School Holiday Fun.

The first week of the school holidays was great with our little trip away and the second week was just as good although a little less hectic.

In between all the running around with the house, eye appointments and the usual things we were able to fit in a play date with some of the kids from E's class.

Hangdog Climbing Gym is an indoor rock climbing centre that C has been bugging me about for a while. Some of the other kids have also been talking about it so that is where we decided to go.

What a fantastic place. For $15.00 for the kids you can stay all day, it's open from 9am to 9pm. Once you have paid the entry fee you are free to come and go as you please for the whole day !!

After we all arrived there was a big group demonstration for the climbers and rope holders. I was so happy when C put her hand up to help demonstrate. She is getting more confident every day !!!

Demonstrating going UP !!!

Demonstrating coming DOWN !!!

C did SO well, like a rat up a drain pipe !!

Coming down gracefully !!!

The kids found this wall a little more exciting.

Easier for us to. No having to hold onto them !!

Hello Imogen, E's best friend.

Holly had a great time to !!

C had a great time.

 

Owen and his two girlfriends !!!

and with Holly

I have to say that this has been one of my favorite play days. The kids all had a great time and there was no fighting, whinging or crying and that is ALWAYS a great thing !!

Our other little adventure was to Bungonia Gorge on the Southern Highlands. Sandy has been wanting to get here for a while and since we were all off, it was a great opportunity to get out.

There are lots of great walking tracks.

The only problem was the wind !!!

The open cut Lime Stone mine as been operating since the 1800's.

So that concludes the Spring school holidays. We have had a great time and done heaps of great things. It's always great when we all have the time off together. Hopefully next school holidays there will be some progress on the new house and we will be living with Nan !! Fingers crossed !!

Blue Mountains Part 2

The second half of our day in the Blue Mountains was our great hike down the Giant Stairway. This is another thing that I have been able to cross off my list. I also think that the kids were alot happier with this part of the day !!!

So let us being our great hike !!

Heading down to the foot of the first sister.

I love this photo cause you can see the great drop next to them.

So now was the time for anyone to head back to the lookout or head down the stairs. I really thought that E would not want to do it but she said yes. So off we went. Lets see how long this lasts !!!

As usual C is streaks ahead !!

Still going strong.

So about 2/3 of the way down E says that her legs are sore and she wants to take a break so C and I carry on without them. B the time we reach the bottom we are still in shouting distance to Sandy and E. Once E hears that we are at the bottom she is off like a rocket and also down the bottom !!!

Yippee she made it !!!

Yippee I made it, with jacket and backpack on !!!

And here they come !!!

Yippee they made it !!!

Two very proud kids.

The walk back up was ALOT slower for me !! I did struggle to get up the stairs but the kids did a great job. E surprised me the most as we had already had such a big day and there was no real complaining.

We have had a great time on our little trip, but the time had come for us to pack and head home. We have been blessed with great weather and perfectly behaved kids. Sandy & I were so proud of the kids especially today, getting over their fears and surviving the really long day. Thanks kids for being so great !!!!

Blue Mountains Part 1

After our great time in the Hunter Valley it was time for us to pack up and say goodbye to our lovely villa and head to the mountains.

On arrival at our new home away from home which was a nice little country style cottage and within walking distance to the shops we decided to take the kids over to Scenic World to prepare them for the next day. I'm sorry that I didn't take any pics of our Blue Mountains house :(

The Three Sisters. I never get sick of the view !!

The new cable way that brings you out of the valley.

I am so glad that we took the kids over to Scenic World that afternoon. When the kids saw what we would be doing the next day C was in tears !!! and when we went outside to see the cable way E was just as upset. They were both adamant that they would not be coming back to go on anything !!! C is not the best with heights and I think the E was getting nervous because of C's reaction.

So all night we talked to the kids and told them all about the history of the place and how many times Sandy and I had both been on it and that both Grandmas had also been on it and you know what Grandma and Nan are like !!! By the next morning there were no more tears but there were still some nerves which we said was ok as we were feeling the same !!! So off we went.

I would love to say a HUGE thank you to the photographer on the day. He could see that the kids were scared as C was crying a little and hugging my arm so hard that I thought she was going to cut off my circulation and the expression on E's face said everything !!! He was so kind and reassuring for the kids. He told them that they could run faster than the train and that the worse bit was the start. He was fantastic. So off we went down the side of the mountain. As we went over the edge E gave out a little yelp and C's grip got tighter but once we were over the edge C relaxed and we assured her that the worst was over. By the end both kids were happy and relaxed and so were mum and dad !!!

A very happy and triumphant E !!! So brave.

Checking out the steep slope that we had just come down !!

I think the kids were happy that they didn't come down on this one !!

The entrance to the coal mine that they built the railway for.

This was a lovely spot. Imagine having a wedding here !!

There are now many boardwalk tracks at the bottom so you can have a great look around and we stopped to have a little morning tea. The above picture was taken at the end of one of the tracks. Imagine having a wedding there. I would love to see all the guests dressed to the nines climbing onto the scenic railway and walking to this setting. I am sure most of my guests wouldn't come !!!

I love this pic. Sandy was looking into a hollow tree.

It was cool watching the spider spin its web.

The new way to get out of the valley. Just as steep !!

Again the nerves kicked in for all of us for the return journey. The car holds 84 people at once and we were squished in !! E decided to sit on the floor so she couldn't see out the windows and C stayed VERY close to me !!!

The view was beautiful.

On the way back up the guide talks you through some interesting things about the place and what we are going past but the most important part is when we are close to the top. The car goes through a support section. The guide tells everyone that it is coming up and that the car will swing a little bit. What she doesn't tell you is just how much it swings !!! When you come through it you feel like you are about to plummet back to where you have just come from. Everyone in the car went whoa when we passed through !!! I wish I had a video camera to film it all !!!

The next attraction was the Skyway. The last time we were there is was an older carriage that only went out to the middle and back again and I NEVER went on it. Now it is new and modern and goes all the way across and all the way back. C and I were the only ones to go on it as E refused point blank to get on it. Poor Sandy missed out :(

So after our massive adventure at Scenic World during the morning we drove to Leura for lunch and then back to the Three Sisters for another adventure for the afternoon.

Of course there will be another post for the second half of the day as there are again a million pictures. You all know what I'm like !!!