Ashlen's birthday is coming to an end...

This would have to be the most dragged out birthday any of the children have ever celebrated. Probably due to the fact of the terrible heat around her birthday which made it not only difficult to host a party, but also made it difficult for people travelling down the coast and the mountains to come. However we would like to thank our lovely friends who made such a wonderful effort in catching up with Ashlen when they could at other times and taking the time to make her birthday and start of school so special.

We postponed Ashie's little get together to the 28th of Februrary, the day after Ashie and Lachie went to the Australian Museum for the Dinosnore adventure. That's right, we got to sleep in the dinosaur room at the museum. This was an opportunity not to miss, especially when you are die hard fans of the bones like Ashlen and Lachlan. I'm not sure how often the museum does these special nights but I'm pretty sure they are far and few between.

After school we hopped on the train, complete with backpacks (of the Kathmandu, around the world trip variety - knew they would come in handy again!), dinosaur clothes and swanky head gear courtesy of the Berliners (thanks guys she loved it!!). The littlies turned heads in every street we strolled.

The night started off by setting up our sleeping bags in the dinosaur room. Thank goodness our area was right near the steggosaurus because that is all the kiddies wanted to sleep next too! After a good stroll around the bones, we headed down stairs to the cafe for a dinner of pizza followed by a torch light tour of the museum. Thank goodness we did remember our torches because there were hardly any lights on at all! We checked out bones, crystals and minerals, sea life and got to hold a bearded dragon.

Following the tour was a craft session. Reverse Garbage were there with fabulous recyclable materials to make dino masks and the like. The kids got out of it because it was too tricky, so that left me to create while they made some dino eggs out of discarded sunglasses containers. There was foamy stuff of all different colours, cardboard, decorative embellishments - the works!

After a very late evening snack, we tucked in for the night only to up again at 6am ready for breakkie. So after packing and another little look around we headed back home to get ready for Ashie's BBQ.
Aurora busied herself and made some party games - like pin the tail on the dinosaur and colouring in pictures designed by the artist herself. A lovely way to finish off the birthday month - a BBQ with our closest friends, hanging out in the backyard on the last day of summer.

Here are the piccies - in some sort of assembled order today! (That's right, I've been at it 2 years and am finally getting the hang of how to do it)

Julia, what do you see?

Before the nights activities started Winnie the Muttaburrasaurus (sp?) graced us with her presence. She was so beautiful and very gentle with all the children, probably because she is a herbivore.

Lachlan wanted to hold the bearded dragon at the eleventh hour, but wouldn't touch it!

Lachlan wanted to be a T-Rex and Ashlen - a triceratops, her latest favourite dinosaur!

Camping out.

We slept on the floor right next to these bones!


Aurora having a go at her pin the tail on the dinosaur. Bless her heart, she really loves to make people's days that little bit better all the time. Such a thoughtful young lady.

When you are blowing out candles on your dinosaur cake you must wear your Angelina Ballerina mouse ears.

I love these candles, too cute!



Huge team effort on the cake. Damien baked the perfect butter cake from scratch! He also designed the cake and helped decorate it.....Finally!!! He did a great job don't you think?!

At the end of the day when all the festivities are over and your friends are going home, it's OK to have a cry. Poor little tired girl, she stood here like one of the sooky dolls that you see at markets. LOL.