Finally.....It's Spring time!!!

 September 1:  Marks the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere... We are delighted to be moving into spring and out of this winter.  It sure does see, like it has been a long winter!  Sister and her friends spent the weekend making dolls for an orphanage in the Philippines.

Brothers 1st trophy from Aussie Rules Football
He had a fantastic time!  

Duke of Edinburgh Camp

Churchs Point Wharf

A tiny bush walk

Charlie, Jerry (the Horse) & the instructor

Balmoral Enjoying the Sun!

Sister had her first practice hike and camp out for Duke of Edinburgh.  The girls hiked through Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park to set up camp at The Basin.  They departed and returned to Churchs Point Wharf in Pittwater.  What a beautiful unique hidden little area.  It reminded me of a small town lake community in Michigan or Minnesota.  Now, when I was training for Oxfam we spent hours and hours in the Ku-ring-gai park, but we got no where near this area.  If you haven't been,  I highly recommend the drive up for lunch or breakfast.  Additionally, the Australian Bush is like nothing I have seen ever before -  

School Holidays Week 1!

 As promised our first attempt at coloring brown eggs.  The photo is a bit deceiving, since we didn't actually use our egg decorating kit sent to us from Auntie!  Instead, we tried to using food coloring.  It wasn't unsuccessful, but seriously - why are there no white eggs in Australia?

Coloring brown eggs is wrong and takes away from the very Easter experience.  Next week we are using our egg decorating kit the dino one for brother and a dear friend gave us one she brought back from the Promised Land (thank you Jenny) both kids can have their own set of everything!!!
Once we got the eggs out of the way, they wanted cookies too.  Why not?  We made a batch of sugar cookies and they are JUST like my grandmas - best served with strong black coffee!  The kids had fun rolling, cutting and coloring!  Why not right!!!

With the baking out of the way - the kids have spent the rest of the week at sport camp (brother) and drama camp (sister)!  Here's hoping the weather is just as gorgeous next week!

working on the perfect color

Who needs a Kitchenaid?  

YUM!!!!  Even mum thought so!

Christmas hightlights

We arrived in Dallas 23 Dec.  We enjoyed Christmas with the family and managed to have a fully packed schedule!  We enjoyed the ice sculptures at the Gaylord Texan Resort.  The stockyards in Fort Worth.  The many many malls, gigantic freeways and people of Dallas.  Everything is bigger in Texas.  Unfortunately, the entire family came down with the stomach bug going around.  Thankfully, it only lasted 24 hours and was on its way out.  We had to delay our trip to the mountains for skiing a day, but happy it wasn't a whole week!  We spent a fantastic 6 days in the mountains enjoying the beauty of the Colorado before making the 36 hour journey back to the beach.  

Ice Sculpture Gaylord Texan 9 degrees F...BRRR

WHIRLWIND TOUR!

We had a fantastic time touring the midwest to visit our family and friends.  We started off with 3 nights in Wichita, Kansas Auntie and J even came up to greet us, what a lovely treat!  In Wichita, we enjoyed our old friends and stomping ground.  Mom had a second hives attack which started the trip off with a HUGE reaction!  A quick visit to our favorite Dr, a shot and couple of prescriptions later - I was ready to rock.  We headed to Dallas with Auntie for a week in Texas, where we soaked up every minute of the pool and sun!  After a week in Dallas we headed "UP North" to Michigan where we Loved up Sofie for a week!  Celebrated the 4th in true American style, the Blue Angels - hot dogs, chips and family!  This morning we landed in Sydney and miss our family and friends already!  Won't be long and we will be headed back for Christmas!
See the photos below!