Back in the groove....

Yes it is back in the groove - full swing ahead with the Murray household.  Menu planning, shopping, cleaning, homework, catching up on a week, etc... I am back in my element. Yes truly I am.

Ollie got picked up this morning to go to the U18's and waterboy followed by the other 2 senior games at the Pines.  Huge day for him and in the rain at times but he enjoys earning the money.  $35 for running water for 3 games on a Saturday is quite good for a 14 year old I guess.

Noel, Alex and I went shopping and had lunch at Mambo's instead of eating at the dodgy food court.  I don't mind going there and it is away from the shopping centre.

Alex is still working on her project of the Australian Federation focussing on Edmund Barton.  She is putting 110% in as usual but I will be so glad when she has handed it in and it is over.

Have decided tonight is DVD night and as a family we are going to sit down and watch Hugo.

Enjoy your Saturday xxx

Murray family dinner.....

Mam and Dad arrived home from their holidays but we hadn't caught up with them until tonight.  It was great to see them, even though you could tell they were still exhausted from their adventures and the jet lag that they were experiencing.

We had yummy dinner of Roast Pork but the highlight was just catching up with not only the two of them but with Sean and Vicky also.  It seems like forever since we have seen them also.

It was great to hear all about Mam and Dad's adventures and all the places that they went too.  Some of their destinations sounded so beautiful, some I had visited myself and brought back memories of my days of travelling... many many moons ago. Long before I became a Murray!

It was great talking with Sean and Vicky and catching up with them, something we should definitely do more often.  They used the Gold Class Tickets that we gave Vicky for her birthday last year, with Vicky's parents having the boys giving them a night out by themselves.

Mam recieved her birthday present from the family, a bowling jacket, as she will be away for her birthday next weekend.  They are heading to Tweed Heads as they do most years at this time.  Hopefully they will have a safe trip and an enjoyable time.

Queen's Birthday - Long weekend.

Happy Birthday to the Queen 2012 and thank you for a long weekend.

 
With all the Regal celebrations - the Queen's Diamond Jubilee -we just had a wonderful but quiet weekend... with Noel and I spending some great quality time together.

Alex was away at Lakes Entrance with her friend, Tammy, celebrating Tammy's birthday.  She left Friday from school and was home Monday afternoon. 

Oliver had his friend Max over , spending most of the time in the bedroom on the X-Box only coming out for food and toilet breaks.  I guess just like most teenage boys do!

As for Noel and I, well we entertained ourselves.

Saturday night we had a date!!  Dinner out at Blu Restaurant in Patterson Lakes.  The food was nice, the service good but it was a very noisy restaurant but it was busy.  We both agreed that it would also be a nice restaurant to have lunch in - especially over looking the water's edge.  We shared a dip and bread platter for entree followed by a seafood platter for 2 for dinner.

Sunday we went to the local Market for a walk around, had a coffee out and about, did some shopping etc.  Max stayed again Sunday night.

Monday we caught up Kelee and went for lunch at Petaling Street in Clayton.  I have had lunch there before with work so it was nice to take Noel and Kelee there.  We were there for several, catching up on what's been happening with us all.  We love Kelee to bits and we are all at ease with each other, being able to chat about anything and everything.

A little more shopping on Sunday, then home to get ready for work and school Tuesday and the weekend was well and truly over.

New Years Eve 2011

LNew Years Eve was destined to be a quiet one - nothing planned, no parties, etc but a chance conversation saw Mel, Steve and Jai over for the evening and it turned out brilliant.

We served up some nibblies, cooked marinated half chooks on the bbq served with some salad, did some shots, chatted away until we all saw the New Year of 2012 in.

Followed of course by a swim as it was still hot......

 They do look somewhat large for the wading pool but it got them cool so their mission was complete!!

Off on a small adventure.... looking for a campsite

Today the kids and I are off on a mini adventure - in search of a campsite for next weekend's camping trip.

Should be really fun considering the choice will be up to us - Noel is at work so we will just have to hope for the best considering no-one will be camping this weekend and there is the chance that all sites will be full next weekend especially if the weather is good.

These photos were taken near O'Briens Crossing in Lerderderg State Park, Victoria.

A Family BBQ

We had a lovely evening with all the family at Mam and Dad's house tonight.

Dad focused on cooking the BBQ

Christian having  look at his Uncle Noel and that shirt!

A huge cuddle for Uncle Noel

What a cutie Daniel is!

Another nice evening together.  Charlie slept through the whole event so sadly no new photos of her tonight!  Next time I guess.....

Royal Melbourne Zoo - a family outing

On Sunday we spent a family day at the Melbourne Zoo..... the kids and I love the zoo whereas Noel goes to keep us happy! He does like animals, don't get me wrong he can quite happily leave it 5 years between visits though!

It was a beautiful day - a great day to try out my new camera properly. Have to say I love having the additional zoom etc.

Here are some of my favourite photo's I took:






















We had a lovely day together.....
My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Happy New Year 2011

I cannot believe that it has been so long in between blogging here. Shame on me I must say.

Firstly Happy New Year ~ from our family to yours we hope that 2011 brings all your dreams to reality and that it is a wonderful year for you all.

So what have we been up to - I can honestly say a lot!! We have been busy busy with the silly season and then New Year and so much more. We have caught up with family, enjoyed some relaxed holiday times and eaten way too much.

Daniel was Christened in early December which was a nice ceremony and a relaxing day back at Sean and Vicky's.

My two men looking very sharp!

Proud parents!

Proud Parents and God Parents

I travelled with work for most of December which was very tiring and included a trip to Tasmania. I also went on site for my first Concrete pour... quite exciting - well I thought so!!

Pouring footings for a garage.

Decorating the tree is always good fun.

Hanging baubles.

The important part of tree decorating - the fairy!

And our newest editions... our reindeer family.

We caught up some old friends at a bbq just before Christmas. People I have worked with over my years at Hanson and it was really nice to catch up.

Donnie and Willy - the bbq kings of Harkaway!!

Joe sharing some festive cheer!

Mark sharing the love!!

Alex had her Christmas concert which was nice. Unfortunately I was the only one that made it as it was during school hours but she was happy that I went. As always she really looked like she was enjoying herself up on the stage.

Grandma arrived from Brisbane the week before Christmas and is staying through to the end of January. Grandma, Alex, Ollie and myself went to a special preview of Yogi Bear in 3D. It was a really good movie. Grandma had never been to a 3D movie before so she really enjoyed it.

Not only were Yogi and Boo Boo there but Santa was there also.

Christmas Eve was an exciting evening with Jamie and the boys coming over for a bbq. It was great to see them during the Festive Season and as you can tell it was a nice night.

A proud Grandma moment!

Opening some presents.

Also with Christmas Eve comes new pyjamas.

Christmas morning arrived and the tree was surrounded by presents. I love watching the kids faces on Christmas morning, madly unwrapping the gifts to see what they have recieved only to be excited by some, occasionally surprised especially when recieving a rubber chicken.

The rabbits and guinea pigs go a new hutch.

And even grandma looks surprised with her new Salt and Pepper Shakers.

We spent Christmas Day at Noel's mam and dad's. An enjoyable afternoon with the whole Murray family including Clare and her partner Grahame that flew in from Sydney that morning. Mam and Dad did a wonderful job with the Christmas dinner - all the trimmings of course.

Plus the usual balloon animal competition.... which turns rather serious!






We relaxed Boxing Day but made sure we still had plenty to eat....


A day trip into the city to catch up with a friend from work saw us walking around. Along Southbank you never know who you are going to bump into?


And near the casino you are never far away from an expensive car....


On the 30th of December the Murray family did a road trip of our Pennisula's to show Grahame what Victoria had to offer in the way of beaches and coastlines. Starting off at Hastings we ventured to Point Leo, Flinders, Ocean Beach, Gunnamatta, Arthurs Seat and finishing off the day at Steeples Bistro in Mornington. Clare and Grahame spent the night at ours then which put a nice finishing touch to the day.

Hastings Pier

Point Leo Surf Beach

Playing "stacks on" Noel

Lunch at Flinders Beach

Brothers having fun with a sea sponge

Noel chasing Christian with the sea sponge!

Ocean Beach, Flinders and the paragliders.

Alex crabbing

Sean and Vicky walking along Ocean Beach!

Gunnamatta Surf Beach

The view from Arthurs Seat

New Years Eve was a quiet affair - just us and mam at home. We had a make shift chinese banquet with nibblies, satay beef and nice chicken followed by sparklers and champange at 12am to welcome in the New Year.

As you can see it has been all go with lots of fun and laughter to close out 2010.... now looking forward to having an even better 2011!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com