Last Week of February

 Our first lime from around our gardens now that we are paying attention to how do get them to produce. 

 Eric and I came home from a meeting and found them all sitting together watching a movie!

Driving around back rounds to get to a shearing shed. 

 Some action from the shearing shed. 

Lots of I don't want to learn to cut grass on the ride on, but she did it.   Steers like the swather.

3rd Week of February

 Mid Week the girls had swim carnival at high school.  Hannah got first in both freestyle and breaststroke for 12 year olds.   Ciara has a national level swimmer in her age group. ( she didn't want her photo taken)

 Morning routines around here.   Lazy, eating and trying to wake up. 

This is a Sacred Kingfisher.  The poor thing did a runner into our window.  So while it was getting it's bearings straight again.  I got to photograph it.  Such a pretty bird.  

 So we are getting our last hot spell I think before it becomes beautiful weather again in my books.  Temperatures in the mid to high 30C's so we are getting in some more swimming time on the weekends.    Next week a high of 41C is predicted.  Ugh..

2nd Week of February

 So did a little photography gig.

 Watched Owen at his swim carnival this week.   He did well. 

1st Week of February

Some interesting storms came in the first week of February

 A lot of us just slept during the rain. 

 It was nice on the weekend so Eric escaped the house and went out on the hammock. 

Owen has figured out a new way to play a video game so he played during the weekend. 

4th week of January

Start of the day.........all three back to school for the new year. 

Cat patiently waiting for them to come home.  I think she missed them. 

Home... I don't think they look too damaged by it all. 

3rd Week of January

Still laughing even though there is only a week left of school holidays and the weather has been gross.  35 degrees and so humid the floors look like we have a leak.  Ugh......

2nd Week of January

The second week of January marks our second childs birthday.   A bit of one on one with her best friend and then family night out for dinner for Thai and a chocolate birthday cake with mermaid candles!!!

Even though we still have 2 and a half weeks left of school holidays they seem to still like me!

Finishing up the last of the Elvis duties. 

1st Week in January , Parkes Elvis Festival Weekend

This is going to be a long post!!!  We started off the week with a visit from "The Brown's"  oh how we have missed this family.   I still wish we were next door to just say hi everyday.  

 Kids so used to each other it just feels natural.    After a quick visit with them, and roping Sam into helping with the Elvis Photography Exhibition set up.  They had to love us and leave us to visit more amazing families from our old Cobar days. 

 Wednesday was the official start to the Parkes Elvis Festival Week.  Opening night of the Photography Exhibition was Wednesday night and Parkes Camera Club members went there to start our volunteering duty.  I'm suppose to be important as the Portfolio Holder but I don't know all the ins and outs of the festival just the Exhibition part!   (photo above is a fellow camera club members - Keith Turk)

 Thursday the kids and I went for a tour around the town to see all the street art and get an ice cream or two! 

The Elvis Express is a train that comes in from Sydney for the festival.   This year they had 400 people on board.   Some of Eric's work people get dressed up and go down to welcome them off the train.  (above photo taken by Northparkes employee)

 This is a similar photo as the one the got Eric in the front page of the local newspaper.  Way to go Elvis Strom!!!!

 I went down too and posed with the train staff.  Fun in Acapulco was the theme.  So a little Mexican for you

 Somehow I skipped Friday.... it was a blur of duties and entertaining friends from Sydney.  This is both of the families getting ready for the float on Saturday morning.    Vivian, Stephen, and Fidelis.  Fidelis is from Canada  and is now teaching at the UNSW in the mining engineering department.  There is about 10 students here at the moment and they were in charge of building the float for the Elvis Parade.  So we got Fidelis and family on the float with his students!!! 

 Kids after the parade.

 Sunday had Eric and I renewing our vows Elvis style.  This photo was on the Elvis Festival Official website.  So not my photo.   The rest below are photos the girls took of us while we were standing on the very hot black stage.  It was about 36 to 37 degrees Celsius that day.   We love visitors so keep this weekend in mind so we can put you up.  

Start of the New Year

 New Year's Eve sparklers

 Nap before midnight

Dad being very crazy!!

Sibling love and hate.