A busy two weeks in Melbourne

It has been a busy couple of weeks for us. School and after school activities are really hotting up along with the weather. Tennis lessons have now joined swimming after school and in school there is a lot to learn - Greek, Cooking, PE, Art as well as the 3rs.

The weekends have also been full on. Ben and Paul went riding on Valentine's Day, ending up at the skatepark near the city. Ben was having great fun doing tricks with his bike until he took a tumble and crashed into a wall - almost all day at the hospital and a fractured middle finger! The following day we took it a bit easier and went to the St Kilda Festival. There was some cool performances from skateboarders, stunt bikes and beach volleyballers, but the Foxtel exhibition was the drawcard for the kids. They had various stands set up - the kids could ride a mechanical surfboard; slot car racing; aircraft flying simulation; free popcorn and fairy floss; meet Bart and Homer Simpson, Scooby Doo and Ben 10; handball competition with AFL players and much more.

Last weekend we took the train up to John Browne's house in Eltham. He is a friend of Paul's and uses Mathematica. He has a huge property in the bush with the Yarra River at his doorstep. The bush is beautiful with all sorts of wildlife (kangaroos, echidnas and wombats) and is so quiet. Katya and Ben took a swim in the river and then took John's kayaks out (Ben and Paul in one, Katya in the other). They had a great time with Paul taking Ben down a set of rapids! We spent a wonderful day there and will certainly go back again.

We have borrowed a car from John and so on Sunday we drove down to the Mornington Peninsula to check out an exhibition at the MP Regional Gallery. Katya and Ben were not really excited with the exhibition which was about beach house architecture. However, we took them to the Enchanted Garden and Maze at Arthur's Seat which they loved!

Karen

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Squads Today!

Today I did my first squad's training.  It was really hard.  Mum said the coach thought I did well for my first time.  Ben did his first swimming lesson.

On Sunday we went to the St Kilda Festival.  It was great fun.  We did lots of things - pulled the huskies in the danger zone, went on a surfboard, did the footy handball game with a Richmond player, had our fingerprints taken by the policeman, went on the flight simulator, played slot car racing, met Bart Simpson, Homer Simpson, Ben 10 and Scooby Doo, got free fairy floss and lots of other free stuff (in the Foxtel Village).

Eureka Tower

We went to the Eureka Tower. We went on the Edge. It is a glass box. You go 3 metres out of the building and you are 300 metres up in the sky. Ben got so scared he cried. 

Swimming

Today I went swimming at the pool after school. Dad's bike was stolen today. He is upset. I'm in squads in swimming. I miss you guys so much. Ben did swimming as well. 

First day of school at Yarra Primary School

I think the school is great.  I met a few new friends called Esther, Emily, 2 Isabellas, Lulu, Jane and Jade.  Today there was a thunderstorm which cut one of the branches off the trees at school.  My teacher is called Emily.  I played 40-40 home with Esther, Emily, 2 Isabellas and Jane.

Ben's teacher is called Mr Hunt.  He plays the guitar.  On the school video (on their website), it says Mr Hunt is very good at singing.

I miss Jean, Linley, Grace, Rebecca, Timothea, Claire, Sally, Lucy and Martha.  I wonder what they are doing and what class they are in.  I hope that I am in Jean's class when I come back.