Pages

Friday, August 28, 2009

First Days at School











The school year has started. Dante is in grade 2, and has two of his friends from our street in his class. The girls started kindergarden, which is the same as our prep year, but it only goes for 2.5 hours a day. They are in seperate classes, which is a new challenge for them. They all catch the bus together in the morning at 8am. The first two mornings it was pouring with rain. I didn't get a photo of Grace, because she was feeling nervous and wouldn't let go of my leg. Fortunately it wasn't raining this morning, so I could get some more photos.








Saturday, August 22, 2009

Williamsburg

We had a wonderful holiday at Williamsburg, Virginia, with Scott's parents. It is a historic town, set in the 18th century leadiing up to the war of Independance. They have 80 of the original houses, and re-enact some of the key speeches and moments in history. There are people wearing period dress in the streets and shops, and tradesmen working away.

The picture below was at Jamestown, the first permament settlement of the English. The statue is John Smith, who was instumental in the settement's survival. Scott is in the foreground.
One of the re-enactments, which started with the drums and fifes.
Dante and Scott went to a program at the Magazine where they had to join the army, and do lots of marching. I think it was the most exercise Dante has ever done. He decided he doesn't ever want to join the army.

Angela and Grace went to a program at one of the original family houses. They learnt a bit about what life was like for a family then, with a vegie garden to tend, sheep in the back yard to get wool from, and cooking on an open fire. They helped to scrape carrots with a spoon, and Angie washed the grater.











Thomas Family

We had a great visit from our long-time friends Matt and Anna, and their twins Sophie and Kate. They are friends from Aus, who now live in London. Matt and Anna are wonderful god-parents to Dante, and I am Baby Kate's godmother.

Sophie has the white teddy-bear, and Kate is holding onto her Woof-woof.
Baby Kate at the Botanic Gardens.
I spent a day in Chicago with the Thomas family. We did lots of walking and saw lots of things, including the famous 'cloud' sculpture, which everyone here calls the 'bean'.