HUSTLE & BUSTLE

This time of year can be very busy and many days I feel as though I am in a fog running from one activity to the next.  We are looking forward to Christmas and summer holidays so that we can relax and enjoy the lazy days.  Only a few more days until that break begins.  

For now, we are shopping, wrapping presents, attending end of school events, and trying to weave our annual Christmas traditions into the mix.   We are feeling a little homesick for our extended family and the joy that they bring into our lives but, we are excited to celebrate our 2nd Aussie Christmas - wow where did the time go?

I thought I would highlight some of things that we have been doing over the last couple of weeks since I last wrote.

Event Number 1 - Jane got her braces off.  Stage 1 of Orthodontics is done, 2 more to go.

Event Number 2 - Jane participated in a performance "Night of Stars."  She did a wonderful job singing in the the school choir.

Event Number 3 - Last minute we were given the opportunity to go to the Nutcracker Ballet at the Opera House.  My girls had never seen it and it was so inspiring to start the Christmas season with a gob smacking performance.  I have seen it many times and it is interesting to see and compare all of the different interpretations of this classic ballet.

Event Number 4 - We signed up to be puppy-sitters for a local pet shop.  We have missed our little Cooper so much since we left the USA.  The girls want a puppy again so badly and this way they able to snuggle, cuddle and love a puppy without the long term commitment.  We had a Cavoodle (Rod) and 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (Anna and Elsa).  We were all very smitten with them.  Heaven on Earth!

Event Number 5 - We have been experiencing tropical storm weather, rain, winds, hail and all manner of craziness.


Event Number 6 - Jane got her cast off after 10 weeks! Just in time for SUMMER!

Event Number 7 - PPS Year 4 Disco Night.  The children in years 3 & 4 learn dances (Hustle, Stockyard, Line-dances, etc.).  The theme for the night was tropical and she had a WONDERFUL time.  We love to dance as a family and it is always a huge hit.

Merry Christmas to all!  We hope that in the midst of all the HUSTLE & BUSTLE, everyone is able to remember the true meaning of Christmas - The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

FAMILY PICTURES

Why is it that family pictures always cause drama in a family.  As soon as a photographer picks up a camera to take our family photos it seems that my girls grow horns and want to go into battle with each other.  They disagree about everything, discussions turn into arguments and I end up yelling at them to just be quiet and smile.  Does this sound familiar to anyone or does this only happen in our family?  


I always wonder why this happens and try very hard to prevent the annual meltdown.  But, in the last 15 years that I have been a mother....we have not succeeded.  I ultimately begin yelling (yes, I am a yeller) and we manage to smile our way through the photo session even though inside we may want to kill each other.  

After many mishaps, we finally got the shot that I wanted....it will be our Christmas card for 2014.  I hope my girls will remember the end product and not the bickering to get it.  Maybe when they are mothers someday (hopefully a LONG ways off) they will understand how truly difficult this can be - family pictures.

Here are a few of our bloopers....the real deal will be posted after the cards go out.  Stay tuned :)

SCULPTURE BY THE SEA

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to go see "Sculpture by the Sea" - another first for us!

"Sculpture by the Sea began in 1996 with an art exhibition held over one day at Bondi beach and is now an annual event. In 1995, David Handley was living in Prague and visited an outdoor sculpture park in Klatovy, Northern Bohemia. He was inspired to do something similar in Australia. The works of art are spread across the cliffs from Bronte Beach to Bondi Beach via Tamarama Beach. Every year the coastal walk is transformed into a seaside art gallery. Over 100 sculptures are exhibited in the background of sea and the coastal landscape along the two kilometre coastal walk." (thank you Wikipedia)

We had a marvelous time walking along the cliffs with the sunshine on our faces and the wind in our hair.  It was a really HOT day but, we were grateful for the chance that we had to  the LARGEST art instillation in the world.

Some of our favorites are below....however, there are some that were VERY unique.  I just keep telling myself that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  :)

This was our FAVORITE!!! 

Yes, it is a EXTRA LARGE FRYING PAN - to illustrate people's obsession to always be tan.
Skin cancer anyone?

ALL B’s: BIRDS, BROKEN, BOWLING & BROADWAY

After our return from The Great Barrier Reef, life has been a constant whirlwind.  The girls went back to school and resumed homework.  However, we still wanted to pursue the hidden gems of this city and take full advantage of it’s beauty while being entrenched in everyday responsibilities.

BIRDS:  Australia has some of the most impressive birds you will ever see.  They are fantastic in their colors, sizes and calls/tweets.  You can see them everywhere you go and they are fascinating to watch.  In Sydney, there is a beautiful street by the name of Angel Place that is filled with empty birdcages.  It is tucked away from the crazy city noise but, it gives you a chance to stare at these magnificent cages that once held one of the Australia extinct birds.  We had a wonderful time in the city as we admired Angle Place and the Queen Victoria Building. 

Inside and OLD cage elevator

BROKEN:  The day before the girls were headed back into school from Term 3 holidays, Tom and I took the girls for a picnic in the park.  Our girls happen to love parks especially if there is a playground that is involved.  I don’t think they will ever be too old to play on the playground.  They were running from one piece of equipment to another and Jane finally settled on a merry-go-round.  Merry-go-grounds are meant to be used while sitting on them but, Jane is ALWAYS looking for new ways to test her limits.  She decided that it would be more exciting to try and walk/run on the merry-go-round as it spun around.  She was doing quite well until she lost her balance and flew off of it.  Her fall was very similar to one that you would see of the TV show “WIPEOUT.”  After a little embarrassment and few tears, we scooped her up and headed home.  For the rest of the day, she was quite careful with her left arm and kept informing us that it might broken.  Tom was convinced that it was NOT broken but, just feeling sore from the “wipeout.”  Because Jane is so familiar with broken bones (4 other fractures in her short ten years) she decided to wrap it up until she could convince her delinquent parents that it was indeed broken.  Long story short, two days, an x-ray and MRI later, we discovered what Jane already knew….it was BROKEN.  She broke the little bone on her hand/wrist that moves her thumb.  It is fairly critical piece of human anatomy and I am grateful that Jane was persistent in her complaining because Tom and I are not exactly the best listeners. (We are NOT in the running for BEST PARENTS).

BOWLING: On October 3, 2014, we took the kids bowling to celebrate living in Australia for a year and a half.  It seems to have flown by on many fronts and yet it feels just like yesterday that we arrived in the gorgeous country.  We have been on 13 trips in the short 18 months!  We are trying to see and experience all that the Pacific-Rim has to offer.  We don’t want to go home with any regrets.  Bowling was very fun and something that Tom could do given that his hand is still healing (he is a lefty when it comes to anything sports related).

BROADWAY:  This weekend Tom and I had the opportunity to see “THE KING & I” - a Broadway Musical.  The only difference is that we were able to see it in the Sydney Opera House.  Tom and I really enjoyed the show.  It was a delightfully sunny day filled with song and dancing, every guys dream - don’t you think.  Tom is always a good sport to support my love of the theatre.  Tom is happy to accompany his wife anywhere especially if it involves seeing his girlfriend (Sydney Opera House).

We are busy, happy and relatively healthy as head towards the close 2014.  The girls are finishing up their school years, seminary is getting ready to conclude for the year (Yippee - I couldn't be happier) and we are continuing to make every minute count.