Saturday

There was a big storm today with gusts up to 130km that took down some of the next door trees and decimated our vege garden. The power was out for a few hours but came on just after we'd had our rice pudding. While there was a short break in the weather this afternoon we managed to get out of the house to see the beach. The bottom of our road flooded over a bit as you can see from the pictures of the nice little stream that goes under the bridge most of the time.


Earlier this week we decided to have a Music day at our house. This is Lily in a box with our little neighbour Ryder (Mel's son). Later in the afternoon Ali dressed up and I just had to get a picture of this outfit! Apart from that it's been a very busy first week back at playcentre getting everything up and running for the new term.

Friday already

Yesterday we tootled all around our wee town running errands. In the morning Lily decided that the floor looked like it needed a sweep so she put on some heels and swept up!
Today the weather was a little inclement and we are going into town tomorrow to the pools so we had a busy day at home. We got out the playdough, did painting, giant bubbles (and little bubbles), baked a cake, and read stories. That was before lunchtime.

Monday

Ooops this is a bit backwards. Monday Ali went to daycare where we are told she had three helpings of lunch (after having four weetbix and fruit for breakfast at home) Guess she's having a growth spurt.

While Ali was out we a had a visitor in our kitchen, I had to catch it to get it out the window and so Lily got to have a close look (she was enchanted but I couldn't get a picture and hold the finch at the same time:-) These other pictures are from later in the afternoon when she was reading in her room. Sorry about the lack of focus, I'm waiting for my sister-in-law-in-waiting to come and give me some more coaching on the camera. ps we're thinking of you Renee, hope it's all going well.

Tuesday

It was a pleasant winters day with high cloud but no wind so we popped down to the beach this morning. Unfortunately I forgot the camera so there is no evidence but we had a lovely time exploring rock pools and fossicking for shells, driftwood and pebbles. Just as we were all buckled up and ready to go home our friends Michelle, Karli and Summer arrived so we spent another hour or so running in circles, laughing and drawing in the sand with sticks before departing.

While Lily was napping Ali and I did collage with our beach treasures and some stuff that was lying around the house.

This morning we had the car booked in at the mechanics so I took the girls to feed the ducks and play at the playground while we waited. It appears someone's domestic duck has been busy with the local wild ducks, there are some very jazzy looking hybrids to be spotted in the river.
This is from yesterday when we took the dog for a walk. Ali held the lead on the way down the road and Lily held it on the way back.

School Holidays is pretty full on with no Playcentre or Mainly Music groups to keep us all busy. Ali's mate Karli is in Australia on holidays and the neighbours have scary coughs so Ali has been bored and whiny without her friends all week :-) Lily has been just plain wilfull but she's coming out with a new word every day much to our delight. Recent additions to the vocab include feet, book, mitz (mince), baby, car and moose.

Saturday

We stayed home and fixed stuff today, putting handles on cupboards, installing fire alarms, hooks in bathrooms, etc. Everyone was tired because Lily woke up at 4 am thinking it was breakfast time and refused to go back to sleep. Luckily we all managed a nap at lunchtime.
Phil snapped these pictures before taking the kids to the playground in the afternoon.

Friday (silly American dates)

The local radio station delivered a truckload of snow to the main street for the local kids to play in. Lots of them have never seen real snow before (it's a 7 hr drive to the snow from here). Ali enjoyed tobogganing. Ali and Karli had fun jumping off the cafe wall until they landed on top of one another and banged their heads together. Lily wasn't really that into it at all.

In the afternoon Opa Noel and Granny Rosie came for a visit. They read almost all of the 365 lame stories and nearly lost their voices. It seems that Opa Noel's favourite was 'Who's in the loo?' which Ali "reads" quite proficiently now.

Thursday

Playcentre today! Here are the girls looking gormless while they waited for breakfast.

Wednesday

It was a lovely sunny day this morning. We popped out to Mainly Music, but Ali was a leg-clinger because her friends weren't there, and Lily threw 4 tantrums, so I wonder why I bothered.

After lunch and naps we walked the dog in a blistering gale down the road and back. Lily held the lead on the way back for the first time.