Mathew's 1st Swim

This afternoon was hot... again... and Mathew after a long afternoon nap was hot and bothered, so I decided it was time that the little fella took his first dip in the pool... after a few minutes he was floating on his back, kicking his legs (assisted of course!!) and not concerned at all about the water being splashed on his face by his big brothers...

Family Outing Number 1...

Howard Springs

Well, it was almost a complete fizzer....

Initially we were not intending on going to Howard Springs.. we were going to go to the Crocodile Farm... on their website it said 'croc feeding - 2pm' however the Crocodile Park at Noonamah is now closed (when I called up the following day to see whether they were in fact closed, or we just went to the wrong gate... the receptionist said they had been closed since 'April'... however they had forgotten to update their website) so with a car full of unhappy disappointed boys.. we HAD to come up with an alternative 'quickly'....

So a trip to Howard Springs became our alternative.... so with ONE packet of Rice crackers... we went for a 'picnic' at Howard Springs. And it was lovely... there was only a few people there and NO mozzies, which made it very sad that it more than likely will be our last trip down to that lovely place... especially for Justin who once swam here with the Barra's, turtles and bacteria as a kid! (swimming is no longer allowed due to the bacteria present in the water!! but that wasn't a concern 20+ years ago...)

Happy New Year...

2009... here already... I hardly feel as though I experienced 2008... and it is over!!! GoNe... Well I guess welcome 2009... We now only have 15 days remaining here in the Top End before we are packed up and sent packing down south... To Sydney.. so i thought it fitting that I put up the awesome fireworks from Sydney... so new city... new beginnings... new fun... or something like that!!! hahaha

So this year, to go with our new 'beginnings'... Justin and I decided to set ourselves a few New Years Resolutions, and to see how 'resolute' we are we have decided to make a hard copy of our ideas here and check back in 365 days to see how good we were... hahahaha

1. Loose weight/ get fit (yes most people have this one... I have baby fat to loose... Justin has a beer gut)
2. To take 'at least' 3 short getaways to somewhere we haven't been before... (if we manage more than 3 all the better... I say)
3. To do one family outing (minimum) every weekend... this could mean going to the beach... to a friends house... a game of tennis.. whatever.. but after a year when it was more than often TOO hot to do much, especially during the day... we are desperately wanting to get out and about...
4. Justin... only indulge in liquor drinking on Friday and Saturday... and perhaps Sunday afternoons...
5. Jodi... to submit my scrapping 'finally' and try and get published.

Well those should keep us busy this year... so welcome 2009... I hope it is a great year.

Nan and Pops December Visit...

It is hard to believe that Nan and Pop's December visit is already over... it seems like we were only waiting for them to arrive!!! and that 2008 is almost over... also and we only have another
17 days remaining here in Darwin before our big move to Sydney...

We didn't do a great deal whilst they were here.. the Darwin heat left them both rather uninspired to do too much. They did a day trip to Katherine... and saw the seasons of the Top End in one day... Pooring WET season rain, and hot muggy Build up Weather the remainder of the day... it hadn't rained 'properly' this wet season until Mum and Dad went on their one and only Day trip... but that is typical for our family...

Other than that... our time in December was mainly spent at home... and largely uneventful. Yes we welcomed Baby Mathew into the world and celebrated Christmas but the days in between were quiet, relaxing... and I 'really' enjoyed mum taking over the washing duties... thanks mum!!!

A photo collage of Mathew with the family members he met shortly after his arrival....

Now for a photo share of December ....

And this shot we took just before the boys went to bed on the night that Nanny and Poppy caught the plane and flew home...

2008 Santa Photo... success!!!

Yesterday... was a day of small 'Christmas' miracles... we decided to brave the shops with all three kiddies.. and get our annual Santa photo...

What I thought might go wrong didn't... in fact it was the opposite.. the outing was a complete success... in a number of ways....

1. travelling in two cars can often be a problem (mum and dad came too) .. but Justin and I both got 2 car parks 'straight away', all the previous outings to the shops, particularly to the great Darwin shopping metropolis of Casuarina... have begun with a longish (not as long as other parts of OZ no doubt) wait for a carpark.. only to finally get one and then have it start to rain!!!!

2. The boys were SOOOO keen to see Santa.. that there was no fear and we got a great 2008 Santa photo.. (Josh was so keen... he went and gave a fat greyhaired man a cuddle whilst waiting for his photo... he was convinced he was a Santa too... but he wasn't!!)

3. We scored table and chairs in the overpacked eatery....

and ...

4. The rain 'stopped' raining just as we wanted to go home! So I could get bubby into the car... and all the shopping without getting saturated... yay...

So all in all it was successful.. Amazing???

Family Photoshoot... 2008

Yesterday afternoon after a swim... I organised the kids and took my annual family photo... for my Christmas cards and Christmas 'scrapbooking' layouts!!! I was completely surprised at how obliging the boys were... and even the Ella wanted to be in the photo jumping up onto the bed and insisting that the kids arrange themselves around her!
And I must say I am REALLY REALLY happy with the way they turned out....

Aidans' last day of 'preschool'

Today Aidan attended his last day of preschool... or school here in Darwin... I dont think he totally comprehended this... and I am sure come next Monday he will be ready to go to school again... His class concluded the school year with a Christmas Party.... and the night before Aidan and Nanny made lolly bags for the kids in his class... for Christmas.

The next morning Aidan was so excited about his school Christmas Party. He was dressed-up in his Batman suit and ready before sunrise ... unfortunately - I didn't get any pics of him dressed up with the basket of lollies.

Aidan's teachers compiled a CD full of photos of Aidan at school throughout the year.... here are some of the pics of my big boys first year of school...