Friday, January 28, 2011

Too Much Food

One of the places we went to in Melbourne for dinner was Sophias and the serving size was massive!!!!!!

This is what Ryan, Will and I got dished up as the main

The Kids fish and chips

Garlic Pizza to share

Chicken Caesar Salad

Veal Parmigiana (this is actually two of the normal size pieces you get in a normal counter meal)

As a result we were stuffed and didn't eat breakfast the next day! We did take home a yummy desert which lasted us for 3 night. And the veal we actually took a piece home and at for dinner as a share meal the next night. 

So if your looking for a place to take a challenge and your so hungry you could eat a horse this is the place you should visit!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Family Getaway

Ok so things have been a little quiet on the computer side of things as we have been on a lovely holiday to Melbourne! Thanks to Coral, and Zoe for hanging out with us for almost a week, and to Yvette and Adam for being great with Will on those shopping days!

Ok so Ryan, Rob and Kirk did the drive and boat thing on the Wednesday night which was eventful!!!!! All three took motion control tablets as it was a rough trip BUT found that yes they worked ok on the boat to stop chucking but the after effect were not so good. Kirk crashed as soon as he got to the cabins and both Ryan and Rob were ill a few hours after arrival with the floors of the cabins spinning and thinking they were going to throw up. Both boys had a good lie down and then were a bit better Thursday evening! The trip on the boat was exciting and I found out that you do not buy food on board as it is very expensive! Ryan took some great photos!






So after a late Wednesday night for me sorting the last bits out of cleaning the house the girls, Will and I met the Crossin girls and Amy and boarded the plane to Melbourne. Amelia was a little worried on the flight but overall coped pretty well, William was no issue and just keen to watch the TV and listen to an ipod. Charlotte sat and cuddled up to me and I talked with Coral and Amy the whole trip over, which goes far too quick.











We got a taxi from airport in the teaming rain but muggy weather to the cabins were we all unloaded . First trip was to the shopping centre for some look and buy and then groceries. We all ate together then all the adults went to a temple session together which was fantastic!

Friday was designated day to do the Geelong water park even though it was teaming down with rain we still went. After our new friend TomTom managed to get us a little lost and we ended up way out form the destination we managed to find our way back and finally got to the park at just the right time as the rain dried up and the sun came out! After the daredevils all went on the tower of terror and the super fast rides I designated myself to chief Charlotte watcher ( as I don't go well on scary rides). William loved the pirate boat playground with water and he did try the fast ride down the tunnel with Dad BUT said as he came off that he was never doing that again! After lots of fun we ended up eating then got back into the slides again. The boys conned me into trying the tower of terror which was slow but had lots of bends in it, but when we got to the top they changed the slide over so Ryan and I had to go down the super fast slide. All I will say is that I went on holiday to recover from a shoulder injury but have managed to come back with a worse injury as the stupid device we were sitting on went from under us as we came around the second bend and both Ryan and I were thrown off it. I smashed my head and shoulder so bad that I came off seeing stars!!!!!!!!! The life guard on seeing me crying in pain asks very plainly if I was alright!!!!! Hello loser I am almost knocked out of course I was not alright!!!!!!! After sitting for a good 30 minutes nursing a massive headache the rest of the daredevils went to the super racer. Ryan and Rob were competing all day and as a result Ryan winded himself pretty bad, boys will be boys! After hanging out there for a while we then packed up and drove home, with a stop for dinner in Geelong. After a very tiring and sunburnt day we all slept pretty well that night!

The weather was GREAT!!!!!














Chicken Nuggets and chips for William!

Chicken Caesar Salad!

Fish and chips and these chips were to die for!

Amelia crashed in a BIG way, just hope no drool was left on Amy's shoulder!

Saturday morning was baptisms at the Temple and it was Amelia's first time and she was great! She really understood what was happening. It was an emotional morning as not only did Amelia do baptisms but I was able to start the process of doing my Nan's work, was a wonderful opportunity and I know that she was happy for it to be done!

In the afternoon we all went our different ways with our family going to the DFO in Moarrabin which was great! The in the evening we all met up to celebrate Yvettes party! The BIG 40! It was a great night and the games were interesting especially the water bomb game, thanks Yvette and Coral! Again another late evening but at least church started at 11 the next day!

LOVE LOVE TomTom!

Shopping at Morrabin DFO

Too much shopping for some!

The birthday girl!





And no I didn't run out of clothes for Amelia the theme was school so we dressed in uniforms from Amelia's school.

William making sure he gets ALL his lollies, thanks Aunty Amy

So after Church we all had family pictures taken all together and then some individual family ones which was nice.

The Weeden clan who attended the weekend!

Oh so cute!

Love!

Hmm

See how easy it is with no kids!

Crossin family

What started this little/big family. And they still look in love!

Again kids and photos!!!!

A theme is going on with kids! Thanks to the Crossin girls for trying!


The brothers!

All the boys!


All the girls!


The Horne family


Peekaboo 

Love these couple of photos



They were talking about the Angel Moroni on top of the temple


The afternoon on Sunday was a do nothing but veg day at Yvette's, which was nice! Some of the families left on the Sunday afternoon, Rob boated his car back to Tassie while some of the others did the plane so they could go back to work. Ryan, Amelia and I took a trip to the airport then on to the Pier to do a dry run for when we left on the Friday, apart from one hiccup of us missing TomTom's direction we did pretty well in finding our way!

Monday was zoo day and this time TomTom got us there spot on great parking, thanks to Charlotte's access parking, the kids loved all the animals, Amelia was taken with the pelicans but didn't go to well on the seal areas as it was a bit dark for her! William loved the tigers and lions especially as the lions were really close. Ryan's favourite was the turtle who was so close to the fence that you could actually touch him, which I did tell everyone not to do as I heard that Turtles have a mean bite, makes up for the slowness of them! I thought the elephants were pretty good especially the baby ones who were just celebrating their first birthday! The orangatang was good entertainment as he would come up and spread himself onto the class and play with peoples hands on the glass, talk about a poser! After a full on day we then caught a train into the city and then the city circle tram which was great. Flinders street was soooooo busy that it was actually a worry of loosing 4 kids ok so maybe 3 as it would be hard to lose Charlotte in a wheelchair! After a ride around we got the train back to the car then headed to Greensborough to meet an old missionary due to go home Elder Martin, was funny to think that he started his mission in our ward a whole 2 years ago, how time flies!!!! So after some fantastic Pizza and sitting in a freezing as park for 2 hours we finally got into the car and warmed up to travel home to the cabin.


















Ok so Elder Martin wanted a rematch and sorry to say Elder Martin but you lost again!!!!!!!

The face tells the painful story!

Tuesday was a sleep in day then a trip to Spotswood to the Science Works, it was fantastic and very good for the kids and adults, heaps of hands on displays in many areas, as well as an extra lightening show and planetarium. We did the lightening show and it was great talking about electricity and how it works. William and Adam loved racing each other against Cathy Freeman which was a sure fire way to tire them out! After a few hours there, mind you it would be good to do a days trip and pack a lunch, we went to Ikea!!!!! Yes we had the car and yes Coral fell in love with some great furniture and YES we managed to squeeze it in the car BUT all I will say thank goodness we didn't have a limit to weight coming back on the boat!!!! William got a lovely new bedside table and we got a few odds and ends in the way of kitchen bits and pieces as well as great variety of candles, I LOVE IKEA STUFF is all I will say here!

Wednesday morning was a trip back to the Temple for Ryan and I in the morning to do some more work then meeting up with the kids and doing some shopping at Knox, this time was managed to do one half of the bottom floor which was not including the Myer and Harris scarf!!!!!!!!  I got a great new RED handbag which I LOVE and Ryan got a new grey suit which looks pretty good and we even had the hem taken up in an hour!!!!!! We found a GREAT Asian bakery which sold the best bread products so much so that we had some there then got some for dinner and then even went back on the Friday to get some items to bring home!!!!!!

Wednesday night was temple night for Ryan and I which was great, finished of my Nan's work so felt good about it.

Thursday was designated shop till we drop day! Yes we did 2 DFO's and managed to survive although not sure about my bank account!!!!!! Got some great dresses Amelia got some great new tops and a dress, Charlotte got a lovely skirt and top, William a new cap and a cool waist coat, Ryan Fila shoes and a Carlton top. Coral homewares galore and Zoe clothes! That night we had dinner with Yvette and then Coral and Yvette did a temple visit. We took all the kids to Crown and watched the great fire ball display and the entertainment down there, enjoyed an icecream and managed to see some of the wild ways of Melbourne!!!! Yes two gay guys walking down the street and a guy urinating on the wall!!!! Thank goodness we were on our way back to the car! I must say that I was a bit sad that I couldn't get a bag from the Prada shop as it was closed and the security guy on the door of Versace was not giving me good vibes when I looked in, maybe it was because I had my cargo army pants and thongs on!!!!!!!!!

Friday was a relaxing day where we got our things packed and stored at Yvette's so we could be out of the cabin by 10 and then Ryan and I did a wander around Knox, this time the part we had not seen and managed to find a great tea shop t2tea! It was great and had so many great teas including a heap of natural fruit and herb teas. They are online at www.t2tea.com I have already got my list of things to try! Ryan and Yvette dropped us at the airport in the afternoon and then we waited as we had a technical delay!!!!! The flight back was terrible as Amelia had major autistic meltdown as she was scared as!!!!From take off then for another 40 mins she screamed, cried, hit herself, made herself sick spat a drink at me and had to physically held down by both Coral and I after 40 minutes a few kind people helped distract her so she was little calmer for the last 15 minutes. When we got off it was like nothing had even happened!!!! So the plans to fly again will be Ryan and  Rob each side or sedating her the whole trip. So after a very quick cab ride home we were able to relax in our own house. It was funny as William said to me before bed that he was waiting for the taxi to come take us back to the plane so we can go to our cabin!!!! I think William enjoyed his holidays just a bit too much!


The bed of nails was very interesting!

Zoe and Will competing against Cathy Freeman, William got too much speed up!

Zoe snowboarding! 

Part of the kitchen interactive display