Dear Family and Friends
You’ll understand after reading this blog why I haven’t posted one since September. I think this has had to be the busiest few months we have had in a very long time!!
Cameron has been growing fast and becoming a gurgly, happy little boy, Amelia has turned 3, I have started a new job with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Iain has finished work and become the temporary house husband/father and we have had a beach holiday.
I was made redundant from Lifeplan (officially) at the beginning of October, following the merger with Australian Unity the Marketing was shifted to Melbourne. I knew about the redundancy in early September. So I was keen to find another job quickly as I was due to go back to work on November 23rd and Iain was due to take over the home duties until March. It was a disappointment about my redundancy because Iain had worked hard to arrange with his Board of Directors his time off and I knew he was looking forward to this special time with the kids. Therefore it was a mission for me to find something else.
Through the grapevine I knew of a position at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank that was available as the person was going on maternity leave. This seemed ideal so Iain could still take his time off and I could be finishing the contract just before summer next year and have the summer off – or so I thought. Not only was I offered the job but offered it in a permanent capacity so I started on Monday as Head of Marketing, Wealth and Third Party Banking for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. So as seems to be my pattern after all my redundancies (4 now) better job, better company, better money, new challenges to tackle. I am hopeful that I will be with this company for a good few years or that’s it, I’ve had it with marketing in Adelaide!!!
Before I started the job we took the opportunity to have a beach holiday in Robe on the Limestone Coast (SE South Australia), so we headed down there a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I had a car accident on the day we were due to leave for Robe (not my fault) but it was bad enough that the car had to be towed away (all packed with our holiday items), unpacked and Iain had to rent a car for us so we could still go on our holiday. It was very scary at the time as I had both kids in the car and we were on the freeway - it could have been worse so we were very lucky. It was an upsetting experience though. The lady who hit us lives locally and is very nice but got a caution from the police. So following all that drama we are without the family car until just before Christmas which is not ideal. Particularly when we are relying on Iain’s pre-family car - a 2 door BMW to ferry the kids around in. Can you imagine the difficulty of getting them in and out of their car seats? Suffice to say it’s amusing. The pram wouldn’t fit in the boot without taking the wheels off! Definitely not made for family transportation!
Anyway, after all that we got down to Robe and enjoyed our few days there. Amelia had lots of fun on the beach. I chilled out at the local beauty place and Iain and Cameron just chilled out. We ate fish and chips on the foreshore, drank lovely wine and played trivial pursuit into the small hours. The TV didn’t go on once in the 4 days and it was really super. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are booking another beach holiday to the Yorke Peninsula for February.
When we got back we had to start thinking about Amelia’s Wiggles themed birthday party which we held at home. Iain had organised the cake – his staff member Arthur used to have a business making cakes and makes unbelievable ones so he’d offered to make it just at the cost of the ingredients. It was a stunning cake – see the photos. Amelia had a super birthday. We took her out for dinner to the Stirling pub and then the following day had about 16 kids and their families round for a BBQ. As you can imagine, when everyone had gone, the place looked like it had imploded with toys, wrapping paper, party bags and washing up!
The dishwasher was loved that day!
Amelia had a brilliant time, and so did we – we were exhausted though at the end.
Now we’re thinking about Christmas. Last night’s Stirling Christmas Pageant was cancelled unfortunately due to the bizarre heavy rains we are experiencing. After a few weeks of extremely hot weather the rain is needed and our swimming pool is full without needing to get the hose out!
We are hoping it will be rescheduled as it was very hard explaining to Amelia why we couldn’t go and see Santa last night. Tomorrow we are going to a Rotary family day – Iain was recently inducted as a member of Stirling Rotary – so we’re hoping the weather cheers up a bit for tomorrow,
On Thursday we will be telling her that it’s one more sleep until the Wiggles Concert on Friday afternoon and the childcare Christmas party straight afterwards.
The following week I will be making my first trip across to head office in Bendigo for the department Christmas party (fantastic time to start a new job!!). It’s a fly/drive experience via Melbourne as there’s no airport in Bendigo.
And then Christmas will almost be on top of us. So I wish you all a very happy, relaxing and merry Christmas – I’m not sending cards again this year (helping the environment) so have a super time and enjoy every minute of your time off work/family time/parties/holidays or whatever else you’re planning to get up to.
Lots of love from all of us
Caroline, Iain, Amelia and Cameron xxxxx
You’ll understand after reading this blog why I haven’t posted one since September. I think this has had to be the busiest few months we have had in a very long time!!
Cameron has been growing fast and becoming a gurgly, happy little boy, Amelia has turned 3, I have started a new job with Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Iain has finished work and become the temporary house husband/father and we have had a beach holiday.
I was made redundant from Lifeplan (officially) at the beginning of October, following the merger with Australian Unity the Marketing was shifted to Melbourne. I knew about the redundancy in early September. So I was keen to find another job quickly as I was due to go back to work on November 23rd and Iain was due to take over the home duties until March. It was a disappointment about my redundancy because Iain had worked hard to arrange with his Board of Directors his time off and I knew he was looking forward to this special time with the kids. Therefore it was a mission for me to find something else.
Through the grapevine I knew of a position at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank that was available as the person was going on maternity leave. This seemed ideal so Iain could still take his time off and I could be finishing the contract just before summer next year and have the summer off – or so I thought. Not only was I offered the job but offered it in a permanent capacity so I started on Monday as Head of Marketing, Wealth and Third Party Banking for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. So as seems to be my pattern after all my redundancies (4 now) better job, better company, better money, new challenges to tackle. I am hopeful that I will be with this company for a good few years or that’s it, I’ve had it with marketing in Adelaide!!!
Before I started the job we took the opportunity to have a beach holiday in Robe on the Limestone Coast (SE South Australia), so we headed down there a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately I had a car accident on the day we were due to leave for Robe (not my fault) but it was bad enough that the car had to be towed away (all packed with our holiday items), unpacked and Iain had to rent a car for us so we could still go on our holiday. It was very scary at the time as I had both kids in the car and we were on the freeway - it could have been worse so we were very lucky. It was an upsetting experience though. The lady who hit us lives locally and is very nice but got a caution from the police. So following all that drama we are without the family car until just before Christmas which is not ideal. Particularly when we are relying on Iain’s pre-family car - a 2 door BMW to ferry the kids around in. Can you imagine the difficulty of getting them in and out of their car seats? Suffice to say it’s amusing. The pram wouldn’t fit in the boot without taking the wheels off! Definitely not made for family transportation!
Anyway, after all that we got down to Robe and enjoyed our few days there. Amelia had lots of fun on the beach. I chilled out at the local beauty place and Iain and Cameron just chilled out. We ate fish and chips on the foreshore, drank lovely wine and played trivial pursuit into the small hours. The TV didn’t go on once in the 4 days and it was really super. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are booking another beach holiday to the Yorke Peninsula for February.
When we got back we had to start thinking about Amelia’s Wiggles themed birthday party which we held at home. Iain had organised the cake – his staff member Arthur used to have a business making cakes and makes unbelievable ones so he’d offered to make it just at the cost of the ingredients. It was a stunning cake – see the photos. Amelia had a super birthday. We took her out for dinner to the Stirling pub and then the following day had about 16 kids and their families round for a BBQ. As you can imagine, when everyone had gone, the place looked like it had imploded with toys, wrapping paper, party bags and washing up!
The dishwasher was loved that day!
Amelia had a brilliant time, and so did we – we were exhausted though at the end.
Now we’re thinking about Christmas. Last night’s Stirling Christmas Pageant was cancelled unfortunately due to the bizarre heavy rains we are experiencing. After a few weeks of extremely hot weather the rain is needed and our swimming pool is full without needing to get the hose out!
We are hoping it will be rescheduled as it was very hard explaining to Amelia why we couldn’t go and see Santa last night. Tomorrow we are going to a Rotary family day – Iain was recently inducted as a member of Stirling Rotary – so we’re hoping the weather cheers up a bit for tomorrow,
On Thursday we will be telling her that it’s one more sleep until the Wiggles Concert on Friday afternoon and the childcare Christmas party straight afterwards.
The following week I will be making my first trip across to head office in Bendigo for the department Christmas party (fantastic time to start a new job!!). It’s a fly/drive experience via Melbourne as there’s no airport in Bendigo.
And then Christmas will almost be on top of us. So I wish you all a very happy, relaxing and merry Christmas – I’m not sending cards again this year (helping the environment) so have a super time and enjoy every minute of your time off work/family time/parties/holidays or whatever else you’re planning to get up to.
Lots of love from all of us
Caroline, Iain, Amelia and Cameron xxxxx
Amelia's birthday - just about to go to the pub for dinner
chilling out on holiday
Amelia the little poser!
Practicing for the full family shot on Amelia's birthday
This was at the Macclesfield Field Day, that was a great day
Amelia reading to her brother
Now this is really chilled...Cameron knows how to enjoy a holiday!
Amelia's fabulous cake
Nat and her kids Tommy and Curtis in our garden on a visit with us recently
Amelia opening her presents on the morning of her birthday
Amelia's very happy with herself here - she finished a jigsaw - Cameron missed it, he was asleep again!
This was on the way to Macclesfield Field Day - we parked in the same place as we did when we went 3 years ago and have an almost identical photo but with Amelia in the Baby Bjorn on Iain's chest so we thought we'd take another with the new addition!
We bought new read leather sofas for the family room and here's Cameron trying one out. Kids and leather - wipe clean - we love it!!
Amelia loving herself silly on the beach!
This was taken at my good friend sandy's wedding which she had at her house with a magnificent deck overlooking a shiny, sparkling blue sea. It was a great day, lots of laughter and dancing.
This has got to be one of my favourite photos of Amelia, dancing with Sandy at her wedding
Here's our little man having a kick
A very friendly Robe family offered Iain and Amelia the use of their Kayak
With a cake this amazing, it could only have sparklers not just candles!
This photo is just so you can see Iain's T Shirt that he ordered off the internet especially for the next BBQ - can you read what it says? " I didn't climb to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian"