Happy Days

Sometimes the simplest of days are just the nicest, aren't they?  When you don't plan to particularly do anything and the empty day lies ahead of you, full of promise.  Today has been one of those days.

We started with Ruben and I walking the dogs in the park - glorious blue skies, no-one else around, just lovely.  Then we spent the day just kinda hanging out.  We braved the pool for a while, I was the only one brave (ie stupid) enough to actually swim in it, rather than just stand there going "oooh it's freeeezing!".

We sat in the sun whilst the kids played indoors and Aggie snoozed on the sofa, then we had a bbq for tea and packed the kids into bed by 7pm sharp.  Great stuff!

The ballet yesterday was fantastic too - Sleeping Beauty performed by the Western Australia Ballet.  The kids were really well behaved throughout it all too which was lovely. Even Agatha seemed to enjoy it - though that may have been that I was plying her with fruit pastilles for most of it!

Tomorrow is a public holiday then it's 2 weeks school hols - hope I'll be topping up my tan!

Love to everyone in Blighty - hope the Autumn is suiting you all nicely.x

Happy Birthday to you....your majesty!

It's the Queen's birthday on Monday, which means it's a public holiday - woohoo!  Actually, if I were being pedantic, I'd tell you it's not actually the Queen's birthday in September - it's in June. Which is when the rest of Australia celebrate it.  Here, however in WA, it is decreed that we will celebrate the monarch's birthday based on when the kids break up from school and when the Perth Royal Show is.  WA is indeed a law unto itself!

The rest of Australia apparently also has Daylight Saving Time, but WA decided it wasn't a great idea, so we don't.  It makes me wonder if it was just to complicated a concept for them to implement.

It's been a fairly busy week in the Thompson household so far.  At the weekend we ventured north, through Swan Valley, up to Walyunga national park.  The kids had a great time climbing on rocks, finding sticks and the like.  Apparently the river that runs through there is the best white water rafting to be found in Australia.

Pretty, isn't it?

Grace has a trail ballet lesson tomorrow which she's very excited about and I had my initial appraisal at the gym today.  Agatha had a wonderful time in the creche at the gym and didn't want to come home.

It's Paul's birthday on Thursday (for all of those who haven't sent him a card yet!) and we're going to see Sleeping Beauty on Saturday, performed by Western Australia Ballet - apparently the set is so huge they had to move the show to a larger theatre.

We haven't told the kids about it - partly to avoid Grace getting too excited, and partly to stop Ruben from trying to get out of it!


Not sure if I've already mentioned this, but I've got an iPhone 4 on order - too exciting, eh?  Apple have woefully underestimated the demand over here and hence the average waiting time is 5 weeks.  Hopefully I won't have to wait that long!

So that's it - nothing more to report, folks!

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to those few people that follow my blog, either publicly (or privately - you stalkers, you!!)

Sunday, bloody Sunday

Ups and downs today, ups and downs folks....

Ups
1. Grace's fave film is Mama mia, and she was watching it for the umpteenth time this morning. Aggie is pretty intrigued by it too, bless her. The bit where Julie Walters falls in the water Aggie jumped up and shouted "NANNY!!" at the tv.

<------- My gorgeous mom

My mom, gorgeous as she is, bears a striking resemblance to the British comedienne and always has done. Very funny that Agatha should notice it though!


2. Paul took the girls and the dogs to Scarborough dog beach this morning. He tells me it was really hard work and that the girls fought over the bucket and spade and that Aggie screamed none stop at the waves (mild Sea-phobia for some reason!) but actually I think they all had a pretty good time.

Funnily enough, I don't see that she's screaming here, do you?

3. Paul has finally had his hair cut, after 4 months of looking like a yeti we shaved it all off today. He officially looks ten years younger. I did it with our Wahl clippers and left an attractive Aussie mullet at the back. I did take pics for this blog but decided against publishing them - far too embarrassing!

4. Whilst shopping yesterday, I tried on a cute silver key pendant and have now decided that my life is incomplete without one. On searching the net for them this morning I discovered that the one I tried on was a Tiffany copy of a range of keys that came out last year.......

On discussing this discovery with Paul he naturally had no idea why I "needed" such an item but I think I've managed to negotiate a deal whereby I'll be a proud owner of the real deal before Xmas arrives. How, I here you cry - well, that's for me to know, and you to, well, you'll have to guess what the deal is I've struck! ;-)








Downs

1. Ruben was attacked in the park by a dog. A young Staffy cross who is exhuberant to say the least. The dog seemed to think that Ruben wanted to play, but his version of playing was to grab R's jumper in his teeth and scratch him pretty hard on his bottom. :-( R is ok, a bit shook up and has some pretty bad scratches but he'll live. Not a great end to a lovely weekend.

2. Top gear is on. Again. And the Grand Prix......nuff said.

Easy, Breezy Saturdays

Did I mention that last weekend we took the stabilisers off Ruben's bike? He was indeed crapping himself about the idea of riding without them, but at the age of "almost 6", we deemed it was time.

He wibbled and he wobbled and got very pee'd off with cracking his shins on the pedals, but a week later, he has absolutely cracked it! He can now push off by himself, and ride in a pretty good straight line. BIG UP THE RUBE-STER!

Grace is quite keen to hang on to her stabilisers for the moment......but watch this space!

We've spent a pretty chilled out Saturday - took the kids to the park this morning with the dogs - kids on bikes etc. And this afternoon we took Paul to see the 'roos at Pinnaroo which was nice then off to Whitford Shopping Centre for some retail therapy.

Ruben spent all his pocket money on a Lego Hero somethingorother (note to Aunty Becky - can you send him one for his birthday? ;-)) and Grace got more teensy weensy Polly Pocket stuff. Agatha came away with a baby kangaroo which she has taken to bed with her - awwwwww.

Even though it's Paul birthday next week I was treated to a cool pair of clog sandals and some funky khaki extreme cuff sandals too, though need to experiment with these to avoid the dreaded "cankle scenario" - ideas gratefully received.

Tomorrow we are planning a picnic if the weather brightens up.

Love to mom , who's holidaying somewhere pretty with her main man.

Love to Bek, who may be ironing a strange man's pants as I type.....

Hi to the Caveens who will be joining us shortly. :-)

Happy Father's Day!

Today has been Father's Day in Australia, and they make a pretty big thing of it over here. Ruben and Grace spent all week making gifts and cards and they were presented this morning with much excitement.

We spent the day with the Burfords, first visiting Fremantle Prison, which was pretty interesting.
The history of Fremantle Prison dates back to the early beginnings of Western Australia and its role in the development of this State is unparalleled. It is the largest convict built structure in Western Australia and the most intact convict establishment in the nation.

On 01 August 2010, Fremantle Prison became the first built environment in Western Australia to be included on the World Heritage list. It's inscription on the World Heritage list was part of a serial nomination with ten other Australian Convict Sites.

We saw lots of grim and depressing things, such as tiny prison cells and the hangman's noose, all of which was hugely fascinating to Ruben!

These pics were taken inside the prison chapel where you can now have your wedding, should you be that peverse.....

We all then trooped down into Freo which was incredibly busy. It was a lovely sunny day, so everyone had had the same idea as us! We had a wander round Freo market where they were having a Father's Day oyster shucking competition, then went down to the harbour.

All the restaurants were packed to the rafters so we did the sensible thing and bought fish and chips and sat in the park with our bottles of fizzy pop - bliss!

All in all, a great day in great company, and best of all the kids are all now fast asleep - hurrah!

Roo and 'roos

So, although Ruben seems to be getting on pretty well at school, I thought I'd go have a quick chat with his Teacher yesterday, just to make sure.

It turns out that he's one of the more, erm, physical boys in the class. Apparently he's constantly having to be told "keep your hands on your own body" or "keep your hands to yourself" by the teachers. This isn't a huge worry for me, he's always been quite touchy-feely, but apparently he's getting quite aggressive if kids don't play his game or whatever.

So, out comes the reward chart, backed by teacher, and we'll see if it helps at all. Poor kid doesn't know which way is up right now.

On a lighter note, "Don the dog walker" who I meet occasionally in the park is always telling me to take the kids to see the kangaroos in Pinnaroo memorial park. So we did, yesterday after school.

It was amazing to see loads of roos just hanging out in the sun, the coolest part being those with little joeys snuggled in their pouches - too cute!

Sorry the vid gives you neck ache, I never get this right!