Family Holiday in Albany

Thanks to an amazing deal I stumbled upon, Paul and I took the boys down to Albany (on the southern coast) for a long weekend of fun.

We were a bit worried about the four hour drive but thanks to stories on CD, lots of snacks and toys in the car, and a long stop at a playground half way, the boys did really really well.

And once we got to our little holiday apartment, there was so much fun to be had. We did lots of biking, explored the beach and the fishing harbour, visited the Brig Amity (a replica of the boat that brought the first settlers and convicts to Western Australia), and played on the holiday park's playground and awesome (if somewhat dangerous) bouncing pillow which nearly lamed our eldest little one within the first ten minutes of arriving. Just check out ALL the photos:


A swing in a tree during a rest stop along the way

Checking out the fishing harbour by bike

A very eager pioneer student

The boys outside the Brig Amity

Elliot's looking for pirates

All hands on deck!

Land hoy!!

The boys below deck

Watching a manta ray off shore

Elliot after he was a bit over eager to get a shell in the shallows and got soaking wet

Love this photo!!

The bouncing pillow: an air filled massive pillow of jumping fun

And here's a little jumping pillow video for your viewing pleasure.

A very hard ride along the coast

I was elated to sneak away when the boys were napping and jump on my bike to ride along the coast from our holiday park into the city of Albany. It was only seven or eight kilometers each way but with the winding bike trail up and down the cliffs above the ocean and the sea wind blowing me about, it felt much much longer.

Nevertheless, it was exhilarating and beautiful and I loved every second of it, even if my muscles are still telling me off a bit. Here are some exhausted self-portraits:

Awesome International Festival for Bright Young Things

Hooray for Mommy the way she always keeps her finger on the pulse of the hip happenings for little ones in Perth. Last week, Mommy took Ollie and I on the train into the city with Cailey and Jessica and their Mommy for the Awesome International Festival for Bright Young Things.

We weren't sure what to expect, but it was so much fun!!!

First, we checked out the animation festival ('animation' is a fancy way of saying 'cartoons'!) and watched a sweet and beautiful movie about a penguin and the boy he adopts. And then because it was such a hot day, we went to re(Stretch), this totally cool artsy musical thingy that we could play with, and Cailey and I just loved it. We plucked it and climbed through it and leaned against it and watched ourselves on it and listened to it. We even ate it. It was so so cool. Even Ollie got in on the fun. Check it out:

And then when we finally had enough, we ventured on to the sticky tape maze which was really fun, but full of pushy big kids and really really hot in the bright sun. It was a whole big maze to run around built out of cellophane tape with boxes of torn up paper for us to stick to the walls.

Mommy, I think we should make this festival an annual event! ~ Elliot

A play in the park

Jacarandas!

My very favourite part of living in Australia this time of year:

I just love jacarandas! So so pretty! And they're everywhere I look. Joy!

Babysitting

In case we were having any second thoughts about our decision to not have any more children, we volunteered to babysit Aine and Jareth while their mum and dad let their hair down at a family wedding. Four hours into our shift, I came out of the bathroom where Elliot and Aine were having a bath to find Paul like this:

Is he a keeper or what?!?!?

And no, we are definitely not having any more children. We totally don't have the energy.

P.S. Check out my youtube page for some cute videos of the kids running through the sprinklers.

Oliver hamming it up at the beach

The boys on bikes at the beach

Now that both boys have their own bike seats and helmets, the whole family can finally get on our bikes and ride . . . .

So that's what we did. We packed up our bikes and went up to beautiful Cottlesloe Beach to take the bikes and boys for a test drive before hitting the road for a little holiday next weekend. And despite it being really windy which made the biking a challenge and despite Elliot tripping and bloodying his knee and nose on a limestone wall, we had a really great time.

Here's some photos to prove it. (Note: We forgot to take photos of the boys actually on the bikes but will make a note to do this next weekend.)

Enough with biking, I'm moving on to boats!!!

I really am having fun--just not so into photos at the moment.

All this bike riding makes me thirsty!

A little ice cream with my dad always makes things better.

Who needs a bike when I'm unstoppable on my own these days.

Ollie and Mommy rolling down the hill and sharing some giggles.

Look at me Daddy!

So pretty here. We need to make the time for family outings more often.

Guess who . . .

 . . . grew two whole teeth and Mommy and Daddy didn't even notice?!?!?

I understand that they're a bit exhausted at the moment (I know, I know the fact that I wake up and want cuddles two to three times a night doesn't help), but seriously Mommy and Daddy, two whole teeth grew all the way in before you realized it. That's the kind of negligence and disappointment that might scar a kid forever. I truly hope it doesn't happen again. I might get a complex.

P.S. I refuse to let Mommy or Daddy get a photo of my teethers yet. Thought I'd make them suffer a bit! ~ Oliver

Potty woes!

Four changes of clothes before 8.45 in the morning. Seriously?!?! Maybe wearing diapers until he's 18 isn't the worst thing in the world.

A trip to the zoo with my besties!



Aine, Elliot, and Cailey

 Enough with the paparazzi!!!

I could sit here for hours.

Pirate and Princess

Elliot: Shiver me timbers!

Aine: I caught myself a pirate.

Elliot: Aaarrrrrrrrr!

Aine: Isn't it cute how he thinks he's tough?

Elliot: I said, AAAAAARRRRRRR!

Aine: Alright, now I'm just bored.