And that was the holidays!

Keeping cool in our backyard. On many other days, we kept cool in Grandma's or Nanny's swimming pools. Cold baths anytime of the day were also good.


Midnight - New years Eve

Our New Years Day picnic by the river - everyone was there.

Dinners have been kept very simple - chunky chips with homemade tomato sauce and help yourself salad. There have been a lot of barbecues and I have been very creative with leftovers.

We went to a couple of 'nature workshops' at our botanical gardens: we searched for butterflies and then made own and on another day; we searched for life in the creek, actually when we were there, the creek was all but a dried up puddle less than a metre wide. Today I guess it is a different story.

To hot to sleep in their own rooms, the little monkeys took over mine, there were mattresses on the floor - a proper camp out. It was pretty crowded, even monkeys (tiny stuffed ones) were hanging from the bedside lamps.

We have held off for as long as we could, but this holidays, the kids have discovered computer games. I think this could be the the beginning of the end.


Our lovely relatives came to visit from England.

And have I mentioned the heat!

On some days I felt that the holidays were too long and on other days, I felt that they were too short. In any case they were busy and hot and exhausting all at once.

I know that the kids officially went back to school last week, but I feel as if the year is just beginning. I am wondering, how is it February, already?  This week our new routines will be set in place and hopefully things will run a little more smoothly than the last couple of days. The weather is forecast to be slightly cooler (27/28 degrees!) which should make a difference. The last few days have been very unproductive due to the heat. Plenty of housework and cooking awaits, I will be staying close to home this week, just as I like it.

How about you? How are you settling in to 2013?

We are off on a road trip

We (my monkeys and I) have spent most of today in the garden.

We are off on holidays tomorrow and had to finish planting some new seedlings before we left. I really want to do well with our garden this year, I have high hopes and have even joined a local permaculture group.

When I get back, I'll fill you in on what has been happening in our garden so far. We have pretty much started from scratch this Spring, with only some established basil, oregano and sorrel remaining from last years plantings. I am also intent to use all that I grow, I am ashamed to say that I let some of our vegetables go to waste last year, instead of finding ways to preserve them.

That said, I harvested some of our sorrel today, to be washed, dried and frozen in zip lock bags. With the high temperatures expected here next week, I didn't want to come home and find my plant scorched and unusable. I am looking forward to maybe a sorrel tart or sorrel soup on return from our holiday.

We are taking our 'first ever' road trip and will be away for a few weeks. I am going to try and blog while I'm away, but I'm not making any promises, it might not be possible.

If it is holiday time for you, I hope that you are able to relax and enjoy sunny days and good company. I know that we will be and I CAN'T WAIT!

Happy Easter

We are going to spend the Easter weekend with my Dad.

Wishing you all a lovely Easter Break. I hope the Easter Bunny brings you something yummy.

Happy Easter.

Holidays - the beach

Waking up to this for six days was heaven.

This was the entrance to the beach, just 20 metres from our cabin door.

As you can see the weather was magic.

Life was relaxed and unhurried.













• ice-creams on the beach, picnics by the river

• beach sounds: rainbow lorikeets chirping in the dunes, crashing waves on the shore, the strumming of an acoustic guitar, teenage boys playing soccer with their dads, my son's happy laughter as he crashed in the waves, willie wagtails early morning song, fishing rods being cast, my daughter's squeals of excitement as she jumped in the waves

• listening to the crashing waves while cooking dinner with the sunlight pouring through the windows and filling the room

• a lovely afternoon exploring Murwillumbah. Fantastic coffee at The Modern Grocer. A lovely morning re-discovering Bangalow (alone)

• sandcastles, crystal clear water, beach drawings and swimming at Dreamtime Beach

• Scandinavian favourites from a favourite shop: heavy rye bread, blueberry jam, Daim chocolate and cinnamon buns

• a friendly green tree frog visiting on our verandah

• eating organic chocolate ice-cream, sitting in the late afternoon sunshine and listening to 'the blues' at The Channon markets

• fishing just after dawn, beach walks before breakfast

• delicious Bangalow pork chops bought from the Bangalow butcher, packaged in a brown paper bag (remember that?) It tasted like the pork I ate as a child.

• collecting seashells and frolicking on the shore at dusk

• barbecue breakfast in the park: bacon, eggs, local sausages, rye toast and a quick homemade tomato sauce

• gourmet spuds piled high with fresh salad: grated beetroot, cous cous salad, tabbouleh, roasted mediterranean salad, tomato and cucumber salad, coleslaw and tzatziki



Mr Moo built the kids a Robinson Crusoe style beach shelter. Just as we were leaving the beach, a buttercup yellow butterfly battled the sea breezes and fluttered by to settle on a branch of the shelter. He sat for a while and enjoyed the view out to sea.

Just as we had done.

And then the sun came out.....

On New Years Eve the rain stopped, and since then, it has been very much, summer holidays at this house.

We have been spending long days at the beach, at the pool, at the river, at the rock pools, fishing, at the scooter park, at the playground and sometimes just at home. Breakfasts have been late, lunch has been casual and for dinner, easy barbecue's. We are loving eating all of our meals outdoors. The trampoline has been erected, the wadding pool has been filled and our cousins have arrived from up north to hang out with us. Lots of holiday fun in the sun.







We enjoyed a quiet New Years Eve at home. After spending the day at the beach, the evening started slowly. Plans for a gourmet barbecue went out the window with my new, I'm on holidays attitude. At 6 o'clock the kids were doing the usual "Mum, I'm hungry" thing. I told them, "Go outside and play, tonight we would be having party food, as it was New Year's Eve." I was pretty happy with what I found hiding in our fridge. There was a feast. The kids loved it.

There was champagne, music, sparklers, dancing, good conversation and much laughter. Who knew you could have so much fun with a four and a five year old!



It's a pity it was all over by 9 o'clock, when our tiny dinner guests finally fell into bed.

(don't worry, that is only water in the little ikea wine glasses)

Holiday mode

It's been a very slow, lazy week around here for the school holiday break. We have been:

sleeping in (me)
still eating hot cross buns
listening to gypsy music and The Waifs
shopping and lunching with Nanny
having easy dinners (things like pizza and eggs on toast)
not doing the housework
park play
beach play
having breakfast out
still eating easter eggs
meeting friends at the local pool
having sleepovers at Grandma's (the kids)
getting haircuts
drawing and painting

Taking it pretty easy really.

But I have to say the highlight was cuddling and bathing this new baby.



Welcome to the world little Daisy (4 days old). Tooooo cute!

The holiday is over

Well, for Mr Moo that is. Back to work today. Miss Moo Moo will start back at Daycare tomorrow and Spunky Monkey will start Prep with the rest of the big kids at the end of January. As for me, I intend to stay in holiday mode until the start of February, at the very least.



relaxed and unshaven... for 18 days!

Miss Moo Moo says: "Dad, we girls don't like that, it's too spiky"

sooo... Off it went.

"hooray" say the girls!

Holiday family fun: Rockpools

Exploring...



more exploring...



pondering...



shelter from the storm.



smile.

This is my new favourite place. It has been 20 years almost to the day since I ventured down the stairs to this little cove. Which seems an odd thing to say, since it is just 10 minutes drive from our home. Hmmm, that also makes me feel very old! But, hey, it is rediscovered, and rediscovered with my husband and children, which makes it all the more special.

We had a great morning exploring and collecting. The threatening rain and dull sky really highlighted the truly beautiful natural colours of the sea, rocks, sand and sky. I can see us spending a lot more time here.

Holiday family fun: The Aquarium

Still overcast, we spent the morning here. We have had a season pass for the year and have visited often. I never tire of watching the mesmerizing beauty of the reef fish. I could simply watch them for hours, however this is not so easy to do when also watching an excited 3 and 4 year old!

We then went across the road to the Wharf for lunch. We had steakburgers and ice-creams, the kids played on the jumping castles while we listened to a “Calypso” band. It seemed that every holidaying family in Mooloolaba was there. It was kinda fun in a cheesy way.

Holiday family fun: The Princess and The Frog

Great day, we took the kids to the cinema, in all it’s holiday madness, to see “The Princess and The Frog"



First of all we surprised them with some t-shirts whipped up last night with the help of this product.

I loooved the movie. I asked the following question: “What did you think of the movie?”

Spunky Monkey: Well Mum, it was a bit girly. I only liked the boy frog.

Miss Moo Moo: I really liked Tiana (What about the rest of the movie?) Hmmm, I’m not really sure, maybe.

Mr Moo: I thought it was alright

In Mr Moo speak ‘alright’ is the same as ‘looved it’, well perhaps just ‘liked it a lot’ He did have a pretty big smile on his face. It was just that kind of fun day.