The Melbourne Mob 2008
Happy 2009 from the Melbourne Menzies and Devines.
We’ve written this while at the beach enjoying what it has to offer, boogie-boarding, swimming, bike riding and for Ella, Surf Life Saving Nippers program and Kevin, surfing.
Ella’s highlight was probably her 9-day exchange trip to Hong Kong with the school, but first place would probably be hotly contested by being runners-up in her first netball grand final. She’s also had a good year of squad swimming and played violin in a Suzuki strings orchestra, as well as with an MSO outreach program. Of course, somewhere in all her socialising she manages to go to school and enjoys that, too.
Amelia is giving gymnastics her best shot – continues to love doing cartwheels, but plays spider/monkey on any piece of equipment she can find. She’s also playing violin and asked to add another instrument to her repertoire, but when reminded of how onerous starting practices can be, decided against it. She’s showing her developing confidence by picking up new friends wherever we go – even at the Ocean Grove pub on a quiet Tuesday evening. Her favourite parts of school are ‘play and projects, lunchtime and recess.’
Teresa has continued dancing this year, but Michael Flatley hasn’t called to recruit yet … we’re just waiting for the call. She picked up some extra work at Deakin University; we’ll see where that leads in the future. The same trap has befallen her as many mothers – the taxi driver for the girls’ extra-curricula activities – like the girls, she hangs our for Wednesday evenings, which herald the quiet end of the week.
Kevin and the rest of the family thoroughly enjoyed him finishing up study and arriving back in planet family life. The bike (racer) has now been used a few times again. He continues with using the commuter bike for the daily trips and has enjoyed working out of Tolls’ St Kilda Rd offices rather than the much longer commute to the edge of Melbournes’ south-east.
Enjoy 2009 – we’re planning on doing so and enjoying what’s on offer.
Love Teresa, Amelia, Ella and Kevin