Happy 4th of July

Though we have a few American ties here on Norfolk Island such as celebrating Thanksgiving in November due to American whalers being stationed on the Island many moons ago, there are not many other reasons to celebrate the independence of another country, but we do anyway.

As I now run a preschool, we have spent the year going 'around the world' and gaining stamps for our preschool passport. This week, we visited the USA.

Last night a few friends got together, dressed up and ate an American style feast till we popped. (think fried chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, New York & Hawaiian pizzas, caramel corn, red white and blue pancake stack, cosmopolitans to drink and apple pie)

Tonight after corn fritters, I let my children make S'mores in the fireplace, almost like we did in Hawaii, but it is winter here and I improvised with Aussie Marshmellows and NZ choc dipped biscuits (rather than a square of Hersheys on a Graham cracker)
We were lucky that our Granny was here to share them too.


I think we have a yummy new family tradition.

10!

 

A decade

 

10 years

 

An incredible journey of learning

 

Amazing ups and downs that can't compare to the quick thrill of a rollercoaster

 

Proud moments

 

A special friend told me this before I had even thought of having Children.

She was right!

Friday Favourite ~ A Smile that lights up my life.

My big boy has just flown the coop for the very first time. His first solo flight to go and see his grandparents & family in his beloved city of Sydney for his 10th Birthday.
This excited smile was just before boarding the plane today.
Miss him already.

Friday Favourite~Shadows

 By chance I took a detour drive to Kingston because the light was so pretty this week. I happened upon these shadows on the hill created by the sun setting behind this avenue of Norfolk Island Pine trees below.

 I only got to take a small handful of shots before the sun disappeared behind a cloud and the shadows were no more.

Friday Favourite~worn out

Poor little man. Preschool is so much fun that as soon as all the other kids go home at 3pm, he falls asleep on the carpet or in the car.

Happy Mothers day 2013

Here is my Mothers day collage.
I laughed so hard at everything today which I needed to, there were many funny family moments.
The kids artwork on my cards was fantastic. The presents were my favourite kind, handmade from the heart. It was the first time Jasper really joined in and made things at his (& my) preschool.
The night before I was ordered to stay in bed in the morning, of course I was up 2 hours before anyone else, so made a sneaky cup of tea before going back to bed to wait.
I got fresh scrambled eggs for breakfast in bed plus a handful of parsley and a hibiscus picked fresh from the garden and plonked on my lap. For the first time in 10 years, I had a dog to cuddle in bed.
Such a blessing to be surrounded by my beautiful children wanting to spoil me.

We forwent lunch at a restaurant as I preferred a picnic any where on scenic Norfolk Island, we chose Cockpit waterfall as we had to deliver some new pet chickens to the preschool just up the hill.
Again many more laughs especially when the kids had a running race and they kept bettering each others time trial by one second so kept on going to try and beat each others record. In the end Ted stripped down to his undies on this cool autumn day to try and get the fastest time. His little sister still beat him by one second.
My loving husband proudly informed me prior to leaving that he had packed the whole picnic with no help from anyone else. I though at the time 'that's nice' instead of alarm bells ringing to check the baskets.
So we enjoyed one of those special men packed picnic lunches that consisted of Coffee but no milk (forgotten), cheese with no crackers (forgotten) Oranges and avocados that we couldn't open without a knife (Forgotten!)
But even with my black coffee that I could hardly drink and my funny lunch, I still had my favourite people to keep me company. My little family.

A very special necklace

A few weeks ago Sienna and I made some very special Norfolk Island style jewellery for Soul Gallery out of Acrylic shrink film.
She then asked if I could do her some special pieces like a hello kitty bracelet and some cupcakes.

After she went to bed, I started playing around with my art pencils and a photo of Peri-Peri puppy as a surprise for Sienna when she woke up the next morning.

She loves her new necklace. After Peri-Peri's accident on Anzac day, we all want one, to keep her close to our hearts.

Friday Favourite~Pumice pets

Made by Sienna Rose

Looking up

Its has been a very busy end to March and start of April as my husband has been away for a few weeks. But thinks are definitely looking up.

I got 3 little subconscious messages this week to tell me to keep going!

First a swirly contrail from an overhead plane passing by.

Then a friend sent me this.

and finally I was swooped upon by these 2 gorgeous white terns.

 I hope your week is looking up also :)

 

Making a spontaneous splash

It was a half planned fun afternoon out with some of the kids long time family friends.
 (see a long long time ago)

The idea was to get some pumice stone which has been washing up on our beaches in volumes (see my Auntie's story here)

I was collecting it for our new permaculture garden at my preschool (see THAT story here)

Well a quick trip or two to Cemetery beach turned into a most unexpected fun afternoon.

It was the unplanned that was the most fun.

On the first trip a brief shower of rain made us feel a bit chilly. A thatch of newly mown grass nearby felt warm underfoot so the next moments were spent lying in it, jumping into it and playing hide and seek in it, even I joined in the frivolity and shared in the fun and laughter.

where are they hiding Peri~Peri?

 

On the second trip, it was getting quite late in the afternoon yet the children who went to look into the rock pools were drawn by the waves swirling around a large rock resembling a crocodile.

One by one they went in! Launching themselves from crocodile rock fully clothed on a mid Autumn afternoon.

I ran back to the truck to get my camera (as I am not often without it.) I had to capture the leaps of faith, the smiles of enjoyment and the friendship & camaraderie between the 4 long time friends.

I mentioned to the kids as they sat in the back of the truck wrapped in emergency towels packed for exactly this 'just in case' moment that we are the luckiest people in the world with freedom and imagination.

 We are free to enjoy our own island, to explore and make our own fun. We are not relying on expensive video games or paid people to entertain us, instead we had the free-est of free days by not paying a cent to be able to discover and play whatever we wanted to.

We are truly blessed.

And I am darn grateful that I was able to capture the photos so the memories will last a lifetime.


 

Little Jasper wasn't as happy at everyone jumping in the water.
Hugs from Mama with the rainbow hair helped.