Showtime

Now it is nothing new to everyone but for some reason, mum and dad really don't like going to the show.  Mum mutters something about all the crowds, the crazy and the cost and then says something along the lines of "Lets go to a country show instead!"  Of course she has said that for the last few years but have we ever made it to a show anywhere?  NO!

This year we took matters into our own hands.  A quick call to Aunty Sharn and we found out that she was going to the show and we could go with her.  How awesome was that.

We spent hours looking at the different show bags online to find not only a show bag that we liked but one that mum wouldn't take one look at and decide to throw out saying it was full of 'plastic crap'.

Finally, show day arrived and we were up bright and early.  We were armed with our list of 'approved show bags', a packed lunch, drinks and snacks as well as 'truck-loads of cash' when we went to Sharn's house.  As soon as Sharn's other friends arrived, we wandered over to the show and the madness began.

First stop was the show bag hall and that was where catastrophe struck.  All of the show bags on AJ's approved list were sold out.  A quick call to mum who was at work and AJ had approval to get a different show bag.  (I think mum must have been flustered - she would never have agreed to AJ's next choice of show bag!)

Check out the sensational specs from our show bags!

Love the shades!

Next it was time to get out and see the sights.  We watched some awesome displays in the grand arena.  We were a little disappointed that it was too windy for the stunt motorbikes to get out and do their crazy tricks but our disappointment ended pretty quickly when the stunt utes were in action instead.

Then there were rides to be had.

Cruisin round

Can you believe that we were at the show all day long and still didn't get a chance to see everything.  I wonder if mum and dad will still let us go to a country show so that we can see the things we didn't get to see here?

Thanks for an awesome day Aunty Sharn, any chance you can take us to the show again next year?
Love AJ and Milla

Friendly Soccer

The soccer season might be over but we were invited to play in a friendly match against one of the other teams in the competition.  Of course we said yes and a mixed team, some from blue and some from gold, headed out to play. 

It was great to be back out on the soccer pitch again.

 

Unfortunately we didn't win but we did have a great time playing again.  

Of course we sang our team song, this time at the start and the end of the game.  

Then the other team even asked us to join them for a team photo.

I love soccer and the friends that I have made playing.  I love that the other team thought that we were such good sports (we really are) during the season that they invited us to play against them in a friendly match.  I can't wait till the season starts again next year.

Love Princess George

Daisy Chains

A few years ago mum taught me how to make daisy chains and now, every Spring I look forward to being able to make more. 

 There were so many daisies in the streets around nan and pop's place and down near the lake that I could have spent all day long picking daisies.

I didn't have enough time to sit there all afternoon, instead I picked a bunch to make a chain (or 2) so that I had a necklace to wear back to Melbourne.

I hope you are lucky enough to enjoy the beautiful spring weather too.
Love Princess George.

Sundays in my City #21 - Local Creativity

Well it has been a crazy busy week, and a crazier than usual weekend for us that has included 6 hours in the car, a surprise 70th birthday party (x 2), an extra bus trip with family, a visit to a winery, a walking by the lake, making daisy chains and even a spot of relaxing in the sunshine.  Of course, not much of that has been recorded yet but hopefully it will be soon.

In the meantime, is a sample of just some of the creativity I spot when I go for a wander along the river.

Under the train bridge

I love the collection of handmade ceramic tiles that are fixed to different locations along the way.

 I have to admit that I am not a huge dog person but I would love to find out who the artist is one day and thank them for providing a treasure hunt for me as I wander.   

OK, so this one isn't as creative, but it is new and quite amusing.

Graffiti on the bike path

And finally we make it to my destination, the Heavenly Queen Temple.  It is still a work in progress but so beautiful.  I can't wait until the temple is complete and open so I can really enjoy the beauty and serenity.

If you want to join in the fun of Sundays in my City too, click on over to Unknown Mami.

70 x 2

Friday was a pretty special day, it was the day that our Nanna Pat and her twin sister Aunty/Nanny Bette celebrated their 70th birthdays.  We know Aunty/Nanna Bette isn't really our Nanna, she is our great aunt but since they are twins and they look so alike, sometimes we get confused and we just call them both Nanna!

Aunty/Nanna Bette and Nanna Pat - 70 years and 1 day old!

The nannas didn't know about it, but the kids, grandkids and some of the nieces and nephews had a surprise planned, we had organised to all go out for lunch together and then to a winery.  First we had to get everyone there.  Now I guess most people would just meet wherever we were going but this is no ordinary family, this is a family that likes to have fun, so we all caught a bus out to lunch!

I am pretty sure all the trouble makers are up the back!

We headed out to Byramine Homestead for a great lunch and birthday cake, as well as an explore of the area.  The kids got to have a party lunch - can you imagine just how crazy it was with so many of us hyped up on junk food and fizzy drink!

Some of the boys, replenishing the energy supplies.

Most of the adults didn't mind, they were enjoying some of this!

Drinks for the grown-ups

Even when we caught the bus back to town, the party wasn't over.  Really, it was just beginning.  There was more food, more cake and more fizzy drink for everyone.  I think there were some pretty tired and grumpy party folk this morning!

Thanks for sharing your special day with us Nanna Pat and Aunty/Nanna Bette,  we love you.

Love AJ and Milla

Chasing Ghosts

One of the coolest things about hanging out with our huge extended family is having someone awesome to hang out with.  I spent most of the time hanging out with my second cousin, imagining what it would be like if we grew up in a place like this.

Of course we would share a bedroom and be the best of friends.  

In "our" room

We would wear some beautiful clothes just like these

And then when we are all dressed up beautifully, we would sit down and have afternoon tea.

Tea Time?

Of course we don't really live in a place anything like this, so when we stopped imagining that we did, we started to learn more about the house.  We found out that the house was haunted so we went ghost hunting.

We are pretty sure that we heard the ghost saying "Over here", or perhaps that was just one of the boys running around outside the house.  We think we saw a girl hiding in the curtains of one of the bedrooms and we took a photo but we aren't too sure.  Even if the house isn't haunted, we freaked each other out and spent heaps of time squealing in fright and running away.  Perhaps it wouldn't be so much fun really live here.
Love Princess George

In the Olden Days

I know mum and dad think that all we did when we went to Nanna's birthday party was run wild, eat junk food and drink fizzy drink but it wasn't just about the party stuff, we got to learn heaps about life in the olden days.

The party was at Byramine Homestead near Yarrawonga.  It was built a really long time ago, it was one of the first house in the area.  Mrs Hume, the person that owned the house had it built so that she could feel safe living there with her 9 children after her husband died.  The house was an unusual shape and design.  There was a room in the middle of the house that was octagonal where you could pretty much see into every other room or hallway in the house.  If she felt afraid, there were plenty of hiding places, every room had some removable floor boards so that they could climb down into a cellar space to stay safe.  It was pretty amazing.  I loved being able to walk down into the cellar and then climb out through the floor boards on the verandah!

The kitchen was in the building where the servants lived!

Do you know what else I noticed?  The kitchen was outside the house, in it's own little house.

They had people live with them who did all the cooking.  I think mum would love to have someone live with us to do all of the cooking!

There was a sewing machine there so instead of the cooking mum would be able to make heaps of stuff instead.  She would make all of our clothes, our blankets, our toys.  Pretty much anything we needed she would have to make





The bedrooms were pretty big, but the beds seemed to be small.  I think that in a year or so I would be too big for the beds and my feet would be hanging over the end of them.

I also noticed that there wasn't really a bathroom there either, that would mean no showers for me.  I would have to wash a little bit, using a pitcher of water and a basin but that really wouldn't count.





There was also heaps of places to play outside and trees to climb.  This is one of the oldest non-native trees in all of Victoria!

I love going on adventures and imagining that I lived in different places but as fun as it is to try for a little while, I am glad that when I get home we have electricity, hot water and a fridge full of food!
Love AJ Pickle

A Conversation

Dad:  I think that you were asleep when I went to say good night to you last night so I thought I would give you 2 cuddle kisses tonight to make up for it.

Daughter:  That's OK Dad, we all do silly things some times!

Linking up with Sarah for Funny Things Kids Say

Sundays in my City #20 - Unplanned Adventures

Today is Father's Day in Australia so logic would say this would be a post of how we spent the day as a family, enjoying each others company and relaxing.  Unfortunately that isn't how the day panned out.  Instead I spent all day at work and the rest of the family had an 'interesting' day that included a trip to the dental hospital.

Yesterday AJ had an ulcer in his mouth hat was uncomfortable but he woke today and was in a considerable amount of pain and he couldn't close his mouth properly.  It turns out that he had an infection in his tooth so he had it extracted.

Waiting

Extraction in Action

Extracted!

I have to say that I am glad that I wasn't there.  I am so proud of him for not freaking out, and despite the considerable pain, he isn't afraid of the dentist!

Yes, a gruesome way to spend a Sunday, be thankful that I didn't post the video!

If you want to join in the fun of Sundays in my City too, click on over to Unknown Mami.