Due to a couple of very crazy comments I have decided to place my blog comments on moderation. Word verification apparently weeds out the bots, but not the loonies.

Seriously, if your comment takes more than an hour to type up, it might be time to get your own blog.

May in a nutshell.

Some month slip by so fast that you are barely aware they have started. May has been a bit like that. Christopher has had a week of band 'camp', which entailed hauling multiple kids and instruments around the ridges. He had final rehearsals and a choir concert (pictured below). Can you spot the tiny kid who's been gradually moving towards the front of the stage over the past three years?

He's not too hard to find, he is far left, sitting right by the stairs. We didn't get the best seats, as I was slack ordering the tickets. But at least we got seats. They had televisions in the foyer for parents who missed out on tickets. Every year this happens at the first concert.

Samara turned 8 yesterday. We held a party for her on Sunday. It was supposed to be small (we only gave out 5 invites, and 2 girls couldn't come), but when my best friend and I get together we have 7 children between us. Add to that the invitees, their parents, and G & P, and you have a whole lot of people in our tiny back yard. Everyone had fun. The girls made peg dolls as a take home thingy (I am not a big fan of the bags of plastic stuff and lollies).

Four dozen cup cakes were created, enough for both the party and to take to school on Monday. I have eaten way too much buttercream frosting.

The birthday cake was a very simple affair. Store bought double unfilled sponge cake, smothered in buttercream and decorated with flowers of marshmallows.

Now I am all worn out. Wake me up in July, please.

On a walk with Grandma

Grandma and Pop are settling into their new home. We spent a lovely weekend with them. We went for a walk in a conservation area very close to their new home. The boardwalks through the forest and marshland were lovely. It seemed a popular place. I can see why!

I love the paperbark trees, with their black burn marks, and the soft white bark, surrounded by ferns. I think it's one of my favourite Australian scenes.

We met a few kangaroos on our walk. They are wild ones, so I couldn't get close for a better shot without the risk of scaring them off. They watched us warily between nibbles of grass.

We enjoyed our visit, as always. Thanks for your hospitality, Grandma and Pop!