A couple of weeks ago I left the camera out on a tripod ... I should have known better. It wasn't long before the increasingly independent Alfie wanted to take some snaps of his own. He happily snapped away carefully carrying the tripod as two somewhat nervous parents looked on.
Back inside I was amazed that he'd actually managed to get something ... and more than that they were good! Here's an album of some of his pictures ... I think its quite interesting to see the things he decided to take pictures of!
Not sure what some of our photographer type friends would say but I think that Alfie could become "What's doing down under's" official photographer! ;0)
Monday, July 26, 2010
G'Day Grandma ...
On Saturday morning it was time to take a trip to the airport in Sydney to collect mum, ironically it was at an hour normally reserved for climbing into bed after the World Cup (still not over that yet!) and then the Tour de France! We were all very excited as it's mums first visit in two years. Alfie is two years older and and as for Charlie he was just a twinkle in Beth's eye!!
Mum seems to have coped quite well with the trip, having transfered in Dubai for a couple of hours. Mum says that I was easy to spot in the airport, while I stood straining to see who Australian Customs would actually let out of the airport next!!!
Mum has spent a couple of days getting her body back into some sort of routine, amongst all the chaos. Jet Lag is tough when you fly to Australia. The only option is to try to stay awake as long as you can and go to bed when everyone else does .. easier said than done when you are sitting watching Australian terestrial TV or even worse Scooby Do and Tom and Jerry repeats with Alfie!
Alfie and Charlie seem quite taken with mum which is lovely for her, she's getting lots of cuddles and Alfie proudly announces to anyone who will listen that "This is my Grandma!".
Now we need to sit down and come up with a plan of action for the next three weeks... its just a shame that I'm back at work while she's here! ;0(
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Disney On Ice ...
Alfie likes nothing more than to slip on his Ugg boots, grab some blankets and sit on the sofa watching a movie during the Winter... or much of the rest of the year for that matter... just without the boots and blanket! Often the first DVD in player ... we didn't even have a VHS video at his age! I played outside with sticks and empty cardboard boxes, anyway back to the story ... is a Disney Pixar film. So when our dear friends and neighbours Amy and Mitch decided to take Alfie to Disney on Ice there was much excitement.
He had a great time as you can see from these pictures...
... he also consumed his own body weight in popcorn from a huge bucket that he guarded closely!
Thanks again Amy and Mitch. They do so much with him... so much in fact that a neighbour wanted to know why they have a "son" with them sometimes and not others! ;0)
He had a great time as you can see from these pictures...
... he also consumed his own body weight in popcorn from a huge bucket that he guarded closely!
Thanks again Amy and Mitch. They do so much with him... so much in fact that a neighbour wanted to know why they have a "son" with them sometimes and not others! ;0)
Changing Rooms ...
With the school holidays almost over I can finally take a step back and look at some of the transformations we've managed during the last three weeks. Alfie's bedroom once yellow and green (... yes painted before he was born!) ...
... is now blue, has a wooden floor and has become the office!
Meanwhile the back room which was supposed to me a dining room/office working space but became a Steptoes Yard looked like this last week ...
... now you might think that we staged these pictures, I wish that were the case! A friend (... remember this is a friends comment ... it could have been worse!) looked aghast at the scene of devastation and could only remark "Oh I'm so sorry!" I guess its what happens when you work from home at times, have a lack of space, two kids and some building work going on. It was actually where we sat to look at the architectural plans with the architect. I think he could see the issue we were having. However with the building work complete we are getting close to the home that we wanted this house to be ... this is how the same room looks today...
... some new retro chairs from eBay $50 for the lot. (... 25 English pounds)
... a retro unit also from the Bay of e.
... oh and a table which I'm told was there all the time and can be spotted by the eagle eyed in one of the before photos!! ;0)
... is now blue, has a wooden floor and has become the office!
Meanwhile the back room which was supposed to me a dining room/office working space but became a Steptoes Yard looked like this last week ...
... now you might think that we staged these pictures, I wish that were the case! A friend (... remember this is a friends comment ... it could have been worse!) looked aghast at the scene of devastation and could only remark "Oh I'm so sorry!" I guess its what happens when you work from home at times, have a lack of space, two kids and some building work going on. It was actually where we sat to look at the architectural plans with the architect. I think he could see the issue we were having. However with the building work complete we are getting close to the home that we wanted this house to be ... this is how the same room looks today...
... some new retro chairs from eBay $50 for the lot. (... 25 English pounds)
... a retro unit also from the Bay of e.
... oh and a table which I'm told was there all the time and can be spotted by the eagle eyed in one of the before photos!! ;0)
Solids ...
With Charlie now five months old and his appetite and waistline expanding its time to start thinking about solids so yesterday it was out with the rice cereal and the high chair. Here's a short video of the moment.
... not too sure about solids yet then!?!? All the wipeclean paint that I've been splashing about over the last three weeks might come in useful over the next couple of months... now where's that box of bibs?
... not too sure about solids yet then!?!? All the wipeclean paint that I've been splashing about over the last three weeks might come in useful over the next couple of months... now where's that box of bibs?
The Man Cave ...
With our bedroom completed our old bedroom was ready for a transformation. In with the bar fridge and bar, up with the shelves and pictures, chuck in a few pieces of donated furniture, a playstation, TV and Hi-Fi in the cupboard... turn down the lights, open that beer! Ladies and gentlemen I present to you the Tiki Bar aka the Man Cave ...
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Progress ...
With me being on holiday for three weeks its given me a good opportunity to get stuck into some renovations. We moved in to our new bedroom a couple of weeks ago after what seemed an eternity painting and decorating the bedroom, the bathroom and the walk in. That left Alfie down at the other end of the house on his own so we really wanted to get thing moving...
With a couple of days sustained effort, some help from Mitchell with the priming of the plaster board and from Dave on the laying of the laminate floor it was ready!
Alfie helped pack up everything in his room and was a good helper as everything made the short journey. He seemed quite excited about the whole thing, he has since taken any visitor down there for a look, so much so that he wanted to go to bed early which is unheard of! He was obviously feeling relaxed and at home as the picture above shows.
With a couple of days sustained effort, some help from Mitchell with the priming of the plaster board and from Dave on the laying of the laminate floor it was ready!
Alfie helped pack up everything in his room and was a good helper as everything made the short journey. He seemed quite excited about the whole thing, he has since taken any visitor down there for a look, so much so that he wanted to go to bed early which is unheard of! He was obviously feeling relaxed and at home as the picture above shows.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Whale Watching...
At this time of year Humpback Whales make their way from the cold waters of the Antarctic to the warmer waters to the North.... who can blame them. Here on the East coast we're are treated to some spectacular displays. Recently we headed up to the lookout with a picnic blanket and waited ...
We did see some whales breach and even videoed this action... I could have uploaded it but you'd need binoculars and a good imagination to see anything. A reccent count suggests that this year will be a good watching season. The whales return in November with their calves.
We did see some whales breach and even videoed this action... I could have uploaded it but you'd need binoculars and a good imagination to see anything. A reccent count suggests that this year will be a good watching season. The whales return in November with their calves.
World Cup Update ...
I ended my last post with ...
Everyone seems to know the score
They've seen it all before
They just know
They're so sure
That England's gonna
Throw it away
Gonna blow it away
But I know they can play
What a fitting way to start this one! England never got going in this tournament, apart from one bright thirty minutes against the smallest nation at this world cup we struggled to find any tempo or do the basic things like pass the ball. I could go on ... I've tried to move on during the last week ... but I won't. All I will say is that we need to look long term and at other countries, like dare I say it Germany, to see where we are going wrong.
Charlie has shown quite an interest in the World Cup largely based on the fact that being awake most of the night he gets to see quite a bit of it! He also had little positive to say about England performances which he described as "Like cutting teeth." (painful) Here he is pictured holding a bottle of My Wifes Bitter ... I'll make not further comment on that for fear of loosing Mother in Law favour points! ;0)
Everyone seems to know the score
They've seen it all before
They just know
They're so sure
That England's gonna
Throw it away
Gonna blow it away
But I know they can play
What a fitting way to start this one! England never got going in this tournament, apart from one bright thirty minutes against the smallest nation at this world cup we struggled to find any tempo or do the basic things like pass the ball. I could go on ... I've tried to move on during the last week ... but I won't. All I will say is that we need to look long term and at other countries, like dare I say it Germany, to see where we are going wrong.
Charlie has shown quite an interest in the World Cup largely based on the fact that being awake most of the night he gets to see quite a bit of it! He also had little positive to say about England performances which he described as "Like cutting teeth." (painful) Here he is pictured holding a bottle of My Wifes Bitter ... I'll make not further comment on that for fear of loosing Mother in Law favour points! ;0)
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