Cooper's Lego Career Begins

Last weekend was absolutely manic.  Saturday started with Cooper's birthday party at home followed by the school Fete.  Sunday brought another birthday party for a girl at school, followed by Jack's birthday party on Sunday.  By Sunday night, we were absolutly exhausted, and had an absolute HAUL of new gifts for the kids! (Thanks everyone).

Cooper (very appropriately) was given a car and caravan lego set from Adam and Kate, and was very keen to get started on it.  So we have been sitting down and doing Lego together, and with very little direction, Cooper has now completed his first Lego toy.  He placed every part himself, I only pointed him in the right direction.  As you can see below, he is a very happy little man:

I forsee another couple of years of Lego joy!!

Beechworth Caravan Weekend

For the long weekend Justin and I took the kids to Beechworth with two other families.  It was a fantastic weekend.  The weather could not have been more perfect, with clear, high 20s temperatures during the day, and freezing cold nights which meant for the first time the kids all slept through the night until nearly 8am!!  Yes, that is right, we got sleepins on HOLIDAY!!!!  On Sunday morning, the caravan park put on a pancake breakfast, kids movie and horse and cart rides for the children.  The kids were in heaven:

There were loads of things to do in the area.  We went to the Murtleford festival, the Rutherglen farmers markets, visited a winery in Rutherglen, and a brewery in Beechworth itself.  We also saw the Woolshed Falls which were quite spectacular due to the recent rains in the area:

 

Justin, Jack, Cooper and I were very impressed:

Lachlan was less impressed:

We also used the weekend to perfect some of our strategies for when we don't have a facilities block handy.  One such strategy is bathing Lachlan in the same 'bucket' that Mum and Dad washed me in when we went around Australia 33 years ago.  Lachlan thought it was great:

We can't wait for the next caravanning adventure.

Lachlan's New Bed

We purchased Lachlan a new mattress ready for the approaching 'finally get rid of the ancient cot' party.  The mattress was delivered on Monday night, and we set it up in Lachlan's room on the floor (less distance to fall).  Later that evening the kids discovered the new bed:

Unfortunately the move to the new bed wasn't terribly successful; Justin spent more time in Lachlan's room than in ours on Monday night!  I think we'll go back to the cot for a little while....

New Bionicles

After an afternoon of play time at Adam and Kate's house, James and Patrick both generously decided to give my boys a Bionicle from their personal collections.  Patrick gave one to Jack, and James gave one to Cooper.

Needless to say I had some extremely excited boys at home that night!!  Jack went off to school this morning after making me PROMISE that we will play Bionicles when he gets home.  Great stuff.

Thanks very much to James and Patrick - you guys ROCK!!

Here are Jack and Cooper with their new prized possessions.  I think Jack's face says it all...