The gift that keeps on giving...

Anthony took the brave step this week of opening one of his 'memorabilia boxes'. You know the type, we all have them. They hold those football medals, snippets from the local paper and dubious school artworks that we can somehow never bring ourselves to throw out. You can imagine his suprise in discovering a cake-stand. Blue, and still in its original packaging together with a card 'Merry Christmas, love Julie, Peter, Jordan, Zoe and Gabbi'.

Now I confess we've had the odd dig at each other over the years concerning the respective sizes of our collection of memorabilia boxes. After all, its not very eco-friendly to have piles of 'stuff', but I had not thought it possible that either of our collections could harbour a cake stand, for 8 years!!!

From what we can fathom, the Spriggs' must have given it to us at Christmas 2001, a few weeks shy of our first move to London which would explain why we never unpacked it.

So thanks for the gift guys. We were, need we say, very suprised. For his part, Anthony has spent the past week trying to convince Alison (who wouldn't mind some new salad servers) that his collection doesn't contain anything else of note.

What's hip when you're 3

Hey fans,

Thought I'd update you on what's hip and happ'nen when your 3 (and a half!!!)

My favourite computer game is: Virtual Chuggington.

My favourite wheels are: my bike. Its fun tearing off down the street to kindy while mum runs behind with my Thomas back-pack!

The best food is: anything with tomato sauce.

The coolest chick around is: Kylie Minogue! No joke - now that she's pulled on a pink skivy she's become my favourite Wiggle. When pressed by mum I say I like her voice.

In the car I like listening to: U2

When I grow up I want to be: a truck driver, a crane driver, a train driver, a fork-lift operator...and a driver of most other vehicles.

I am now 97.9cm tall and weigh 16.1 kg which is supposedly too much for mum's back - although I remain sceptical. I am tip-top healthy and twice as cheeky.

Catchya, Tor

The Gathering

Zia Richetta's visit to Australia was celebrated on a grand scale at a family gathering in mid March. Her sister Zia Angela kindly hosted the event, which is difficult to describe to the uninitiated. Suffice it to say that a very very large number of family members warmly and enthusiastically enjoyed each other's company. We munched, nattered and wrestled our way through the afternoon departing with full stomachs and glad hearts.

Gormet delacies were spread across the billard table - come buffet - each carefully hand-made. Gabriel and workers put in the hard yards on the spit roaster delivering us a wonderful roast. Special mention must also go to Molly and her yo-yo biscuits that barely made it to the table before being munched out of thier container. Need she say that Aunty Alison is expecting great things when we welcome you back to our home this October!!!

Tor and a very large number of other children had a great time skidding off old tricycles, climbing around a wooden castle and wrestling in the lounge.

And Zia Richetta? Well she never looks a day older! Thanks for a great day Zia Angela and everyone.

Little fire-bird

We visited the Zoo one day and were eager participants at story-time...in fact we were the only participants. No to be put off, we begged the reluctant story-tellers to proceed in telling their Indonesian tale of the fire-bird and water-bird. Our little actor proved to be a very enthusiastic fire-bird, producing both a person and an orangutan from his 'cooking pot'. The story made such an impression that he later painted it in a stencil sequence now hung in his bedroom. Many thanks to the patient staff at Melbourne Zoo!

Minnamurra moments

We visited Grandma in Wollongong for a refreshing long weekend in March. The surf was up and the toy-box poised for action - so both boys had a wonderful time. Alison enjoyed catching up with her mum Liane and was delighted to discover that the dynamic duo were open to bushwalking at Minnamurra falls.

Tor's bushwalking legs are coming along - under protest. And so we've discovered the value of a pocket of reward lollies stuffed into the backpack! The only downside to this parental management strategy is that he now solemnly believes he is due a lolly should he spot a waterfall, creek or other free flowing acquatic feature.

For Tor, the weekend's highlights included checking Grandma's mailbox which features a winning 2-way viewing design. And of course there were the cup-cakes. Grandma is a dab hand with the hundreds and thousands and is suprising skilled at facilitating the exercise alongside a three year old bent on 'sprinking' the floor.

Thanks for a fab weekend mum!

Big kinder boy...

We released Tor into the world (yes 'world', not 'wild') this week when he started kindergarten. 'Huh?' I hear you exclaim, the lad's only three! And there-in lies the first lesson of today's educative journey - it starts young. For whereas I nostalgically recall spending my tender years running on the grassed expanse of my parent's suburban backyard chasing butterflys and the like, Tor will join fellow Melbournian 3 year olds in kindergarten...well for three half-days a week anyway.

In truth, the lad has consistently asked to go since he first spotted troops of happy paint-clad kiddies spilling out of our local kindergarten 18 months ago. To sooth over any first day nerves we engaged in a little role play (video-ed in the above clip) before leaping out the door the next morning onto 'silver flash'. For those who've not yet met flashy, he's an old children's pedal bike that Anthony attacked with a can of silver paint to mask the very pink indications that it belonged to Tor's female neighbour, the very generous Alexandra who gave it up. He now rides it without training wheels to kinder and back...while Alison runs alongside with his back-pack!

Changing rooms

When we found ourselves with a free long weekend and no travel plans there was only one place to head - IKEA! Tor's room was long due a make-over; and with Alison starting to click haphazardly on domain.com in search of a residence with more storage space Anthony was quick to usher the family off to that great all-time provider of affordable solutions. In fact we were there in time for breakfast.

We invested heavily in 'Expedit' for that modern cube-like bookcase look, then returned home to repaint a storage cupboard hastily vacated by Anthony's possessions as a toy-cupboard. Tor is delighted with the result and is pictured learning that invaluable IKEA life-skill - how to use an allen key. He enjoyed his first adventure into the IKEA creche (Smalland) and has been asking for a return trip each Saturday morning.

Alison takes this opportunity to congratulate IKEA on the speed and agility of thier cafe crew who are lightening with a dust-pan and brush should your child invert a tray of glasses onto the floor at the buffet.

Bettanin Christmas 2008

Our family gathering was delayed into January this year so that more could join us. Susie, Geoff and Zane hosted a wonderful lunch in Jan Juc - thanks guys!

Alison forgot to pack the camera but did send it along with Anthony to the beach the following day. Pictured are Molly, Zoe, Gabi, Rylie (in sand) and his father Brendan. Nonna and Nonno in their sun-hats, Jordan in the sand; Gabi in the surf; Zoe in the air; and finally Anthony and Tor in the shallows.

Out and about with Gabi!

The Bettanin family Christmas gathering was in Torquay this year...and while the adults fussed over festive preparations Gabi and I hit the park. Gabi is great. She's always up for a park. Here's some pictures of our play...

Inverloch 2008-2009

We enjoyed a family holiday at Inverloch over the New Year period...the change of scenery, the sand between our toes and that fabulous wind that kept both New Year revellers and mosquitos at bay! Anthony thought to pack Tor's balance bike - a masterstroke that enabled us to fulfill Alison's almost insatiable holiday appetite for bush-walking with minimal tears and tantrums from the party's youngest member.



Of course there were the obligatory hours playing 'brum cars' and 'speed boats' on the beach...how would we fill our days otherwise? And then there was the skate park. Tor 'discovered' this phenomenon enroute to the town library one blustery day when Alison sought to inject some literary variety into the wet-weather entertainment options of our holiday cabin. And so she commenced her first afternoon 'hang'n' with the other mothers whos boys are old enough to want to belong to the skeg-set but not actually old enough to do it without their mummy.

Age aside, our chap drew attention from the puppy-dog face he'd had painted that morning.

Tor enjoyed the holiday immensely, crafting with children at the park activity program, playing on the beach and exploring the inevitable bushwalking tracks. And when there were no more flowers to pick, trees to hide in or slopes to glide down...there was always Anthony's shoulders!