The Lilac Swim

Sunday Mark participated in a charity ocean swim at Bondi Beach in the ocean pool. It was a freezing rainy day (water 20 C, air 17 C) and although his team made it to the second round they didn’t make the final. "The Lilac Swim" raises funds for the Nelune foundation which supports cancer patients, finals or not, he had a great time supporting a very good cause.

That’s Mark in the middle, looks like he’s saying a prayer? What was Mark praying for anyway…that his picture wouldn’t be published in The Telegraph wearing a speedo, or that I wouldn’t post the pic on our blog so all of our friends who don’t read the Sydney papers wouldn’t miss out? -kel

Autumn

Autumn in Sydney is so fantastic, the weather is chilly, but not cold and for the most part the sun is shinning. We've always found this a great time of year to explore Sydney, since most of the summer we are at the beach. Saturday we took a trip to the Inner West. First up we checked out the Orange Grove Public schools markets. Particularly cool, as Mark's parents were with us, and Mark's dad actually went to school at Orange Grove. He started Kindergarden there in 1944, by his account the school hadn't changed much.

The kids were interested in Grandpa's reminiscing, but they were ecstatic about the pony rides. Scout was crazy after the pony ride, she was running and jumping up and down, she absolutely loved it. She is proving to be such a girly girl, ballet, ponies and refuses to leave the house unless she is wearing pink!

After the markets we played in a huge pile of leaves, there aren't many places in Sydney with traditional autumn leaves, this was a great treat for the kids who loved every second of the running, jumping and falling around.

Of course a day in the Inner West wouldn't be complete without a trip to The Three Weeds, our favorite pub. All in all a terrific Autumn day. Something tells me we'll be back at Orange Grove Markets for pony rides within the next month! -kel

Ballet

Ballet classes have started again. Scout is still loving every second of her class. Her classes are in a Girl Scout hall, and typical of all such halls in Australia, they are not heated. So yep, Scout is now rocking the 80's style leg warmers for ballet, seriously she LOVES them, not to mention her new ballet dress. Let's just hope all of her enthusiasm is helping her with her gracefulness and flexibility. -kel

Mother's Day 2011

Fabulous weather, beautiful kidos, the most amazing husband ever. Mothers day was perfect. Luca was particularly adorable, excited all week for Mothers day, and thrilled to bits that I liked the coffee cup he bought for me at the school's Mother's Day shop and that I wore the bangle he made me all day.

I feel like I joined a very special club today, I officially became one of the moms sporting the very, very obviously kid made jewelry on Mother's day. As seriously gaudy as the bangle is (bright purple with various butterfly stickers stuck on at random) I wore it with pride and was actually thinking I'll make a point of wearing it around him as much as possible, I loved it.

We had donuts, very yummy coffee, tons of cuddles, nachos, smoothies, a play in the park, and and adventure to Avalon. We bought a new painting (totally unexpected, but for those who have visited our house, the big blank wall will be blank no more!), played at the park and had a very yummy brisket for dinner. A wonderful Mother's day.

Here are a few pics, including my most favorite photo of my mom and I, not from today, taken in the spring if 1978. Happy Mother's day. -kel

Taronga & Gunners

A visit to the zoo has been on our list for a while but we haven't been able to go the last few weeks because of various other things we had on - finally we got a clear day so we were off.

The zoo has some of the best views of Sydney and is generally a nice place to walk around and being ten minutes from our house it is a real winer with Kelly and I. The highlights this time were two baby elephants who were playing a game of trying to push each other into the water and a very large tiger who was walking back and forward across it's enclosure literally a couple of inches from us (separated by glass).

After the zoo we headed to our favourite picnic spot and the food Kelly made was so good that this crazy Kookaburra dive bombed Luca trying to get his sandwich. It was definitely hungry, when we finally threw it some bread it nearly ripped the leg off a crow who got a bit too close. All this and home in time for Scout's nap - a great Saturday morning.

Easter Eggs and Local Views

Action packed weekend just gone, as well as bowling, we took in a lookout a few minutes up the road from us (scouting out a future bushwalking path to take Luca on) and spent a beautiful Sunday picnicing and hunting for Easter eggs with families from Luca's school.

A priceless moment when, while trying unsuccessfully to calm Scout, who was chucking a wobbly for not getting a pink basket to collect eggs in, the Easter bunny showed up and she instantly went from scrunched up mad/sad face to wide eyed amazement.

Bowling

Saturday afternoon we took the kids bowling for the first time. Luca loved it, after his first go he said to me "this is sooooo fun mom". For the kids there were bumpers and ramps not to mention the shoes which accounted for a lot of dancing by both. I've never seen the ramps in the US, but they were fantastic and really made the game fun for the kids. Scout was winning for the first half of the game, she didn't love bowling as much as Luca but I am attributing that to some lingering tonsillitis she's been battling all week. Luca's been asking to go back again, so we'll see how Scout fairs in round two. Here are some pics from our adventure. Oh, and I lost, yes a 2 year old beat me at bowling! -kel

7 Mile Beach

A couple of nights away down on the NSW mid-south coast (about 2 hours south of where we live) at a place called 7 Mile Beach - which is located on a seven mile beach strangely enough. We went with eight other families from the "mother's group" that Kelly joined when Luca was born. So lots of adults and even more kids. Kelly's first experience of caravan park holidays Australian style - although we stayed in beach side cabins rather than trailers.

The weather was lousy so we didn't get to spend much time at the beach, more time spent keeping an eye on the kids who were running around everywhere having a great time. We had communal dinners for almost all meals and sat around chewing the fat and enjoying a few drinks ... for the most part pretty cruisy.

The cabins had a double bed and bunks, the bunks didn't work too well for Luca and Scout so they shared the double bed while Kel and I bunked it. Kelly being on the bottom was up and down all night trying to stop Luca and Scout sleeping on each other and ended up sharing her bottom bunk with the both of them. I snored away on the top bunk and didn't sleep too badly.

There was a Ferguson family side trip in Berry where we had a nice lunch and discovered the source of all that is good at the "Treat Factory". I enjoyed getting away with Kelly and the kids even if it was for a couple of nights. Kelly will sleep well tonight!

Rainy Autumn Day

Scout's First Movie

It's been a rainy and blustery weekend in Sydney. Saturday morning we headed straight to the movies to see Gnomeo and Juliet. It was Scout's first trip to the movies. Both her and Luca had a blast, she watched the entire movie. The two of them are already talking about what movies we are going to see next...it's a long list at the moment. Looks like I know where we'll be spending some of the upcoming winter weekends. Here she is before the movie started complete with a HUGE lemonade and smile. -kel

Princess, Ballerina, Fairy

Scout wearing all of her princess, ballerina and fairy gear at once! -kel

We love our mommy!

There is nothing better than seeing the kids after a day at work ... except when they are even more excited to see us.

Loungin' with mommy!

Last morning in Penang

Heading home this afternoon. I can't wait to see the kids and Mark! This is a pic of the sunrise from my hotel room this morning. -kel

Dinner and the Market

Last night after a long day in the office we headed out for dinner at a Hawkers Market. This was in a fairly touristy area but full of locals having their dinner. The food on offer was pretty varied and mostly Chinese as Penang is a mostly Chinese area of Malaysia. After dinner we headed to Batu Ferringhi market, it was pretty lame, stall after stall of knock off purses, watches and nick knacks. Not my thing at all, interesting, but no purchases for me. Tonight is another shopping adventure after work...-kel

Penang Malysia

This week I am in Penang Malysia for work. Tonight we had dinner in an open air cafe with a tin roof. This "resturant" was pretty much street food with a roof. It was pretty crazy, especially when asked to go "choose" my dinner from the seafood tanks! The lighting wasn't that great so it was difficult to get pictures inside, but here is a pic of me and my dinner to be...it was soooo good! Tomorrow after work we are heading to the night markets at Batu Ferringhi should be another fun adventure. Missing the kids and Mark heaps, but hoping I can find them each a cool present at the markets tomorrow.-kel

Ice Cream You Scream we all Scream for Ice Cream

Mark was at a work function tonight, so as soon as I got home we headed down to Manly for a special treat, ice creams and some good old fashioned sea gull chasing! We had a blast, the ice cream was super messy, Luca had chocolate and managed to get it in his arm pit in about 5 seconds. After ice cream we took a stroll down towards Shelly Beach, the kids ran after the sea gulls on the walk the entire way there and back. Poor sea gulls were just trying to get some dinner snacks from some of the many people enjoying early evening picnics and fish and chips, only to be harassed by my two! We pulled into the driveway at home at 7:45, kids were washed up and in bed by 8, sound asleep by about 8:01! So simple yet so fun. -kel

Happy Fathers Day

Yes, this is the second holiday I have moved to a more convenient date in the last six months. To be honest, it's a total pain, but at the same time completely necessary. Australia celebrates Fathers day in September, normally cool not an issue, however last year we were in the States on holiday and amongst the fun times I totally forgot. The day passed, we didn't even call Mark's amazing dad, to wish him a happy Father's Day. Sooo....after being reminded once by Mark that I basically skipped the one holiday totally dedicated to him I decided to make good ASAP (certainly before Mother's day).

Marks Mom and I planned a surprise day at the beach complete with picnic and presents on Saturday...then Luca got an ear infection (no swimming for a week), ok picnic at the park, play on the toys lots of yummy food....then Saturday morning we woke up to rain, lots of rain (yes, just like halloween)...so we had a surprise Fathers Day picnic in Mark's parents living room.

Mark and his dad were very surprised. It was a totally fun afternoon, not at all what we had planned but fun none the less. Not to worry, this won't happen again, we'll never ever miss fathers day again.

None of this really sounds like high drama, but in reality, it was. Planning a surprise for them was really hard, trying to keep the kids quiet, quickly changing our plans every few days, and even at the last min when Mark's dad showed up at our house about an hour before I was supposed to get the whole family in the car under false pretenses and drive to his house to surprise him!

Every min of drama was totally worth it, when I look back a the last year and the amazing dad Mark has been as well as grandpa and father Mark's dad has been there are no two more deserving dad's out there. From fixing our leaking taps and endless hours of babysitting, building pirate ships and reading princess bedtime stories these two are the absolute best.

Happy Fathers Day Mark and Graham. -kel

Cottage

Today was Luca's first day of Cottage at his new school. Cottage is the pre-school (3 days per week) program at the school where he will attend Kindergarden through year 12. Luca was pretty relaxed, happy that he was wearing a school uniform (all "big" kids wear uniforms to school in Australia), happy with his new big boy backpack and that he got a special breakfast of cinnamon rolls. Scout on the other hand was not so happy, she was insisting on going to big boy school too and having her own special breakfast. She even refused to say goodbye to Luca, to think we have another two years before she starts!

Luca and his best friend Sean both started "big boy" school today.

As we walked into the big school, I was a little misty, he is growing up so fast. With his hair cut and his total confidence I couldn't help but think how fast the last four years have gone. He is growing up into such a fantastic little man, we couldn't be more proud of him. -kel

Australia Day

A 30+ degree day so it was the pool, followed by the pool, followed by a BBQ at our fiends Dieter & Katie's house where we spent time in the pool and then a quick dip in the pool when we got home.

Great to have a day off in the middle of the week and no better way to spend it than with close friends and family.

Luca & Scout eating sausage sambo's with their friends on Australia Day

Scout at 2

She loves tomatos and 'ollies' (candy), Finding Nemo, climbing on ropes at the playground, turkey, her big brother, Tinkerbell, playing "What's the time Mr. Wolf" and doing "motorboat, motorboat" in the pool. She is beautiful and we love her like no other (except Luca of course).

Definitely more of a handful than Luca was at the same age, our little girl turns 2.