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Finding Nemo

Found our little clown fish... too sweet.
Found him.
Ethan about to dive... onto our apparently drowning instructor.
Ethan about to dive… onto our apparently drowning instructor.
A blue spotted stingray we lay down in the sand with.
A blue spotted stingray we lay down in the sand with.
also found large reef shark basking on the sandy bottom
also found a large reef shark basking on the sandy bottom
While Ethan and Fi scuba dived the girls and Nick snorkelled.
While Ethan and Fi scuba dived the girls and Nick snorkelled.

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Audrey and Lucinda holding on tight to a starfish and the life buoy - it was a choppy 20 knots.
Audrey and Lucinda holding on tight to a starfish and the life buoy – it was a choppy 20 knots.
Bazza the barracuda
Bazza the barracuda
Ethan totally relaxed in the water
Ethan totally relaxed in the water
Fi (holding it together) and Ethan.
Fi (with octopus hair) and Ethan.

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We went out to Upolo Reef on the Great Barrier Reef with Ocean Freedom. Highly recommend them.
http://www.oceanfreedom.com.au/

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Queensland we love you

So we recently had another holiday back to Queensland. This one was specifically to take the kids out snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef (more posts on that following). Thanks to our generous friends Deb and Rob we got to stay again in their beautiful home beside the equally beautiful Forrest Beach. How lucky are we?!!!

Forrest Beach
Forrest Beach

Nick's supporting the palm tree in Cairns
Nick’s supporting the palm tree in Cairns
Trebonne Post Office - Can't help making a detour to this post office each time we come up.
Trebonne Post Office – Can’t help making a detour to this post office each time we come up.

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Lucinda with an old friend of hers :)
Lucinda with an old friend of hers 🙂
Gould Island driftwood
Gould Island driftwood
We located a great guide/boat bloke, John. Hinchinbrook Island in the background.
We located a great guide/boat bloke, John. How mindblowing beautiful is this ?!!!
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Ethan and Ella are building a skateboard ramp

They've designed, researched, measured, calculated, built models, purchased the timber, cut and screwed.... soon it'll be ready to use :)
They’ve designed, researched, measured, calculated, built models, purchased the timber, cut and assembled…. soon it’ll be ready to use 🙂

This is a work in progress… but so far it’s looking great.

straight ramp, top and a curved ramp all in one.
straight ramp, top and a curved ramp all in one.

And in case you’re left in any doubt about Ethan’s ‘cool’ quotient… I’m posting this recent Ethan selfie.

yes, I am on a plane. no, it's not my personal jet... yet.
yes, I am on a plane. no, it’s not my personal jet… yet.

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Lucinda turns 10

Lucinda planned her birthday just how she wanted it - starting with a cheesecake from Babka's (and a surprise visit from Aunty Karen)
Lucinda planned exactly the celebration she wanted – starting with a cheesecake from Babka’s (and a surprise visit from Aunty Karen)

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Her many beautiful, thoughtful presents included a bike - with a basket naturally.
Her many beautiful, thoughtful presents included a bike – with a basket naturally.
so gorgeous... she could be a poster girl for our postcode :)
so gorgeous… she could be a poster girl for our postcode 🙂
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and then she parties…

Lucinda and her besties; Indigo, Indi-Mara and Ivy having cafe time before an afternoon of tree-surfing.
Lucinda and her besties; Indigo, Indi-Mara and Ivy having cafe time before an afternoon of tree-surfing.

Treetop Adventures in Belgrave is sooooo much fun! The girls and I climbed, clambered and flying foxed through the trees, with lots of aerial obstacles. They were the best, supportive team. When they decided to do the black diamond course, I graciously offered to film from the ground 🙂
Quicktime video link: IMG_3908

Justly proud of their achievements. Go Girls!
Justly proud of their achievements. Go Girls!
All followed by a birds nest cake complete with a gentleman hedgehog visitor.
All followed by a birds nest cake complete with a gentleman hedgehog visitor.