We're back!

It's been a month or so since the last Blog entry - Christmas, New Year, relatvies visiting and school holidays have kept us very busy.  But with February underway, kids back at school and life back to 'normal' I will once again have time to update the Blog at least once a week.

Since our last Blog entry:

• Jack has got older and more smiley - he is 4 months old next week!
• James has started year 3 at school
• Olivia has started year 2 at school
• I have lost 7kg in weight!!
• We've had a near miss with one of Australia's most deadly creatures

Last weekend we took the speedboat out on Pittwater on a glorious summer day.  We headed to the Basin to relax, swim and find the Coffee/Ice Cream man/boat.

As we paddled in the water Emma spotted a small creature in the water - no larger than a golf ball.  We all had a look, debated whether it was just seaweed for a while, kicked and poked it until it started to move around.  It was a little octopus and we all got very excited as we tried to catch it in our hands/kids sandals and eventually in a coffee cup.  I was very excited as I lifted the coffee cup out of the water to show off the catch....only to discover we had just caught a Blue Ringed Octopus.

After you've read this - google Blue Ringed Octopus - you will learn that it is one of the most deadly creatures in the world.  Although small, it's bite will kill and it has enough venom to kill about 40 people.  It's a considerate animal - you don't feel it's bite...but 20 minutes later you stop breathing as the paralysis sets in.  There is no antivenom.

We all felt a little silly (and lucky) and vowed never again to try and catch ANYTHING in Australia in our hands.

I've uploaded some random shots from the last few months - with brief explanations....

Jack is always happy (unless he is hungry).

 Jack enjoyed his first international tennis match - the Sydney International featured most of the women's top-10 tennis players + James Reid (see below).  It was a hot day but the sun visor helped Jack get through it.

 He is growing.....

 And always laughing.

 He had fun with his Grandparents in January.

 James was part of a group of kids who did a "Hot Shots" Tennis demo at the tennis tournament above.  He played on centre court, met Kim Cliesters, Pat Rafter and Ken Rosewall (above). We had to explain later that the "old man" was once the best tennis player in the world.  James had a great day.  Just before christmas he played in a tennis tournament for the Best 8 Kids on the Northern Beaches.  James qualified based on results of 4 tournaments he had played in during 2010.  He had a great day and got to the semi-final and ended up coming 3rd.  He was chuffed.

This last shot sums up the last few weeks.  As I write this it is 41 degrees outside and I am about to go and do exactly what James is doing above....laze in the pool.

More soon - remember you can comment on any of the Blog entries!

Ken