coromandel road tripping...

I had almost forgot about the photos I took when my mum, my sister and I went around the Coromandel Peninsula  for 3 days to celebrate her 86th birthday!  We had a ball...

On the road to Coromandel - a bit overcast but we were able to catch glimpses of the Hauraki Gulf as we travelled up the coast.  

Hall Hunting!

Last weekend Charissa and I went for a drive - out to Somerset Dam then ended up all over the place.  We even managed to end up in the middle of this vintage hotrod car show - impressive!
Visited Coronation Hall which Shayna had always talked about.  It is a country hall with this country hillbilly feel, and loads of character.  Would scrub up really nicely with lights and decorations and make an awesome wedding reception venue...the only downside being the time it takes to get there. Despite the distance, the drive out there is absolutely picturesque and a smorgasbord of scenic delights.

the birthday!

Tarquin was one year old - back on 11th May!
What a bundle of cuteness she is...and being an Oma for the last year has been pretty special.  Her birthday present was pretty amazing too!

...family times in Tasmania

Yep, still one post left to go in recounting our Tasmania adventures at Christmas.   This post though is not so much about the places we visited, but more about the stuff of family and the crazy, fun times we had.

So let's start on Christmas Day - with loads of selfies!!

Out and About - Tasmanian Style!

It was great being able to do day trips to get a feel of the place - especially the area south of Hobart.  Having to collect various family members from the airport at various times, meant there were 2 trips to Mount Wellington and an increasing familiarity with Hobart's central shopping district.  Last minute Christmas shopping and all....

The mighty Huon River...always travelled alongside this waterway in our comings and goings.

Port Arthur.....

Port Arthur was a bit of a surprise...never imagined a convict settlement to be situated in such pristine surroundings.  Apart from being together for a short boat cruise and guided tour, everyone headed off in different directions - and every now and again, our paths crossed....

our huonville hideaway

Our Christmas retreat was a home nestled up in the hills near the town of Huonville.  This small farmlet was at the end of a 800m driveway which in itself was an adventure...we loved the rural lifestyle and thoroughly enjoyed the delights of the land...fresh eggs, vegies, and berries of every kind!

Oscar and Elise!

sooo...I haven't been posting that much lately, and I am finally getting around to getting our Tasmanian holiday shots sorted.
Yep...at Christmas the family travelled down to Tasmania.  We stayed at a home near Huonville (more about that later) which boasted every kind of berry as well as a menagerie of animals that we kept an eye on.  Oscar is the family pet who super enjoyed our company and was absolutely beside himself when he got special attention.  That's when Elise, one afternoon, had a sudden burst of doggy affection.  It went well to start with...

a very formal....

....it was a big day for Elise with her Year 12 Formal - and my oh my, did she look beautiful!!    It not only marked the end of school but it was also the end of an era for us as a family - the homeschooling journey is well and truly over.  What a milestone!!

So without further ado....

...when grandma comes!

Mum came and spent 10 days with us...meeting her great-grandaughter for the first time!
The weather decided to put on an awesome display of "HOT" during her time with us!

Here are some glimpses....