Best New Years Ever!

For those of you who are fans of The Man from Snowy River, you will love this post...or turn green with jealousy. New Years Eve, we drove up to Mt. Sterling with the Woodfords and stayed the night in Jim Craigs Hut. Its not the original, since the original was removed after the movie, then it was later reconstructed as a hut for ranchers and cowboys traveling through to have a place to sleep. Then it was burned down in a bushfire, then rebuilt again and is now a popular tourist attraction. When we were there, the weather was incredible, and a major storm blew in, it made for some amazing photos and breathtaking views. 

This photo is one of my favorite.

Off in the distance here you can see Liam on top of a rock.

The rainbows made the whole experience just magical.

Here are some fun family photos on the fence behind the hut.

This one got a little silly

At night, when we were all in bed, a major storm came smashing through. It lashed the little hut and seemed like it would blow away at any instant. Lighting crashed and rain pounded the tin roof like a snair drum at a college football game. We kept getting little sprays of water on our faces all night, this photo shows why...notice all the little dots of light coming through the roof.

Of course, Willy said we had to have this photo. It is pretty cool, a little jeepy land cruiser 4x4 climbing up the trail. Its a neat way to say 4 wheel drive required.

Maeby and Mum taking a stroll through the snow gums. These gum trees only grow up at high elevations in the mountains. They are really colorful, like natural camouflage.

This was a large rock up near the hut.

Maeby playing on a cut log surrounded by the snow gums.

Here is a close up of the snow gums colorful bark.

"Stand clear everyone!" We all tried our hand at the stock whip...well, it was the home of the Man from Snowy River, we had to take a whip and crack it in the crisp mountain air (at least thats what Will said would complete the experience, if only we had horses) I got it to crack a few times, so did Willy. Liam nearly took his ear off, we had to put a stop to that before someone else got hurt. That's brother Woodford off to the right, teaching us the Aussie technique for cracking a stock whip.

Spencer and The Man Who Wishes He was from Snowy River.

This is so cute, look at Maeby crossing the fence. I love this picture!

This one is so cute too.

Here is me wrangling, wheres my whip when I need it? (just kidding!)

Spencer hanging out on the log.

Sleepy time. Camping out in the Hut.

Liam and William Woodford.

Happy Spencer going to bed.

Another angle in the morning as the fog is lifting.

Mel in the morning after our tumultuous night in the hut.

Brother Woodford entertaining the baldy brothers with a ukulele that was left in the Hut.

My old man, he was just wishing he could take off into the hills, and he would have too if I gave him permission. See ya, I will meet you guys in a couple days at the bottom...yeah, I don't think so, how about you take the kids and I hike off into the sunset.

We went quite a ways down this road before deciding that since it was "wet conditions" it might get risky. We didn't need another afternoon of Willy trying to dig us out. But it was fun while it lasted. The dense fog gave it the most amazing ambiance, even if it was a bit eerie.

On the way out, at the bottom of the mountain, we stopped for lunch at a cool little park near a river

Liam wasted no time, he got right to work trying to find something to make out of the perfectly useful gum bark.

Mel, just sitting and taking in the beauty in silence and solidarity. Just how she likes it.

Sandwiches, grapes.....

...and peaches!

If your wondering why the boys are bald it's because they got lice from school the day we were leaving so we shaved their heads. We found out later that we could have used lice shampoo. Oh Well, good thing it will grow back quickly. 

Huge gum tree.

Silly faces.

Wierd, sticky, pinecone sort of thing.

Fun at the Lake and Swimming Pool

More summer fun in the water!

Maebys favorite place. I hang out here and chat with the other mums and dad gets to play in the lake with the big kids.

Spencer is getting good at swimming around.

Maeby is brave like Liam, she loves to jump in with Dad. She loves to jump off his hands, high into the air.

Here we go again, lets see who can get hurt first! Dad is so much fun, most of the other dads are sitting on the benches

Spencer is a little more tame, but he's getting braver! Weeee!

Ohhh, my little circus performers...Ta-dahhh.

Willy: Fly young one, be free!

Spencer: "Ahhhhhhhh!"

Maeby has to have at turn.

Lunch time under our beach umbrellas, yummy.

Maeby putting on some sunscreen, one can never be too careful in the Aussie sun.

Hmm, what should I do with all the extra, maybe Daddy needs some.

Swimming at the city pool. This is such a cute picture of Maeby, my little fishy.

This is supposed to be Liam, what is he doing with his face? And what happened to his left leg? Shark attack at the city pool...Ahhhhhh!

This is Melanie's picture, Liam is trying to steal the show. Of course Mel has no idea, her eyes are closed and her nose is plugged, but hey, shes underwater!

Where's Maeby?