Haircuts at last...

Barney and Tenzin finally decided to cut their mop heads into normal short haircuts. Arthur has kept his 'surfer dude' long hair but we love it. As you can see, Iona and Pumpkin have a soft spot for each other.

SOLD THE HOUSE AT LAST!!!

It took longer than expected to sell our house but at last we have sold and can make plans for our big move on 20 August!

Pumpkin 5.5 mths...

We are so in love with the lab/spaniel cross breed that we're already talking about getting another one!!

That dancing girl again...

Had to share yet another priceless dancing moment with Iona. Check out the one arm bit and the eye movements!!

Malolo Lai Lai, FIJI - Bula!

The past two weeks have been spent in Fiji at Plantation Island Resort on Malolo Lai Lai where we decided to spend my 40th birthday with the kids. A fabulous way to sneak off to the sun during this cool period! Our days were spent taking one of the free snorkelling trips to the reef or free fishing trips out on a long boat, Dunc taking the kids out on the windsurfer or hobie cat, snorkelling off the beach, eating and drinking far too much (of course), Dunc and the two big boys game fishing and of course the 29th June was my big birthday.

Within 48 hrs of arriving the boys all had hair braids dotted around their heads, a few days later Iona allowed just one token braid to be put in hers! The sunsets never got boring, especially lying in a hammock with a nice chilled sundowner pre-dinner while the kids hunted for hermit crabs on the beach before us.

On my first snorkelling outing to the reef with the three boys, leaving Dunc behind with Iona, we saw a banded sea snake. It is a stunning snake with thick white and black bands and yellow lips measuring about 1.5 metres long and needing to surface for air every now and then. The three boys and I spent 10 mins above the banded sea snake as it wove its way through the coral. Then it seemed to dance through the water as it slid upwards to surface for air. Once it got to the surface it stuck its head out for a look around and by this stage was about 5 feet from us. I suddenly realised that it was now hard to see which way it was gliding on the surface so suggested to the boys that we head back closer to the sand bar. Once back at the boat I asked the boat man if the banded sea snake was dangerous at all to which he calmly replied "It is one of the most deadly poisonous things in the ocean." I have since checked the net and he appears to have been telling the truth although they are not aggressive unless provoked!!!!

Dunc wanted to go game fishing far out to sea to catch 'the big one' so off he went managing to hook a Barney sized Mahi Mahi that fought on his line and danced over the water for about 7 minutes before getting away. Another guy caught a smaller one and the fillets from one side of it were plenty to feed the six of us that night on the BBQ. Two days later Dunc took Arthur and Barney out fishing on the same game fishing boat. The two boys were triumphant - both catching a tuna. Prior to the game fishing the three boys had all caught fish on the long boat daily trip - pics below.

There were so many magical moments that I am sharing most of the photos! Check out the younger sister looking on in awe at the way her brother handles his ice cream.

Towards the end of our stay it was my 40th birthday. We had witnessed many birthday cakes being presented to various guests at the resort in the previous ten days accompanied by singers, musicians etc. Dunc asked if I wanted to leave the kids at the kids' club and go to a smarter restaurant elsewhere but I preferred to all eat together, get my cake and singers and be thoroughly spoilt by the Plantation Island Resort staff instead! It was quite hilarious when a procession of waiters/waitresses suddenly walked through the resort restaurant and along the beach towards our table singing a Fijian song with guitars etc. They then announced my name and age (thanks to Arthur for the 40 candles on top!) to the entire resort and asked them to sing Happy Birthday. The best bit was the 2nd verse that Fijians do which sang "Happy Long Life to You". This verse is definitely going to be included at all family birthday celebrations from now on! All Fijians seem to have stunning singing voices so it was a real joy to hear them - especially as they were singing to me!

In addition to the obvious favourites like snorkelling, fishing and swimming, the best thing about the trip was watching the four kids together, outside all the time, excited by the simplest things - hermit crab hunting, racing boats made from coconut husks, getting Dunc to chisel his way into recently fallen coconuts on a daily basis to stick straws into and suck out the coconut milk, climbing trees, collecting shell families, taking naps in hammocks, on hobie cats and never expressing a moment of boredom.

VINAKA FIJI!!

Salisbury Downs - Queen's Birthday weekend

We have just returned from an amazing long weekend with Caro, Robert, Grace and Angus at the wonderful 'Salisbury Downs' near Crookwell. First highlight of the weekend was lighting the world's biggest bonfire - Robert had been collecting logs and sticks for months and it was worth the wait. It burned down quickly but the embers continued to burn for three days which kept the kids entertained and saw a fair share of marshmallow roasting action! The next highlight was the arrival of several lambs while we were there. Some were born just metres from the kitchen window and the kids were enlisted to help reunite errant lambs with their mums and sometimes separate a ewe with twins away from the rest of the sheep until she had bonded with them sufficiently to return to the flock. Caro even got to deliver her first lamb! The kids got on so well, despite not having seen each other for a good couple of years. They were outside all the time and when they returned they were contented, tired, hungry and smelly - just like farm dogs. In addition to the six tired, stinky kids there were also three real dogs having the time of their lives - Pumpkin (her first holiday!), Blossom and Kipper. We feel very excited/relieved to know that soon we will have our own land to run around on - albeit 1.5 acres as opposed to 200! We cannot wait. Still got to sell this house first though!

Pics of new house...

We had coffee with the current owner of our new house last weekend so took heaps of photos. Obviously the furniture shown is not ours and there are things that will be addressed as soon as we move in like vertical verandah rails, gates to contain the verandah for Iona and dividing the studio into two bedrooms and living room. Once we've had the creeks excavated with a backhoe we will then get some fencing around them but at least we will have the huge wrap around verandah for Iona's short term safe play space. Can't wait to get in there!!!

Pics in this batch are of the main house:

Fireplace

Entrance

Living room

Kitchen

Bathroom

Front verandah of main house

Back verandah of main house

Side verandah of main house

Pics in the next batch are of the gardens:

Willow-lined creek

Willow-lined creek again

House & workshop viewed from back paddock

Waterfall

Following pics are of the guest studio before we make changes to it:

Front of studio

Inside studio

Studio verandah

The outside dunny across the drive from the studio!!

Feed sheds in back paddock - for a goat perhaps?

Workshop & outside dunny

Bridge from studio to main house

Amazing toadstool seen en route to school in Allambie Heights!!