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Tears of a 13 year old boy....

today we went to a big car boot sale.

Zachary of course, (junk boy extraordinaire) came home with a few bits and pieces. One being these weird walking things. (Technical term for I don't know what the hell they are called!). They cost him all of $4.00 and he is thrilled.

(don't forget to click on the images for a much better image experience...)

Now, he is naturally very good at all balance things, always has been. That's why he was so good at gymnastics, why he learnt to ride a 2 wheeler bike by the age of 3 without training wheels and why he is fabulous at Trials Riding. (oh and riding the unicycle)

Most of the day he was running and jumping in these things - taking giant steps etc. He really enjoyed them. A few times I would hear a thump and then the words 'I'm ok' and off he would go again.

This last time, I heard a thump and an 'oomph' and then silence. Then I heard Stan say 'Are you ok?' and then I heard crying. So, being the good mum that I am, I went outside and saw him sitting in the chair. Tears rolling down his face.



Stay there, I say. I come back inside and get (nope no bandaids or ointment)





I get my CAMERA!

Ba ha ha!

He looked at me and said 'What are you doing?' I said, 'Your tears look fantastic, I just want to take a few photos....'

He looked at me as if I was stark, raving mad.

I am.



Here is the damaged knee....not too bad in the scheme of things really.

And finally - here are three more photos of him cause he looked so darn cute!!!









In this one he is saying 'dooooon't' but then started laughing....

One month in one post!

I know! I know! I am slack as....well just slack and you guys know it.

Here is a big catch up post...in no particular order.

Melbourne Cup Weekend....well Melbourne Cup is a very famous horse race and if you live in the marvellous city of Melbourne you get the day off work, school etc. Even though it is always the FIRST Tuesday of November, many businesses and schools have the Monday off as well - effectively giving us a 4 day weekend....lots of people scarper out of town.

We were no different. We decided to take our pop top caravan down the coast to a gorgeous seaside town called Rosebud. We have relatives who live there (they are in their 80's) and they have wanted us to come down and 'stay' with them for ages. So we did. We met up with Stan's cousin, Moira down there and her friend Martin along with her two dogs Tally and Susie.

Here are just a few photos from the weekend...fishing and also under the awning of our van. (no photos of Samuel as he was always SLEEPING!)





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I couldn't resist sharing these photos of Zachary - love them!

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MELBOURNE CUP DAY: Now we are not into horse racing at all, nor gambling but we came home for the BIG HORSE RACE!

We were invited to go to our friend's place not far from our home for Pizza, Swimming, a spot of Tennis and of course to watch the race!

They have the most FABULOUS house that overlooks Port Phillip Bay. They have installed a purpose built Pizza Oven in their back garden that overlooks their tennis court. It is a resort for us! And boy did we have fun.

Not only did we spend the day with lovely friends, laughing and drinking...we played tennis, ate multitudes of home made pizzas and watched the kids swim. We held a 'sweep' for the horse race - none of us were winners though. Bummer.

Such a fun day.

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SCHOOL SPORTS DAY for BRONTE

Well, this is a day that most kids look forward to and some absolutely dread. Thankfully Bronte is one of the former....

She is in RED team and they ended up coming second overall for the day.

Here she is with one of her ribbons. She came second in the Hurdles...





Look at that fabulous style! Laughing as she hurdles....how fun!

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Halloween is not celebrated in our home. It is a holiday that is starting to infiltrate our Australian culture but still has not taken a great hold. Anyway, Bronte was asked to go Trick or Treating with her friend from school, Grace. Sure I said. She said I want to go as a scary cat. Easy peasy....

We had the black cape already, I bought the black dress with ruffles from Target for around $8.00, the leggings we already had, she put on Zachary's black Dunlop Volleys (a little too big but she didn't want to wear her black boots) and I made a tail out of black tights - didn't even have to cut them...just stuffed one leg with another pair of tights and wrapped the 'empty' leg around her waist - perfect!. I bought the cat ears and the makeup - probably cost me around $15 all up for the costume and she loved the 'blood' I did coming from her mouth. Oh and I bought a fab rubber rat and sewed it to her cape....



So, here she is with Grace...cute huh??

Look into these eyes....

and you not only see a slightly demented looking just turned 13 year old boy but you see the THIRD place getter in the Australian Mototrials 2008 Junior 7 to 12 division!

He is very happy although, of course, wanted to do better.

Stan didn't do well in his class and said that the 'sections' were difficult.

These two tired boys of mine did not arrive home until around 1am on Sunday morning. Like a good mum and wife, I waited up for them and helped with the unpacking of the car and trailer. Riding for two days and driving home from Bendigo - that is a BIG weekend for both of them!

I was kind and let Zachary have the Monday off school - he loved that! Stan had the day off from work as well...

(Remember to click on the photos to see the pictures better....)

My NEW favourite song....gosh I love it...

and can't get enough of it....check it out - it is called 'If I Were A Boy' and Beyonce sings it...

BEYONCE - “IF I WERE A BOY” LYRICS

If I were a boy
Even just for a day
I’d roll outta bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted then go
Drink beer with the guys
And chase after girls
I’d kick it with who I wanted
And I’d never get confronted for it.
Cause they’d stick up for me.

[Chorus]
If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I’d be a better man.
I’d listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he’s taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I could turn off my phone
Tell everyone it’s broken
So they’d think that I was sleepin’ alone
I’d put myself first
And make the rules as I go
Cause I know that she’d be faithful
Waitin’ for me to come home (to come home)

(Chorus)

It’s a little too late for you to come back
Say its just a mistake
Think I’d forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
You thought wrong

(Chorus)

But you’re just a boy
You don’t understand
Yeah you don’t understand
How it feels to love a girl someday
You wish you were a better man
You don’t listen to her
You don’t care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
Cause you’ve taken her for granted
And everything you have got destroyed
But you’re just a boy

Another Teenager in my house!!!

Well, officially, Zachary is now 13! I am not sure how I feel about the idea of now having two teens in the home. Actually, yes I am - I feel overwhelmed. Where have all of those years gone? It is a bit sad really....for me...not for him....he LOVES it!

We had to celebrate a day early as Zachary and Stan left early this morning (6am) to go and compete in the Australian Mototrials Championship 2008. It was sad to just see him for 30 or so minutes on his actual birthday. They will be back late tomorrow night. And WHAT A BONUS if they do well! Here's hoping...

Here are some photos from his birthday dinner - was just the 5 of us plus Joycey from down the road. Please click on the photos for a clearer and more detailed picture...


Goes to show that if it is your birthday that you need to wear the Birthday Hat (as always supplied by Joycey) even if you HAVE to work on your motorbike!


Joycey also gave him this 'Hop In Blankie'. He LOVES it. He has had one from her before but it was on its last legs. There's nothing more that this active child of mine loves to do at the end of the day than getting into his blankie and wrapping himself up in it. He has always been a 'wrapper'! Cosy and warm and safe. This one, is a DOUBLE size and we teased him about there being enough room in there for a girl...he was mortified! Ba Ha Ha




Samuel gave him a Magazine and DVD from TOP GEAR which is Zachary's very favourite TV show. Zachary was thrilled.

Amongst other things (like another Top Gear DVD and some really cool CULT Boardshorts), Stan and I gave him this Jitsie Trials Riding Gear that he loves! The top is a bit big though but he doesn't seem to mind going by the poses he was doing!


Bronte gave him a Jigsaw puzzle, a glue pen, some craft paper and his favourite chocolate - white. This time in the form of a rather large Toblerone (yum!) He loved his presents so much he even let her give him a kiss and a cuddle!!

This was just after the kiss part!! Look at his face!

Here he is, opening up one of his many gifts with our good friend Joycey looking on.

I meant to tell you all the the first photo in this post is a Pavlova. Bronte and Samuel made it for him. Topped with whipped cream and grated Peppermint Aero bar - he thought it was fab!

Coming and going...

these holidays, I have just basically been a taxi service...

'Mum, can I go to Luca's please?'
'Can you take me?'
'Can Rose come over and can you pick her up?'
'Can we go Ice Skating?'
'Can you drive us?'

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

Bloody hell. When I was a kid (insert eye-rolling here) we were NEVER picked up and dropped off like this. We RODE OUR BLOODY BIKES EVERYWHERE! Or walked. They were the two choices you had - no, hang on there were three choices - Ride, Walk or not go.

Is it the times we live in? Do we mollycoddle these kids too much?

Samuel rode to his friends house this morning (yay) and called me at 5.30pm asking me to pick him up. Sure I say.
Stan says 'Where are you going?'
'To pick Samuel up.'
'Why? He rode didn't he?'
'Yes, but its raining.'
'So??'
'He'll get wet.'
'So??'
'He might get cold.'
'So??'
'Is that ALL you can say?'
'No.'

And so I went and picked him up. He was grateful. I know - he said 'thanks so much Mum' about six times.

Stan and Zachary are off to the Victorian Mototrials Championship in the morning. They are both very excited. I hope they do well. And bring home a trophy or two. I hope that the trophies are not BEER Glasses this time. Zachary is 12 and nearly has a dozen BEER Glasses. Boring!! Give the kids a trophy with a MOTORBIKE on it! Now that would be COOL.

Bronte is having a sleepover at her friends house. It is always loverrrrly and quiet when she is away. Should I feel bad saying that out loud?

Oh and I guess I should tell you that Zachary arrived home safe and sound from the MotoTrial camp.

He really enjoyed the riding,
the challenges,
being mentored by two of Australia's best riders,
falling off his bike,
breaking his handlebars,
getting dirty,
staying dirty,
eating toasted marshmallows.

Zachary...



Bronte...



Samuel...



Stan...



Check out this great site where you can put your face on a poster, magazine etc (like the four photos above)

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....