This isn't a write out about anything in particular. Life continues to flow, whether we want it to or not. I think I am finally learning to go with the flow of it, but then something comes up and I prefer to try and become the diversion dam. On the good note, not much of a diversion dam needed this week! All is mostly right with our little world. Or at least as right as it can ever be!
3 weeks until we move! Soooo excited to have space again. While dreading it, we need to unpack the boxes of toys we have stashed in the garage and sort out. I may actually have a garage sale-icky thought as I have been able to avoid these with donations to Salvation Army and family toy and clothes giveaways, but I just can't haul it all back in our suitcases next year! This week and next will be address update week and I have to remember to get utilities hooked up in our name and cancelled here. We are planning on getting keys on Aug 13, doing the entry report and a few token items (like the bikes-boy those take up some room!) done. Aug 15 is a public holiday here, Ekka, which is like a massive state fair, so we will be moving lots of stuff on that day ourselves, then the movers will be here on the 16th for the rest of the stuff and the furniture. They are planning on 7 hours to get it all done. Hoping it takes less, and pretty sure it will. Not too much to pack up quite honestly. Most of it is in the garage still from last year, so we have some books, kitchen, closets, countertops, which really isn't much. Bet we have most of it done on Wednesday, so we will be living out of the new place as of Thursday evening! Then the weekend will be cleaning the old place so it is available to lease on the 23rd or 24th if they can get someone in here. I saw it was listed on the rentals website, so official then!
Alex is gone all this week for school camp. This is the year they get to do the national capital tour! She and I got up at 3:30 this morning (UGH!!). I took her to a friend's house to drop off at 4 am for the drive to the airport and we'll pick them up on Friday night. Figure the toll to cross the bridge is $4, parking is free for 30 minutes (but it will really take 45-60, so $10) and the toll back, why go individually if we can share the trips? A cab ride is $80 from here and the train impossible from this side of the river at that time of day, so car it is. Their flight left and landed on time, so they are off and running. Sydney Monday (Opera house, zoo, The Rocks), bus to Canberra Monday late afternoon, National Capitol stuff and their snow experience (big deal here, trust me!) lasertag on Thursday night, then wrap up and home late on Friday night. Apparently Alex was not much help supporting her teachers' efforts getting the kids to bring their thermal underwear to this trip. You know how you turn to someone you KNOW will agree with you, only to find out they don't? Yeah, that was my kid. Teacher-"I know Alex agrees with me since she comes from a snowy climate, right Alex?" (or something like this) Alex, "Um, no. I don't even own, and don't think I have ever owned thermal underwear! Besides, it just isn't that cold were we are going!" Bada Bing! It will be so strange with her gone! Miss her already, but she will have a wonderful time.
Annika is loving Girl Guides (scouts in the USA), but mostly because there are many of her friends in the troop. This kid is the social one for sure! She submitted a powerpoint of pictures and descriptions of our trip to the USA and will be getting her Travel and Computer badges for it! She needs to finish her report for the patrol excursion they did a couple of weeks ago over school holidays and then will have her Nature badge as well. She is so proud of her outfit and sash and can HARDLY wait to get her badges for me to sew on for her! Here she is getting her official guide book, certificate, and pins.
Ian is counting down to year 1 so I will enroll him in Ninja classes. Every night when I pick up the girls from their aerobics practice I am reminded by him that he will be a ninja next year. Thanks kiddo, I got it! He also gave me a picture this week. See below! And note short "boy hair" on him and the longer do on me! He also wrote me a note along the lines of "I love you my mommy." Precious!
3 weeks until we move! Soooo excited to have space again. While dreading it, we need to unpack the boxes of toys we have stashed in the garage and sort out. I may actually have a garage sale-icky thought as I have been able to avoid these with donations to Salvation Army and family toy and clothes giveaways, but I just can't haul it all back in our suitcases next year! This week and next will be address update week and I have to remember to get utilities hooked up in our name and cancelled here. We are planning on getting keys on Aug 13, doing the entry report and a few token items (like the bikes-boy those take up some room!) done. Aug 15 is a public holiday here, Ekka, which is like a massive state fair, so we will be moving lots of stuff on that day ourselves, then the movers will be here on the 16th for the rest of the stuff and the furniture. They are planning on 7 hours to get it all done. Hoping it takes less, and pretty sure it will. Not too much to pack up quite honestly. Most of it is in the garage still from last year, so we have some books, kitchen, closets, countertops, which really isn't much. Bet we have most of it done on Wednesday, so we will be living out of the new place as of Thursday evening! Then the weekend will be cleaning the old place so it is available to lease on the 23rd or 24th if they can get someone in here. I saw it was listed on the rentals website, so official then!
Alex is gone all this week for school camp. This is the year they get to do the national capital tour! She and I got up at 3:30 this morning (UGH!!). I took her to a friend's house to drop off at 4 am for the drive to the airport and we'll pick them up on Friday night. Figure the toll to cross the bridge is $4, parking is free for 30 minutes (but it will really take 45-60, so $10) and the toll back, why go individually if we can share the trips? A cab ride is $80 from here and the train impossible from this side of the river at that time of day, so car it is. Their flight left and landed on time, so they are off and running. Sydney Monday (Opera house, zoo, The Rocks), bus to Canberra Monday late afternoon, National Capitol stuff and their snow experience (big deal here, trust me!) lasertag on Thursday night, then wrap up and home late on Friday night. Apparently Alex was not much help supporting her teachers' efforts getting the kids to bring their thermal underwear to this trip. You know how you turn to someone you KNOW will agree with you, only to find out they don't? Yeah, that was my kid. Teacher-"I know Alex agrees with me since she comes from a snowy climate, right Alex?" (or something like this) Alex, "Um, no. I don't even own, and don't think I have ever owned thermal underwear! Besides, it just isn't that cold were we are going!" Bada Bing! It will be so strange with her gone! Miss her already, but she will have a wonderful time.
Annika is loving Girl Guides (scouts in the USA), but mostly because there are many of her friends in the troop. This kid is the social one for sure! She submitted a powerpoint of pictures and descriptions of our trip to the USA and will be getting her Travel and Computer badges for it! She needs to finish her report for the patrol excursion they did a couple of weeks ago over school holidays and then will have her Nature badge as well. She is so proud of her outfit and sash and can HARDLY wait to get her badges for me to sew on for her! Here she is getting her official guide book, certificate, and pins.Ian is counting down to year 1 so I will enroll him in Ninja classes. Every night when I pick up the girls from their aerobics practice I am reminded by him that he will be a ninja next year. Thanks kiddo, I got it! He also gave me a picture this week. See below! And note short "boy hair" on him and the longer do on me! He also wrote me a note along the lines of "I love you my mommy." Precious!
We splurged and got year long tickets to another set of theme parks too. Dreamworld is a very Aussie version of a theme park. Decent rides, ones Annika can go on as well! She is thrilled as Movie world rides were really for the really big or really little kids. Ian loves the ball play area and stayed there 2 hours on Saturday. I was content to sit in the sun, relax, and make him leave once in awhile so I could do some rides with Boo! She was doing several on her own as I could watch her from my seat in lines and on rides, and she is really good about checking in with me after every ride. Growing up! Ian is driving a converted Model T in this picture. They have them on the tracked road you can see in front and to the side. He drove these a dozen times-no kidding! Kept getting back in line for it. Loved taking mommy around the track-I had to sit in the back seat so he could be my driver.
This is their White Tiger (forgot his name!) at Tiger Island at Dreamworld. They also have 2 cubs right now and several adults. This guy was roaming about scenting his territory with the glands on his feet and urine sprays. He was also pretty vocal while we were there. Didn't stay for the tiger show-it got cool and rainy, so we called it a day.
Let's see, other events going on? Grandma's birthday is tomorrow (but I won't tell you how young she is! A lady never tells her age, right?) Lyle's mom has her birthday today, as well as our 18th wedding anniversary! Busy week! We decided to renew the contract for another year, so all is good.
Miss you and love you!
