Matt's trip to Canada

Matt heads off to Canada next weekend for a 16 day tour of Western Canada, including the Calgary Stampede...

He leaves Australia on Sunday 6th July, flies for almost 24 hours and arrives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Sunday 6th July!!

Then he sets off on a farm tour, taking in the sights of Strathmore and Lethbridge and a number of farms on the way. 4 days later the group descends on Calgary to experience the Calgary Stampede and to cheer on Matt's mate Jimmy Tierney as he competes as the only Australian contestent in the International Young Auctioneers competition.

After spending 5 days in Calgary, they make their way to Vancouver doing a fair bit of sight seeing along the way including the Rockies and Victoria...

Matt promises he'll update the blog if he gets a chance along the way so I won't go into too much detail now. But here's a map of their journey to show the distance they'll cover...

It's exciting for him, but James and I are sad that we're not going... Instead, the poor Walsh's have to put up with us for the time Matt's out of the country. I'm sure it will be a hardship for them!!!!!!

Family Fun on the Farm

We headed out to Bernie and Denise's after footy on Saturday for James' first farm experience... He was a little boring, sleeping most of the time that he was there, but in between naps, he collected the chook eggs and met his 'big brother' - Monty!!!!




How many Tinklers does it take to collect 1 egg???





Look how impressed James is with the proud chook produce!!!!








Matt, James and I with our puppy Monty! Monty is on a permanent farm stay while we are living in town... He goes stir crazy when he's enclosed in a house yard so we've boarded him on the farm where he sends Bernie crazy instead!!!!!

Photos at the local Pharmacy

6 weeks old

10 weeks old

Each 2nd Wednesday of the month a photographer visits the pharmacy in Wodonga. There are at least 70 mum's with babies lining up for the photos... fortunately there's a ticket system and you can get your number and go and do some shopping until it's nearly your turn!!!

James slept through his 6 week shots, but was awake and smiling for the 10 week sitting! Unfortunately we'll miss next months photos as James and I will be in Coffs Harbour trying to forget the fact that Matt will be in Canada...

Plus, just heard this on ABC radio with Shannon Lush... To clean the brown inside of your kettle... put 2tsp uncooked rice, 2 tsp bicarb, & 2 tsp white vinegar - cover the spout and shake it! I'm off to try it now!

A Sunny Sunday in Seymour!!!

Today we had the pleasure of catching up with our great friends, Danny, Sylvia and Alicia, in Seymour! They moved to the Gold Coast in February from Wycheproof so we miss them terribly!!! Danny called on Wednesday to let us know they'd bought tickets to have a spontaneous Melbourne weekend... (apparently there's too much flouro lycra on the Gold Coast and they needed a winter Victorian fix!!).

We converged on Seymour for lunch today and had a surprisingly good lunch at the Seymour Club! (Let me tell you not to read a book by it's cover!!!) James was checking out Alicia who has only become more beautiful in the 6 months since we last saw her...

And then the two of them looked at the same camera for a split second!!!! (Well, kind of...)

A spunky shot of Sylvia, Alicia, Danny, James and Matt in the park at Seymour...

... where we went for a walk!!!!

And this photo proves what we've thought all along... She is an angel!

More pics from James' Christening

The Walshs... Leon, Mary, Jacqui, Jane, James, Matt and Kate.

The Tinklers... Bernie, Denise, Lily, Matt, Jane James, Ella, Pat, Emma, Finn, Michael, Jack and Kerrie.

James' Christening

James was baptised into the Catholic Church today... We had family and friends join us to celebrate and James loved wearing his frock that Nanna Mary made (for a short while!!!)

He was starving hungry by the time we finished so made a little bit of noise while the other 2 children were being baptised!! Oops!!!!