge number of berries.
The curse of the mulberry picker... Purple hands!!!
The reward... Mulberries!
