Love those Kiwis . . . and Christmas

Many members of our Church's congregation here in Sydney are from the south Pacific islands and New Zealand. They are wonderful, warm-hearted people and we've enjoyed becoming acquainted with them and learning a bit about their culture.

If you aren't accustomed to the various accents from Commonwealth countries, you may not be able to distinguish between them--they may all just sound "British". The Kiwi accent is quite distinctive--and pretty funny. They add "is" to the end of statements, but pronounce it "az". As in, "I'm thirsty az". There is a Youtube video that some Aussies produced making a bit of fun. We got quite a kick out of it too. Warning: there is one curse word. You may not even notice it because of the accent, but this serves as a disclaimer.





In what couldn't be less relevant to the video above, this next clip is of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing "Angels from the Realms of Glory" with the Norwegian crossover soprano Sissel. They performed together at the Choir's 2006 Christmas Concert in Salt Lake City. It is to the tune "Gloria" (or "Iris", the same tune "Angels we have Heard on High" is usually sung to). It was written in 1816.

I find the lyrics to be quite powerful. They are more prescriptive than descriptive like in "Angels We Have Heard on High". Midway through, the lyrics shift focus from the humility of Christ's birth to the triumph of His return. It captures the longing of the saints for that event. As a Mormon and a Christian, I appreciate the reference to the Temple. It's interesting that it is even there--the absence of the temple and temple worship is conspicuous in Western Christianity. Coupled with the power of the full Choir and orchestra, a great arrangement, and then add a voice like that of Sissel's, and it is, in my opinion, very moving. My new favorite Christmas hymn.



Here are the lyrics used in this version:

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth.

Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant Light;

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star;

Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear:

Though an infant now we view him,
He shall fill His Fathers throne,
Gather all the nations to him,
Every knee shall then bow down.

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

HAPPY DECEMBER!!



This year Christmas is obviously going to be a bit different, being in a new country and all. Word on the street is the celebrations here are closer to a 4th of July vibe than a 'baby it's cold outside' feel. It's all good, I'm just going to prep myself to be sweltering on Christmas morn, and then we'll break out the BBQ and have ourselves an Aussie Christmas. I've been busy coming up with Christmas decorations (as all our stuff is sitting in a storage unit in LA) so I'll be sure to post some pics of what I've come up with.

As for a few non-Christmas related experiences I've had lately...


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A rooster lives outside our bedroom.
I know I've already posted about the crazy birds, but this morning there was a full on rooster (no, not an actual rooster, but it might as well have been) outside our window. We're talking 4 am, sun hasn't come up, and this bird is cock-a-doodle-dooing the whole world awake.
Needless to say, I did not wake up for the day rested.


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A wee?? Last week in church a 3 year old little girl suddenly burst from her seat and exclaimed, "I have to do a wee!!" (imagine it with the accent) I almost had to follow her to the bathroom cause I was laughing so hard. I'm pretty sure we're going to change out our current phrase for that one.
So cute.


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Crocodile Dundee was at my house.
When we first moved into our place we realized one of the window panes in our back room was cracked. So they sent out someone to fix it. They just didn't tell me it would be HIM. I'm serious when I say this guy could have been his stand in. He had the shaggy blond hair, wrinkly over-tanned skin, grungy tank top, short shorts, steel toed boots, and he sure as heck called me matey (like 20 times). It was awesome. I spent the whole time he was here trying to figure out how I could take his picture without him noticing.

Alright, well I'm off to print my Christmas cards. If you're late like me and stressing about getting them out on time, here are 5 fabulous options brought to you by the one-and-only Becky Higgins.

Happy Holidays!

A day at the beach

I'm truly not trying to rub it in (yesterday my mom informed me it was snowing there) but we did have a fabulous beach day. Katie and I attempted the infamous Bondi Beach for the first time, and there's a reason it's such a destination.
It is so beautiful.







The boys were sand maniacs. At one point Owen was actually rolling around in it. Beckett and Easton wrestled in it, and Wil was captivated by all of its uses (eating, throwing, digging, burying, scooping).
Needless to say, we are still finding sand in interesting places.



Okay, so if we're not enough to get you out here to visit, hope these pictures entice and give you a reason to come.



And for those of you dying for some Australian info this blurb comes from Wikipedia:

Bondi Beach is about one kilometer long (≈0.6 miles) and receives many visitors throughout the year. Surf Life Saving Australia has given different hazard ratings to Bondi Beach in 2004. But it remains one of the best beaches in the world. While the northern end has been rated a gentle 4 (with 10 as the most hazardous), the southern side is rated as a 7 due to a famous rip current known as the "Backpackers' Express" because of its proximity to the bus stop, and the unwillingness of tourists to walk the length of the beach to safer swimming. The south end of the beach is generally reserved for surfboard riding. Yellow and red flags define safe swimming areas, and visitors are advised to swim between them.

There is an underwater shark net shared, during the summer months, with other beaches along the southern part of the coast. Pods of whales and dolphins have been sighted in the bay during the months of migration. Fairy Penguins, while uncommon, are sometimes also seen swimming close to shore.

In 2007, the Guinness World Record for the largest swimsuit photo shoot was set at Bondi Beach, with 1,010 women wearing bikinis taking part.

Glad I wasn't here for that one...

A winner..and a photo update of my boys

G'day Mates.
(people seriously say that)



Wil and I are both so happy to announce the winner of our very first giveaway.
And the irresistible box of Tim Tam is on it's way to commenter #21, Jamie!
So glad you blog stalked me and won these delicious babies. Please come stalking any time. xoxo

Thanks to all of those who commented. Unfortunately shipping from Oz is out of control or I would ship a package to each one of you. Thanks for humoring me.

I couldn't post without some sort of photo display, and since I haven't posted anything about these two cuties in a while, here are a few recent photos in no particular order.
(This is mainly for you two grannies).

B and Dub enjoying a banana milkshake.




B's first haircut where he didn't scream like a crazy person








These last two might need more of an explanation...one night Nathan decided it would be fun to paint an upside-down face on Beckett's chin. The funniest part was watching Nathan's attempt to get himself upside-down on the couch. Too funny.





Love these boys.

5 Sydney Bits + My Very First Giveaway

Check it. Hasn't even been a month and I'm back.

Here are a few more bits about life here in Oz.

Bit #1.
How're you going?



Yes. That's how Sydney-siders greet one another. Not how's IT going or how're you DOING, but how're you going? Does that make sense to any of you? And what is the appropriate response to this greeting?
Good? I'm going good? Or maybe well? I'm going well?
Usually I just say, "I'm doing well" and leave it at that.

Bit #2.
The birds in Sydney are crazy.



This morning I seriously had a dream that I was in the middle of the jungle and when I came to I realized it was because of the birds going crazy outside my window (imaging 30 loud, different sounding birds all jabbering to each other at the same time...lasted for like a minute and then quiet. Creepy.).
Two of my favorite bird calls are the ones that make the same sound a guy would makes when whistling at a hot girl, and the other sounds like a small child yelling (I can never tell whether Wil is awake from his nap, or if 'it's just one of those crazy birds' as B says.) They are seriously out. of. control.

Bit #3.
Sydney-siders are CRAZY J-walkers.


image via

Like I've almost hit 5 people since moving here. People will just start walking across the road wherever and whenever they feel like it. (The image is not accurate...they do not use the crosswalks).Driving here is kind of like a thriller movie, I'm always peeking out of one eye to see if the insane girl walking through 4 lanes of traffic, standing on the 1 inch median is going to make it out alive. C.R.A.Z.Y.

Bit #4.
Don't speed in Sydney.


image via

And no need for police officers here. They give all the dirty work of ticket-giving to these little tiny speed cameras that sneak up on you from out of nowhere and hit you with a lovely bit of mail more than a month after the incident. Not only do we pay tolls to use the roadways, we pay for every mistaken mile over the limit (which, by the way are insanely slow. Like the fastest I've ever seen is 80 km/hr). Sydney just keeps getting more and more expensive.

Bit #5.
The Tim Tam



Ah, on the bright side, let me introduce you to one of Sydney's delights.
These little irresistible biscuits are sure to counter any speeding-ticket-induced foul mood and send you right back to your happy place. And just because I'm such a fan of the chocolaty goodness, I'm going to give a pack to one of you. All you have to do is leave a comment and I'll randomly select a winner. Giveaway closes Sunday, October 17th.



Mmmm mmm...is it calling your name?

To Do: the blogging, the boxes, the boomerang??

Okay Mr. Blog...you've been on my list of 'to-do's' for far too long. Each morning I get up and the first thing that crosses my mind is "to blog, or not to blog" that is the question.

Thing is, I've let it go for so long I can feel the anticipation throughout the world as to what this post will entail. Problem is, besides stating the obvious, 'we're alive', most of the other details include little more than "I'm ready to set all these empty cardboard boxes on fire just to rid myself of them." No, that's a little extreme, but we have mainly been busy doing all the normal moving things. Shocker, I'm sure. Lots of boxes, boxes, garbage, boxes, and did I mention boxes?





There are a few new things that come along with moving across the world. Here are some exciting tidbits amongst the mundane.

#1



We moved into a house! A freestanding, no common-wall-sharing house. Gone are the days of telling the boys not to jump and run around. It's good timing too cause Wil's decided screaming is his new favorite pastime.

#2



Along with our new abode came a built in amusement park! I know...crazy right?!?! And they call it a yard. Beckett has spent hours in the back playing with sticks, rocks, bricks, and a few unidentifiable objects. It's so nice to open the door and just let him go.



The yard is beautiful too, with these flowers everywhere it's nice to just sit on the back porch and take it all in. (Although the flowers are in shorter supply since we got here.) B is constantly picking them for me, and how do I tell him to stop when each one is accompanied by,
"I picked this for you, Mommy, cause you're so sweet".



#3



The house also came equipped with our own set of garbage bins. To most of you this probably doesn't seem like something worth noting, but each time I walk by them, I feel like I've really grown up now. I have my own bins! Aren't they pretty?

#4



Another new thing has been the upgrade to a bigger vehicle. (look at that fun bright yellow NSW plate!!) We bought a Mitsubishi Outlander and it's been a delight to put the stroller in and take it out and not have a fist fight with it each time. The most challenging part of having a new car is this little change:



But, I'm quite the accomplished driver-on-the-other-side-of-the-roader, and haven't crashed once (which I was sure was imminent when I first attempted it).



We did spend last Saturday doing something non-moving-ish and took our bikes to Centennial Park. It's a HUGE park right in the middle of the buzz, so big that you can't tell you're in any kind of buzz at all. Very peaceful. I got this image of the boys chasing each other around as we sat on our blanket and watched the sun set. Note the black swans on the water.



Quick update on the boys.



Both are doing amazingly well and have transitioned so easily to life here. Both were rockstars on the trip over. Wil slept 10 hrs straight, and when B wasn't sleeping he was watching TV.
I love you TV.



Some new things that Beckett loves are his best buddy Mr. Easton, his bunk bed, and of course his 'super cool backyard'.



When he's not screaming, Wil is the sweetest little man. Loves to follow Beckett around, climb up on everything, and say all sort of new words including Beckett (Bettee), eye, ear, nose (and points), and bye bye (always with a wild flapping arm).

I am happy here. In a lot of ways the changes are similar to any move, whether it be within the continental US, or across the globe. I am content here having my bff Katie just up the street (her hubby and N work together and we became friends in LA 4 years ago), my sewing machine and my sweet boys. What else could I need?

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Lastly, I've included a little piece of Australian information for those of you dying to hear something specific to this country. While working at Outback Steakhouse (I know, I was destined to live here) I always wondered what the deal was with the boomerang. Let me tell ya.

(Excerpt taken from Susan Butlers, "The Dinkum Dictionary, The Origins of Australian Words")
"While much of Aboriginal culture was hidden from or overlooked by white settlers, the boomerange was not to be ignored. Its shape, its flight, its function, all made it an item that was ripe for linguistic exploitation. In particular, the flight away, and then back to the thrower was an image that could be applied metaphorically in many different contexts.
There is some skill involved in catching the returning boomerang which would otherwise deal with the thrower as effectively as it dealt with the target, and so a certain amount of anxiety is associated with its return. What comes back to you is as likely to be unpleasant as not. One instance of a 'boomerang' is a bounced cheque. While this use has established itself in Austalian English, there are examples of a wider use in more ad hoc circumstances, such as in references to a joke 'boomeranging' in a biter-bit style, and a voice 'boomeranging' as an echo. One further use, which is well established in the oral tradition, is the polite indication to a borrower that the lender expects the item to be retunred, with the phrase, 'This is a boomerang, you know.' "

And there you have it folks, now you can use boomerang in your every day vocabulary and think of me when you do. Oh, what an Aussie I am becoming.

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And with that, I'll sign off for now. But stay tuned for a photo guided tour of our new place. Here's a little teaser, the view from our front room. And I promise it will take me less than two months to post again...(I know I say that every time) but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

They are GRAND parents

I'm not sure my boys realize it yet, but B and Dub truly have the most grand grandparents. We just returned from 6 weeks away (3 at each grand house) and those boys were in heaven.

Between digging in the dirt with one Grandma to making cookies (or a cocoa explosion) with the other, B couldn't have been happier. Both boys benefited treat-wise from both Grandpas. One gave B chocolate milk first thing in the morning and the other, well the picture speaks for itself.



Truly I am so thankful for 4 such grand people in my life. So grand as to watch those 2 boys for almost a week each while Nathan and I were house hunting in Sydney.
Any ideas on how to repay someone for such grand-ness??

Missing my boys.

Day 10 of being away from them and I am having major withdrawals. I keep getting on my blog to look at them but I needed a few more of B (the last post was overwhelmed by Dub) so here are a couple of my biggest boy.





More on our latest trip to Oz next week (and the lovely house we signed on...whoo hoo!)

Big Dub at {ONE} year

My little tiny infant baby turned ONE {a month ago} and Beckett helped me take some pictures to capture Wil at his year mark.



Some fun things to note at this very noteworthy time are:

He is a lover and always has a smile.






Loves to do patty cake, big boy (arms up in the air),
claps, and knows how to fold his arms for prayer.
And he loves his bink.






He loves his brother B and follows him around...



...usually stealing B's toys



He's adventurous and very active



He's a screamer. Think nails on a chalkboard. Oh, and he doesn't like hats.



He has officially lost all of his baby fat. Do you see THE role?






He's still my little angel.






I can't believe you're one year old, sweet baby boy. I love you more than I ever thought possible.