Perth Winter Lights Festival

We had so much fun last year at the light festival, we decided to do it again this year and invite my friend Amanda. The boys weren't as captivated by the lights this year because they didn't have the monsters like before, but I think I liked them even better.

Elliot's day

I had to wait a whole week to have my special day, but it was worth it!

In the morning, me and Mom and Dad went to a performance called Squaring the Wheel: How to Complicate Simple Things. It was hilarious, especially when they guy kept saying "EASIER!!" and then made things much harder with all of his funny gadgets and machines!

For lunch we had a sushi stop and then headed home to change into our workout clothes before heading down to Byford YMCA's rock climbing wall.

I was a little bit nervous at first, but after a couple of tries I made it all the way to the top of the wall and just wanted to keep climbing it again trying different routes (even the canyon!). 

The thing is, Mom loved rock climbing just as much as I did, and I had to take it in turns with her. Daddy doesn't really like heights and didn't like it so much, but he says Mom and I are both naturals and couldn't believe that we hadn't done it before the way we scrambled up the wall like little monkeys.

In case you don't believe me, here is some footage of just how fearless I am! I can't wait to do it again. ~ Elliot

Ollieday

During school holidays, Mommy and Daddy decided that it would be lots of fun to have a day with just me all to themselves. So they sent Elliot off to daycare, and they let me decide exactly what I wanted to do.

First up was a trip to Chipmunks to play on all the slides and climb all around and throw myself over and over into the ball pit. For morning tea, I got a babycino with marshmallows plus we all shared a yummy piece of cake.

Afterward we came home and I got to choose my favourite lunch: macaroni and cheese with tuna and peas, but Mom and Dad didn't let me choose not to have my nap which I really didn't think was fair. Nevermind, when I woke up, it was time for Ollieday Part 2: the bus ride!

Mommy and I walked down to the bus stop where Mommy showed me how to flag down a bus. When we got on the bus, I got to beep Mommy's card and choose our seats all the way in the very back. After driving all around the neighbourhood, the bus stopped at the train station, and we had to get off and wait for our bus home. This time I chose the seat right at the front so I could watch the bus driver with his big big steering wheel and lots of switches and levers.

I think we should have Olliedays much more often. ~ Ollie

The Festival of Casey

Rather than have one great big party to celebrate the big 4-0, I decided to spread the celebrations out. Paul called it the Festival of Casey, I call it genius!

And gosh was it fun! Here's a run-down on the fun:

27 June: Vietnamese food and Karaoke with my work friends. Too much to eat. Too much to drink. Never enough karaoke (especially when we have a private room at the karaoke brothel).

6 July: Family brunch at the Naked Fig. Sure we got caught in a torrential downpour trying to get into the restaurant which really wasn't conducive to cricket on the beach, but we sure did have a lovely time!

7 July: A day of wine tasting and noshing around the Swan Valley with Paul, his dad and Liz.

9/10 July: Paul and I had our very very first overnighter together without the boys at the schmancy Crown Metropol at Burswood. We watched Grease the Musical, ate pulled pork quesadillas and smashed potatoes and mojitos at the Merrywell, played a few hands on the poker machines, and had one hell of a buffet breakfast.

11 July: Dinner out with the book club girls at Jamie's Italian. Yes, we had to wait over two hours for a table, but dang, the food was good. The popcorn salted caramel brownie for desert wasn't half bad either!

12 July: Teeny little party at Deville's Pad where I drank my weight in sangria (with a little absynthe cocktail thrown in) and danced the night away. Loved this place so much and can't wait to come back for some more much-needed dance therapy.

And because the boys didn't actually have the chance to sing me Happy Birthday and blow out some candles we did a little family dinner thingie at the piggy restaurant on 14 July.

And I didn't even mention all the lovely gifts and treats that I was spoiled with or that the Festival was capped off by a surprise bouquet of flowers and decorated desk at work when I returned from my week off.

It was a fantastic week (or more) full of so much love and fun. I am so so grateful for the friends and family that I've made in Australia. It's taken time to find my place here, but like all things that take time, it was definitely worth it!

And if turning 40 means getting to celebrate like this, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. 

Rainy days

It's been raining a lot. And yes, this dry country needs it. So instead of getting blue about being cooped up inside, we've been embracing it with rain slickers and gum boots.