Southern Stars

Last year C was involved with Southern Stars as part of the mass choir and unfortunately I was not around to see it so this year and with a new school she was again able to be apart of this great production but this time as a dancer !!

Many hours of practice and costume designing went into the performance. C's performance was based on childhood dreams about princesses and imaginations. C was cast and dressed as Rapunzel which was quite funny as she has the shortest hair ever !! They originally wanted her to have a hair piece but at $200.00 for the piece I said no way !!!

Her dress was beautiful along with her crown and the other girls were dressed like Cinderella, Tinkerbell and fairies.

Wow what a performance and what a great thing to have for the school communities. All together there were 3000 children who danced, sang and acted in a 2 hour spectacular.

Her makeup for the night

Ready to watch my big girl shine

Yes C is there somewhere !! E picked her out every time !!

My short haired Rapunzel

There was a Harry Potter section !!

and of course an Aboriginal dance

Every child on the floor, the ending was fantastic

The girls got to do their dance for school assembly a few weeks later.

Doesn't she make a beautiful Rapunzel

Maybe this is what she could have worn !!!

The nights were fantastic and the kids had so much fun. I was one of many proud parents watching their kids do amazing things and a big congratulations to all the people involved with creating such an amazing production. I hope that E will be able to be apart of this when she is a little older. Well done C xxx

Willy Wonker V's Dorothy !!

This years Book Week parade was attended by the Johnny Depp version of Willy Wonker and a sweet looking Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, aka E and C !!

E had recently cut her hair into a short bob and when she put my sunglasses on we told her that she looked like Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so that is what she decided to go as for Book Week. The problem was now finding things for the costume. The hat was borrowed from a friend and the purple jacket was a $3.00 bargain at the local op shop.

C was Dorothy at their old school last year and thought it would be a good idea to go the same, only problem was that they had hired their costumes the year before so now we had to be super nice to Grandma and ask her to make a dress. Thanks Grandma !!! We also had to find a red pair of shoes and paint them with glitter !!

C was asked to read the 'Acknowledgment to Country'

There were some great costumes, lots of Elsa's and Anna's from Frozen !!! Next year I will only have to worry about one getting dressed up. Thank goodness !!!!

St Pauls Cathedral and The Monument

STAIRS !!!

Today was a very busy day where we visited 3 major land marks of  London. We started out with St Pauls Cathedral where Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married, moved onto The Monument and ended the day with a trip to the Tower of London.

I have broken it into 2 posts so keep a look out for the Tower of London pics in a separate post.

I began this post with STAIRS as I don't think that I have EVER climbed so many of the things in one day !! Even the giant staircase in the Blue Mountains can't compete !!!

So starting our day at St Pauls. Again so beautiful inside and has so much history attached to it. This was the church where Princess Diana was married and was very surreal to see the black and white chequered floor where she walked up the isle and now I have made that same journey.

Again like York Minster you could go on a tour over three levels to the top of the dome of the cathedral. Welcome stairs I'm ready to take you on !!

The river Thames.

Uncle Jim only made it to level 2. He was to tired to go just one more level so I conquered it on my own. It was very strange inside the dome. Windy small staircases with sea through steps !! Not a great look when you are a little scared of heights !! I'm not to bad but it plays with your head a little bit when you can see the bottom !!

The view of the city was worth the climb.

Yes I made it all the way to the top.

Next lot of stairs to conquer was The Monument. This was built to celebrate the rebuilding of the city after a massive fire destroyed most of London in the 1600's. It began construction in 1671 and was finished in 1677.

There is only 1 spiral staircase up the centre so you have to give way up and down.

 

 

Tower Bridge, this is NOT London Bridge !!

 

The top of St Pauls where I just climbed !!

 

Round and round and round we go.

 

 

Caged in viewing platform.

 

So we made it up and back. With all the stair climbing we have been doing on this trip I wont have to exercise for the rest of the year !!

 

Stay tuned for the rest of our day where we head to the Tower of London.



Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle another home for the Queen. I'm getting around to her places but she is never at home !!!

To get to Windsor Castle you catch the train to Windsor Castle station !! Who would have thought !!! It takes about 40 minutes from London.

So thankful that Jim and I purchased London passes. They were passes that gave you free or quicker entry into lots of place and Windsor Castle was free and quick. Thank goodness as the regular people line was sssoooo long. I had no idea where it ended and would have hated to be standing in line for so long. Oh the poor commoners !!!

But before we headed for the train we took a look around Trafalgar Square.

Now off to the castle !!

This is what awaits you when you come out of the train station.

After you have entered you get a few audio guide and follow the numbers along the path ways.

Aww how pretty. A cute Juliet Balcony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The archers would point their arrows through the holes at the enemy.

 

The old moat is now a beautiful sitting area and garden

 

 

Very surprised how close the planes get to the Castle and how frequent they were.

 

Looking into the grounds of the State Apartments and where the Queen stays.

 

 

 

The beautiful church inside the grounds.

 

Another beautiful place crossed off the list. So much history and beauty and all with a sense of hominess. Even though it feels quite large the space is actually only quite small and right in the centre of town.

 

I loved this painted phone box right out the front.

 

Entrance to the station with a wide range of designer shops and cafes.