Kinder end of year

There were plenty of kinder end of year celebrations .... there was the Christmas lunch followed by the Christmas concert.

The kinder class did a great job performing their songs at the Christmas concert.  One of the songs they sang, "Imagine" by John Lennon even brought on tears for all the mums. 

Bye Lisa, thanks for a great year !

Eloise and her 4 year old kinder teacher, Lisa

 

Eloise the Ballerina

Eloise attended the Werndorf dance academy this year for her ballet lessons (which also included jazz and tap) and it is a place where they take their dancing quite seriously with exams and a full end of year concert complete with 4 hour dress rehearsals, full makeup, queues to purchase concert tickets at $25 a head, costumes costing $30 each to hire and a CD of the concert at $60!   

Getting ready for the concert

Not sure if Eloise is keen to continue with ballet as it was a struggle each week to get her to class (even though it was Eloise who insisted on doing ballet earlier in the year) and the only thing that kept her going was the chance to wear the costumes for the end of year concert. 

According to Eloise the best part of ballet was getting to wear the concert costumes

There were three dances (ballet, jazz and tap) that had to be performed for the concert with a different song and costume for each discipline.  Oh and the concert went for about 5 hours with performances from all the different age groups ! 

Backstage at the concert

 

Despite her reluctance at going to classes by the end of the year, Eloise did learn her dance routines quite well and even got one of the coveted teacher's award trophies at the end of year concert !  

Unfortunately, there are no photos of her actual performance during the end of year concert as cameras and video cameras were prohibited.

Inverloch

This would have to be about our third or even fourth time to Inverloch and we still find it a great spot for the kids.   As usual, the days were spent scooting into town to the playground and ice-creams. 

 

There was a a visit to the Inverloch fire station for their open day where the kids got to climb into the fire truck

 Then it was on to an afternoon spent getting very dirty and muddy .... .

 

 

 

And after dinner at dusk, we found that it was the perfect time to go stalking for rabbits at the foreshore caravan park.  The girls learnt very quickly how to stalk nice and quitely to get near the rabbits before madly sprinting towards the rabbit when they got within a couple of metres.

Lochie showing how the girls how to stalk for rabbits

Rabbit stalking

Be very very quite ..... there is a wascally rabbit ...

Dusk was also best time to look on the beach for crabs

Crab hunting

Crab races

Eltham Festival

We spent a morning at the annaul Eltham festival where the girls got to do some crafts, listen to some music, go on some rides and meet some interesting characters

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Abbey's caterpillar on the left and Eloise's butterfly on the right - part of a recycled materials mural that is going up at the new Eltham lower park

Kinder Big Day Out

It was Eloise's four year old kinder's big day out excursion to see a performance of the Melbourne Syphony Orchestra.   It was a great introduction to orchestral music for young kids as the MSO performed as part of a story telling by Noni Hazelhurst.   It certainly kept the kids and parents entertained...in fact so much so that Eloise has now decided that she wants a violin for Christmas ! 

After the performance it was on to the Shrine of Remembrance where the kids climb the steps of the Shrine and tried to blow out the Eternal Flame. 

Then it was on to the Childrens Garden at the Botanical Gardens for a picnic before a walk through Federation Square and Birrarung Marr to the MCG and the Fairies Village at Fitzroy Gardens.

 What a lot to fit in all in one day ... but well worth it ! 

Melbourne Cup Lamb Cutlets Lunch

Whilst mum was at the Melbourne Cup, the girls and Daddy had a day at home where lamb cutlets was on the menu ...from the grin on Abbey's face (and the pile of dishes that ws left) it looked like a good day was had!

Grandma's Birthday

It was Grandma's birthday and we went to Horsham to help her usher in her 82nd birthday.  First up it was afternoon tea with the chocolate mudcake Eloise had made and decorated.

Then it was on to Natimuk pub for dinner and more cake....apparently the cake went down with Abbey who ate both her piece and Eloise's !