Today Evie turns 2!!

So let's go back a week or so to the celebrations we had for her.

Here she is, the birthday girl. Celebrating at Nan and Pop's with most of her cousins. Getting herself ready for the big day ahead.

And here's Mama. Getting my party planner on.... If you know me well then you know I don't like to plan parties or have them.. Unless it's a dinner party. That I like. Having a birthday party with your family is just 100% easier. Especially when you have your mother, neice and sister in law in the wings helping out! I'm all for help. Not to mention cousins. We love our cousins.

A beautiful sunny winters day to celebrate. When the 'festivities' were over a simple 'Out in the yard kids' was all that was needed.

The party festivities. Pass the parcel!!

The party peeps, cousins and also joined by Jenny, a Korean exchange student.  

Evie loves her cousin Etty. I love Tilly's hand here. She was really worried that Evie might hurt herself with the flame of the candle. Sweet big sister heart.

Evie enjoyed her chocolate birthday cake! Then on to presents!

A bit of party frivolity.....

Cousins Boyd and Lyla were sorely missed but they had travelled down to be with us the week before... This is the botheration of travel and living overseas. I had planned a party for her while they were there but decided that a violent bout of vomitting and diarrhea might be in order instead. And then subsequent passing on of said vomitting and diarrhea to various family members also seemed in order..... Despite it all we did manage to have some good times that weekend and I will post some photos of that soon.

In the meantime, Happy Birthday my sweet Evelyn. Two years old today! Today we will celebrate with Daddy and Tilly. And that will do.

Madam Chiang and the Gumboot Fairy

Daisy Hill Koala Sanctuary

Very cool place. The kids enjoyed the koalas and the gorgeous bushland. Uncle Bob lit a fire for the kids when along came a group of Taiwanese girls who said loudly walking by in Chinese (not knowing Tilly and I could understand them) "Wonder if we can borrow that fire??" They had rather ambitiously thought they could start a fire on the rusty old BBQ's. So Uncle Bob got the fire roaring for them. One of the girls said before they were rescued, "look - grandmother is bringing paper" (Grandmother being the respectful term used for obviously the grandmother of the group). So Nan true to style walked up and said, "oh yes, here comes old grandma with the paper!" It was nice to hear the lingo and to have helped them out.

Gorgeous little Pretty Face Rock Wallaby watching us play and eat.

Cousins....!

The birds!! Unofficial Bird Sanctuary of Nan & Pop's

Australian King Parrots and Galah

Eastern Rosella

Double Bar Finch

Galahs

Female Blue Wren (The husband is spectacular)

King Parrots

Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos. Gorgeous animals, especially in flight.