Geraldton

So here we are in Geraldton, approximately four hours north of Perth.  Our friends the Cronans and the Beesons are already set up here working and going to school.  We need to stop travelling until early to mid next year and earn some money before we head north for next winter.  It was a toss up where to work, but the draw of having friends here won us over.  So far we are glad we came.  Geraldton is a typical port town.  Reminds me of my home town just bigger and more multi cultural.
Mark is working full time at Truck Centre and I started off working casually at the Geraldton Hospital but am now on a short term contract to Day Surgery Ward which is going really well.
We spend our days off, mostly the weekends hanging out with our mates.  We are really lucky where we are is right across the road from the beach.  We've had quite a few visits over there but so far its not been warm enough for a swim.  Only negative is that Geraldton can get incredibly windy.  We have been worried about our annexe on a few occasions and have now moved sites so we are more sheltered at the caravan park.

Nikki and the kids

Pretty nice beach

Emma and Charlotte

The park is pretty well set up with a pool, small playground and a jumping pillow.  The park is a bit old and needs some work but its OK.  Kids spend many many hours mucking about at the jumping pillow.  Even the big kids :)

And of course the kids started at a new school.  They are going to Beachlands Primary School, a small school, less than 100 kids.  Its a lower socio economic school with lots of indigenous kids and a few special needs kids.  Charlotte stayed in grade 3 but Jake has moved up to grade 2 due to his age over here. So far the kids love it.  They have made lots of friends and are learning lots, which is great.

Charlotte celebrated her 9th birthday.  Man, that's hard to write.  I cant believe I have a 9 year old.  We are so lucky in the type of girl she has become.  Charlotte is a lovely, sweet, treasure of a child.  We thank our lucky starts that so far she is turning out so so well.  She was so happy to be able to have her birthday with her friends.  We had present opening in the morning, then went horse riding in the afternoon, followed by a party in the annexe that night.  All the kids had fun horse riding, even Hazza had a turn, he may have been a little big.  Charlotte is absolutely horse crazy, so it was the ideal party for her. She has since been doing lots of horse riding lessons and planning how she can buy her own horse!  The kids and adults had fun with the party games, a treasure hunt and pin the unicorn on the horse.  Belinda helped me make this really cool marble cake.  I was pretty chuffed with how it turned out and Charlotte was tickled pink!

Spoilt a little maybe

A mini pony

Will made this birthday sign for her out of Lego

Horse crazy girl

Charlotte B, Jake and Meg

Jake and Meg

Charlotte and Emma

Will, Charlotte, Hazza, Jake and Meg

Charlotte B

Jake waiting for his ride

The two Charlotte's

The girls

Hazza!

The crew

Our little darling

Party time in the annexe

Pretty cool cake!

Mark was keen to check out some local sports.  He's been to the footy a few times, but I haven't got any photos.  He said the Mullewa games were interesting!  We took Will with us one night and watched the Geraldton Buckaneers play.  We all enjoyed ourselves.  The kids learnt the team chant and spent most of the night whacking these noisy whacker things!  I still have the chant stuck in my head. Bucks fans in the stands let me hear you clap your hands!!!

Our washing machine broke, so we had to replace it.  So off to the tip shop we went in the hope of getting a cheap one to see us through  our time in Geraldton.  We didn't find a washing machine but had a lot of fun running amok instead. Jake found some Sonic cards in a box at the bottom of a pile of metal, he was so chuffed.  Am not sure what was funnier, seeing Mark riding a broken exercise bike or pushing Emma around in the pram.

There are our seven kids plus two others, little Will and Lilly who were staying here for a few months.  If the kids aren't home we find them at the others vans, the jumping pillow are just running around.  Feel slightly sorry for the other park guests but oh well, they are being kids and having lots of fun.  We've had stalls selling craft, dancing and singing displays and other such kid things.

The craft stall

The show girls and Will

Of course lego

Jake has always wanted to do karate, so we were finally in a spot where he could. So he and Will Cronan have been going to Karate on  Monday night this term.   Jake's done pretty well, found the exercises hard and standing still and listening to the teacher even harder!!  I think he thought he would be doing lots of fighting, didn't realise that comes much later.  He eventually decided he liked it, especially when he got used to his teacher, who is a little unusual!

On top of the hill at Geraldton is the memorial to the HMAS Sydney.  It honours the 645 Aussie sailors who lost their lives during WW2 of the WA coast.  Its a really beautiful memorial, and a fabulous view.  Mark wants to go back sometime at night, as they light it up and apparently it looks pretty special.

Typical week for us involves lots of work, school and going to the gym.  Plus the usual home work, dinner preparations etc.  I've included a few pics of us in the evenings with the kids.

We had a lovely fathers day this year, hope Mark did too!!!  The kids made cards and gave him some chocies.  Then we spent the day with the Beesons and the Cronans.  We drove down to Port Dennison and Dongara and had a look around.  Then we had a really yummy lunch at the Dongara pub.  Fairly noisy with seven kids, oops, sorry fellow diners.  Then we went for a drive to Mullewa and Coal Seam National Park to see the WA wild flowers.  Unfortunately its a bad season this year and unless you drive for hours and hours there's not so much to see.  It was nice to go for a drive and have a look at the area though.  We saw a lot of small wild flowers, but not as specie as other photos I've seen during a good season.  We had a look at this old and unique church in town.  Kids thought it was great, they even got to ring the bells. Then we stopped at the Mullewa pub for a cold drink on the way home.  A few locals out front buying their ales!  We did find some dirt tracks and large muddy puddles and  had some fun with the Cruiser.

Beachlands Primary had their annual athletics carnival.  The kids were in team blue, as you will be able to tell from the photos.  We had some fun with blue hair spray!  The kids had a great day.  They got lots of stickers and ribbons, mostly for tunnel ball and flag racing.  No way our kids can keep up with the local kids.  Man some of them are fast, like crazy fast!

Nadia, Charlotte and Shamika

Jake and Joshua

Happy smiles at the end of the day

Bel brought her girls with us and we went to the Chapman Valley show.  The drive out there was really pretty, so nice to see the lush rolling green hills and then looking down into the valley.  It was quite small for an Ag show, no big cows and bulls or dog showing.  Kids had fun with the baby animals, show rides and show bags.  Typical Dagwood dogs and hot chips for lunch.  Charlotte avidly watched the horse riding events.  Then we watched the magic show.  Was funny when Jake, Mark and Bell all got to be part of the show.

Sheep section

Shearing display

Ignoring the no picking animals up sign

Dagwood dogs

Nik and Matts middle child Will had his Holy Communion.  We all got dressed up and Mark excitedly wore his new suit he bought in Bali.  We scrubbed up pretty well I thought.  It was very interesting for our kids to be in a church for a service like this one.  They really were pretty well behaved, even Jake!  The church is very old and impressive.    Will looked very cute in his shirt and tie and did a great job during the service.  Then we all went out for dinner afterwards to celebrate.

 

So that's a quick snap shot of the first couple of months in Gero (as its called).  So far its all going well.  Its just busy with working so much, but at least we have weekends together.  I will do another update at a later stage.