Another quick weekend....

Well another weekend over and it was a quiet yet full, if that makes sense.

Friday night saw us out for dinner with the kids and Noel's parents to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary. We went to La Porchetta in Mentone, which I have to admit wasn't the most brilliant meal we have had, considering we don't mind La Porchetta (the Frankston one is better!!) It was good spending the evening together and catching up. Not only had we not seen the kids for the whole week but we hadn't seen mam and dad for awhile either.

Saturday after working only for a few hours, a little shopping on the way home and we settled in to watch the Grand Final. We were meant to go over to a friend's house but Alex complained of being sickand dizzy. She actually slept from around 3 pm until the next morning.

Unfortunately, as far as the football went, it wasn't the year for St Kilda this year and they lost to Geelong. Oliver cried his little heart out when the final siren sounded much to the surprise of Noel and myself. Like all good supporters we were dissappointed but glad that it in fact was a good game.


Sunday, after having a sleep in (which I enjoyed) we decided to take the kids to the cinema. We went and saw G Force in 3D... the kids loved it even if as adults we struggled to concept guinea pigs being secret agents for the FBI! Not to mention the trained cockroaches that carried minature spy cameras into place where normal agents just couldn't go!! LOL!! The kids look really nerdy with their 3D glasses on - it made me giggle.

Unfortunately, the weather was miserable all weekend but we enjoyed our time as a family. The kids are back to their grandparents again today but only for tonight. Home tomorrow evening until Thursday. School holidays are a pain for working parents who need to organise sitters left, right and centre but we make the most of every day we have together the best we can......

Happy 16th Wedding Anniversary.....

16 years ago I married my best friend

16 years later he is still my best friend

~ ~ o0O0o ~ ~

WOW I really cannot believe that it has been 16 years... it seems like only yesterday we were getting married, dancing our bridal waltz to Rod Stewart's 'Have I Told You Lately", giving birth to our beautiful son, Oliver, and our princess, Alexandria, now watching them grow, moving to Sydney and then moving back to Melbourne, etc.... always sharing the good and surviving the bad TOGETHER!!

Have I told you lately that I love you?

Have I told you there's no one else above you?

Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness,

ease my troubles that's what you do.

For the morning sun in all it's glory

greets the day with hope and comfort, too.

You fill my life with laughter and somehow you make it better,

ease my troubles that's what you do.

There's a love that's divine

and it's yours and it's mine....like the sun.

And at the end of the day

we should give thanks and pray to the one, to the one.

And have I told lately that I love you?

Have I told you there's no one else above you?

You fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness,

ease my troubles that's what you do.

Take away all my sadness, fill my heart with gladness,

ease my troubles that's what you do......

I love you Mr Murray..... very very much!!

Another earthquake....... two to be exact!!!!

I couldn't believe it last night.... there I was doing the housewifey thing of mopping the kitchen floor and felt a huge rumble and a noise resembling thunder. Thinking no more of it as rain had been forecast I just went along on my enthralling business only to feel the same yet stronger seconds later and this time I noticed the chandelliers shaking!

Listening to the news it was reported that two small earthquakes had hit Melbourne's Mornington Peninusla region at around 6.20 pm and were about 14 seconds apart which explains what I had indeed esperienced.

They recorded magnitudes of 3.0 and 2.6, with the epicentre in Warneet about 25km south of Frankston. So far no major damage has been reported - all's good at our house!

And there I was thinking I "was just having a moment".... LOL!

A quiet house....

It's school holiday's and as we both have to work due to lack of annual leave up our sleeves (saving what we have for Christmas holidays) the kids have been packed up and shipped off to Nana and Grandad's for the majority of the holidays.

They were dropped off yesterday morning by Noel on his way to work and he will pick them up on Friday night on his way home.

Needless to say last night when I got in from work the house was TOO quiet. Not even a little idle chatter could be heard it was just me waiting for Noel for finish his overtime.

It's funny how deafening quiet can be.....

Another family day...... and yet another fast weekend!!!

Noel and I decided we needed another family day and yesterday was perfect weather wise so we go up and without even telling the kids where we were going we all got dressed and were out the door by 10am.

The car had a buzz of excitement about it, especially as the kids had no idea where we were going and we did!! All the way from the back seat we heard "Are we going to...?", "Are we going to...?", "What does it start with?" and "What's the second letter?" etc etc. It was quite a fun trip although we were only in the car for 40 minutes.

We took the kids to Narre Warren to the circus. I had got the times mixed up and thought the show started at 11am only to find that it didn't start until 1pm. So instead of having lunch at a quickie takeaway such as McDonalds etc., we went in search of a nice cafe or restaurant to have some food. Narre Warren really didn't have something that suited so we went into Berwick and to Beno's Cafe and Bar.... and boy, was it good. We all enjoyed our food and we all ordered differently, I had Beno's Big Breakfast, Oliver had Beno's Gourmet Beef Burger, Alex had to have the kids' nuggets and chips and Noel decided on the Tapas Plate.... I won't go into each meal but I can tell you that we were all so full that dinner lasts night consisted of toasted sandwiches at 8.30pm!!!

The circus was fantastic also. Circus Olympia, consisting of several Russian performers and it was mentioned that it was the show's first time in Australia but I would have to investigate to confirm that. The kids had a ball, so did Noel and I. I get great enjoyment watching their faces and seeing the enjoyment and how they light up at even the simplest things. There was some animals in the show and quite enjoyable and varied performances which lasted two hours. Well worth going..... we purchased ring side seats so we were quite close to all the action.

Our house will be quiet now until Friday night. It's school holiday's here in Melbourne and both of us are working. This means the kids get to spend the weekdays with their grandparents, who thankfully help us out when they can and will no doubt spoil the kids rotten. Noel will pick them up on his way home from work on Friday, we will spend the weekend together and then do the same again next week. We have chosen not to have time of this holidays so we can have time together over the Christmas school holidays. Hopefully I will get chance to give the house especially their bedrooms a good clean during the evenings while they are not home...... garbage bags here I come!!

We have been soooo busy.....

We have been soooo busy lately that I just haven't had that much time to maintain this blog... we are doing too much and that is the problem... but you know us we wouldn't have it any other way.

So what have we been up to..... hhhhhmmmm let's see.......

Since Father's Day (6th September) which I cannot believe was nearly two weeks ago, we have been doing the usual school/work caper. Noel has been working a lot of overtime and I have been trying to finalise all the football club books in time for the Annual General Meeting.

However Noel and decided that last Sunday was to be a "special" family day so we took the kids to the city. Even though that doesn't sound too exciting it was a great day. We caught the train into Melbourne - this in itself was a novelty.

We caught the train in from Frankston - this is something the kids have been wanting to do for ages and walked around for most of the morning, ending up in Chinatown for lunch.

After walking the entire length of Chinatown we ate lunch at "Post-Mao Cafe" and had a wonderful banquet lunch for only $14.50 per head and we were full. I am definitely going to recommend this to anyone going to Chinatown.


All through lunch the kids kept asking if we could go to the aquarium... we kept saying no. Only to see the disappointment on their faces at the prospect of further walking around the city did we change our mind. So we hopped on a tram, and without telling them got off at the stop right outside the aquarium.... oh how their faces quickly lit up!!

The aquarium was great, as usual, but the added bonus of the new penguin display was magnificent. The Emperor Penguin are so majestic and mesmorising to watch, I could have stood there for ages.


As per usual I was fascinated by the jelly fish and just want a tank full of them at home. Another brilliant time waster that would be!! LOL!!


Although there was no sign of one of our favourites, the cuttlefish, and that the octopus was snoozing under a rock our visit to the aquarium was great and like everytime we visit it's great to watch the kids faces.

We got home late and were totally exhausted but it was a BRILLIANT adventure... I am sure the kids are going to ask what is next?

Tonight we have the junior football presentations. They are being held at Skateworld in Frankston and it should be interesting to see all the kids on skates instead of football boots. Alex will want me to skate with her.... hhhhmmm I have to think about that one.



PS I WILL PUBLISH SOME MORE PHOTO'S FOR THIS POST SOON......

Happy Father's Day.....

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To all the men I my life I wish you all a very Happy Father's Day... and a special wish of course to my dad, who I love and still miss very much.

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Today there is NO FOOTBALL and I don't think I am the only one that's a little bit excited about that. Instead we were still all in bed by 8am which is in itself a miracle for this house! And I have to say I enjoyed it.

Father's day saw Noel spoiled with presents that the kids had bought at the Father's Day stall at school and also a wallet, a cherry tomato plant and a foot stool. Oh and the Terry's Choc Orange!!! I think he was quite impressed with his bevvy of gifts this year.

Lunch was spent up at Mam and Dad's with Sean, Vicky and Christian. We had a wonderful time.... we got there for lunch but I don't think we walked in our front door until aroun 7pm.... oh well it was a good day.

Food - amazing and so much as usual!! Zucchini and Bacon Soup, Braised Lamb shanks and dessert (which I ate) who could have asked for me... not me - I didn't go back for seconds...lol... others did. Mam and dad did really well with the feast they prepared and served... and of course the perfect end to the day... watching the football and The Saints WON!!!

Vicky looked great - she carries pregnancy well! I am so glad and am looking forward to the new arrival, which is only in a matter of a few weeks really. I tried to find out whether it's a girl or a boy but both Sean and Vicky are not letting on (they know but don't want to tell anyone).... it's quite annoying but Noel and I did the same thing to the family when we were pregnant with Alex!! Go figure - why do I have the right to be annoyed at the decision they have made not to tell anyone?? Especially when we made the same decision 8 years ago.


All I can say is that I am really glad that I am part of a wonderful family....