Big start

Big start photo album

And just like that, there are only 2 weeks left of school term 1. It has been a big start to the school year but we’ve settled into a comfortable routine. Most days of the week, we drop off Nicholas at school first then Catherine afterwards. On Wednesday mornings, Phil usually drops off Catherine at before school care and I drop off Nicholas. On Friday afternoons, Catherine goes to after school care and Nicholas takes the bus home. Phil is still able to work from home on Thursdays. I work school hours from Mondays to Wednesdays, followed by 2 long days to end the week.

The transition into high school for Nicholas went better than expected. He made a few new friends and discovered that drama, Japanese and science are his most enjoyable classes this term. Our anticipation built up for the first day and the first week was new and exciting. He got his class timeline, locker and chrome book. It took him a few weeks adjusting to being a little fish in the big pond.

Catherine has adjusted to school without Nicholas. Her teacher has been very supportive and mornings are happier. She has the same teacher as she had in year 1 who she adores. Being in year 3 means that she is in the senior school(!). It was weird picking her up at her new classroom in the beginning. Soon she will be the big fish in the little pond.

Along with busy week days, we have had some busy weekends enjoying the various festivals in Canberra. A new experience for us was attending a kid’s comedy show (Matty Grey – Game On 2.0) which was part of the Comedy Festival. Phil was nominated by the audience to volunteer for Granny Theft Auto and Catherine volunteered for Operation which she won.

We also just had our front and back yards transformed and are tending to our garden again. Phil recently went on a “bro-liday” with his best mate to Hobart, Tasmania and he’s been travelling for work quite a bit. He has also decided to leave choir for now to lessen his work load. Work has been busy for me the past 3 weeks as my boss was on holiday and I had to hold the fort. Last month was my 1-year work anniversary at ANU. And recently, I had a quiet morning to myself and chased hot air balloons, ate breakfast at Little Bird Cafe, read a book by the lake and enjoyed an exhibit at the National Gallery.

Mountain stats: Mt Painter (elevation 732m|2402ft) in about 31 minutes and Phil and Nicholas encountered a brown snake (!) on the way down

Movie stats: The Lego Movie 2 (4 stars)