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. 

Caloma Lookout at Goobang National Park in NSW

After much discussion, lots of eye rolling,  we dragged the kids out for an adventure.  Just over an hours drive is Goobang National Park and this look out.   They didn't think it was so bad once we got there. 

 We stopped at The Dish on the way home for lunch at the cafe and some picture taking of the beautiful sunflower fields near there.  I have friends that know the farmer and we asked permission a couple of year ago to go in the field and take some photos.   This year the field is right next to a lane.  I still felt guilty stopping though without talking to them this year. 

Christmas Week 4 - 2015

Started off with a very hot Sunday...

 Then it rained for two days and cooled off.  Which I love!

 We patiently waited for Santa while colouring Christmas colouring pages. 

 Watched the Christmas lights at night. 

 Then Christmas morning was here.  And we have a teenager!!!  She would have slept until 11am if the super excited youngest didn't wake everyone up at 7am. 

 A mine craft Creeper fight started off the morning. 

 Then the lego building began. 

Ending with Boxing Day bubble photography play.  

Third Week of December 2015

 School has ended this week and a feat in itself.  All three kids got awards this year.  Ciara picture above got Grade 8 First in Maths,  and CWA award for Academic Achievement. Owen, got Achievement in English and Math as well as his Silver Merit Pennant. Hannah got Parkes Arts Council award for Creative Arts and her Gold Merit Pennant. They have all passed and move on to the next year at the end of January.

 We celebrated by making gingerbread houses and lots of Christmas baking.

 Now for a little down time or maybe not........  Big Splash Water World came to Parkes for a week.  They had a 3 hours ticket for $20 and you could ride the 5 different blow up waterslides as much as you wanted.  The biggest slide has three slides and was 55ft tall.  Scarey!!!

We also got to go to the movies this weekend in Orange and shopping at Harris Markets that always has groceries from home that I miss getting.  We found woodear mushrooms and made this recipe:

Broccoli Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry Noodles

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 bundles whole wheat noodles
• 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
• ½ medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 4-5 fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• A small handful black wood ears/black fungus, soaked 2 hours
• 5 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan/sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (don’t add if you don’t like spicy)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• A small pinch red pepper flakes
• A few sprinkles ground pepper
• A few sprinkles white and black sesame seeds (garnish)

Instructions

1. Be sure you’ve soaked the black wood ears/black fungus in water for at least 2 hours, then have it drained well.
2. Chop the onion into medium or small sized strips. Dice the garlic into small pieces and put both of them in the frying pan with a tablespoon olive oil.
3. Turn the heat on medium high (5-6 or 6) and saute the onions for about 10 minutes. At that stage, the onions should be turning a little golden.
4. Meanwhile, remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice them into small pieces. Break the broccoli stalk into small florets and measure a cup, tightly packed. Get five fresh basil leaves and slice them up.
5. While the onions are cooking boil a saucepan of water and cook your desired noodles according to packet instructions. Usually by bringing it to a boil, add the noodles, let it boil for 5-10 minutes until the noodles are hot. Be sure to drain the noodles!
6. After cooking the onion for 10 minutes, add the shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, wood ears and basil.
7. Immediately after, add the sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, cayenne pepper, ginger, red pepper flakes and ground pepper. Stir and fry the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
8. Once the noodles are drained, add it into the frying pan with the veggies, stir a lot to let the flavour seep into the noodles. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.