52 lists #3

I'm playing along with Pip from Meet Me At Mikes with 52 Lists project.  You can join too!

List #3 this week is the return of some TV favourites..

enjoying our summer...

I took the kids to the Australian Open tennis for the first time.  I chose a day which wasn't too hot (25 degrees) but I have to tell you, when you are sitting in the glaring sun it feels like 35 degrees.  I bought a day pass which allows you access to all the outside courts.  To get a seat inside Rod Laver Arena where the big names play will set you back over $300.00 - very expensive! But what an exciting atmosphere to be there.

The kids were really excited to see Serena and Venus Williams playing in a doubles match and they are both inspired to have tennis lessons now.

One of our favourite players

Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open last year, wonder if he can do it again?  We also like Roger Federer.

If we go again next year I will go at the start of the tournament when there are more players to see.

:: 52 lists #2

Christmas over (tick), New Year's over (tick), Birthday Sleepover Party over (tick).

With only a couple of weeks left of the school holidays there are a few things I would like to do with the kids. My list for this week:

1. Get a day pass to the Australian Open.  We've never been, and the kids are really enjoying watching the tennis on TV this summer.

2. Going to the  movies to see 'Parental Guidance'

3.Strawberry or cherry picking.

4. Visit 'Carnival of Science' at Scienceworks.

5. Anything to get out of the house, away from the washing of clothes, dishes etc...

How is your week going so far?

The things my spots and I can do...

Things are getting crossed  off the list

bunting galore

All of these spots reminded me of a book I used to read to the kids

Do you know this book?  

My spots are now hanging happily through the house

Instagram...

Yep, I've joined the instagram craze.  Now that I've been on holidays and had some time to figure it out, I've discovered it's heaps of fun.  It's also quick and easy and I love following everyone else as well. If you would like to follow me,  my user name is goziandpop.

:: 52 lists...

A new year and a new set of lists to make.  I've just joined up "52 projects" with Pip from  Meet Me At Mikes  and  Emma from All At Sea you can join up too if you like - click here to follow!.  Your list can be about anything and it will be fun to join along.

My list for this week is all about my daughter turning 12.

1. Finish making bunting - and plenty of it to hang all through the house.

2. Buy card and presents.

3. Make a birthday cake.

Each year we have made a themed birthday cake depending on her interests at the time.We've had a number 2 turned into giraffe, a princess castle, a swimming pool, a number 7 on roller skates, a skateboard, a guitar and last year I made red cupcakes decorated to look like cricket balls.

This year we are thinking rainbow theme, looking at Pinterest for lots of ideas I found this picture

not sure if I could make this one - so much colouring!

Happy New 2013...

Happy New Year!

It's been nice to have a few days away to relax and unwind after a busy end of year.

We have been on a road trip, over 800kms from Melbourne to Sydney to visit family and see the New Year's Eve fireworks.

It's quite a good drive, a couple of stops for coffee and a lunch break.  Kids happy in the back with DVD players and iPods and cruise control most of the way.

All worth it to come to this beautiful view in Abbotsford where we caught a ferry to take us into Sydney harbour.

This is my favourite way to get around Sydney.  

To have a home on the harbour would be idyllic and a great lifestyle if you could afford it. And you would have to have your own boat of course.

The ferry stopped at Cockatoo Island where about a hundred tents were set up ready for the New Year's Eve fireworks.  It's a ticketed event and people were arriving by ferry with their sleeping bags and eskies.

We then came to Darling Harbour where ocean liners had sailed in from around the world for the big night.

It's always exciting when you get your first glimpse of the famous Harbour bridge.  It just looks magnificent.

Another ocean liner in Circular Quay

and of course The Opera House 

The decks lined with hundreds of travellers

a view of the bridge from Circular Quay, it's always bustling with ferries and little water taxis.

The Opera House filled up early with people getting prime time spots for the fireworks. You have to go through a bag check area - no glass or alcohol is allowed. By the time we hopped off the ferry and walked around it was already full to capacity and we couldn't get through.

Roads near the harbour are closed,  there are plenty of viewing spots but you can only access on foot and unless you get there really early in the day it's hard to secure a good view. We decided we couldn't sit in one spot for 12 hours to wait for fireworks, so we went in later and opted to walk to Darling Harbour.

There were thousands of people, but we still had a pretty good view.

Next time we have decided to book a hotel with a harbour view - champagne allowed!