Phil, Kylie, Abbey, Harry and Lucy - Our life in the Centre

Princess Abbey

2010-09-12T07:45:00.007+09:30

Down in the river bed at Simpsons Gap
Phil and Abbey

Having a paddle

All the princes and princesses (complete with a castle and dragon!) Abbey complete with Tiara and stolen high heels

Abbey's favourite part - cake time!

Lunch time (notice Abbey enjoying a honey joy that she stole of another child's plate....)

Abbey's new 'smile' face - she blinks in anticipation of the flash and thinks that's what we want her to do when we say smile.

Decorating the castle with the party girl Princess Taryn

A shot from behind to show the piggy tails :)

Posing for a photo in the bright backyard

Wearing her big girl nickers! They go up, down, up, down, up down and she often gets frustrated because she can't pull them up over her bottom which looks hilarious.

Abbey went to one of her best buddy Taryn's 3rd birthday yesterday which was a princess party! The tiara was off after about 30 seconds but I still think she looked pretty cute and her first time wearing piggy tails made up for it. In a day of firsts she also had her first drink of juice and her first drink of cordial - so pretty exciting for her!

Phil is recovering from a chest infection and pneumonia(!!) but we still managed to get down to Simpsons Gap in the afternoon for some cheese and bickies and a play in the (very shallow!) river that is flowing past the back of our place.

Everything is going well - Phil is yet to hear back about the Senior District Ranger job and potential move and things are progressing along well with the pregnancy... starting to show already!! I'm also enjoying acting in another job role in the P&W Tourism & Visitor Services Unit for another 4 weeks.

Photos on Request - (for you Stacey!)

2010-09-03T15:09:00.004+09:30

A tough day at the office

2010-08-02T11:42:00.002+09:30

Above: checking the burn

Below: our house is in the trees in the mid ground

Above: The climb to Brinkley's Bluff

I forgot to put these photos on my last blog. We did some aerial burning last week - hard work I know. You basically fly around and throw incendiaries out the window. It's a little more planned than that, but not much! Anyway, great to see the country looking so green.

Abbey's 2nd Birthday

2010-07-31T08:34:00.004+09:30

Abbey had her 2nd birthday last week - she is beginning to understand the concept of presents and cakes! I've also attached Abbey's new kitchen that I built - yet to have some paint. She seems to like it which is the main thing, and I really enjoyed putting it together. Not too many errors thankfully!!

PIZZA!!!!

2010-06-26T08:53:00.005+09:30

Above & below: the finished result (don't know why this photo isn't

the right way up - just bend your head)

Above & below: Making pizza is fun

Below: dress ups

We finally got our pizza stone last week so last night was pizza making. Abbey loved helping out, and of course, eating it! We reckon we did pretty well for the first time, maybe we will open an authentic Italian pizza and pasta joint with the name Tony in it....

Food, food & more food

2010-06-19T12:56:00.007+09:30

Hey everyone, Abbey and I visited the Desert Park today while Phil is doing some work for a couple of nights at Finke (Palm Valley). When I downloaded my photos, including some from a few weeks ago, it occured to me that they are all surrounding food. So, they are not the best photos, but here's an insight into life with Abbey - FOOD, food and MORE food.... "peeeaaasseee" as she would say.

"Mum are you telling stories about my eating habits again?"

"Mmmmmmm glorious cake mix..... Dad was right, this stuff is awesome"
"I wonder if I can get this entire honey joy in my mouth at once?"
"Yep!"

"Got any more food in here Mum? I'm starving."

"Seriously... are there any snacks?"

"What do you mean I'll look like a feral and get cold feet if I take my shoes off to walk around the Desert Park? You don't know what you're talking about Mum."

"Is it just me or are hills harder to walk up when you've had two cups of milk, water, 4 pizza pin-wheels and 2 honey-joys?..... CARRY ME MUM!!!!!"

Finke Desert Race

2010-06-15T22:14:00.004+09:30

Above: The Finke race

Below: Interested onlookers

Above: Abbey & Kylie

Below: He was going fast even if it doesn't look like it...

Above: I risked my life for these photos!

Below: One of these girls is not mine - but both are very cute & cuddly...

Above: Abbey guarding 'my chair'

We went camping in the river at our place on Friday night with Carolyn and Taryn - it was heaps of fun and the girls seemed to enjoy themselves too. Great roast in the camp oven helped a lot!! On Monday morning we had breakfast south of Alice to watch some of the frontrunners drive past in the Finke race. It was great to see the cars fly past although all the kids didn't like the noise too much. Great coffee and pancakes on a beautiful sunny Alice Springs morning - and it was a day off, what more could you want????

Our Holiday

2010-05-20T09:53:00.006+09:30

Above: Abbey, Chelsea, Elliot and Tarlia

Below: Kylie with Tarlia

Above: Phil & Abbey at Philip Island
Below: Chelsea not happy to be carried by Grandpa!

Above: Sheep dog at work

Below: Nan, Sue, Tarlia, Phil, Kim, Nath, Abbey, Kylie, Elliot, Kelli, Stacey & Chelsea

Above: Us!

Below: Sue's 50th birthday dinner

Above: Christine, Abbey & John

Below: A wombat - must be on the east coast

Above: Taking a closer look at the wombat

Below: Mum, Kylie, Abbey and Dad in Albury

Above: Papa showing Abbey a moth

Below: I love this swing

Above: We both miss seeing the change in the seasons

Below: Abbey at the playground

Above: Mum winning over Abbey with cake!

Below: Papa's 90th with his grandchildren

Above: Papa's 90th

Below: Alison & Abbey

Above: Papa talking to Craig

Below: Abbey's new cousins from QLD

We got back yesterday - it's nice to be home we must admit, although we will probably change our mind on Monday morning! We had a great time, too much stuff to mention, but the highlights included, Papa's 90th birthday; seeing all the family; Abbey getting to know her grandparents; Philip Island and Wilsons Prom; going to the footy in Melbourne (despite the results); Sue's 50th; and watching some Sheep drafting at Stacey's house by a guy who happens to be the Mayor of Wedderburn - obviosuly not too much on the council agenda that day!! It was great to see everyone again, and we look forward to Christmas if we both get our leave....

Abbey at Daycare

2010-04-14T20:37:00.004+09:30

Hi all, this will be our last post before our month long holiday to NSW/VIC starting in a weeks time (yay!) I have mentioned to some of you that Abbey has a little best buddy at daycare, Bailey, so here are some photos of the two of them together. Very cute!

See you soon!!

Easter & Camping

2010-04-05T20:56:00.006+09:30

VERY early morning pancakes, sticky hands and a Mum not up for photos!
Meeting a camel at the Camel Farm

Abbey the dirt magnet

Sitting in the camping chair she got from Grandpa for Christmas (and eating pancakes)

A face full of dinner, dirt and yoghurt

Rainbow Valley with all of the recent greenery

Having fun on the claypan

Hi everyone, here are some photos from our Good Friday camping trip as promised. We went to Rainbow Valley and got ourselves a good spot on the outskirts of the park on pastoral land where there was a bit of shade. We had a rough night as camping in a tent under the full moon didn't work for Abbey! Hopefully with a bit more practice she'll learn to love it. We also enjoyed an easter egg hunt at Dave & Carolyn's house - Abbey even tasted her first chocolate! We'll try and post some photos of that soon too. Only 2.5 weeks til we fly to Melbourne and start our Vic trip which we are really excited about.

Abbey's first house

2010-03-24T15:14:00.006+09:30

Above: Kylie & Abbey on the Larapinta Trail

Below: The cubby house

Below: Abbey about to go 'undercover' on the beat for the fun police

Hi there. I've finally finished Abbey's cubby house. Luckily she loves it - she will ever know the amount of hours, the number of splinters, the many times I swore (under my breath), or the amount of mistakes I made along the way - but that is what being a parent is about I am discovering! I loved making it anyway - it has been a good learning curve for me and it has made me realise that even if I could, I would never want to build my own house!! We are all well here, not much to tell. Talk to you all soon.

Due to popular demand.... more photos of Abbey!

2010-03-18T19:32:00.004+09:30

Taken just this morning - she props herself up on my lap to try and steal my breakfast!

Rugged up for a rainy walk in the floods a couple of weeks ago

Not much to report from us... 5 weeks to go til we arrive in Albury, then Melbourne, then Bendigo. We are really looking forward to it but we're both a little freaked out about how much work we both have to fit in between now and then (probably not as freaked out as our friends Rach & Lyndon who will be having twins between now and then!)

The cubby house is really progressing (2 walls, roof and floor) and Abbey already LOVES it. Phil's been a bit crook with a cold, I've been enjoying some beautiful walking weather and have ventured out onto the Larapinta Trail and to the Desert Park a couple of times.

My Dad got engaged to his partner of 7 years on the weekend which is pretty cool and hopefully will mean a bonus trip to Bendigo or if I can convince him to wait a bit longer a wedding at Christmas time :) We are SUPER excited about Dave and Michelle's pregnancy news and can't wait for Abbey to have a little Cowan Cousin.

Love to you all, KP&A xx

2010-02-24T20:10:00.003+09:30

Above: Abbey 'Spears' fighting off the paparazzi

Below: Mum's chocolate brownies are good!

Above: As I was saying....
Below: It's cool to wear your sunnies inside. Now, where are you?

Below: Good choice to have a glass table....Windex are doing well.

So right now I'm building Abbey a cubby house - it's a comfy 1 room open air condo tucked away in a leafy backyard, with river frontage. Located close to Mum and Dad, this will sell quickly. In line with Alice Springs property prices, we could probably sell it for $150,000 if we wanted to! I'll upload some pics when I've completed it. Above are some shots of Abbey enjoying her food - she does eat most of it, but some is more fun to play with!

Almost 1.5 years old!

2010-02-10T21:43:00.005+09:30

Abbey would follow Jacob anywhere he went!

Checkin' out the scene at the Alice Springs Town Pool with her buddy Jacob

Reading the book Gran made for her about her holiday to Adelaide, Bendigo and Albury

Mowing the lawn in the nuddy with Dad (helping to push anyway because it wasn't actually turned on :))

Playing with her friend Jake in his firetruck... she just jumped in the door behind him ready to go for a ride!

Abbey in the beautiful dress Heather and Bill bought for her before she was even born!

G'day everyone, just thought I'd update all of our far away family with some of our latest Abbey shots... something different! We've been keeping pretty quiet and looking forward to the weather cooling down in the next month or two. I'm working 3 days a week now and Abbey is loving daycare and all the fun and friends there. We are really looking forward to visiting in April/May for Papa and Mum's birthdays (90 & 50) as well as the arrival of Nathan and Kim's first baby (which they will call Tahlia... hmm I better find out how to spell that!) Speaking of big birthdays - I'm turning 30 this year too, wow!

Enjoying the Rain

2010-01-12T06:19:00.003+09:30

Above: This is better than the town pool

Below: I wish this was a turbo....

Above: Kylie & Abbey

Below: My favourite picture of Abbey & I

Above: That sand looks comfortable!

Below: Not a bad backyard, pity it won't last!

Another summer, another flood

2010-01-09T15:56:00.004+09:30

Above: the usually dry creek - that's a no swimming sign - good advice!

The creek outside our house has run for the 2nd time in as many summers - as well as all the major rivers in and around Alice Springs - the Todd, Hugh & Finke. Abbey and the dogs have loved the change to top end conditions. We have too, despite the humidity!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T20:48:00.006+09:30

We hope that everyone had a fantastic Christmas, and that you are looking forward to the new year. We had a great day - only about 30 degrees, 10 down on the Wednesday before, and we had a great time with our best friends - 8 in all plus 3 small children. The camp oven roasts were awesome even if I do say so myself, and Lyndon declared that it was 'the best Christmas ever'. Not bad I reckon! Anyway, here are a few pics of the day. Happy New Year.

Above: Lyndon & Rach (available for modelling all year round!)

Below: Dave showing how the 'Yanks' can kick an AFL ball

Above: Lyndon using the official Essendon coloured ball - pink...

Below: Abbey midly excited

Above & below: Sharing is caring

Above: Tayrn checking out a weird Aussie invention

Below: Karina the story teller

Above: lunch!

Below: Opening presents

Above: Abbey in her chair from Grandpa

Below: Close up!

Above & below: Abbey in full present mode

2009-12-20T09:13:00.004+09:30

Above & below: Having fun at Ormiston Gorge

Above: Cooling off at the pool
Below: Thanks for the table & chairs Dad!

Kylie and I spent last week at Ormiston Gorge (me for work, Kylie for fun!). We both enjoyed the change of scenery and the chance to swim at the waterhole. I made Abbey the table and chairs - she loves them but won't get off them, even for dinner! We hope everyone has a great xmas and new year break - talk to you all soon.

2009-12-10T15:58:00.003+09:30

Above: What's around the corner?

Below: I wish I could reach the brakes!!

Above: Smile for camera

Below: Fun at the beach in Adelaide

Above: Big hat, or little head?

Below: Taryn and Abbey on the couch

2009-11-08T20:03:00.003+09:30

Just a quick update to keep the folks happy!! Here is Abbey in her nice dress, and playing on her swing which she loves. Now that summer has well and truly hit, the clothes are coming off in the yard. Luckily she loves the water so she can cool off when things get too hot. By the way, my Movember team has raised almost $1000!!! Thanks to everyone who has donated so far. Just to scare you, here is a progress photo of me! Imagine how bad I'll look in another 3 weeks....

Our almost toddling toddler!

2009-10-29T13:14:00.003+09:30

Abbey and Niczavier (one of the other Rangers kids) at the Buffel Cutters (Simpsons Gap) social club... This is what Abbey looks like 99% of the time... grubby and with a mouth full of food!

Hi all, it's been a while so I'm updating our blog with a couple of pics of our gorgeous Abbey (well you might beg to differ when you see the photo of her eating!) Things are going well here - starting to warm up for a long summer. Abbey took about 12 solo steps last week and then gave the idea of walking up and has barely taken a step since! She is loving this little pram though which requires good balance and concentration so I think it is good practice.

Back from WA

2009-09-30T13:44:00.009+09:30

We got back from WA late yesterday. It was a great trip despite the rain (only 3 days where it didn't rain at least once!). We spent lots of time with family, went to the beach, took heaps of nice bushwalks, drank lots of wine and coffee, and generally had lots of fun exploring. It's good to be home though, so we'll have to plan our next break away. More to come....

Above: WA family - Ivan, Margaret, Christine, Hedley, John & Kylie

Below: "Is that the last of my food??"

Above: Fishing with the boys - I hate fishing!!

Below: Peaceful Bay on a typically sunny afternoon

Above: Kylie at the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse

Below: A towering Karri tree

Above: Jetty at Rottnest Island

Below: Abbey & I bikeriding around the island

Above: Kangaroo Paw in flower at Kings Park, Perth

2009-08-30T21:19:00.004+09:30

Abbey has discovered that it's fun to walk by pushing this cart type thing in front of herself. We reckon' that it's pretty fun too - except when you close the front gate and she gets mad that you are preventing her from wandering down a busy road! Off to WA on Tuesday, will update when we get the chance.

Time for an Update

2009-08-20T21:01:00.007+09:30

Phil has just completed a fauna survey at work - they didn't catch alot, but this marbled velvet gecko was pretty cool. The survey was at Hugh Gorge in the West Macs - pretty rugged but beautiful country. Pity the weather is starting to feel like summer already though! We are now only a couple of weeks from going on our holiday to Western Australia. Looking forward to a beer in Fremantle, walks through the forests in Pemberton, and tasting the wines of Margaret River. I sense a theme developing here... We will also catch up with plenty of family, take Abbey to pat some farm animals, play golf (Phil only) and hopefully drink plenty of coffee at some nice little cafes. Can't wait!!

Above: Abbey hanging out on her swing

Below: Let me go!

Above: part of Hugh Gorge

Below: Taking the family for a walk in town

2009-08-09T21:00:00.006+09:30

Just thought I'd add a couple of photos to Abbey's 1st Birthday post below :) I had to add this photo because Abbey's expression is hilarious!! This is us enjoying morning tea out at Ormiston Gorge. Chelsea looks less than impressed!!

Dirt and Abbey are the bestest of friends

Proud as punch on her new little car... thanks Aunty Stace....!

Opening presents with a little help from two very helpful cousins!

Abbey's 1st Birthday

2009-07-19T20:08:00.010+09:30

Above: Abbey & cake

Below: The cake - mint choc ice cream no less....

Above: Opening presents, well Maia is anyway!
Below: Cup cakes!!!

Above: The joey
Below: The other joey - different from above mammal due to
lack of pouch & unsavoury eating habits

Above: Abbey on her faithful steed waving to the throng

Below: Chelsea enjoying the river

We celebrated Abbey's first birthday on Saturday (actual birthday not until tuesday), which was a great event - mostly due to Kylie and Stacey's cooking skills - see pics for examples! Abbey has been a bit sick but she made an appearance to keep the crowd happy. Stacey, Chelsea and Elliot are staying with us at the moment, so apart from everyone getting sick it has been fun!! We had an orphan red kangaroo joey dropped into the house tonight. We played animal carers for an hour until we palmed it off to the wildcare mob. 2 babies plus one other child is probably all we can handle at the moment, not to mention the dogs were pacing the backyard licking their lips waiting for a snack.

A year of change

2009-07-12T21:54:00.005+09:30

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

2009-06-11T10:15:00.009+09:30

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

2009-05-27T17:21:00.002+09:30

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

2009-05-23T22:50:00.002+09:30

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

2009-05-20T22:20:00.007+09:30

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

2009-05-04T21:24:00.004+09:30

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!!!

2009-04-21T19:46:00.006+09:30

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...).

2009-04-11T21:12:00.002+09:30

Abbey, me & Nan (and the rest of Alice Springs) at Ellery Creek

Nan and Kelli enjoying a glass of red at Simpsons Gap

Kel and Abbey in the comfy chair Mum got us for Chrissy

A bedtime story from Great Nana

Well as you can see from the pics, Nan and my Aunty Kelli have been up in Alice Springs for a week which has been great. They are they first of the family visits for the year and we are looking forward to visits from Mum, Bruce & Marg, Alison, Stacey & kids and then meeting up with Dad in WA in Sept... so a full on year ahead! (and we'd love to throw in a trip to Brissy to see Dave and Michelle as well :)) Abbey is loving the attention and we've had lots of cuppas, shopping and a trip out to Glen Helen for lunch.

8 months

2009-03-28T10:20:00.003+09:30

Abbey's heart beats true

2009-03-08T16:41:00.004+09:30

The Nazis and the Communists would probably call it 'indoctrination', but I'd like to think that if Abbey had a choice, she would have picked the red and blue hoody to wear. She can already hum the lines to the team song, and her favourite player is Russel Robertson. Go Dees!

Above: Near Bond Gap, west of Simpsons Gap

Keeping the family happy

2009-02-28T20:48:00.005+09:30

More pics of Abbey to keep the family up to date. Just imagine when there was no internet or digital cameras!! She is 'shuffling' forward these days - not quite crawling but very close. Kylie goes back to work in a few weeks so Abbey will spend a few days a week in childcare. I'm sure she will have heaps of fun - Abbey, not Kylie that is. Pics below are: 1. Beating the heat at the pool. 2. How much fun is the bath? 3. Mmmm...I think I'll wear the pink suit after my bath. 4. In her Sunday best.

2009-02-12T16:52:00.006+09:30

Above: One of our resident Goannas

Below: Abbey in her jolly jumper thingy

Above: Phil & Abbey at the Gap taking advantage of a cool change

Below: Abbey eating a coaster - her first attempt at eating a non-food product - in this case, cork from the bottom of the coaster

Abba dabba doo - 6 months old

2009-02-04T22:50:00.003+09:30

Hi all, just thought I would add a photo of Abbey sitting up (her new favourite trick) and showing her two little toofy pegs (which are very sharp I can tell you from experience.... SO glad not to be breastfeeding anymore!) I think she is the cutest baby in the ENTIRE WORLD... Hmmm does that sound biased? Naaa.

2009-02-02T21:54:00.005+09:30

Above: Looking south from Simpsons Gap

Above: the range east of Simpsons Gap

Below: Abbey in denim

Well we are all home now from our holiday - it is hot and humid (great), but not 45 like Adelaide! The country looks fantastic after all the rain so I thought I better show everyone + we can't have all the photos of Abbey can we?? Speaking of, she is now 6 months old - which she has marked by a very needy phase (ie: lots of crying if left unattended) but we still think that she is a little rippa. Her front chompers are getting bigger and she is eating solids really well - not long before she can have a steak I reckon! I just booked flights to Melbourne in June to see the mighty Demons destroy Collingwood at the MCG - can't wait already.

Xmas holidays

2009-01-07T08:17:00.008+09:30

Hi everyone, here are a few holiday photos from our trip away. The time away has been great and Abbey has travelled really well. She is getting her first teeth and has tasted her first 'real' food - both big milestones!! We have been to Adelaide, Mount Gambier, the Great Ocean Road, Albury and Bendigo. We are in Bendigo at the moment and will be heading home next week via the Flinders Ranges. Talk to you all soon!

Above: Abbey on the Great Ocean Road
Below: Apollo Bay

Below: Abbey in her winter woolies (a rare thing for her)Below: Kylie's family at the before-xmas xmas lunch

Below: The Cowan clan in Albury

Below: Abbey, John and Kylie

Below: Nana and Abbey - just 88 years difference

It's hot, damn hot

2008-12-04T10:48:00.004+09:30

"It's hot! damn hot, real hot, hot & wet ! That's ok if you're with a lady but it's terrible if you're in the jungle!" Apologies for this crude (but entirely appropriate) quote from Good Morning Vietnam. It's all I can think of now it is exceeding 40 degrees. Oh well, it is summer after all. Abbey is staying cool, just chill'n on her rug. We leave for xmas Sunday week - can't wait

Abbey is 4 months old

2008-11-22T08:28:00.006+09:30

Abbey turned 4 months old yesterday. She is learning to grab things with her hands now and is loving looking around her surroundings. She is also sleeping great - last 4 nights she was only up once!! Needless to say we are enjoying this new phase a whole lot more, especially as she becomes more interactive. It's only 3 weeks unitl we start our xmas holidays - can't wait to see everyone, although I know who will get the most attention. Luckily we will receive $1000 from the Govt before xmas to 'stimulate' the economy (or in our case, put it in the bank where there will be no stimulating taking place without our permission thankyou very much). At least beer and cigarette sales will be up across the country (only joking).

1. Simpsons Gap before another storm

2. Abbey eating her fingers as an entree

3. Abbey sharing a joke with her dad

More Rain

2008-11-16T12:33:00.002+09:30

Well it rained pretty solid all last night and we woke up to Roe Creek flowing for the second time in a week. This time Kylie and I both had a swim on the tyre tubes - great fun! The dogs also are loving all the water that is around. Unfortunately the rain has destroyed a walking track on the park which means more work for me... We are also 'cutt off' from town which isn't necessarily a bad thing! All the other major creeks and rivers are in flow around the region - the Todd, Hugh, Jay Ck etc... If only there was water all the time, I'd definitely buy a kayak.

Above: Roe Ck over the road into Simpsons Gap

Below: Flooded River Red Gums

Above: Kylie going for a float

Below: At the Gap

A drop of rain

2008-11-08T20:52:00.004+09:30

The dam near our house

The remains of the Roe Creek flood waters coming out of Simpsons Gap

Well you might have heard(?!) that the mighty Todd River was in full flood today, but more importantly so was Roe Creek just out the back of our place. Unfortunately it was bank to bank during the night and by the time we got photos in the morning it had gone down quite a bit. Nonetheless Phil got some pretty good pics and we all (me, Phil, Abbey, Harry and Lucy) went down for a beer, biscuits and cheese at the dam which was pretty cool. Oh yeah, and some more Abbey photos for good measure :)

An Abbey Update

2008-11-06T14:59:00.003+09:30

Hi all, just wanted to share a cute photo that one of the mum's from my mum's group took of Abbey with her son Fraser at the pool. They both have rosy cheeks because it is pretty hot.

We're going pretty well, Abbey has just come out of some pretty horror bursts of crying including one night where Phil and I got about 2-3hrs of sleep. Hopefully that's over for a while at least!

She rolled over last weekend which was pretty cool... she did it twice in one day and then hasn't done it since :) We are REALLY looking forward to going down south in about 6 weeks time for a drive along the Great Ocean Road and some time with family in Bendigo and Albury. I think everyone will love seeing Abbey a bit more interactive (and heavy!)... some excited uncle's, aunties and great grandparents will be seeing her for the first time, yay!

Abbey hosts her first morning tea

2008-10-23T15:07:00.004+09:30

G'day everyone :) Here are a couple more photos to keep you updated. Abbey hosted her first party today... mum's group at our house. All the babies are getting so much more alert/hair/smiley/heavy and cute!

Abbey holding hands with Jacob.... awwww!

We have a Euro that comes into our backyard regularly for a drink. This photo was taken standing in our back doorway.

And one more for goodluck! P.S. Abbey had her first laugh on Sunday and turned 3 months old on Tuesday, what a milestone!

Abbey is 3 months old!

2008-10-12T17:42:00.005+09:30

To appease the extreme and over the top demands from our family, here are more photos of Abbey!! Also a frog for something different (last seen at Simpsons Gap waterhole).

2008-10-06T09:56:00.003+09:30

Kylie, Chelsea, Stacey, Abbey and Elliot at Abbey's Dedication Day
The happy family :)
Tuckered out after a big day

Abbey is so smart she is already reading books.... hee hee
Chelsea enjoying a swim in the backyard
Chelsea hasn't quite got eating etiquette down pat yet!!! Enjoying a nice bit of corn for dinner!

Abbey and her cousin Elliot
The old stunned mullet look which Abbey has mastered
Elliot at the Alice Springs Reptile Centre with a Bearded Dragon

Here are a few more photos of what we have been up to recently. My sister Stacey and her kids are visiting us and we've been having a pretty fun (at times very chaotic!) time. We visited the reptile centre where Elli got to pat a snake, get up close to a crocodile and hold some lizards. Yesterday was also Abbey's dedication day at church which went really well (based on the fact she didn't cry in front of everyone!) It's been really funny watching Stacey's kids Elliot and Chelsea who both have the funniest little personalities and have been providing us with hours of entertainment. It's been really hot so we've been inside a fair bit but getting out every now and then for the kids to have a swim. Abbey has enjoyed lots of cuddles from her cousin Elliot (who is learning the meaning of the words 'personal space!') and a few 'love taps' from her cousin Chelsea... who is no longer allowed within 1 metre! Anyway, more later.....

Cyclonic conditions in Alice!

2008-09-23T18:42:00.003+09:30

Yesterday a 15 minute storm hit Alice Springs and had the same intensity winds as a category 1 cyclone (well so a friend of a friend told me....!) Fortunately we were on the edge of it here at Simpsons so we didn't get quite so battered, but in town trees were down everywhere and power was out to most of the town for most of the afternoon and night. I got some pretty good photos outside our house on Phil's camera of the dust storm that came through after the rain.

This is the back of our new house at Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell National Park. Now we are only about 15 minutes out of Alice Springs which has worked out great.

I guess we can't go by without putting at least one photo of our little cutie on here!! She has the most beautiful eyes!

and now for something completely different...

2008-09-21T16:26:00.004+09:30

Above: A smile!!
Above: Abbey is modelling an outfit bought at the new

Alice Springs Target - Kylie's very excited about that....

I thought that the hearing protection photo was a timely one, not that Abbey is actually all that big a crier, it's just when she does cry, I tend not to cope the best! Abbey is starting to smile alot more now, and we finally caught the moment in a photo, which is easier said than done sometimes. We are going really well and have enjoyed having John and Christine stay for the last 2 weeks. They have been a big help which we appreciate. I'm off to Darwin for a week next week for a work conference, and Kylie's sister Stacey is arriving on Saturday - should be fun (and hectic!). My AFL Grandfinal prediction - Geelong 15.12.102 def Hawthawn 13.8.86 ??????

An Abbey Update - 8 weeks old on Monday

2008-09-14T14:34:00.006+09:30

Well although at times it is hard to see, Abbey is certainly making progress! She is putting on a good amount of weight and although we have had to give her a top up of formula the last two nights the breastfeeding has improved heaps (thank God!!) I'm taking her to have her first lot of needles tomorrow afternoon, and not being a needle fan myself I'm dreading it so much!

She is smiling a lot more now... especially with my Dad (who is visiting with his partner Christine) making lots of funny faces at her. Can you believe it has been two months?.... We can!! Hardest two months of our lives for sure - this time last year we were on a European holiday... oh how times have changed!

More photos

2008-08-29T16:03:00.003+09:30

Above: Mum, Dad, Abbey, Kylie and myself
Above: Abbey and 'Pop' just hangin' out

Below: She's beautiful when she's alseep!

Mum and Dad leave tomorrow. It has been great having them here to help us settle in to Simpsons Gap. I start work on Monday and our next visitors are Kylie's Dad and Christine in a weeks time. Kylie is leading our work footy tipping comp by 1 going into the last round - wish her well for a good round of tipping to secure the coveted top spot!!!

New house, Gran and Pop visit

2008-08-24T21:10:00.002+09:30

Well alot has happened since our last post. We have made the move (only or so 30km) from Owen Springs to Simpsons Gap, part of the West Macdonnell National Park. The house is great with a nice yard and heaps of room. Mum and Dad arrived on Saturday and are enjoying spending time with their new grand-daughter. We are pretty tired from the move but we have had some amazing help from friends - special thanks to Ben and Janele and Rach and Lyndon - we couldn't have done it without you guys! Also mum and dad have been a big help. Hopefully Kylie and I will one day have a long sleep that is not interupted by anything (not that we are complaining, we are just a little tired!!). Speak soon.

The extremes of Abbey

2008-08-18T08:26:00.003+09:30

Above: looking observant

Below: perfecting her 'not happy Jan' look

Abbey is a complex little character who's mood can change quicker than you can say FEED ME I'M STARVING!!!! We are riding the whirlwind at the moment but she is 1 month old today already - kids grow up so fast these days. She had a really good sleep last night so we feel a lot better than a few days ago. More to follow.....

3 weeks old

2008-08-10T16:20:00.003+09:30

Just thought we'd add a couple more pics for the family. My mum left yesterday - she was an AWESOME help during her 10 day stay at Owen Springs. Now its the big 2 week countdown until Phil's mum and dad arrive... we are hanging out to see them and introduce them to their grandaughter!

In the next few weeks we will be moving house to Simpsons Gap. Mum and I had a tour of the house and it looks like a fantastic place to live and we are really looking forward to it.

Nana to the rescue!

2008-08-03T15:09:00.003+09:30

Abbey looking pretty dazed and confused!

Wearing her gorgeous beanie made with love by Gran (Phil's Mum)

Well it's almost 2 weeks on and I think we are finally starting to get in the swing of things. My mum arrived on Thursday and has been a great help - giving Abbey lots of cuddles, giving me some sleep and giving Phil some peace and quiet!

We went on a little outing to Standley Chasm today just to get some fresh air. It was a great thing to do as we were all going a little stir crazy. Not to mention that Phil bought some camembert, salami and sundried tomatoes... all the good things I haven't been able to eat for a long time. Yummo.

Also... In case anyone is wondering, Abbey's middle name (Lynne) is named after my lovely Nana (Lynette) and it is also my Mum's middle name.

Monday 28th July - Abbey arrives home at Owen Springs!!

2008-07-28T17:52:00.005+09:30

Well we've had the BIGGEST week of our lives so far and are now at home at Owen Springs. Abbey will be 1 week old tonight at 11.36pm!! Thanks to everyone who sent their best wishes and for all the phone calls to say congratulations.

Mum arrives on Thursday to lend a hand and to meet her brand new Grandaughter. We've come a long way in the last week and we think Abbey is just perfect. Can't wait for you all to meet her soon... In the meantime here are some more photos to keep you updated!!

Say hello to our newest family member, Abbey!

2008-07-22T20:19:00.002+09:30

Hi everyone, just a really quick blog, Kylie gave birth to a healthy girl on Monday night, Abbey Lynne Cowan. She did great, and both mum and baby are doing well. Here are a few quick pics, more to come no doubt!!

Only 2 weeks (?) to go until a life changing arrival

2008-07-07T10:18:00.002+09:30

Well as much as I hate this photo and am embarrased to show it, here is a photo of me at 38 weeks pregnant. Looking pretty damn big all over really!

Finding it really weird to go from very busy full time work to maternity leave, but trying to savour the time while I have it. It's been good for getting that last bit of preparation done.

Everything seems to be going well but we'd still like the baby to arrive a week early... We're a bit too excited and impatient for it to be a week late!

Well this will be the last 'pregnancy posting' until the baby arrives - we'll be a mum and dad in the next photo you see!! How scary!

Week 34

2008-06-09T10:17:00.002+09:30

Hi everyone, Kylie is now 34 weeks pregnant and feeling pretty good. Apparently the baby now has fingernails, and is working on getting its lungs up to capacity, as well as putting on as much fat as possible. Sounds like me at morning tea time! We don't have much news at the moment - I bought an old trailer last week that I am going to fix up (probably only interesting to me). We had a farewell dinner for our best friends on Saturday night. It is pretty sad that they are leaving town, back to the U.S, and we will miss them heaps. More to follow next time.....

30 weeks and counting down

2008-05-11T13:20:00.003+09:30

Well we're nearly into the single figure count down. Pretty amazing how quickly the time is passing at the moment... I hope the baby doesn't come early because I have way too much work to do! (at work and at home).

Everything is going pretty smoothly apart from my nasty cold. The baby is starting to kick harder and watching my stomach move around is like watching..... hmmm not really sure how to describe it but I guess it's like watching another human moving around on your insides funnily enough :) Freaky stuff. Such a miracle though.

My sister Stacey's first baby was born at 32 weeks! Hopefully ours waits a bit longer, although some days we're so excited that we'd like to meet it (her for all of you who haven't been told!) straight away.

Antenatal class all day on Saturday which will be a bit of an eye opener for both Phil and I to say the least.

Heritage Night

2008-04-26T16:17:00.002+09:30

On Thursday night, Parks and Wildlife staged another successful Heritage Night at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. It was a good turnout and a fun night. We went to the Dawn Service on Anzac Hill, but they forgot to sing the national anthem - at least I think they fogot??? Anyway, I don't think anyone actually cared, how very Australian!

27 weeks and kicking goals

2008-04-22T16:24:00.004+09:30

Hi there,

Kylie is 27 and a bit weeks today - here is another pic for you. All is well with us at the moment, and we will keep you posted on how things are going later. We have a new email address by the way - philandkylie8@bigpond.com and we obviosuly still use our work addresses. I thought I should add a photo of me in France last year, at the Courcellete cemetery in the Somme. I am beside the grave of a distant relative, Robert Hair, who died during the attack on Mouquet Farm (near Pozieres). 11,000 men were killed, wounded or went missing in 1 month, to take 1.5 miles of front. Pretty amazing stuff, happy Anzac Day. Talk soon, Phil, Kylie, Harry, Lucy and 2 thirds baby...

24 Week Belly

2008-04-06T16:11:00.003+09:30

Me, Maia, Lyndon, Karina and Rachel in Jay Creek (about 5 minutes up the track from our house) having drinks and nibblies with the mozzies

Me at 24 weeks - 16 more weeks (?!) of growing left to do

2008-03-21T15:22:00.002+09:30

Happy dogs
Happy gardener

Not so happy bovine

Hi there everyone, just an update on the old blog for you. Kylie is doing very well - on Sunday she will be 23 weeks, so we are getting there slowly. Kylie's mum, Sue, is staying with us at the moment. It is a good chance to catch up before chaos hits our quiet little lives in a few months time. By the way, the book I quoted from in the last post was intended to be funny. Apologies to anyone without a sense of humour (ie: my brother Dave!). The dogs (our first and most important children) are doing well and are looking forward to meeting the new baby, or maybe they saw the photo above of all that lovely cow meat. You don't need to buy expensive meat at the supermarket when you have fresh meat right in front of your eyes (or .308 scope, whatever the case may be...). Also, Kylie has made me put a photo of my vegetable garden triumph!!! How big are those zucchinis?? Talk to you all later, Phil & Kylie.

2008-03-10T10:14:00.003+09:30

Kylie - 19 weeks

Kylie - 21 weeks

Parks & Wildlife high level meeting

All is going well with Kylie and the baby - as you can see she is starting to show pretty well now. We are playing the waiting game from here on out, and I am trying to read up on what my role (the dad!) will be throughout this whole event (hopefully not passing out or anthying like that). Here is some advise I have been reading on what not to say during labour:

Wow, look at all that blood!
Boy! I'm glad I'm not you right now!
Can you be a bit more quiet? You're embarrassing me
Did you turn the stove off?
Hey, is that supposed to happen?

I think I would be a dead man if I utter anything of that nature - and fair enough too! Apologies for the lateness of photos, our blog was experiencing some technical difficulties (ie: it wasn't working). In other news, I have just got back from a work trip to Katherine which was lots of fun - and hard work.... See above for a picture of my serious work colleauges at the classic road side stop, mmmmmmm. Talk to everyone soon, Phil, Kylie, Harry & Lucy

Our first baby photos

2008-03-03T16:12:00.004+09:30

Well I know that this isn't everyones cup of tea but here are some photos of our ultrasound. Phil was 10x better than me at seeing the different bits and pieces!

This is the baby's hand and forearm

This is a profile shot of the baby (head/face and shoulders)

It's alive

2008-02-26T16:16:00.002+09:30

Kylie and I had our scan on Monday. It was a pretty amazing experience to see the baby's hands and feet and face and everything else for that matter! It has brought the reality home alot more, and was fantastic to see our baby for the very first time. I will post some pictures in the coming days, stay tuned.....

Finally some rain!!

2008-02-01T09:53:00.000+09:30

My nephew Elliot on his very first day of school.... Check out the size of his backpack!! He caught the school bus from out the front of his house - I'm soooo proud, excited and nervous for him!

Downstream from the road

The road into our house. The dogs LOVED the water and Lucy had her 2nd ever swim.

Me standing in the raging torrent (and our friend's dog Kaia)

Well it's always exciting to get some rain out at Owen Springs and yesterday arvo it finally arrived. Our neighbour Ben rode home on his motorbike and had to push his bike through some creeklines, but when he got to this river it was bone dry.... an hour later I came home and the Hugh River was flowing! Our car got it's first taste of river crossings, slippery mud and big puddles - Phil was very jealous that I was driving!!

On a different note, I had a midwives appointment yesterday and all is well. Got to hear the heartbeat again which is going strong - probably the most reassuring sound for a 1st time nervous mum to be I think!!

The family wagon

2008-01-15T21:09:00.000+09:30

Hi there everyone. Kylie is doing well at the moment - 13 weeks gone by and counting! We thought we better buy a family wagon if we are going to have a family, so here it is! In truth, I have always wanted a Ford Territory, so the family thing is just an excuse really. Apart from that, all is going well. We are finding the days a bit hot, but we must be getting somewhat used to it, as it doesn't feel as bad as it once did (above 40 degrees, that is). Talk to you all later, Phil & Kylie

SOME BIG NEWS

2008-01-08T15:16:00.000+09:30

Hi all, we have some exciting news that we are glad to finally let everyone know about. Kylie is pregnant (12 weeks) and we are expecting on the 21st July! It has been hard work to keep things a secret, and Kylie has been sick on and off for a while now (really sick while we were on holidays unfortunately), so it is a relief to explain to those who hadn't guessed our news already. We have bought a family friendly car, so we are well on the way to becoming a Mum and Dad!! We have both seen its heart in an ultra sound, and Kylie heard its heart beat last week, so it is definitly happening. I'm hoping for a boy, but clearly will not care either way, and we want it to be a suprise on the day. Anyway, we will update you as more news comes to hand....

Wildlife Watch

2007-12-19T12:01:00.000+09:30

Kylie & I had some unexpected guests at work today. They were actually from a group of 6 released onto Owen Springs last week and have found their way back to the houses. Luckily the dogs were more puzzled at their appearance rather than thinking it was time for lunch!

Weddings, parties, anything

2007-12-03T07:41:00.000+09:30

Stacey
Kylie
Phil, Kylie, Nath, Mum, Nathan, Stacey, Nan, Phil & Jo
Kylie, Grandpa, Aunty Margaret, Uncle Ivan, Aunty Molly, Stacey
Kylie & her niece Chelsea

Stacey & Nathan got married on Saturday, it all went well and Stacey looked amazing in her dress. It was great to catch up with the family during the week, and especially good to see some people from WA that Phil hadn't met before. We are now in Albury catching up with Mum and Dad until the end of the week, when we return to Alice Springs. Talk soon.

Mighty Movember

2007-11-27T20:30:00.000+09:30

Recently I used the wafer thin excuse to grow a mo because it is Movember. Some friends and I thought we would look cool (as proven by the pic below...) but I really didn't like the Mo anyway, so I shaved it off pretty quickly. We are currently in Bendigo for Kylie's sister Stacy and her fiance (better half - he said) Nathan, for their wedding and the christening of their second child Chelsea. We are back in Alice at the start of December, ready for the heat of summer. Talk to you all soon, love Phil & Kylie

Home from Europe

2007-09-29T09:24:00.000+09:30

Well, we survived our trip, although not sure how we survived the 150km/hour taxi ride to the airport from Rome asthe driver was talking on 2 phones at once, writing notes in his diary, and changing lanes more often than Italy changes its governments! As Obelix would say, "these Italian's are crazy". We are really glad to be home again to the dust of Owen Springs, and we had a great time throughout the holiday. Plus I get the added bonus of being home in time for the AFL grandfinal, go Cats! See you all soon, Phil and Kylie.

Photos (top to bottom): Mum, myself and Dad in the Cotswolds

Villers Bretonneux Cemetry, the Somme

Paris, Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triumph

Kylie on the Eiffel Tower

Vienna

Street scene, Florence

Cable car, Switzerland

Typical view of Switzerland

Lifestles of the rich and famous in Capri, Italy

France, Switzerland and Italy

2007-09-16T22:18:00.000+09:30

Hi all, it has been a while between posts so we thought it was time to say hello. We have had a great time in Paris and the Somme, with Kylie disgracing international relations between Australia and France by picking up a speeding fine within 5 minutes of driving! I think I may have told her it was 100, but it was only 90,oh well.... Anyway, we then moved on to Switzerland where we spent a week with mum and dad and alison eating as many toblerones as physically possible. We were in a great chalet, and the views of the green fields, ice capped mountains and bell ringing cows was like a scene out of a movie. Now we are in Italy where everyone drives like a maniac who really wants to die, the gelato is awesome, and we have eaten a years worth of pizza already in the first 2 days. We are writing this from Venice (not Vienna as I called it today) and head off for Florence, Rome and the Amalfi coast for the next week and a bit. We will be home soon, so we will catch up with you all then. See you later (or Ciao as the Ities call it!!). Love Phil and Kylie. P.S. Sorry, no photos this post, we will put some up on our return.

2007-09-03T01:07:00.000+09:30

We thought we should update the blog since we have been on holidays now for a week or so. We have had a great time so far, hired a European buzz box and drove all around the English countryside. We stayed at York, the Yorkshire Dales, the Great Lakes, the Peak District, and the Cotswolds. We have done plenty of walks, some kayaking, a bike ride (our legs still hurt!), boating, as well as fitting in a ale or two in between. Our favourite spot so far is the Yorkshire Dales - so lush and green, as well as peaceful, and the Cotswolds was also very beautiful. We are off to France tomorrow to visit Paris and the Somme Valley, Kylie is getting excited about the WW1 battefield tours we are going to do there. We will try to update you all as we go along. Best wishes, Phil and Kylie.

Helmsley Castle

Rievaulx Abbey

Yorkshire Dales

Trees

We're here!!

2007-08-23T16:57:00.000+09:30

Well after a LONGGGG plane trip we finally made it to 'overseas'... more specifically England. We've seen so much already and even went on a tour of the Queens House - Buckingham Palace State Rooms (the Queen's on hol's up North).

Have to make this a quick message, but g'day to everyone back home :) We're having a ball and we're about to go pick up our hire car and head up towards Scotland for some walking, cups of tea and a pub meal or ten.

P.S. The weather is very English... eg. rainy, bleak and the exact opposite to Alice (perfect!)

2007-07-29T14:13:00.001+09:30

Dave stayed with us for 5 days last week. We went out camping, took a trip to Finke Gorge and the West Mac's NP, played golf, table tennis and the equally important, Playstation games. Dave cooked his first ever damper, and we had an awesome roast in the camp oven too. We went out shooting (but found nothing alive except the odd tin can), so I'm sure Dave, you are a bit unimpressed that the week after you left I managed to get 2 camels that had strayed onto the park, sorry about that.... Anyway, it was a good time, but as usual, went too quickly. We are now only 3 weeks from heading off on our trip, so we are getting a little bit more excited about it as you could guess. Talk to you all soon, Phil & Kylie.

The Tale of the Plumber's Crack

2007-07-13T13:53:00.000+09:30

Having experienced some trouble draining the office sink lately, I decided to have a bit of a dig to investigate. Thinking it might be just some dirt, I was pretty impressed to pull out the offending couple of metres of tree roots that had found their way in through a cracked join. Not bad I reckon! No wonder the Gum tree at our office is so huge, it has been feeding off years worth of spent coffee grains, expired milk containers and dishwashing liquid - yum. As the famous plumber Kenny would probably say, 'Here's another case of a tree with a two inch branch trying to fit into a 1 inch hole', or something to that effect....

My new niece, Chelsea

2007-07-07T13:53:00.000+09:30

This is a photo of my brand new niece, Chelsea (a girl, yay!!) It's a bit of a shame that I won't get to meet her until the end of November, but I guess that's the price you pay for living in Alice Springs.

Welcome home Rach & Lyndon

2007-06-08T11:45:00.000+09:30

Our sign

Dave's tank

Kylie and I are very excited and pleased that our good friends Rachel and Lyndon have moved back to the Alice. We were so excited that we thought we would advertise the fact to anyone driving up and sown the Stuart HWY last Sunday afternoon. I'm sure that's not illegal right?? Anyway, it's great to have them back after living it up in the land of the latte set, metro-sexual guys in pinks shirts and absurd hair cuts, the great suburban sprawl and the traffic jams of Melbourne. Dave and Michelle (my brother and his wife for those that don't know) are coming to stay with us in late July. Should be great. Hopefully Dave can bring his tank down - would do a good job of feral animal control I think.... or visitor management.

"All the colours of the 'bow man"

2007-05-11T10:31:00.000+09:30

This was the view that greeted me driving back into the ranger station on Wednesday. Good enough for a photo I thought. It's Kylies birthday in a few weeks time - I'm hoping she likes what I have got her, I seem to be good at getting her things that she has never hinted at before, which isn't always a good thing. I'm sure it's just a male thing, otherwise I have no excuse. Anyway, post your messages of happy birthday to Kylie below. She will be turning 27 on the 24th of this month. Sometimes I can feel the generation gap between us (well, 1 and a half years anyway), she had never even heard any of Bruce Springsteen's back catalogue from the mid 70's until she met me - can you believe it??

And now for something completely different

2007-04-29T19:58:00.000+09:30

Yes, we keep posting photos of our dogs on our blog because we have nothing of note that is happening in our lives at present. Actually, we are waiting for some photos from Kylie's mums trip here over Easter, and then we will have something to show you all!! We have been visiting some key spots in the West Mac's lately to get some photos that will be going on a newly designed sign project for the Larapinta Trail. The trail is a 220km walking track over some pretty rugged ground, and the new signs will be placed at the end of every section of the trail (12 sections in all). Hopefully they will look ok. Below is a pic in Hugh Gorge, but it probably isn't going on a sign. All is going well up here for us both at the moment. We are looking forward to the trip to Europe - see to the right & above for our countdown clock! Talk to you all soon hopefully. Phil & Kylie.

It's Raining Cats & Dogs (well, mainly dogs)

2007-03-29T10:26:00.000+09:30

I just got back from Finke Gorge National Park, after we were washed out due to some heavy rain. It wasn't all bad however, as you can see from the pics below, with waterfalls everywhere and the odd bit of flooded road for our driving entertainment (yes, that is a road, not the Finke River!). Our newest family member Lucy also seems to enjoy the muddy conditions.

Kylie's Mum will be here for Easter which we are both looking forward to. Hopefully the rain will have gone away by then Sue (it is only 21 degrees today!).

See you all down the road, Phil & Kylie.

Above & below: Wet waterfalls

Above: Wet dog

Below: Wet road

Say hello to Lucy

2007-03-11T16:57:00.000+09:30

Well, we had an unexpected guest arrive on our door step last week, who we have named Lucy. She is Harry's new best friend (we had talked about getting him a mate for a while), and they seem to be getting along pretty well. My first reaction was to get the .22, but she was in really good nic, so we both went soft and have decided to keep her on (for a trial period of 10 to 15 years!). We also went to Ellery on the weekend - pretty hot, but always a good view. Not much else has been happening that I can think of right now, so we will catch you all later!

Anyone for flies?

2007-02-23T09:01:00.000+09:30

Well, summer is in full swing here in the Centre. 10 trillion flies during the day, maybe a billion mozzies at night, and hot temps mean only one thing - I start complaining and mention to Kylie every half hour that I can't wait for winter again. Ahh, listening to the footy on the radio while reading the sports pages - Melbourne Age of course!, hot coffee in front of the heater watching TV (usually more footy), and camping out under the stars with a roaring fire. Anyone else keen?? You may be able to tell that we don't have much news at the moment. We are both thinking about our trip overseas now that we have got some money back from the insurance company, as well as having renters in our house. How soon until August??? Below is an 'abstract' photo of Kylie that she doesn't know I'm putting on the blog. All I did was blur the picture except for her face, and crop the edges pretty severely. I like it, but I might be the only one!

Our Backyard

2007-02-08T15:27:00.000+09:30

Here are some shots of Owen Springs.

Latest Happenings

2007-01-27T13:15:00.000+09:30

It looks like we finally have some tenants for our house! They will move in early next week, but Kylie and I will only breath easy once they are actually in the house. We will put some pics of the re-tiling next time we update the blog. We both went to Boggy Hole in Finke Gorge N.P last week, really beautiful place. We also picked up our 'new' car (if 60 odd thousand kilometres on the clock is considered new). We can't wait to get some good use out of it camping on roads the Commodore couldn't handle. Kylie took a promotional photo of it near Wallaby Gap, so here it is!

Central Netted Dragon @ Owen Springs

Finke Gorge N.P

Our new car

Q) Could our house troubles get worse? A) Yes, actually

2007-01-13T10:52:00.000+09:30

Well, our bathroom leak has finally been fixed, only after the water has destroyed our hallway carpet, most of the bathroom tiles, the paint in the study, as well as horrifying potential tennants! Luckily our insurance will cover the carpet, re-painting, damage done by the plumbers and some re-tiling. We are also getting new tiles in the toilet and laundry, new hallway carpet, plus a split-system a.c. in the bedroom - if it's not rented out with all that, we give up! Anyway, apart from that, all is good. Kylie and I went out on Section 2 of the Lara Trail to get some pics for the new trailheads recently. It was nice to get out for a walk in the bush to take our minds off things. Below is Arenge Bluff, and some of the Spinifex back-lit by the late arvo sunshine. Talk to you all later.

The year ahead

2007-01-04T10:42:00.000+09:30

We thought we should update everyone (anyone?) on what has been going on in our lives - it's been a while. We had a fun christmas, it was freezing here (mid twenties!) but great for our days off. Our house in town still isn't rented out yet and we have got a bad leak in our bathroom that will probably cost a million dollars (give or take). It is really starting to get us down but hopefully we will finally have some positive news to tell everyone soon (ie: somebody to rent the joint). Apart from that, all is going pretty well. Work is good for us both, and we are loving living out at Owen Springs. I've sold my Commodore and we are picking up our 'new' car in a few weeks. It's a Mitsubishi Triton dual cab ute, so we will be able to do a lot more camping with access to all our bumps roads out here. We are a bit sad as our GREAT friend Karina has moved back to Sydney for the next 12 months. We will miss her heaps, but will see her again soon. We are going to the UK/Europe this August which will be the highlight of the year I think. Kylie may need sedatives in the days leading up to leaving as she is already very excited! Anyway, this is the most I've ever written. so I should go. Have a great year everyone, and we will hopefully see most of you around the traps. Phil & Kylie.

Robbies Bore, Owen Springs Reserve

Phil, Karina, Harry & Kaia

River Red Gum leaves

Merry Christmas Everyone

2006-12-18T16:07:00.000+09:30

Well, it's that time of year again, when TV screens the 238th re-run of the Griswolds Family Christmas (love that movie!), the Aussies punish a limp English batting line up on Boxing Day, I eat like it's the last time I'll ever see meat again, and the old Rolf Harris xmas classic, '6 White Boomers' is played until the cd player overheats. We both wish everyone a great Xmas break and a happy New Year. We are spending our break here at Owen Springs this year. It will be nice to have a quiet one, although we are a bit jealous of everyone having holidays. So, Merry Xmas to all!!!

Above - Our tree, over 40yrs old so therefore qualifies as a family heirloom. She's a beauty, although it may be a little bare in some patches...

Crikey, take a look at that little beauty!

2006-11-22T16:21:00.000+09:30

Below is a photo of Kylie handling a LIVE SNAKE!!!!!!* It is a Mulga Snake, which is very dangerous and could kill if mad enough . Luckily Kylie is a trained professional, or she may have been biten. Harry alerted us to his presence last night and he ended up right next to the front door, just a little unsettling. *The snake was actually dead, killed by an unknown guy with a large brick (mean bugger).

Here are some more random pics for your enjoyment and entertainment...

More kids deep in concentration

Harry again...

Moving in, kids, and of course, more of Harry

2006-11-13T08:43:00.000+09:30

All our stuff is finally here at Owen Springs, and we have unpacked everything. It now actually feels like our home, rather than just a place to sleep! I've put in a few photos for those that visited the house before, just to show the changes. I've also included some pics of the kids that Kylie helps 'look after' at church, they are pretty funny and make a great subject to take photos of. Harry is a media junkie, he now has his own agent we have to go through to get a photo of him published.

The lounge (above) & the shed (below)

Kids church (below)

We can't publish a blog without Harry getting a run...

Owen Springs Wildlife

2006-10-20T10:05:00.000+09:30

As our favourite Aussie adventurer would say, 'Australia is as vast as it is large', which incidentaly has nothing to do with this current blog. In my travels however, I have come across a few animals of interest on the Reserve (see below). The lizard is a Perentie - largest lizard in Oz, while the little mammal is a Dunnart (this particular guy is relatively uncommon around here). So, thanks for watching, and I'll see you, on another all Aussie adventure......

Harry impersonating a lamp shade

2006-10-05T08:11:00.000+09:30

In a sad development in the life of Harry 'Bitey' Cowan, Harry left a small piece of himself behind at the vet on Monday (2 small pieces actually). He now walks around doing his best lampshade/spacedog impression, looking every bit the shattered shadow of a once proud, virile young dog. Enough to make you weep......except that it really hasn't changed his pyscho puppy enthusiasm one little bit. At least he can't run off with the Dingoes that would have resulted in a litter of crazy mongrel biting hydrid Dingo X Camp dog puppies! We love our little Harry.

Latest Events

2006-09-19T21:02:00.000+09:30

Kylie and I have had a great time with all the family in Alice Springs here a week or so ago. Alison flew in from New York City, and Dad and Gayle celebrated their birthdays together. Dad is now 60 - good on you Dad!! We had a great birthday dinner, and the super fit ones climbed Mt Gillen - see below for the proof...

Moving to Owen Springs... Phil's promotion to Senior Park Ranger!

2006-08-21T11:26:00.000+09:30

For those of you who don't know, Phil has been promoted to 'T3 - Senior Park Ranger' at Owen Springs Reserve. He started work today and we spent our first night in the Park house last night. Phil will be based out there during the week and after the Masters Games I'll move out there permanantly (and hopefully work from there a couple of days a week).

To find out a bit more about Owen Springs (including where on earth it is!!) check out the website and fact sheet http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/owensprings.html

After 'renovating' our bathroom it's back to basics!

The house comes with recliner chairs and couch (which Phil is already VERY attached too!), fridge, 6 seater table. The kitchen and lounge area is all pretty neat and tidy.

We will move all our stuff into the house in November which will make it look really homely, but for now it's the bare minimum.

This is the back of the house where we will have BBQ's and stuff. The house is 3 bedrooms - plenty of room for visitors! Call now to make a booking :)

The last Ranger to live here is leaving us his pool! (and his table tennis table)

This is the front of the house. The views around are great - Harry loves it out there and didn't want to come back home with me this morning! Bring on the 4WD so we can get out and explore our new backyard... a bit different to Larapinta... aka 'the Bronx'

Our first sighting of a Central Australian Echidna!

2006-08-21T11:14:00.000+09:30

This is probably not one of the smartest
things I've ever done, but here is me
trying to relocate an Echidna from the road at Trephina Gorge (hmmm those spikes are actually very spiky...)
Anyway! We managed to get him off to the side and Phil got some great shots. After hearing for 5yrs that Echidnas do actually exist in Central Australia and seeing plenty of evidence of them - it was very exciting to finally see one.