Blue Mountains getaway

My sister Yolanda and I have come away to our parent's house in the Blue Mountains for a break from the hustle of the city. I've given Noo the week off preschool and Yo's husband is away in London at the Olympics (jealous much!) so it is just us and the kids and the best winter weather I've ever experienced in the Mountains.

Heading up the Bells Line of Road to the Blue Mountains

Noo loves it up here: the space, the garden, the fleet of vehicles he loves to ride around on the deck. Mala has taken a little longer to adjust, having had a few unsettled nights (she usually sleeps through!) but she's in the flow of it now.

Riding around in his jammies

Chillin on the couch

Mum and dad have taken themselves off to Canberra for a couple of days to check out the museums so we have the place to ourselves. With a lovely combustion fire to warm the house, a fridge full of food and the nearest neighbour being too far away to hear, it is the perfect set up.

There are only so many 'home days' Noo can handle before he goes stir crazy so we had a day trip to Lithgow and Leura yesterday. I know, Lithgow and Leura are totally not even near each other, but when we couldn't get a table at Secret Creek after our play at Queen Elizabeth Park in Lithgow we decided to head the other way over the Mountain in search of good coffee and cake. 

Playing in Queen Elizabeth Park, Lithgow

We ended up at a cafe called Fresh Espresso on the main strip of Leura. My first coffee, a skim cappuccino, was a bit disappointing but the chocolate cake was divine. It was Nigella's Nutella chocolate cake and it was served warm with vanilla ice cream. Absolutely scrumptious! Yo enjoyed her house made scones with cream and jam and Noo loved his kid's chocolate milkshake. The shake came in a plastic cup with a lid - perfect for a little kid. Yo and I finished with a second coffee. This time the piccolos were delicious. Perfect coffee taste; fresh, not too bitter with hot steamed milk. 

Chocolate cake at Fresh Espresso, Leura

After our caffeine addiction was sated we hung out in a little playground in Leura for a while, until it was time for Mala's next nap and it started to get really cold. We were back home again in time for a bit of TV, dinner, bath and kids' bedtime.

While I love being up here, especially to have this time with Yo and Mala, the only downfall is that it is hard to get on the computer to write. There are so many distractions. At home Noo is really good at entertaining himself for hours while I type away at my laptop. Here he seems to want a constant companion in his play. We have two train sets, Megablocks, a collection of toy tools and countless other toys to play with. But nothing beats having someone to play with.

Luckily we have some friends further down the Mountain to visit on Thursday and another set of friends coming up from Sydney Thursday night for a sleepover. Good times ahead!

I can hear my little man calling me from the next room so I must get off the computer to play. Actually I'm thinking it is clean up time... time to wind down for the night methinks. Let's get the kids to sleep so the adults can relax.

V.