Hot Chip Sunday

Sunday we joined some friends for a day trip to Bribie Island (about an hour north of Brisbane) for a swim and chips on the beach.

Kids had fun digging in the sand and swimming on rafts, while the adults relaxed on the shore with some music and cold drinks. Oh and of course "hot chip sandwiches" which our friends introduced us to.. You buy the chips from the fish and chip shop, buy a loaf of white bread from the bakery- bring your own butter and tomato sauce - put it all together.. and viola! A hot chip sandwich!

Day out with Thomas The Train

Today we (moms group) took the kids to the train museum for the Thomas the Train exhibit. We had a great time. Even after 5 hours- and a ton of running around- the kids still wanted more...

Even Ellie had a good time.

A Video from Christmas / New Years

Here is a little video from our Christmas & New Years trip.  We had a great time!

Just a heads up- the video is about 10 min.. It was hard to cut things out...

Here are some of the highlights:

Christmas at Coomba Park

• Enjoying the views and country air of Marianne and Lauries new 5 acre property
• Driving to the beach for a daily swim/surf/play
• Santa's surprise visit on the fire truck on Christmas eve
• Dressing tacky for Christmas eve dinner
• Putting cookies, carrots, and  milk out for Santa and his reindeer
• Christmas morning- Dyllan's delight in all the presents
• Hanging out with family
• Nightly games 
• Seeing wild Kangaroos

Drive from Coomba Park to Yamba

• Stopping in Dunbogan at The Boatshed to see the hometown of some friends from Brisbane- kids fed the fish and adults had a coffee
• Driving 11 hours when it should have only taken 6 was NOT a highlight..

Camping in Yamba

• Gorgeous beaches
• Quaint town that felt like it was still in the 80's (it was great)
• Staying at Blue Dolphin holiday park- the most family friendly caravan park ever
• Morning runs & great coffee
• Family time
• Meeting up with old friends & making new friends 
• Swimming in the ocean
• Daily trips to the pool to cool off
• Scenic drives while the kids napped in the air-conditioned car
• Ellie (almost) walking! A few steps anyway..
• All the kids playing in the road.. felt like a little community by the end of our stay
• Drinks and hors d'oeuvres on the beach with new friends from the caravan park- while the kids played in the sand and fed the giant pelicans
• Driving on the beach
• New Years eve on the beach and fireworks at our camp site

Christmas 2013: NY 2014 from Erica Newton on Vimeo.

Bon Fire Air

One of my favorite smells of summer is the smell of a bon fire. To me, that means toasted marshmellows, a great big fire, s'mores, and fun times with great friends.. Summer time.

This smell, while although the same.. Means humid Brisbane air, a great big bush fire on Scarborough Island.. And a still still night.. I am actually appreciating sitting outside right now writing this- as it's the first time we've been outside and out of the air conditioned house all weekend!

It actually feels like a real sauna, turned to low, but, a sauna.. At Halloween with all the smoke. Fun. I love it.

107 degrees with 42% humidity

Wait, why did we move to Brisbane again? Holy moly, it's hot today.. Everyone is advised to say inside and stay cool. Not only is it so hot, it's sticky humid..

Just got the girls down for a nap- I made each of their rooms into a bat cave and put the portable air conditioner in Ellie's room and a big fan (only the living room and master bedroom came with aircon in this house)- and 3 fans in dyllans room (hers is the cooler of the two rooms) left their doors open and am blasting the other air conditioners (I'm a little worries about what our electricity bill will be like this quarter..) then made their rooms into bat caves with all the extra blankets, pillows, tin foil.. Haha.

Fingers crossed they nap for a while- cause I'm too hot to play with them right now.. I'm happy to relax and watch tv with a Popsicle.

Later this afternoon we are going to a friends place to enjoy their big pool and nice air conditioned house. Should be a nice evening.

Happy Summer!

Christmas Morning in Coomba Park

Santa came to visit early in the morning.  

Every year Santa's back gets more and more sore.. haha

Ellie's not sure..

Dyllan got her first body board from Brenden and Libby

Dyllan loving all the presents

Hi Santa!

Matching outfits from Brenden and Libby

Playing with her new jewelry making kit.

Bluey's beach for some surfing, running and cricket

You cant really see them in my photo- but there are dolphins out there by the back wave

Ellie, being Ellie.  And eating sand

Lozzo looking for the perfect wave

Learning to surf from Lozzo

"are you sure about this, Lozzo?"

Haha, Ellie's face...

Ellie:  "Ok, Ill come in, just dont let me go.."

Hanging out with Libby

Hi Dan!  How was the surf?

Ellie:  "that was so scary, get me back to the shore Libby"

Much better

Learning to surf again

Playing in the pile

Watching the boys surf

Who's are these?

Here's your glasses.. nice and sandy!

Family game of cricket.  Dyllan was obsessed.