Random Phone Snaps

1. Play after school.
2. Saying hello to the chooks at Annmarie's school. Ben loves them. They roam all around the school and AM tells me they are always hanging around when they have morning tea and lunch. #freerange
3. Babyccino time.
4. Path into school.

 Facetime, it's just so cool.

Enjoying the Military Tattoo festivities in Avalon, which included a American Huey chopper, Ben and Annmarie ate snags (sausages), and we listened to bagpipes.

1. Peppa Pig trance.
2. Annmarie rocking the hike to the lighthouse.
3. Morning sunlight.
4. Double rainbow.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse

On Sunday we ventured up to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. It's a 1k hike up to the lighthouse and it is all stairs. Annmarie rocked the hike and didn't complain once, we are so proud of her. Keeping her chatting I think was key.  Jamie carried Ben in the Ergo. Here are the snaps.

Jamie's Birthday

Jamie's Birthday included: a rib dinner, a homemade SF Giant's Robot card from Annmarie, the flannel he is wearing with AM, chocolate brownie with peanut butter frosting (a tradition) and....

cuddles.

Happy 38, Jamie!

Over the weekend

Over the long three day weekend (Queen's Birthday) we went to the beach. Big Surprise, right.? I brought my camera this time to try and take some pictures and then my battery ran out. I guess that will happen when you don't use it for over a month.  Here is what I got.

Jamie had gone for a long run this morning and wanted to soak his legs in the water. Once Ben realized Dad was going in there, there was no stopping him, so off came his clothes. In the sun it was really warm and Ben was way over dressed earlier, so he was fine. They just splashed around for a bit and had the best time. I have some video I'll have to post. Winter so far has been very kind to us.

Jamie snapped this on his run earlier that morning. Pretty spectacular. We've been very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place and I'm thinking I'll write a post soon about what our plan or lack of a plan is on returning to the US. :)

Anywho, it was a nice three day weekend, which kicked off with a date night on Friday, a visit to a new park and I even got some time to myself.

May

Hellooooooo.

Still here. Just haven't blogged in a bit, like all of May. 

So here is some of what happened in May.

A lot of time was spent at the beach, it's what we do.

Playing with friends and trips to the farmers markets where I picked up these flowers that lasted forever.

At the beginning of the month Jamie went to California, partly for work and partly to run The Relay.

He got back just in time for Mother's Day. We had a nice day. We walked down to the beach where we spotted this spider (hello) and I was given some lovely handmade cards. 

I tired for a picture with these two and this is how it went down. Ben is crying because he wants the phone.

Some selfies.

I looked after one of Ben's mates, we cruised in the double pram. And I received some fresh herbs and eggs from my friends garden and chooks.

 Annmarie started Term 2 on 1 May and here she is in her winter uniform, a dirty winter uniform.

Ben was sick for like a week, it started as a viral thing and then turned into an ear infection. We all got lots of cuddles.  For the most part he handled it pretty well.

Jamie, Ben and I went into Sydney to renew my passport and then had sushi for lunch. Ben devoured his roll. He later showed off his awesome oneies.

Not May, but 1 June was the first day of winter and the kids and I met Jamie in Manly after one of his runs. We had a awesome breakfast and did the little walk from Manly to Shelly Beach. Gorgeous day and not so bad for the first day of winter.

And a rainbow.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to everyone and especially to my own mom and mother in law.

Image Source - here

Girls Weekend in Sydney

Last weekend Annmarie and I headed into Sydney. We went to see a show at the Opera House and Jamie was able to score us a room at the Marriott with his points. 

Annmarie was pleased with the room - can you tell.

After taking the ferry over from Manly and checking into our hotel we headed out for lunch and walked around the Opera house.

The Opera House runs a kids series during the school holidays and we saw a musical adaptation of the book Room on the Broom. Both Annmarie and I really enjoyed it.

Before the show they had a little craft corner and Annmarie made the bat below.

After the show we stopped for a ice cream and went back to our room and rested and freshened up for dinner. We went out for sushi, which seems to be the winner lately - I'm not complaining.

We were a bit matchy matchy. Love her.

It was so fun to spend a little one-on-one time with my girl. She is such a pleasure to be around. Annmarie is really into drawing lately, so we spent a lot of time drawing in her little notebook and having nice uninterrupted meals. Meanwhile Jamie and Ben enjoyed some boy time. Can't wait to do it again!

School Holidays

We kept things pretty low key during Annmarie's school holidays. We visited Dad at work, baked, went the beach and park, and saw some friends.  The highlight of the holiday was the weekend Annmarie and I spent in Sydney, but I'll post about that in a separate post.

Here are some of the pictures with a video at the end.

(in Dad's office & Dad working from home)

(sushi lunch & Anzac Biscuits for Anzac Day)

(fun at the beach)