We're home

So we're back from our little trip to Bathurst. As with any trip away from home with little people, we had our share of, shall we say, difficult situations, including a few simultaneous meltdowns (yay for me!) due to late nights, poor sleep and too much excitement. In the end we returned home a little earlier than planned due to cranky children, cranky mummy and well just general crankiness all round. Not to worry, each trip gets a little easier as the boys get older and mum and dad and my childhood home aren't going anywhere! The boys really enjoyed the time they got to spend with their cousin (even though her older brother was missed). Here are some highlights.

Nanny and Pa's fish pond is always the first thing the kids want to check out. The old garden bed which they lined with plastic, filled with water and threw in a few gold fish thinking the birds would probably eat them is still going strong and the fish have been happily breeding for at least 10 years now. Ice often forms on the surface yet still they survive. Who knew gold fish would thrive so well outdoors in Bathurst? The kids like trying to count them.

Little D wanted to find the source of the chorus of croaking down by the dam but the frogs are good at hiding and alas we heard many but saw none.

Little H surprised me with his timidness regarding the vast open space of the paddocks. This is the look he had on his face basically the whole time we were outdoors! Little D was yelling and running back and forth and saying to his little brother "Come on H, lets find the sheep, lets look for frogs. You can run with me, do you see the dam?" and so on. But H was obviously overwhelmed by the very non-urban environment he found himself in and wanted to be carried or to hold my hand. I realised that he simply hasn't spent the time at mum and dad's that Little D has (when there was just one babe in my life and the 3.5 hour drive and parenting without Will - who usually has to stay behind for work -was much more achievable).

Although outside his comfort zone he did eventually get lost (in a good kind of way) in the long grass. His hair matches the colour of the dry grass don't you think?

It wasn't actually very cold and (sadly) there was no need to kit out H in the old ski suit hanging in the laundry cupboard which I'd been imagining him in. Nor Little D in an old parka. Oh well, next time huh!

Little D enjoyed following the sheep around, calling out to H to join him. He was disappointed to find the chooks were no longer around after a fox made a meal of them a few months back but was very matter of fact about it. "Foxes eat hens, don't you know mum."

D feeding the neighbours horses. Notice Little H keeping a safe distance. He was pretty terrified of what he called dogs. I imagine a dog the size of a horse would be pretty scary! I reassured him they were friendly (and not oversized canines) and he was happy to be in my arms while I stroked their noses but not in the least bit interested in touching them or feeding them himself.

The kids first experience of a bonfire was definitely the highlight of our stay and Pa even made them their very own little fire in an old kitchen sink for marshmallow toasting. Although the little one wasn't too keen on eating them he enjoyed the toasting part. His big brother could hardly believe his luck and ate at least half the packet! (His mother may have consumed most of the other half. Yum)!

Little H kept backing away saying "too sunny" and shielding his face with his hands. Little D was extremely interested in how the fire "makes the stuff it is burning disappear". I think that all of our attempts to explain it completely failed to satisfy the poor child. I mean, it's pretty tricky to explain isn't it? He loved it every time Pa or Uncle Matt added something big to the fire sending millions of sparks off into the night.

Little D (AKA apprentice chef) didn't miss out on his need to create in the kitchen just because he was away from daddy (AKA resident chef). He helped Nanny make lemon meringue pies for an afternoon tea party we had with some Bathurstian mates.

It's lovely to come home after a few days away. The latest Ottobre magazine arrived while we were away and I'm going to hop into bed now and drool over all the children's clothes that I'll probably never find time to sew!