International "Talk Like a Pirate Day

Yesterday was International Talk Like a Pirate Day so there was lots of silly banter going on in our house. Today Hubby and Junior have just set off on the train to Fremantle to visit the Maritime Museum for some more silly pirate talking fun - I will hopefully post some photos later but I though I better share this important event while I have the chance (Bub is asleep). More pirate news later.

Happy Memories

Being new to this blogging game I'm not really one for awards and tags but my friend Zooarchaeologist tagged me recently and I enjoyed reading her 10 Happy Memories so much I though I had better pass this on.

These 10 are a bit random but they are the 10 Happy Memories that sprung to mind;

1. Riding my little grey mare all day and then camping under the stars during a Pony Club summer camp when I was a child.

2 Attending a Youth Conference on the east coast of the US as an 18 year old. This was my first real travelling - I had never been out of Western Australia, never been on a plane, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was a real eye-opener for a girl from the country and gave me the travel bug.

3. Lots of early mornings spent mist-netting or counting birds at water-holes as part of my first "real job" as a Post-grad Research Assistant - I couldn't believe I was getting paid to do it.

4. Prague: standing oustide the castle watching it snow - my first European city, my first solo trip, and my first experience of snow - what a fabulous introduction to Europe.

5. Living in West London and walking to work at the Natural History Museum each day. Walking up the front steps of that wonderful building always makes me smile.

6. Backpacking around Turkey - Hubby and my first real holiday together.

7. Walking the Annapurna circuit in Nepal, particularly standing on a 5400m high pass and looking up at mountains all around - awe inspiring stuff.

8. Driving around France, Spain, and the UK in a beat-up old Nissan Sunny (our Japanese Campervan).

9. Our Wedding Day at my in-laws property on the south coast. It rained all the week before and after but the sun shined on us on our day - just magic.

10. Meeting my two little boys for the first time- my little miracles.

Now I know awards and chains aren't everyones cup of tea but I would like to read your happy memories so I'm passing the baton to the dipe squad, Slugs on the Refrigerator, Life through the slim lens and Daddacool.

The Weekend

This weekend Bub and I have been feeling a bit under the weather with a head cold so we stayed home making some hearty chicken and spring vegetables for Bub.
I tried out this recipe which he seems to like.
Junior and Hubby left us to our cooking and headed down to Grandma's farm to collect Jack Dog. Now all my boys are back home under the one roof - and yes Jack did manage to weasel his way onto the bed this morning but not before a wash on Sunday.
Life is back to normal.

Holiday Ingenuity

We didn't take many toys on holidays with us and the many activities I planned for Junior to do in the car were mainly used once we got to our destination because he tended to get travel sick if he looked down at books or toys in the car. Luckily we had a ready supply of kids music and talking books for him to listen to although I really don't want to hear any "Winnie the Pooh", "Tales of Beatrice Potter" or "Dr Seuss" stories for quite some time.

Some of the most usuful play things Junior and his cousins found were some cardboard boxes - which became racing cars, rocket and pirate ships.
Our Eskies (cool boxes) were used when not enough boxes could be found.
The Eskies also came in useful each evening when the boys had their evening bath on the deck.

Holiday Science

Our recent holiday was a great opportunity for a little bit of science. The wonderful view of the ocean from the deck inspired us to make a water xylophone.
We also did a spot of beach combing finding also sorts of interesting marine things and some beautiful conglomerate rock.
There were also lots of natural history opportunities including a spot of whale watching, lots of local terestrial animals - kangaroos,

emus (and lots of other birds), ...

various creepy crawlies .... and the most magnificent terminte mounds

Some Holiday Fun

Our two weeks away in Exmouth were a well needed break for us all. We stayed in a Chalet at the Lighthouse Caravan Park, just out of town near Vlaming Head.
The accommodation was functional and low stress with a covered veranda with BBQ and a fabulous enclosed deck were we could enjoy the view without worrying where Bub would get to.
It was great for watching the humpback whales during the day, enjoying a BBQ in the evening and sitting back to view a few stars at night.Despite a few windy days we managed some beach time nearly every day and on those days we missed the beach we tried out the pool instead.

Juniors swimming is coming long nicely...

... and Bub enjoyed his first dip in the ocean, ....

... ate lots of beach sand ...
... and then napped under the beach shade to recover.

Hubby fitted in a spot of fishing and a short snorkel - Junior is not quite up to that yet but give him a year or two and hubby will have a new snorkel partner.
We also had a couple of "expeditions", did a bit of holiday science and enjoyed lots of playtime with Juniors' cousins who were staying next door but that is another blog or two.

All Beached Out

Well after two weeks of lovely sunshine we are finally home and back to a grey showery Perth Winter (or perhaps it is Spring now) - oh and a mountain of washing. We all had a lovely holiday - particularly Junior who loved playing with his two cousins' everyday.
Bub seemed to grow and change a little every day (although he still isn't keen on actually sleeping at night).
It was a lovely family holiday but after travelling over 1200km in the last two days to get home I think we all need another holiday. Alas it is back to the grindstone tomorrow. I have lots of photos and holiday stories but they will have to wait for another day. It is time for an early night.