On the 21st July, Xanthia made her First Communion, wearing the dress that Zoe wore for hers, and the veil I wore for mine... almost 30 years ago... Xan was so proud... and she LOVED being the centre of attention!
I wasn't allowed to take photos during the ceremony (which almost killed me!!) but we were able to get a couple afterward...
A rare shot of the whole Bingley Bunch!
I can't believe that we are two thirds of the way the 2009 hockey season and I am yet to post one photo of the girls showing their stuff... so I am here today to fix that!
Just Xan and Willow today, I am yet to get my camera out at one of Zoe and Darci's Friday night games... I'm usually too busy trying keep my hands warm... and my face... and my body! It is freezing cold in Melbourne on a Friday night!... but I'll try a bit harder next week!
Xanthia has really come into her hockey-self this season... it turns out that she is actually a very talented player, getting comments week after week from opposition coaches and parents... "who is that blond one? She's fantastic"... I just bask in the reflected glory... I did make her, you know!
And Willow? Well, she loves to get out there... she really enjoys the oranges at half time and the lollies at the end... she looks great in her uniform... and sometimes she even stops socializing long enough to remember what she's there for!
Seriously... how awesome are my mini hockey players!... don't forget their names - they'll be playing for Australia at the 2016/2020 Olympics!! Just wait and see!
Better late than never, I always say...
Anzac Day this year, started off just like any other... rugged up against the freezing cold at the Dawn Service...
... but then for something a bit different... the girls had the opportunity to play around in one of Russell's 'toys'... he was manning a static display of his unit's Bushmaster vehicles and the girls made the most of it...
Lest We Forget.
On the last long weekend, we had a combined birthday party for Russ' 40th and Jayson 18th... I had this idea for a cake and was happy to pay someone else to make it... unfortunately, the only place I could find that would be able to do what I envisaged, wanted $800 for the pleasure!! Seriously - $800 for a cake! Well, there was no way that was going to happen... so onto plan B - me!
It took a bit of planning, a couple of You Tube videos, and a ton of elbow grease... but I am so very proud of the results! May I present... the R.M. Williams Birthday cake!
what it takes to make art...
I burnt out the motor on our beaters mixing the SIX cake mixes, so had to put out a desperate call to borrow another set... thanks Shauna!!...
ready for the oven...
baking away quiet nicely...
a bit of a trim to even it all up...
the two layers held together with chocolate ganache... so yum!...
a layer of Betty Crocker's butter icing to keep the crumbs at bay...
mixing the fondant to the right colours was more time consuming than I expected...
I modeled the topper from fondant on a template I created on the computer and laminated...
the university of You Tube came in handy as I worked hard to make the fondant smooth and neat...
a couple of stripes... just like the logo...
add my awesome topper (finished off by painting with black food colouring)...
and VOILA! The masterpiece is complete! ...
... and delicious!
Today Jaimi had a 'student-free' day so I took the day off work and we headed to The Abbotsford Convent to meet with some photography friends... it was freezing cold but we had a great time and I was able to get a couple of photos of Jaimi that I was really happy with...
Xanthia was 'helping' Russ clean out his shed the other day... she came across an old uniform of his and just couldn't resist trying it on!
I just need to divert from the catch-ups for just a minute so I can announce our great news...
Xanthia came 3rd in the District Cross-Country last Thursday!
The participated in her school cross-country a few weeks back and came second... we were so excited but she was quite nonchalant... that made her eligible for the district cross-country last Thursday against six other schools. Luckily for Russ and I, it was held at Puckapunyal this year, so we were able to watch (and take photos, of course!)...
Xan was very relaxed before the race... unlike Russ and I - we were a bit perturbed by the level of seriousness that some people took it... there were coaches and intensive warm-ups and specialised clothing... all a bit freaky, really!
She was a bit cold at the start line...
and she didn't get a great start off the mark...
and as they disappeared into the bush, Xan (circled) was well behind the leading pack... Russ and I cheered her on an expected to see her finish somewhere near the back...
imagine our utter shock when she appeared from the 2km busk track in third place!!... and not another runner in sight behind her!
crossing the finish line... she wasn't even puffing! She just jogged in behind the other two girls and recorded her name at the markers table. Again, she was so nonchalaunt about the whole thing... like it was no big deal at all!
We are so very proud of her and her amazing athletic abilities... might be time to get a coach and some specialised clothing *wink, wink*
Because both Russ and I had to work over the school holidays, we decided to get out and 'do' something together, as a family, on Easter Monday... after tossing around a few ideas we all settled on The Melbourne Aquarium'... we took the train to Melbourne, just to add to the adventure (and it has nothing to do with the fact that we drive a Hiace that is IMPOSSIBLE to park in the city!!)
Darci and Xanthia sharing Darci's ipod...
Willow pinched my ipod... and wouldn't share!...
We were lucky enough to see the wonderful visiting penguins...
Zoe checkin' out the fishys...
Russ... making friends??...
The colours of the coral were amazing!...
Jaimi was also making friends... *shudder*
Aren't they all gorgeous!...
On the train home... Willow and Xan showing off their penguin tattoos...
... and watching the video we took during the day.
The aquarium is GREAT... but the price is not for the feint-hearted! (you have been warned!)
Yes, yes... I have been very very slack in the old blog department... I kind of lost my mojo for a little while there... but it is coming back and I have so much to catch you all up on! Now, don't expect it all to happen tonight... life didn't stop just because I stopped writing about it... I'm not kidding when I said there is a LOT to catch up on... so lets start!
Easter... yes, I'm that far behind... so, Easter weekend was spent working, playing and relaxing... the perfect weekend. Russ had to work on Good Friday so the girls and I drove to Melbourne to collect Darci who had spent a few days with her friend, Bella... then on Saturday we did nothing! It is so rare to be able to just switch off and totally relax... we should definitely do that more often!... Easter Sunday, 'we' woke early... as in - the girls woke early and we were forced to follow! Well, there were Easter eggs to be found, you know!
I had to include this one of Willow in her jumpsuit... I just love it... she is so cuddly when she is wearing it... I wonder if it will be weird when she is 20 and I still insist she wears a jumpsuit?
After all the eggs were found... and half of them consumed... we headed to Bendigo to spend the day with my family.
Zoe and Darci on the trampoline at my brothers house...
my niece, Jade...
my nephew. Regan...
my other niece, Mikayla...
and the final photo... Jaimi was chasing Russ around - determined to get a cuddle!
