Lowmead Classic & Twinshock Challenge 2013

Friday 7th to Sunday 9th September.....

(Firstly - we made the kids some T-Shirts as we're unable to get club shirts small enough for them... we just made our own!)

Then we needed to make a club banner to hang at the entrance to the property so that people knew where they were going.....

I can't remember exactly how big this banner was... but it was REALLY big....

The difference in size between Rob's boot and Blake's boot is huge!

We went to the Lowmead Pub for dinner... it was a really great night (and cheap meals too!)

Now, into the camping and actual weekend side of things!

Mom enjoying a bit of relaxing time....

(who am I kidding - it's all relaxing once you're retired... right? ;)  )

Grotty little cupcake man!

Butter wouldn't melt.....

Not a good sign when the bike wont start!

(This is Jade's new bike - we changed the plastics on it from the original Gas Gas red plastics - as she wanted the blue set on there...)

All set up....

A Wobz who could do with a shower....

Drew 

The bikes are starting to appear....

And the kids are attached to their electronic babysitters....

Cuddles for Daddy....

How can something so dirty still look so swet???

A family of Boots....

Family Shot

Puggle ready to ride off....

Jade just waiting on her bike to go and then she'll be off too....

Rob even geared up....

Jade got to ride pillion as her bike wasn't going....

and Blake's off!

Drew Mechanic Extraordinare 

and still no luck.....

The Kids Comp!

Jade had to ride Blake's bike as her bike was still not going.....  a slight difference from the size she was when she first got the bike!

(July 2008 - 2yrs9months)

Ok, so back to 2013....

Blake found it very hard to remember where he had to ride next... he'd ride and stop and wait for instructions... so we ended up walking through the section ahead of him to try to get him through....

Such a BIG log.. (ok, maybe a stick... but it was enough....)

and we're on our way down!

and... DOWN...

But straight back onto the bike and ready to go again....

he never gave up... no matter how many times he went down....

Jade was doing really well, she'd been happily riding the sections... and then some big bikes came through and rode through the section - then they stayed around to watch... and Jade's not big on audiences... so she got a bit sad....

and had a bit of a sulk.....

Drew fixed that!

And then they were done!

One very happy little biker!

and time for a refreshing break!

(I have never seen him drink a complete 600ml water this quickly before... he was thirsty!)

Drew's Pics

Then it was Drew's turn to bring out toys to play with......

(yup... he's not about to start growing up now!)

The kids thought it was fantastic... and they were happily flinging rocks at everything!

(luckily not at cars or people!)

Dirty Dirty little man!

Then it was time to fire up the BBQ!

Rob can't get away from work - even when we're in a place with very limited reception!

Drew setting up a shower for Dad to use....

Rob did some stargazing with Jade that night....

Sunday

Coming in to check out a section...

HeBeGB

HeBe, Me & Drew

Concentration Face

HeBe got Jade's bike going - so she was very happy!

At the presentation the kids were given Encouragement Awards... 

They were very happy with this!

Blake was asleep before we got out of the property.... a very big weekend for him!

Worn out little guy.....

Wednesday 4th September

We went up to see the psychologists in Rockhampton again for some final questions they wanted to cover with Jade so that they were able to finish their report - so we picked Blake up from daycare - got Jade from school and then headed up....  (she'd already missed enough school for this - so we got them to agree to see us later in the afternoon so that she didn't need another day off)

Blake was exhausted by the time we headed home.....

Jade's room.....

This "project" took place from 23rd August until about 5th November... and it would have been blogged in this order - if I wasn't so out of whack with the blog.... so....  here's the entire story.....

Jade wanted something in her room - her suggestions were "Monster High" etc.... 

We decided to go with a "theme" that she could grow with... so rather than characters - we opted for a colourful "disco" theme.... 

First Step... find 3 colours that went well together...

(we didn't want it being completely pink - although Jade was all for that)

I'm good with this colour selection....

Whilst at Bunnings getting paint - we found these LED light bulbs that changed colour (you can also set them to plain white)

The kids loved them....

(though, since this - Blake has gone back to a plain white bulb as it had to be "turned" to white whenever you'd turn the light on - there was no complete "set" feature....  Jade's one is in the second half of her room - so she only turns that light on when she's wanting it different colours - which - isn't very often..... 

(so, hindsight.... a bit of a fail)

Jade decided that she wanted to help me paint her room....   (this made the first wall use nearly twice as much paint as was necessary - and I had to go back and get some more to complete the other wall....)

Getting there... can still see patches...

mostly done.....

(and 99% on my own... 1% Jade)

I then spent my Friday night sitting on the bed making Jade's new bookshelf....

(I was banished from the lounge where Rob and the kids were watching movies)

I then put the backing sheets into the shelves to work out where all of the squares were - then worked out what colour each section had to be painted so that the one colour did not touch itself at any point....  simple process... though, when putting them into the shelves after they'd dried - I had to remember what went where.... 

Ta-Daaaaah!

(I was so happy with how this turned out....)

I got online and found this....

Jade's bed got moved into Blake's room while I was busy painting her room... so for a few nights they were a little squished.... (definitely not the same size as Jade's room!)

Drew came down to help me paint Jade's room... we figured it would probably take two days to do... but we'd finished it by the end of the day... 

We gave it a few days to air out before even attempting to move Jade back in....

I had Rob cut me a selection of stars in silver and gold vinyl - so that we could decorate Jade's walls....

We also cut her name out to stick above where her desk was going to go....

(This was way harder than it looked like it was going to be... cause we couldn't use the usual "sticker transfer" system as it would have pulled the paint off the wall)

   

Jade's disco bed....

Stars around her walls..

She didn't want too many stars... which was great....

Ahhh... the Disco ball is going!

I'm so happy with how Jade's room turned out.... and am so grateful to Drew for giving up yet another day to help with this...