The Dower Family

So things have been pretty dang crazy around here this weekend.   We have found ourselves smack bang in the middle of a "non-cyclone".  It was an ex-cyclone,  but it sure seemed like a cyclone to all of us.  Our lovely coastal home was totally buffeted by gale force winds for 48 hours.  We were lucky enough to hang onto power overnight but this morning we joined the thousands of others who were doing without.  Apparently the reason for this was because the nearby esplanade was completely immersed and all of the power boxes along it were smoking and bubbling.  Not an ideal combo. So we did without.  Not a big deal.  We have a gas stove so cups of tea were made in saucepans and the fridge wasn't opened so things were staying reasonably coolish in their.  Our poor neighbours  didn't fair quite so well, with their beautiful house leaking.   Before power was restored Nick made a dash around the neighbourhood...

I put a three year old boy to bed tonight knowing that in the morning he will be a big four year old. So in keeping with the usual birthday traditions around here, I'd like to share with you some of the things that delight me about this little guy. - he says "foof" when he means to say "phew" - he is fast.  really fast.  he runs absolutely everywhere he possibly can. - he is a great little swimmer but is still terrified every time he gets in the pool. - he can't go to sleep without his toy dog Stanley and toy panda Pandy. - he thinks sticky tape can fix anything. torn books, toys or little injuries. - he acquires an Irish accent after playdates with his friend who has an Irish accent. - he loves his little sister a crazy amount but just can't seem to stop himself from being rough to her. - he laughed really hard the other night in his sleep. - he says really big words but puts his own twist on them, like "imagi-ation". - he pick...

So you will have already seen that our Christmas this year was spent in Cloncurry.  For anyone not familiar with this delight of a town, it is about an hour east of Mt Isa in North West Queensland.  It is mainly about beef and mining with not a whole lot else to do. But that is precisely why it was such a great place to spend a week over Christmas.  After such a busy pre-Christmas lead up it was heavenly just to be able to check out and do a whole lot of not much. Needless to say the kids had a ball.  They had their three older "cousins" Jess, Nick and Ben on the same street (and usually in the same house!).  They had potty calves to feed and pat.  They had a big dog and a little dog to pat.  They had a big pool to swim in and a wading pool to splash in.  Kid heaven. Many late nights were had by Ol.  Many movies watched and many snacks shared with the three boys who knew where all the good lollies and chips were kept. This...

Christmas.  Tis the season to eat too much, drink too much and write too few blogs. My apologies.  But to make up for it, here are some photos from our lovely Christmas. Check out these two cuties having early Christmas morning smoochies. And this gorgeous smiley boy. Here is the moment they walked out and saw the Christmas tree.  Not suprisingly laden with pressies, pretty much just for them! Look at all the hair on this little girl.  She definitely isn't a baby anymore. Sob. Cloncurry must be one of the only places where Santa visits all the kids on Christmas morning and hands out ice-blocks.  Kind of handy when the temps reach 42 degrees on the day. Ol just a tad excited to receive Ice Age 4 on Dvd.  He has subsequently watched it at least 40,000 times! Sweet little Christmas pixie tottering around with Ol's christmas day pride and joy - a Woody doll.  This is what he asked Santa for.  Turns out Eve should...