darwin or bust

this is Col in the front waiting for the big bucket to get him and Jumbo coming down the slide.

Pa puts on a brave face for Jumbo Don't know who figetted more LOL

Well we have been on the road since after the footy on the the 9th of april, only making it to Prosperpine the first night due to the late start, but the big boy just had to play his footy and play up so what can you do. It was bad enough so we were told that he was missing a week BAD BAD parents LOL.

then we got to Townsville and Pa had come through his sergury with flying colours, still quite aggitated but that was to be expected, so we limited the boys visits to single for a few days and only 10-15 minutes realy thought Jumbo was going to pull his catheter out at first he was so interested in what was happening.

but pa of course allowed him to explore and gave all the info required for him to fully understand so Jumbo along with pa think this is the best thing since sliced bread and "could he have one too then he wouldn't need to get up to the tiolet in the night" !!?? it's a scared of the dark thing.

After staying afew days and being reassured that Pa was on the road to recovery and not likely to give the nurses too much trouble we headed off west with the RV. Only to get an hour or so inland were we started the great Dino adventure. the next 2 days we didnt get further then 200klms due to the Dinosuarus heading us of at the pass LOL

the next 2 days saw us heading outback across the never ending desert landscape hats of to the great explorers we had air con and an RV not think we have any explorer blood in us, lol too soft.

The only adventures we had for the next 2 days involved birds that felt the need to attack ME and only ME while all else laughed ( the bloody cheek of them )

For those that know me well understand I have a fear on birds being too close, so what happens, During the first arvo I thought to take Col some nibbles over to the pool area while he rested n the pool only to be attacked by a hawk how obviously thought that he would like the biscuits and cheese and some of my hair AAArrkk was the exact sound that came out of my mouth and made many run with camers inhand to see what was happening. AAArrk again my DH was almost bursting with laughter in the pool and even the boys lifted their eyes from their games. Needlss to say I saw quite upset.

then the next day as we where taking off on the road again the local goose decided I needed a hurry up andchased me into theRV with again my 3 fearless males sitting in the RV watching and laughing I am so blessed that I bring such joy into there lives

We finally made it to Matarka and the thermal springs and were lucky enough that they had opened the day before. We in qld think we had a big wet well NT just has to do it bigger and better LOL I think it's like texans. The boys enjoyed the wildlife inviting the walabies to eat from the steps of the van and if not for my stopping them they would have had them inside also in thier beds. Such is thier affection of the cute and cuddly.

We then went on to Katherine and the gorge that has been changed its name back to the indigenous name which the boys thought was confusing as katherine was easier to pronounce. Sorry boys the country wont change things just for yu.LOL

Then finally we get to Darwin and can unpack properly yes ...

our christmas in the country

this is our nativity set I made it when i was going through a ceramic stage and its opal and gold the boys like to rearrange it to there liking then I change it then they change it and so goes the game over the summer.

this is our mix of Fung shui and craft projects that meets you at the front door, the reain deers still sing and so far I have avioded getting a singing santa we didnt see any in the shops this year thank goodness.

Buddha is just hanging around waiting for a ride on the rein deer we try to buy one at the end of each christmas at the sales but alas this year we were flooded out of town.

Before the boys came along I loved to go quilting and this was a christmas quilt I made the year before Jarryd arrived lots of bells and jingles on it which the cat's seem to love when the wind blows it around.

these are christmas window dec's that the boys and i have made over the years every year we add to them but unfortunately they dont store to well or break when we take them back off the windows, but it gives us things to make the next year.

I bought this count down from Aust post the first christmas we had Jarryd not that he was really interested that year, but it was so lovely that I decided to get it lamentated and now its apart of our morning ritual at christmas time.

another quilting project its christmas cats, just love the hertiage colours.

this one was such fun to do My first attempt at using dark and lights to form pics, its a favorite and hangs above the couch we take down some other pics to hang all the quilts on the walls.

Our christmas tree, over the years I have bought many great decs from post xmas sales and then made some and of course all the ones that the boys make at school, we are not allow to throw any out and as the years go by I am getting better at letting the boys just put things where they like. Colin always makes a big joke of it when we are trimming the tree that mum (me) is so obsessive compulsive about where things go, then the boys join in and its like ok l'll try not to critise and I think I do well these days as long as we are all careful with my favorite peices. LOL lots of them have memories associated with our wait for the boys and I like to tell stories about them. Or I read the christmas stories under the tree while trying not to worry about things getting broken.

So thats this year dec's I thought I would make a record of them for the years to come so we could look back and see how we have changed. so that was some of our favorite decorations for 2010 christmas.

My Little Fire Fighters

My darling little fire fighters Jumbos was taken last year at 8 1/2 and Jarryds when he was 9yrs

Jarryd was sunburnt from not putting on enough sunscreen and still has to be reminded I will show him this to remind him that he peels just like mum when he gets burnt. Then the pic got singhed lucky I found it the other day now both are in pride of place on the bar.

Funny both have gone through the wanting to be fireman, 1st them both wanted to be rubbish truck drivers, with both Colin and i to come with them Colin to edrive and they could push the buttons and poor mum hd to bring the lunch. LOL (Good to see I have a function)

Now Jarryd wants to fly jets or be an A grade AFL player and make the big bucks. Jumbo was going to be a police man but he might not shoot fast enough and that could be dangerous he may get shot. Now he wants to be a Fireman again so he can go in a helicopter like dad did the other day.

Funny how you can see them going through the same stages its such a joy.

Jumbo-Dylans 8th

We were stuck out of town and so we decided to make a differnet cake with what ever ingrdient we sould find so cup cakes was the choice and and so much fun baking and licking the spoons then the icing and decorating. We went to Jumbo's god mothers around the corner so that we felt we were going somewhere away from the house and had a little party with a few of the neighborhood kids that were all flood locked with us. If you look sideways you can pick out the happy 6th birthday Jumbo

We didnt have wrapping paper so we jus used one of our thai bags I think the bag was a big hit too.

"Happy Birthday my baby boy"

Jarryd's 12th birthday party

the sargent major Gary

the mini me army Ben, Jumbo, Anna and Harry

The birthday boy

Just cant wait to start they were so excited thank goodness they were just big toys LOL

Well my big boy turned 12 and it has taken a few months and a flood for me to catch up with my blogging. We organised for all his school class and Aussie rules footy mates as well as some dads and siblings to join us at Laser Skimish. Which to the uninformed is war games with lasers (not paint ball) so no-one gets hurt except for the normal falling over trees and snakes etc out in the bush. It was a great morning lots of dad's and siblings joined in too.

So fast do they grow it seems only yesterday that we were carrying him in from the car sound asleep and now its reminding him to go to sleep and removing the Ipod from his bedroom LOL Before he looked up to me & now I have a cric in my neck from looking up at him.

Too big for cake just roughed it out bush with watermelon cheerios and cordial I wasnt even allowed to make a cake "too big for that mum " they all talked about the party for months after which was the best as memories like these are so much fun.

the road to town is open

the big news for the day is that the road to town has opened after 2 weeks of isolation on the farm woo hoo the boys and I will hit the shops running tomorrow only one week till school goes back and we have nothing yet! Although they think it will be spending the day looking at toys that santa didnt bring LOL just dreaming I tell them

they have really enjoyed the break living for the mornings when the rain stops so they can ride there bikes.

Adoption another word for Love

My boys with nana of xmas day pretty excited with there bike armour.

"A mother is likened unto a mountain spring that nourishes the tree at its root, but one who mothers another's child is likened unto a water that rises into a cloud and goes a long distance to nourish a lone tree in the desert."

Was given a lovely little book with quotes about adoption and just love that one so thought i would share it.

Just love our boys to peices and think that I have watered them pretty well but we have a dam of water and are almost bursting to shower our girls with love so bring them on universe we are ready.

We are having a great school break being stranded at home due to the flood waters, haven't been able to get to town for 14days now but the pantry has made the distance and tomorrow or monday is looking good so hopefully the self's have some food.