Old (and perhaps a little crazy?)

SHHHH, don't tell anyone, but today is mum's birthday.  

If you ask her how old she is, she is likely to stop and think for a long time before she comes up with an answer.  For ages mum told us, and everyone else, that she was 27.   I think that she was 27 for about 10 years, even before she was 27.  Once we worked out that she couldn't be 27 forever, she started to use her real age for a while.  Apparently remember what her real age was was far too difficult so now she has decided that she will be 42 for a few years.

Don't believe her though, she really is only 38, but don't tell her that we told you!

Happy Birthday Mum

We hope you had a great birthday mum and will enjoy your relaxing weekend away

Love AJ and Milla, the best kids in the world 

A Letter to My 11 Year Old

Dear AJ,

This time 11 years ago my world changed, you entered my world.

I can't believe how fast that time has flown by, it seems like only yesterday.  Tomorrow you start Grade 6.  I know that this year will be big and exciting for both of us.  There will be so many changes and challenges that take place but know that I will always be by your side, supporting and encouraging you.  

You have grown to be an amazing young guy.  One who is caring and understanding, brave and smart,  perhaps a little lazy but very cheeky and definitely easily excitable.  I look forward to watching you grow even more.  It won't be long before you are bigger and stronger than me.  Already we can share shoes and some hockey gear.  You love ice hockey and have been playing for a few years now.  This year you start development league and you will get to play real games.

I love that you still like to curl up on the couch next to me for a snuggle.  I love that you are not too big to want to hold hands as we walk together.  I love even more that you still want a cuddle-kiss every day when we say goodbye to one another and again at bed time.  Somedays I wish you would cut your long scraggly hair, other days I would be happy if you would simply drag a comb through it so I can see your gorgeous smiling face!

AJ - I loved you with all my heart then and I love you even more now
Love your very proud Mama xo

Growing Up

Do you know what the coolest thing about growing up is?  It is actually growing UP, and by that I mean getting taller.

Almost as tall as Nan with my skates on!

I am guessing that this time next year I will be taller than Nan.  Look out Pop, it won't be long before I catch you too!

Thanks for coming all the way to Melbourne to hang out with me for my birthday.
Love AJ Pickle, the birthday boy

Almost 11

Goodnight my cheeky monkey.  Sleep well and see you when you are 11  :-)

Guess who is 9 - Birthday Boo

I went to bed last night as an 8 year old and woke up as a 9 year old... that also meant that I woke up to a pile of presents that were all for me!

I am 'one in a million' - that's what the card said!

Present Time!

Trying to guess what is inside

Yippee, just what I wanted

How to wear new skate pants!

The best present EVER!

How about that for a ginormous pile of presents!

Happy birthday to me and let the Festival of Boo begin,

Love Princess George

Hunger Games

Have you read the Hunger Games series or even watched the Hunger Games movie?  I have and I have to say the books were awesome, so was the movie!  I'm not the only one who loves the Hunger Games, it is the most popular game to play at school.  The Hunger Games are so popular that some of my friends organised a Hunger Games birthday party.   

We all had to go to this big property in the bush where the games were held.  We split up into teams to represent each of the districts and then off we ran, up and down the hills and through the bush, trying to zombie-afy one another.  (Instead of killing one another and being out of the game, anyone 'killed' became a zombie and tried to create even more zombies.)   

We all had water guns, weapons made from paper or sticks we found as we ran through the bush.  I managed to get the coolest water gun from the stash at the cornucopia to use in the games.  (Hey Santa, I think a water gun like this might just make it to the top of my Christmas wish list!)

There was so much room to run wild, even little sisters and brothers were allowed to join in the games.  It meant there were more players to make into zombies!

I just have to say, that was the coolest birthday party EVER!  I had an awesome time and managed to survive the games without becoming a zombie.

Love AJ Pickle

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

Sundays In My City #6 - Adventures Last Month

We are joining in with Sundays in our City again with Unknown Mami.  We were hoping to show you some photos from our weekend but other than having another billion photos of me playing soccer again (it was the local derby, Gold v Blue) we didn't have a camera with us.  Now let me just list all the things we didn't take photos of... ice skating, the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics, inline skating in the park, a barbecue in a different park, going to a baby shower for Fredwood, exploring Docklands some more and going to the ice hockey.  All of this in just one weekend and we don't have any pictures AT ALL of our adventures - EPIC FAIL!  Instead we will have to show you a few pictures of just another typical weekend.  

Now in this typical weekend we still had ice skating and soccer but also a birthday party, a birthday dinner, a chance to explore new areas and go geocaching.  

Look what happens when you let a 4 year old do your face painting!

Zombie Boo!

There is always time to tempt fate and jump from rock to rock through a creek!

Surprisingly he didn't fall in!

This treasure took a little while to find but it was well worth the hunt.

The best ever geocache hide!

If you want to join in the fun of Sundays in my City, it doesn't have to be a Sunday or even in a city, click on over to Unknown Mami.

Party Time!

It seems that mum isn’t the only one feeling guilty that I didn’t get to celebrate my 10th birthday with my whole family.  Nan and pop must have been feeling guilty too because I had a small party there with my Yarrawonga friends, then when I went home we had another cake day and of course more presents at our place on my actual birthday! 

(if I can find any pics from pop I will put them here!)

Now that mum is back from India, I get to have a birthday party with my friends too.  We headed down to Adventure Park in Geelong

I think that a water park is the best place to hang out with friends for a birthday!

Oh and of course there was more cake.

Now that I have finished ALL my birthday celebrations, I must officially be ten!

Love AJ Pickle

Pre-birthday birthday celebrations

Mum is going off on a crazy adventure and she won’t be here for my birthday.  Of course I will be sad that mum won’t be here to celebrate my real birthday, but it won’t be all bad.  I get to celebrate my birthday early, at the time of my birthday and then again when mum gets back from India.  

I am pretty sure that I will be extra spoilt because mum feels extra guilty, you can tell by the early birthday presents AND the triple layer pre-birthday cake!

Happy almost birthday to me!

Love AJ Pickle

Party with Friends

In our house we have strange 'rules' about birthday parties. Now that we are at school, the rule is you can have 2 or 3 people over to do something special, maybe go to a movie or have a sleep over OR you can have 4 or 5 friends over after school for afternoon tea in the park. I have so many friends that I didn't know what to do. Eventually I decided to have afternoon tea in the park so I could invite 5 friends and then the friends who lived near me would just come over to the park anyway.

When I sat down to write my guest list and invitations I got stuck. How could I choose 5 class mates when there are only 7 other girls in my class. Eventually I convinced mum and dad that it wouldn't be fair to not invite only 2 people so ALL the girl in my class were invited to come over.

We all walked home from school together and when we got home we all put on some of my precious costumes and went to the park for afternoon tea. We all had a great time eating yummy treats, playing games, climbing trees oh and of course eating birthday cake. (I helped to make my cake - ice cream cake!)

Once all of my friends had gone home, it was time for me to go home too. Guess what was waiting for me at home? More cards and presents.

Look at the ace present from Sharn, Dave and Harry!

I love being six.

Love Princess George

Celebrating at School

Mum came to visit me at school with a huge tray of treats for me and all my class mates to celebrate my birthday. It was great to have everyone sing Happy Birthday to me and share a snack together at the end of the school day.

Do you know what made it even more special? My Aunty Sharn came along too and Harry had his first visit to school - on my birthday!

Hooray for birthdays,

Love Princess George

Almost Six

Goodnight to a beautiful 5 year old.

Look what will be waiting for you when you are 6.

Happy Birthday Boo,

Love Mum and Dad

Old People are Funny

Did you know that when people get old they start to do crazy things. You see, it was our neighbour's birthday yesterday so to celebrate they (the grown ups and not the kids) all went out to a huge party in the city. They all dressed up as someone else and went out together.

Dad was dressed up as some guy who plays old people music. (Angus Young from ACDC)

Mum was dressed up as Paula (as Candi, All American Goddess)

Paula was dressed up as Cher

and the birthday boy started off as the Construction Guy from some olden days band but instead of staying in that costume he got changed twice,

first as a girl from ABBA (in a strange costume mum made)

and then as a flight attendant.

I have seen heaps of photos from the party and I really wish that I could have gone along, it looks like it was heaps of fun and I love wearing dress ups too!

Love Princess George

Birthday Wishes

Today I went to a birthday party, to celebrate the birthday of a great friend I have known all of my life. Look at what the birthday girl did to me...

Luckily it was fun and we got to eat party food!

Happy birthday Amelia,

Love Princess George

Another Busy Day

How did you spend your Saturday?  I bet it wasn't as much fun as my day.  First I went to my friends birthday party where we made our own birthday treats.  Then I had to rush back from that birthday party to go to another birthday party.  

At this birthday party, we had a fashion show.  It wasn't a typical fashion show, for this fashion show, we had to make our own clothes.  Now you are probably thinking that making clothing for a fashion show isn't that difficult for a group of talented girls, but it is a little more difficult when all you can use to make your outfit is aluminium foil!

This is the outfit that my team designed and made.  

I thought it was fantastic.  Unfortunately it wasn't the best outfit of the day, it was the second best.  Even as the second best outfit, we still won a prize, and it was delicious!

I had a fantastic day celebrating the birthday of my friends.  I hope you had a great day too.

Love Princess George

The Story of the Turtle, the Crocodile and the Monitor

We wanted to do something special for Dad's birthday but we weren't sure what we should do.  We waited until we were pretty sure that it wasn't going to rain all day then we packed a huge picnic and jumped into the car for the long drive out to the Healesville Sanctuary.  

We have only been to Healesville Sanctuary once before and that was ages and ages ago, when Milli was a baby so it was almost like going somewhere completely new all over again.

We had an awesome time picnicing and exploring.  Our timing was impeccable we managed to see the Birds of Prey, the parrot show, pat a goanna, cuddle a wallaby as well as all the normal things like see fruit foxes, lyrebirds, kangaroos, platypus, tassie devils and wombats.  The best part of the whole day was visiting the reptile area and that brings me to my story, the story of the Turtle, the Crocodile and the Monitor.

You see, just as we walked into the reptile exhibit they began feeding the turtles, crocodiles and the monitors that were sharing a home.  Of course they all wanted to eat the same fish but they all had different ways to try and get the fish.  

The monitors were super fast, the turtle was much slower and the crocodile had no idea at all.  Generally the monitors would get the fish because they were so fast.  The turtle worked pretty hard to get to his food and sometimes he was lucky and just seemed to be in the right place at the right time. 

Eventually there was only one fish left in the tank.  The monitors didn't seem to be interested in any more food and swam right by it so the turtle saw his chance.  Up he swam, along the edge of the tank.  

He spotted a gap between the glass wall of its tank and one of the logs in his habitat and through it he went - almost.  The turtle got stuck.  He was wedged in there tight.   He kept on swimming and pushing, trying to squeeze through the gap.  We were all cheering him on, 'Go, turtle, come on, you can do it!'  Soon our cheers became panicked cries, 'Hurry up turtle, the crocodile is headed your way.  Hurry up!'  

It seemed like it was taking forever but eventually the turtle made his way through the tiny gap to get the fish.  Go super turtle!

Unfortunately the crocodile had spied the last fish in the tank also and was headed towards it.  Just as the turtle grabbed the fish, the crocodile snapped.  He missed the fish but he had caught something.  Oh no, the turtle had caught the turtle by the neck.  Thinking that he had the fish, the crocodile swam away dragging the turtle with him.  

I don't know if the crocodile decided that turtles don't taste very nice or if the turtle was really a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and was super strong but somehow he escaped the jaws of the crocodile.  It was totally cool to watch!  Go turtle!  THE END

So that is the story of the Turtle, the Crocodile and the Monitor.  Here are a few more photos from our day at Healesville Sanctuary to show you just how amazing it is.

Happy birthday Dad,

Love AJ Pickle

An Almost Birthday

Soon it is Daddy's birthday.  The presents we have for dad are all wrapped and sitting on the table, just waiting until it is his birthday so he can open them.  I even wrote invitations to a special birthday party for daddy.

Everyone (dad, mum, AJ, nan, pop, Sharn and Dave) came to the party and played party games.  I even convinced mum that we should have some birthday cake a day early as a part of the birthday party.  Of course once you have had a party and eaten cake it is time to open presents, even if it isn't your real birthday!

Dad loved his presents - lego and an iPhone.

Happy almost birthday Dad.  I wonder what we will do to celebrate dad's actual birthday?  

Love Princess George

YAY - More Cake

We had to have more birthday cake today.  

This time it was for Aunty Sharn's birthday.  

Happy Birthday Sharn, I hope you had a great day.

Love Princess George

Back in Melbourne

Guess who is back in Melbourne?  Well me of course, but Davey Doovie arrived yesterday and he is going to live here.  (Well not here, in my house but just up the road at Aunty Sharns!)

I know that Aunty Sharn was worried that she wouldn't have as much time to spend with us, but really it just means that I have someone else really cool to hang out with!  I am sure that I can work really hard to convince him to barrack for Essendon too and we can go to the footy together.

Welcome Davey and happy birthday too!

Love AJ Pickle