Summer holidays

Sometimes, the pictures all fall into place, but the words do not. Our summer holidays were hot, slow, long, fun, full and at times very, very challenging. In our house the wonderful lack of routine that would generally create a relaxed holiday instead creates all sorts of trouble.

However, as I look at this bundle of pictures that have captured the last six weeks, it is a stark reminder that no matter how grey the day, there is always colour to be found. Above would be Roboboy's lego mini figure avatar that seems to end up in all sorts of odd places, including this bowl of florist beads the kids chose from the markets, just add water and they grow.

The stack of books my boy read this last few weeks. The only problem now is where on earth do you go from Harry Potter? (tips welcome).

The simple things are the best -  birthday parties with hills and large pieces of cardboard.

Floral arranging sessions. We walked the streets sampling all the blooms on the footpath.

We spent our usual amount of time under the hose on the trampoline.

We played jewellery shop cafe's,

Hot chocolate with marshmallows anyone ?

and built extravagant paediatric hospitals,

created storyboards for the three little pigs,

organised rooms and shuffled furniture to give my boy a desk of his own,

spent hours and hours in construction at the Ipswich Art Gallery

And after more than a year away, we finally made it back to our favourite beach.

As the years pass and we come back here time and time again, the memories just build and pile up atop each other. This is three years ago,

And the exact same spot now.

We made mermaids,

and just like previous times we have come to Moffat beach, there have been some milestones passed.
Like the catching of her very first wave,

first sand dune slide,

and most excitingly, the first bike ride without training wheels. Just like that she was off, haring down those paths to the sea that she knows so well.

We rode all the way to the Mr McGee tree (it was perhaps a little too far in hindsight) and we climbed to the very top ( well not me, I was down the bottom taking photos). The view was amazing.

There was also the usual rock hopping,

tidal creek paddling,

After a swim in the ocean pool at Kings beach, we stumbled across a man snorkelling in one of the tidal pools. As is our way, we of course had to find out what he was up to. He was catching some rare fish and when he left he gave us his leftover bait so we too could hand feed the fish.

So late that afternoon we trotted back with our buckets and nets and hand fed the fish with our raw prawns. We even managed to catch a few for our collection. Then of course we tipped them all back in, squealed at the sight of an eel where our toes had just been and rode our bikes home. I love that we now have another new favourite spot to go back to next time.

It always astounds me how much my children remember from all the other visits to this very beach. This time when we got to a particular spot, Liongirl asked me to play the rock stacking game we played there once, more than a year ago. This time we made beach houses for the crabs, with stones for the windows and doors, a path up to the front door and a seaweed mat.  I wonder if next year we will come back to this spot and do it all again.

She and I spent an afternoon together exploring. We found six sea cucumbers and a nudibranch. Not a spectacular colourful one, but amazing just the same.

We were either at the beach, riding our bikes, eating calamari and chips or in here for the entire seven days.

Summer holidays, we think we did you justice. Now it's time for the relief of that old familiar routine of school.

Mr McGee and his tree by the sea

So we spent a good portion of the school holidays on this beach. Catching a few waves and soaking up the salty sunshine.

Finding sea slugs in the rock pools,

and playing games of stone tower buildings, if you make it topple you lose.

Of course there was a a lot of time spent in here,

Doing ridiculous crazy stunts with Dada,

some exploration of the river bank, finding little jetties and rope swings,

and a long scooter ride up to Dicky Beach to explore what remains of the shipwrecked SS Dicky.

where we stumbled onto this glorious specimen of a vehicle,

and most excitedly the one and only Mr McGee tree.

Our tree,

Mr McGee's tree,

can you see what we see with these matching trees? by the side of the sea? Even better once you start climbing too.

We could have stayed up there for hours. But so much to do at the seaside.

Perhaps some fishing with Grandad, or some castle building with Nanny. Would you believe Roboboy caught his first fish within about ten minutes. Too small for us to eat, the seagull who snaffled it up before our eyes had a good meal though.

I leave you with an image of when small children turn. She is three going on 23 this child. That would be my sun lounge, my towel,  my sunnies and my phone. Enough said.

Now that the holidays are wrapped up, I cannot wait to come back and share some white walls, some seaside finds and some Betsy news.

Milk glass moment

I had a little moment the other day.  A heart stopping milk glass spotting kind of moment. I had been to two op shops and found nothing whatsoever and figured I should probably head home. And then I thought, maybe I could just pop into one more that was practically on the way home.

And look what I spied sitting in the window. I practically jogged into the shop and scooped it up under my arm.   A huge scalloped fruit bowl. We had no pears or lemons at home for artistic placement, so I had to make do with nuts.

And as I was walking to the counter to pay, a little vase popped up as well. That shaggy triangle one second from the left. I love all the different patterns. I love that translucent glow when you line them all up along the windowsill. I love never knowing what shape or texture might pop up next. Love, love, love.

I also really love sneaking away to the beach. Even it is raining all weekend. This latest long pause between blog posts was actually filled with a girls weekend away with two dear friends. This would probably sum it up.

There was a lot of cafe hopping, hot chocolate slurping while gazing out at a misty grey sea, boutique browsing, novel reading, late night chatting, late morning sleep ins, slow walks along the seashore and a quick op shop dash on the drive home. Bliss.

And you know the really hilarious part? In our desperate haste to clean up, check out and madly dash to breakfast we left a suitcase outside the door. So two of us are going back tomorrow with our smallest children to soak up some beach joy, retrieve a lost case and hopefully shake up some op shops. And then hopefully I'll be back to share some house plans ( and maybe some more treasures).

Linking in with Sophie for more op shop moments.

Holiday of Firsts

This was our third holiday at Moffat Beach, Caloundra but there seemed to be an epic number of firsts this time.
It was the first time I managed to get our beach umbrella to not blow away.

Not only did Roboboy get his first boogie board ( covered in tropical fish of course), he also stood on it for the first time,

and discovered the ultimate joy of catching his first wave.

Liongirl made her first drip castles under a rainbow,

and Roboboy helped make her first mermaid tail. (She was buried up to her chin at one point but of course moved before I could take a photo).

We managed to not only find  a sea cucumber but pick one up carefully for the first time.

And then watch as it magically turned itself into a number seven - For Annie because it is her favourite number and for luck.

This was the first time we were able to pack light enough to also fit bikes and scooters. (Last time we had a boot full of Christmas presents and the time before that we had a portacot,potty and highchair.) Nothing like a pair of tutu swimmers for scootering by the sea.

It was the first time Grandad and Nanny were up the coast at the same time as us.

And the first time we had a record win in the Hermit Crab races - that would be Roboboy's crab over the finish line and all the rest  still on the starting block.

And my personal first? Finally experimenting with the old hipstamatic photo app. I know everybody else has been doing this for years but better late than never really. The clouds were spectacular while we were at the beach.

So, now were are all charged up with enough sunshiny goodness to last all through winter. And enough op shop treasures that they really needed their own entire post. Back soon with a pile of vintage goodies.