Leaving the nest....

today, my youngest boy is leaving us for 4 nights and 5 days.

He is 12 years old.

He is going on Trials Bike Riding Camp with other quite a few other guys his age and older. It is a big step for him as he loves to be with people he knows.

Last year, he went and it was a bit of a trauma. He took his brother's mobile phone 'just in case' and lo and behold on the 2nd morning I had two voice messages from him around 5.00am in the morning. He sounded distressed - not as distressed as I because I didn't get the messages until after 10am!

Turns out he had had a bit of an 'accident' in bed. I had already told him what to do if that happened as it was a bit of an issue then but I guess there is nothing like having mum around if something really happens. In the end though, he managed. Yay!

So, he is leaving tonight and we haven't had bed wetting issues for a very long time now so he is feeling confident. I still worry for him though. It is a long time to be away from his family and being surrounded by all those males!

They will be learning from the best riders we have here in Australia and he is very excited about that.

I will miss him.

He is my constant child this middle boy.

He balances our family.

Holidays + Sun = Visit to Beach

Today I took the youngest two down to our local beach here in Melbourne - just a 5 minute drive from our home is the famous Brighton Beach. Famous for its ridiculously expensive but oh, so colourful, bathing boxes....

Here are a few of my favourite photos from the day....

I have a new look....

well, I haven't but this blog has....I was inspired by Busy Mum who 'pimped' her blog and I think hers looks fabulous!

Mine is basic but then I think we suit basic!

But check out the new look of Bronte and her friend - what a cack!

Feral daughter....that is all I can say

about this photo of Bronte really!!

Taken yesterday at the motorbike track....

Hi...I have a new camera...so am just going to post my favourite

photos so far....

Taken at the christening of a friends' yacht...


















This one is Zachary....love the colours...



Here is a series of photos that I took because Bronte discovered this heart shape shadow in the boys room....



Here it is on the carpet. So then, Bronte and Zachary decided to lie down and get the heart on them...

This one is Bronte...



This is Zachary....



and this is Samuel's most loved Teddy, Flopsy - with an upside down heart...

Happy 14th Birthday Samuel for the 9th of August!!!!

Dearest Samuel,

I know that you now like to get called Sam but you will always be Samuel to us! How I love your smile and how proud we are that you are our son!

The past 14 years have gone very fast. From the day you were born, our lives changed. Such a sweet baby, and a bright bright little boy. As you know, we still have the original answering machine message that you recorded on our phone...'Thanks for calling Kate, Staaan, Samuel, Zacawee and Bwonte. Please leave a message after all the beeps....there's quite a few. Bye." I love it. It is in your bestest 4 year old voice and I remember the day we recorded it. I wrote it down and you read it out. We only had to record twice. And now, 10 years later, it is still on our phone. I can never imagine taking it off although some people try to encourage it!

You have had your share of troublesome times from operations to schooling issues but come through them all so wonderfully, from a sick little boy, you are now a healthy young man (and yes! you WILL get tall soon!!!). You began reading at the age of 18months - funny thing is, at the time, we thought all kids did that! All without any prompting from us. I was wayyyy too busy with you and your little brother Zachary to school you in ANYTHING! - After all, there is only 14months between you both.

You have so many lovely lovely friends, a true testament to your niceness. We are very proud of you for that in particular!

I love how you have achieved so well academically, I love how you love dancing and love music. I love how you and your friend Hayley, DJ at little kids parties and get paid for it! I love how you enter online design competitions and get paid for it! I love that you have some direction in life (so far!). I love you!!!!

Happy 14th birthday Samuel Andrew!

Time goes by...

Here is a photo that I really like of Samuel and Bronte together today at the track...deep in conversation perhaps??


'Oops! I haven't updated here in a while!' Sorry for those who do actually read...

Photos from today - we went to the motorbike track (well it IS Sunday after all!) and I took quite a few photos with Stan's camera...cool Panasonic point and shoot thing!

But last week I purchased a DSLR - digital SLR camera...yay! I have been saving my pennies for quite some time - using birthday money that I get every year from Stan's mum and sister, Ailsa. So....I bought a PENTAX K200D which is fabulous.

One of the reasons I bought this camera is that many moons ago in another life, I used to study Art. Included in the Study of art was Photography, not to mention sculpture and printmaking. Anyway, way back in the year dot, my brother and father bought me a fabulous SLR which, at the time, was Camera of the Year. It was a Pentax ME Super and I have a few lenses for it.

As the old lenses for the ME can be used on the K200D, I thought why not?? So I bought it for a great price from JB Hi Fi - $621.00 to be exact - yay! Not bad for a 10 MP DSLR I reckon.

Anyway - I have taken about 222 photos with the K200D - all of the cat! Will show you them another time! lol


A slightly sad and VERY frustrated Zachary! Today at the track he just was not riding to his best ability and he was very teary. I must admit, he was tired - after all I went out last night with some old highschool friends and I didn't get home until around 2am. Of course, Stan was in 'charge' of the kids and Stan went off to bed at 9pm. The kids did not go until way way after that apparently....

Another reason that he is frustrated is that he has had a broken finger for 6 weeks now. Very very difficult to ride with a broken middle finger.... It happened at school at the end of last term. He tripped over, his friend tripped over him and stood on Zachary's hand. Long story short, he has a Salter-Harris Fracture type II. He is going for his third x-ray on Wednesday and 6th doctor appointment (not including the specialist appt!) next week. Hopefully we will have some better news...

Here he is in action...a close up shot!

The colourful Bronte...love this photo!!

Below are a series of shots showing Bronte in one of the trees in our backyard. She loves to climb this tree - as does Zachary. Now she has put all manner of items in the tree and while I was hanging out the washing this afternoon, I looked up and saw this cacophony of colour! I had to snap away - again using Stan's point and shoot camera!

Don't forget to click on the photos for a better view.

More birthdays.....well continuing on with Bronte's

Waking up happy on her actual birthday which was a month ago now!! The 18th of June!



Opening some pressies!!



Wearing the Birthday Hat...






About to blow out the candles...



Yep - the weird Wig Family! This was taken on MY birthday which was on Wednesday the 16th of July. Our friend Joyce has a bag of wigs that a friend gave her. So we all put one on...it was such fun! Click on the photo for a better view...nothing like being silly on your birthday!!










and then mine - the BIG 45! Waaah!!!

Being silly after the birthday song...

My very good friends, Joycey and Joan along with Zachary and myself - yes I HAD to wear the birthday hat too! Mind you it is Joyce's and she will wear anything - truly!

Next birthday is Samuel's - which is in 3 weeks - he will be 14.

The BIG Party!!!

So, the big day arrived...the City Explorer Party for my soon to be 10 year old girl!

We headed off from our local train station at 10.15am Sunday morning. Myself and two good friends, Lynda and Sue were in charge of 10 giggly girls and my two boys...

First stop - Flinders Street Station. Then straight out to Federation Square where the 10 wanna be stars did an impromptu act on the world famous Fed Square stage!!!



Then in to ACMI which stands for 'Australian Centre for the Moving Image'. It was a bit of fun where we looked at movies made by students and played video games for free!

My brother, sister in law and gorgeous nieces met up with us at Fed Square and then we all trundled off to a shop in Swanston Street where there are many photo booths and you can take wacky photos...that took an hour or so.

(only one mishap for the whole day - one of our old duckie shopping trolleys broke - we were using them to transport drinks and food!! So I went off to Target and bought another!!)



Back to Fed Square and watched a busker. Then the City Circle tram out to Docklands Park where we had hot chips and more party food and a good old fashioned play. The girls loved playing Roly Poly down the lush green hills!

Then back on the City Circle tram and back to Fed Square. Here we saw a busker who had the biggest nipple rings any of us had ever seen and boy they were yucky!!

But the next busker was fantastic - his name is Andy Zapp and if you ever get the chance to see him - take the time as he is fabulously funny and talented! All of us loved him!

Finally, at 3.53pm, we boarded the train for home...a big group of tired youngsters and adults to boot! We arrived back at our station where parents were to meet us. Because the cake (that I bought from Mrs Field's) was too large to carry into the city....we set up a table - complete with tablecloth - in the station Car Park. It was a touch of insanity to end the day! We all sang Happy Birthday to the gorgeous birthday girl and then shared the cake amongst guests and their families. Then the girls (and my two boys) retired to the back of my car to open the presents! It was so much fun and the party worked out pretty darn well even if I do say so myself!