Our Family Holiday

Pete had time off in the school holidays. First of all, my Mum and Dad took the kids away for 3 days to Canberra (they had the best time!) and Pete and I slept in, played games, went to the movies, watched a few videos, read and goofed around the house relaxing. It was bliss.

Then we thought we'd take the kids on holidays too. For the first time ever we stayed with them in a hotel. They loved it! We picked the BEAUTIFUL Blue Mountains, as the boys are SO IN LOVE with them. We spent 2 nights there and it was heaps fo fun!

We went to Scenic World, which has changed a bit. We caught the train down, looked at all the cool museum-y type stuff and ran around the board walk. Then caught the cable car back up.

We went on the Skyway, and got to watch a helicopter rescuing someone from the Furber steps. Very exciting (and noisy). We watched the helicopter fly in, lower the rescuers into the cliff face, and then the stretcher (with the bushwalker) being lifted up to the helicopter with a rescuer guy hanging off the edge. Here's a pic, but cant really see much.

Went to a heap of parks, did some bush bashing and exploring. Dropped into the lolly shop and had some really yummy pizza. Mmmmmm.

At night the kids were all in one room. It reminded me of school camps where you turn the lights out and supervise so no one makes a noise. They were all asleep within ten minutes both nights!

Here's a couple of grids. Click to enlarge.The kids on the Skyway and CablewayCharging through the bush. The boys pretty much ran everwhere! Carissa was fast too, and fluctuated between running and going on Pete's shoulders.Check out Reub's cool hair!!! Kids going crazy

The Clog Barn

Here are some pics of the 2 Rees Families @ The Clog Barn today:

After that we went to Moonee Beach for a picnic and a bushwalk/beachwalk. Then Matt, Pete and Josh went Go-Karting.

Boambee Creek

Today we all went to Boambee Creek (minus Matt who has to work). It has been beautiful weather and the water temp was 29. The creek goes to the ocean and the beach is just around the corner.

Here's pics of the 2 girls, Larissa and Carissa. They wrote their names in the sand, and the bottom left is a sculpture of a person they made. Here's the three stooges, Isaac, Sam and Reuben

Here's some more shots of all of us enjoying the day. Around the corner and to the left under the train bridge is the beach.
Here's everyone as they were getting in the water
Sam made a big hole (or something...?)
Here's Josh coming out of the water

Mutton Bird Island and Coffs Jetty

Today we went to Mutton Bird Island and Coffs Jetty.

We has fresh fish and chips for lunch (Matt met us there in his lunch break). Here's a few pics:

This collage is us having lunch, bottom left is Roo and I on the jetty and top right is Dan, Pete & Carissa, Larisa and Isaac on the jetty. Here's Carissa and Carissa and I on the jetty. Plus Pete took one of the water. it was so clear and you could see heaps of fish in there.
Then we climbed up Mutton Bird island. Here's pics with Reub in them:
Top Left: is so funny, him nearly up the top, looking worn out (you can see Larissa behing him and then me piggybacking Carissa just behind)
Top Right: Reuben studying a map and diagram. he loves these and makes up big stories explaining what it is all about.
Bottom Left: Roo up the top
Bottom Right: Reuben and I walking along the top.

Here's Pete carrying Carissa back down the island. It was beautiful up there. You can see the jetty and the beach and the mountains in the background.
Here's a lame picture I took from the top of the Big Banana on Tuesday. You can see the jetty and Mutton Bird Island (the big island on the left), which we climbed and walked across today.
It is SO warm here. It is 27 today, the kids want to go swimming at the beach, but I didn't pack swimmers as I thought we wouldn't need them in the middle of winter.

When we were up the top of the island, we saw a whale, which was cool. Then on the way back down, Josh spotted 2 dolphins and we watched them for a while.

So far.....

Here's a few pics of our holiday so far:

The kids and I yesterday

Playing on a tractor at the top of the big banana.

You can see the ocean in the distance.

The boys on the Skywalk @ the BB

Exploring this morning

Sam @ a Lookout

Carissa @ a Lookout

Tomorrow

Okay so I didn't want to make the last pictures too easy. Looking forward to a good week or so with Matt, Danielle, Josh, Larissa and Isaac. Pete has been inspired and is working on a similar costume to celebrate our holiday. Should be good.