Paddock of poo

Today was the annual billy cart challenge, held at Sheffield this year as (sob,sob) the paddock that was always used at Kim and Deidre's is no longer available after they sold their place earlier this year.

I did not go, actually I have never been yet. Instead Mel, Kit and I created fridge magnets for RS (aaww such Mollies). BUT when the kids came to pick me up from Mel's, the car absolutely STUNK of sheep dung and all their clothes and hands were covered in it. But I held my tongue (and nose) and by the time we got home, I had already mentally worked out which laundry tactic I would pursue to get rid of the evidence.

The poo.................................

Oliver checking out 'The Hill'................................

On your marks.............................

Get set.....................................

And they are off............................

No idea what to label this??

Del YM billy cart (I hear Del YW were the winners - go girlpower)

Slackers!! Fancy getting a tow up the hill.

Sarra looks a bit stressed here with Uncle Dion

Oops just missed the grand final kick-off. Like I care!! (sorry Aaron!!)

It's all over red rover

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS
The teen years are all over for my gorgeous youngest sister!! I can't believe she is 20yrs old. Where did that time go?

I can still remember the day she was born. I was 14yrs old in yr 9 at St Pat's. Mum was induced so I knew that today was THE day. The called my name over the PA to go to the office and the teacher said, 'quick, run'. When I got there they told me Mum had had a baby girl (not another one) and she was 9 pound 6. Wow that was BIG especially as she was 5wks early. Yikes, I can appreciate the pain that it must have been for Mum now as she is only 5ft.

After school I raced up to the hospital and Mum looked like death warmed up (sorry Mum) She looked that exhausted that I was scared. Now having mirrored that look 3 times, I can completely understand.

Jess was a darling baby (don't know what happened :)). I used to bath her, babysit her and take her for walks in the pram. The only thing was that I used to get all these dirty looks because people thought I was a teenage Mum. Once Jess was really sick and I was looking after her at home with Naomi Pawson and she did the BIGGEST projectile vomit and I caught it in my hands. YUK, I can still remember the smell.

On that nostalgic note I better stop.

10 things I love about Jess

1. she is gorgeous
2. her artistic and creative flair
3. she has THE best death stare
4. her pale skin
5. she spends hours making presents for people
6. I have never known anyone with a messier room
7. she gives 100% on whatever she is doing
8. her skinny butt (not fair)
9. her beautiful blue eyes
10. her funloving spirit

My Two Sons

Oliver - age 3
'the baby' - 33 weeks

Oliver's take on 'the baby'.

'Mummy the baby is not going anywhere. You don't have a zip.'

I like this one because Oliver is hiding my tummy with his legs.

Still arguing over names. I like Jonty. Simon likes Jonah. What do you think?

Bridport Beach

Every holidays we usually head to Bridport for a few days to catch up with Mum and Collette, visit the dog beach , catch up on reading Mum's holiday stash of New Idea and Woman's Day and EAT - because there is nothing else to do. We always take a heap of food with us and all day long the kids just want to eat. Must be the fresh salt air.

Here are the kids getting stuck into marshmellows and Hallie helping make some rocky road slice.



We couldn't miss a trip to the dog beach. Notice Sarra is carrying around the doll. Now that there is just over 7wks to go she has started getting very mothery. Yesterday I sneezed and I cramped up, like you do when you are this far along and I said 'ouch'. Sarra very worried goes, 'is the baby coming because if it is I can help you pull him out and then ring 000.' She then prattled off our address very pleased with herself for knowing what to do. I said but alot of blood and gunk comes out too. Sarra says, 'that's okay Mum I will get a towel for you'.

Hallie then joined in the conversation saying, Mum you know a baby comes out your vagina and sometimes it even comes out of your tummy after they make a big hole for it to come out. I'm glad Hallie clarified that for me. :) When Oliver was born the girls were still so young so it is new seeing how earnest they are in wanting to be very good older sisters. They make me laugh.




We left the kids with Mum in Bridport and went to Melbourne for two days to get some temple work in before life got crazy again with 4 kids. It was lovely just the two of us - we even got to hold hands down the street, a feat that never seems to happen when you are running after giggly little kids who don't want to walk next to you. The only thing Simon really wanted to do was to go to an authentic Korean restaurant. (well as close to as you can). He so misses their food. Even though it has been 11yrs since he served his mission there, he still so avidly talks about the people and the food. We have fermented cabbage (kim chie) in the fridge at the moment that he made himself.

We stopped here on the side of a really busy road to eat some Korean for lunch. I panicked for a minute, worried that they may not have included plastic forks because I have never learned to eat with chop sticks but there they were neatly tucked in the bag for me. Phew!

Dads and Daffodils

Last Sunday we went out to Dad's for Father's Day. This time of year is absolutely beautiful there as in one of his paddocks are growing heaps and heaps of wild daffodils. We sit at the summer house and look out over the daffodils and listen to the birds of the bush and no hint of city madness - just kid madness. One of Dad's trees in the paddock is 204 yrs old. His property is the site of the first northern settlement in Tasmania and I love how steeped in history it is.

Dad has all these maps and pictures of the town planning back then and all the cottages that were set up on his property to service the little township of Yorktown. I often stand in the breeze in the paddock and imagine the convicts working away and the settlers far away from home setting up a new life in this unforgiving land. Sounds corny I know but because I love history anyway, I think it is a real treat that my Dad owns this land and has hold of a part of history in his hand. Every now and again the Historical Society (Hysterical Society Dad calls them) like to come out and want to stick their nose in but I get my love of history from my Dad and I know he treasures very much the bygones of his land and would never do anything that detracted from its historical significance.