Lunch

A fun day at Julie and Claire's

Cycle to the park

We went for a 10km cycle on Friday to make the most of the last warm, sunny day forecast. I'm glad we did, it's been grey and cold since. We stopped halfway at the park for a quick play and Hugo had great fun being pushed on the swing by Daisy.

Artwork

Scott bought me this painting for my birthday. It's called Venus and is by Ian Bow, an Australian artist who painted this sometime in the 1960s we think. It's lovely having an original oil painting. It looks great in the lounge.

And it's given us the taste for art. We went to the affordable art show yesterday and bought this picture as an early anniversary present.

Presents

This is the ring that Scott got me for my birthday. It's silver with a pebble, from Pebble Beach in NSW. The jewellery maker used to be a geologist.
He almost bought me two because there was another one he liked by the same girl. It's also lovely so I'm buying that one as well with birthday money from my Mum and friends Andy and Lisa. A photo will follow when that one arrives.

And here's the necklace that Daisy and Hugo bought me. It's made of glass and silver. It has a lovely feel, strangely jelly-like and has a translucent look when the light catches it.

Dress ups

Hugo had a great time wearing Daisy's old fairy outfit, waving his wand and putting his babies to bed.

Reading

Hugo loves being read to. Scott suggested Daisy read him a story in the bath. He shuffled over to sit in her lap. Very cute.

Party

Couldn't let my 40th pass by without a party.

40

It was my 40th birthday this weekend. We had a lovely, relaxing weekend without children in Daylesford, thanks to Joan babysitting. It was a fantastic battery recharge, especially the 1 hour massage and leisurely meals.

Scott took the day off on Monday so we could have a family birthday lunch. Hugo and Daisy enjoyed themselves. There was pizza and table football.

And some wine barrels to pose in.

Hula hoop

Daisy practising her hula hoop

Plastic bucket

Hugo really enjoys hanging things in the bushes - sticks, shovels and now his plastic bucket.

In the garden

We had fun in the new, bigger garden

The garden

Here's the latest incarnation of the garden. We've covered the grey metal back gate with brushwood and removed the huge, empty flower bed on the right. We had planned to put a smaller raised flower bed around the tree so that we could sit on a wall at that end. But it's turned out to be a great play area, so we're now planning to put grass or some other ground cover in that area instead.

The new den.

And on the left, where the shed used to be. We need to plant some more things in this area.

Face paints

Daisy disappeared into the bathroom with the face paints and emerged as a dog - all over!

Easter

Daisy and Claire with the eggs they decorated. And a fruit break in Nana and Pa's garden.

Chocolate. Daisy finds the first egg (and most of the others). Then it's quiet while they get eaten.