22 Hours

"Relax and enjoy your flight" has never resonated well with me. Actually I would consider "Relaxing flight" an oxymoron. Luckily we depart Sydney at 9:05am Sunday and arrive in LA at 9:15am the same day. Ha! If it were only a ten-minute flight. Our alarm is set for 3:00 am. Our bags are packed. And check out this kick-ass itinerary (click to enlarge) . . .

Dezi's birthday celebrations continued . . .

with pizza and cake and then another big family day with fish and chips, more cake, and a few presents. Lots of pirate stuff including a big ship and a cannon that shoots smoke. Notice cousin Hayden working away in the background.

Hooray!

Jaiden's Turn

He got a couple of little gifts.

Not ugly even with those teeth. Good try, Gracie.

ARGH! Me Pirate Teeth!

He got some help opening his presents.

Dezi's face says it all.

Jack Sprat

Auntie Tiff Puts Together the Final Touches

Even the Box was a Hit

Popular Toy

And Another Cake

Going Green

Brett and I just launched our application for the government's $8,000 rebate on Solar Panels. If all goes as planned (and I don't see why it shouldn't), we'll be turning the tables on the electric company and telling them to shove their outrageous bills and dirty energy.

Dezi's Birthday

Dezi had a great first morning as a five-year-old. He got to open his presents this morning, and Dad took the day off work to drive him to school with some class cupcakes and enough money for Tuckshop. It's the beginning of a very special celebration. Two more sleeps until we leave for America!

Five Today!

Spiderman bike!

Opening his Gift from Jaiden

Dezi's Veggie Cake

Veggie Cake is a concoction Dezi learned at school on Thursday, which is cooking day. We made Veggie Cake for dinner tonight, and it was "so good." Here's the recipe (of course at school, the zucchinis are picked from the class' veggie garden):

1. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in small frying pan. Add one grated onion. Stir over medium heat until soft.

2. In a large bowl, combine onion with 1 grated potato, 1 grated carrot, 2 grated zucchinis, 1 Tablespoon plain flour, 1/2 chopped parsley, 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 300 g sour cream, 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese.

3. Pour mixture into greased 25 cm pie dish. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

The Proud Chef

Sharing After Dinner Treats

Four days later, Jaiden finally enjoys his Shrek cake.

Potty Party!

Yesterday, we had a party to celebrate Jaiden's milestones in Toilet Training. He still wears a nappy at sleeptime but went all week without an accident!

Shrek Cupcakes. Jaiden doesn't want one. Baffles me.

Hurray, Play-doh!

Hello to you too, Jackson.

Playdough is a sharing toy.

After the Potty Party, Dad and Jackson went to supervise Hayden's 16th Birthday Camp Out Party at Nan and Pop's, and the Mosqueira girls came for a sleep-over.

Another Double Party

Mason had his fifth birthday celebration on Saturday. There was a magician there who tried to chop off Dezi's head! After the party, we went to Addy's birthday party at Nan and Pop's. I forgot my camera, but Julie sent some shots of Mason's.

Pass the Parcel

Musical Statues

You guys should take this show to Mallory Square

Chopping Off Dezi's Head!

So then they locked the magician in a box

Open Day

Yesterday was open day at Dezi's school, so I got to sit on the carpet with him and join him in his school work for a little while. It was "Sh" day, so we cut out some photos of things that begin with the sound, "Sh" and made . . .

A Rainbow Sheep

Mini-Olympics

Sharing a Slurpee

Egg

Three-Legged

Backwards!