Day 113 - GONE FISHING

Some restaurants here in Tassie will close for a month during the winter time. I was amused to hear that a local fish and chip place did just that, putting up a sign saying "Gone Fishing".

Well I am going away on a short trip and so am putting up a similar sign on my own blog for Days 114 to 119.

See you again on Day 120!!

Day 112 - RASPBERRIES

I am a little ashamed to say that I am not a fruit eater at all. I'm probably more a vegetables person. If you're more of a meat eater and we were sharing a roast I'd happily let you have my meat whilst I'd enjoy a plateful of just roast vegetables. But alas, fruit is one of those things that I have to remember to make myself have. That is until coming to Tasmania and discovering raspberries!! (we just didn't have them in the supermarkets in WA).

I just love raspberries and they grow really well here. At the moment they are outrageously expensive as it's out of season but I figure that since they are the only fruit that I eat and love, they are worth the money.

I can't wait until summer comes when I'm going to check out some of the berry farms around Tassie where apparently you can pick your own. Yum! :o)

Day 111 - MY LATEST OBSESSION

I never got to see any of the MasterChef shows when they were on but always thought that if I was going to watch any reality tv, at least that one would be educational. Well, I've gone right back and have been watching Season 1 on my laptop and I am hooked!! I just love it! So whenever I have a free moment and need to chill out I can be found with my laptop enjoying watching someone else cook :o) Judging by how many seasons and episodes there are I could be kept entertained for a very long time!!

Day 110 - A YEAR AGO TODAY

(photo taken by Paul)

On holiday in Busselton, WA 

Day 109 - BUBBLE FUN

...as promised :)

Day 108 - THE BEACH

This is our beach here :o)

(photo taken by Paul...coz his work is here!)

I'm looking forward to being able to spend a bit more time down here soon.

Day 107 - ON THE DRIVEWAY

I am not an outdoors girl. So unfortunately, I tend to be a bit slow in encouraging my kids to play outside. Oh and it has been a bit cold around here lately too!!

But today, the sudden desire to clean my kitchen window to let more of the sunshine in lead to a great outdoor play session for Mia and I.

She rode her bike on the driveway.

Then we cleaned all her little chairs and table and she had morning tea.

Then it was time to ride her bike again. But first she ran inside the house shouting "be back in a minute Mummy".  She then showed that she really is her father's daughter by appearing with her iPod which she then placed in her basket to listen to whilst riding. So as I helped my daughter ride her bike up and down the driveway we listened to "C is for Cookie" by the Cookie Monster. A big hit in the preschool top 40 in this house!!

Then apparently the next door neighbours' cat needed to listen to the music and be shown the iPod too!!

Then it was time for a bit of a sing and dance on the driveway!!

(don't you sometimes do that too?)

Finally, Mummy had to go back inside to do some more housework but Mia continued to enjoy the outdoors with a bit of play dough fun. 

Oh and can you spot her iPod on the railing? Play dough needs background music too apparently!!

So following on from yesterday's post about the "requirements" our new house will need. I really hope it has a great backyard for my kids to play in.....and especially room for a trampoline which they have been promised if possible. 

I really love to see the kids play outside. So much better than seeing them staring at the screen playing the Xbox. So I will again be trying to find as many outdoor toys for them to play with like we had in our old house. Of course, mentioning our old house makes me sad (I miss it lots). We had the perfect outdoor toys there.....a swing set and a swimming pool!! Both of which Mia misses very much and still mentions. Oh well, later today Mia and I will go out to buy some bubble blowing toys to start with for our next outdoor play session.

Do you have any ideas for great backyard toys and activities for kids of all ages??

Day 106 - SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WANTING

A square, 8 seater dining table.

I have been wanting one of these for quite a long time.

I love the idea that you can have 8 people around a table and not have one person at one end be miles away from the person at the other end as with traditional rectangle or oval tables. 

The timing is right too now as we will be having family come to visit and need the extra seating.

We couldn't get one in our previous house as it's shape wouldn't have fitted. Of course, since we're only renting we have no idea what kind of space our next house will have. Oh well, when the time comes we will just have to pick a house that meets all our needs AND fits the new table.....oh and our very large fridge!!!

Day 105 - A MUSICAL

This week Owen is in a musical at school. They are performing in two matinees and two evening shows.

Unfortunately we couldn't get any good pics and no, you can't see Owen is this one. Still, it was a great experience for him and an interesting one for me as I had to help put eyeliner and lipstick on a bunch of year 5 boys!!!

Day 104 - EMBARRASSING

Sometimes you find things in your closet that you just plain forgot you had. After looking through last night I discovered my Mamma Mia shirt and remembered that it made quite a warm combo when layered over a long sleeved top. Something that is very important in this cool place! So this is what I decided to wear today.

This is where Mia enters the story. For some reason my little girl has been longing for summer, in particular, so she can "wear a t-shirt again" (for some reason). So when she saw my t-shirt layering today she asked if she could do the same. Sure, I replied and off we headed to look in her t-shirt drawer. It was then that I discovered that I must have already sorted through her t-shirts, giving away all the ones that were too small and leaving only three behind......one of which was of course, her Mamma Mia one!!!!

I couldn't say no to her as she has always loved this shirt, but I inwardly groaned as I thought about how corny we would both look at playgroup today!!

Oh well! All part of the joys of having a daughter!!

Day 103 - AROUND THE BEND

(photo taken by Paul)

Sometimes there's a lovely view waiting just for you around the bend :o)

Day 102 - CHURCH

This has been my church for the last two Sundays. St David's Cathedral in the city centre. Just 5 mins drive away. It's also where Mia and I have been attending a weekly music playgroup called Mainly Music on a Friday. It's lovely being in the middle of the city to do church stuff. Especially nice to be walking through the city on a Sunday morning and hear bells calling you to church. 

Day 101 - PIANO

(photo taken by Paul)

This guy has been learning piano for a few years now. I hope he sticks with it :)

Day 100 - BEDTIME STORIES

This guy has taken to reading his sister a story at bedtime each night :)

Not too sure about his choice in reading material this time though :S

Day 99 - SNOW

We've also been to visit the snow again :)

(photos taken by Paul)

Day 98 - PLAY SCHOOL

Time to share some of the things we have been up to lately.

Mia and I got to have fun at the Play School concert :)

 Play School has to be my favourite kids show. I'm actually going to miss it when she gets too old. A show that has been around that long has to be doing something right.

At the end of the concert we were able to get Jay to do a quick autograph for us :) Mia was so glad Jay was there!

Day 97 - PINK TREES

These beautiful pink trees (cherry blossoms maybe??) have been popping up all over Hobart. Does this mean spring is on it's way? Just lovely!! The would have to be my favourite tree. Even my kids love them. Our aim now is to get our own place so we can plant one of our own :o)

Day 96 - IN AN ENGLISH PUB

Day 95 - BRITISH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Strike a pose!!

Day 94 - JEDI

You can become a jedi when in London :)

Day 93 - WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Day 92 - PEOPLE YOU MEET IN LONDON

Day 91 - HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

Day 90 - ABOARD THE LONDON EYE

Day 89 - TOWER OF LONDON

Day 88 - GHERKIN

The big gherkin building (as it is locally known). I have no idea what it really is??

Day 87 - TOWER BRIDGE