With all the shed-building, ice-skating, bike-riding, movie-watching and play-dating that we did throughout the holidays we had forgotten to spend a single day together as a whole family. So on Day 16, the very last day of the break, we loaded the bikes and headed to Mt Annan Botanical Gardens.

We rode the very steep Sundial Hill and were rewarded with a view of the city at it's summit. There was also a very cool analemmatic sundial, where we used our shadows to tell the time. Can you tell what time it was? The kids loved how accurate it was (again with the stacks hats! They are either very cautious or very well trained). We took some wacky self timer photos and, after a riding the perimeter of the park, found ourselves beside a gorgeous lake where we had a BBQ basking in the glorious winter sunshine. 

I love that shot of my boy. He still has that dimple, the only one of us to sport one. He is in that sweet (almost!) 7 year old stage. Full of information and the most interesting observations as he acutely observes the world from his emerging big boy perspective. We are weeks out from his birthday and he is quietly counting down the days until he is 7. It seems to be a big deal, this turning 7. He tells me he is looking forward to sitting next to me in the front seat rather than behind me.  I have convinced him that the safest place to be is behind Mummy and that he can ride in the front on the short trips we take without his sister. It doesn't bear to think about the sulking that would take place if Missy was left alone in the back seat. 

We were talking the other day about his birthday and that maybe this year we wouldn't have a party. After thinking about it for a minute he thought that would be OK and instead we could have a play-date with cake for 5 of his friends. As much as that sounds like a party he insisted because there were no invitations to hand out it wouldn't really classify as such. I think I am being duped. We'll see how that idea pans out as we creep into August.

Heat seekers

Each morning of these holidays we have found these two set up in front of the heater busying themselves. We've been able to revel in a lie in on these cold winter mornings, waking an hour later to find these self sufficient bunnies colouring or reading or playing happily till their tummies start to grumble for breakfast.

On Ice

One of the things I loved most about travelling in Europe in winter was skating outdoors in front of a gorgeous old building. These last few winters have seen a few rinks pop up around Sydney and for the past few years Missy and I have been skating outside Parramatta Town Hall as part of their Winterlight Festival. Our girl is getting pretty good and was dead keen to have a go on her own without her little penguin. She is just getting the gist of pushing back with her feet rather than shuffling along on the ice as if she is walking. She loved helping her little friend who was a first timer and felt a sense of accomplishment each time she completed a circuit without falling down. 

Let it snow

These holidays just past we tried the snow again. Two years on, two years older. Steadier legs would mean more things to try. Our little adrenalin guy took to skiing with gusto. He loved going high up on the lifts and zooming down with strong legs and a determined mind. He loved the one on one time with each of his parents, the quietness of his snowy surrounds and the challenge of returning to the bottom without falling down.

Our Missy once again hated the snow, exclaiming within the first 30 minutes that she hated this place and never, ever, ever wanted to come here again. On our first day there wasn't quite enough snow to build a snowman and there was no wind. Imagine her dismay when she got out of the car on day two to blizzard conditions, 70km/hr winds and 4 foot of snow. Suffice to say she spent her holiday in the cafeteria, took 108 photos on my camera of the comings and goings around her and cost us the equivalent of a lift pass in hot chocolate. We will return to the snow next year but may leave our girl at Nonna's for a beach holiday. The snow is hard enough with kids and all those layers without adding an unhappy child to the mix. We forget that she is not yet 3 and a half which is so very little to keep up with all our adventures.

The Rooster though, is full of stories of falling off lifts and sliding into fences. Of snow ploughs roaring along the road and tobogganing at high speed down a hill. Building snowmen in a blizzard and keeping warm with cups of hot chocolate.

Just like Christmastime

Its amazing just how quickly the impression that snow and winter equals Christmas. As we drove through the snow gums climbing higher and higher towards the snowfields, the Rooster would catch glimpses of snow and call out "It's just like Christmastime!" He is right, but it is not like any Christmastime he has experienced. How did that stereotype sink into his little 4 year old subconscious, particularly when we were still reading (and singing!) Rusty Holden Ute until Easter?

After two days at the snow I have to be thankful for living in climates where a hat and scarf and a jacket will suffice as winter warmth. Our first day at Perisher was met with temperatures around zero and a wind blowing that was fierce enough to literally take Missy's breathe away and turn her the colour of her little snowsuit. She was not a happy snow bunny and this first impression was to be her last. She was not impressed with the snow. She would not wear her gloves and as you can imagine her little hands got very, very cold.

The afternoon proved to be much kinder. The winds calmed down and we were able to find a sheltered spot for a bit of wintry fun.
There were snowmen to be built (seriously, our attempt was too pitiful to insult it with a photo) and snowballs to be hurled.

Snow to be eaten and a spot of sitting around watching the winter world pass us by.

And of course the adventures of a boy and his dump truck continued. Sandpit, playground, beach, skate park, there is no terrain that a boy and his truck cannot conquer.

The Rooster is a funny kind of little chicken. He is so fearful of some situations and yet, has absolutely no fear when it comes to pursuits involving adrenalin. I knew he would love the rush of tobogganing and that it would only take a few runs down before he was ready to hit the slopes on his own.


He thinks he is ready to don skis and get pulled up the snow on that thing between your legs so that he can come down really, really fast. I think that may have been before he face planted the snow at very high speeds. Mummy, I only like to go down slow now. I can only hope that this vow holds true until his teenage years are over.

Old school twittering

Sometimes you look out the window at just the right time.

A little Eastern Yellow Robin flittering between a branch and the ground cover. Flit, drop, flit drop until Bingo! He pulled out a worm. The Rooster was delighted.

An Eastern Spine bill foraging on the lower shrubs, sticking it's long beak into the winter natives. "Birdy! Birdy!" Missy called out as we peeped through the window.

And a pair of Crimson Rosellas balancing on a frail Grevilla branch. Pulling and twisting until Pop! the flower came loose and the two birds shared its sweet nectar.

The Rooster closed his eyes to remember what he saw. "Got it Mummy",and came up with this little drawing.

Missy's version of the same event. The Rooster thinks she just drew the feathers and forgot the birds.

Images from here and here. (I could've grabbed the camera but without a doubt, the noise of the door opening would've scared our friends off).