Happy Birthday, James!! Cairns Style.

 Today James turned 10.  A decade, doesn't seem possible.  It was his birthday and the first day of our vacation to Cairns (pronounced Cans).  We spent James' birthday at the Wildlife Dome on top of the Reef Casino.  They have a zoo and a ropes course and zip line.  It was awesome!

 The girls were so patient waiting for us to do two different ropes courses.

 We were there for the crocodile feeding and got to zip line over him.  He could care less we were flying over his head.

 Another highlight was holding a koala, Kiah.

 Birthday dinner at Hog's Breath

And birthday cake back at our hotel.  Happy Birthday, James!  We love you heaps and hope you always remember your tenth birthday!

House Shout

 In case you were starting to think that sport is the only thing of value at the boys' school, I was pleasantly surprised to see that music is just as important.  Hope and I went to Grammar this afternoon to watch a music competition between the houses, House Music.  It's a two day competition, the first day being smaller musical groups from each house performing.  Today we went to watch the second day of competition, the House Shouts.  They had a panel of judges to judge each house.

 The results from the first day of competition, House Rock.  There are eight houses at the senior school and Spencer is in Edwards House.  I'm not sure how they decide what house you are assigned to.  I doubt they have a sorting hat.

 It was really fun to watch all the different houses perform a song. The boys played the music, sang, did a small skit and had some "dancing" (small movements).  Garran House did the song, Some Nights.

 Jessie's girl.

 The Holy Grail.

 We came of course to see Edwards House perform Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

 Spencer really is on this stage.  They put him in the back and you can't see him.

 The only picture I got of Spence was when they were coming back into the hall after their performance.

 Clements House locker room.

The War Memorial Hall where the boys performed.  What a  fun day for us to watch Spencer.  

Happy Camper

Spencer has been to camp with school twice, and it is FINALLY James' turn!  He was so excited to go to camp with his school June 12-14 to Warrambui.  They stayed in a great facility and stayed dry in the rain.  James told us he was going to stay under a dome, to which Spencer replied, "Like Hunger Games?"  Here are some pictures James' teacher took of their camp adventure.

That is the dome in the background where they stayed.  James slept in a bunk bed on the bottom bunk and was grouped with his best mates.  Their cabin name was the Blue Blueberries, which James thought was totally lame.

That's James two to the right of the smiling kid wearing black.

 Year 10 Boys went to act as counselors for the boys. James loved movie night where they watched Narnia.  He loved it all (maybe not the food).