The past 2 weekends seem to have all been about food and drink, which is fine by me!
Last Friday evening was the school's family picnic and disco where the kids dance in the school hall and the parents lie on picnic rugs and crack open bottles of wine on the sports Oval - got to love the Aussie way of life!
 |
| Celia with her best buddies at the school disco |
The next day was the Mordialloc Food and Wine Festival (which was very 'sticky' as it was jam packed and a 30 plus degree day) but we managed to have a great day out before the huge storms hit and caused a 12 hour power cut.
 |
| Me and Max on the bumper cars at the food & wine festival |
 |
| Mabel enjoying the slide at food & wine festival |
 |
| Daddy and Max at Seville Hill Vineyard |
Then we went to the gourmet jazz picnic at Seville Hill Vineyard the next day with my old work colleague Tommy, his lovely wife Brooke and their baby daughter Edie. It was all very civilised and Mabel being the music aficionado that she is seemed to appreciate the jazz quartet. All the kids were really well behaved and I do feel that we have turned that corner with ours. Mabel is still a terror but Celia and Max help look after her now when we go out so all the running around doesn't just fall to me and Andy.
This Sunday, we had 18 for a BBQ, and as Andy was in charge of the food, we're not talking burgers and snags (sausages for those non-Aussies reading this). Preping for a 5 course gourmet BBQ is no easy task and it was just as well Monday was a holiday for Labour Day (still don't know what that is about?) as I needed the whole day to tidy up. Andy had conveniently arranged to play golf the next morning of course! I must admit that he did deserve the morning off as the food was fantastic and very much appreciated by all. I think he was feeling the pressure to impress now that Heston Blumenthal is in town with his Fat Duck Restaurant for a few months. Melbourne has gone crazy for him and tickets for a seat at the restaurant were balloted and sold out within a matter of hours even though it was $525 a head (no drink included). They are now selling for over $1000 on Ebay - who would have thought snail porridge would be so popular?!
 |
| Mabel getting into Sushi |
Mabel continues to amuse and frustrate us in equal measure. Her talking is really progressing and she can pretty much say all words except for Celia. She refuses to even attempt it and insists on calling her Harry?!?
I will finish up by mentioning out trip to the beach on the way home from school on Monday (which is a very rare occurrence but shouldn't be as we pass 3 beautiful beaches on our way home each day). Anyway, I was feeling all yummy mummy and took the kids to the beach to 'scavenge' and Celia came back with a cigarette butt asking what it was. When I told her she replied "what's a cigarette?". Its not often you feel proud your child doesn't know the meaning of a word but this was one such occasion!.......
