3rd Cavalry Regiment Plaque Dedication

My Dad is in Canberra this weekend because the War Memorial was laying a plaque for the unit that he was in, in Vietnam. We had the privilege of tagging along with him.

At the first service at the Vietnam War Memorial a flag was raised for every man of 3 Cav killed in the line of duty.

Dad was the only man there remaining in uniform. A fact that I (and he too!) is very proud of. The other return servicemen all approach him to have a chat.

I think it is very important that the boys learn all about their military heritage. They had a great lesson today with two services to get through. They stood fairly still through the last post and the minutes silence. Our only hiccup was when an ambulance went past and Benny had to point it out.

The boys got introduced to an APC (Armoured Personal Carrier) Dad's method of transport through Vietnam. Matthew was very impressed, although disappointed that they had to take the guns off it!

The plaque will now sit in the pathway at the war memorial.

Of course no visit to the war memorial is complete without a visit to see Uncle Teddy. There is a new exhibit open at he war memorial entitled 1945 - today. Which had an awesome Vietnam War display. It has a full size Iroquois helicopter complete with sounds, wind and lights. Dad spent a long time in there. There is even a quote up on the wall from one of his mates.

My visit to this new exhibition really opened my eyes to certain aspects of the war that I knew about but I have gained a deeper understanding of. For example the way the media was used during the war. Media should report the news not a political agenda. The media has alot to answer for the mental health of many return servicemen. One quote on the wall is along the lines of "I don't have many friends come around anymore. If you weren't there, you cant understand". I really feel the media really did a hatchet job on every soldier fighting in the Australian defence forces.

The Vietnam War Memorial on ANZAC Parade.

This wall on the memorial has saying used by the soldiers and quotes of the time. The one the brings me to tears every time is about the Welcome home march for Vietnam Return Servicemen that was held in 1987. Many, many years after the war had finished. I remember this march. It was something that I shouldn't have seen because it should have been held immediately upon their return. It breaks my heart that men and women who were doing what their government had asked them to do, got no respect when they returned. But in a way, it was a good thing because I got to see something that I otherwise wouldn't have. I remember it being a day of joy and pride at watching my Dad and Grandad march. I remember waving Aussie and Vietnamese flags. I remember Grandad swapping sides of the road so we would see him march past. I felt the same feeling I felt when I was ten today, watching my Dad salute when the last post was played. I am very proud of all of his achievements as a soldier. I hope some of his bravery and courage has been passed down to his grandsons. I will be doing my best to ensure they value his service to this country.

The iconic image of the Iroquois helicopter used in the Vietnam war.

Happy Birthday Grumpy!

We are so lucky to have Grumpy in Canberra today when it is his birthday! The boys waited patiently all day for him to arrive. They spent their time making birthday cards, wrapping his present and making his birthday cake.

We made a Camo army cake. At Matthew's request. Well actually Matthew thought Grumpy would prefer a tank cake but when I told him that would be outside the scope of my talents he settled for an Army cake.

When the boys were sent out to find all of their army men to put on the cake Matthew came back with one poor guy who had been chewed in half by Barkley. When I said it probably wouldn't be any good on the cake he replied with "Naaah, its still ok, that guy will just be the dead one!"

So happy birthday Grumpy. We are so happy that you are here!

Cousin Molly

We were very lucky (even if they weren't so lucky!) to have my cousin Karen and her 7 week old daughter Molly come to stay a few days. I was very excited to have an infant female in the house!

Miss Moo is very very cute and looks so much like her Daddy! And she is a dream baby. On the first night she was here she only woke once! At 7 weeks! I was then lucky enough to look after for a few hours so Karen could get her nails done. And she (Molly not Karen!) was absolutely gorgeous......until she woke up. And then she demanded her mother. And she refused to take anything else! But it didn't put me off wanting another!

The boys were so taken with her. She was absolutely taken with them too. Just not in this picture!

Growing up we always had lots of contact with our cousins. Unfortunately for my kids they live at opposite ends of the country so they rarely get to see them. So it is really nice that they are getting to know their second cousin.

SICK!

We have had an awful lot of fun this week with a tummy bug. It all started on Monday when we got home from school and Benny said to me he wasn't feeling well. I gave him very little sympathy as we were in a hurry to get ready for Auskick. 2 minutes later Benny was spewing all over Matthew's brand new colouring book that he had two minutes ago opened! So I rang Nath and said Benny wouldn't be going to Auskick but I would drop the other two off. As soon as I hung up, Matthew spewed all over my couch! So I called Nath back and said none of us would be going! From then on it was juggling spewing kids and my cousin Karen and her bub Molly who had just arrived for a visit. It continued on most of the night. And Matthew must have been feeling so unwell. I asked him if he need a cuddle. He looked at me and I could see him thinking "Awww Mum, I'm a big boy!" But then he thought about how sick he was and he decided he really did need a cuddle from his mum. So he crawled up into my lap.

But our sickest little boy was Benny. I took this photo just after I had to put him down off my knee to help Matthew. The poor bugger was so exhausted he fell asleep where I had left him!

But it got even worse! 2 days later guess who had her head down a toilet bowl! You guessed it!

Thank Goodness for gorgeous friends!

Well Nathan is away......again but when I look back it hasn't been that bad. And it is because I have gorgeous friends! At least once a week over the last three weeks we have all been taken in by friends and fed! Last night Matthew's best friend's family has us over. It was just Kirsty and I and the 6 kids between us. And it was noisy and rambunctious but it was great. Six kids spread around the table was just beautiful. Mind you, not something we would want every day. But alot of fun every once in while. Kirsty has a girl older than Matthew, Dylan Matthew's age and Alysa who is Bens age. We know our kids will be going to school together for the foreseeable future and really enjoy how well they all get along. Even Ben and Alysa have a beautiful connection. So much so I apologise profusely for the future! We decided last night as long as we are not too young when we become Nanna's that will be ok. It is quite interesting for me to be forming connections with people that my children will more than likely go to high school with. As an army brat you couldn't think more than two years into the future. My parents had no idea what kids would be around in my teens. But I am really, really hoping that the current friends in my life are the same when my kids are older. Because they are all beautiful!

Now here are some I prepared earlier!

Ben's first day at playschool Matthew's

Ryan's

How cute were they. I feel like in a blink of an eye i will be uploading the photos of them going off to Uni!

Ben's first day at Playschool

It finally arrived. Ben feels he has been waiting for it for three years and I have wanting to put it off for three years! But today my baby left the nest for the first time. And man was he happy about it! Today Ben felt he was equal to his brothers. He has watched them being dropped off for the last few years and it has built up a huge enthusiasm for his own schooling adventure!

He has been telling anyone who would listen he has a monster truck lunch box for playschool. He had a chat to me yesterday about how excited he was to be going to playschool but he would be a little bit sad. When I enquired as to why he would be sad he replied that he would miss me! I took him in today and he couldn't wait for me to leave! We played a few puzzles and then I asked if he was ready and he went yep gave me a kiss and cuddle, forced Ryan into one and then toddled off to play. As i drove past the windows I looked in to find him already playing with another child! I really really wanted him to be crying! It is funny, it is always my intention to produce independent children but just once I would like them to be insecure and cry for their Mummy!

When I came to pick him up he was so happy to see me. But he only missed me a little bit because he was having too much fun! The teachers said he was beautiful. He asked to go to the toilet and then asked Julie (the teacher) "May you please read me a book!" She was delighted by the request and his manners! The assistants commented that they have never seen a child so eager to be there! When i replied that i felt he had been waiting this for three years they agreed!

Any way here are the photos of my baby transitioning into boyhood!

Showing us his bag

That grin says it all really. Ben Loves playschool!

Showing us the stamp that Julie gave him!