6 is so growed up....

Today our cheeky little munchkin Hallie turned 6. For Christmas all she wanted was a Ben 10 watch 'like Harri'. We thought she would grow out of that but 4 mths later she still wanted a Ben 10 watch 'like Harri'. I said to Simon, perhaps you should ring Harri and check which one he has but Hallie reminded Simon they had looked at it at the shop with the 'moving stairs' (Myer), last time they were in town.

So this morning Hallie got a Ben 10 watch and some lego, Spiderman bubble bath, oh and some slime. No pink things or barbies or the like in this house today. She was very excited and generously told Oliver he could play with the watch while she was at school.

For tea we had as tradition dictates, whatever the birthday person wants - plain rice with butter, Jackie's breadsticks, soup, orange fizz and salt and vinegar chips. Nanny came for tea too. It was all a bit starchy but Hallie loved it.


Yesterday Oma had sent her a present in the mail. She felt so grown up getting it and today Poppy Steve sent her a card with $5 in it. Usually Mum and Dad get all the mail so she was very excited to get something 2 days in a row. The cake was a bit dismal but I'm sure the Ben 10 watch makes up for it.

NB - wearing a Teenage Ninja Turtle singlet!!

In the bath...

... is such a tight squeeze. We have tidal waves and tsunamis by the minute and half the water ends up on the floor, not to mention our bath plug slowly leaks and I keep forgetting to get a new one. But what kid does not enjoy copious hours in the bath, playing long after the water is cold and in our case ending up in only ankle deep water.

Marching at Deloraine

Yesterday morning we headed off to Deloraine to attend the Anzac Day parade. This year was a special year for Sarra as my Dad offered for her to wear my Pop's medals in the parade. My Pop, served in WWII in the navy aboard the HMAS Napier. He was a Rat of Tobruk and served throughout the Mediterranean.


Pop kept a diary and it has now been published. It includes letters he wrote home to his sweetheart, my Nanna and the feelings he had as he entered battle after weary battle. Nanna was pregnant with her first child when Pop left. My Aunty Maureen was 2 when he returned. Pop was a little older than the rest of the boys, being 25yrs old so he was seen as a bit of a mentor.

His job was that of a gunner, to sit astride those big guns on the top of the destroyer and fire away at the enemy. From his diary, "As the sun sunk on the beautiful Meditteranean sea, the enemy planes came in from all directions. Tons of bombs rained down on our ships. A fellow hardly knew if he was coming or going. There were planes and bombs everywhere. If there's a hell, this is it". On the ship, when the days were quiet away from enemy fire, Pop's job was the ship's butcher. I smile at that. I can imagine him giving his all to both jobs.

Another special part of the day was that Sarra got to march next to Pop Triffitt. Pop also served in WWII and was shot in the stomach in Papua New Guinea, lying in a ditch for hours before being rescued.

Oh how privileged we are to have this legacy in our families. My Pop died when I was young(about 10yrs), before I really appreciated what he did for me and I can't wait to see him again, to throw my arms around him and say, "thankyou Pop".

Eat your heart out Croc Dundee

"That's not a knife... this is a knife". I think everyone knows that classic line from the movie that put us on the map. Thanks "Hoges".

Now wouldn't it be nice to see this after every meal. These two were chattering away like old buds. To look at them you would think they had never had a fight in their life.

They even offered to do the dishes under no pressure of force, threat or bribery. They were like perfect little angels..... pity it didn't last!!

A baptism at Burnie

Yesterday we went to Burnie for Piper Triffitt's baptism. She turned 8 on April 16. It was a lovely day, beautiful weather and a perfect day for a baptism.

Josh is 17 this year and is attending year 11 at Hellyer College. Allister is 15 this year and is in year 9 at Burnie High. They are getting taller than Dion!! I can't imagine Oliver and Jonty that old but soon enough they will be. I wonder if Oliver will still have his crop of blonde curls. If he does, he will hate but his mother will love it.

Paige will be 12 soon and she did such a great job at the baptism, choristering and saying the closing prayer.

After the baptism, we headed back to Kay and Dion's for lunch along with Kay's parents, David and Judy Thomasson and her sister Christine with her husband Paul. They had all travelled from Glen Huon the previous day and told me that it took about 5hrs to get to Burnie. Yikes!

Everyone is growing older so quickly. I have noticed lately that family get-togethers with the Triffitts are alot quieter, (although Poppy might not think so), maybe not quieter with the buzz of conversation but there seems to be more teenagers than toddlers now and the majority of the kids can get their own food and look after themselves without getting into mischief. They can even take themselves off to the toilet. ;)

Although in this photo I don't know what the deal is with Allister and Josh holding the toys.... kids still at heart maybe!!

Savannah and Oliver playing in the cubby house.

Gone are the days of sitting the kids all around a table and getting their plates of food for them and keeping an eye on them continually. Now even though I still have young ones, the older ones keep an eye on them and play with them. It's great!

Penny and Chris are coming over from Augusta for Christmas this year with their children. Sam will be 5, Ella, 4, Owen, 2 and the baby(now 6 days OVERDUE) will be 8mths so it will be fun to have little ones around again.

I vant your blood (insert evil laugh)

On Wednesday a few of the Delcity RS sisters headed into L'ton to give blood at the Australian Red Cross centre. Seeing as this year is the Year of the Blood Donor, we thought it would be a good idea. We asked the Laurels to come, well bribed them by telling them about the free milkshake and biscuits you get afterwards.

We arrived at about 11am with 5 of us game to let go of our precious blood, eager to know that by doing so, we could be saving 3 people's lives.

Bek Bradbury and Sue Brown filling out the mountains of paperwork

Alas on arrival our intrepid organiser of the day (mwah), was told that as I was breastfeeding, I could not be bled. What!! Nothing wrong with the old haemoglobin but apparently it takes too much out of b feeding Mums so they don't allow it. I was quite prepared to be 'tired' for a few hrs afterwards to 'save 3 lives' but they were quite firm.

Okay 1 down, 4 left. But no, next person knocked out was Katherine. The head of neurology at the LGH dealing with her migraines didn't like the idea of her giving blood.

Heck now we were down to 3. Sue Brown , Jasmine Robins and Rebekah Bradbury. Bek and Sue were called up first. I was so proud of Bek as this was her first time and she was a little nervous. But once again we lucked out - apparently Bek's veins were too small and they could not draw any blood.

Okay now we were down to 2. Surely these guys could pull us through...... and they did with flying colours. It was Jasmine's first time too and she loved it. She did an awesome job. Sue and Jasmine saved the day and possibly some lives. Good on ya guys.

Happy Easter

This morning the kids woke with great excitement to see that Easter Bunny had paid a visit during the night.

There were cries of delight as they went outside and hunted around the yard for the eggs. It is the one day of the year that the kids get to eat chocolate for breakfast.

What a treat!

It looks like Jonty is going to very much enjoy his first Easter.

Who says rice cereal is yummy...

Next weekend Jonty will be 5mths old and for the past week he has been waking again during the night. Simon suggested he may be getting hungry and of course he can't live on milk forever.

I was surprised that the time for just breast milk was close to an end and that soon we would be entering the next phase of introducing food. It is so easy to just give them milk and know that that is satisfying and helping them thrive and grow.

Great, now it will be bibs and crusty faces to be wiped and changes in poo (oops too much info). My greatest worry, however, is how an earth am I going to fit the high chair in our house. Already at only 13 squares, 3 bedrooms and 4 kids, we are really busting at the seams.

Anyway today we tried the rice cereal. None of my kids have ever liked it so I don't know why we try but here is Mr Jonty having a taste of it and spitting it straight back out.