Camp, Cousins, and the Cicada

George painting at home. 

Max going to Science Camp. The Cubs camp went over two nights. They did lots of scientific experiments including measuring their resting heart rate and comparing it to after running around, making a plaster cast of a footprint, playing games with magnets. He returned home, exhausted and covered in mosquito bites. 

Meanwhile at Aunty Shani's, George got to be the centre of the cousins' attention while his brother was not around. 

Little Malakai munching on a gum leaf. When George saw this photo he said he wished he could climb inside the photo and tickle Malakai.

Then we went out for dinner with Royce's family, and Holly and Pia came along too.

A very productive drawing session which resulted in one of our teddies wearing a mask and cape made by Piama.

The Cicada: The loudest insect in existence. One very friendly one found its way into Max's armpit. 

George as Aang from the Avatar, rolling around in the laundry hamper.

Sweet little Malakai having his bottle fed to him. This was at a family get together during Nanny and Gramps's recent visit. They brought their caravan and stayed in the local caravan park. 

Malakai is chewing on Nanny's gold bangle, which his siblings and cousin Saskia have also chomped on. 

Max and George stayed over at Holly and Pia's house one day and played with their scooters.

After watching Junior Masterchef, in which ordinary 8-12 year olds competed in a reality TV cooking competition and made the most amazing food, Max got busy in the kitchen. This is his own invention based on "toad in the hole". It bears some similarity to the original but has sugar instead of salt on it.

Running around at the football ovals with some friends. This group of kids had just sold about $50 worth of raffle tickets (fundraising for the Cubs and the Preschool) to members of the Bowls Club. 

Quad bikes, boomerangs and didgeridoos

Less than 24 hours back in Australia, and George was keen to go to school. We made tracks to the Kindergarten.

Max took that first day off, but we went up to his school at lunchtime for a social visit, and then we joined Grade 2 for the afternoon and watched a performance of the school play that the grade 5s and 6s had put on.

Max was warmly welcomed back to school by his friends and his teacher. But he was still very tired.

The Edwards family reunion was held at a place where we had previously camped and fished. We brought some live bait.

Some little red fin were caught, examined, and released. 

Max was allowed to ride on a mini quad bike. He started off slowly and carefully, but by the end of the day he was going faster and with confidence. Max is considering writing to Santa Claus to request one of his own.

 People joked that we were watching "the birth of a hoon". We might have to get him a name tag like this one.

George had his hand accidentally slammed in the door. It really hurt him. He cried. It has healed up very nicely.

Max has sprouted muscles. He has also been getting lots of growing pains in the arms and legs.

Every week we go out to the farm for eggs and this lovely man goes out of his way to show the kids around. After the quad bike experience, now the kids got to experience a full size quad.

Bouncing around on the hay bales.

 

 That's our friend Harper. He has a very difficult name to pronounce.

This week at Cubs the kids learnt how to play a didgeridoo and how to throw a boomerang. A German didge player called Klaus explained the history of the instrument and the basic techniques.

Each kid got their own plastic pipe didgeridoo, even George got one.

For safety reasons, the kids lined up in a straight line to throw their boomerangs. 

Did the boomerang come back? No, and it is currently lost in a neighbour's back yard. 

George helping me get fresh peanut butter from the peanut butter machine.

George broke 12 eggs for me. We were making quiches. I think I will be making quiche quite a bit in future, because they ate it all up! 

Max was on his way home from school when he saw a baby Rainbow Lorikeet. He held out a finger and the bird stepped onto his hand. This wild bird started to make its way up Max's arm, but when it used its beak to grip his bare skin, it pinched. Max jumped and the bird flew away.

Max is fundraising for the Heart Foundation. If he raises a certain amount, he gets a prize!


You can help the Heart Foundation fight cardiovascular disease in Australia by making a secure online donation using a credit card. Click on the link below:

http://my.artezpacific.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=357678&Lang=en-CA

Thank you very much for your support!