Merry Christmas

Sorry for the vanishing act over the last three months, life has been busy and I didn't think I had much to blog about but Ben has told me to get back to it!!!!  I'm back now so I'll just start with the current stuff.....

Stockings are hung in anticpaton of Santa!!
 

Thank you to everyone who sent cards, we really appreciate hearing from home, especially this time of year.

Our homemade garland

This years advent calendar, pinched from Lucy at Attic24

We went to Crafty Wonderland last week and the girls chose these cute reindeers for themselves.
( I really like them so may buy some more next year to creat a whole scene)

And last but not least our 8ft tree!!!

Max chose it and Ben dragged it home :)  It's so perfect it almost looks artificial but we are all in love with it and think it's our best tree ever, would hate to think how much one of these would cost back home.  I was slightly worried about the lack of decorations but the kids have made up for it with their homemade ones.

We have Nanny and Grandad staying with us for Chrismas so the kids are estatic and Grandad is happy now he's worked out how to download Emmerdale :)  We've done the usual round of things, Christmas lights at the race track, rollerskating which I actually had a go at this time and Madeleine is becoming quite the skater (wonder what Santa is bringing her this year). 

First day back at school.....

Everyone went back to school this morning and it went as well as expected!!!

Poor Olivia sobbed her heart out and couldn't be consoled at all so we had to leave her in the end, Madeleine was a little nervous but went in ok and Jonah of course was happy as Larry just to be back with his friends.  Maxi starts back at his speech group this afternoon and then pre-k starts on Monday for him which I think he's looking forward too.

Tuesdays are going to be busy for me though as the girls have ballet after school and Jonah has soccer practice so we will be running around all over the place!!!!

Camping again......

We enjoyed our first camping trip to Bend so much that we had to go again, there is so much to see and do down there that we've hardly scratched the surface and we are already planning next years visit....

I especially enjoyed the Volcanoes and the lava flow, there would've been some spectacular views of all the mountains from the top of the Butte but there were forest fires everywhere.

White River Falls

The largest Ponderosa Pine Tree in Oregon

The Deschutes

Lava Cast Forest

Lava Tubes

Lava Butte

My sister....

My sister Gemma came to stay with us for five days and we all had a lovely time.   It was quite lazy week  cycling around and eating ice-cream and frozen yogurt, a first for Gem.  We also headed down to the coast for a nights camping, unfortunately the weather was awful and we couldn't see a thing.......

Hopefully she'll come back again soon!!

Our second attempt at the BBQ as the first one went out!!!

Cape Lookout in the mist

Yay, we managed to get the tent up by ourselves....

Dive in Movie

Last night Gem and I went to take the kids to open swim as the weather was so good but ended up watching Gomeo and Juliet in the pool.  I wasn't keen to stay at first but Jonah was desperate and actually it turned out to be a good evening.  However, I'm not sure health and safety back home would allow such a thing as you can imagine 100 kids in a pool in the dark!!!!  They did have scuba divers checking and lots of life guards in the pool so we felt safe.

Slightly drier than Portland.....

We headed East this weekend to Tumalo State Park for a camping trip with friends.  It's right on the Deschutes River and the kids had hours of fun floating up and down on inflatables, Jonah made a friend and the pair of them must've been in the water for 4 hours just swimming up and down.  He was blue by the time he got out as the water is not that warm.  We also stopped of at Smiths Rock State Park which was spectacular and we will be going back for another trip in a couple of weeks.

New house

We have finally moved to a house with a yard, not quite unpacked yet but getting there.  Not sure I want to move again for a while......

The view from our front porch

The girls princess pad!!!

Jonah's end of the bedroom

Maxi's half...

Our yard

Our bathroom

Walk in closet

Family room

Kids bathroom

Our bedroom

Looking from kitchen through to family room

Sitting room/front entrance

Kitchen diner

Hello everyone.....

Yes I'm still here but it's been a busy summer so far.  We went away to the beach with mum and dad and everyone had a good time (I hope).  The kids loved spending time with nanny and grandad, it's just a shame the beach was 120 steep steps away!!!!

We are now packing up ready for our big move on Friday, well all of 10 blocks around the corner and I can't wait as the kids noise is annoying all of the neighbours.......

Summer is going well, the kids are enjoying their swimming lessons but the girls are slightly nervous now they've been moved up a class and are in the deep end!!!!  Maxi is doing great and decided he would do his lesson yesterday and seemed to really enjoy it.  He's also started his speech therapy but I think these things take a long time so no change just yet.

I have a couple of hours to myself this morning as everyone is in summer camp, Jonah has gone fishing this week and the others are at the community centre for the morning.  So on that note I'd better get back to my packing, more soon.......

Very rare comment from Ben

It is very rare I ever get a mention on the site but I do love it and the effort that Sash puts into it.
Thanks
I don't get out much, but the other day I went up to the mountains with Piet (right) and Robert Thomas (middle) our gun totting American Army Buddy as well as some other friends.
During a break this photo was taken of the "UTi Security Team"

Boys it was a lot of fun for the first few hours, I even got to fire a Barrett .50 calibre, more of a cannon than a gun, then it wore a little thin, there is only so many guns one can fire and continue to enjoy (if you don't come from America (South African's also agreed)).

This probably should not go with the graduation photos!

Graduation.

Class of 2011

A year already!!!

I cannot believe that we have been here a year, the time has just flown by.  I'm glad we said we would stay for three as I don't think we would be ready to leave in a years time, too much to see and do still!!!

Lots has happened in the last month, the girls graduated from kindergarden and we started our three month summer holiday a few weeks ago.  My aunt and uncle have been out for a visit and we had lots of fun camping on the coast, even in the rain!!  We were very sad to see them go, especially Jonah as he loves having extra adults around the house.  Summer camps kicked off this week and Jonah is in a UK Soccer Camp this week, the girls a ballet camp and then they all have swimming lessons in the afternoon.  Max is having his swimming lessons by himself, a bit hit and miss and he will only go in by himself if we go to the pool for playtime beforehand.  The weather is a bit hit and miss and Olivia had to abandon her lessons yesterday as she was turning blue in the pool, will make sure she puts her wetsuit on beforehand.

We also went on our first proper camping trip last week and it turned out well, especially now I have my own blow up mattress.......  We have decided we need to go for at least two nights though as setting up for one night is just not worth the hassel.

Lots more planned for the next month so I'll keep you updated, although nanny and grandad arrive tomorrow so I may not have much time.

Will post some pictures soon

Bye for now :)

Sunday fun.....

We took advantage of the lovely sunshine again and headed out to Tryon State Park with some friends.

Then in the afternoon Jonah had a rocket launching event with the Scouts.  In our usual tradition we were too late to build our own so had to get a pre-made one from the shops, I'm pretty sure they are banned at home.....

All ready to launch

Attaching to the rocket launcher

Waiting to press the button

and we're off

Parachuting back down.

The race to find it

Ben retrieving it from the tree!!