Go kart time!

So. When I was a kid we had a go kart, which very occasionally we would ride down Connor Road at breakneck speeds while someone waited at the bottom to make sure that no cars would hit the riders. I have very fond memories of being held tightly between Jared's knees on multiple occasions as we flew down the road. It was the absolute best. You'd use the rope to steer from the cross bar and eventually pull to go one way at the bottom of the hill. Fun times.

I feel like my kids miss out on a lot of that by being city kids, but to my absolute delight, a few months back, I found a wooden crashed and abandoned at the bottom of Peppa Pig Hill (the top end of Thomby Avenue, the street between the new house and our current house.) with one wheel broken and one missing. We drove past it for at least two weeks (I said it was to make sure no one claimed it, but let's be honest, it was cause I kept forgetting to go back when it was dark so no one could see me!) before I actually stopped and loaded it into the back of my car (grateful once again for the Outlander!) and handed it off to Grandad Neil for repairs. 

My dad is the flipping best. Next time we were up in Clackline, it was set and ready to roll. Fully repaired and then some... Maddie was out and doing runs before I could properly explain to her how to do it. Oh for a life in the country! It's not my turn as an adult yet, but one day!

And this dude? Ladybug boots stolen from Nannas laundry, new (to him, from the opshop, but still actually brand new!) lunchbag (that we are calling "my lunchbox!") in hand, filled with plastic fruit and vegetables, also from the opshop.

What a life.

 

Good Friday - the BEST Friday

I love a good day at my parents house in the country. Today was the best one I can remember in years, because all of us were there together. All their kids and partners and all the grandkids except for one. It was so loud. It was loud when we were kids, but this was next level. Yelling, laughing... full blown riot. You couldn't wipe the smile off my parents faces for the entire day and I loved it.

I brought along a cookie decorating kit that my best friend sells for Easter and Christmas from her cookie business @baked.on.benrua on Instagram and all of the grandkids got right into it.

The older kids were hilarious, scoring each others creations and commenting on them, oh that's the Gucci of Easter eggs, ooooh that's a Chanel. Nope, that one is The Reject Shop. Oh check out that David Jones!

Ben's was a solid Myer.

Joseph was so proud of his and was thrilled to pose for a photo with it.

Jonas loved his too. Look at that little smile!

Marshall was all smiles today too. Such a cutie!

The Chanel of cookies according to the judges! Baha.

Love it!

I love watching all of these guys together. They have the best time.

So, Aaron and Katja put in their order yesterday for a Banoffee and a Pumpkin pie for desserts today. Once mum heard that she said she wasn't making any dessert at all as that was more than enough, especially when I turned up with cookies too!

The last six grandkids in a row in our family have been boys. The girls are totally outnumbered, there are twice as many boys - and there hasn't been once since Madeline arrived! Watching the younger boys (Joseph down as Madeline can somehow slot in with the older ones even though she is 3 years younger than Emma) was hilarious. They were the noisy ones!

There was plenty of laughs amongst the siblings and partners and a whole damn lot of cheating from Jared while we attempted to play Uno. Honestly, every single turn he played he was throwing down cards that didn't belong. Nut job. Dad did always say the biggest cheaters names start with J.

Alex as usual marched himself down to the monkey bars as soon as no one was watching and climbed up out of reach. I swear that kid has a death wish and he was promptly dragged back down to the ground and brought back to the supervision of his older cousins.

And as always, the highlight of the day was Uncle Isaac's quad bike train. All the kids loved it and had the best time. The carriages just live at my parents now and the bike gets brought up for family days and parties like Alex's last year.

There you have it. 10 out of 12 grandkids. That's a damn lot of noise in one shot.

This was the best Good Friday of all.

But here was the very best bit. Getting all my siblings in one place. Here's all the boys with dad.

My favourite human...

and the best thing that has happened to me in years. Finally getting my boys back

and all in the same place.

 I love them so much it hurts. Even if I do want to punch them on the daily. ❤

 

A visit to mums

We took a quick trip up to mums for an op-shop run at the York Salvos, then a sleepover at Nanna's followed by breakfast at Dome in Northam and a visit to the Northam Aquatic Centre with their cool waterslide setup. The kids were completely wasted by the end of day two and slept like the dead... so much so that when Alex woke up in the night and had a fit then parked himself between Madeline and I, she didn't even stir. In fact, come the next morning, she was still fast asleep with him laying practically on top of her. That pretty much defines their relationship. He wants to be two centimetres from her at all times and this was no exception. Alex loves Maddie 3000% and there is no doubt about that.

 

fun times at nanna's

overnight grandma got a lot worse, is in a lot of pain and really needs to be admitted to hospital to be monitored. upon calling her ward at the hospital, doug was told her doctor isn't in and won't be in until tomorrow because of the public holiday, so they can't actually admit her until he, or another dr familiar with her case is there to assist. they recommended that she present to the nearest emergency department to be seen and monitored in the meantime, but she is adamant that she wants the team familiar with her and that going to the ed is a waste of time. i must admit i kind of agree, so doug has gone to be with her and i am off to mums with the kids as we promised them.

it was a cousin party with zac and kat's boys and oh did they have a good time. the lions train may have been returned, but uncle isaac has been busy at his house making his own carriages which are going to live at nanna and grandads from now on - and he'll bring his quad bike for all future cousin parties.

as you can see, it was a huge hit. 

and kept them entertained for quite some time. huge snaps to uncle isaac for building the carriages too. they are impressive!

another great day at nannas...

baby bunnies

last week i was just casually doing my grocery shopping at woolworths - and what should i come across in the easter section? special edition bunny print bonds onesies! oh my gosh. they were a must have, especially considering they came in both boys and girls colours. 

so. what do you do when your best friend has a baby that's a similar age to yours? buy them matching ones, then make them wear them in the middle of the day for a photo for no reason other than the fact that you and your bestie think it's a good idea. side note, i don't know if she actually thought it was that good an idea, but she let me do it anyway. you're welcome. how bloody adorable are they! the cutest little bunnies i've ever seen!

(added later: for extra amusement - every time i get out the bunny onesie now, alex says- oh millie! i like millie! so it's obviously left a lasting impression on him hahaha.)

 

fun in the country

i've said it before and i'll say it again, in the country you make your own fun. the kids spent the day at uncle mat and aunty jenny's house today, playing on the home made slip and slide all together with the dogs looking on and occasionally getting in on the action. mat has lived in the same house for as long as i have known him (since i was 4) and he and jen have built themselves a house alongside his childhood home. i can't picture him ever living anywhere other than the country.

the kids all loved getting soaked and sliding around in the bubbles and generally having the time of their lives. honestly, growing up in the country is the best and sometimes i am a little sad that my kids will never have that, but we just need to make sure there are plenty of trips to nannas and aunty jennys to get their country time in.

maddie cracked me up so hard though, when she had had enough of the smaller kids, she climbed up on the top of the monkey bars and sat up there like a dancer, to listen to her ipod. chill out time, girl after my own heart.

 

australia day in clackline

guess who hasn't returned the train yet? this guy. australia day in clackline was a hit with grandad doing runs for the kids again. being a goodlet grandad is legit the best thing ever. i'm jealous of my own kids lol.

i love that my parents get right in on the action and love having the kids about... but i love that my dad will tell us when it's time to go home cause he's had enough. i swear his patience is thinning out the older he gets.

my mum busted out these adorable lamingtons with gumleaf decorations

and a pavlova - of course, cause it wouldn't be australia day without one. how unaustralian would we be if there was no pavlova at our australia day party?

and my contribution, banoffee pie!

and when uncle isaac appeared with his quad bike, these two were loving it. i'm glad to see the next generation of goodlet girls like petrol as much as i did. ❤

 

country kids

this is life in the country. my dad is part of the local lions club and often drives their "train" (a ride on lawn mower towing rainbow carriages made from old barrels) at public events. with that, comes the perks of sometimes being able to bring it home for your grandkids and their friends. hahaha.

and that's what we did today... started our day hanging out at aunty jenny's house - then moved the party to my parents house where the train rides went on all afternoon and the kids thought all their birthdays and christmases had come at once.

i mean seriously, look at these happy little faces!

joseph was even more stoked after grandad let him sit on the mower and pretend he was the driver

he and his "best friend" jacob had the best time!

it's the country life for me!

such a cute little setup too!

my kids were even more stoked when they got it all to themselves the next day when the rest of the squad had gone home and it was just the kendalls...

hanging with the grandies

it was the best! i love that maddie has nannas hat on here too, it looks so cute on her.

and to top off our visit, i made a birthday cake for my nephew declan who will be visiting tomorrow with his parents. hopefully he loves it!