loechner love
12 years ago
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Crosscountry at Jells Park
Blake was up bright and early Saturday morning to run the 1000 metre cross country race. It was a beautiful crisp clear morning and the grounds were perfect. Not vcry hilly as in the previous weeks. He was the fourth race and it was "Bring a Friend Day". Off they went and Blake placed first place out of 58 kids. He had very hot competition with an under nine girl who was in front of him over half the race. Well Mr Competitive was not going to let this young lady win.. no way!! Too funny...he worked hard to get in front of her and placed first. See the picture .. she was driven to beat him too. What fun it was to cheer them on and right before the finish line he looked over his shoulder to see his lead on her only to realise she was right there lol.. he almost lost the race to her but prevailed in the end. Nick said she was very dissappointed that she lost due to her being in the under nines which is the older age group. She had missed her earlier race and was allowed to run in the under 7 - 8 age group race.
Well we miss everyone and hope to hear from you all soon. Chat soon. xox Kaz
Anzac Long Weekend
Hi family and friends,
Friday was Anzac Day here in Australia.
What is ANZAC Day?
ANZAC Day – 25 April – is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
Why is this day special to Australians?
When war broke out in 1914 Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only 14 years. The new national government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915 Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the allied navies. The plan was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.
Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the "ANZAC legend" became an important part of the national identity of both nations. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and future.
Early commemorations
The date, 25 April, was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916 and was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia, a march through London, and a sports day in the Australian camp in Egypt. In London over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets. A London newspaper headline dubbed them "The knights of Gallipoli". Marches were held all over Australia in 1916. Wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended the Sydney march in convoys of cars, attended by nurses. For the remaining years of the war, ANZAC Day was used as an occasion for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns, and parades of serving members of the AIF were held in most cities.
During the 1920s ANZAC Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians who died during the war. The first year in which all states observed some form of public holiday together on ANZAC Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s all the rituals we today associate with the day – dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, two-up games – were firmly established as part of ANZAC Day culture.
With the coming of the Second World War, ANZAC Day was used to also commemorate the lives of Australians lost in that war. In subsequent years the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include Australians killed in all the military operations in which Australia has been involved.
ANZAC Day was first commemorated at the Memorial in 1942 but, due to government orders preventing large public gatherings in case of Japanese air attack, it was a small affair and was neither a march nor a memorial service. ANZAC Day has been annually commemorated at the Memorial ever since.
What does it mean today?
Australians recognise 25 April as an occasion of national commemoration. Commemorative services are held at dawn – the time of the original landing – across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country. It is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.
Dawn Service
The Dawn Service observed on ANZAC Day has its origins in an operational routine which is still observed by the Australian Army today. During battle, the half-light of dawn was one of the most favoured times for an attack. Soldiers in defensive positions were, therefore, woken up in the dark, before dawn, so by the time first light crept across the battlefield they were awake, alert, and manning their weapons. This was, and still is, known as "stand-to". It was also repeated at sunset.
After the First World War, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, a dawn stand-to or ceremony became a common form of ANZAC Day remembrance during the 1920s; the first official dawn service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Dawn services were originally very simple and followed the operational ritual. In many cases they were restricted to veterans only and the daytime ceremony was for families and other well-wishers. Before dawn the gathered veterans would be ordered to "stand to" and two minutes' silence would follow. At the end of this time a lone bugler would play the Last Post and then concluded the service with Reveille. In more recent times the families and young people have been encouraged to take part in dawn services, and services in Australian capital cities have seen some of the largest turnouts ever. Reflecting this change, the ceremonies have become more elaborate, incorporating hymns, readings, pipers, and rifle volleys. Others, though, have retained the simple format of the dawn stand-to, familiar to so many soldiers.
The ANZAC Day ceremony
Each year the commemorations follow a pattern that is familiar to each generation of Australians. A typical ANZAC Day service contains the following features: introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of wreaths, recitation, Last Post, a period of silence, Rouse or Reveille, and the national anthem. At the Memorial, families often place red poppies beside the names of relatives on the Memorial's Roll of Honour after events such as the ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day services.
Friday was Anzac Day here in Australia.
What is ANZAC Day?
ANZAC Day – 25 April – is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day.
Why is this day special to Australians?
When war broke out in 1914 Australia had been a federal commonwealth for only 14 years. The new national government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915 Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the allied navies. The plan was to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul), the capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold stroke to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which Australians remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.
Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the "ANZAC legend" became an important part of the national identity of both nations. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and future.
Early commemorations
The date, 25 April, was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916 and was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia, a march through London, and a sports day in the Australian camp in Egypt. In London over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets. A London newspaper headline dubbed them "The knights of Gallipoli". Marches were held all over Australia in 1916. Wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended the Sydney march in convoys of cars, attended by nurses. For the remaining years of the war, ANZAC Day was used as an occasion for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns, and parades of serving members of the AIF were held in most cities.
During the 1920s ANZAC Day became established as a national day of commemoration for the 60,000 Australians who died during the war. The first year in which all states observed some form of public holiday together on ANZAC Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s all the rituals we today associate with the day – dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, two-up games – were firmly established as part of ANZAC Day culture.
With the coming of the Second World War, ANZAC Day was used to also commemorate the lives of Australians lost in that war. In subsequent years the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include Australians killed in all the military operations in which Australia has been involved.
ANZAC Day was first commemorated at the Memorial in 1942 but, due to government orders preventing large public gatherings in case of Japanese air attack, it was a small affair and was neither a march nor a memorial service. ANZAC Day has been annually commemorated at the Memorial ever since.
What does it mean today?
Australians recognise 25 April as an occasion of national commemoration. Commemorative services are held at dawn – the time of the original landing – across the nation. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centres. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around the country. It is a day when Australians reflect on the many different meanings of war.
Dawn Service
The Dawn Service observed on ANZAC Day has its origins in an operational routine which is still observed by the Australian Army today. During battle, the half-light of dawn was one of the most favoured times for an attack. Soldiers in defensive positions were, therefore, woken up in the dark, before dawn, so by the time first light crept across the battlefield they were awake, alert, and manning their weapons. This was, and still is, known as "stand-to". It was also repeated at sunset.
After the First World War, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, a dawn stand-to or ceremony became a common form of ANZAC Day remembrance during the 1920s; the first official dawn service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Dawn services were originally very simple and followed the operational ritual. In many cases they were restricted to veterans only and the daytime ceremony was for families and other well-wishers. Before dawn the gathered veterans would be ordered to "stand to" and two minutes' silence would follow. At the end of this time a lone bugler would play the Last Post and then concluded the service with Reveille. In more recent times the families and young people have been encouraged to take part in dawn services, and services in Australian capital cities have seen some of the largest turnouts ever. Reflecting this change, the ceremonies have become more elaborate, incorporating hymns, readings, pipers, and rifle volleys. Others, though, have retained the simple format of the dawn stand-to, familiar to so many soldiers.
The ANZAC Day ceremony
Each year the commemorations follow a pattern that is familiar to each generation of Australians. A typical ANZAC Day service contains the following features: introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of wreaths, recitation, Last Post, a period of silence, Rouse or Reveille, and the national anthem. At the Memorial, families often place red poppies beside the names of relatives on the Memorial's Roll of Honour after events such as the ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day services.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Cross Country at Norton's Park
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Hi everyone, We got up bright and early to meet at Norton's Park off of High Street for Blake's second Saturday of Cross Country. It was a bit cooler than I thought and was quite glad I had my HOT cup of Choco bean coffee and coat! I love that skinny cafe latte. Blake was in the first race of the morning and it was a very hilly terrain. He was a bit daunted about it because usually the course is quite level. So it was going to be an interesting race. There were 11 under 7 boys and 16 under 7 girls,. They also run with the under 8 girls and boys and there were approx . 20 of them so quite a big turn out.
Blake placed 2nd in the race but was first in his age group. His time was a bit slower due to the hilly course but he did really well. I think he was a bit surprised how much harder it was with this kind of course. His friend Reece came in 2nd and Kaya placed 3rd for the under 7's. The three of them are very competitive in athletics but are great mates and very supportive of each other which is very nice to see. So nice to see them shake hands after the meet and congratulate each other ..no matter where they place. All our training as parents is paying off lol. The Manner police has done her job so far..hehehe. Next week they will be back at Jell's Park so should be fun.
Alissa stayed the Night at Yaya and Papou's house and was having a sleep in as we were freezing at the park lol. It did end up being quite a nice warm day and we never got the bad weather that was forecasted. We then headed off to The Glenn for a spot of shopping..which Nick no doubt just loves... It is just so busy on a Saturday so we didn't stay long and ended up having lunch at our Favourite Vietnamese restaurant called "Indochine". We had our Bun salad.. All I can say is YUM SCRUM!!! I am so going to find out how to make this and make it at home.
After wards, we headed over to Kareen and Arthur's place for a cuppa. They have listed their home and purchased a nice block of property a few streets away. They will build a new home on it. Looks great. Hopefully, the building side of things will go quickly for them. Maybe Nick will be interested in selling here and building in the future....ugh NOT! lol We love where we are cause everything is so convenient but I secretly would love a new house. I love the old farm style homes /cottages near the beaches. Maybe that will be our plan for when we boot the kids out at 18....lol.
Tomorrow morning we have Blake's under 9's football game at 9 am.. fun fun. WE DO NOT SLEEP IN AT THIS HOUSE!! He is having a ball playing footy and it's good to chat and catch up with the parents while we are there. Mind you Nick does the duty for footy which is a load off my shoulders..Bit of the princess I am lol. Hopefully the weather will hold out.
I am taking Alissa out of school on Tuesday and we will be touring Mater Christi ..a private girls school in Belgrave. She will go to this school (if accepted) for year 7 thru 12. It is a very nice school and has a huge selection of sports.. especially softball which she loves so she was quite surprised about that. She desperately wants to go to the public school near her primary school but this will not happen. We can only hope it will all work out for her. Jessica Bouloukis (Ali's godparents daughter) is going there and started this year and loves it. She has a few girlfriends who are hoping to go here also so should be fun to watch it all unfold. The plan is for Blake to go to St Joseph's ..which is the private boys school and is affiliated with Mater Christi. Quite a few of Blake's friends will go here also . I have included an arial view of Mater Christi.
Mater Christi is not very far from here and is near the Puffing Billy Steam Train. Mom and Dad..remember we went on that train a couple of times when you visited..? It's near there. I really like Belgrave..very quiet and there is a lovely coffee place I go to with the Mum's sometimes. Has a recycled book store next door. Love it....
I will continue my job hunting in the week. Am trying to redo and update my resume so I can post it out to a few jobs I am looking at. Well... Nick and Kids are watching the footy and I will go and try and sort some of my photos for cropping. I am going away to Phillip Island at the end of may for a retreat. We will go for 3 days ..should be fun. All the ladies that go every year are so fun. There is about 45 of us all and Dawn will be coming in from Singapore also. Will be good to catch up with her. They are in Singapore for 2 years. I think she is homesick and she says it is very hot and muggy there.
Any way Chat soon. I missed a week or so and didn't write. Am very impressed that Kareen is reading the blog :P (you are full of surprises lol). Bye for now....
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
School Holiday
Hi all..Nick got home early today to do a bit of work at home. It's nice to have him home working and doesn't happen often. He wanted to take the kids to a movie. I suggested "the Spiderwick Chronicles" so we booked online and got our tickets. Matilda joined us ..which is always a fun thing. We now buy our tickets online because we don't have to stand in those pathetically long lines where there are only 2 people selling tickets. Tuesday nights are the cheap nights to go to the movies so you can imagine how busy that night is and they never put enough people on to work. But now that we buy tickets online (which i suggest to everyone) it saves us the stress. Unfortunately, Peter was not able to make it. We loved the movie but Blake was a bit scared and was covering his ears. I know .. he should cover his eyes but for some reason the noise affects him more lol. The monsters were scary though but the movie was very good. Steven Spielberg is a genius. It is a must see for all.
We then went to the Dragon Boat for dinner and had yummy Peking Duck. Afterwards, we raced home to watch the Biggest Loser and Bondi Rescue. The kids love those two shows. (Ok so do we) They didn't disappoint. Well, the weather is miserable here today so our bike ride I planned will not happen. It not only is raining but very windy and cold. Good thing for PlayStation 2..mind you I now have to strategically work out how to get the kids not to fight about which game to play and who has had more time on the game..blah blah blah
Until my next blog...have a great wet day!
i found this cute picture of Alissa the other day. Hard to remember her this little.
We then went to the Dragon Boat for dinner and had yummy Peking Duck. Afterwards, we raced home to watch the Biggest Loser and Bondi Rescue. The kids love those two shows. (Ok so do we) They didn't disappoint. Well, the weather is miserable here today so our bike ride I planned will not happen. It not only is raining but very windy and cold. Good thing for PlayStation 2..mind you I now have to strategically work out how to get the kids not to fight about which game to play and who has had more time on the game..blah blah blah
Until my next blog...have a great wet day!
i found this cute picture of Alissa the other day. Hard to remember her this little.
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