MIA Much?

Usually this is the doldrums of the year, so I'm not accustomed to such action-packed-adventure in January, but it's our first summer in 18 months so we are officially LIVING IT UP. We left for Tas the day after school ended, had visitors a week later until today- only one week from back-to-school. Time flies.

the suitcase of sugar loot

waiting stealthily at baggage claim

Finally, a year in, we got our first visitor to Australia!!! My mum spent the last 2.5 weeks with us and we absolutely ate her up, (hence my bloglessness.) So much fun to have GramB alllllll to ourselves every day and every night (like, seriously, the first week she slept in a different kids' bed each night.) Quite a special sort of "quality time" that you surprisingly don't get living just 5 minutes from each other. What a treat!

Didn't take much begging from these cherubs to get GramB on board with just about anything, too. She has been a super sport constantly teaching, cuddling, helping, cleaning, paying, laughing, swimming, reading and enjoying these kids - they are truly "spoilt." And we are now in serious attention withdrawals (or in my case, dishes/laundry/mess/meal-help withdrawals!)

Here's the "mother load" of highlights for the fam...
(since you took maybe 2 pictures the entire time, right Mom? :)



 At Home:

rockin' the chocolate fountain in celebration of her arrival

one of many impromptu "sleepover" set ups

look closely, they blend in behind her

walking down the street to see her first wild kangaroos

 Kids coercing her into picking up the largest insect they'd found yet... ha ha. 

She's way too jumpy. Threw it immediately and said the thing felt like it was all spongy and full of air.

She fell in love with the views and roos on the walk up in the hills above our house. 

(As have we.)

making caramels - as if the suitcase of lollies she brought wasn't enough

a few dance and jam sessions (yes, that's money in the case)

  I don't think she ever said "no" - there were movies/swimming most days, extra sugar on cereal,  TimTams for breakfast, eating out, wrestling and snuggling and games galore. Lucky ducks!

 

In the City:

It was fun to be reminded of all this capitol city has to offer. From museums and memorials to art and activities.

Of course, first on the list was Questacon, our extremely engaging children's science museum. She was a total trooper and gave a good couple tries hanging at the top of Free Fall before opting to climb back down and watch the kids do it instead. :)

And then there was Summer's disturbing obsession with the freaky clowns...

National Botanical Gardens rainforest tree walk

She took us to see my friend, Kiki, as the Velveteen Rabbit then coaxed the kids into entering the drawing contest for free family tickets to the Angelina Ballerina ballet next month...

which Annie WON 

(woohoo at $40 a seat!!)

paddle-boating on Lake Burley-Griffin

Old Parliament House - way more fun than it sounds

 I love when historical places include fun, hands-on activities for the kids. We were there 3+ hours!

Running the lawns at New Parliament House. Always a good way to exhaust those chillens.

Loved discovering the Canberra Glassworks. Just sit there and watch world-renowned glass artists work their magic in those kilns for hours on end. What a cool art form and great way to spend an afternoon.

  (the ever impressive Australian War Memorial - at which Summer threw the world's most obnoxious fit)
 

Out & About:

saw our first Brown Snake (!!) right by the trail on this hike

the windy view from Telstra Tower

rounded the bend at the bottom to find this dramatic scene

took a fun train ride with friends to Bungendore - cute country town 40 minutes out

hit many a park

 

human slide tunnel

Out at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, GramB was our good luck charm for wildlife. We spotted our largest mob of kangaroos yet (55 - see above), a giant pelican, long neck turtle, tons of lizards, 2 emus and a few podaroos (sort of like a humungous rat.)

 doing The Flying Fox 

wheeeee!

still no wild sightings on the Koala Walk, darn it

GramB was treated to a fantastic Australia Day celebration our friends hosted with lamb kebabs, pumpkin dip, sausage rolls and the like, but I unfortunately got no photos of the people, party, (or pavlova!) Fun, nonetheless.

 At Kathryn's folks house about 10 seconds before Summer decided to walk on water and fell through the pool cover - fortunately she inherited Darren's biceps and did an Iron Cross on the corner til we fetched her.

At the Coast:

GramB might've been more of a "bad luck charm" on beach day since we saw 3 dead wombats and countless wallaby road kill driving down and only 3 roos on the sand when there are usually heaps.

However, we saw the coolest creature so far: an iguana! Just waltzing down from the trees toward the sandy beach. Of course my phone (camera) had just died, but this thing was huge - we thought it was a small croc at first!

Of course we had this nice little layout then Will decides to bury his towel in the sand.
Only a boy...

All in all, such a fantastic trip. Can't wait to have you back in 6 months, Mum! Good thing we did all this stuff, 'cause it ain't happenin' next time with a newborn in the house :)