i'm grateful for 'sticks, stones & fly fishing - a self imposed long weekend'

Greetings all,

Oh boy, what a gorgeous long weekend our family just enjoyed.  My husband & i dropped the children at school on Friday (we slowed the car down to 40km/h & pushed them lovingly) then a spot of shopping for fishing lures & high tailing it down this gorgeous tree lined driveway to Poacher's Pantry for lunch, the famous smoked meat goods shop & restaurant.

We dined inside next to the fire & alongside the pantry, we shopped from our seats, brilliant!! 

 Remembering we had children, we headed back into the city to pick them all up from school & then headed straight down the Barton Highway to Gundagai.

 Spending time with my husband's best mate & his lovely family is one of my favourite things in the world.  After a delicious lamb curry dinner, the children baked scones.

 The best behaved child gets to lick the beaters, that's the rule!!

 Time to explore the 100 year old house where they live part time in Gundagai.  The children are wearing gloves because a) they are weird & b) husband's best mate is a butcher & has standards when preparing food for other people. 

 Our nerdy high schooler brought her parachute experiment to test in the grand old stairwell.  We deprive her of any great heights at home as we live in a single level home.

 The house has 2 levels they don't use - check out this pantry on the middle level!!  Now that is my kind of pantry, room for a lounge??

Our boy found the gym, pumping those muscles before a day of fishing.

 Then i spied this old school table & seat in the hallway, i want it - perhaps without the brick, but i could upcycle that lamp, channelling Thea&Sami??

 Before we went fishing, the men took the children for a walk down the old railway lines & found this tea pot tree, native to Gundagai.

Rounding up the children we headed for the Tumut River.

 Do you think this ended well??

 My husband's best mate teaching our eldest daughter to fly fish.

 It was about this time i realised this little girl had her top on backwards, she had flipped the necklace over & didn't have a care in the world.

 Handsome soldier hunting wild beasts for our lunch.

 Behold the lucky rainbow trout catch-of-the-day who was quickly returned to the river, after everyone had a pat of him.  I'm surprised with all the stones the children were throwing & skimming on the river, there were any fish hanging around at all.

 "Look mum, i can still go deeper!!"  I'm just thrilled he realised if he tucked the faux socks at the top of his gum boots inside, they wouldn't get wet.  One minute later, his boots were filled with water anyway & drying by the fire, along with his jeans & socks!!

 I love watching how our children play together, then one by one, branch off to do their own thing.  This one was a tad Lord of the Rings, building her own fire.

 We provided much entertainment for these Angus cows.

 Running with sticks & towards fire no less!!

 Much excitement when we found some wild bush melons & check that cow pattie!!

 Little bit thrilled my beloved scissors brand Fiskars also make axes!!

 Why did a bother with jeans & gum boots, everyone left in knickers!!?? 

 I spent a wee while lying on the picnic rug, under a gum tree, looking up to this beautiful sky.

So it was a weekend of gourmet food, home baking, children running free, country air & only confirms our family desire to move out of the city to stake our claim on some land outside of Canberra, so every weekend is like this.  Tomorrow my husband leaves us again, he's back in Brisbane & on course (minimal phone contact) & we won't see him until the July school holidays, sigh.  It was a nice little holiday with him home this past week, now back to reality.  Only 19 months to go in our 3 years of living apart, i think we should have a little party in July when we're over half way!!

To see what everyone else is Grateful For this weekend, check out Maxabella Loves.  Have gorgeous weeks everyone, love Posie
Oh & don't forget this great Lego giveaway i have running for just one more week!!