Ninja star attack time...

Josh and Jackson folded diligently for a long time. I made a couple of pairs of earrings and had breakfast in the meantime...

Then the battle commenced. All three boys got in on it, then Russell also joined in. Oh, what fun... They even all made sure they wore sunnies or glasses to protect themselves...

They let each other have it. Ganging up on one another was funny to watch and all done in good fun ;)

Blessings,

What a shot!!!

Picture this... My eldest is jumping on the trampoline. My youngest is hitting the ball with my hubby. I'm sitting and watching all three with two dogs at my feet, sunning themselves...

Ball is kicked by youngest but gets close to the trampoline so eldest catches it and  kicks it to hubby off the trampoline... Awesome shot. Awesome skills! ;)

Ahhhhh, fresh country air... Nothing beats it!

Blessings,

Such a hard life...

But someone's got to live it! This afternoon, it was my turn!

I've moved my hammock to the paved area, close to my beautiful rosemary plant. Ahhh, the smell... Ahhh, the peace and quiet... Ahhh, the serenity...

This was my view for a couple of hours this afternoon... Amongst some reading, listening to podcasts and snoozing ;)

Cheers

Skating reward...

My eldest got his Level 1 award last term... For his reward he wanted to go skating...

Today was that day. He's so confident so quickly. He also loved their choice of music. Takes my youngest a bit longer but he got there :)

Cheers

50yrs of Lego...

One of the shopping centres near where I work has been having experts putting a nice variety of large objects together... All out of Lego... Loved it as a kid and still do now :) Was devastated when we got rid of the heap of Lego we used to have as kids to come to Australia... Won't get rid of the lot we have for our boys... I might just get the urge to have a little play lol!

Cheers Damaris

Tired boy...

My baby sleeping...

Josh came to work with me a couple times now... Each time he goes up there one of the other workers also has her grandson come... They always have such a great time together but at the end of the day all he wants to do is sleep on the way home... One hour nap - how good is that. Wish I could join him but alas I must drive :)

Cheers Damaris

What the???

Something wrong with this picture lol

How can this be??? This was a game that I was playing with Joshua the other day... And those balls are not mine by the way... Yes, it is a VERY rare occurrence but this time it was Joshua's turn to do badly at Pool. Mind you it had been a while since we had played to that could be why...

I am going to go with... I was just brilliant on the day. lol

Cheers Damaris

New game for the family...

Another game to play :)

Russell found a new game for us to all play. :) It is called Battle Frontier... It is awesome and can get a little hairy :)

Another game to use when we have No Technology Monday or Low Electricity Wednesday :) :) :)

Cheers Damaris

Boys at work...

Josh on the left, Tim on the right...

Jumping from one to the other...

Last week I had a training session on at work... Was learning all about Makaton and Auslan... Am going get into that so that I can communicate better with the people I support, as well as with Margaret's James. :) Can't wait...

The boys off course had to try out the two massive trampolines that are there... They had a ball and had it not been so cold that early in the morning would have stayed on there...

Cheers Damaris

Decluttering time :)

Russell and Joshua playing in the shed :)

Russell has been in his shed playing... And throwing out a whole heap of stuff that he doesn't need. Yay!!! What a hoarder... So now with allot of things gone and the cubby being outside also we can again play table tennis. :) Boys are loving it and so are Russell and I :)

Cheers Damaris

Kids having fun...

While at the a party recently the boys both got a chance to ride something rather new to them... They got a chance to ride on Power Wings... They loved them... Shame we only have a dirt road around here... No use here whatsoever...

Cheers Damaris

She's on Fire :)

Go Mum :)

Joshua challenged Russell's Mum Erica to a couple of games of pool the other morning... Low Electricity Wednesday can bring out all sorts of game playing in him... He thought he would have an easy time with her...

Well he was in for a shock and she nearly flogged him both times... She sunk those balls... You should have seen her. She was Amazing :)

Go Mum :)

Cheers Damaris

This morning...

Both beds were made first thing this morning. :)

Joshua and Nick playing 'Stock Market'

Bailey was invited to also play. lol

Nova watching carefully, from the couch. lol

For the last four nights I have not slept well. Don't know what is going on... Might be the frogs keeping me up. Hope tonight is better...

Joshua had a little friend over for a sleepover last night and in the morning they got up really quietly so that I could keep snoozing... I heard them but left them to it. :)

Today is Wednesday, I know I shouldn't be on here but as Joshua is just with me I made an exception to the normal rule... That is that today we don't practice Low Electricity Wednesday. He didn't know that first thing in the morning though...

So they got up and make both their beds :) And then they proceeded and played a really old game of Russell's - Stock Market... It is from the early 70's. Russell taught Joshua during the holidays while cooped up with all the rain and now Joshua has taught Nick as well. :) Was so lovely to come out and see them playing so nicely together.

I got them their breakfast and then they continued playing. Joshua was so gracious and let Nick win... What a wonderful morning it was. :)

Cheers Damaris

Being taught by your child...

We have had a terrible time lately with all the flooding going on around the place. Nothing like Ipswich and Brisbane and Toowoomba and many other places but we have been cut off from the rest of the village for days at a time.

Joshua and Russell have been going through the whole lot of board games that we have. What a lovely stash...

This one Joshua taught me one day when Russell was busy in the shed. :) Thanks for taking the time, darling... And thanks for letting me beat the pants off ya :) hehe

Cheers Damaris

Our Camping Trip (Not)

Lots of German Rummy was played :)

Markus and his beloved Mustang...

Timothy feeding banana skins to a baby goat. :)

Lots of room for everyone. :)

Marshmallow time :)

We were all geared up and ready to go. It was 1.1.11 and we were on our way. Animals at home were kindly looked after by our lovely neighbour Garry...

We got through Brisbane and as soon as we hit the Bruce Highway to get to our camp site, it started pouring. This had been going on since 6am that morning, not that we knew as at home it was warm and sunny.

We went where the GPS told us to go, which ended up being the back way. Had no luck getting in there as there was a road closed due to flooding. We had allot of trouble backing up the trailer and car back up a hill so that we could turn around at a flat area and then go back. By this time my brother called and said that they had been to the campsite and it was way too boggy. The creek was way too swollen and there was debris coming down it. Way too dangerous for kids. All the sites were slippery as well.

He had been in contact with the park management for days prior and all was apparently fine up until the day that we were to arrive. Needless to say due to us cancelling on the day we didn't get a cent back. Keeping the 50% deposit was fine. I understand that they are running a business but for them to not even offer the other half for a future trip there was terrible. They end up making 100% of our money and then just resell the site. When I asked about the chance of getting the balance for a future visit I was chuckled at... Not nice. :(

The boys were so disappointed and needless to say I will not be attempting to go there again. Shame as apparently if dry it is a great site. My brother and his band of at least six families will not be back either. Shame on them...

Anyway a good outcome was had though as my brother and his lovely wife offered for us to backtrack to their place about 45 mins and stay with them for the time instead. We had a ball. They have a pool so that is where you mostly found the boys. All five of them. :) We went to a local waterhole as well. All the boys went to Redcliffe to a seaside pool on one of the days and my SIL, little sister and I went and visited my other sister in Hospital. Everyone had a great time and everyone flung themselves happily and tiredly into bed each night.

It was so nice to know that the boys had grown enough to not have to be supervised every two minutes as well. Gave us adults more room and a great time of relaxation...

We made our trip home on Tuesday and just missed another shower. Since last night though it has set in once again. One of our exits was still not crossable yesterday so will be up again now, well and truly. Won't take much for the other two exits to be under either...

We did get into Warwick yesterday to stock up on bread as well as milk and fruit so we are fine till we go in again on Tuesday hopefully. Russell's car is in for a service and a movie will be caught while we wait.

Cheers Damaris

Wii action...

Joshua in action. :)

Russell in action. lol

Yesterday afternoon I caught Joshua and Russell doing some Wii gaming... Joshua was getting into it but Russell preferred to just do it from the couch... And he didn't want me to take a photo of him in action...

So here they are :) lol

Cheers Damaris

Joshua and James, playing...

Boys being boys. :)

It was a pleasure to have James over last weekend. It was when Timothy has just left for BlueCare for four nights and was just before Joshua left for his camp at Tallebudgerra on the Gold Coast... Many people have gone in for the last few decades so I knew from their stories that he would have a ball. :)

Both the boys loved hanging out in my hammock. Had to make it clear though that yes, it was mine and no, you can't take it home with you. hehe

Was nice to watch them while I was hanging washing out :) :) :)

Good time was had by all. :)

Cheers Damaris

Chess time...

Love this chess board...

One thing I love to do once Timothy has left for school of a morning is set up a game of chess with Joshua. With Timothy I like to play at night by candle light. :)

Joshua is getting soooo much better too... This last week he has gotten me twice. He is getting awfully clever :) Timothy is also on the rise as far as expertise is concerned. :)

Absolutely love to play chess. Another game Joshua and I got out this week (which had not been played in a while) was Pictionary... Oh the laughter that filled the room as we try to beat the egg timer :) :) Think it is time for another game of UNO again soon too. :)

Now who needs a computer or DS when you can have so much fun with something made out of paper or stone...

Cheers Damaris

Away from the computer...

Timothy blew bubbles through his hand onto the water...

Joshua having a go as well :)

Love my Mondays and Wednesdays... No Technology Mondays and Low Electricity Wednesdays... Yep, Love them.

Yesterday had the kids out there doing stuff on the trampoline and the wind picked up just a little. Joshua decided to get some bubble mixture that I had gotten the week before and try out some things on it. Then Timothy got into it as well. :)

They ended up not only trying to make the biggest bubbles in the air but onto the water trough with water in it as well... I must say they are fantastic bubble blowers. :)

Enjoy the picture journey... I certainly had a ball watching them.

Cheers Damaris

Building time...

The poor pool umbrella...

Joshua in his new sandpit cubby... :)

We had this pile of underlay put there, oh a while ago, let me say it that way. :) Over time the boys have used it for making jumps for their bikes and currently it is being used as a sandpit. :)

The other day Joshua went fossicking around the place and found our umbrella that we used to use over our last pool... He is using it now as a shelter, clever boy...

Underneath there is room for four kids apparently... He was in there with a friend the other day while it was pouring outside yet they were nice and dry underneath it. :) They had a ball and Joshua is still working on it. It is always a work in progress off course. :)

Cheers Damaris