Rock Band Hero

So this weekend we have spent getting acquainted with Rock Band hero! Nath picked it up on Saturday morning and we have pretty much been playing it continuously since! And I have now come to realise I have missed my calling. I was BORN to be a drummer!

Nathan has taken to the guitar. He had one go at the drums before I got on them and he quickly realised if he wanted to play at all he had better find himself another instrument. So he is now lead guitarist!

Matthew has a whack on the drums.

Matt and Daddy look professional don't they!

Ben loved the guitar!

Daddy helping Matthew find the rhythm!

Look at that technique!

Still strumming away

Mummy on lead vocals, Daddy lead guitarist and Matty on drums.

We let Cleon have a little go, but we had heard she tended to hog the drums so I made sure she didn't completely find her rhythm!

The Dare's joined us for dinner so Cid took up lead vocals.

Treb looked mighty comfortable with a guitar in his hands! He would have made a great 80's rocker but his hair style let him down!

Sunday and I was still drumming away! I now have callouses on my hands from my drum stick thingys!

A complete Rock Star. (tantrums and all! Ryan is currently sprawled on the floor of his room screaming "But I want too!")

Kindy Assembly

At Miles Franklin Primary every grade has an opportunity to host the school assembly. A few weeks ago it was Kindy's very first turn! The kids had been rehearsing for weeks! They performed the Teddy Bear rap, the hokey pokey, the jolly phonics jingles and 10 green bottles! Funnily enough the rendition was very similar to those you hear at drunken parties! We were very, very proud of all of them! But I got to be the most proud parent because Ryan got his first ever merit certificate whilst at the Kindy Assembly! So not only did he get to stand up in front of the whole school, he got to stand up and receive the kisses his parents were blowing him!

So here is the beautiful certificate!

This was a photo I took before the assembly started (because I'm now such an experienced assembly attender i now know you cant get good quality photos from way back where the parents have to sit!)

Ryan holding up the word "pan". The kids gave a demonstration of the sounds that they have learnt. Ryan sound was "P".

And standing up to be acknowledged for his certificate. I am amazed i got a photo through my misted eyes! The funny thing is that Matthew got his first merit certificate at last years first kindy assembly and Ryan did the same! I would suggest that they are done in alphabetical order except the kindy assembly was is term 1 last year and term 2 this year!

Matthew's first real Auskick game!

So today was the day! After three years of Auskick Rookie skills sessions we decided it was time for Matthew to go up to the Under 8's. The Under 8's play a modified game of three 13 minute thirds. He had his first training session on Monday and has been busting to play since he got his new footy boots on Thursday.

We think his jersey it a bit too much like Port colours for our liking, but they will do for now. Matthew and I both feel he would look much better in Navy Blue!


We were all surprised with how confident he was on field. Even the coach commented on his willingness to "get in there".

There was LOTS of running around and arm waving!

Meanwhile, Ryan and Ben decided to practise some of the skills they had learnt in their training session earlier in the day!

Ben doesn't quite get it yet. But what he lacks in knowledge he more than makes up for in enthusiasm!

Keeping an eye on the play.

He has a great head for footy!

This one might make a better male model!

One very proud Daddy!

We were thrilled with the whole experience. Matthew wasn't nervous at all. He played beautifully. He got a kick in and several touches of the ball. The boys must have practises handball at training because most of the boys hand balled the ball instead of kicking.

Half time entertainment

So the half time entertainment at Matthew's Auskick comprised of Cleon and Michelle playing full on tackle football with my babies!

Ryan trying desperately to get to the ball!

Michelle going "Hahahaha I've got it and you don't!"

Michelle removing the ball from my baby!

Cleon and Michelle playing keepings off my littlest baby!

And Michelle running away after putting my littlest baby on the floor!

Thanks for coming to watch and entertaining Ben and Ryan Michelle and Cleon!

The Sheean Family

I had never seen photos of my dad or his family until just recently. At Christmas time the "Tassie Rellies" sent mum some scanned photos of Dad and his family as youngsters. Furthermore, at Chrissy time Mum found out my cousins had never seen photos either. This is made even sadder by the fact that Uncle Kerry passed away just before Christmas and Auntie Josie died in 2004. So I have finally got around to scanning them into my computer and putting them up. (I was supposed to put them on facebook but I cant get them loaded,which has mostly been the hold up!) So to my cousin who will be looking at these photos. I hope you like them! Max is apparently going to send Mum as disc of photos but I don't know where that is at. In the mean time feel free to right click on the photos and save them. I'm not sure the quality is good enough to print them up as they have been scanned several times already. Enjoy!


To those who haven't met my extended family before let me introduce you to.......

My Daddy.

This is my Poppy. He died when I was 6 or 7. The thing I remember most about him was that I loved him, dearly! I remember his funeral, when I had to sit with my maternal grandparents and not my own. I remember my favourite cousin Cathy apparently had a black boyfriend! Which was announced loudly by me in the middle of the service. I remember my Dad walking past with Poppy's coffin. I believed for many many many years that Poppy died from eating too much salt! I wished I remember more about him being alive. But mostly I remember sitting on his knee and that I loved him.

My Nana Dawn and Poppy.


Auntie Josie and Uncle Kerry. Do you know that the look on both of their faces would be one that my cousins would recognise as being them. One we have all see many times before, especially Uncle Kerry's mischievous grin and Auntie Jo putting up with it!

Nana Dawn as a youngen'

My Dad. I guess we now know where Matthew got his cheeks from!

And this is what they grew up to look like!

Loony Tunes

This morning the boys were watching some Goofy cartoons. They found the old catch a victim of a house fire with a blanket hysterical! The next thing I know..........

Every single one of their soft toys was being "rescued"!

Busy, busy, busy

Ben has really enjoyed his one term home with Mum. But now he really feels he should be allowed to go to school full time with his brothers! He has seriously been driving me insane! When his brothers are home he is at them all the time, punishing them for leaving him behind. If Matt and Rye are trying to watch some TV after school, Ben is standing in front of the screen winding them up. If they are trying to catch some quiet time laying on the lounge he is jumping on top of them! If they are reading their home reader he is jumping in before them on the words that he knows! Benjamin Leslie Rickard has spent serious amounts of time on the naughty spot in the last three weeks!
So this week I tried keeping him super busy! One day was a day full of play doe. Giving him tasks like can you make me an ant? Can you make me a hamburger? Kind of stuff. But by far and away Ben had the best time cleaning all of the matchbox cars!

It was serious business! They all got scrubbed in bubbles, dipped in clean water, dried on the rack and then polished with the cloth!

He spent all morning at the sink. His mate Harry came over for lunch and he did sit down long enough to eat his chips and gravy but then it was back into it! He tried to talk Harry into it but quite frankly Harry thought he was nuts!

He had a quick nap and was back at the sink until the others came home from school!

And guess what? Not once was his bum on the naughty spot that day! I wonder what else we have that needs to be cleaned? Any suggestions?

Who left their finger in the way?

Brought to you by Matthew. 6 year old Professional cameraman! And director! (The second line is "You're getting away from me!")

The second clip is Matthew's audition tape for Blair Witch Project 2!

The Gruffalo

First of all, if you have not read this book to your children go out tomorrow and find a copy! It is the best book! Written by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Awesome! However if the stage show is coming to a theatre near you, Take your children!
I went last year with Ryan's preschool class, Unfortunately the show was sold out so we couldn't take the others. When I heard it was coming back this year I booked early. This time Daddy took all the boys and they all thoroughly enjoyed it!
The Rickard family gives it 5 stars!

I had a beautiful Mothers Day!

It started with a little lie in. Then it was breakfast time and the natives were getting hungry so daddy had to get out of bed to assist! I was offered breakfast in bed but listening to them eating breaky together while I am by myself in bed is no fun so I joined them at the table.

This was the first batch of toast. The second batch was a fair bit darker than that! So dark in fact the smoke alarm went off! But my house wasn't the only house. As I was walking around Mt Rogers I heard 2 others going off too!

I got spoilt with gifts. The best thing about school is the hand made gifts that are lovingly crafted there! Ryan covered a whole A4 card with gold and silver glitter! Matthew made a flower out of his hand prints, cut out and stuck on a straw! All three boys also attended a card making class and made a card and a stationary set. (Poor Daddy had no choice but to take Ben as he had missed out on going to the mothers day stall at school and was NOT missing out again, even though he really is too small for stamping classes!) I of course got my Pj's and slippers that I requested. I also scored massively from the mothers day stall! But before I tell you what I got here is what lead up to me receiving them.......
I picked the boys up from school on Friday and they were carrying their gifts in special taped up bags! (The mums running the stall must know surprises drive me crazy!) So I asked Matthew to show me. He said no his teacher told him he wasn't allowed to! I asked Ryan and he said the same thing! So I tried asking for clues. But no mustard! So I started asking is it a coat hanger? NO! Is is chocolate and Matthew goes Awwwwww Mum! So now i know what Matthew got me! (The best things is I know know that Matthew has a tiny sliver of me in him, he cant keep a secret either!) So I turned on Ryan. But no matter what I did he would NOT tell me or give me a hint!
On Mothers Day I found out why! He had no idea what it was that he bought me! All he knew was that it looked pretty and he thought I liked pretty things so it satisfied the requirements that Daddy had previously laid out! So what was Ryan's Mother's Day gift you ask?????



Wait for it.......



A packet of paper serviettes! Printed rose ones of course!

I am seriously the most spoilt Mum on Earth! Seriously! I think I will keep them always.

Anyway the day got even better because when the boys got back from Auskick we went for a family bike ride. Made even more special because it was Ryan first ride completely under his own steam!

He is now a bmx bandit! Well done Rye!

Apparently its good for boys.....

To pull things apart to see how they work! It develops their sense of manliness apparently! So when I go a new food processor for my anniversary I donated my old one to science!

This is a switch!

This bit goes round and round and round.

Very intricate, important scientific stuff!

Very happy boys doin' manly stuff!

The guys LOVED it. Nathan did strenuously point out that they can only pull something apart if it isn't plugged in and Mummy has given her permission!