Saturday, October 1, 2011

Virus Season

We had some unplanned family togetherness this week.  All of us were sick with various viruses.  During the week we only left the house to go to the doctors.  Not fun.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

10 Years

Finn stayed with Grandma and Grandad and cousin Nick came for a sleepover so that we could get away for a romantic weekend.  Unfortunately when the time came I had been sick (though feeling a little better at the time) and then Mark got sicker and sicker as the weekend went on.  Despite this we had a lovely time.  The location was so peaceful and the house so lovely we just chilled out, read, cooked, watched movies ...

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Go Hawks!

It was freezing cold at the ground but we were pretty sheltered from the rain. Finn was soooooo excited. We got to see Buddy kick a goal from the boundary quite near us and Finn was able to see lots of Cyril too. It was a close match, with Hawthorn coming home strong in the end. I thought Finn would scream his little lungs out, but he had enough voice to sing the team song loud and clear at the end of the game.

Friday, August 5, 2011

End of the month

We didn't mind the trek to Huonville, it was just great for Finn to get a game in during this wet winter. It was a tough game - a real arm wrestle - the scoreline didn't reflect how well the boys did.

Mark went off to scout training so Finn and I just hung out at home and went wild on some cupcakes - those tiny teddies sure had them some fun!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Birthday weekend


Soccer was moved to Cygnet and then cancelled. It was disappointing because it was such a lovely weekend of weather. Still, we had plenty to be going on with.

Mark had to help set up the Hurdy Gurdy for the Cub's 95th Anniversary Field Day. Finn and I left him to it and went off to the Museum (TMAG) and saw some great things in the 2011 City of Hobart Art Prize Wood and Paper exhibition. We had lunch at the Courtyard Cafe - lovely Moroccan Lamb Pie.

The Hurdy Gurdy looked fun, pity I was too big to have a go, and then Finn made a little wooden car at the next station. Before we knew it it was 2pm and time to head off to Toby's house.

The baby boy is a big 3 now! He got some super garbage trucks and was happy to demonstrate it all to his friends. There was lots of yummy food for all and a delicious truck cake. Finn got to meet the rabbits - I'm not sure who was more nervous when he got to have a little hold.

The rest of the weekend was full of games and giggles as Finn enjoyed having Sam to visit.

Word art and party hats from One Little Bird (Peppermint Granberg) - Jubilee : Party On! add-on

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The crisp weekend

A very crisp weekend with frosty mornings and clear days. Great for soccer and gardening.

Finn's and Nick's teams played each other again so all the family turned out to watch. Finn was really on fire during the first half - really getting stuck into the play. He went into goal in the second half and had a good crack at that too. Few of the boys enjoy going in goals but they all have to have a turn and Finn did it with good grace and tried his very best. We were very proud of him.

Mark harvested the last of the rocoto chillies and started rearranging the garden beds in the veggie patch. Mark's workmates have been cooking up a storm with the fruit this year and keeping us supplied with samples of all their different sauces - most too hot for me, but Tony's sweet chilli is to die for.

Monday, July 4, 2011

July

The washing machine repair man found this little red sock. It reminded us that we had the washer since before Finn was born. A sad farewell to a faithful servant.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Friday, June 24, 2011

Art and food



Finn chose for us to go to the Japanese Gardens at the Botanical Gardens for lunch on the last Friday of the school holidays and then we headed back out to MONA. We revisited most of Finn's favourites and managed to be in the right place for the 2pm "production". We went down the cool, dark tunnel to the new library. Finn lounged in a beanbag and leafed through some art books he'd found to his liking. He wondered why the piece in the pavilion had glass all around it - "is it to stop people going in there, do you think?"

Finn wanted to cook over the weekend. Saturday he made Florentine Tartlets with Frangipane and had enough pastry to fill with Chocolate Ganache from this recipe for the next night.

Mark found the perfect grill rack for the Jamie Durie firepot and cooked steak on Saturday, then followed up with sushi for himself on Sunday.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Cockle Creek



After all our visits to Cockle we finally did the walk to South Cape Bay with Finn. Mark and I had done it together not long after we met and we went part way with Finn with Mum and Dad way back in November 2005. I just dug out some pictures from that trip - look at how tiny Finn was then!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Movin', movin', movin.


Mark and I rearranged half the house over the weekend and Finn did his bit by staying out of the way!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

... and then it's almost over

It was freezing on the mountain. We drove up and got out into the snow. Finn loved walking on the ice on the puddles and hearing it crack underneath him. We didn't make our destination this week either but a stop for a snack and a hot cuppa before turning back made it a fun outing just the same - that and the mud on the way back.

The firepot got fired up again and lots of marshmallows met a firey end.

... and May rolls on

We had a lovely autumn morning at Glen Huon - crisp, clear and sunny. The boys were extremely excited not to get beaten again. Finn's goal was very cool - straight over the head of the goalkeeper into the back of the net - yay!

Grandad asked us to call around to pick up a surprise. We were expecting a chair for me but there was one for Finn too - it was a perfect fit.

Sunday morning we headed up the mountain for a stroll along a fire trail to Tom Thumb. We didn't climb up the last steep bouldery bit, but stopped for a rest, some chocolate and a gaze at the scenery down below before heading back.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Half-way through May

A fun weekend at home. The boys tried out the new firepot and pronounced it marshmallow-ready.
Grandad had finished Mark's new chair. The scale model had been transformed into full-size perfection!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Weekend getaway




It was full weekend for us with Mark already in Strahan for work and Finn playing his first game of soccer for the year on Saturday morning.

The boys have all improved so much since last year and it's going to be really fun to watch them develop even more as the year goes on.

The drive to Strahan was long but uneventful and we arrived just after dark. Mark had booked our cruise for the next day as a Mothers' Day surprise. It was cold and a little rainy on Sunday but it didn't really impact on our trip - we missed the hail storm on Sarah Island by minutes. It was a lovely trip and I especially liked the bit going through Hell's Gates - Finn like the bit with lunch!

We explored the West Coast a little on Monday - going as far as Rosebery. Finn stripped off on Ocean Beach - he really wanted to feel that fresh air! We visited a couple of waterfalls and the boys found lots of 'shrooms for me to photograph until my picture card was full and it was time to go home ...

30 April - 1 May

A quiet weekend at home. Not much to report.
Don't you just love the chair? Perfectly formed. Wait till you see the full-size version Grandad made. Action Man became my favourite photography subject - so patient and what a profile!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Easter


A peaceful and choc-filled Easter break including the great egg hunt at Grandma's. The boys have all grown so much since last year - especially Toby.

Nick came for a sleepover and they did lots of cooperative gaming. Meanwhile in the garden lots of pruning was done and you can actually see the paths between the beds now.

Glad I took the opportunity to grab these pics with Nanny and Poppy - I have far too few.

I was so proud of Finn and all the other Cubs (and the Joeys and Scouts too of course) as they marched on ANZAC Day. My first ANZAC Day service I'm ashamed to say.

Yes, that is Gelli Baff - yuck!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Skills


Another active at home weekend. Early morning Saturday meant that we had skatebowl to ourselves again. Soccer was cancelled because of wet grounds so we had to make do with another family training session. Finn did some more skills work on the Wii - it all counts.
Finn updated our fire evacuation plan - always a useful thing to do.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Leavin' on a jet plane

Saturday flew by in a blur as I tried to get ready for my work trip. Mark ran interference so I could concentrate but I really missed the time I would usually spend with the two of them.

Sunday we hit the skatebowl early for a bit of a spin before the big kids arrived - technique improving all the time.

The afternoon was spent in airports and planes until I reached Adelaide. It was a beautiful city spread out in front of my hotel room. I would have loved to have had time to explore more but it was a hectic week mostly spent inside the hotel - ah well, maybe next time ...

MONA and more


Sam and Finn spent a happy few hours together swapping from one activity to the next on Saturday.

Sunday saw Mark head to the lakes for some casting practice - a calm, still day not perfect for fishing. After waving Dad off Finn and I headed off to MONA for Finn's first visit. He LOVED it. His favourite pieces were Babylonia, Artifact and Zizi, but they were closely followed by so many others. While waiting to see Pausiris he was looking at Snake and said "You know, I'm not much for art but that is pretty good" :-) It was so great sharing the experience with him - it's now his favourite museum - of course.

We left after a couple of hours and grabbed a few extra things to add to our food stash and headed for the park. Finn read in the shade while I took photos of him reading in the shade.

I had to stop into work for a couple of files and Finn made the fantastic suggestion that we go to Mures for icecream. It was just a lovely day spent with my boy. One to remember.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The weekend of the Happy Fisherman

This was the weekend the fisherman's patience finally paid off, and what a great catch it was. Mark headed out on Saturday morning for more "casting practice" in the kayak and came back with this whopper.

I'm so pleased for him and it was lovely for Finn and I to be there to see it. We all love it at Penstock and this weekend was perfect.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Long weekend at the Block

We love it at the block.

What a beautiful weekend it was. Finn got me up for sunrise on Saturday morning and I went walking with the camera along the rocks and to the next beach, taking photo after photo as the sun rose. It was a mostly private experience but as I was crouched down on the beach taking photos of the dew on the grass I caught a movement in the corner of my eye. There was a woman kneeling next to me photographing the same dewdrops on the same grass! Quite strange.

Before breakfast that day I took the kayak out and it was so calm and still. The water was crystal clear and I saw a ray swooping through the water beneath me and a small shark lying on the sandy bottom.

We had a campfire on Saturday and Sunday nights with marshmallow toasting one night and pancakes the next.

One morning Mark and I paddled out through the bay to Sullivan Point while Finn stayed back at camp with Matt and Leah. We realised it had been 10 years since we had been paddling together alone. This was mostly because we only had one kayak for most of that time! But just the same it was a very special thing to be able to do together again.

The boys swam and snorkled and Finn spent a lot of time playing on the rocks, out in the water in his wetsuit. None of use really wanted to leave and it was after 5 on Monday before we said goodbye - for now.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

March is here

March is here already and this weekend threw up some pretty decent weather.

After talking about it for what seems like forever Mark, Finn, Scott and Sam went for a Saturday morning boat trip and by all accounts had a great time. Didn't bring back the requested flathead but caught a few squid which provided entertainment for the boys (big ones and little ones).

Finn and Sam spent the afternoon with battleships, Lego, table soccer, Nerf guns and an enormous meal of Maccas. Boy heaven really.

By evening Finn was starting to go downhill with a cold, which was miraculously cured in time for Angus' party at Zone 3. Funny thing that. It was great to see the little man and check out his seriously cool skatebowl cake.

Mark slipped away to the lakes again for more casting practice.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

26th and 27th February 2011


We arrived at the Lagoon just before sunset. The sky was beautiful and the water perfectly still except for the jumping fish. A campsite close to the edge of the water was the best way to enjoy the highlands experience. Even a flat tyre at the end of the weekend didn't spoil the great time we had.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

19th and 20th February 2011

A weekend mostly of trying to stay dry and get things dry.

Finn woke me Sunday morning to let me know he had a nosebleed and to show me the sunrise. I love it when he wants to share a sunrise with me. The nosebleed not so much ...

The boy wanted to practice his skills on his skateboard, bike and scooter so we judged a gap in the rain and made the most of it. He's getting better and better every time.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

A long weekend

It wasn't quite the weekend we thought we were going to have. We thought we would be camping. But then there was the rain, the leeches, the lack of a viable campsite, oh and did I mention the rain? A six hour camping trip that included four hours of driving - a new record for us I think.

We started afresh on Saturday morning with a cooked breakfast followed by a trip to a surf beach for some wave action. A movie night rounded out the day.

Sunday saw Mark heading for the lakes with the promise of returning with fish - unfortunately the wind blew him home early. In the meantime Finn and I rode the bus to the Wooden Boat Festival where we checked out timber and varnish and a funky bike. After watching Prince of Persia on Saturday night Finn wanted to try a Taste of Persia for lunch and gave it a big thumbs up.

Monday morning dawned clear and calm - perfect for an egg and bacon breakfast at the beach and a little kayaking on a beautifully calm sea. Perfection.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

5th and 6th February 2011


After a back to school and work week it was very much a back to routine weekend. Lots of catching up on household chores.

Finn was keen to show us the ramp he skateboarded on at holiday program, and the hill they rode the billycart down.

All three ipod touches in the house got a good workout over the weekend, lots of apps tried out and photo effects explored. Fun.

I cooked a gorgeous meal, I must say. The boys didn't have to act so surprised. :-)