End of School 2016

Andrew finished school mid-January, so we got him around a little bit more!  He still spent a lot of time studying, but the hours weren't as long.  Playgroups were winding up for the year and we had to start getting ready for Christmas and the arrival of the parents Cahoon!

We hadn't gone in Charlie's sand tent for a while and grass had grown through!  He thought that was pretty cool

Charlie's trains had outgrown the house, so we moved them to the garage for better layout options!

We bought seasons passes to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary since our Tuesday playgroup is cancelled for next year, we're going to need something to keep us entertained!

Decorating the tree

You can buy food to feed the kangaroos, neither Charlie nor Elly were scared of them which was great!

Elly tried to climb into the water trough - in her defence it was a hot day!

Elly has a new-found love of dressing up!

Decorating trees at playgroup!

 

You cant really tell but Elly has shoes on and then sandles!

making some ornaments for the tree

At the last playgroup the kids got presents (books)

We went to the Bunnings family Christmas party and Elly and Charlie had a blast!!  It was in the car park so Elly was filthy afterwards!

Back To "Real" Life

It's funny that our "real life" involves living in Australia that everyone back home thinks is so cool and exotic, but to us it's just normal!  We were actually quite happy to get back, because while it was nice to be with family and friends, it was not nice to have no schedule and no space to ourselves!  Our kids do extremely well with routine and that was non-existent in Canada!  There is so much for us to do in Australia and it was fun to get back to it!

This is Charlie and Elly at two in the morning right after getting back - they think it's the middle of the day and are ready to play!

Elly taking over Charlie's digger!  She loves all things trains, diggers and cars!

We have made it over to the Orion Lagoon a few times to cool off

Elly likes to drink smoothies that are almost as big as her! 

Before my haircut

After - it was horrible! I had to go somewhere else and get it fixed the next week.... got it a bit more layered and shorter, sad I don't have a different after picture - it's just so hot my hair is always up!

Our ward had a campout by the river - we didn't camp but came to check it out!

Gold Coast beach time!

We bought a van!  it was down on the Gold Coast which is why we made a day of it and went swimming!

One of Ellys favourite things - popsicles! 

Daniel gave Elly this dress for her birthday - she looks adorable!

Charlie was so clever and rigged this up at the train museum for transporting his things around

Charlie's getting brave - and climbing the spiderweb!

Not many parks here have sand so Charlie loves it when we get to them - this one even has a cool digger!

Charlie filled up his potty chart and got Tidmouth Shed

She's just so cute!

Squeezing orange juice at playgroup

Picnic in the Park

Charlie was so concerned that Elly was going to throw her hat overboard that he held it on her head...

For a special treat we set up the train set on the table

Carving watermelons at the YSA Halloween party

Doughnuts on a string (the YSA are keeping us young!)

Charlie's halloween costume - who else but Thomas! 

Charlie being a train and hauling Elly at the train museum

Airplane park!

At the drive in movie park they have a seedoo - Elly loved it!

We had a sweet hail storm!

Charlie thought it was pretty cool

We went through the Target catalogue and Charlie picked out the things he wanted to put on his Christmas list!  He even made a list for Elly.  On the list?  A stroller (on his and Elly's list), a lightning McQueen track, Thomas minis racetrack, a monster truck and a Frozen ice castle dollhouse (Elly's had a dollhouse too, but a different one so they could share)

seeds at the library this month was african drumming - Charlie refused to get involved and Elly was all in - she loves music and dancing and drumming - she's such a little performer!

This was a neat chair the guy brought to sit and do your drumming - Elly thought it was just her right size!