Musical Weekend!

     This last weekend our activity revolved around Alex's musical performance of Once Upon a Time, A Rock Fable.  She and the entire cast did an awesome job!  She was a member of the Nursery Town Characters chorus and did fantastic.  I posted a pic to Facebook-trying to figure out how to get the pictures off FB and onto my hard drive so I can put here, but in the meantime, since most of you are FB friends with me, check her out there!  It will be nice to have our Friday afternoons back as rehearsal went from 12:30 to 4:30 and that meant it was a 5 trips to school day between drop offs and swim club night.
     Ahhh, swim club!  Alex swam her very first individual medley on Friday night as well.  She was exhausted!  Age 11 and under only have to do 100m total and the 12 and overs do 200m.  She is very glad she did it, but also glad she is over it too.  She told me this morning that next school term she's thinking about upping her training to 2x per week as she isn't exhausted and sore after every session now.  Good girl!  If we can get Annika swimming a bit better, she'd like to try it out as well.
     We survived our first Thanksgiving in a long time without family.  To be honest, we really didn't do anything.  It's too hot to cook a traditional American meal, and it feels too heavy to eat anyway.  We gave thanks for family and friends, and that we most likely won't be here too many years.  While the climate is amazing most of the year, this time of year is heading into miserable, and since the AC still isn't fixed (parts are now on backorder) I'm thinking we'll be hanging out at the local mall and library where it is much cooler!
     The kids have this week and next week, then we take a 6 week summer break!  Alex thinks it's funny that we will have 2 summer breaks this year, 6 weeks or so each.  So, in the end, we still get an American length break, just split up over the year!  She'll be in year 7, Annika in year 2, and Ian in Prep.  These are roughly equivalent to 6-7th grade, grade 1-2, and Kindergarten.  I'm pleased with how the kids are doing in school and not worried about them being behind when we go back to the US.  I figure if I ever do feel they are getting behind, especially Alex, between Lyle and myself we can fill in the gaps.  I know of some great independent learning sites and curriculums!  Ian is getting so excited to go to big school-only 2 months left!
     Christmas-wow!  It is really hard to wrap our heads around Christmas right now.  It is the wrong weather for it, so it doesn't seem real yet.  We're going to the school Christmas Carol festival tonight at school.  It sounds like a lot of fun-bringing camp chairs, jackets, flashlights, and enjoy singing and listening to Aussie carols!  There will be a BBQ with sausage sizzle-think skinny sausage wrapped in a piece of white bread with ketchup or BBQ sauce, YUM, cold drinks, paddle pops (popsicles), and other treats.  On a family gift note-please don't send stuff as it is crazy expensive to send through the mail.  We'll be back next Juneish and we can celebrate then!  I already know what I'm getting for everyone-very Aussie Centric gifts that will be totally appropriate for everyone that time of year!  Seeing as we'll have fairly long shopping lists we'll be bringing pretty empty suitcases for our stuff, (except for the late Christmas stuff!) ready to fill and return!  I'm bailing on Christmas cards this year as well-I'll get some pictures developed and sent to my folks to pass out, but seeing as postage going back to the US is even worse than sending stuff here, perhaps we'll do summer cards from Costco to mail out for Christmas in July!
     Miss and love you all-I miss the snow right now-believe it or not!

Weather Change

     Here comes summer!  The weather is changing this week-humidity going up, temps going up, and the driest November since 1919.  We should have had about 5cm of rain so far, but nothing yet!  Sounds like we are in for a La Nina pattern this summer, which means wetter and a bit cooler than normal.  Seeing as we have had no experience with either one, we'll just have to see how it goes!  The water reservoir is being drawn down to 75%, but that makes about 2 inches flood difference if they have another summer like last year.  The flood damage has been about 95% repaired from last January and no one wants another year like last year.  In keeping with the never ending list of thinks that Murphy's law keeps hitting us with, the AC unit does not work.  It's been a month since I started asking for someone to look at it and it is approaching time for grumpy to come out to play.  The house has been 90 degrees nearly every afternoon, and I really want my AC!
     Alex is in the school musical this coming weekend!  Yes, I'll take pictures, but most likely put them up on FB since I now have a smartphone and can do so easily.  It's not so easy to get onto the blog.  She is also swimming the individual medley this Friday for swim club.  Go Alex!  Annika is being Annika-cricket is done and she is doing well in school.  So social, it's a good thing she is also a quick learner or she'd be having discussions with us about balancing her talk time with her learning time!  Ian is the little man.  He's great company with me and loves errands most days since they often involve a snack at the local bakery.  Spoiled!
     Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  It is a hard time to be away from family, but so nice to be in contact via Skype and phone.  With the weather so different though, it really doesn't feel like the holiday season has begun.  Something about hanging out in tank tops, going to a water park, and chasing down sunblock and hats every day!  I don't plan to send Christmas cards out - postage is about $2.50 per item to go overseas, so I'll send electronic greetings and pictures to family to redistribute.  They may not show up until after the New Year though!  Miss you all and love you more.

It's getting HOT HOT HOT

     Yup, like the title says, it is starting to get warm here.  The daily highs have "only" been in the mid to upper 80's, but the humidity is going up too.  I don't think I make a good southern lady type, I don't glisten or glow, I SWEAT when I get hot!  Fortunately, the breezes are pretty consistent and they do help.  A bit.  If they blow at night, which they have not been the last few days.  Ugh!  And to make it more fun, I informed our lease agency and body corporate builder that the AC unit wasn't working a month ago, since I knew the heat was coming.  Apparently, I wasn't assertive enough at the time, so the builder dithered, sent over his electrician (who was a no show for 2 days!  Really?) who said he needed the manual to diagnose the error code.  I informed him HE was supposed to have it according to the builder and should have brought it to me 3 weeks prior.  News to him.  So, things are starting to happen now that I called them on Monday and let them know if it isn't either fixed or replaced by Friday, I suspend my rent payments until it is.  Waiting a month is being plenty patient, and I've used up my allotment for the time being.  We'll see how they roll with it now.
     We spent Saturday last weekend at a wonderful place called Kings Beach, on the southern part of the Sunshine Coast.  Great sand, the ocean is warming up a bit, brought a couple of boogie boards and Alex is loving body surfing!  Annika keeps sliding off the board, but she is trying.  Both love the waves.  Even Ian is getting into the water now.  He tries to kickbox the waves and often ends up on his butt.  He and I also explored some tide pools and found lots of hermit crabs, a sea slug, minnows, and even saw a crab under a rock.  We found some pretty sea shells and had a great time.  I'm getting brave enough to go into the waves too-the water is so refreshing on a hot day!  I wish there was some way to keep sand from sticking to sunblocked bodies-it really makes a mess.  I'm thinking I need to buy a full body swimsuit.  I've seen some Muslim women swimming in them-they do cover everything!  I'd love to avoid having to apply all the sunblock. . .
     We've been looking at possible flights home for next Juneish as well.  The prices really get steep in July/August, so it looks like the kids will be having to miss a couple of weeks of school, but when the difference is about $1000 per ticket, school will have to be made up instead.  The schools here aren't so concerned with missing for family vacations-I think that has to do with the kids going just under 200 days each year.  They'll get a 6 week summer break in Dec/Jan, a week in April, 2 weeks in June/July, and 2 weeks off in September.  The breaks seem to come when they are really needed for both kids and teachers, but the prices for vacation spots double and triple on school holidays all over the country and in popular destinations around the Pacific.  So, if you ever plan on visiting, make sure you check the school calendars before you go!
     Alex is in the school musical that will be presented the last weekend of November.  They started before school practices and Sunday afternoons a couple of weeks ago.  She is so excited!  She plays a general nursery town character, the name of the play is Once Upon a Time, a Nursery Rock Fable.  It has zombies in it too-should be interesting to say the least!  Annika just finished up 5 weeks of cricket lessons.  Interesting game-I still haven't really figured out the rules, but she does a good job with bowling (pitching the ball) and her batting is coming along.  She is simply enthusiastic with whatever it is that she does.  Her zest for life is exhausting at times, but invigorating at others.  Ian is getting more patient with letting me read to him.  He prefers books about scary animals, comics, and adventure type picture books.  Good thing I have everything but the comics, and the library has a supply of those.  He is getting so excited to start school!  I'm getting excited for him to start school!
     Have a great week everyone-miss you all and love hearing from you.  Will miss having Thanksgiving with family, but we also figure this isn't going to be a permanent gig, so should be home in a couple of years.  Besides, it's too HOT to cook anything inside this time of year!  I'll make a few favorite dishes, but keep them on the cool side for sure.  Holiday salads anyone, with cold turkey and ham, sounds really good to me!

7th Birthday and Arachnophobia

     We'll get to the arachnophobia part in a few!  Annika turned 7 years old on Saturday, and we had a blowout to celebrate it!  We went ahead and invited her whole class to a park play afternoon several weeks ago, so were anxiously watching the weather forecasts all week.  No way could we fit 20+ kids in our little townhome!  The weather dawned overcast and a bit ominous, but this is Queensland-it can look awful with no rain, or drench you out of a nearly clear day.  The clouds were a great relief-when they cleared up about 1:30 it was flat out HOT!  The kids and many parents met us at the park down the hill from us at noon and they played hard the entire time.  We had some balloon races, set up the croquet (BAD idea with those boys-they wanted to wonk each other rather than the ball), some tag, and lots of just run amok.  I made 4 dozen cupcakes-plenty of parents and younger sibs stayed, which I had expected.  I also learned why frosting isn't a typical topping here-icing is better!  Frosting melts in the humidity-who knew!  Juice boxes and water bottles on ice in the coolers, crackers, chips, dips, and everyone was pretty happy.  The kids went home exhausted, dirty, and saying it was the best party they had EVER been to.  Parents were glad the kids were all good and tired, and I heard from several on Monday they slept very well Saturday night!  Annika and I went shopping Sunday afternoon so she could spend some birthday money, and that girl can SHOP.  She only wanted some new dresses, so that is exactly what she got.  That girl stayed in budget and found several she loved.  What a kid!
     Alex didn't get to swim her events Friday night-the pool was closed for electrical work unexpectedly. She was bummed, but we got word it will be open as of this Tuesday, so she'll give them a go later this week.  This is also our week to volunteer in the BBQ/Canteen for swim night!  Slinging burgers and filling drinks-fun!  She is doing the school musical later this month, so she now has Sunday afternoon practices as well as some mornings before school and during 1st break in the morning.  So glad again that we live so close to school!
     Now, for the arachnophobia bit!  There are 3 spiders you have to watch out for around here.  The Sydney Funnel Web-which is not found around Brisbane-thank goodness!  Hypodermic fangs that punch through leather boots-not my kind of fun wildlife to meet in the bush!  The Redbacks-Australian Black Widows, also not fun, but not lethal either, painful, yes, deadly, no.  We killed a few in the garage a few weeks ago.   The last one is like a Brown Recluse, complete with bacterial necrosis tissue issues with their venom.  These guys like to lurk in clothing left on the floor-since finding this out, the kids have been MUCH better about picking up their rooms. . . but we didn't get to meet any of these spiders this week!  We got to evict a medium specimen of the Huntsman spider variety.  These guys are generally harmless and hunt the other spiders-good for them, but get OUT of my house!  Alex had the joy of first encounter-in the bathroom.  She said she saw something move on the wall when she pulled the towel off the rack after her shower.  A BIG something, but she didn't have her glasses on and didn't want to be naked with a spider around.  She dried off, got dressed, and called (a bit stressfully I may add), "Dad, there's a BIG spider in here and I need some help!"  It was hiding behind the pink Turbie towel, and I agree, it was BIG.  I moved incredibly quickly as well-like brown lightening across the wall.  So big that smashing it would have made a huge mess too!  Lyle trapped it in a large glass, covered it with a fly swatter, and tossed it off the deck where it glided to the garden.  With legs, it would be about the size of Annika's palm.  And this was a mid sized one!  The big ones can cover Lyle's palm.  I get the heebie jeebies still thinking about it.  May have to see if I can download the movie Arachnophobia off iTunes-the kids will have nightmares for weeks, let alone me though!
     Have a great week!

Swim Parents!

     Alex has decided to get into swimming this year.  The school has it's very own pool, as do the majority of schools in Queensland.  I've been told to check the hometowns of Australian swimmers-most come from Queensland because of this!  Who knew!  Since these kids have been in the water since practically birth, Alex is at a bit of a disadvantage with her own technique.  2 weeks a year of Red Cross swimming at the city pool does not make a swimmer like they do here.  So, after a couple of weeks of her struggling with flippers (her feet are so narrow they keep falling off. . .) and strokes, I signed her up for a few Saturday morning lessons with the coach.  She did her first one this last weekend, and LOVED it!  Monday she did squad training, and when I asked her what events to sign her up for on Club Night, she said, "What the heck, I know the dif between the butterfly and breaststroke, why not all 4 this time?"  YES!  She's been only doing freestyle and backstroke since that is what she was comfortable with, so big step!  Last week, Lyle got back from Newcastle exhausted, so he stayed home with Annika and Ian and I took Alex to club night.  I volunteered to help with event timing-lots of fun!  The big kids can really haul through the water and you get pretty wet looking over the edge for the hand to hit the side of the pool.  Had I known I would have done this, I would have worn my thongs!
     Annika has been counting down the days until her 7th Birthday this weekend.  She is so excited!  We invited her classmates to come to a park play afternoon down the hill from us-so about 20 kids for 2 hours!  YIKES!  Planning on outdoor games as the weather looks like it will be great-relay races, ring toss, croquet, spoon water races (maybe), and a bit of cricket batting.  Cupcakes, chips, dips, and assorted candy bags for the favor bags and all should go fine!  It's from 12-2, and thinking that if we do this next year, 10-noon may be better.  The sun is getting INTENSE right now, so we'll take sunblock for anyone who needs it.  Goodness knows they'll all have their own hats on!
     Ian, well Ian is the little bossman.  He is really enjoying his mommy time, but is so ready for school to start!  Frankly, so am I!  He helped me get the school supply order put together this morning.  Love that they are able to order and pay online, AND pick up next month at school!  Huge time saver-trick will be to keep the kids out of them until school in January!  We also went to Bunnings and got a hose and tank connection for the BBQ-next we need to get new grill surfaces-they were all rusted out-yuck!
     I finally got my paperwork assembled and mailed in for evaluation for a Queensland teacher certificate this week.  I am still missing the FBI clearance, but when I talked to them last week, they said it should be in my hands in 2 weeks!  So, the teacher certification reviewer told me to go ahead and mail it in now, and follow with the clearance when I get it.  "No worries!  There's an 8 week backlog anyway, so you'll be fine."  Love the attitude here!
     So, until next week!