Day with Daddy

The Saturday just gone was a beautiful day. It only reached 11 degrees, however felt like a spring day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the sun was.. well we thought it was warm.

So we did what we like to do every warm day, head outside.

Milly and I were first, the frost was still on the ground, but there were chocks and rabbits to feed.

Then it was house work time. Chook house work. The chook house looked like it needed a good clean up, dig some trenches to divert the water and replace bedding.

What we take out goes in the compost ready for the garden in a few months. We have two compost bins and we rotate them over the months to ensure that we always have a nice supply of fresh compost for the garden. When we moved here the soil in our backyard was horrible, hard and rocky. I attempted to dig it with a shovel. Didn't work. Tried to dig it over with a pick. Didn't work. Tried it with a rotary hoe, that scratched the surface, but didn't dig deep enough to start a garden. We ended up having to get an excavator in to get down deep enough to start a garden, and help remove all the big rocks.
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Anyway.. so we got back in to the garden on Saturday. It is a bit early, but we are hoping that we will get a few things up and strong enough before the next series of heavy frosts.

 Planting Carrots and Parsnips. We discovered that Hanisi loves Parsnips.

 Throwing some peas in the furrows that we created earlier.

Not sure what Milly is doing here.. probably pulling out the seeds that Hanisi and I threw in!!

It was fun working with the girls. Last year Hanisi was about Milly's age or younger and not too interested. This year Hanisi is taking it in a bit more. She has helped me plant some Spinach seeds at the front of the house and we have been watching them grow and watering them when they need it. 

Before we knew it it was lunch time. We had to pack up and get ready for mum to go to work. 

Mariah has been working for a federal government agency for a few years now, I'm guessing that is has been more than 10 years that she has been working for them. What work she gets is so infrequent and has become even more infrequent since having the girls. 

I'm not sure how much I can tell you about it as it is all hush hush. She just gets a call to say can you travel to this part of the state and be there between these hours. It's not the secret service or anything, but is very confidential. 

She had to leave for the north of the state around 2. I had not given any thought about how I would occupy the kids for the few hours before bed time, but as the time drew closer I made the decision to go out and have some fun.

This was taken half way around the Gorge. We hadn't been there for ages, well I hadn't been there with the kids at all. I wasn't sure how they would go or how long they would last. It was surprising how much energy they can get in a new and exciting environment. We parked at the main gorge car park (not the basin) and went as far as the shop in the pram.. then they wanted to get out and run around.

We were luck to have seen some peacock as soon as we arrived. 

I took them on the path towards the river crossing at the bottom of the shop and across the park.

I tried so hard to get a picture of them on the walk with the bridge in the background, but they would not sit still.

 Hanisi and Milly will just go and go. They don't sit down to do anything for too long. We made it to the park where I was able to sneak one nice picture. 

See how nice the day was. There were a few people out enjoying the sun and warmth. 

After the park we headed off to the bridge. Flat out of course. 

We zipped across the bridge, then I told them it was called the swinging bridge, because it swings too and fro when we walk across it.

The translation got mixed up somewhere 

This was their version of a swinging bridge. They had fun! It made the passers by mile too. 

Then it was flat out again. Until they realised that they could climb on the wall and make their way through the bush. 

We stopped for some afternoon tea. Our bottoms had hardly warmed up the seat before we were off again. 

Milly managed to scoff down several hand fulls of sultanas before we went again. I wanted to film it as it was so funny watching her put one hand full after the other in her mouth. By the time I got the camera ready she was overflowing and took off. 

We made it back to the car park to find more Peacocks sitting next to out car. They were attracted to the biscuit crumbs that fell out of the pram as I unfolded it at the back of the car. 

After the gorge, we went to the City Park for more running around (didn't take any pics). Then as it cooled off and got a little darker we headed off home to have dinner and bed. 

It was such a fun day. The girls and I had a ball. I think our first picture (this one) says it all. They were so good. There were no tantrums and no missing mummy cries from Milly. 

The only down side.... they (and I) were still pooped today from all our fun and there were a few tantrums today!

Starting School.

 Some time during February 1986, I set foot in my first ever classroom. I don't recall the day, I don't even remember this photo being taken. I do have a vivid recolection of the bag which I have so tyylishly slung over my sholder. The bag was a black and tubeular shape. It had just enough for a little bit of lunch, a drink and not much else.

 Today was another first day at school. It was the first day back at uni after a 3 year absence. I have to say that my kindergarten class was more sympathetic towards my school uniform than the class that I had today.

HAHAHA as if I would wear that to uni. Just as we went to take the photo our neighbour was backing out of his driveway and I was worried that he would see me. So there was n way I would wear it out in public.

How things change. Mariah said "it looks so much like you." I was that about the only thing that looks similar is my knobbly knees.

The first day back was somewhat familiar, and I feel more relaxed than I did last week.

Fun at Grandma's and Grandpa's

Mariah and I decided to go to the movies during my last week at home. So we organised for the kids to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a couple of hours...

This is what they got up to.

Hanisi loves to draw. At Grandma's house she had her own special table in the sun.

Playing with Shapes

Milly sitting with Grandpa

Grandma telling Milly secrets. Milly loves listening to you when you whispers in her ear.

Too Cool

They had a great time, as did Mariah and I. It will be nice to do it again sometime.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa

Evolution

Evolution as it occurs in our family with just a select few photos.

He (WITH SOME HELP) MADE.....

She Married ....

Together they made...

I knew our girls looked like Mariah but I didn't realise how much they look like her.. I'm sure they appreciate that!

Just what I needed.

This is a blog about this week and what it means to me. I hope that when my Girls are older that they will appreciate what I am about to write.

These past several weeks I have been given a great opportunity. I have been lucky enough to have been able to spend 12 weeks with my 2 daughters Hanisi and Milly and my beautiful wife, Mariah. Having received a redundancy pay out from work has meant that I have had the ability to stay at home with them and enjoy some amazing experiences with them.

I recall when I was working as a Retail Manager, that there were some days when I would not see Milly for up to two days. and If I did see her it was only for a few moments when she was awake through the night. I am sure that through a normal working week I would see the kids for maybe 10 hrs over the course of a 5 day week. These 10 hours would have either been during the early morning rush to get to work on time. Or in the evenings when they were at their worst due to tiredness. Not the best way to watch your children grow up, but it's the way it is for a most and will be for me again one day. I remember one morning looking at Milly and thinking, wow you have grown over night. When it was just the fact that I had not taken the time to really look at her and reflect on her development.

Then there is Mariah and I. Our time spent together was again at the end of the day, when our fuses were so close to the primer sometimes it was best just to do your own thing. It has been so nice to be with her again and refresh my memory as to what it was like when we first got married and we were always close at hand. I Know Mariah has enjoyed sneaking the extra cuddle here and there. We have talked more these past weeks than we have in the past couple of years I reckon.

If there is one thing that I regret the most about the past 12 weeks, it is that the last couple of weeks that I have appreciated the most. I have felt the closest to Mariah this week and I feel In love with her again. I have been stopping what I have been doing and listening to what the kids have to say. Hanisi loves to share her day with me. When ever they go somewhere and I can't go, she comes home and tells me all about it. With Milly you have to ask what happened then wait for a "Yeah" or a "No." Even then she gets it a bit mixed up.
 

"What are you doing Milly?"
"Sumpin"

"Where are you going today Milly?"
"Shop!"

"Love you Milly!"
"Lub Oooh.. Daddy"

"Hanisi, what would you like to do today?"
"Nisi wanna ride a Gootta!"
"Nisi wanna ride my Bike"

"Hanisi don't ride you bike on the road." 
"I not will"

I have seen the girls do some memorable things. Hanisi learned to ride a bike, and a scooter. Her toilet training is spot on. She has not had an accident in a long time.. well she did the other day, but she was not well and not really with it. She had her first hair cut. She rode a horse, and learned how to use a mouse on a computer and can now restart her own Peppa Pig shows. 

My first week home I helped Milly do one of her first wees on the potty, taught her to say I love you, taken her on her first outing without Mummy. We have been to the library together, for walks together and gone to the shop. She also had a hair cut. which I must say is similar to one that Mariah had when she was a little girl.

Milly's vocabulary is growing fast. She can just about get the alphabet, the L,M.N,O.P sounds a bit jumbled. She is using more and more words everyday and understanding what they mean.

There are so many more things. Most of these have just been in the last month. If I could do one thing different, I wish I had kept a journal of the things that we have done together. This Blog thing is great. I love it. It is a way to get me to keep track of memorable occasions.

I love being a Dad. It is not always easy, and I don't always make the best Dad in the world. The great thing about children is that they forgive and forget so easily. Where we as adults tend to hold on to things for a lot longer.

This past week I have been given a speaking assignment for Church this coming Sunday. I don't mind giving, what we call. talks. It is always an opportunity to learn something new and discover things about yourself that are good and things that could possibly need refining, or changing completely.

The topic I was given was about how doubt can sometimes takeover our lives, and how spiritual "special" experiences can be used to overcome doubt and build us. This gave me cause to reflect on some spiritual experiences in my life and how they have caused me to be who I am today. Had I remained the person that I was 10 years or so ago, I would not be married to Mariah. I would not have a Hanisi or a Milly. I would probably not live where I live. I would not even know what the name Hanisi meant.

I am a lucky guy. I know it and I am grateful for what I have and who I have. What a great 12 weeks it has been. I am so luck to have had such a long time to just be a Dad and a Husband, not a boss or an employee or student, just me.

And that is about that. :) 

Better help Mariah so that we can have a relaxing night together in front of the fire. :)

Saturday Action.

Our lazy Saturday morning quickly became a action packed day. During my morning read of the paper, I recalled that the Longford chook show was on. We had been once before and then kids thought it was great.

So our un-planned day soon become an action packed day, more action packed than we had bargained for (in a good way)

During my read of the paper I came across some wheat and some pullets (young chickens) both for a good price. And so it was we went from a relaxing day to a full day of running around. This is typical for me. I can go from doing nothing to filling up a day or even a few days of work or activity within a matter on minutes. I am not much of a planner, and prefer to do things at the spur of the moment. This can be difficult for Mariah. Before we go out any where I am often asked if we are going to go off on any wild tangents today. Of course I respond with a simple "I can't answer that," or an "I dunno."

We headed off as planned to Longford and saw some amazing birds. I only got a couple of pics because by the time I got the camera out there was some judging going on and I didn't want to upset any birds with an accidental flash.

 A Gold Laced Wyandotte ( I think)

Not sure about this one. I call it my Matt Preston bird because of the cravat. 

There was one that I wanted to get a picture of. It was an Indian Game Cockerel. A Massive black bird with the meanest look on his face. He made me feel nervous just standing in front of his cage. I wish I had taken a photo because I can't find one that does this particular bird justice. 

This is the best I could find.

Check out the size of those legs. 

Any way that was the chookies. The kids had fun spotting the hens that had laid eggs. With all those roosters under one roof it was a bit loud.

After the chookies it was off to get the wheat, some shopping for our new cat, Shadow, then off to Aunty Alice's place to have a look at her new puppy, Indy. 

I'm sure she won't mind me pinching a pic off her facebook page.  I had to help Uncle Josh move a washing Machine and we left the camera in the car. She is very little compared to Beau, their other Dalmatian.

After Aunty Alice's place we went to a ladies house at Pipers river to pick up our pullets. While we were there the lady's daughter who could have been about 6 maybe was walking around her pony. Hanisi and Milly fell in love and the lady was kind enough to offer both Hanisi and Milly a ride. Just a little one down the path and back. We were not expecting that, so, again left the camera in the car.

Then it was off to Les Smith's place to search for some missing keys that we thought might have been dropped out there when collecting some wood a couple of weeks ago.. We have searched high and low.. but nothing so far so we were hoping that this would be where we would find them. 

On the way there thought we stopped to watch some Go carts racing. 

It was a bit of fun for a few minutes. Something different that we have never done before.

Then it was off to the Smith's place for a look for the keys. Great news.. we found one of Milly's shoes.. BUT no Keys.. It continues to remain a mystery. 

When we gave up looking it was getting late and the kids were getting hungry. We had not planned to be out this long. 

So we stopped at the Lilydale Cafe / bakery /pub for some chips and a drink.

BOTTOMS UP . 

It is a worry that they just seem so relaxed and feel at home. 

Here they are having a good o'll chin wag over a bottle of red. 

We drove home as the speed of light so that Mariah could get ready for a big night out her exercise buddies. 

There was one last stop to help out Joe get a basket ball hoop up for his kids. 

Then home. Yeah we finally made it home.