What we've been eating!

I've found some interesting tropical fruits in a local fruit and veg shop and a nearby market recently so we've been trying out some different fruit that's grown nearby. It's been lots of fun!

Not pictured, but probably one of the tastiest that we've had is the pluot, which is a hybrid of plun and apricot -- about 70% plum and 30% apricot. The variety that we had looked much like an apple but really does taste like a plum, with a bit of apricot in it! They are sometimes sold by the name dinosaur egg!

Then there is the achacha (on the left in the picture below), which is apparently a traditional New Year fruit in the tropical Amazon Basin of Bolivia. The ones that we got are grown in North Queensland. You cut the skin with a knife around the middle and then pop the fruit out. They are a bit like a lychee.



We've also had mangosteens (pictured at the top), which have quite a lemony tang. Then there are the rambutons, or hairy lychees, which are also similar to lychees and are quite sweet.



We've also had these dragon fruit or pitaya. The kids quite like them -- I'm sure the name adds to the attraction. Apparently the pitaya plant is a cacti that originated in South America, but was taken to Vietnam from where it spread.

I've yet to find the Black Sapote, which is also called the chocolate pudding fruit. I saw it on TV recently during a Queensland travel program. It apparently tastes really great mixed into a milkshake with some ice-cream! Yummy!

Funny Sign and Notice

We spotted this sign while walking along the Bay at Wynnum.




We found this notice in an old school building in the Caboolture Historical Village just north of Brisbane.

Kai's First Day at Big School

The kids started school today and it was Kai's first day at big school! She looked really grown up in her uniform. She had a great day though and really enjoyed herself. There are a few kids in her class who were in kindi with her, and she's in the class that Slade was in last year so she's also familiar with the teachers.



Slade also had a good day. He's gone into Year 2, but has some of his classmates with him again this year.

Such a nice idea that I wanted to share: Kai's teacher gave out a wonderful little ziploc bag containing a tea bag, cottonwool ball and tissue and this note: Here is a little gift for you as you leave your precious one with us on the first day of school. As you hold this cotton ball in your hand, the softness will help you to remember the gentle spirit of your child. After you've gone home and dried your tears, make yourself a hot cup of tea. Put up your feet and relax. Remember that together we will work for your child to be the best they can be.

My Special Treat

Having not written for ages (again), I have so much to share. I'm starting small though because I want to write about my special treat last week.

Phillip decided that he wanted to take me away for a night, leaving the kids with my mom, as my birthday present, and also partly a little celebration for our 10 year anniversary which we celebrated with a family dinner in September!

He didn't tell me where he was taking me to, but spent lots of time on the internet looking at places. Anyway we headed off on Thursday morning for the Gold Coast, with Phillip mentioning that we weren't actually going to be staying near the beach! We had an hour or so to relax and get some lunch. We considered swimming, but it was seriously hot, and we had to be somewhere by 2pm or so, and then we could be somewhere at 1pm, which was earlier than expected! All a little confusing.

Well we headed up into the mountains, and soon I realised that we were heading for Tamborine Mountain. We duly arrived at Witches Falls Cottage. I didn't take any pictures so please look at their website -- and let me tell you it is as wonderful as it appears in the pictures.

The cottages are really private. The bathrooms, with a spa bath, have a glass wall with a door leading out into a little courtyard that's full of ferns. The cottages have one room with a couple of stairs leading up the bed, a couch and a small kitchenette and diningroom table. There's also a little courtyard and patio out another door that's very private too. We ate our breakfast out there in the morning looking into and smelling the roses and lavender!

Just as we were settling in there was a knock at the door, and here was Rachel with another treat for me. Rachel works for Ripple day spa. They provide mobile services in your home, or wherever you happen to be staying! Witches Falls Cottages promote them quite extensively and that's how Phillip came to hear about them. They brought along all their stuff and I had four hours of massage, exfoliation, face packs, etc. It was absolutely wonderful. So relaxing, and the best part was that when it was all over I just put on a bath robe (provided by Witches Falls Cottages) and relaxed. Phillip had popped out to get some biscuits, cheese, wine for supper so we really didn't have to go anywhere!

For breakfast in the morning we had a basket delivered to our door, and we sat on the patio eating the most delicious fresh homemade bread with ham, cheese, jams etc. There was also cereals, yoghurt and fruit. Really yummy.

After checking out of the cottages we spent a couple of hours wondering around the shops in Tamborine. It really was a wonderful time, and I must say a huge thank you to Phillip (I love you, babe), and also thanks to my mom for looking after the kids while we were away.

Proud Mommy Moment

We spent last evening at the Calamvale Community College awards evening. It was the main award ceremony for the school for 2009. Slade was one of two children in his pod as it is known (total of about 50 children) to get a merit award.
He was extremely anxious before the ceremony. He did know a bit about what to expect as they had a rehearsel during the day, but was nervous about all the parents who would be watching.
However, he did very well, went up on to the stage and shook hands with the person handing over the award. Then stood very proudly with his group to have photos taken.
He got a certificate and a medal that he put next to his bed when he went to sleep. He walked through holding on to it after waking up this morning.
I'm a very, very proud Mom this morning!

Operation Uganda

In my quest to find Christmas gift ideas for the December issue of Sabona, I happened across Operation Uganda. What an awesome organisation. It was started by a family (a couple and their four children) who went to Uganda in 2004 after their house in Brisbane burned down (resulting in them taking reassessing what was important in their lives, and they saw a DVD about Uganda. They now help 200 children, some orphans who are in full-time care in a facility run by the organisation, and others who receive medical assistance, food etc.
They are selling awesome handmade jewellery and arts and crafts made by people in Uganda. There are wonderful clay and paperbead necklaces and bracelets as well as other handmade crafts. There are pieces of cow horn used in some of the items which is something that I don't think I've seen before.
The products are so reasonably priced and they are also recruiting sales people to sell the jewellery at home parties, fetes etc. Sales people earn 30% on their sales and there's no cost to start up.
It's really a wonderful opportunity to help people in Africa.

What We've Been Up To: In Pictures

The River Fire -- we sat at South Bank near to the river to watch this amazing annual firework display.



The Ipswich Rail Workshops Museum -- We're definitely making the most of our annual passes here!






The Coolum Beach Kite Festival




My beautiful daughter at Wellington Point



The Ipswich Rail Workshops Museum held a model train display recently. On display was the biggest Lego train display in Queensland.




Visited by Edna the Echidna: Slade recently brought an echidna (not real!) home from school for the evening. He took pictures of what he did with the echidna while she stayed with us. He put these in Edna's book of travels and wrote a story about what she did at our house.