Eight

Look who turned eight the day after Lily's third birthday.

I swear I was in denial, due to the fact that I had bought Monet two birthday cards on two different occasions (one was from MrL & I, the other from Lily) and BOTH had the number seven on them!  Eight.  Such a rounded number.  A grown up number.  A number when I personally have a lot of memories of.

We had decided that Monet would have a birthday party this year.  Her last party was when she turned six.  So on her actual birthday we (being my parents, MrL, Lily, Monet and I) went out for dinner and came home for cake.  As you do.

The following day was 'Party Day'.  I had been preparing 'Thank-you' gifts, food ideas etc., for a few weeks but I still found myself extraordinarily busy early on that Saturday morning.  We live across from a park / playground where we held the party with eight party guests (all girls, of course!)  We sent Grandad across the road a good hour earlier to reserve the one and only table, which is undercover.

I stayed home preparing the final food.  Like Fairy Sushi.... (a big hit)

and choc-dipped waffle cones overflowing with fresh, tasty strawberries....

Earlier in the week I had organised the drink bottles for each of the girls in attendance.

Present opening from friends is always fun, is it not?

Lego was the flavour of the day in terms of presents. A big hit with her dad the party girl.

I swear, I was so very exhausted on Saturday afternoon.  It was all the preparation and then the socialising and making sure everyone was happy which wore me out!  I wouldn't have been able to pull off such a successful party with out the help of MrL, my Mum and my Dad.

Monet, I can't believe is eight!  What a great age it is currently turning out to be.  Growing up a little bit more, being a little more responsible....

And the cake!  I haven't shown you Monet's 8th birthday cake.  It was great as no leftovers!

Saturday

Saturday saw myself and the girls head 'up the range' to a little hamlet called 'Speewah'. Up through rainforest, a windy road and twenty-odd minutes later we were there. Monet had been invited to a birthday party at the 'Tavern'. I was a little weary about going to a birthday party at a Speewah to begin with, but to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement. Surrounded by trees, the Tavern had heaps of outside undercover seating and tables, a lush green lawn and a safe, two tiered swimming pool behind a child-proof gate.

Lily and I dropped off Monet and headed back to Kuranda, a five minute drive away.  They call Kuranda a village in the rainforest.  I call it a Hippy Town in the Rainforest.   We actually had a nice time together, looking at the little shops and market stalls.  Lily was rewarded with an ice-cream (BANANA!!) for her good behaviour.  I'm pretty sure she enjoyed every lick...

Kuranda is one of those towns that is actually very pretty and it is nice to visit.

I particularly love the big trees in the main street.  Made us realise we are a long way from Abu Dhabi.

With a bit of time still to kill before collecting Monet from the party, Lily and I drove down to the Barron Falls Lookout.  After living in the area previously, it was one place I had never been before, except by the Scenic railway back when we first moved to Cairns in 2006.

It was awesome.  I only wished we had seen the falls six weeks ago when they were in full flight!  It isn't so much of the wet season up here now...

It was very pretty, with a fabulous boardwalk through the forest treetops.  Lily and I did start the walk but as time was clicking we turned around to collect Monet.  I will make sure that we keep going along the boardwalk at a later date.

Monet had a terrific time at her party which was nice to see.  She's starting to fit in and find friends from school.

And it made me realise just how amazingly different the world is.  From rainforest, to desert and back to rainforest again.