Our Family

William's First Anniversary Party

Thanks so much to all of you who came and supported us.  It was a wonderful opportunity to take the chance to remember just how lucky we are to have William in our lives.

Thanks to those who donated.  We managed to raise $500 for William's Orphanage.

cHLOE arrived this weekend with a CUTE new beanie..

Uncle Merve

I love my Uncle Merve and he loves me...

And wow can he grow a pumpkin!

The Gingerbread Man

From tree to Narrator.. the short way round

4 weeks ago we were told William was to be in a school production of the Gingerbread Man.  He had been given the part of 'Tree'.  I was quietly skeptical as to just how well William would perform. He is neither quiet nor still... both strong traits needed for a tree.  Within a week he had been promoted to special effects dude doing all the animals sounds and then after the teachers discovered he had memorised the whole play he was promoted again to Narrator.  On the day he was overcome with excitement, he didn't forget his lines and had the crowd laughing and cheering.  I couldn't stop crying with happiness (of course!)

Happy Birthday Jenny

My godmother turned 60 recently and we had a lovely party.  The kids (and particularly Lily) stole the day...but the old girls still look good too!

Save a penny

Chloe volunteered to help me do my hair at home so we could save a penny.. half way through we were sure we should have gone to the hairdressers.  but... the result was good.. and a few laughs too.

My First Mother's Day

Wow what a day.  I can't thank my wonderful husband more for making this a truly wonderful and happy day.  After so many years of crying on Mother's Day it was a much dreamed of day for me.  William declared very loudly in the morning that he had my 'secret present ready'.  As he ripped it open he said "Look it's a circle CD".  William had chosen this present himself at the school Mother's Day stall and was very proud.  He then made coffee with his Pae and brought it to bed for both Mum and I.  Then with Pae he made churros and hot dipping chocolate.  Wow I was blown away.

Churros Making with Pae

 William at the top of the steps shouting "More coffee Mae?"

 Churros oh Churros

The Annual Mother's Day Pilgrimage to Flutterbies at Tyalgum

This place is just so amazing. The food is lovely, the drinks are great and the setting just so wonderful.  This year we were greated with a glass of champagne. We'll be back next year for sure.

Beechmont Bike Mania

Today we finally hooked up my new bike to William's tag a long bike.  It was a hard concept to explain to William but he was brave and jumped on.  After only one lap of total silence from William and me running behind shouting out to Luca to be careful, be careful, go slower William starting shouting FASTER FASTER.. more more more.....

The only flat spot in Beechmont is the school carpark so we cycled round and round.  Miss Anne eventually joined William for a few laps too.

Where's William???

Every night before going to bed I just can't help but go in and give William just a little kiss.  Tonight he had completely disappeared under a cloud of big toys.  I checked he was still breathing, gave him a little kiss and left him just as he was.. a happy boy.

Elizabeth comes at last

(please don't let it be 5 years next time!... the trampoline awaits you my dear!)

Happy Songkran

Thanks for coming to share Thai New Year with us Kay

Happy Birthday Miss Lisa

Mae's lovely boy

this week William called me Mummy... oh a beautiful dreamed of moment

Our ferocious hunter

Luca is so proud of this rabbit hunting cat

Guitar on Guitar... go baby

A trip to the Whale Park

Playdough, Patient Chloe and One Eyed Will

Fun on the tramp with the much adored Chloe

to wash up or not to wash up

Chloe has many reasons why she shouldn't wash up.. I don't know how, I'm not used it, I'm not good at it, I don't like it..... yada yada yada.. this weekend instead of washing up she wrote us some dot points on HOW to wash up.. progress?

William's Big Day

The Germans come to Beechmont

O and W got matching T-Shirts chosen by the big O.  Cute eh?  And the yearly measure up.  W is a bit taller at the moment. 

We all get some new EYES.... Watch this space..

mISS Lisa and W

William goes bananas at his first Birthday Party and then CRASH....

big BOYS on the school bus

bLUE Pony....overtakes the Red Fire truck..

Timmy eats 'William style'

Miss Laura convinces William to take a dive!

Bonnie showing off her new 'Billies'

a girl's gotta have some fun!

Writing and Reading with Yaai and Miss Lisa

The ongoing battle of the wills between W and O

'Tis is my car'

No it's my rot

I leaving

School Fun

 Yaai, Lilly and Holly come for a visit.

Chloe tries her hand at farm work....

but after only 10 minutes discribes it as too hard!  Oh what a pity.. thought we'd found a new worker.

Days go by so quickly...

I'm almost 41 (agghh)... this photo of Mum and I was taken on my 40th.  I remember feeling bloody awful turning 40.  Mostly because we knew William was in Thailand and we couldn't get him out.  This year my 41st smile is going to be a mile high!

Our little boy leaves home

Woah boy...

Crabbin... with the boys...

Bottles and beautiful flowers

A jam session on the new Trumpet

....... and now for a proper lesson with the Pro

5 Little Ducks went out one day...

over the hills and far away...

OMG our life has become William's favourite song... we only had these 5 ducks for 2 days before they waddled off down the hill.  5 lonely days later they were located about 1km from our house.  and now a few days in solitary confinement.  Naa Song san duckies....

William starts school....

William Learns the great Australian male art of ..... 

doing not much...

ooops I mean providing protein for the family table.

Swimming with Miss Laura

(latest love of Williams life)

Khye and Jaxin visit


I knew Plastic was bag

Exquisito...
Fiona Hall's current exhibition at the GOMA 'Tender' 2006 is absolutely beautiful.  Delicate little birds nests of all kinds made from US Dollar Bills...  We got to try our own bird nest making too.

Oh Gorgeous Bangalow....

Luca please make me some of these... I love them!

Initiating William into the Great Australian Female art of SHOPPING!!!!

(GO Bangalow!)

Sweet Summer Fun

William's First Christmas at Ecco

Well I have to admit it was probably more exciting for him than me.  My first Christmas with William was something I had hoped and longed for for a very long time.  Lots of love, food, fun and laughter... and a few tense family moments... Sounds just like Christmas!

Twas the night before Christmas....

and the little elves were out

at our little Christmas eve get together with the Cvelbar Family two little elves popped by and started to put together the toys for all the little children...

Fire Truck goes to the Carols..

Latin Fiesta

Last weekend we spent many many hours catering for our local Latin Fiesta.  Great food, amazing bands and lots of dancing.

Christmas Carols.. Queensland Style

It was hot.. steamy.. and wet!...

the kids were feral, the husbands cranky and the mothers expectant..

Spring has Sprung... in Summer

It's taken us 3 years to sucessfully hatch some chickens.. ooh they're so cute..

Crooning Hour

2nd December, 2010

Naa (Uncle) Scotty comes home from England

1st December, 2010

Dare Devil antics with Dad

27th November, 2010

Activity Centre

This weekend we decided to make William an activity centre.  We all had a go at drilling, chopping, sawing and placing.  It was a lot of fun and William loves the new 'thing'.  As he learns and masters the current format we can pull peices off and change it around.

21st November, 2010

Sleeping with 'The Man'

20th November, 2010

Cartoon and William having fun

19th November, 2010

The Castle transforms

This great toy we got from the library is proving a lot of fun for William.. and then when he's tired he uses it as a bed.

18th November, 2010

Christmas Woes

Today I went very hopefully to the post office to send Christmas Joy to the family in Germany.... unfortunately the parcel postage was 3 times the price of the presents... so I hung my head and came home... sorry guys... this will be the only view of the parcel until you come home in March.

17th November, 2010

Toy Library

Can you believe these things exist.  We found a library that lends out all sorts of amazing toys.  Now they are all in our loungeroom.  Of course Rot Nam is never far away.

15th November, 2010

Lazy Spring Days in the Hammock

Aunty Vesna comes to visit

14th November, 2010

Obsession

Actually I think Luca has been infecting William with his enthusiam with Julie Andrews.. (big obsession of Luca's) and I think this is more of a 'these are a few of my favourite things' mo.  William insists on taking all his favourite things with him to bed.  This incudes 4-5 stuffed animials, 3-4 trucks, about 10 books and a few musical instruments.  You can imagine how long it takes to get all this stuff from the loungeroom to the bedroom each night.

11th November, 2010

Chookie Heaven

William's daily trip to the Chook House is as good as it gets really.  He just loves to get in there and have a good scratch around with the Chooks.  The funniest part is to watch him try and catch them.  William counts the eggs as he collects them as is yet to break one.

Hughie's Birthday Party.... only one year to go till 40!

the Furriest members of our family

Late night serenade..

Fun at the park

Elephant and Koala take a ride...

Wheelie Heaven....

November 6th, 2010

Oh to have your own wheels....

William, like most 8 year old boys is obsessed with anything on wheels.  He thinks my little jazz is a racing car and the days he gets to drive in Luca's ute he's as happy as a pig in mud.  Today William got his own car and this boy has not stopped smiling.  AND neither has his Mum.  I had the joy of teaching him how to push the peddles.  Not something he had ever done in Thailand.  I love being this boy's mother.  The simple things are best.

November 5th, 2010

Pajama Fun with all the boys....

Grey cat loves to watch all the action in the garden.  She's a keen observer of the weeding and watering but doesn't like to get too close. 

November 4th, 2010

In the Garden with Yaai

November 3rd, 2010

Melbourne Cup

November 2nd, 2010

William's First Cream Cake

2nd November, 2010

William and Pae (Dad) in the garden.  Not being able to see doesn 't stop William.

1st November, 2010

Trampoline Fun

October 31st, 2010

Halloween

William's good friend 'puan Maddy' called around to greet William a Happy Halloween.

October 29th, 2010

Playing Soccer with Timmy

October 27th, 2010

Swimming with Yaai

On Thursday's when we are at work, William goes to school with Yaai (Nanna) and then goes swimming.  William loving swimming.  He has never had the experience of water before and he loves everything to do with water.  Today he spent 3hours in the water before Yaai could get him out.

October 25th, 2010

Goat, Black cat and Grey cat go for a ride on Rot Nam

October 24th, 2010

More Taylor........

October 22nd, 2010

Making Music with Mae

William's English and my Thai are growing day by day.  We are both expanding our vocabulary BUT..... talking is exhausting so what William loves to do most is make music.  We've got a great collection going now.. a mini xylophone, bongo drums, a keyboard, a tamborine and a shaker...  I love playing a few tunes with William and he could do it for hours... (AND does)...

October 21st, 2010

Timmy and William measure up!

Timmy has been trying so hard to find a 'way' to play with William.  After a year of looking forward to having another boy in the neighbourhood his age he is determined.  Finally, we had a breakthrough and look at those boys go.

October 20th, 2010

Rot Nam and Bongo's...

the perfect combo to listen to Taylor Swift

Swinging with Yaai

William gets to play with Nanna (Yaai) on Thursdays and not only that... COKE is a big feature of the day and he really looks forward to it.

October 19th, 2010

Cooking and Drumming..... what else could there be?

William loves to cook.  Today we made Stephanie's Kok o let and beetlooot muffins...  mid way through we needed to stop for an impromtu drumming session.. then back to cleaning the bowl with our fingers and then the best bit of all Washing Up.... playing with the water engages all of William's senses... so Mum doesn't have to worry about the tidy up.

Today's new words: Sift, Stir, Hold the Bowl, Flour, Taste, Sugar, Beetroot.

October 18th, 2010

Rot Nam (Fire Truck) Rules

Flaked out on the couch with Rot Nam... pure bliss

October 17th, 2010

William meets Cousin Lilly (2 1/2 yrs ) and Holly (8 weeks)

October 16th, 2010

Visiting big sister (pee saao) Ko ee.....

Chloe had a Volleyball tournament on the weekend.  We all went to see Chloe play and found a great playground.   Well done pee saao.

October 12th, 2010

William started school today... what an excited boy he was!  Mum was pretty proud to!

No more boring long days at home with Mum!

October 11th, 2010

William's First Chocolate Cake
Oh the joys of chocolate goo.... Chok O Let... circumstance, time or temperature matter not if William can eat Chok O Let!

 

October 10th, 2010

'Rot Nam' Fire Truck Heaven
After having William at home for 3 weeks he finally slept alone, the whole night through and didn't wake up crying. We want to say it was because we did all the controlled crying, using the attachment techniques and every other theory we know but basically we bought him a great fire truck and he took it to bed and then slept with it all night.... he loves this 'rot nam' fire truck.... viva la fire truck!!!!

October 9th, 2010

The Boys Love to Work
Much to Mum's absolute horror William is learning to use a drill and saw.  The sanding is a big hit too!  Thanks for my new cupboard boys!

October 6th, 2010

New Toys

So much fun for a boy who loves animals...  William's English is progressing rapidly and revolves around his favourite topics... treats and animals.  Chok O Let and Cake are big hit words as are Elephant, Crocodile, Tiger, Penguin and Koala.  Today William was playing his piano, holding the Elephant and absolutely refused to take his new school shoes off!

October 5th 2010

My worst fears have come true.  Every night Luca has been sitting with William on the couch with the 'Fearless' Taylor Swift CD singing away.  Usually repeating the CD twice.  Tonight William started to sing along..... oh no!

October 4th 2010

Daily we realise William is really our child.  Both passionate gardeners it appears William is too!.  We visited a nursery on the weekend.  He made me tell him the name of every plant he touched.  Then he would call it out VERY loudly!... Luca walked away he was so embarrassed.  I could do nothing but laugh!.  Today William discovered watering the vegetable garden.  After 2 hours I had to give the poor, drowned plants a break.

First Week at home with William

September 17th, 2010

William Arrives in Australia

Our first moment's alone with William

William's Goodbye Ceremony from Father Ray's

Khun Aurora and Khun Dtoy have watched over our beautiful William for many years waiting for the right opportunity to find his forever family.  It was a very happy and a very sad day!

Meeting William September 2010 

Going to pick up William

Nerves, anticipation, happiness, offerings, champagne and a few tense moments!

September 3rd, 2010

Holly Kate is born

Luca's 40th Birthday celebrations

Chloe... long legs

Our Animals

Australia Day 2010

Family Party