Halloween, a huge event here on the calender almost as big as Christmas. Never seen anything like it people decorate their houses with many orange pumpkins, corn stocks, fall leaves, and ghoulish decorations.
The kids had a halloween dress up for school and all the kids dressed up, they were excellent outfits, parents and kids spend a lot of time getting ready with their outfits for Halloween. Even the kids at my school dressed up at least 60% of the students in school dressed for the day it was great the way they got into the spirit of it.
On Saturday night we get the house ready for the kids to Trick or Treat, we decorate our house and I have lots of 'Candy' to give out, we are visited by about 40 kids, its so much fun so many different costumes. James and Steph head out for their first Trick or Treating and have a great time. They come back with so much candy even they are disgusted by it they have collected a years worth of lollies in one night, its incredible.
James is dressed as a Pimp, or so he thinks he looks pretty cool.
Steph dresses as a snow angel and looks very angelic.
Luckily it wasn't too cold it can be for Halloween, there has been no snow yet it has been -2 on some mornings but only really frost so far.
Of course there is also a fairly wild Wagner Lake Halloween party, Kevin and I dress as the Fred and Wilma Flinstone which was great fun, everyone looked so amazing in their outfits I have never been to such a great dress up party. Take a look at the photos!!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Back to School - Falls Coming
September has finally come around and the kids and I are finally back to school, I know I am glad to be getting back into some sort of routine again, the weather was so aweful for a lot of summer that it really wasn't fun being off and my brain seems to have gone to mush.
I know Steph is happy to be back at school she goes into Grade 8 and it does seem strange starting a new school year in September, anyway she is happy with her teacher she is in a Yr7/8 split but she is in there with all her friends so that is good.
James of course can take or leave school he goes into Grade 10 and will need to do some serious work these next 5 months.
My classes are quite nice I have an Anthropology Class, Food and Nutrition and Family studies class, the students are a bit more of a challenge than they were last year (first half of the year), but they are still much easier than my students in Aus. Anyway we have 15 weeks of school and then we go home, its going to be a long stretch with no real breaks.
For September we see many changes in the area again the seasons are changing again, its getting cooler and the leaves are starting to fall and change colour, the season changes here are really very beautiful, I have never seen anything quite like it and sooooo many leaves to clean up, if its not snow its leaves. There are many social gatherings at Wagner Lake for September and October, its almost as if everyone is trying to use the outdoors as much as possible before it turns cold again, so we are invited to 50th birthdays and Corn roasts (we are surrounded by corn farms) and its the best corn we have ever tasted. A corn roast is basically where a huge pot is put over a large fire pit and 50 - 100 corn on the cobs are cooked and then served with butter, of course many beers are also consumed with this corn, but it was quite a novel experience.
We also went to the Toronto zoo and visit Toronto again to see Center island and go to an Ice Hockey game.
The Toronto Leafs are the Canadian team that everyone follows they are huge but amazingly pretty hopeless, anyway we got given these amazing seats so off we went to see the Toronto Leafs play the Pittburgh Penguins (the winners of the Stanley Cup last year). It was quite an experience the best fun, crazy, violent, aggressive game and we laughed heaps because its so out there we had no idea.
Thanksgiving was also in October and Kevin and I cooked a Turkey because thats what everyone does, it was a nice long weekend and good to have a break, we travelled so much in summer that everyone is over travelling, plus the weather is just not that much fun so we are just having a nice time with the people around the Lake.
I know Steph is happy to be back at school she goes into Grade 8 and it does seem strange starting a new school year in September, anyway she is happy with her teacher she is in a Yr7/8 split but she is in there with all her friends so that is good.
James of course can take or leave school he goes into Grade 10 and will need to do some serious work these next 5 months.
My classes are quite nice I have an Anthropology Class, Food and Nutrition and Family studies class, the students are a bit more of a challenge than they were last year (first half of the year), but they are still much easier than my students in Aus. Anyway we have 15 weeks of school and then we go home, its going to be a long stretch with no real breaks.
For September we see many changes in the area again the seasons are changing again, its getting cooler and the leaves are starting to fall and change colour, the season changes here are really very beautiful, I have never seen anything quite like it and sooooo many leaves to clean up, if its not snow its leaves. There are many social gatherings at Wagner Lake for September and October, its almost as if everyone is trying to use the outdoors as much as possible before it turns cold again, so we are invited to 50th birthdays and Corn roasts (we are surrounded by corn farms) and its the best corn we have ever tasted. A corn roast is basically where a huge pot is put over a large fire pit and 50 - 100 corn on the cobs are cooked and then served with butter, of course many beers are also consumed with this corn, but it was quite a novel experience.
We also went to the Toronto zoo and visit Toronto again to see Center island and go to an Ice Hockey game.
The Toronto Leafs are the Canadian team that everyone follows they are huge but amazingly pretty hopeless, anyway we got given these amazing seats so off we went to see the Toronto Leafs play the Pittburgh Penguins (the winners of the Stanley Cup last year). It was quite an experience the best fun, crazy, violent, aggressive game and we laughed heaps because its so out there we had no idea.
Thanksgiving was also in October and Kevin and I cooked a Turkey because thats what everyone does, it was a nice long weekend and good to have a break, we travelled so much in summer that everyone is over travelling, plus the weather is just not that much fun so we are just having a nice time with the people around the Lake.
Summer and Birthdays
So yes this is very late but at least you get to know what we have been up to. Getting back to Wagner Lake was nice because it meant we were finally able to have a rest and I really didn't do much of anything for 6 weeks, I have never had such a long holiday it was very nice.
James and Steph were going a bit crazy by the end of summer though and poor Kevin was working pretty hard at TSC (The country Hardware store) he works at.
James went away to a Venturer camp in Northern Ontario where there are a million fresh water lakes, for a week and had a wonderful time. He has really had some great times with the Venturers this year they have done some great camping trips.
We also spent a lot of time on peoples boats on the lake, I skiied, Steph swam a lot and James Wake boarded as much as possible. Wagner Lake is only quite small compared to Lake Macquarie, so it was quite different when out on the water. It was probably their worst summer in years it didn't really get that hot and it rained a lot so summer was a bit of a let down for us.
Kevin had his 40th birthday while here and we had a great cricket party everyone was invited and we had the Canadian team led, by of all people a visiting Englishman, and an Aussie team Captained by Kevin (of course). I made up T-Shirts for everyone to wear in Canadian and Aussie colours and the game started with the Anthems. Then it was on, Canadians played like they were playing baseball, always forgot to take their bats with them and because there were a lot of older players there were a few injuries. Everyone had a wonderful time the day was beautiful and just like any Aussie Cricket match there was plenty of eating and drinking. The Aussie team won of course abley Captained by Kevin and the whole day finished with dancing a bonfire and singing afterwards.
Summer was a wonderful break but after so much time of we were very ready to go back to school.
James and Steph were going a bit crazy by the end of summer though and poor Kevin was working pretty hard at TSC (The country Hardware store) he works at.
James went away to a Venturer camp in Northern Ontario where there are a million fresh water lakes, for a week and had a wonderful time. He has really had some great times with the Venturers this year they have done some great camping trips.
We also spent a lot of time on peoples boats on the lake, I skiied, Steph swam a lot and James Wake boarded as much as possible. Wagner Lake is only quite small compared to Lake Macquarie, so it was quite different when out on the water. It was probably their worst summer in years it didn't really get that hot and it rained a lot so summer was a bit of a let down for us.
Kevin had his 40th birthday while here and we had a great cricket party everyone was invited and we had the Canadian team led, by of all people a visiting Englishman, and an Aussie team Captained by Kevin (of course). I made up T-Shirts for everyone to wear in Canadian and Aussie colours and the game started with the Anthems. Then it was on, Canadians played like they were playing baseball, always forgot to take their bats with them and because there were a lot of older players there were a few injuries. Everyone had a wonderful time the day was beautiful and just like any Aussie Cricket match there was plenty of eating and drinking. The Aussie team won of course abley Captained by Kevin and the whole day finished with dancing a bonfire and singing afterwards.
Summer was a wonderful break but after so much time of we were very ready to go back to school.
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