THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A HALLOWEEN BASH...

Justice and I had a blast at a Halloween birthday bash yesterday! I met my friend Fiona when her eldest and Justice went to pre-prep together. (They also started prep together, and we have managed to stay friends through all the classroom and school changes since...)

Larissa and her sister have those birthdates that collide with summer holidays and Christmas parties, so this year they got an early joint Halloween bash! SO FUN!

Fiona organised awesome games, including bobbing for apples, the donut on a string...

Everyone brought lollies to share, and in the end an entire wheelie bin was overflowing with lollies to be divided up between the crowd (I volunteered to help with that part?!)

The cakes were amazing, the costumes were great - and I love seeing Justice have the chance to re-connect with old classmates. VERY fun! That's another great Halloween done. Well, except that our carving plans were sabotaged by customers (ie I had to go in and help rathher than stay home and carve) with too many rolls - seeing as tomorrow is Melbourne Cup Day!

PLAYING HOOKY

Ok, in Australia we don't "play hooky", its "chucking a sickie", but I hate that phrase! Either way, I kept Justice home from school today. We made our way into the city to see the Queen. Yes, The Queen. I'm Australian now, you know? And still cheesy enough to think that the visit of The Queen is significant enough to encourage my diligent son to skip school. If I had had classes I would have chucked a sickie too, even though its the last week before exams... To be honest, we waited a long time, and I am so sunburned that its nearly frightening, but Justice was right up on the barrier and never complained. (Unlike the scores of children around us!) We saw the Queen, and she came by us by car a little later. (Justice snapped a picture of "the wave"!) Afterwards we went for a quick swim, rounding out a truly lovely day. I am looking forward to summer holidays. Not the heat, but the looser day schedule. I am sad to say that I now have my third bad Australian sunburn. (But three in eight years is pretty reasonable - particularly for my albino self!)

THE GREAT EIGHT

Well, Justice turned EIGHT today! EIGHT! Can you believe that?!

For his eighth birthday he had a lego birthday party.

He was allowed to invite eight friends to the lego education centre (in the city centre) for a MIDIEVAL MADNESS birthday bash...

At 2:30 they began with some dancing/ role playing games and then... they were set free on tables and tables of lego
fantasy, castle and knights legos were everywhere...
some of the kids worked together
some found dragons

and some great creations were born!

then the guests got together and built with these GIANT rubber legos

making a throne for the birthday boy...who managed to blow out all of his candles ~ so hopefully his wishes will all come true!

We can not believe that you are already eight!

AFTERNOON TEA

I put together a baby shower for my dear friend Sharona, she is due at the end of the month with her second.

We had an afternoon tea theme, so the favours were tea cups with "welcome home baby" house shaped tea diffusers and the wishing well was a GIANT tea cup.... The only thing bigger were the balloons!

We had a great turn out and a good time playing cheesey baby shower games like "the dirty diaper" game and "bun in the oven". OF COURSE we did the baby socks game - its my favourite! We also had scratchies and prediction cards...

We enjoyed cakes and fruits and juices and conversation - it was a really lovely shower!

GOOD LUCK SHARONA!

BABY BAPTISM

Justice and I were lucky enough to attend the baptism of a friend's gorgeous little baby girl this weekend. She was so sweet throughout the entire ceremony, it was lovely.

We went to their house afterwards for a delicious lunch. I have a great new potato salad recipe if anyone needs it!