Wild Winter

What have we been doing for the last few months.

M's activity
- building a 8x4.2m entertainment room with deck. Complete minus the big LCD screen (2009 purchase)
- completed big rollout of nextgen servicedesk software. 1200 users, 80+ countries and 6 stakeholder groups
- few trips to NYC. Maybe an around the world ticket coming soon as phase 2 of the project starts to kick off
- big 40th at home with friends. Galactic theme, BBQ, Singstar contest and bonfire
- last month, lazy weekends watching sport & playing the PS3

J's activity
- M's apprentice on the building projects
- entering her art in competitions and being hung in the Wollongong Art Gallery
- Indian cooking classes at our place with friends and our Indian friend/teacher (Tilly)
- re-arranging the garden

N's activity
- singing classes and lots of practice at home on the Singstar with anyone who play
- received an award for being in the top 25% bracket across AU for recent science exams & continuing to do very well in maths/ICT
- growing !!! needs new clothes & is almost as tall as J
- playing waterpolo at Wollongong Uni with mixed team - no many kids but she's coping

Plan's for the rest of the year
- J has 8-9 commissions to finish & get the summer veggie patch going
- N has singing comps
- M has work only :-( plus do odd jobs around the house. looking forward to warmer weather & getting the surfboards out. Planning to take 3-4 weeks off over Xmas/New Year
- Xmas is looking like being in QLD this year. Looking for an extra week of holidays at another destination

That's it for now,

M

Creative Juices

J is in the last throws of putting together her art for a gallery opening on March 22nd. The theme is called 'Tactile' where herself, a ceramacist and furniture make have joined forces to give people the urge to touch the tactile objects. This exhibition will run for 3 weeks and J has already made some sales.


M has been building furniture. Large bedside table with drawer for N, coffee table for J and has some first thoughts on a nice hall table. Have started to build a new deck and getting ready to start on the entertainment room.

N has started singing lessons and is starting to grow tall. Not too far from teenage years - oh boy!

Weather in Oz for summer has been crap - lots of rain, no good for the beach but excellent for the dams and farmers.

We recently got a huge electrical storm & our street got hit - we lost about $10k of gear but all covered under insurance - at least we've got some updated equipment now.

Should be doing a round the world trip soon with work. J is looking to start working soon - maybe use her TEFL qualifications to teach from home, she' got some interesting leads.

Ciao,

M

Summer Holidays

We had a full house for Xmas. Nan-Jan, Grandad, Grandma, Kathy & Taylor all stayed at some point over the Xmas period with everyone under the same roof for Xmas day/night, then slowly dispersing over the following days until M, J, N and Taylor (N's cousin - 11 yo) were alone to enjoy the beach.

The weather has been pretty good, 3-4 days in a row M, N and Taylor got to the beach, then the huge swell rolled in due to cyclone in QLD and killed it for everyone on the NSW coast. M took N and Taylor to Powerhouse museum, Centrepoint Tower and the mono-rail for 1 day. Various shopping trips and generally lazed around home playing computer games and having BBQs with friends. J is hard at work in the studio - we'll setup a portfolio blog soon.

We're all off to Bermagui tomorrow for a holiday. M is back at work on the 14th of January, bugger !

Ciao, M

End of year play

N's class did a Christmas play, N was Dasher the boss reindeer. Here is the finale song shot.

Mother's Group Xmas at the farm

Last weekend was the annual 'Christmas at the farm' - Megalong Valley in the Blue Mountains - for mother's group. It was a sultry, overcast day. We arrived to find little Matthew (I think he's 8?) on the ride-on mower churning through the long, thick grass that has been growing at a bustling rate with all the rain.

All the kids were given super-soaker water guns from Santa Jo, which was a big hit with all the kids.

End of the Year

It's been a year since we started to pack up from Prague and headed home. We've been having nice memories about last year end - CANZA ball, McK Xmas party and enjoying the snow.

We've had a great 2007, settling back at home, catching up with friends (new & old) and family. We're all happy & looking forward to summer holidays & lazy days on the beach, drinking wine on the front verandah and thinking about the next phase of our lives.

N continues to do well. Excelling at Circus Monoxide (http://www.circusmonoxide.com.au/) in hoops & stilts. She won a karoke competition recently, beating the neighbourhood kids - big smile on her face ! She is getting very confident in the surf & doing swim & survive courses. By the end of next year she'll be as tall as J.

J is flat out down in the art studio, stretching herself at yoga & keeping all of us very happy.

M is glad the year is over, no year-end responsibilities for team evaluations. Looking forward to the new surfboard for Xmas & spending lots of time in the water. Reno's have stopped for now, will resume in 2nd quarter in 2008. The shed has been pretty dormant in 2007, something to change in 2008.

We've launched into Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/) aswell - search for our full names. We've found some long lost friends this way & starting to get re-aquainted.

Our families are travelling to us for Xmas - will be a full house but that's what Xmas is about :-)

Happy Xmas & New Year.

M, J & N

Ange's 40th Circus Party

Ange & her daughter Indy.

Hired hula hoop woman - mesmerising !

N and Indy. They both did a hula hoop show aswell - no good photos :-((

M

Day Light Saving has arrived ...

Some long awaited updates ...

J's Activities
- lots of yoga & gym with some trips to the climbing gym, tennis and swimming with friends
- getting ready for her art exhibition next April at Thirroul Seaside Festival (http://www.thirroulfestival.com/)

N's Activities
- enjoying circus (http://www.circusmonoxide.com.au/) - stilts & hoops are N's favourites
- last holidays attended a 3 day learn how to surf school
- going to dancing classes with mum (samba, ballroom, tango, cha-cha etc)
- gearing up for more intense swimming lessons & skills (similar to Bronze Medallion)

M's Activities
- implementing Infra (http://www.infra.com.au/) at work
- increasing the wine cellar via auctions
- gearing up for next building project (entertainment room downstairs) and looking for building material bargains on Ebay
- getting over a bad back, doing a few more sporty activities (eg bike riding, surfing)
- helping mum & dad clean-up their house ready for selling

Family Activities
- recently bought new mountain bikes for everyone, getting ready for some trail rides soon
- attending 40th's and other associated events (eg Mothersgroup)
- weekend trips to Blue Mountains and South Coast

Other news for our overseas friends
- Neil, Pam and the kids going to India for a holiday for 3 weeks in November
- Brendan and Alice continuing with renovations in Blackheath
- Warrick & Wendy just bought a new house in Oatley, busy selling their existing house

Xmas just around the corner & the Aussie summer is heating up.

Watch this space for pictures of reno's, bike trips, surfing and other fun summer stuff.

M