Ros's Birthday

Ros opening her presents with the help from her willing Assistants who were on hand just in case she forgot how to open the paper.

My Mum and Dad very naturally posing for a photo -love you guys!

The Birthday cake and song were sung and of course Ros again had some willing assistants to help with blowing out the candles just in case she forgot how to do that as well.

Fathers Day 2011

Jason opening his presents with the boys. As you can see Zach is happy to have his photo taken at any opportunity.

My Dad, Grandad, opening his presents and showing the boys a closer look of what he got from Lachlan from the Father's Day stall at School.

Greg with his shirt on that he received from his girls.

This year we were lucky enough to have everyone over to celebrate the day as my sister and her family were down in Brisbane for the weekend so they joined us as well as my Mum and Dad. We enjoyed some homemade pizzas and pavlova for lunch and then in the afternoon Jason and Greg headed off to the football to watch the Broncos play as Jason had some free tickets from work.

Artist in the family

I have to state up front that Jason and I don't have an artistic bone in our bodies. Lochie has really taken to drawing lately and his pictures are getting better and better all the time - better than what I could do that's for sure. We were surprised and delighted recently when Lochie got a Happy Gram at school at Assembly on Monday morning for his Spooky Spirits Oil Pastel Drawing. His teacher then said a week later that she had entered it in an Art Show which was being held at his School on the weekend. How proud are we!

Lachlan the tough pirate

Lachlan recently had book week at school and they had to dress up as a book character. Both my boys aren't usually very keen to dress up in costumes and I'm not particularly good at making them but we came up with a pirate costume representing a favourite book of both the boys called 'Boris the Tough Pirate'. He also got to take a toy sword to school so he thought that was pretty cool.

Jones Family Get Together

Doubles Tennis Match in full swing. It was pretty competitive that my Uncle Graeme actually lost his footing going for a shot and hit his face on the surface of the court - not a pretty site afterwards but he was ok.

The kids without prompting decided to collect flowers for Uncle Graeme to make him feel better and 'make him happy'.

The injured Uncle Graeme with all the kids and the flowers they had collected for him. He though it was just lovely they thought to do this for him.

The peanut galler watching the Tennis Match continuing on the court.

Zach in his chair having some time to himself on the day after some hard playing.

We had my Mum's family which is the Jones's Family and consists of all my Aunts and Uncles and cousins and their kids come over for a get together. There were 37 of us on the day and although they had predicted rain, we had the absolute opposite and it was sunny, hardly a breeze and quite warm. We shared a lovely meal together which everyone contributed to and then just enjoyed each others company. We try to do this at least once or twice a year and this year it was our turn to host it. A great day was had by all.

Dreamworld Again

Well we finally made it back to Dreamworld again to get our moneys worth from our Annual tickets before they ran out. We had another great day. These are a few of the pictures taken on the day.

The boys were very excited to see the Stretch Hummer. I don't think they were really that excited about it being pink but they love Hummers so seeing one as big as this was pretty exciting.

Zach's Birthday take two

Playing with his new present from Aunty Roslyn, Uncle Greg and the girls.

Lighting the birthday cake (we had to have another one of course)

Zach enjoying the moment

Zach having his first ride on the new go-cart he received from Nanna and Grandad. It was a complete hit and we have since found out it goes pretty fast down the side yard on the sloping grass much to the kids delight - no injuries yet to report thank goodness.

Pool in use

Molly our cat taking a closer look at the pool - we have a rare cat that actually likes water and isn't afraid of it when sprayed with it, she just turns around and licks the water off so having a pool with her around might be quite interesting.

The boys decided if Molly could have a look then they could too!

Pool Underway

The area beside the house where the pool is going to go before the hole is dug the next day.

Collage of the days happenings over the week: (clockwise) boys watching the digger arrive; digger making the first dig; Lochie's drawing of the Pool going in at our house; both boys on the digger; boys in the sandpit role playing what was happening by digging their own pool with their toy digger and taking it away in their toy truck; digger loading up the truck with the dirt from the pool; end of day one with gravel at the bottom; steel and pipes now in place by day three ready for concrete; concrete going in on day four.

The pool at the end of day 5. It now sits for 4 weeks letting the concrete set completely before the next phase starts.

When we were looking for a new home, one of the inclusions we had planned on was a pool. Well we found the right house but it didn't have the pool so we decided to put one in after we moved in. This is the biggest project we have ever undertaken and we were a bit nervous (well I was) but now it's underway we are very excited and we all can't wait to have our first swim hopefully by the next school holidays.

Zach turns 4

Birthday Boy opening his presents on the morning of his birthday and his Pirate Birthday Cake. He was very happy to finally get some Lego for himself after always having to ask Lochie to play with his.

Zach getting ready to blow out his candles with Lochie and his cousins Luca, Finn and Greta on hand to help him.

Opening his present sent to him from Germany. He was so excited to see it was a plane as he has taken a real interest into planes and helicopters of late. Thank you Rostalski Family once again for your most generous present that you sent over.

Zach finally turned four. It seemed like a long time coming as he has been talking about it for ages and has been asking when it will be his Birthday. This is because we had said that when he turned 4 that he could get some lego for his Birthday and he really wanted it as he loves playing with Lochie's lego much to Lochie's dismay as he sometimes breaks Lochie's lego just after he has made something. We had a lovely day with morning tea with Jason's family coming over to help celebrate and Zach chosing a special dinner for that night as well.

Fun at Home

Lauren, Ellen & Olivia outside and enjoying the sunshine.

The kids rolling down the grass at the side of our house. I remember doing this when I was young but definitely not in my own backyard - how cool is that.

My two beautiful boys actually sitting nicely and still enough for a photo together.

One morning we were just at home and Lochie had shown me earlier how he could roll down the grass hill at the side of our house. Well soon enough all the kids were out and everyone was having a go. So much fun and laughter.

School Holiday Fun

On the bus.

Kids having a look at one of the displays at the Museum.

Zach and Lochie the scary dinosaurs well actually pretty happy looking dinosaurs really

Lochie and Zach's surrealist sculptures that they made at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and then we emailed home to us. Very clever indeed using just every day items as art.

My sister Ros and her three girls came down from Toowoomba over the holidays to warm up and spend a bit of time with us so we decided to head in town on the bus and go to the Museum and GOMA which we have been promising them to do on previous holidays but haven't had a chance to do or you know - brisbane floods! - yes that was when we had last planned to go. Anyway we had a great day and even got to see a dance display by some Torres Strait Islander people which was great and the girls even went down and had a go at the dancing - not my boys though. We all slept well that night.

School Sports Day 2011

Lochie's Team Joyner all ready to go for the day after their march past the crowd of parent supporters.

Lochie competing in one of the many sporting tabloid events they had to compete in at the beginning of the day.

At the starting point for his running race. Hands at the ready in racing stance.

At home at the end of the day proud as punch with his ribbon for coming second in his race. His team also came first overall so that was very exciting as well.