Kalbarri Dec 2011 - Jan 2012

We set off for Kalbarri on the 27th December, everyone happy to be on holiday! The girls travel really well.

We stopped in a small country town called Eneabba on the way. It was a HOT 44 deg!

The girls only wanted ice cream to eat!

We arrived in Kalbarri about 4:30 in the afternoon, 45 deg and very very windy!

The beautiful view coming into Kalbarri

We took nearly 400 photos, here are some of my favourites:

We visited Pirate Theme Park where they enjoyed this spider maze and the trampolines

There was plenty of time for the beach

And tree climbing

Phil and the girls played Yahtzee every night before bed

Sparklers for New Years Eve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Market Day

Driving to the National Park

Resting on the way up

The famous Natures Window

I love this photo!

The girls favourite part of the holiday - Quad biking through the sand dunes

With the complimentary morning tea

Watching some huge waves

Ella with her best camp buddy - Emma, and Emmas little sister Kate. Our Kate became big Kate and the other was little Kate

Looking for shells

Sunset boat cruise along the Murchison river

There was only 10 on board, so lots of empty seats in front!

Snacks!

Animal spotting

Some horses on the far side

The girls were lucky to get a turn driving the boat

We came back in to a beautiful sunset

late night reading with the torch, while others slept

Many, many swims every day

The camp set up

We visited Rainbow Jungle - the most beautiful bird sanctary

Hand feeding a red king bird

About to climb the very high tower

Getting knocked over by the waves

Sharing fried rice for lunch on the way home in Greenlough

A stretch of the legs on the way home in Cervantes

Ten Years Ago Today ...

I arrived in Perth, Western Australia from Hastings, New Zealand to begin a new chapter of my life.

I will finish the story when I get home in a few days.

Welcome 2012

As I sit here overlooking the camp where we are, about 6 and a bit hours north of Perth, I reflect on 2011.

 It's been a year of highs and lows. I have experienced real grief for the first time in my life. It is taking me a long long time to come to terms with it. The dynamics of our family have changed. Things will never be the same again. I am not the same person I was going into Twenty Eleven, but hopefully I've come out stronger for it, and more accepting. Life does go on.

All the children have grown so much this past year, not just in size, but in maturity too. We are fortunate to have everyone healthy and happy, something not to be taken for granted. They excelled at school, and at dancing. We are so proud. They delight us every day.

Anyway, I'm off to enjoy the rest of the day, relishing in this camping experience which Dad gave us the love for. I hope that you are all blessed in 2012 with good health, peace, love and happiness.

Boxing Day Business

We've been flat chat all day packing to go away camping tomorrow. So much stuff!

 We ate alot of this during the day

New flowers had opened overnight. I grew this from a cutting from my friends garden

And there was a new doona cover to put on the bed belonging to the Mickey Mouse fan of the house!

Christmas Day 2011

5am - the girls wake and open their stockings

Ellas long awaited ipod

Kate with her water gun

The trampoline were gave Ruby and Jonah was a huge hit

The kids waiting for breakfast. Ruby may look grumpy but she really wasn't!

Fun on the water slide

Play doh time!

Ella checks out Just Dance on the Wii once we get home

Christmas isn't complete without pavlova

The basketball hoop was a huge hit as well

Kates favourite game "Bocce"


We had a lovely Christmas Day, which started off at 5am when the girls came into us. We allow them to get up early at Christmas and on their birthdays, the excitement is too much to be sleeping!

It was a little bit different this year. We are usually at home and Amie & her lot come to us, but this year we went to their house for breakfast (45 mins away) as we bought Ruby & Jonah a trampoline so that needed to be put together. 

It was also my first time ever I did not get to speak to my family on the phone. With Dads passing during the year, My sister opted to get Mum away for a few days which was the best thing. 

As you can see by the above photos the weather was kind to us, while most of the rest of the country had rain, thunderstorms and maybe even a cyclone! It was 32 deg, which was cooler than past years.

There was lots of playing at Amie's house, and we bought Amie and Brendan a dishwasher (they've never had before) so we set that up and put the first lot of dishes through! We left at lunchtime and came home. Phil decided to put the basketball hoop up straight away - 2.5 hrs later it was done. What a nightmare!

The afternoon was spent playing basketball, bocce, on the Wii, drawing, and eating lots of yummy food. The girls crashed shortly after 9pm.

I had you and your families had a lovely day too.