One reason to love QLD

Sweet little crabs for $3 each, cold corona's (XXXX for Al), cheese, crusty bread and aircon!!

The only way to spend a hot, hot Friday night!!!!!

Al & Stu go to the dark side............

Kelli and I surprised Ali and Stu with flights, car hire, accom and tickets to Roger Waters Dark Side of the Moon concert in Brisbane on the 5th Feb 07 and we pulled it off perfectly!!

There were lots of simultanious mobile phone calls, laughing, shock, goosebumps and some tears from us girls!!

This is a big deal for these guys - they love him and there is a long history of loving him, from listening to Floyd in Stu's orange Cortina when they were really young to listening to Floyd in Stu's townhouse here in Mackay when they were'nt so young!!!!
Kudo's to us girls but I reckon next time it's our turn. There's a few of us who's husbands have been away on jaunts (Jane) and some of us who's husbands have gone on a full tour (Jo Staples and Jo Summerton)!!!!

Yee Haw !!!

This is a terrible photo but for about 3 weeks this how Ned dresses all day everyday.

He is obsessed with this hat and must always wear gumboots with it!!

We get alot of comments when we are out by people but the best is when he goes to swimming lessons and sits waiting for his turn in a pair of speedos and a cowboy hat!!!

"The Boss"

It's not the easiest thing to get a photo of Al, so I have to sneak up behind him and then call him to look around and click - hence the top of his head missing!!!

Nice photo though and he is wearing the shirts I got made up for the boys. I got Ned a little one so he likes to wear his uniform just like Dad!!

Our Logo !!!!

'Besties'

This is a canvas that I made for Jaimi Turner (Summerton) after she came and had the school holidays with us.

You can't really tell from the photo but it is very girly and sparkly.

She really loved it and I loved doing it for her. Jaimi is so genuine in her thanks that it makes it even nicer to do things for her.......

Now I have to start Jar's!

Mum

Here's a nice photo of Mum - the first since the'ordeal' so you can see how much better she is.

She has come along so far in such a short amount of time - a completely different woman to 4 mths ago.
She's one plucky lady!!!!!

Kel & Stu go bye byes!!!

A sad day today, Kel and Stu left Mackay to continue on their journey and we sure will miss them. To make things worse we also had to say bye to Jaimi and Dave who were driving back to Agnes Waters. We had a great last night though, us girls (and Ned) hung out here and had a beautiful thai dinner (mine and kels fave) and the girls had lasagne that I made (Jars fave!!). We just had a nice night with a fair bit of 'girl' talk and some good laughs!! The boys did what they do best and went out for beers! I think Al and Stu's livers will appreciate the seperation but they certainly did turn on a few beauties over the last 9 months or so!! We will miss you guys............


Bye Stu.... Bye Kel......... Bye Jaimi & Dave!!!

Holiday Pics

Just a few various pics from over the holidays - Jaimi came up to stay with us which we set up as a bit of surprise for Jar. Kel and Stu put her in a packing box and she scratched like a puppy but Jar reckons she knew it was her bestie!! Anyway the girls spent a fair bit of time with Kel and Stu and now sound like they will be their first visitors when they get settled!!! The pool shots are at K and S's and we also caught up a fair bit cause it was their last week in Mackay........

Blue River Fishing

Went out boating on Wed with Dad, Jar and Ned on the Pioneer River (one of only 2 blue rivers) and it was absolutely beautiful. Dad hasn't had a chance to put his boat in the water since they came to Mackay (about 12 mths) so we were pretty excited to be on it''s 'maidon voyage'!!

Mackay city view from the water. It's flat and alot like Darwin but I think that has something to do with the cyclones!
The Cap'n and his trusty assistant !!

The warm sun and momentum of the boat on the water was just too much for Ned!!

Ned helping Pop navigate !

Spring has Sprung !!

Look at these fluffly little bundles of joy. Jo's ducks had ducklings so Jar and her girlfriend went out for a couple of days to duck sit!!! Very cute.

Jar's Party

Jar celebrated her 13th birthday party on Saturday with 5 of her friends. We started off with lunch at Macca's, then to the cinema to see 'Material Girls' and then to Baskin and Robins for ice cream. They had a great day and it was a mix of different girls that we know from her first school here in Mackay, the school she goes to now and one from the street we live in!! They are all going to be going to the same high school next year so it was a great chance for them to meet other girls and 'expand' their friends group.

Anyway heres a few pics.................

Lunch at Macca's..............

Getting ready for the movie............

Joy riding in the rover.........

Finishing off with ice cream !!!!!!

Positively Jarrah

Heres a photo of Jar with her award for 'Ongoing Positive Attitude for Term 3' - she has won this award out of the whole school for terms 1,2 and now 3!! One more term and she has the clean sweep. We are so proud of her - finding school so hard and with some of the problems shes faced it is just amazing that she can keep her spirit up and just keep going. You go girl!!!

Darcy (turner) sent Ned a pirate face painting kit complete with eye patch that he really loves and he couldn't wait to try it out on someone. Thank god Al got home in time cause I thought it was going to be me that got painted!! I think he looks like a combination of Johnnie Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean and Captain Feathersword!!!

Thanks for the pressie Darcy.....

Quick Update

Hi All - Just updated with some photos and news, I am working again now so unfortunately I haven't been able to get these on any earlier. I have 'inherited' Kelly's job (thanks Kel) at Mackay Building Supplies and so far so good, I'm enjoying it. It's nice to talk to someone that doesn't expect me to wipe their bum, fetch them things or cook for them for a change! Needless to say between that, Allstar, family and my volunteer job I am flat out so thats my excuse for not returning a few of your phone calls - well more than a few!

Heres a snap I took of the cane trash (cane cutting has started and this is the trash left over, they sell it for about $4 a bundle as mulch, each bundle is huge) which I thought looked quite artistic and since I risked my life on a main road to take the photo I am going to use it!

Neds 4th Birthday

Ned had a fun 4th birthday, he went to childcare with a beautiful cake and some treats to share with his friends. He certainly has worked out this present thing and didnt need any encouragement this year to rip into them! We had another cake that night (note - don't provide your child with large doses of blue food colour and mock cream)!! The present of the day was a 'super stomper monster truck' that he has wanted for ages and it was worth the wait - he hasn't left it alone since he got it!!!

Thanks to everyone that sent presents and cards..................

Fathers Day Lunch

Heres a couple of photos from fathers day, we had a great day celebrating with lunch at Mum and Dad's place.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of Al and the kids on fathers day but he did have a great day. Jarrah bought him a screwdriver set at the schools fathers day stall and Ned made a stubbie cooler - very appropriate!!!!

First Ever Posting

Hi Guys - our first ever post and I thought I would put a few photos on for you to look at. Al bought me a fugi finepix camera so I have been busily snapping but I have only just been able to get the software going on my computer. These photos are taken over the last month or so.....

Ali and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary in early Aug
and I woke up to this wonderful surprise.

He just keeps on getting better with age!!!!

Jarrah had her school sports and got the prize for overall runner up for her age group.

She then got picked for "Cumberland" which is the regional sports, competing with kids from all over the area. The photos above are of her doing her track events.

For those in the know - this is Mum and Dad's backyard. Considering that all that was there was dirt and a big bloody tree, it looks fantastic. Thanks to Dave there is no tree and with a bit of sun and water, Dad has made beautiful gardens and lawns. The photo on the top left is Jo and Wayne playing a bit of T Ball with the kids. Top right is a little english cottage garden that he has made for mum and the other two are of his massive organic vege patch. We didn't think he had it in him!!!

Ned has become a little bower bird lately - all this stuff comes out of his pockets in one day!! He even does a painting , folds it up and stuffs it in his pocket. We have to constantly stop at shops because he's obsessed with those little plastic things that hold the tags on the clothes and if there is any on the floor they end up in his pocket!!!