Puddlin'

So It occured to me a few weeks ago while getting the Christmas tree ready, that this Christmas was going to be very different. Back in Melb we would be struggling to fit in all the family that we needed to see for the festive season, this year would be our first away from all the family. Naturally i felt a little sad about this, so i made a mental note to myself that we would start some new 'family traditions' to replace the older ones which we did in Melbourne. Bundaberg never seems to be short of some kind of festival or similar community get together shindig. I kid you not - they have scarecrow judging contests!! Im just waiting to get dressed in 'mah spurs ta go n watch a tracter pullin shaw' .. That'd be maddddd fucking intense!!

Anywho .. A pageant of the lights .. The name put me off to be honest, you see bergians are very simple people so i imagined they were inviting us to a beauty type pageant where light globes were judged by the public. Yeah okay, im dumb! .. Turns out a pageant of the lights is actually a Christmas festival with the major turning on the towns Christmas lights. All 24 of them!! .. Also turns out to be a great family event which earnt its title as our first new family tradition. Well done Bundy, although, maybe just call it a Christmas festival?

The 2nd tradition has not yet been agreed to, gregg is fighting it. Its Christmas carols. I really want to take the kids, i WILL take the kids!! If i could find carols in a pub, gregg would be all over that shit like white to rice!!

And many more Bundy Christmas traditions will be born i'm sure.

Today, by accident we found another tradition which im SO excited about!! It's not a tradition entirely about Christmas, but it will happen through the wet season so it IS close to Christmas!

So .. The kids and i had to walk the dogs, it was raining so we all put on rain jackets and hoodies. We get about 4 houses down and theres HUGE puddles everywhere. One look from Roxiees face tells me that she's about to jump, and im about to get wet!! I notice she's wearing her brand new frilly, pink shoes and i talk her out of jumping in the muddy puddle. My attention then turns to Heath who is 'pretending' to not notice that he is just about to step into an equally huge puddle, with his equally new Ben 10 shoes. I tell him he's not allowed and we keep walking. The kids don't protest, but i can tell they are dissapointed. They have to walk, in the rain, to give the dogs exercise and they aren't even allowed to have fun while doing it!! Meh, i could punch myself for being such a stiffler, but instead, i promise them that we will return to the muddy puddles after school/kinder.

.. And we did. After eating a nice roast chicken and veg, i get the dogs ready, i help the kids put their jackets on and their sandals and then off we go in the rain!! Its not pouring down, just drizzling really but the drainage is crap and the muddy puddles are everywhere.

The walk around our block is probably 7 minutes?? In this time the kids jump and go crazy in countless amounts of deep, muddy puddles. Roxiee has fallen into about 3 puddles and the back of her shorts look as if shes literally had the shit scared out of her. Heaths not really sure if he's allowed to do it and he seeks assurance before EVERY single puddle .. "mum, are you sure about this?" .. Me : "yes, im sure. Go crazy, get muddy. Have fun and i'll clean it all up when we get home"

I don't have a splash myself as im holding the 2 dogs who don't really appreciate the mud flying about everywhere. Thats my little poofter puppies for ya!

When they find the REALLY big puddles they both jump in together. I watch as the mud flies up onto their faces snd runs down their bodies. they are having THE BEST time!! Im waiting for some opinionated jackass to come out and tell me that they're gunna catch a cold .. To which my response wouldn't be very polite!!

Im glad that i noticed how dissapointed they were thismorning when i said they couldn't splash, and im proud of me for keeping my promise and taking them out to do it tonight. I have a feeling this will become a very regular thing, i also have a feeling that i won't be taking the dogs next time as i will want to have a splash too!!

So, cheers to new traditions, and cheers to puddlin'

(i didnt have my camera with me as it was too wet but managed a few puddlin pics of the kids puddlin in our driveway as we got back home)