Spring

There's something about the spring. As a child, it was my favourite season, the first warm sun after the cold dark months, my birthday on it's way, happy people around you. In Scotland spring was always very welcome. The first snowdrops, crocuses, it has always given me a very happy feeling. Never thought it would be the same here in Australia. You can't call winter "winter" here and it's not like we haven't had the warm sun shining either. But the flowers are just so pretty it makes me smile. More and more are flowering now. First the yellow daisies, now the bottlebrushes and the kangaroo paws. I can't wait for our first free weekend to go camping again and to see all the wildflowers here.
It's funny, in Oman, I didn't experience spring for 5 years and I didn't mind. Guess there was just so much else going on to be thinking of flowers then. But it is definitely my favourite season, even though here in Australia my birthday is still far away...

Things..

Hello,
Just to let you know what we've been up to. Not that much to be honest... Last weekend we bought a BBQ (after a year of being here!!) and we invited Evelien and Katja and their families round for a good Aussie BBQ. The 6 kids got on as a house of fire and it was a lovely evening. It also happened to be our 7th wedding anniversary so that was nice...
Boys are doing well at school. We had some vaccinations, Hep A and B. Swimming, Tennis, Multi sport, play dates. Dutch lessons, it's all going on and the days fly by. I still go to the gym 2/3 times a week. Haven't been running much since I got back from The Netherlands. I'll miss the City to Surf race so...didn't really see the point... but will pick it up again, I think/hope..
Have had a couple of lovely girls nights out to the cinema, we saw the French film "beautiful lies" a light hearted, entertaining film and yesterday we went to the slow-moving but quiet touching film "the tree of life". In the diary.. let's see.. next week I am going to Aboriginal Dance with Tamar, there's Bali, Jamie's Birthday and I am even already thinking about Willem's party, an ambitious Pirate Beach Party plan is in my head..Then it's the october holidays.. Hopefully Jamie's little sister Jenny will make it here..
Hope you're all well too!

Jamie's sister and family visit Perth.

Sorry for the slow updates... We've just been busy. Jamie's sister came with our nephews Sam and Eddie. Andrew arrived 6 days later. We had a lovely time together. They were a bit unlucky with the weather. Most of the week it was showery and windy an quite a bit cooler than before. We never got wet though and were fortunate to time our walks in a way we always had shelter when it started hammering down. We tried to show them  most of the sights around Perth but a week is too short. Promised Sam and Eddie a surf lesson, but it never happened because it was just too dangerous.. They've gone now and flew to Darwin to see the "real Australia. And now the weather has been lovely again. Such a shame.
We spent today on the beach and it was so warm!
Will write more soon about all the day to day things. Here's the photos of the family visit:

https://picasaweb.google.com/Machteld.Irons/TheWhittonsInOz