G'day .... See Ya!

Well, well.... It is hard to believe it but Sept is nearly over. Spring has well and truly sprung - it is my favourite time of the year and I find myself almost regretting that on the weekend the whole family will be jetting off to the other side of the world where it is autumn. Only 'almost' as of course I am absolutely beside myself with excitement about our very own European Vacation. On Saturday it will be Phil's and my 17th wedding anniversary - and if Mum was still alive it would be her and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary. One of my other sisters is also celebrating her wedding anniversary on that date - but don't ask me the exact length of her marriage - at least 22 years cos her eldest turned 21 this year! Things have been busy here preparing for the holiday, coping with the busy cycle of work that is teaching/exams/marking/reports and helping out as much as we can with the school's first fete in 7 years - and the big fundraiser for our P&F. Finally I am at the point where I only have one day of actual teaching and one day of work with supervisions to do. So time to take stock of where we are up to and what has been happening so far in the Dock.... My beautiful mother. Fancy this photo was taken almost 50 years ago... she has been gone for 3 years and we still miss her so much.

School had a minimasterchefs competition as a fundraiser - here is Kit's contribution-

Hannah did a great job joining in with the Year 1 concert at the school fete. You can't see Kit in this pic as he was on the other side of the stage - also doing a great job.

The fete was lots of fun, the kids had an absolute blast. Some time earlier this term Hannah's best friend left school - she is being home schooled. At various times I have asked Hannah if she misses her and she usually just says no - and that Gen is at home for school now. Still, when I ask her who she played with she sometimes says Gen's name - and if I ask her about it she'll say 'just pretend Mum' or when we were away at The Shack and she was drawing she drew 3 people and she wrote her own name and Mum above 2 of the people and asked me to write Gen above the third. The day before the fete I got a call from Gen's Mum to see if Hannah would be at the fete. Gen had been pestering her all week to organise so that the girls could meet and play together there. When I went and got Hannah from after school care I told her all about it. I have not seen her quite so excited before - as soon as we got home she was in her bedroom dressing up and chattering and squealing with delight. It was lovely to see but also made me feel a bit sad as it showed just how much she really is missing her friend. The next day, the day of the fete, I dropped Phil and Kit at the fete and took Hannah to her dance class - she cried and wanted to go with Daddy to 'see Gen now!'. I had to explain that Gen would be there later on in the morning. Needless to say the fete was a great day for her because she got to play with her friend for ages... One of Hannah's favourite pretend games is to be a mermaid - so I had to snap up this bargain costume at the fete. She wouldn't let me tak her photo until she had some lipstick on...hmmn Still she looks great in it and has worn it many times since already.

She is also now sporting a new bob - but you will have to wait to see that in our holiday snaps... we are going to London, Oxford, Paris, Venice, Florence (what a great place to turn 7 in!) and Rome. So excited! We are also very lucky in that my Dad and various relatives will be staying in the Dock keeping the dog walked and the garden watered...Ciao!

Holidays and Travel

Kit made some boats out of quilts for he and Hannah to row...
Neil Diamonds Lyrics for The Boat that I Row say so much about our life here int he Dock and my hoeps and dreams for Kit and Hannah:
I don't have a lot, but with me that's fine
Whatever I got, well, I know it's mine
I don't go around with the local crowd
I don't dig what's in so I guess I'm out
I'm saying these things
So you know me, baby
So, you understand what I'm all about

The boat that I row won't cross no ocean
The boat that I row won't get me there soon
But I got the love and if you got the notion
The boat that I row's big enough for two
Just me and you

There ain't a man alive
Can tell me what to say
I choose my own side and I like it that way
I don't worry about all the things that I'm not
There's only one thing that I want I ain't got
You know that I'm talkin' about you, baby
But you better know before you come along

The boat that I row won't cross no ocean
The boat that I row won't get me there soon
But I got the love and if you got the notion
The boat that I row's big enough for two
Just me and you
(instrumental)
I'm saying these things
So you know me, baby
Do you understand what I'm all about
The boat that I row won't cross no ocean
The boat that I row won't get me there soon
But I got the love and if you got the notion
The boat that I row's big enough for two
Just me and you

The boat that I row won't cross no ocean
The boat that I row won't get me there soon
But I got the love and if you got the notion
The boat that I row's big enough for two
The twins love having a shower at the pool after their swimming lessons.
School had a mini-masterchefs competition - so of course Kit wanted to enter. He made chocolate bombs with marshmallow with minimal help from me...
A friend organised for 4 families (all with 1 child with DS) to go away for the weekend to the Shack. We had a great time! The kids got on really well together and there seemed to be a good mix between them. As we sat around on Sat night sharing a bbq I loved how the weekend was just like other we have been on - with families from school or old friends...that is that even though we were away as a group of people who have a the fact of having a child with a disability as the thing we have in common - our weekend away was so very 'normal'. We wished it had been just one night longer - but came home feeling truly relaxed having got away from it all... and the kids had had a blast - they were so busy with their various activities:
Hannah's digs at The Shack
Two very gorgeous girls sharing a drink for breakfast
Hannah wasn't the only one who enjoyed some drawing and writing time

Scooters were a big hit on the weekend

One of the girls who came away with us just loves handball. The brats loved the idea of it - especially Kit. I will have to get them a couple of balls so they can play it at home.
In the afternoon we walked to the beach. It was pretty windy but that didn't stop the twins from having a blast playing in the sand an the sea.
listening for the sea in a shell she found


Dancing in the kitchen
All the kids had a swing
Hannah set up a bus. It was to take the passengers to the icecream shop and the zoo
Phil loved playing guitar while Sophie sang From Little THings Big Things Grow... a number of the other kids there danced while they sang and played
It was late to bed on Sat night for all but 2 of the children with us...
The twins loved giving Phil the gifts they got from the Fathers Day Stall at school
Packing the car for the return trip
We left Shoalhaven Heads a bit earlier than we would have liked - to be back in Sydney fro a family Father's Day picnic. Worth it though as it was a lovely way to finish off our weekend.

Mr Whippy. I had one too - my first in years...and boy oh boy... it was GOOD!
Hannah and her father patiently waiting for the papasan swing at Livvi's allabilities playground to become available...
Hannah just adores her cousins, not least this little one who has recently started walking.
Now to hope that our holiday to Europe is just as 'normal' whatever that might mean when you are travelling so far with 2 6 year olds....