Easter 2014

This year Easter was done a little different than previous years.

Easter 2012 had the kids hunting for Eggs.

Easter 2013 had Nevaeh away from home and Jie and I visiting friends.

This year we all went to spend Easter with my father in Boronia.

We left on the Saturday around 10am. 

We caught two buses and a train.

We got to Pop's around 2pm.

We had a bet on the horses and had pizza for tea.

Sunday morning the kids and I woke up and went to church.

It was different.

I was a little out of my comfort zone.

No one welcomed me.

No one spoke to me.

But I poured my heart into tears for my Lord that morning.

To know that He died for me.

After church the kids and I went bowling.

It went a little like this..

(Music video, may want to check your computer volume)

No Easter eggs were actually consumed on Easter this year.

But there were lollies, hot cross buns and slushies.

And worshiping and crafts and fun!

The night ended after watching a movie in bed beside my old man..

Monday became 'home day'.

No one was excited.

The long journey home was not appealing to any of us.

After a little shopping for school clothes for the new term fast approaching.

Dad loaded us into the car for a surprise trip..

Reading the signs I soon realized where we were.
As we went through the Yarra Junction and into Warburton there was so much familiarity.
Bike tracks my brother and had once ridden down.
Shops we had once brought drinks and lollies from.
Soon Dad and I were talking about our 'firsts'.
He showed me were he and a mate drank for the first time.
The exact shop he first stole from.
The footy oval he used to eat fish and chips at before going home for dinner.
We laughed and laughed.

But the surprise was still yet to come.

When I was younger, around 9-10 years old our family made some amazing memories.
My brother and I went on a camping trip with our father.
This trip is still one of my highlights made with Dad.
We camped out the back of a strawberry farm beside the Yarra River.
On a property owned by one of my Dads mates.
That year we were aloud up the river on our own to fish.
We rode our bikes along the local bike tracks.
We picked strawberries for our cereal in the mornings.
We roasted marshmallows by the fire at night.
We could hear the kookaburras and other native birds every day.
We went swimming.
We went night fishing.
We tried fly fishing for the first time.
We rode the rapids on our air mattresses
And one night all dads mates came down for some fishing and Allan (Dads best mate since the age of 15yo and also who my brothers named after) caught a platypus.
It was one of the most amazing things I remember.

On the Monday Dad took us Click here!

I was able to retell all these wonderful memories with my children.
And remember some of the best memories I have of my own childhood.

The bridge (top left + top right) - Jie in front of the bridge (middle left) - The Strawberry Farm (Middle Right) - My kids crossing the same bridge just as my brother and I once had. (Bottom)

BEST EASTER GIFT EVER!
(money can't buy memories)