The Big Road Trip of 2011 - Part 1

We have been having a great time on our road trip and though I have wanted to have been blogging the whole way, internet access has been at a minimum and wifi has not been my friend. I wasted a good 45 mins at a Macca’s on the way up trying to get onto blogger and write a post and it just didn’t want to co-operate with me, once in Brisbane I thought it would be much easier but again there was so many people to visit and it just got pushed to the side again. So now I am sitting in the car having just past Moree NSW, on our way to Dubbo and I am writing up my posts in word and when I get some decent internet access I will post them all at once.

Some week one high-lights were (other than all the "BIG" things we past pictured above):  

   

Daylesford – Lots of lovely shops to look in and a Makers Market to browse, I bought some gorgeous prints by Jedda Robaard which will go in the girls bedrooms. I also bought some gorgeous carved soapstone hearts which are just beautiful.  Visited Lark which I had been looking forward to and there were lots of lovely things to look at. The weather was freezing however and as we had packed for a mainly tropical getaway, we were lacking in the warm clothes department and the single digit temperatures were a little too cold to bear.

Mornington – Spent a lovely few days with my sister on the peninsula, got to do some running and eat some healthy meals and she really does live in a beautiful part of the country. Had an afternoon shopping at Chadstone which was a shopper’s paradise, would have liked to have been childless and had a really good look around but maybe I will be able to do that next time.

Canberra – The cold weather came with us to Canberra as well and it was at this point that I was glad I had thrown in some jumpers and jackets as it was a little more icy than we expected. I am sure the locals thought I was nuts when I headed out for my run at 6:30am with a singlet top and bike pants on. I passed many a beanie and glove clad local and I am sure my skin was not just red from the exercise but also from the freezing temperatures! Found a really neat circular track that was 500m around and had measurements marked every 10 metres, was great for doing my 1 km time trial. Floriade was spectacular and the colours of the flowers were just amazing. The kids really enjoyed it too and also loved the reptile display and the circus tent. India was fascinated with the snake that was available for touching except she just wanted to keep grabbing the head – no fear! On our way out of Canberra we drove around the streets where all the consulates and foreign embassies are located and it was so interesting looking at all the different architecture of the different countries residences, would have loved to have seen inside some of them, the yank one took up a whole block and had so much security.

The rest of the first week was spent driving up the NSW coast and into QLD, we had a brief stop in Sydney for dinner and a quick catch up with the MIL and then overnighted in possibly the worst accommodation available in Gosford, this was not before Stella vomited in the car on a section of the road where we could just not pull over on and then after thinking we would have enough fuel to make it all the way to Gosford and there being a few diversions to inspect the vomit situation and hand out towels and wipes etc, and then having to double back to get on the right side of the highway after those incidences and ZERO highway service stations between Hornsby and Gosford meant that we rolled into Gosford with the fuel range advising  1 km left to drive before we ran out of fuel. Needless to say I was a little stressed as the driver on that leg, I really did not want to be running out of fuel on the pacific highway at 10 o’clock at night in the pitch black with 4 kids in the car and only the hundreds of road trains as travelling companions! Next day we made it to Coffs Harbour and again I got to have a good run in the morning before heading off on the final days driving. It was a little slow going as we were diverted just after Ballina due to an accident and after a quick stop at Pacific Fair for a little shopping, we made it to BRISBANE!!! 

Love :: INSTAGRAM

My current obsession is the iphone App Instagram, and if you have an iphone you really need to get this App! It is free and it allows you to take a photo and then use a number of different effects to enhance your  photo, then you can share it will all your friends. It is so cool, so I will be updating you with some of my favourite snaps along the way. Hope you don't get sick of them because I just can't stop!!!!

The Party, The Parents & The Planning

The last few weeks have flown by and I am sure that will be the case for the next few months as well, doesn't time just seem to disappear when you are not looking!

So we had Stella's 6th birthday party and she really enjoyed herself so I would say that is a success. I made everything I had intended to make and had the house looking the cleanest it has looked in a long while. Of course the rain came about an hour before the party was due to start so a few last minute changes where made to the layout of the backyard which resulted in throwing the decorations up at the very last minute, not exactly as I wanted them, but daddy did a pretty good job considering there was minimal direction while I was dressing the last of the children etc.

Stella got lots of lovely crafty gifts from her friends which naturally all needed to be tried within the first hour of the guests going home, and I am so pleased to say that there was not one Barbie, Brat or Dora in sight. - I have a bit of a thing about those sort of toys, the top shelf of my wardrobe is the perhaps final resting place for a number of barbies that have been gifted over the years - maybe one day they will be offered as play things, but I am undecided on that one at this stage.

I think the food table looked delicious and the cake was a success even if I did make the night before at about 2:30am.

  

 

Once the excitement of the party died down, Mum and Dad came to stay so that Paul and I could fly to Brisbane for a school friends wedding. We were making a flying visit and were only actually in Brisvegas for all of 33 hours,  so we didn't bother trying to visit anyone and we stayed in the city the whole time with my best friend who was also going to the wedding. It was so nice to spend some time with her because we never get to see each other (she lives in Cairns). And it was so strange to not have to think about getting kids ready and the like. A couple of times Paul said to me wow we are actually on time, I was like yeah well that is because we don't have 4 children to get organised!! We got up earlyish (7:30am) on saturday morning and went for a run along the river and then across to Southbank and then back over the river and a bit further along that side of the river and then back to the hotel. It was so nice in the sunshine but quite surreal to think that in January where we were running was completely under water due to the floods. So good to see Brissy thriving again though, love my hometown and can't wait to get back there for good :) Felt good that I had burnt 800 odd calories seen as though I knew there would be a few indulgences on saturday night!  The wedding was so lovely and had some beautiful touches in the ceremony and the reception venue was magical especially because I didn't know how it would accommodate a wedding, but for anyone in Brisbane looking for a venue - definitely look into Melange at Roma Street Parklands,  if you have been there in the day, it is just like a bit of a roof and a cafe down one end, but at night they close up all the walls with glass bi-folds and it is totally enclosed and that gorgeous high roof with amazing chandeliers it was just divine and the food was really good too! As we didn't know a lot of the other guests we got to really hang out with the friends we did know and we had a blast. They had a photo booth set up too with props - moustaches, hats, wigs, masks, speech bubble blackboards and the like and it was heaps of fun. The 5 of us may have hogged the booth just a little! So it was a great night. And the 4:45am wake up for our early morning flight was not too bad either - ha!

Now this week I am all about planning The Big Road Trip Of 2011, we head off next friday afternoon and I have a lot of things I need to get organised before then! And tips or suggestions of places to stay, parks to visit, games for the kids, car survival items???? I am open to all suggestions, that is for sure!

Back on my feet, I think!

Wow, it has taken a long time to start feeling better after this terrible flu, I really wouldn't wish this on my worst nightmare. It has just evolved into so many symptoms and just when you think you are through the worst of it, bang! something else crops up and you have to spend another day in bed. Unfortunately the only effect it hasn't really had on me is weight loss...you would have thought as a bonus to being so sick I could have dropped a couple of sympathy kilos! On the other hand my lovely husband who has also been sick through out this whole duration has dropped 5kgs! bloody men, why is it so easy for them!! But he is looking a little scrawny and when I looked up his ideal BMI, he is getting far too close to the underweight zone. wow, if only I had that problem. But anyway, enough about sicky things.

(Photo Source)

This week is all about Stella's 6th birthday party that is on this coming saturday. I am pinning all sorts of things that I want to try - but who knows if I will get around to doing it all. I am trying to work out whether 6 year olds still want to play games at parties and if they do what games are appropriate? Anybody out there have any ideas? I have asked Stella what she wants to do and she said play line-chasey and make up dance routines, I am thinking more along the lines of a decorating type craft activity and making giant freckles to take home. I also wondered about a game that I used to play as a kid, but can't for the life of me remember the process. It was the game where you have a block of chocolate and a knife and fork, and you have to put some dress up clothes on as quickly as possible and then try to eat as much chocolate using the knife and fork while it is still your turn, just can't remember how the rest of the game works, can anyone help me with this one??? might have to consult mr Google and see if he can shed some light on the situation.

(Photo source)

The next 2 months are going to be full on, after Stella's party we have her actual birthday, then Mum and Dad arrive to look after the kids so that we can fly to Brisbane for a wedding, then we get back and have 2 weeks before we set off on our BIG family road trip to Brisbane via Melbourne and assorted other places. I am really looked forward to it on one hand but then petrified about it on the other, are we crazy taking 4 young children on a road trip half way across the country!!!! Only time will tell I suppose.  I am getting lots of tips from my friend Donna who is doing a road trip at the moment and travelling to some of the same places. We are going to try and make it as exciting for the kids as possible so we are going to go to the Dubbo Zoo and we are going to go to Canberra and do a few things there and I can't wait to spend some time with my sister in Melbourne. We are going to do the Great Ocean Road on the way home and I really want to stop in the Coonawarra for some wine tasting, and might have to find time to visit Daylesford as I have only heard good things about that place. Any other places we should try and check out on our journey? We are taking 3 weeks for the trip which will include about 9 days in Brisbane which will include one of our closest friends weddings, so I am really looking forward to a big catch up with all the old gang.

Ok, got to get organised and make a few more lists before I get really stressed out about this party, wish me luck!

Feeling a bit better now

Well, that flu really hit me for six. I haven't felt that sick for a long time, and I am still rather blocked up but feeling majorly better than I was over the weekend. I still don't think I could go for a run yet, which is terrible, it has been 1 week since I did any exercise and I am feeling very guilty about that and can't wait to get back out there, once my head has cleared and the mountain of snot (sorry for the graphic!) has gone away, I will be out the door. Fortunately Willow is the only one who hasn't been struck down and I am very grateful for this, I just couldn't imagine for being as sick as the rest of us. She did unfortunately miss her first birthday though due to all this sickness, it was last friday, the day I could not even get out of bed, so the poor little thing had a very uneventful birthday. I decided then that we would postpone it till this week and I know she won't mind. So she will have a 1 year and 1 week birthday celebration.

It is book week at Stella's school this week and yesterday they had to dress up, and she went as the cat in the hat. Her costume was whipped up at about 10pm on monday night, but I think it looked really good, and Stell was very happy to be the cat in the hat. We were only given 4 days notice about the costume, so now that I know about these sort of things I will be ready for it next year.

Well, I have a very clingy little girl hanging off me at the moment - (India with double ear infections) so I will try and come back later and post some more.

Flu

I have caught the dreaded flu from my husband and now everyone in the house has it to some degree except for Willow and I really hope she doesn't get it. SO, when I feel a bit better I will be back, have a good weekend x

New York Dreams, now to make them a reality

As I mentioned in an earlier post I really want to go to Blogher'12 in New York next August. I feel like a bit of a fraudster though seen as though I am not that much of a blogger, but I have read that you can be a new blogger or an established blogger and still benefit from the awesomeness that is a Blogher Conference. So, in saying that I am going to save my pennies and cross my fingers and toes and every other possible thing that I can cross and work towards getting to Blogher'12 in NY!!!

Another drawcard is that it is on from August 2 -4 and wouldn't you know it my 35th Birthday will be on August 5, so I think that would be a truly amazing way to celebrate my birthday. I am going to bring hubby with me too, so that we can share in this amazing experience together (well he won't come to the actual conference, he can sightsee during that time.) and hopefully Mum and Dad won't mind babysitting for a couple of weeks (pretty please!).

Danimezza has started a blog called #AusBlogHer12, which is "A place for Aussie Bloggers to get excited about their Blogging adventure to New York", which is a great way to connect with the other aussies that are going to attend, and she had this film clip up on the blog, and really when you listen to this song how can you not get excited about going to NEW YORK!!!

So, what do you think? Am I crazy? or can this actually happen.... only time will tell!