Sleeping companions

Toby loves his cars from the movie "Cars".  His favourite is Lightning DaKeen (McQueen).  So he takes Lightning DaKeen everywhere we go now and a few of his other friends, like Mater and Dic (Chic).  He lines them up on his pillow at sleep time and gathers them all up again when he wakes up.  It's funny last week he kept taking some Star Wars Clones to bed with him.

Painting & Cooking

I know Easter is over but we had some fun over the long weekend with some water colour painting.  Toby did some paintings at playgroup that inspired me to get the boys some watercolour paints and paper.  We all designed our painted patterns for our egg painting and the boys just loved how the water colours merged and blended and the way they dried on the paper.

The intensity of Toby's painting was gorgeous, it's a wonder there are any bristles left on the paint brush.  Their paintings turned out beautifully, Sam's are on the left, Ethan's in the middle and Toby's is the one on the bottom right hand corner.

The boys also helped make some easter sugar cookies, Sam & Ethan decorated them.

Book signing

Last night in a rush decision Sam & I went to Banjo Books to meet author Duncan Ball.  Duncan Ball is a childrens author who writes the Selby and Emily Eyefinger series.  Sam just started reading the Selby series and while at the library yesterday I found out that Duncan Ball was going to be at the local bookshop that night. Sam was really excited about going. 

We had an interesting time listening to him tell about his writings and characters.  The children asked  a few questions and then got to meet Duncan as he signed their books. Donald was finishing a job deadline at home and I just couldn't take Toby, so Ethan was in charge and had fun entertaining Toby at home for the next hour and a half.  He was rewarded with signed bookmarks.  I also didn't take my camera, fortunately there were friends from school who took the photo's for us.

Last One

Once the arena show was over it was time for some action and the Giant Slide was right outside so that is where we went.  As we were contemplating who was to go first and who was going to mind the stroller and take photos, a guy came up to us and gave us about 8 free passes for the slide.  Thank you very much kind man. 

Ethan is a bit of a speed demon so he loved the giant slide, even Toby wanted to have more goes.  Sam wasn't particularly enthusiastic after the first run, as it was fast and bumpy, almost launching you into the air.  Mind you Toby's face looked a little freaked out but he wanted more.

The boys spent most of the time at the show asking "When do we go on the Dodgems?".  So saving the best till last we found the Dodgems.  The boys loved the Dodgems and had been talking and dreaming of them all week so we spent lots of time on them. I'm kind of suprised none of us has whip lash from the maniac drivers, that is us bumping into each other, particularly Sam, mad driver.

Donald took Sam & Ethan on the roller coaster ride, which they thought was a blast, I was suprised to see no tears or funny tummys after. Donald also had a crack at the money sucking hammer thingy that wins no prizes, just a bruised ego.  Mind you he hit it so hard that I'm suprised it didn't break. 

After our tickets and money were all used up we found ourselves watching the dogs flyball.  Now I'd never seen or heard of this before, but it was so much fun to watch.  Two teams of about 5 dogs each run a relay over small jumps to the end to release a fly ball they have to catch and run back through the posts for the next dog to be released to do the same.  So much fun for the dogs and owners, there's a constant barking of excited dogs, and ooing and aaahing as the different sized dogs run the relay.

We spent a good hour watching this before we headed out the gates for home, with empty hands (no show bags) and pockets (no money) but with smiles on all of our faces after a fantastic day was had by all.

Royal Easter Show Part 3

The Show wouldn't be complete without fairy floss.  Toby discovered our stash under the stroller while we were watching the 'Extreme Korruption' show.  He grabbed a large handful and proceeded to shovel it in his mouth as fast as he could then he got up and ran away to escape from Donald's reach, it was just so funny to watch.

Fairy Floss snatcher

You've just got to love the action performances at the show.  So after viewing all the farm animals we could find we headed over to the NAB Arena found a spot on the grassed hill and ate our Bratwurst sausages that Donald ran to get before the show started.  One of my highlights of the show is the 'Extreme Korruption show'.  A mix of free style Moto cross , Toyota Hilux precision driving, balancing bobcats, a little horse riding display and Danger Man & Woman (although I can live without Danger Man).  I love hearing the rev of the cars as they skid around the arena, it puts a smile on my face......rev head you're thinking.....yep!  

But then the freestyle motocross riders come flying up those ramps and my smile turns into a wide mouthed laugh and cheer as they do more and more amazing flips, turns and acrobatics.  So here are a few pics, the best of a billion that I took as the shutter kept clicking and clicking, in the hope that it would focus on at least one good one.  I just need a longer lense.....one day.

Oh yeah and the boys really enjoyed the show too, they thought it was "Mania" (the word of the week).

Royal Easter Show Part 2

The little roosters, Donald & I crowed our way through the goat and pig hall on our way to the farm animal nursery.  I love the goats they have such character about them and man those sows are huge, can you imagine breast feeding 12 piglets?  

The farm animal nursery area was all enclosed so that the sheep, goats and chickens could wander amongst the people.  The enclosure was also surrounded by caged animals, donkey, cattle dog and pups, ducklings, bunnies etc......

 

Our favourite was the gorgeous little kids, Toby seemed to grow an attachment to one in particular.  It was such a tiny little thing too, it musn't have been more than a week or two old it was so soft and gentle I just wanted to take it home with us. 

 

You could buy a cup full of feed for the animals and Toby desperately wanted one, so he found an empty cup and madly stuffed it with straw from the ground to feed to the goats.  

We finally relented and bought a cup full, much to Toby's delight............those sheep quickly found out who had some feed.

Royal Easter Show Part 1

On Good Friday the Earth Walkers made it out the door by 8.15am.  It was a miracle!  We caught the train to Olympic Park and were in the show grounds by 9.15am.  The plan was to hit the Dairy Farmers Milking Barn for the milking and cheese making display and give the boys a chance at milking the cows.  After waiting in line for a little bit, and after chasing Toby away from the penned sheep for the fifth time.....he was more interested in the sheep.....we were let in to milk the cows.  All three boys practiced on the water filled rubber glove first before being let loose on the poor cows udders.  I just hope they don't expect those same cows to produce milk all day long for a million kids.

Sam was up first, then Ethan.

  

They all managed a squirt of milk, even Toby, and all enjoyed the experience.  

Next stop was the chickens, roosters, ducks and geese.  It was soooo much fun hearing the roosters constantly crowing, included in that were my three little roosters who were louder than all of the real ones. 

Happy Easter

Some of our decorated egg collection

The hunt is over..........all the eggs were found!

Harmony Day

Thursday was our schools day to celebrate Harmony Day.  The children could wear a national costume from a different country or wear orange, the colour that represents Harmony Day.  It's a very multicultural day at our school, as I imagine it is for every school.  Flags from all of the different countries flying, that's our Canadian flag below. 

 

Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Balinese, Ghanan, Indian, Fijian and more national costumes that I may not have recognised looked just beautiful on all of the children.  The school also watched a singing and drum performance of Ghanan/African music, and learnt a little about the culture as well, which they loved.

Well we may not have the Canadian national dress, what I imagine to be an ice hockey uniform (we'll have to work on that one for next year)an Inuit Eskimo outfit or First Nation dress.  However we do have shirts with the Canadian flag on that I made up last year the night before Harmony Day. 

I did give the boys the choice of their Irish soccer uniforms or Canadian shirts, but they felt Canadian was who they really were. Sam born in Canada and Ethan born in Australia of Canadian dad and Australian mum. So we claim that Ethan & Toby are at least half Canadian half Australian.

Easter picnic

It's been a busy week, so I am attempting to fill in the details.  On Wednesday the school held the annual Easter picnic for years K - 2.  Sadly as Sam is in year 3 he misses out on the picnic for the first time.  Instead his class went for an excursion around the local area's pioneer trail.  So with clip board in hand and a little sadness in his eyes Sam left for his excursion....a 3 hour walk around the neighbourhood.

Meanwhile Ethans class, as well as all of the others, had made easter hats in class to wear to the picnic.  There was a sea of bunny ears and trying to take a photo of your child was difficult as a bunny ear would pop up here and there right in view of your target. 

We all had to bring a little plate of something to share, and Toby thought it was heaven, he was going from class to class nicking cakes and cookies.  K - 2 classes also participated in an Easter colouring in competition, the winners from each class get a chocolate easter bunny.  Sadly Ethan didn't win but I think out of his class his was the next best one....not bad for a 5 3/4yr old boy.

Dancing for their lives

Big cheers came from our lounge room last night as Kate and Graeme made it in the top ten after dancing for their lives. The cheers actually came from me as I was so pleased that the judges kept them in the competition.  Mind you, I don't know what Australia was thinking again, not voting for them.  They are the most heavenly dancers and of course my favourites.  I don't normally get so involved in tv shows but I just love to watch these two dance together.  

Happy St Patricks Day

A Happy St Patricks Day to the Irish side of the family.  Particularly the one's in Ireland.  We hope it's a fun day for you.  We love you and miss you lots Gabby & Neil.  Ah to be sure to be sure!

Working bee

It was a good thing the boys ate their eggs for breakfast they needed their energy this morning.  It was the school working bee, so the boys and I went down to help out.  We ended up doing lots of weeding.  For two hours the boys continually, and joyfully I might add, weeded and carried the weed bucket back and forth from the rubbish pile.  The boys were so enthusiastic about the whole morning.  I couldn't have been more proud of all three of them, not a word of complaint the whole morning. 

 

Ethan discovered feathers and a cicada shell, while Sam played with a bug that had a coat of armour and would curl up into a ball to protect itself.

The school provided cake and icy poles to keep the workers happy.  When all was done they had a little ride around the school grounds.  It was getting a little hot by this time so we came home, tired, dirty and happy.