A year of change

I made 'Larry the Lion' for my friend Jodie's son Jacob's birthday... and I'm pretty excited that it worked out!!

Alison at Rainbow Valley

Abbey and Pop

Hi all, long time no post so will add a couple of photos from Phil's family's visit because there is a gorgeous one of Bruce and Abbey + a couple with her toy library toys which have been a big hit. Coming soon.... the big 1st birthday pics!! Can you believe it has been a year? I've been reflecting heaps of this last year, the good, the bad and the absolutely amazing - feeling a bit sad that the years will now fly by and that we no longer have a baby, but a little girl.... I feel like I should be preparing for her 21st speech already :(

In case you're not on facebook, here is a link to an album of Abbey which has a few highlights from the last year: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35741&id=606507337&l=50e99aef92

Melbourne Holiday

We have just returned from Melbourne and a great little getaway. Abbey travelled really well and the weather held out for most of the time. We caught up with John, Stacey, Kelly and Chelsea and Elliot from Kylie's side, as well as Phil's mum and dad and sister Alison. We also stayed a night with our friend Brett who showed us around Kinglake after the fires, which was interesting. We pretty much walked around everywhere, including all over the CBD, Fitzroy Gardens, Lygon Street, Southbank etc. Phil went to watch the Saints beat the Kangaroo's, and unfortunately saw the Demons get smashed by Collingwood at the MCG. Highlights were Brunetti's cakes, the views of Melbourne from the Observation deck, Japanese tourists taking photos of Abbey in the streets, and coffee and tea in the dark laneways of inner city Melbourne. Phil's mum and dad and Alison are also staying with us in Alice Springs for the next few days, seeing as much of Abbey as possible before they go home.

Above: Collingwood have just kicked the first 8 goals of the game, who wouldn't be upset?

Below: Federation Square

Above: Elliot, Chelsea, Kylie and Abbey, Stacey & John

Below: Fitzroy Gardens

Above: Phil, Kylie and Abbey

Below: Alison & Abbey

Some more pics from Mum's visit

Mum at Ormiston Gorge

Mum and Abbey at Glen Helen (not having a drink of Iced Coffee as much as she would have liked to!)

Phil, Abbey and Mum at Ormiston Gorge

My AMAZING camping birthday cake made by the one and only Phil... what a cake!! That's 'our car', a tent, fire and waterhole on top :)

A visit from Mum

Abbey has just turned 10 months old, can you believe that?!! Only 2 months til the big first b'day which blows my mind. She is going great guns and really loved having Mum (Nana) up for a 1 week visit. We did some bits and pieces around town, had a trip out to Glen Helen and even attended the Desert Knowledge open day and looked at solar panels.....! Looking forward to my birthday tomorrow and think that Phil has something sneaky in store :)

Abbey's new favourite trick is pulling all the dirt out of the pots (and sneaking the occasional handful in the mouth)
That's vegemite on her face, not snot! This is us having drinks and nibblies in the creek down at Simpsons Gap

Having some quality time with Nana

Farmer Abbey in Phil's hat

On Mum's last night we went out for dinner to Oscars to celebrate my b'day. Abbey made it through the night by us feeding her constant pieces of potato.

Democracy at work

Unlike Rudd and his band of spin driven, media managed, debt denying, airline raging flunkeys who can't even say the word 'billion', we here at Phil, Kylie & Abbey's blog aim to tell the truth at all times in the name of democracy and all that stuff. So today, Abbey is asking our dear readers the poll question - should we have a poll? Please take your time reading all the available options and vote with a clear conscience, confident that your vote will make a difference. See the poll to the left of screen. P.S. Kylie is turning 29 on Sunday! Can you believe that she wasn't even born in the 70's, ah, so young. Little wonder she stares at me blankly when I explain the sheer greatness of the 1975 classic album, Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen. Sometimes I really feel the generation gap between us.

Growing up fast

On the back lawn at our house

Dinner with Dad

All wrapped up for the cold morning air

Our campsite on the Hugh River (I should make special mention of Lyndon's trailor bogged to the right of screen :))

Hi to all our family and long distance Abbey followers!

We've just got back from a night out camping on the May Day long weekend. We were out at Owen Springs again, this time in the Hugh River with our friends Rach, Lyndon and little Maia. The flies were a bit friendly, but this time the weather was beautiful and cool.

Here are a few pics... mostly of Abbey because she is just so damn cute at the moment!! She is now 9 and a bit months old, crawling at the speed of light and pulling herself up on everything. She is also sporting 2 front teeth to match her other little chompers (which bite quite hard I can tell you from experience!)

Camping!!!

Above: Phil, Abbey & Harry

Below: Kylie & Abbey ready for a walk

Above: The campsite

Below: Abbey in the tent

We went camping for the first time this year (except for Phil who has camped out for work) at Owen Springs. We set up the tent and swags on the banks of the Hugh River, hanging out in country first crossed by Europeans a mere 150 years ago. It was Abbey's first camp out and she seemed to enjoy the dirt, the dogs and the food. She turned 9 months old today and celebrated the day with the appearance of her first top teeth. All is good with us at the moment - work has been pretty good and the mighty Demons spanked the hapless Tigers on the weekend! (if you can call an 8 point win a spanking...).