Our little Graduate...

It's been so long since I've blogged I doubt there's anyone still out there checking. Life seems to be going at warp speed, if anyone can tell me how we got to November already please tell me!!
Last post was about my personal trainer, that went really well... for my friend, lol, I enjoyed the sessions but I'm more of a pilates girl I think.

So, since my last post, we've been up to "Mooloolaba" for a week with my parents. Same place we went last year, except last year we went in "winter" (not sure if we're actually able to call it that) and this year we went in October, the weather was AWESOME, and we had such a great break that we considered moving from Sydney up to Queensland. That didn't last and we've decided to stay in beautiful Sydney for at least another year. Although we're far from family, we really have a GREAT Church community and we live in one of the most liveable cities in the world, according to a recent Forbes list DH was reading out.

Little M had her preschool concert on the weekend. She goes to a really lovely little Baptist pre-school, with SUCH loving christian women as teachers, we just LOVE it there. They did the Christmas story, she was an angel, just SO adorable. After the service we broke for morning tea and then they invited us back in for "GRADUATION". DH and I had no idea about this, and I absolutely burst into tears when they all came out in caps and gowns, the cutest thing ever! I have to put in a disclaimer that is was 42 degrees that day, the kids did so well, think that about 110 degrees farenheit. The funniest thing is that they still have 4 weeks left of pre-school!! Our school year goes from Jan-Dec here, with our summer holidays over Christmas.

My little girl is growing up WAY too fast, we finally found our video camera charger on Saturday night, before the concert. When I was looking at the last time we filmed she was 2 weeks from her 2nd birthday, now she's almost 4 1/2!!! We've got plenty of footage on our little camera for that time in between, but still I'm thankful to have the video camera back out in action, she LOVES watching footage of herself as a baby, and we do too!

Well, I only had a quick minute to type an update, not that this was very informative. I'm really not going to even say i'll get better because I never do. I always seem to be on here reading but never writing, then when I think of something I really want to write, I forget!

Here's a pictorial update...
Our little darlin - a preschool shot

Us hanging out in Darling Harbour Sydney as we always seem to be

3 generations, with my Mum in Mooloolaba... notice my breakfast?

With her Daddy :)

Our little beach babe :)

Out to dinner at my girlfriends restaurant in Noosa

Our little fish jumping in to Nana at the resort pool!

Little M was supposed to be having "quiet time" she came down with ALL her jewels on!!

Our last visit to her cousin's (my brother & fam) in Canberra (3hrs from Sydney) before they move to tropical Nth Queensland

Our little "graduate" very very hot that day!!


"Magical Cat" at her friend's birthday party

A surprise birthday trip for me to the Royal Sydney National Park, awesome weekend

Guess what i'm doing Saturday...

I am starting with a personal trainer!! We decided last month that it was time to think about what we're doing re TTC. So we actually did an IUI last month... it didn't work, even though I was convinced it did. We decided we aren't quite ready for IVF round 9 yet. I was so hopeful I'd be pregnant when we celebrate "Little One's" would be birth date. Not to be, God has other plans for HIS glory in that story...
So, I'm going to get a personal trainer with a girlfriend of mine. I'm pretty excited. I'm honestly not focusing on what I look like, but hoping for some more energy. I've been battling this sleep disorder, and I just KNOW this will help me so much.
I'm desperate to have the energy to enjoy Little M, she is just such a joy, I can't tell you how much she fills our hearts with love.
So instead of me telling you, just look at this :)


It was Daddy's birthday on the weekend, we were making him a picture

My little Angel

BTW, pray I make it thru the session on Saturday, i've never had a personal training session, but i'm lead to believe they're pretty intense!!

Bread, Fish and a little gas...

The other day little M and I had the funniest conversation... I was driving at the time and had to pull over to write it down so I wouldn't forget it. We were talking about Heaven and dying, as she was concerned about a flower that she had in her hand that was dying. Conversation as follows:

Little M: Mama, will this flower go to heaven when it dies?
Mama: Yes darlin
Little M: But mama, is there food in heaven? (Little M is very into food!!)
Mama: Yes there is darlin
A few seconds passed and I'm watching her face in the rear view mirror, it was full of consternation...
Little M: But mama, is there just bread and fish??

LORL, I was laughing so much, think she's been reading the Jesus feeds 5000 story alot lately. I could see in her mind that she was thinking, well I really like bread, but I'm not that keen on fish!! I assured her there would be a banquet in Heaven, to which she was most pleased to hear. She was even more pleased to hear that there will be no sickness (she was worried if you eat too many nice things you get a sick tummy) and has been going round telling all who'll listen "Do you know you don't get sick in Heaven?". So very sweet, I love my girl.

Now I think all 3 of the people who read this blog know that I'm Australian and DH is American, so quite often we have different vocabulary for different things. When DH and I first started dating, he says it was like we were talking a different language. Over time we've come to learn how each describes something, but lately little M has been taking a real interest in the differences, and loves to talk "American" with her Daddy, and "Australian" with her mummy. (She can't quite grasp that we all talk "English"). So for example, she'll say when we go to the service station (gas station for those Americans) that we'll put petrol in the car, but if she's with her Daddy, she'll say "we need to put gas in the car". Anyway, last night DH was praying with her and then tickling her on the tummy, which is a nightly ritual. Little M obviously had a bit of gas, so DH said to her "You got a bit of gas darlin"... to which little M asked: "Daddy, would Mummy say that I've got a bit of petrol?".... ahh, out of the mouths of babes.

Hope everyone had a good weekend, we sure did.

We went to the Sydney boat show on a lovely sunny winter's morning in Sydney, glorious...




Blessings,
KE

Why I live in and (HEART) Sydney...

I really must get around to a post about my wonderful DH, but until then I just wanted to write a quick post on why I live and LOVE living in Sydney!!

I grew up in Brisbane, Australia, never thought I'd leave it, until I was 21 and went travelling around Australia and got the travel bug to see more of the world. So as a naive 22 year old I upped and moved across the globe, not knowing a sole, to a place in the middle of the dessert in the Middle East, Dubai.

I grew up pretty quickly, and made some firm and fast friends. What took me there, you may or may not ask, well I was a "trolley dolly" or what's the politically correct word these days "Cabin Crew" for Emirates Airlines. This was an awesome job for a young single girl, travelling the world, staying in 5 star hotels and getting money to spend when you got there. Was fun to say the least, glamorous? NOT AT ALL, but fun none the less.

I know, laugh all you want, I am!!

This was never intended to be a career, however after 2 years when I thought it was time to come home I met DH. My world and life changed (for the better, the SO much better), and I kept flying for another 4 years after that. We took advantage of the cheap flights after we were married and used to fly off for weekends all over Europe, or down to South Africa, Malta, Mauritius, what ever took our fancy. We saved absolutely NO money in those days and just LOVED life as newlyweds travelling whenever we could. Fast forward until when little M was born (she was born in Dubai) and we decided when she was 8 months old that it was time to move. So we flipped a coin, North America or Australia (just kidding, but we have made some decisions that way in our past).

DH got a job in Australia so we decided to come here. Our natural tendancy was to go to Brisbane, we had family there, had friends, and it seemed like the place to go.

God however had other plans, and we landed in Sydney, not really knowing anyone. You'd think it'd be easy for me to assimilate back into Australian life, however it was a really tough time for me. I didn't know hardly anyone, just one couple who had used to live in Dubai. I had a young baby, and my husband started working. In hindsight it was a great thing for us to both be in a new town that neither of us knew, we have had a great time discovering Sydney as a family over the last 3 years.

Thankfully God took us to an amazing church, and we've established a great community. I now love Sydney so much that when we were given the opportunity to go to Brisbane at the end of last year, I was beside myself.

DH is starting to think it may be time to head north to Brisbane, where the weather is warmer, not that I can really complain about the weather. Where the pace is a bit slower and ofcourse we have family there.

But man I LOVE Sydney. We live about 7km's from the CBD of Sydney. We opted for a smaller place, we don't really have much of a yard, so that we can be close to the water/harbour/city/ferries. Sydney is just such a pretty city to live in. Here is an example. Last Friday, little M and i headed off on a picnic, this is winter remember, so off we went to Balmoral Beach, about a 15/20minute drive from our house over the harbour bridge.

Probably shouldn't be taking these pictures as I cross the bridge, but I just LOVE this bridge, never get sick of this sight.

Mmmmm Strawberry season, a fav of ours!

Me and my girl - like my heart is walking around outside my body, I just LOVE her SO much!

Perfect spot for a picnic Little M!!

Time for building sandcastles - can you see our "humpback" turtle?? & butterfly?

And a flower - little M is just SO girly, it's adorable - notice the jewellery in every shot!

It may look hot, but the water is COLD!

Pretty girl...

A quick play in the playground before heading home.

This is a shot taken from down the road from our house, it's an old picture, but a fav


Sunset from park around the corner from our house...

So you see why I HEART Sydney???

Show us your life - Wedding Dress

Today I'm going to join in on Kelly's "Show us your life" and show you my wedding dress. My only problem is, that as I type this i'm freaking out... my backup of all my files has not worked!! I went to find pictures of our weddings and it has made me aware that our backup system is NOT working, ahhh!!!

So meanwhile, here is one picture I have on file of us, can't really see my dress much though :(, but it is one of my FAVOURITE pics, and it's just taken by our MC in the car when we're leaving the church (which was my highschool btw)

This other pic my DH has named "Happy Bride", you could NOT wipe the smile off my face on that day :)

We got married on March 16th 2002, seems like we've been married forever, 7 years does not sound enough for me. My DH is the most adorable man you'll ever meet, I'm yet to meet a person that doesn't love him, but that's a whole 'nother post. Our's is an international love story, he was born in Minnesota, moved to Toronto when he was 3 then moved to Dubai, UAE (in the middle east) when he was 30 something ;)

I, meanwhile, was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, moved to Dubai as a young naive 22 year old, not really even having any idea where I was moving to. After 2 years, ready to come home, met and fell in love with THE MAN of my DREAMS, and the one God sent me to meet... even on the other side of the world. The funny thing is (and this is all really for a post I've been wanting to write about DH) that our darling Little M was born in Dubai, smack bang in the middle of where we're both from on a map.

So here is our "Save the Date" - as you can imagine we had guests from all over.

Anyways, this post is supposed to be about my dress. Which I promise to find a better photo of.. maybe I will by the end of this post even. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my dress, my mum bought it for me as a wedding gift, PTL as it was not the cheapest dress, but I fell absolutely in LOVE with it when I tried it on. It was the 2nd dress I tried on, I tried on no more after it. It was the most stunning dress, I just don't think these photos do it justice.

I should mention that we got married in Brisbane, however we lived in Dubai, so we relied ALOT on my parents, and we only had 1 week at home, in July 2001 to organise all the details, including finding my dress. Then we came home in March 2002 1 week before the wedding, in which I had dress fittings and had it made, unbelievable really upon reflection.

Anyways, I couldn't have been happier with the finish. Only thing is at the end of our reception, as we were making our grand exit saying goodbye to everyone, someone, still not sure who (although we have our ideas) spilt red wine ALL down the front of the dress... unfortunately it didn't come out of the duchess satin underneath, but it did come out of the exquisite lace overlay. I've been threatening to cut it off and dye it pale pink... however I really don't think i'll ever fit into the dress again... see last post re needing to diet.

Without further ado, my dress, and my super super sexy handsome DH!!! I just found a bridal party picture to use, our best man's face is seriously messed up, a whole other post, but briefly, you North Americans aren't used to our big waves down under, and he took a tumble in the surf 2 days before our big day, poor guy still has scars to prove it.

This last pic is of us on our honeymoon in the MALDIVES!! i'm hoping that might be Kelly's next "show us your life" GREAT PLACE!!

Blessings,

KE

FIJI...

Wow, what an exciting, relaxing, fun-filled and awesome trip we had. It was just what we needed, the only thing that could've been better was the length. People had told us that 1 week in Fiji is enough, we knew better than to listen to them, however we could really only afford one week.

It took us a few days but we wound down and settled into "Fiji time" pretty quickly. They really are an incredible race of people, so genuine and friendly, and SUPER chillaxed about most things. The thing I love the most though is their love of children, children are SO valued in their culture and it really really shows.

On a seperate note, I'm going to attempt (attempt is the operative word) blogging more regularly so i'll make this short, and fill it with pictures instead. And on that note, we took around 1000 pictures, how crazy is that!?!?!!? Remember when there was no digital and you'd splurge and buy 2 rolls of 36 exposure if you were going on a really great holiday, and you'd take the one picture of something, instead of the 15 I take now of the same thing :)

Blessings,

KE

(BTW - i'm really bad at knowing an easy way to upload photos with their comments, any help would be appreciated ;))

Meant to say, some highlights of the trip, in bullet form:

• Discovering that little M is a DISCO DIVA, we could not drag her off the dance floor each night after dinner, DH & I were absolutely LOVING watching all the kiddies dancing in the adults bar (They allow children until 9pm), was just so so so cute.
• Waking up and looking out our ground floor room to the glorious sun shining and the Pacific Ocean sparkling
• Sunset from our room, having a champers and relaxing with my main man & angel girl on the balcony of our room
• Little M's braid's - too too cute
• A massage at the Chi spa with DH while little M was in the kids club... SO relaxing
• Eating, eating and more eating... need a bit of a diet now, but I am the worst for following diets
• Sandcastles and shells
• The Polynesian firedancers, awesome!
• Just chillaxing with my fam in the wonderful creation God has given us :)

Life

It's been so long since i've posted anything, I'm averaging once a month if that!! Life has been just crusing along. I was saying the other day somedays I feel like the sun is shining so brightly nothing can get me down, and others the rain keeps pouring and I can't see a thing. I don't really even have anything remotely interesting to say. Little M is at the most adorable age, but also by far the most challenging, man I love and adore that child, but she knows how to push my buttons as well, bless her, guess she's doing her job as a 3 year old :)


3 about to turn 4, she'll turn 4 in 14 days and I really can't believe where the time has gone. We're currently trying to decide what to do about school for her next year, she's born in June so she can start next year in January (our school year is Jan-Dec here) or she can wait until the year after. We've got advice coming from all over, all solicited I must say, but I still don't know what to do!?!?!?!


AF has just showed up again today, on CD22, I already had an appt with my OB/GYN for tomorrow and I am really glad as i've diagnosed myself with Luteal Phase Defect via Dr Google. I have suspected this in my past, but previous Dr did nothing to test it, so I'm going to bring it up again tomorrow.


Here's a pictoral glimpse into our life over the last month :) which involved: a couple of birthday parties, our usual park outings, face painting, lots of cooking/baking, an AMAZING mother's day (inc breakfast in bed), skyping with SIL, a wonderful early birthday weekend for little M with my parents who flew down from Brisbane, lotsa playdates, a zoo in Mum & Dad's bed, lotsa fun and a couple a bad hair days!!! In no particular order ;)