Road tripping...

It was a long hard drive to get to Coffs, and it's made us think about whether we ever want to do it again with young kids, especially when we could use frequent flyer points instead...

I snapped this pic on one of the rare occasions I had the luxury of travelling in the front seat ;)

Normally I try my hardest to get out of driving, but this trip, the short straw was definitely being the passenger. With tag-teams going on with sleeping and crying it was just easier to sit in the back to keep an eye on Lucy and interact with James.

Oh, and the borrowed DVD player was a life saver - think that might go on the wishlist for next time we do a long trip!

On our last day of travel, we stopped for lunch in Tarcutta, a couple of hours north of here on the Hume Highway.

Lucy thoroughly enjoyed her freedom...

James enjoyed the park...


And pushing Lucy on her first swing, (with the pleading of the Mumma in the background - "that's high enough mate!")

Random snaps...

Here's the rest of the blog-worthy snaps from the holiday...




SMB... Serious Men's Business...



Dad and Jacqui have been busting to take James along to the new Coffs superpark. Unfortunately, the park hasn't lived up to expectations with it not really catering to toddlers... But at least he will grow into it and get maximum usage out of it in the future!



There were a couple of hits though...




Sprung! Munch, munch, munch...


I've got to get the picture of me sitting in this rocker 29 years ago and line them all up together. Want to scan it and send it Jacqui???


And a smoochy shot of James with Grandpa's basketball at some stage during the trip...

Faking Farmacy Fotos - 5 months

Not quite the same as the real thing with the proper flash-balloon-umbrella thingys... Oh well...

Macca Castle with the MaccaNicols!

What a brilliant way to spend a day catching up with Danny, Sylvia & James & Hugh! (Alicia's on a big girls holiday with her grandparents!)

The Macadamia Castle is on the Pacific Highway, just north of Ballina. So it's roughly halfway between the Gold Coast and Coffs which is an ideal meeting place if we just can't make it up to the see the McNicols at home...


James got straight in and gave the boys (James in red and Hugh in black) a big man hug! Poor kids had no where to go if they didn't want a cuddle.

Next stop was the train ride - do you think he enjoyed himself?


And do you reckon the big kid enjoyed himself too?



Next stop - the Sports Challenge -

Matt & Danny embark on at least one sports challenge every time we get together in the bid to determine ultimate supremacy. In the past there have been bodysurfing competitions, tennis, and ten pin bowling duals but this time, Sylvia and I were invited to join the teams sports challenge...

Mini Golf...

McNicol vs Tinkler...


Dan & Sylvs were kind and didn't make us count James' score. Lucky it is called cricket hey James? 'Cos you got a great score of 20 on this hole!


Yep, you guessed it - this was a hole in one... But it wasn't the only one of the day - the rest of us got a few!!!!


Lucy enjoyed some snuggles with Sylvs in their first meeting


We didn't make it to the last hole with our kids having had enough by the 15th, but let's just say Dan & Sylvs had to shout the coffees at the end... ;)

Then it was treehouse play time!
James and Hugh launched at this exciting playground at full speed!


James T flew straight up to the top of the climb before Matt could catch up for his safe spotter role.

James Mc checking out the top of the slide...


The Tinkler boys having a swing...


Sylvs played traffic controller at the top of the slide, I played photographer at the base...


"I'm going first Hugh!"


Hugh. I like your suave style... Do you get that pose from your Dad? ;)


Lucy woke and had some 'outside of the pram time' strolling around with Dad...


And checked out the duck pond...


But then was relegated back to the pram while the boys continued playing and I continued snapping. It looks so warm in there...


Fox... Flying Fox...

James made it to the end and just let go - not worrying who was around to catch him.

Hughie just flew!


Beautiful smiles from James!


And a parting snap with Hughie, our Godson...

Another brilliant day spent catching up with our special, special friends.

If only we could get them to move closer to us...

Racing!

James, Matt and Grandpa set off to Grafton for the annual running of the Grafton Cup this afternoon.

From all accounts it was a great day, but James has started out his gambling career in the shadow of his out-of-luck father... He was on horse 'free' (3) all day and didn't get anything back!

'Cricket' in Coffs

Still mucking around with Dad's iphone, taking pics of James mucking around with the 'cricket' set - Most people call this golf...




But I like his theory, if you call it cricket then I guess the more shots you take the better you are?????
(Matt certainly plays golf that way - he he he)

The 19th hole, 2 year old style... vegemite sandwiches with Grandpa