ANZAC Day

We decided to go to an ANZAC Day service today down in the village. This is the first year that Charlotte has gone and, while she obviously didn't understand what the day was about, she very much enjoyed the parade. And we made ANZAC cookies (which are all gone now!). Later that day, Charlotte's friends Maja and Sean came over for a visit. She didn't have her daytime sleep because she was having way too much fun so she was off to bed early tonight.


With daddy, waiting for the parade to start.

Looking to see who else was coming in the parade.

In between all the fun, she still has chores to do. She decided to help Phil mow the lawn.

In complete control!

Chase! chase!

We hadn't heard from the girls for a while, then, all of a sudden, Charlotte and Maja walk out with big grins on their faces. Seems Maja decided to be the stylist and Charlotte the model. I think I need to teach her the lesson about getting dressed and then taking off one accessory so as to not overdo it.

The Wiggle

Well I'll try and capture it again because of course when you film it, they never do it quite the same way. While on holidays Nick started to do this wiggle when he was excited or happy and he now does it very merrily to music and usually does it if you wiggle with him - its very cute.

Hey Emily and Paul - do you notice the shirt?

Tassie Trip

Well the last part of this post is below Bec's cause I started it several nights ago but seem to have 'technical difficulties' so have decided to break it up into several posts. Anyway.....

We had a fabulous time - the first time I've had with just the two of us and we didn't want to come home! Below is a mix of our itinerary and some extra comments of what actually happened.
Tues 16/3
-Arrive Launceston, pick up car at airport
- Drive to Cradle Mountain via Deloraine for groceries plus any other rest stops I might like
16/3-21/3 (5 nights at Highlanders Lodge at Cradle Mountain)
.wildlife around the cabins saw a snake, plenty of pademelons
.wildlife in the NP saw an echnidna and wombat
.did a short walk with Shell (and Tillie), Ros (and Lizzie) and Alison (and Ruby) to Glacier Rock and also did part of a boardwalk with them and also Michelle and Krista
.visited photo gallery at Lodge, then drove to tavern for lunch and did Enchanted Walk
.was proud to make it around Dove Lake carrying Nick
.had good-bye drinks at the lodge then dinner
Sun 21/3
-Check out Highlanders, leave around 7am to arrive Queenstown @9am
- check into hotel
- 10am dept of West Coast Wilderness Railway with return by coach @4.45pm
Mon 22/3
-Check out drive to Strahan and do Gordon River Cruise
(also saw play 'The Ship That Never was')
Tues 23/3
- Check out and long day of driving to Geeveston thru Hobart(I realise 6-7hrs driving) with rest stops (left just after 9am and arrived just before 5pm!)
Wed 24/3
- Tahume Forest Airwalk
- Hastings caves (thermal spring was disappointing as is just a pool - was expecting natural surroundings not concrete)
- 2nd night Geeveston (saw a platypus!!!!!!!! in river in the village)
Thurs 25/3
- Apple Museum between Geeveston and Hobart
- continue to Hobart
- Mt Wellington in afternoon
Fri 26/3
- free day in Hobart (did Tram sightseeing tour of city, then Louisa's Walk in afternoon, followed by dinner river cruise on the Derwent)
Sat 27/3
- Salmanca markets
- drove to Port Arthur in time for 2pm Tasman Island Eco Cruise
- accomodation in Port Arthur
- Ghost Tour 8.45pm (paid for but didn't do due weather)
Sun 28/3
- half- 3/4 day ish at Port Arthur
- night in Richmond (went for walk around 'village' when arrived and saw gaol and bridge)
Mon 29/3
- Nine Mile Beach
- night at Bicheno
- see penguins at night (didn't do due weather and operator said only getting 10-12 penguins max at moment)
Tues 30/3
- Freycinet NP, Wineglass Bay (managed to get to Wineglass Bay lookout carrying Nick proof in my avatar!, also visited Tourville Lighthouse and Friendly Beaches)
-night at Coles Bay (accomodation stuff-up they didn't have a cabin for me so had to go into a spare one they have for overflow which wasn't all that nice and not very clean!!!)
Wed 31/3
-drive back to Launceston
(did Platypus House then visited Kellie and Nina in afternoon)
Thurs 1/4
- (did morning and lunch cruise on Tamar river to just past Batman Bridge
- (drove to Grindelwald, visited a cellar door for presents, then went to Cataract Gorge but only had time to do chairlift back and across with only 15mins on other side
Fri 2/4
- Fly to Melbourne to visit Tanya and Marvin
- (went to Kid's Big Day Out at Etihad arena (telethon for RCH) then back for lunch and walk to and in Fitzroy Gardens)
Sat 3/4
- Melbourne Aquarium and walked back along river to MCG (where game had just finished so at times was walking against the crowd) and back to their place)
Sun 4/4
- home on 2pm flight

First view of Cradle Mountain

Yes it was cold there at night!

Standing on Glacier Rock, overlooking Dove Lake and Cradle Mountin in background

One of cabin-mates CJ - they looked like little blue caterpillars as both in blue sleeping bags that morning.

Some of the girls - Ros holding Nick and whom is the Mum of the other bub.
And yes we were having a great time - note the wine and cheese in the foreground!

Wombat in Cradle Mountain NP

Help I think I'm stuck! - though he can't crawl yet he still manages to get around!

At the Good-bye drinks

Tahune Airwalk

Steam-powered carousel in Hobart Botanical Gardens

Sitting on the Tesselated Pavement on the Tasman Peninsula

Tasman Island Cruise - Seals Tasman Island Cruise - Dolphins

Port Arthur

9 Mile Beach - and there wasn't anyone else in sight (in the background is the Hazards of Freycinet NP).

Growing up

Since turning two (not eight, which is how old Charlotte says she is when you ask her!), Miss C seems to have become a little more independent and grown up. She went for her first dentist visit today and by all reports she did very well. Opened her mouth for the dentist, had a ride in the chair and got a lollipop (although I think her Dad polished that one off!). The rails have come off her bed and she has not fallen out nor got out of bed unexpectedly (except to go to the toilet). She is also starting to take herself to the toilet. I couldn't find her the other day, was looking everywhere and eventually found her in the toilet. She had taken herself there and was going about her business - much to our delight if we no longer have to stand in the bathroom with her - she can really stink the place out! And when I get dressed in the morning, she occassionally says 'Pretty' even on the days when I know it is just not working for me.

But she is still young enough to throw on the backpack and go for a walk.

Ok well I've tried over the last couple of nights to keep uploading photos but seems to be stuck at 99% so I think there must be a kb or mb limit per post. I had started uploading from end to beginning so this may end up a bit confused sorry.

No it wasn't fun getting the sand off him!

Wineglass Bay (Freycinet NP)

Proof we made it to the look-out

Friendly Beaches
Echidnas having lunch

Sea Eagles on Tamar River

Penguins at Melbourne Aquarium


Nicholas with Tanya (soon to be one of his Godparents)
Nicholas with Marvin (soon to be one of his Godparents)

On Easter Monday Phil, Bec and Charlotte came to see us and we gave Charlotte her belated Birthday present and caught up on everyone's news.

The Easter Bilby visited Samford

We have really enjoyed the time off over Easter as a family. This morning we woke up and had breakfast in the park. Charlotte had a great time on all the playground equipment. I didn't realise how strong she is getting. Must be the three weet bix she often has for breakfast.

The good thing about our new place is we have lots of places to hide easter eggs for the easter egg hunt. I am still not sure we found all the eggs we hid. Charlotte did a good job spotting them.

And here she is actually enjoying one. I was quite surprised because oddly enough she is more a savoury kind of girl.

My rock chick

Charlotte now knows how to hold her guitar correctly and will often sit beside me and Phil when we play. And she sings at the same time.

The party

On Saturday we had a party at our place so that everyone could help Miss C celebrate her birthday. The kids had a great time playing on the new playground (which was our present to Charlotte), jumping on the trampoline, painting, and of course eating! Take note of how nice and clean C was at the start of the day, and then her state at the end of the day. The paint is still in her hair, one day later.

We had a farmyard theme for the birthday party.

With grandma before everyone arrived. Hair still respectable, shoes still on, face clean.

Our neighbour brought their house along so that the kids could give her a pat (and it teamed with the theme). People thought that it was a present for C but I think we can wait a few years before she starts asking. She loves horses and we often stop along our road to see the different horses and give them a pat. She even knows their names and reminds me if we don't stop.

In the sand pit. The shoes are now off and the fun beginds.

Next stop - the paint station. We set this up for the kids to be able to paint quite freely and boy did they! There was hardly any paint left at the end of the day.

Who needs a paint brush when you have hands. And so the downward spiral begins.

Onto the trampoline with Gracie.

Miss Molly on Annie the horse. I think a few of the kids were asking their parents for a horse by the end of the day. Ooops!

Then it was Imogen's turn.

And then Charlotte and Imogen.

Taking a breather with Rachel in the kitchen. Getting ready for round two.

Annie all to herself.

Until Emma came along.

My attempt at a farmyard themed cake.

Took a little huffing and puffing but the candle went out.

One piggy tail missing, and check out those dirty feet!

Chilling with Pop.

By 5:30pm she was asleep in my arms. I didn't want to wake her to bath her so I put her straight into bed. She woke briefly at 8:30pm. I gave her a cuddle and then asked her if she wanted to go back to bed. She just nodded her head gently and then back she went until 6:30am. Needless to say that after 13 hours sleep, she was ready to go this morning.

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