It's Pool Time!

Wayne has been busy putting our pool together for summer.  We take the lining out and pack away the filter over winter so it stays fresh and clean, although we did have to buy a new liner.  So yesterday after i picked the kids up from school and daycare i thought i would check out the water temp and what do you know, it was beautiful.  Here is a video (which i hope all can see) and some photos...

Here is Wayne on his first trip down...

he enjoyed it... really...

Maitland Gaol

On Sunday, Wayne and I went on a date to Maitland Gaol.  Not the normal place for a date, but when Nanna is babysitting we take the opportunity to see local sites.  I won two tickets a few months ago so we headed to Maitland (about 40mins drive north) for a tour of the infamous gaol.

Maitland Gaol has a vibrant history spanning more than 150 years. After housing some of Australia's most hardened and notorious criminals, Maitland Gaol closed as a Correctional Institution in 1998.

click to enlarge

An update - I've been busy!

I have been busy, i finally got a job thats my most important news.  I have been looking for part-time work for a while now and I found a great job.  Im a PA for a Recruitment business.  I work a couple of days a week and/or do some work from home.  It fits in perfect with school hours and my kids.  Eventually when Rory goes to school i will have more work but for the moment its wonderful!  Here's some photos from the last couple of weeks...

My Dad turns 74!

My sister Joanne and me

Rory loves swimming lessons

Jakayla sitting on our Motorbike with Daddy (it's ok its not moving)

A pretty girl :)

Trixie just got hosed down and wasnt too impressed lol

Rory and his best buddy Ben

Jakayla and Rory playing at Stuart's house

We love fruit!

ahhh we love springtime too.  Our strawberry patch is coming along just nicely and each day we can pick nearly a bowl full of delicious strawberries.  Here is Rory with today's beautiful pick...

How good are watermelons this time of year and so cheap too.  I think this whole watermelon cost me about 70cents.

Lets not forget avocados.  I so desperately want an avocado tree but my hubby thinks they are a pain.  Being a builder he has seen the damage these trees can cause so i will make do with buying them!  Dont you just love my avocado keeper i got from Tupperware a while ago!

Swimming Superstar!

I didnt start swimming lessons for Rory until the beginning of this year.  I found that when Jakayla started when she was younger she kept getting a lot of colds and sickness from the pool so i delayed Rory.  He is going strong now, already gone up two levels and he swam by himself (with the instructor Robyn that is, i wasnt in the pool holding him like usual!).  He wasnt too keen at first, trying to take my clothes off to find my cossies LOL but eventually he settled down and i got some great shots.  Jakayla has been swimming all year with just an instructor and this Friday she hops in the big bus and goes with her class to the pool for swimming lessons.  Im so proud :)

Rory has a great relationship with his Pop (my Dad).  My dad is a bit of a teaser and loves to play with Rory.  But saying that, Nanna is the one who brings the cupcakes when she visits so she is welcomed with open arms too!

 

I recently purchases a Buzz Lightyear sheet set from Ebay.  Pre-loved of course and a bargain at $15.  So this is the result and my little boy was in love....

 

Little Athletics is still loads of fun, last Friday it started to rain and the wind came in but we stayed for a little while.  Jakayla is in the under 6's and Rory is in the Tinytots.

Portraits

We got some professional portraits done at Jakayla's school, with some proceeds going to fundraising for the school.  I look pretty average but gee my kids polish up good!  The hubby aint too bad either ;)

He is catching up fast!

Both my kids were born quite large.  Jakayla was 9pd10 and 57cm.  Rory was 10pd and 57cm.  Mind you Jakayla was 2 weeks OVER and Rory was one week UNDER cooked.  God help me if he has stayed in an extra 2 weeks, he would have been massive.  As it was he was tested for diabetes!!!!  He was fine, just a big stropping boy.  Both the births were natural, i did love that gas though!  Both were breastfed for a long time, Jakayla until 19months old and Rory was 2yrs 2 months old.  I LOVED breastfeeding and would have gone longer for both if they hadnt told me they were finished!

There is 2.5yrs difference between my kids, and as you can see by these photos, at first she seemed massive, but they now weigh the same as each other (20kgs each) and by the amount of food he eats, he is getting taller everyday!!!

It was really hard to pick JUST 12 photos let me tell you!!!!