Spring Roadtrip - Moonee Beach.

Our time at Moonee Beach was so lovely that I wish we’d stayed twice as long. Apart from being able to catch up with a whole bunch of my family, we absolutely hit the jackpot with our AirBnB accommodation which felt very much like a home away from home. We arrived at the house mid-Sunday afternoon to be greeted by our lovely host Carol, who gave us a quick tour and then left us to settle in. Every room was beautifully furnished and filled with thoughtful little touches like a cupboard full of toys in the kids bedroom, a fire ready to be lit in the lounge and a kitchen pantry and fridge stocked with everything we needed for the first night...there were even ice creams as a treat for the boys. The view across the little valley was beautiful and the boys loved the giant trampoline and cubby house in the backyard. Our first night was spent by the fire, cuddled up on the couch watching a movie on Netflix.

Monday morning we grabbed the beach bag and our hats and made the short drive down the hill to the holiday park to meet up with my dad, my twin brothers, my youngest sister, one of my cousins and their families. Jack and Harry were very excited to see all their cousins in the one place, including the newest addition to our crew...3-months-new baby Lucius. Uncle Timbo and Pop got the boys fishing with some success and then we gathered back at the campground for a little fish fry up for lunch.

The boys and I headed back to the house after lunch for a couple of hours of down time before hosting family dinner. The kids had a great time in the backyard while the adults watched from the deck.

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny and we spent the day on the river again. Pop taught the boys the art of yabbying, they fished, swung from a rope swing into the water and had an all round marvellous time with their uncles and cousins. Jack became an expert at picking up the fish he’d caught, giving it a kiss and releasing it back into the water while Harry managed to land the biggest catch of the day. I got to spend time with the girls and snuggle my littlest nephew. When the sun got too hot we headed back to the shade of the campground for lunch.

Just like the day before, the boys and I went back to the house after lunch for a couple of hours, then we headed up the range to see my sister’s home in Nana Glen. Such a pretty little village in amongst the bushland and blueberry farms. It was nice to finally see Paige’s place and spend some more time with sweet baby Lucius. Family dinner was at the Moonee Beach tavern that night where the kids played mini golf and wore themselves out in the playground while the adults had a tipple and a chinwag. Before we knew it, the night was over. We were heading back to Tamworth the next morning so we said our goodbyes. Back at the house Jack put himself to bed without a peep and was asleep within seconds of his head hitting the pillow. Harry wound down with an audio book and a sketch pad while I packed our bags and organised our things for the roadtrip home. After Harry had gone to bed I spent a couple of hours tucked up on the cosy lounge with my tea and my book (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society...a sheer delight!) and soaked up all the lovely ambience of the space.

In the morning we had our breakfast with the lovely view of the valley for the last time, popped our bags in the car and said goodbye to our home away from home...til the next time we visit, which I think is going to become an annual event. 

xx Em

Autumn School Hols

The Autumn school hols are here again and our niece has come to visit. The boys love having their cousin here. Harry and Amelia get along especially well, they’re two peas in a pod, both in age and personality. In the last few days we’ve hit up the National Museum for a few rounds of K-Space, played at Boundless Playground, had a girls shopping date in the city, been for a bike ride and caused baby Pierre to get a prolonged fit of the giggles while we babysat him. 

Today the big kids and I took a day trip out to Jugiong for a spot of brunch and a visit to the train museum at Yass. 

In Jugiong we had a stickybeak at the Sir George with its beautifully renovated building and colourful veggie patch, then grabbed a table on the verandah of Longtrack Pantry for a delectable bite and a browse through the homewares store. 

These two gorgeous peeps surprised me with the sweetest present....literally!

Harry gave the little train museum at Yass his official tick of approval...derelict tracks to walk along, old carriages to explore and a volunteer to converse with about Victorian vs New South Wales rail gauges.

I’m treasuring this time with the kids. More school hols adventures to come!

xx Em

Spring Roadtrip - Sunshine Coast

The last leg of our trip...the Sunshine Coast.

We took a detour to Maleny on our way north from Brisbane. I wanted to have a little picnic in one of my teenage haunts...Mary Cairncross Park. It was a gorgeous morning, surrounded by lush green rainforest and happy kidlets running wild. The view was just a beautiful as ever.

 

 

We stayed with my dad & brother Alec at Mudjimba. My little super fishes spent the afternoon swimming in Dad's pool. On Tuesday we had a fab morning at the beach catching up with my brother Chris and his family. The girls have grown so much since last year's visit. It was brilliant fun for the kids, jumping waves and digging channels in the sand. We had morning tea in the park and a play in the playground. Can't wait to meet my newest niece early next year...she's currently a super cute baby bump on Karen.

 

 

For lunch I took the boys to the little town of Yandina for some train-tastic fun at the Ginger Factory.

 

 

 

After a 'post train ride' icecream we went back to Chris & Karen's for dinner and a play while a spectacular storm brewed in the south. By the time we were ready to go back to Dad's it was pouring.

We ended up heading home the next day. The boys had reached their travel limit by Tuesday night and were missing their Daddy like crazy so we left a day earlier than planned. I'm sorry to everyone whom we didn't get to see this time. I had hoped to catch up with many more family and friends but thought it wise not to push it with the boys. The trip home seemed so much longer. We spent a night at Glen Innes in the very lovely 'Apartments on the Park'. All three of us were exhausted and staying in a luxury apartment with a huge spa and super comfy king bed was just what we needed that night.

The next morning we strolled up the Main Street to The Coffee Incident for the world's best muesli and a cracking good coffee. Jack decided that the three nurses who came in for coffee were decidedly suspicious, so he spied on them, turning to give me the thumbs up every now and again. So stinking cute and very funny.

 

 

 

I covered a mammoth 1000kms on the second day's drive. We could have stopped for another night but it was worth pushing through to hug Hubby tight and sleep in our own beds again.

 

Looking back it was a really fantastic roadtrip. We travelled 3000kms from start to finish, from countryside to coast and back through the country again. We stopped in some great little towns, had adventures wherever we went and got to spend time with some of our most beloved family and friends. These are the kind of holidays that I hope the boys remember with great fondness.

 

xx Em

 

 

 

 

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