The Easter Cup & Easter Day, Melbourne

Easter Saturday the 7th of April... and it was time to spruce ourselves up for a day at Caulfield.

One of our horses - My Bentley - was racing in the Easter Cup, the main event of the day, so we had tickets into the members... which meant dragging our Sunday best out of our cramped caravan cupboards.

After ironing everyone's glad rags we got dressed amid lots of excitement and caught a tram into the city...

Ready for the races

A visit  to a hatters shop at the Melbourne train station and Jack's ensemble was complete....

Three very dapper looking kids

Nina & Harry, on the train

Jack & Sonia, on the train

A train to Caulfield and we were there... being easter Saturday it was a family day and among the major events was an Easter egg hunt, Nina's only draw card.

So on arrival we registered the kids for the hunt, they were each given a bucket.
We then ventured into the members and had a couple of fruitless punts before I decided it would be cheaper to take the kids to the children's playground... leaving Richard to try his luck alone...

Harry finds some familiar friends

Harry and another friend, he misses his chooks

You can take the kids out of the farm but....

Before long it was time for the easter hunt.. half a million easter eggs had been strewn across a park... at the ready the kids were given a countdown and the gates to the park were opened and kids were running in all directions, filling their buckets to the brim before then filling every other area of their bodies that could possibly fit an easter egg... including down their undies, into their socks etc... some of them were pretty innovative with their easter egg storage ideas...

The hunt

The kids have a win

Meeting the Easter Bunny

Anyway, Jack, Harry & Nina got their fair share of eggs, along with every over kid....so the kids had had their win for the day... A punt on race 5 gave me my win for the day along with some extra funds for some Melbourne retail therapy.

We then went for a wander to the stables to say hello to My Bentley. He was looking fit and healthy!

My Bentley being pampered

The kids then got to meet My Bentley's jockey, Noel Callow, who was nice enough to have a chat to them and pose for a photo.

Nina, Harry & Jack with Noel, the jockey

The boys were captivated by their surroundings and watched each horse as they walked past them in the mounting yard... giving their expert opinions on each horse...

The boys, in the mounting yard

My Bentley, ready to go

It was disappointing that My Bentley didn't perform as well as expected on the day but we all had fun watching him.

A quick catch up with a good friend Matty Hale and his family, who were also at the races, and then we were in a cab to Chinatown for dinner, to catch up with Cousin Pete and meet his new girlfriend Caitlyn.

What a great day!

Easter Sunday the 8th of April and Nina & Harry were up  bright and early... very excited... as they followed the easter bunny's chocolate droppings around the caravan.. Jack was too tired to bother.

Another easter egg hunt

Harry & Nina have another win

The kids then went up to reception to drop some keys back in, only to find that I had won the "guess how many easter eggs in the jar" competition. Great!!! We needed more eggs!

I then had to go and collect my jar and have a photo for the Caravan Park's Facebook page... Too funny!!!

Sonia has a win

We then headed for Ringwood to spend Easter Day with our good friends Mel & Bundy and their two boys Pierce and Alek.

Mel & Bundy moved from Perth to Melbourne 4 years ago and although we had caught up for a brief dinner before we left for Tassie, we were looking forward to spending some quality time together.

So we parked the caravan in their drive-way and had a great 24 hours.

The kids played like they had known each other all their lives and Alek is a BMX champion, so Jack & Harry were in their element...

Alek with his BMX trophies

While the kids were busy, the adults caught up on the past 4 years, reminiscing about days gone by and catching up on each others families etc... It was gold!

Richard & Mel have a long awaited catch-up

Richard & Mel have been friends since kindy, so there was lots to talk about.

We woke Monday the 9th of April to Bundy cooking brekky on the BBQ. It was then family photo time before we said our farewells.

The Bennett's & The Siddan's

Harry, Jack, Pierce, Nina & Alek

Thanks to the Siddan family for making our Easter so special and for letting us move in.  We look forward to more catch ups when they move back to Perth at the end of the year.

Our next destination - the other side of town - Woodend, to catch up with the Browne's.