Blustery Brighton

Yesterday we headed off bright (excuse the pun) and early to help Collette move to Brighton (about 10min out of Hobart) .... sob,sob. Simon, Sarra and Hallie left at 6.30 to head into Launy to drive the truck full of furniture down and Oliver, Jonty and I headed off at 7.30 into Launy to pick up Mum and head down in our car. The Wheelers were in another car and Chad and Collette in hers.

We stopped at Campbelltown to feed Jonty and have breaky. Can you believe Campbelltown has a Subway! It was starting to get pretty windy on the Midlands but being in the Territory we didn't really notice.

We got down to Brighton about 9.30 and Simon already had practically everything off the truck except for the piano. Now the piano is this $8000 pure mahogany beauty. The 'piano man' had come the night before and helped load it on the truck with strict instructions on how to get it off without damaging it so we were all a bit nervous.

But it came off and in the house without a hitch.... phew!

All hands on deck moving the piano inside

Simon and Chris then took the kids to the aquatic centre for a swim while us girls started the unpacking. We noticed it getting windier and windier and then the power went off.

Camilla came over and while she was there her Mum rang and said that everyone was to stay indoors. Surely it wasn't that bad outside. So we heeded her warning and set off to Glenorchy to get some essentials for Collette's place (broom, garbo bin, washing up gloves ..... you get the picture). When we got to Northgate, I made sure I parked away from trees. When we opened the car doors, the wind nearly blew them off. It was a bit scary.

When we got back to Collette's place, we heard that the Midlands had been closed because of a fire up near Conara. Great, looked like we were bunking down on Collette's floor but then we heard people were being diverted around Cressy. Looked like a long drive home.

We started off home at about 5.30 with Simon, Chad and Oliver in the truck in front and Mum, Jonty me and the girls in the car. It was still very windy on the way back and I concentrated on driving in a straight line. We were actually diverted around Nile and into Evandale so the road closure made our trip an extra hour lonoger.

Jonty was screaming by the end and we were all definitely ready for bed. We got to Mum's at 8pm and all I wanted was to crawl into bed. Simon took the kids home while I first fed Jonty and then followed getting home around 9.30. Aah my bed was calling for me and I gleefully surrendered to its warmth, willing Jonty to dream for hours on end.

We hope you enjoy teaching at Oatlands Collettie and have fun living in Brighton... we will miss you but never fear will come and visit and let the kids run riot around your 'villa'.

Birthday celebrations

On Wednesday it was Mel's 31st birthday and as a surprise for her, Jackie had invited a few of us over for lunch.


We sat outside at first as Jackie has a lovely view from her place but it soon got too windy so we all went indoors and had a lovely afternoon chatting and eating a beautiful lunch that Jackie and Sherri had put together.

Bridport Retreat

Last week the kids and I went to Bridport with Mum for a few days. The weather was not great, a bit windy but we did some fun stuff anyway. The dogs are good babysitters as the kids spent many hours in the backyard, walking the dogs on their leads, pretending to be dogs in the dog house and just annoying the dogs in general.

On one morning I took the kids to the beach while Jonty stayed with Mum but the wind soon picked up and we had to come home.

From Wed to Fri from 6-10pm down at the village green, they have been running a heap of show rides like the Octopus and Gee Wizz and a few side shows.

On the last night there, I took the kids down to have a few rides. Nanny gave them $5 each for doing jobs for the week, Hallie helped wash the car and Sarra dried the dishes each day, Oliver supervised the dogs!!

They got to pick 2 rides each so Oliver picked the boats and the girls picked the 4-wheelers.




They all finished up on the jumping castle which was HUGE.



Just as we finished on the jumping castle, I heard this almighty bang. I turned to look and saw a boy on a motorbike had crashed into a car that had been coming out of the pub. Everyone ran over there to see if he was alright. He obviously wasn't and was moaning in pain - he wasn't wearing a helmet. The driver of the car was okay but was understandably quite shaken up. I saw the Honeys, Polleys and Reeves there. Steve was helping direct traffic and Rob had gone into the pub to get some ice for the boy. I had noticed earlier the boy ridng up and down the street, being a bit silly. It was all quite awful and for the kids, the reality hit home that Mum and Dad don't just warn about accidents but they actually do happen to people.

As we walked home they had heaps of questions about why the boy wasn't wearing a helmet and why they are so important, along with seat-belts and not distracting Mum while she is driving. In that respect I suppose there was a lesson to be learned and for the boy..... a hard lesson indeed!

Punchbowl Picnic

Last night seeing as it was FINALLY a nice warm day, we hooked up with the Kings and Horsmans for a BBQ at the Punchbowl. Lisa and I have both put our memberships on hold for the moment and so I am having withdrawal symptoms from seeing my gym buds as usually it is at least every second day that we meet up at the gym. Jacqui has still been going though.... I will be back soon I promise.

While we were there Oliver fell in the duck pond. Oooh it is so slimy and yukky dirty. Luckily Jacqui as always was super prepared and had a spare change of clothes in her car. Thanks Jac. Oliver does not want to take the Ben 10 undies off.



Aren't I a terrible friend. Instead of saying, 'hey Lisa, Kobe is eating dirt, I was madly clicking away, thinking what a great photo this would be"! And isn' it??

A Blessing and A Baptism

Today was a wonderful day, busy but lovely. Today we celebrated Jonty's blessing and Sarra's baptism. We decided to have them both on the one day so that family did not have to travel twice.

Jonty has had a bad cough all week and has been all snuffed up (i think its going around here in Tas cos we haven't had summer yet) and not slept very well but last night was the icing on the cake with him going down at 11.15 and woke again at 1am and cried and dozed and cried and dozed until finally settling at 5am. I can't wait to tell him what a naughty boy he was the night before his blessing.

The most amazing thing about Jonty's blessing was having his great-grandfather and grandfather in the circle along with 3 Uncles and Simon. What a wonderful lineage he comes from and I am especially proud of Harry for being there for Jonty as I know how tired he gets on Sundays.


After church we held Sarra's Baptism. She was very excited until she saw the font. The water had come out a horrible yellow dirty colour and she came crying into the nursing mother's room where I was feeding Jonty and told me how dirty the water was. I told her that it was okay, that the water was just a different colour in Delcity than it was in Westbury. I don't think she believed me but she settled down and became excited again. Just before she went down into the font, she told me she was scared because everyone was watching her. I told her to take a deep breath and everything would be okay because today she was making a wonderful choice.

Simon and Sarra had been practising at home and so it went off without a hitch. Oma had made her baptismal dress and Sarra looked so beautiful in it. Thankyou so much Oma. Can you imagine if I attempted to do something like that!

Once again as in Jonty's blessing Sarra had the privilege of having her great-grandfather help confirm her. Harry had to sit in his walker to do it but Simon had visited him personally to ask him to participate and he was determined to make it through the whole day.

Four generations - Simon, Jonty, Harry and Chayne

It brought a tear to my eye to have him there and see him, although old and feeble now, so strong and powerful in the Priesthood. She also had Pop, Uncle Chris, Dion and Jason assist Simon.

Sarra had asked her CTR teacher of 2 yrs Bev Scott to do the talk on Faith and Repentance and she asked Jessica to do the talk on Baptism and the Holy Ghost. Aneika played a lovely piece on the flute and Collette, Jess and Emily sang. Joshua and Mum gave testimonies and Oma and Lisa did opening and closing prayers. Tammy played the piano and Kay choristered. Pop and Chris were the witnesses and Simon had a big day doing Jonty's blessing, the baptism and the confirmation.

After the Baptism we had lunch in the rec hall and everyone who wanted to come to the Baptism, brought a plate to share.It was lovely to see many of the ward members there supporting Sarra on her special day. Sarra also invited her best friend from school, Naomi who came with her Mum Brenda(she delivered Jonty) and sister Abbie.

Happy Birthday Collette

Yesterday was Collette's birthday. It's great being a teacher and having a birthday in January because she never has to got work on her birthday. Yesterday afternoon, Mum, Collette, Hayden, Jess and me and the kids met up with Aunty Zoe at Longford to go through the cemetery there to find some rellies. We grabbed some lunch at the bakery and headed back to the caravan park where Zoe and Jim are staying. I envisaged some small caravan that you hook up to the car but instead it was this HUGE winnebago-type thing and was very luxurious. Inside had a loungeroom with recliners and a lovely kitchen. It even had a laundry and is so big a truck has to pull it. I could definitely go around Australia in one of those. Zoe and Jim are leaving for Canada next week so it was good to catch up with Zoe again.

Hayden and Collette took the kids for a walk to see the ducks and ended up letting them do rolly pollys on the way back. So lovely all covered in grass stains.

All that would have been better with photos but of course I left the camera at home. At about 3.30 we left Longford and went home to get ready for Collette's birthday party!!

Collette always has good birthday parties as they play such fun games and it is so funny to watch all the YSA being big kids and playing little kids games. There was heaps of yummy food that we all tucked into. Someone got some great eating shots with my camera.

Hayden, Danny, Chris and Paul

Kelv tucking in

Hallie and Jeshua

me and Julia

Sacha

One of the games was pass the parcel and each time it was unwrapped the person had to do something with Collette. Julia Fuglsang and Collette had to make up a dance routine, Jeshua and Collette had to sing on Singstar together and Danny Polley for the second year running, won a date with her.


They played pin the patch on the pirate and the one where you tie a balloon to your leg and try to pop everyone else's while protecting your own. That came down to a dual between Sacha Rattray and Anthony Wheeler.

Out on the deck they played musical chairs.


This is Kyle Andrews with no middle name (that's how Jess described him to me) that Jess met at the YSA Convention in Adelaide!!

Lovely shot there Jade

We had great food and it was lovely catching up with Chels and Dave. Hattie and Oliver are only like 6 days apart and ran around together. It was good catching up with Sarah too who is down visiting Kelv and Annette over Christmas.

Jonty seemed a bit freaked out by all the noise at first but then settled down for a nap.

Nice hair Jay

Elle and Jonty

The YSA were still going strong when we left at about 10pm. It was definitely a generation y party with half downstairs playing guitar hero and half upstairs playing singstar. Cool party Collette!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLLETTE