Easter in Queensland Part 1

We spent the long Easter weekend in Port Douglas, Queensland. Jackson had a great time lounging in the airport!

In Queensland it was hot and rainy! We ate most of our meals outside on our nice veranda.

On Easter Sunday, Jackson woke up to find the Easter Bunny had left him some surprises!

Later, despite the incessant torrential downpour, he got to meet up with the Easter Bunny when he made an appearance in town.

Part 2 to follow...

Easter Fun At Lili's

Just before Easter, Lili took Jackson to meet the Easter Bunny at the Jam Factory.

Back at Lili's the Easter Bunny had left a special Easter bag for Jackson containing a special hand-knit Easter bunny!

The bag also contained instructions telling Jackson to hunt and gather chocolate eggs around Lili's house.

Jackson and Lili also made some really beautiful Easter bags for Mama, Daddy, and Granma.

Good job, Jackson! The Easter Bunny would be proud!

Fun With Max

Sometimes Jackson sees his friend Max at the park behind Lili's house.

Max and Jackson are about the same age.

Mystery Eggs

Jackson recently found a mysterious egg in one of Lili's pot plants.

He put it in a bucket and filled it with water...

...then waited for it to hatch.

A crocodile came out!

Jackson has since found another egg, and this one contained a dragon!
(Thanks to Lili and Jackson's friend Rena for the eggs!)

Granma's Birthday

Some photos from Granma's birthday part at our house last month.

Jackson By The Sea

Jackson loves going to the beach!

He loves to build sand castles, but he also loves to dodge and splash in the waves.

Last month we had a fun visiting a beach on the Mornington Peninsula, just before we met up with baby Olive and family and a big storm hit.

Case Moth Friends

This Autumn, our garden has been inundated with case moths caterpillars!

They construct these amazing cases, which are about 4-5 inches long, out of twigs and leaves.

Jackson named this one "Little Lewis." We also have Tree Trunk and Tree-y, and a number of others who have come and gone.

Two case moths caterpillars have been dormant on our house walls for a couple of weeks now, so we're hoping they will emerge as moths soon.

Cake Time!

Jackson loves to bake! So he and Mama have started baking something most Fridays after music class.

Last month we made a chocolate cake.

Jackson's job is to help mix, pour in the ingredients, tell Mama when the butter is properly melted, pick out eggs, decorate, etc.

We also like to make cookies, muffins, banana bread and cobblers. Inexplicably, Jackson does not like to eat any of it, though.

Our Friend Olive

We are really enjoying getting to know out new friend Olive, Vicky and James' baby girl.

She is already lots bigger and even more aware than she appears in these photos.

She even has her own blog, which you can view H E R E. Sometimes we appear on it too!

Market Day

Back in February we met our friends Alan and Yilmaz for coffee at the Abbottsford Convent.

Then we headed over to the market at the Collingwood Children's Farm, where there was music for kids...

...and lots of fresh veggies.

That evening Jackson helped Daddy marinate some of the veggies we bought for grilling.

Valentines

Around Valentine's Day, Jackson received a Valentine's card from Grandaddy! Then the next day he received one from Name!

Friends in the Park

Jackson has a lot of fun with Lili and their friends at the park. Back in February it was Peter's birthday, so Jackson made fairy bread to take to his party.

The party was fun.

Jackson likes to walk "Benny-Boos" and sometimes his friend Toby (Peter's dog).

Sometimes Peter helps Jackson.

And sometimes Jackson gets to see Voula's baby granddaughter, Paris.

Holiday Fun 2: The Zoo

Jackson and Granma and Lili also went to the zoo while Jackson had his holiday.

The silverback gorillas were amazing.

This elephant waved at Jackson with its trunk!

Holiday Fun 1: The Wind in the Willows

Back in early January, Mama and Daddy took a trip to Hepburn Springs while Jackson had a holiday with Granma and Lili.

They went to the Wind in the Willows performance at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Jackson got to meet one of the characters...

...which was, apparently, exhausting.