We've just spent a lovely few days with Oma Ali, she cooked and cleaned and looked after the children for us... it was just like being on holidays! Sadly she's now g0ne back to the land of Oz and we're in sole charge of the children again.

Little Ali was off to daycare today. She asked for two plaits especially.
Lily stayed home with Mum and played with playdough and helped making dinner. When Ali got home from daycare they fought like cats and dogs til dinner time. After dinner it was brush teeth, stories, and bed, without too much argument.
ps Lily has learned to sing Hy-dee-ho.
pps please someone send me 'Eats Roots Shoots and Leaves' for Xmas :-) Oma Ali has given me a complex

Crikey, Where did the week go?

This is Ali pretending to get an electric shock from the kiwifruit. For some reason Lily thought this was hysterical.

Where's the weekend?

Wow, that weekend went fast! On Saturday Phil worked and Mum went to the early morning produce market with the kids. They were super well behaved as we bought up large on fresh fruit and veg and then popped into the library for a coffee and some stories before doing the groceries. In the afternoon Ali turned her umbrella into Ribanda the foal/horse and spent a lot of time riding Ribanda around the house and insisting we all pat her.

Sunday we did battle with the gorse and long grass that may have been interfering with the electric fence on our boundary. Our two heiffers, Sausage and Mince, are learning that they only need to respect the fence when it is on. We popped out in the afternoon to see neighbours Craig and Gina and their wee dog Winston who loves to play with Buddy.

Last night Ali informed me that her hair is "made in China", and then clarified, "made of china, and Lily's hair is made of china and Mummy's hair is made of china but Daddy's hair is made of wool". Poor Daddy.

Back to the Playcentre Grindstone

Ali's sammie
Lily's sammie
Ali and Karli
Lily in the tyre swing

Well, no more snotty nose excuses, we're back at Playcentre with the paint, playdough, paper-mache and general messy play. Yesterday we paper mache'd balloons to dry and paint faces or something on next week. Today we made big volcanoes in the sandpit and filled them with vinegar and baking soda to make them erupt. Ali and Lily made funny face sandwiches for morning tea and both ate bean sprouts for the first time:-)

Luckily for Mum's sanity Yoga classes started back last night.

Holidays

After we left Batemans bay Phil went home to NZ and the girls and Mum went to Oma and Opa John's house in Berry. We had a lovely stay there, going to the park, catching the Berry fair, and doing plenty of shopping! This is Ali at Kiama
Aunty Sarah made playdough at Batemans Bay
Lily loves to help with sticky date pud
Both girls with snuffly noses
Phil makes friends with an ostrich

Holidays

Ali at the beach with Cousin Emily
At Birdland with Aunty Robin and a wombat
Grandma and Aunty Sarah hone their snake wrangling skills

Hi Everyone, we're back from holidays and recovering from the usual flight induced colds and flu. We had a lovely time in Batemans Bay at the beach house catching up with all Phil's family and friends. These are some of the photos...