Oh yeah

Daniel: Mum, if you had your own Legos I'd totally play Legos with you.

Cute thinking, well, kind of...

L: Mum, are you close to dying?

M: No, I don't think so, why?
L: Because you are so much bigger than us, I thought you might be close to dying.
M: I don't really know how long I'll live, but I really hope I'm here lots more years.
L: Why?...oh, because you need to be here to take care of us when we're little!

Yes Laura, unfortunately the game you like to play with me: "I'm-17-living-by-myself-with-my-sister-and-taking-care-of-myself-without-my-mum-but-that's-okay-because-I'm-old-enough-to" is not yet real life...

Gotta love her spunk.

January

If January is anything to go by, it's going to be a good year.

Ringing in the New Year at Bruny, with good company, a campfire and marshmallows (and perhaps some yummy New Year's drinks...)

--------------

A 10-day family holiday on the Gold Coast. 

Just the 5 of us.

What a novel idea.

Silly on the ferris wheel.

3 trips to Sea World was a hit, 

even for these theme-park averse parents.

Water boat at Sea World: "You will get wet. You may get soaked."

2 very soaked boys, but they got lots of people wet too, so all's fair in water play! (ps i went on it too!)

Penguins. The real ones were cooler, 

but these ones stood still for a photo!

Pelicans. One of the coolest birds.

All in one room - fun! 

(enjoy it while it lasts kids, it may not always be fun to share!) 

Girly time together: hair braids, fingernail stickers, a shared strawberry milkshake and a new dress. Happy Laura. Happy Mum.

Night-time wildlife park adventure.

Yes it's a real snake.

...and a real baby croc.

And of course, swimming. Every day. Often twice. Night swims too! 

Eating. Lots of it. 

Here's D & L practicing with chopsticks. 

Cultured kids, gotta love it.

Our resident toothless shark lost his other top tooth! 

Happy exhaustion. Beautiful.

I've really never had so much fun with the kids on holiday. 

Did not want it to end.

Christmas

A lovely family Christmas at Bruny.

The weather = average

The people = made up for it

3 kids handing out pressies

Christmas dinner

Beach photo - it is supposed to be summer after all!!

I feel very thankful this year, and every year, to be part of such a loving family. 

But no matter where we are, there's a family to be missed. 

I know how fortunate I am to get to spend alternating Christmases in the US with my family, but I can't help missing them around Christmas.

Little Gymnast

 A girl after my own heart!!

Done

There Jenn, technically I blogged every day for a week. :)
See you back here after Christmas!! Haha...

Funny

Good thing the sickies are funny when you're looking back on them! :)

(laura's fast asleep on the couch after begging for water that she keeps throwing up,  nick is desperately trying to play cars, but can't muster the energy)

Ballet girl

Laura had her final ballet 'concert', which was really a session to see what they do in their "baby ballerinas" class each week, so just a demonstration basically. I have yet to get video off my phone, but it was so cute. She was very serious. And more than a little confident (or bossy, if you were the girl she was elbowing to get in line first). It was so fun to watch, and it even made this ballet-wary mother a bit softer to the idea if she does end up really being interested in it...

A Big Day

This is a pillow in a pillowcase. 

No big deal, right?

Except I made it.

Yes, it was a big day for me, using the sewing machine.

Congratulations me. 

Home Ec skills have indeed come in handy after all these years!

(thanks Beth for helping get the machine working... :)

Don't mess with the parents.