Brag-ara 2015

We packed up and took the Circus to Bargara for a whole seven days this week just gone.  And it was THE BEST!

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Beach Clowns

We had booked and planned this break for nearly six months, with family friends who we like to go camping with on an (almost) regular basis, the Hunter’s.  So we made up a holiday group of nine – us five plus Sarah, Brett, Grace and Little O (Owen).  Plenty of people to play with and hang out with, which always seems to work well with our two families.  Camping with the Hunter clan is easy.  You know, when you have those friends that you know whatever tantrum the kids are throwing, where quiet time apart is OK and happens naturally, or whatever they want to do next, it’s all good?  Yeah, that’s the Hunter’s for us Harvey’s.  Despite the ages differences (9 down to 3), all five kids get along so well and are a pleasure to watch.  I really hope, and I’m sure they will, stay great friends.

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Owen doing some of the hard yards for the dam building project.

To say I was looking forward to this week at the beach was an understatement.

Christmas?  New Year?  Nup.  Well, yes… but nope! Bring on Bargara!

A whole week away with the beach just across the road, plenty of walking/riding paths, a skate park, the beach, a coffee shop, drinks with dinner, the beach, scootering, ice blocks on the grass, did I mention the beach?!  In a cabin this time, so we were a little more comfortable (read – no sand in beds!!!!!).  Heaven!

So we spent the week swimming, bike riding, running around, swimming again, turtle watching (that’s another post altogether), and most importantly, catching up on some decent family time that really hasn’t happened at all this year.  A week of no distractions was awesome.  And just what we all needed, I think.  Marc is back to work again today and having that week away right before going back to work hopefully means he feels a little bit rested and rejuvenated for the full on year he has ahead.

The brag-ara bit?  It was a week for firsts and random achievements for all the kids.  Which, if you follow my instagram account, you would have been spammed by all my holiday pics.  Luckily I wasn’t on a social media ban for the week!

Ella learnt how to ride with no training wheels on her bike!  And by the end of the week could start off on her own, she still needs to work on her braking though….
All three Clowns learnt how to ride the waves with boogie boards.  And loved it so much that we made a trip into Bundaberg to get them boards of their own.
Little O learnt to use his brakes, not his shoes to stop with.
And Grace, she learnt to rider her scooter more confidently!

To put each day in Owen’s words, “that was the BEST DAY EVER!!”

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I’ve never been sun burnt on my butt before! (And never will again….!)
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Reuben watching the surf.
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This face. Every time she caught a wave all the way back in. Priceless! (This is also how my butt got sun burnt…  Helping kids catch the shallower waves.  The things we do..!)  
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The boys and the kids. They built an epic structure, only to be gleefully stomped all over. I think Marc and Brett were secretly upset that all their hard work was demolished in seconds…

Now, how can we top that?!

Oh, yeah.. that’s right… by coming crashing back to reality with 637852 loads of washing and a welcoming water-logged Brisbane…!
And planning our January 2016 Hunter/Harvey trip!!

Mxo