Happy New Year!

We hope you have a fantastic end to 2010,

and may 2011 be the best year yet!

Christmas Past

Every couple of years, we go to the bike centre for Christmas breakfast as it's central to most of us, contained, and easy to keep all the kids in one place where they can play and try out new bikes, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards etc. They found it a little harder to all fit on the steps this year!

The Tassie Grandkids!

2006 2008 2010 Georgina 17, Patrick 11, David 11, Lauren 10, Clea 5, Myka 21 months.

Lucky there's room for one more on the bottom step!

Christmas Day

It's all about...

the presents

(Patrick was still asleep!)

family the Tassie grandkids

Luke

Quinn

food

and did I mention PRESENTS?

This is my favourite - a brilliant little "bean bag" book seat that holds your book when you are lying down, or sitting trying to drink a cup of tea, or whatever. A brilliant invention for an avid reader like me, that would also be great in hospital. My favourite bit is that has a little pocket on the back for "Your reading glasses (don't need them), mobile (not while I'm reading thanks) or your favourite chocolate bar" (that's more like it!).

You can find out more about it here

Thanks Santa!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas day, got a chance to relax and can now breathe a sigh of relief the madness is all over...until next year!

We wish you a merry Christmas...

...and a brilliant 2011!

Crazy Christmas Capers

Ahh, the Christmas photo - trying to get both kids to pose with a reasonable smile, no fighting and no tears is often too much for me this time of year, but fortunately I think we got a couple of salvageable photos from the dozens I took!

Friends - for the moment!

As long as Nanna gets her annual Christmas photo, everyone is happy.

Next year I think I'll need some advice from Lisa on how to get

more than two kids in a reasonable photo together!

It's a .....

BABY!

"Trixie" at 12 weeks 5 days

For those of you who don't yet know, I am just over 14 weeks pregnant and expecting this little one around the time of my 42nd birthday in early June. Due to my age, I've had a heap of tests including a CVS (nasty big needle) but all tests have come back normal so far which is a HUGE relief. Patrick (11) and Lauren (10) were shocked, but have recovered well and are now in the 'curiously excited but still a little unsure' stage. I'm currently training them in preparation for when their little brother or sister arrives! I found out the baby's sex today so if you'd like to know, email me. Wish us luck for the next 25.5 weeks and beyond!

P.S. With this being number 6 for Shayne, he is now retiring!

Don't miss it!

Tonight and tomorrow night between midnight and 4am Geminids meteor shower will be visible in the Northern sky. My FAVOURITE meteor shower of the year with up to 50 meteor per hour, this is one not to miss. It will be visible most of this week, and pretty much as soon as the sky is dark enough (after about 9.30 here in Tassie) but the best time will be after midnight and before dawn. With a bit of luck, we will have one night without rain and I'll be out on the trampoline checking out what is sure to be a spectacular show. Keep the kids up and/or set your alarms!

Woolworths Christmas Party

We LOVE the Woolworths Christmas Party. Shayne pays $2 a fortnight, and it's held every year. Santa is always there, lots of freebies for the kids including food, drinks, lollies and presents, and as many rides as they want to have for free. We've been going for 7 years now and in the past it's been at Deloraine twice and then at Devonport every other year. It was great to have it at Invermay this year as it's a LONG day when you have a round trip to Devonport and 5-6 hours at the party. Luckily we missed the rain this year. Please excuse the dodgy photos but I can't be bothered editing them tonight, and I have a new post to put up soon.

The Hurricane Gee Whizz! Shayne's favourite - the Crazy Dance (he was green!) Scary glimpse of the future! Lauren's favourite.

Ahh you've got to love the "carnies" that come with the show rides -

so enthusiastic and friendly they are! (If she'd moved her butt off the trampoline Lauren would have been able to bounce higher!)

A post

It has been drawn to my attention (and not-so-subtly I might add) that I have been negligent in my blog writing duties. It seems Lisa, and my multitude of other stalkers - whoops - fans, need a post from me. So here it is....

Kayak Paddy's 'oarsome' adventure!

Patrick and Lauren do some fantastic activities with Cubs and Scouts. Last night, Patrick's Scout Troop joined up with the Trevallyn troop, and took to the water at the Tailrace. After a horrible, wet day, the sun came out and it was a lovely, warm evening, and they had a brilliant time.

Paddy's first time in a kayak. The patrol boats were fun too and "much easier" than kayaking alone!

Shayne took the photos and some video footage including some particularly interesting footage of Lauren in the maze at the playground. Let's just say they don't always bring out the best in each other, and we'll be keeping the video for her 21st!

And the winner is....

...Patrick!

With the recent 2010 National Veteran Rally held here in Tassie, we went and checked out the cars a couple of times over the week. We heard there was a photo comp about "capturing the spirit of of Veteran motoring" and we all entered. Lauren wanted to know if she'd won pretty much from the minute she took her photo last month, and Patrick pretty much forgot about his entry until we found out today he's won the Under 16 section prize of an ipod nano with his photo above. He's VERY happy about that (not so much his sister but she enters so many competitions that she's always winning something - not sure where she gets that from?).

There are some FANTASTIC photos that were entered that you can check out here. I like the ones with the owners sitting around talking, and cranking the old crank handles. There were a couple who really dressed the part for the rally, and heaps of photos that capture the beautiful scenery they got to see during the rally. Not something you see everyday that's for sure!

Never washing the car again!

You've got to love Lauren's car washing outfit!

After my "little helper" and I washed my car last week, not only has every bird from miles around left a deposit on it (including -I'm pretty sure - a low flying pelican!), It has cost nearly $2000 in servicing, cv joints and boots, and new wheel bearings. If we spend much more on it it will be more than it's worth:(

Meanwhile I'm not saying no to anyone who calls me with raffle books to sell

with a car as first prize - wish me luck!

A once-in-a-lifetime display - TONIGHT!

Click to enlarge the photo for details.

2010 National Veteran Rally - where they'll be.

If you are interested, below is a list of where you can see nearly 100 lovingly restored Veteran vehicles here in Northern Tassie this week. Click on the info to enlarge, or here to visit the VCCA (Tas) website

2010 National Veteran Rally

Starting in Devonport this Sunday October 24th for a week, over 100 Veteran (pre-1919) vehicles will be touring Northern Tasmania as part of the 2010 National Veteran Rally. A wide variety of Veteran vehicles from all over Australia will be based in Launceston for a week. One of the highlights will be a "Gas-Light Rally" through the streets of Launceston on Thursday 28th October from 8.30pm. The Automobile Museum will be open free to the public before the run from 6.30-8.30pm, with a BBQ also being held in the car park. It will be well worth a look, and we will be taking the kids for a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse at vehicles from their great-grandparents childhoods.

1911 Itala

Our Resident Artist

For the last three years, Lauren has sung in one of the school choirs at the opening of the art gallery. This year, not only did she get to sing, but one of her paintings was selected to hang in the gallery all year! Mum, Patrick and I went to the opening last week and were very proud of Lauren's beautiful singing (she really loves it and is VERY animated), and of her fantastic artwork. The school frame the artwork, and we get to buy it at the end of the year.

Well done Lauren!

I love Spring!