The kids & DH at the beginning of 2011 ...

Jack ... 9 years & 4 months old

• cricket mad ... I think he loves it a little more than football!!
• bought wicket keeping gloves on our trip to PL this week (Pa was a wicket keeper!!)
• likes to go for trips in the truck when John lets him
• gets cross but doesn't stay cross for long!!
• starting to match clothes a little better (and I am thankful for a huge bag of great clothes from a wonderful friend - lots of shorts and t-shirts just right for now!!)
• difficult to get to do jobs but has been a little more helpful when the offer of going to the pool is suggested as a reward!!
• loves the pool and jumping off the diving board
• is tall .. need to measure him soon
• likes to recall cricket & football statistics

Lachlan ... 7 years & 11 months old

• cricket mad too ... needs to develop his bowling technique a little
• still adores Lego and would buy it at every opportunity, can make it without any help now and hopes to get more for his birthday!! Now keeps the Lego made up rather than in a million pieces from one end of the house to the other!!
• would like to go with John in the truck but due to his asthma is a little restricted
• gets cross and stays cross for some time
• quite helpful around the house, at times and pretty good with his little sister!!
• comes across as pretty cool (well to me his Mum anyway ;-)
• loves the pool too and jumping off the diving board, thinks he can't swim and doesn't want to swimming lessons but can swim, just needs lessons ;-) - he can swim enough to jump off diving board at the deep end!!
• is tall...  need to measure him soon
• likes to recall cricket & football statistics too

Rohan ... turned 6 yesterday

• got a bike for his birthday but still needs the trainer wheels on for a little while, until his confidence builds. He is the first boy in our lot to be interested in a bike enough to be happy to get one as a present!!
• he rode his bike a lot yesterday and as a result is still asleep this morning!!
• really likes Lego but needs a bit of help to make it up (luckily something I love to do!! Really I do!!)
• also got a cricket set for his birthday - seems to be pretty keen on cricket too (has been going to cricket practice with J & L and has been given the opportunity to have a bat, bowl and field at practice - we have fantastic cricket coaches, they do an amazing job for all the kids
• likes to draw
• gets cross and stays cross for ages when he doesn't get what he wants, Mr Persistent, asks and asks for things until we get sick of him asking (although I have had a few wins this week LOL)
• loves going with John in the truck too but yesterday Uncle Mike won as Rohan had been asking all week if he could go in the header and he did!!

Hannah ... 4 years & 4 months

• hasn't been 100% for a little while but I think we are on top of it now!!
• also got a bike for Christmas but not up to going on it yet (that's okay as Jack was having a spin yesterday - might be the year of the bike LOL)
• LOVES Mr Bean - watches DVDs at any chance!! And can tell the story of what will be happening!!
• still wears dresses and skirts and maybe dressy shorts at a push!!
• loves to put on a little "play" makeup, helped at times by her cousin Ruby!!
• likes the pool sometimes, loved swimming lessons a year ago so booked in for some more in1st term
• has been asking when Kindy restarts!!
• enjoys seeing her friends but hasn't caught up with some of them for a little while

John ...

• still busy with harvest, road train / truck driver
• can't wait until he can take us all out in the boat at Coffin Bay
• was awarded Citizen of the Year, to be presented on Australia Day at our local Council celebration - very proud of him!!
• loved the Eagles concert in Melbourne in December, something he has wanted to do for at least 10 years (but not so much the part of the trip where I shopped and he carried bags - but he did it without complaining!!)