August

Swimming lessons. Finally we have had no ear or throat infections for a while so last term Jasper did swimming lessons after a break of nearly two years, and this term Sequoia was old enough to do proper lessons (rather than mother and baby games in the pool). Jasper has done really well going from three bubbles on his back down now to one. And with a little more practice he may be swimming freely without support! Sequoia is loviong swimming and on Thursdays at 8.30 in the morning she races to the car in her little outfit ready to go. If she could swim all day she would!! She is going to love the pool days up at the council swim centre this summer! They do their classes together and Jasper is such a lovely big brother helping his sister and reminding her of what the teacher says - especially as she finds it really hard to hear in the pool.





It has been a strange winter. We have had crazy weather with days of summer temperatures which then plunge back to winter so we can have a week where there will be temps of 30 degrees celcius followed by days of 6 degrees Celsius (86 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit) Quite scary, and they are predicting a high fire danger this summer. But on these lovely days we have had some beautiful walks. Here is a pick of jasper and Zoran in a cafe eating icecream mid-winter after we walked to Manly and back a beautiful walk along the shore of sydney harbour through bushland and past little beaches.



Here is Sequoia enjoying life up front in the window seats, you can see Jasper and Zoran behind her...




This month we went to see the dinasaur exhibit at the natural history museum. They had a fantastic activity running where the kids learnt all about how fossils are made and how dinosaurs are found and then they were able to dress up in dinosaur hunting outfits and go measuring all of the dinosaurs...

Waiting for the train into town (about a 50 minute train ride).

Watching the educator giving her talk.

Watching the little movie about dinosaurs and hot mud and how bones may be left.

Jasper looking for an allosaurus (I think???)
Jasper and Sequoia working together to measure the length of the leg.

Sequoia measuring a beautiful feathered dinosaur.

And before leaving the museum a quick ride on a stuffed dingo...



Exhausted after a full day!



But full of beans for princess play with the crown she made herself this next morning.

And as a special treat Jasper and I had afternoon tea, just the two of us, after preschool.


Tx

July

We finally organised Sequoia's christening, to Zoran's mum's releif.



This is Sequoia and Nadia, Nadia became Sequoia's godmother. Nadia is Zoran's cousin who lives in Melbourne. Nadia's family looked after us when we arrived back in Australia after living overseas and welcomed us into their lives with warmth. Nadia travelled up from Melbourne and arrived on the flight just before Jess and Sups' so we had a lovely house full family. Mum travelled down from the mountains a couple of hours later.

Sequoia had a great day full of attention and playmates!! Nadia bought Sequoia's outfit, a beautiful dress and matching shoes and candles in melbourne and Sequoia loved being the dolly dressed up and twirled around! She was so pleased to have this christening she smiles or watched intently throughout the whole hour she was held sung over by the priest.





Nadia's box of things the priest asked for - a change of clothes, cross to wear, towels for the priest and Sequoia.


Early Sunday morning we drove the two hours down to Wollongong arriving at the church just in time! The priest was lovely and the orthodox christening is a beautiful ceremony with candles and prayers and fankincense and of course communion for Sequoia.

Immersed in holy water! she loved this bit!!

Prayers.

Jessi.

All dressed again.

Tasting the wine.

Jasper and his cousin Juliana held the candles and followed the priest about the church as he did his incantations.

Zoran and I held the candles after the children had enough.


Family snap


Watching in the church
After the ceremony we went to a local function centre, there were about 80 people - family and friends. Kids ran about playing and a delicious four course lunch was served. It was great to be able to share food together.

Zoran and I thanking everyone for coming and sending good wishes to family far away who couldn't make it.


The cake, which Sequoia was so happy to be in charge of cutting. We decided to make it ourselves as I love doing the icing and Zoran made it the night before as he is a fantastic pastry chef (except this time - only half the eggs went in - but it ended up delicious, just like a rich ganache!!)



After lunch some Macedonian dancing.

This song led by Nadia, Sequoia's godmother, and Jessi next to her.

Sequoia felt like she was a ballerina and spent the entire time in the centre of the dancefloor on her tiptoes!




And then back to daily life - the kids playing on the deck, and the rainbow lorrikeets coming for apple pieces...

June 09
Last day of term and Sequoia's little class of 2 and 3 year olds took to the stage to shake their pompoms and point their toes!

Jasper has been sick this week so he didn't get to his class - next term we will have pics of dancing boy as well! Nothing like two year olds trying to dance on tiptoes gracefully!!
Tx

June 09

Winter and rain - loads of rain - and I cant believe that Sydney is still building a desalination plant...so frustrating, what a silly wasteful way to acquire fresh water. NSW pollies, yuck!

When the rain stopped last monday the kids and I decided to pretend it was summer and drove down to the beach. We TRIED to keep our clothes on but the temptation was just too much, we TRIED to stay out of the water but it wasn't cold mum "really" come the little voices... so here are some pics from our lovely day before the rain started again, how great.








Just before we left a heron came to fish in the shallows, it was so beautiful!




Sequoia has been ticking off all of her health checks wonderful little trooper, we have been in and out of hospital this last month but it has been good. We saw the cardiologist who confirmed that she is fine, just has a small heart murmur but nothing to worry about and prem issues are all gone, then the Ear, nose and throat specialist who confirmed that although the grommets failed, she has a 1mm hole in her right eardrum so can hear normally through that ear so her speech isn't compromised at all. She will probably have grommets later in the year and maybe her adenoids out, but overall she is ok. Then we saw her opthamologist and we had been primed to fit her with glasses but her eyes have improved so much in the last six months and her vision is much better and she wont need them... wow, lots of good news! So we see Sequoia's paediatrician on Monday and get to impart all this good news...



Chloe turned five with a Harry Potter birthday party. I painted faces and Zoran took the kids around all of the activities Jenny had arranged. It was a lot of fun - but the most fun was getting all dressed up for it!




Winter magic festival in the blue mountains happened last Saturday and we went to spend the day with mum. It was a drizzly and cold day but we had a lovely time.


Playdough and drawing play in Nana's loungeroom.

Fun on the jumping castle.





I am itching to make art work but will have to settle for design work and some photography shoots which I love anyway. I have been doing logos, web design and other bits and pieces. I have also, every now and then started taking pics for me...





We took the kids into town the other week to see the vivid sydney light sculpture show - a bit amateur but great to be wandering the city after dark with the kids.



The kids loved the rainbow wall lights which mixed and shifted forming a rainbow on a wall.





How I miss the city at night! The opera house had Brian Eno's projections on it, and there was a nice little constellation piece on the roof of argyle tunnel.



It made me realise I need to grab the days that the kids have slept well and through the night before, and just find the energy to go and do things that stimulate me, before I go numb!

I am hoping to take the kids to a polish theatre performance in a couple of weeks which should be fun! More later, Tx