Easter 2008.

It was a quiet Easter at home this year. After a week away the week before Easter, it was nice to spend some time at home. Just as well as the kids came down with gastro on Easter Sunday. Poor Tahlia coped most of it, but was back to er happy self by Sunday evening. Then l caught it on Tuesday evening.

Nathan at playgroup making Easter baskets.

Nate and his new pj's.

There is a reason why you do not leave textas around for a 16month old to get to. We found Tahlia chomping on a black texta.

Here is the outcome.(her top teeth were all black too).

On Saturday we had a family picnic at Maroondah dam. It was quiet when we got there but soon everyone else had the same idea as us and wanted a picnic. It was great for the kids to get out and have a play in the sun.

Tahlia playing in the park.

Nathan playing in the park.

Easter Sunday we had an easter egg hunt in the garden. The kids had a ball. Poor Nate was in the wars though and got too excited and fell face first into the rose bush. But soon got over it when he found more eggs. (not in the rose bush though).

Tahlia looking for eggs.

Nate looking for eggs.

YUM YUM.

Nate injuries in the hunt.

Tahlia is already like a little mother to her dolls. She loves to cuddle them, kiss them and takes them everywhere. She is now just starting to feed them.

Tahlia and her baby.

anglesea part3

Our setup



And again (you can see the trailer which the doors folded down so you could use them as a table, and our outdoor kitchen on the right).





Oh and once more.

It was funny the morning we had to pack up. Nate slept the whole time we were packing. He woke as we were taking the fly off the tent. What a funny boy he is.

Sunrise on our last morning.(we were in for a hot day 39.C)

Tahlia in her pj's.

Had to add this one, she looks a lot like her Aunty Tori here. Same matching hairstyle she wore at the same age.

Nathan asleep as we pack.

that brings us to the last pics of our week away down at Anglesea.

Anglesea part2

Part 2 of our holiday.

Did a day trip out (our only one) and went to the Otway Fly walk where you walk at the same height as the trees, quite amazing really.

We stopped at the Airy Inlet lighthouse so the kids could see it this time now that they were awake.

Renee and the kids




The lighthouse

We got to the Otway Walk in the later afternoon after have to take a long detour as the back road we wanted was closed due to road works. We thought we would never get there.

Nathan was rather excited when we did get there as at the entrance he found some dinosauers.

Nige, the kids and a friend.




Cuddle time.




Nathan and a friend



Up on the Otway Walk.

The view from the top.

Nathan did very well on the walk and walked most of the way (except for the last 5mins when he got a ride on the little golf buggy). But he climbed the steps to the top of the tower and loved walking on the path high in the trees as it swayed.

Tahlia and daddy





The Otway walk(yep we climbed to the top).

The next morning was rather warm and Nate was dying to make some sandcastles on the beach with his bucket and spade so we spent the best part on the morning down at anglesea beach. A great beach for young kids where you had the river, nice and shallow and out of the wind. Also as the tide was out you had all the rock pools to explore in or just have a paddle. Tahlia loved to paddle and Nathan loved to jump in the waves.

As Tahlia lost her hat the other day and we did not have another that had straps so it would not blow away she had to wear daddies. It was funny to see her wearing this oversized hat.

Tahlia in daddies hat.



The rockpool.


Nathan and the rockpool.

Now the fun time comes making sandcastles, Nige got in there and made amazing creations with Nate. Tahlia prefered to eat the sand. And l mean literally eat it, she had her little rake and she would drag it in the sand and then munch what was left on the end of the rack. ew......

Let the building begin.






A little bit here and a bit there.



Tahlia having a go.

And the end result ( i am sure Kirst will be able to tell us what it is. She flies one).

Nathan and his sandplane.

Autumn holiday to Anglesea (part 1)

We finally got some time to have some time away as a family. More like finally getting to try out our new camping trailer. We brought on ebay back in November or sometime around then. And we have to say it was fantastic and really made more room in the car.

I mean who can remember going away as kids and travelling around like the Grizwells (so mum and dad called them), all we needed was grandma/nana tied on the roof in her rocking chair. But then now with the trailer l suppose grandma/nana would be in there. Or maybe there would be some room in the Prado for her to enjoy the comfort of the air conditioning. But then who would be the bug catcher......

Anyway back to our holiday. The day we were to leave (labour day) was to be 37, so we left as early as we could (10:30am) so we did not have to be setting up camp in the heat. It was a nice feeling as we drove down to Geelong seeing all the cars coming home after being away for the long weekend, and us just starting our holiday.

We stayed at the BIG4 caravan park in Anglesea and we very impressed with the whole place. A very family friendly park. We had a lovely shady and grassed site (and yes the grass was still green), right opposite the kids park which was also a HUGE sandpit. So you know where the kids were playing once we got there.

Nathan and Tahlia building sandcastles.

So with the kids out of the way and happily playing we were able to set up our home for the week. It was a lot cooler down Anglesea too, 23 or so compared to the 37 in Melbourne. A very welcome relief for us when had to set up.

Tahlia on the slide.

After a quick dinner we set off to explore the park, and have a look at the indoor toddler room (next to the playground), indoor heated pool where Nemo, Dory and friends linned the walls in a big mural, and to check out the spacious family bathroom. Let me tell you that came in very handy after a morning at the beach and sandy kids.

The kids in the park ( you can see our car and the site just behind the kids... see nice and close).

The next morning the kids had to show daddy the park and of course Nige had to test all the rides. The slide was quite funny for Nathan as it gave him some speed when going down it, and it was so fast that at the end of the ride he would always land on his feet. It shocked him the first time but could not wait to do it again.

Nige and Tahlia on the slide.

Tahlia deep in thought on what to do next.

We decided to take the kids for a walk down Addis Point and it was a overcast and cool 23 so a perfect morning for a walk. Nathan walked all the way (well most of the way). Down some steps and a walk along the beach.

Point Addis.

At the top.


Looking out to Anglesea.

Some of the amazing colours in the cliffs.

Nathan was tiring out by the time we got to the other end of the beach, so it was time to have a rest and a lolly pop.

Nathan and the remains of his "orange pop".

Ah the young do travel in comfort.

A happy Nige after a feed.





The girls.


After a bit of a rest and something to eat it was time to turn around and come back the way we had just come. The sun had now just come out and it was time for the jumpers to come off. This is where we lost Tahlia's hat on the way, somewhere out there.

Heading back.

Footprints in the sand.

After lunch and a nap for the kids. Nige got the bike out and gave it a test ride with Tahlia. The helmet was a little on the big side but her giggles made up for it.

Helmet on the big side.



This is fun.

Nathan and the bike.

What a way to end the night with a drive to see the sites of Anglesea. First stop the Anglesea Coalmine. Was quite funny when Nate saw the smoke he yelled "Fire. Fire hot". But as soon as it was explained he calmed down. He was asleep before we knew it.

Smoke from the coalmine.

Did a bit of bushbashing and came out near Airy's Inlet. So had to check out the lighthouse. Was a pretty site with the sun setting.

The lighthouse.

Well this seems to be a long post so will have to break down the days before you all fall asleep with boredem.