Family Snaps

Climbing with the kids

Shopping Trip with the kids

Out and about with the kids

Hannah in Choir Uniform

Hannah in Choir Uniform, originally uploaded by theclutterbells.

Astonishing that this is 4 years ago. Where did my little girl go?

Clever Tricks and Sore Bums

Happy 12th Birthday Hannah

So Glamourz. So proud of you Hannah. Have a lovely day.

At the Park

October School Holidays

Photohunt: School

Hannah making some healthy snacks during an after school activity.

When Two Is Better Than One

You would think I was overweight the way my kids can fit into my clothes.

Ho Ho Ho from Hannah and Ryan

You can Ho Ho Ho yourself on Flickr by adding a note to a photo "ho ho ho hat" or "ho ho ho beard" does it.

And while we are at it, a Ho Ho Drunken Ho Ho from Monkey.



This is not the Christmas Message that my Grandmother made us stop eating cold Turkey for.

And even the real thing iz funny.

Photo Hunt: Reflection

Hannah has wanted earrings since she was four. Her deal with mum was that she could have her ears pierced when she was 10. She was not happy, but she accepted it. So the day after her 10th birthday we headed off to the mall. She was very nervous and scared, but we booked the ear shooting. Just before the people in the shop fired their guns to put in the studs, Mum and Hannah checked the positions. She was happy in the end and the anticipated pain was very shortlived and not too bad. I thought she was very brave. I doubt if I would do it. It reminded me of how I used to feel going to the dentist when I was a kid. Petrified.

Two weeks later and they are healing up and she will be able to put earrings in in a few more weeks.

It reminded me what a great thing waiting and anticipating something that you really want. Too often we want everything now, rather like the kind of thinking that has lead to much of the economic meltdown over the last few months. Waiting for something is not so bad.

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Hannah's Tenth Birthday Scary Party

All our good works to pay down the credit cards went to hell as the party planner in our house put together a monster scary party for Hannah's tenth birthday. Not as scary as getting her ears pierced the next day, but pretty good. We did one for Ryan's birthday last year, at our old house, which was quite different with 10 eight year olds. This year we had 15 ten year olds, two Grannies (both came independently as black widows - go figure) and other assorted hanger ons including the parents servants.

Early preparation included buying up the entire Halloween inventory of at least twenty Cheap as Chips and the like, raiding costume shops and lots of full on decoration and the making of a ghost cake.

The kids had a great time and the parents were able to relax a little when all the games worked and everyone had a screaming good time.

The kids have alternating parties, so next year will be Ryan's ninth. Not sure what he will want to do. Hopefully the credit cards will have recovered from the shock.

Photo Hunt: Scary

Photos from our last scary party about a year ago for Ryan's 7th Birthday. In two weeks it is Hannah's 10th Birthday and she is having 15 friends for another scary party. Now that is scary! And the fact that she is ten already is very scary. 

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