After living in Aus for nearly 3 years, I am coming to appreciate the beauty of the changing seasons.
There is something elementally assuring in knowing that the harshness of Winter will be followed by the joyous blooms of Spring, the SunSmart scorching heat of Summer, then the red/gold beauty of Fall.
As long ago as June, I started noticing that the days were very slowly, but very definitely, getting longer.
In the beginning, I couldn't leave the house any later than 5 pm to get Jordanne from daycare, because it would be pitch dark by the time I made the journey home.
I didn't dare enrol Beth for gym because her classes would have stretched till 6 pm.
As May segued into June, that mark was pushed back to 5.10, then 5.15.
Everyday, it gets pushed back a little bit more.
It is now the end of July and I can be fairly confident that even if I leave home a bit later and collect her before 5.30, it will still be light enough for me to drive home safely.
Monday, July 27, 2009
July Jubilee
July is a special month for our family.
It's when CA and I celebrate being married for x+1 years.
This July, we marked our 12th year of marriage.
It is not something I take lightly, because I know how fragile human relationships can be and what it took for us to get here. Thanks be to God for being the glue that binds us together.
July is also when we celebrate another year in the life of our firstborn.
Bethany turned 7 on the 18th.
I spoke with Mom yesterday and she commented: "Is Bethany 7 already? How quickly she has grown! That means the rest of us are getting older..."
It's when CA and I celebrate being married for x+1 years.
This July, we marked our 12th year of marriage.
It is not something I take lightly, because I know how fragile human relationships can be and what it took for us to get here. Thanks be to God for being the glue that binds us together.
July is also when we celebrate another year in the life of our firstborn.
Bethany turned 7 on the 18th.
I spoke with Mom yesterday and she commented: "Is Bethany 7 already? How quickly she has grown! That means the rest of us are getting older..."
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Things Students Celebrate
Dear Parents
Next week, on Mon 27 July, we will celebrate being at school for 100 days.
Our class has been counting the days from the start and needless to say, we are excited to have reached this milestone.
To celebrate the day we will be counting to 100, making up 100 in different ways, investigating 100, reading books about 100 things and having a small party at recess time.
Could your child please bring in:
* a small amount of party food to share for recess (only if you are able!)
* 100 objects to count
Also, if you have any books mentioning Maths or counting or 100 - bring them in!
We will, of course, be writing about 100 and I'm sure you will read about the day in one of our class books.
Thank you for your support, as always,
Mrs V
Next week, on Mon 27 July, we will celebrate being at school for 100 days.
Our class has been counting the days from the start and needless to say, we are excited to have reached this milestone.
To celebrate the day we will be counting to 100, making up 100 in different ways, investigating 100, reading books about 100 things and having a small party at recess time.
Could your child please bring in:
* a small amount of party food to share for recess (only if you are able!)
* 100 objects to count
Also, if you have any books mentioning Maths or counting or 100 - bring them in!
We will, of course, be writing about 100 and I'm sure you will read about the day in one of our class books.
Thank you for your support, as always,
Mrs V
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Why Kids Need To Be Supervised While Online
A Geelong teenager who committed suicide last week was the fourth student from her high school to do so in the past six months.
Her mother has blamed cyber bullying for pushing her daughter to take her life and warns parents to keep their kids away from the Internet.
“I can guarantee you that if she didn’t go on the internet on Friday night she’d still be alive today,” she said.
Her mother has blamed cyber bullying for pushing her daughter to take her life and warns parents to keep their kids away from the Internet.
“I can guarantee you that if she didn’t go on the internet on Friday night she’d still be alive today,” she said.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Beth's Inspiration
Here's Beth's favourite Aussie family, the Irwins @ Australia Zoo, Beerwah, QLD. Beth thinks Bindi is the coolest Aussie girl ever. Had we been in QLD a few weeks later, she would have been first in line at Bindi's 11th birthday party at the Zoo. :)
Seriously though, CA and I think AZ can't compare to Sg Zoo, esp. with our inimitable Night Safari. Yes, they do a good job educating people about the importance of wildlife and how our actions are endangering wildlife numbers, and yes, Bindi is a great role model for young girls.
But the focus (because of Steve's Croc Hunter legacy) is largely on crocs, so in terms of the breadth of the collection, it's a bit limited.
And the associated costs of a day out at the zoo...
It costs $14 to hire a cart if you haven't brought your own stroller (at Movie World, it was $10).
The prices of the food at the food court were okay and the variety was no worse than other places (sandwiches, burgers, fish and chips, kebabs, roast chicken), but the quality was atrocious. We had fish and chips and the fish was barely edible because it had so obviously gone off. I mean, I know you usually designate less-fresh fish for F&C and steam the really fresh ones, but still!
The day we visited, there was an auction going on to see who would be the highest bidder who would get to spend exlusive one-on-one time with the Irwins. The winner paid close to a thousand bucks.
As for the souvenir stores, let's just say they sure have got an aggressive marketing team behind them. Bindi fitness videos. Bindi stationery. Chocs and lollies with Steve's face on them. Crikey magazine. T-shirts.
But try telling that to Beth.
Still, if The Jungle Girl has inspired the girls to be wildlife warriors in their own way and to respect God's Creation, I'm not complaining.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
No Men, Thanks
"Biological men" will be turned away from a Melbourne dance party after organisers of a lesbian clubbing night won a legal fight.
Organisers of Pinkalicious's next night will now have the right to exclude men after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruling.
But it is unclear how door staff will establish a clubber is a biological man in order to enforce the man-ban.
Promoter Julie Mackenzie said the bloke man was needed to give lesbians and their straight girlfriends a place to relax and be themselves.
--Extracted from mxNews 3 July 2009
Organisers of Pinkalicious's next night will now have the right to exclude men after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruling.
But it is unclear how door staff will establish a clubber is a biological man in order to enforce the man-ban.
Promoter Julie Mackenzie said the bloke man was needed to give lesbians and their straight girlfriends a place to relax and be themselves.
--Extracted from mxNews 3 July 2009
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Winter Getaway
We've just returned from a 7-day whirlwind tour of Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour.
The original intention was to suss out CH because we'd heard so much about its lovely climate. But we soon discovered we would need to make several stopovers and stay the night somewhere else, so the plan expanded.
Fly to Gold Coast - spend 3 days - drive to Coffs Harbour - spend 3 days - drive back to Gold Coast - stay one night - fly home
We flew by Tiger Airways on their $49 special (one way). Great if you don't mind dragging luggage and young kids on the long hike from the main terminal to T4 and back again. We distracted J by getting her to look for the 'tiger paw prints' on the ground that showed the way to T4.
The beautiful weather in Gold Coast and Coffs was worth the ear pain Beth and I experienced every time the plane took off and landed. I've been battling ear pain and temporary deafness since we moved to Aus, and it doesn't get any better with each trip. Thankfully, J has no issues.
You have to be there to believe it. People surfing. Girls in bikinis reading on the beach. People sunbaking and walking around in shorts and thongs.
In winter.
It's incredible.
We sampled the whole range of accommodation, from caravan park to 4- and 5-star resort. After staying 3 nights at Courtyard by Mariott, which was right in the heart of Surfers Paradise and a short walk to shops and the beach, the next 3 nights at Banana Coast Caravan Park were a bit of a letdown I think. The pool was unheated and filthy, heating was in the form of one tiny portable heater, and everything looked uncared for (the blankets had holes in them!).
So staying at the RACV Royal Pines on our final night in QLD made for a lovely way to round off the hols. The room was huge, the view was amazing, the interior decor was pleasing to the senses, the service was attentive. Beth loved the pool, CA enjoyed a massage as he soaked in the spa, J loved watching Nick Jr on TV, and I was so inspired by the rattan chaise lounge that allowed me to stretch my legs out fully as I read, that I told CA it would be nice if we had one too!
We all agreed that if we ever visit QLD again, the Royal Pines is where we'll stay.
We asked Beth to name her favourite places to visit and here they are...
QLD:
Australia Zoo
Beth is a huge fan of Bindi The Jungle Girl and she was so chuffed that she actually got to see her偶像 during the Wildlife Warriors show.
CA and I felt the place was overhyped and not quite good value for money though.
Movie World
Beth went on the Scooby Doo Adventure Ride, first time with Daddy and second time with a very reluctant Mummy. I am no fan of thrill-seeking and bodily risk-taking and see no reason to scare myself silly.
Beth was extremely persistent and assured me she would hold my hand and help me see in the dark. (Did I also mention I am blind as a mole?)
"It's not that scary Mom."
I believed her and SCREAMED my lungs out as we hurtled forwards and upwards and downwards through the dark tunnel, secured only by a seat belt around the waist. There were times I thought I was going to fly out of my seat.
Never again.
COFFS HARBOUR:
The Big Banana is a theme park famous for the unmissable giant banana at its entrance, one of many Big Icons in Aus (e.g. Big Prawn, Big Pineapple...). It is located on the Pacific Highway, which is where you will also find most resorts and caravan parks in CH.
It's got heaps of activities under one roof, including a water ride which unfortunately was closed when we visited. We watched the 5-minute interactive space movie (CA and I found it so-so; Beth loved it); went tobogganing down the hillside (Beth complained that Mummy went too slowly); visited the candy shop, puppet shop and orchid nursery; and Beth had a go at ice skating. She's only ever skated once at a friend's birthday party, so she spent her 45 mins gingerly duck-walking around the edge of the rink while the teenagers from a nearby school whizzed by her. That was the only time I found it cold in Coffs.
The Pet Porpoise Pool on Orlando St is another family favourite. If posing for happy snaps isn't enough, you can pay a bit more to swim with the seals and dolphins ($75 per child for the Dolphin Encounter, $150 for the Seal Encounter). Beth begged to go in the water with the dolphins, but we were like, nah... Both the girls got to pet the super-friendly dolphins and feed the fairy penguins, AND I bought 2 photos that the photographer had taken as the girls were getting kissed by the dolphin, so everyone was happy.
As we touched down in freezing Melbourne today, I wonder...did we settle down in the right state? :)
The original intention was to suss out CH because we'd heard so much about its lovely climate. But we soon discovered we would need to make several stopovers and stay the night somewhere else, so the plan expanded.
Fly to Gold Coast - spend 3 days - drive to Coffs Harbour - spend 3 days - drive back to Gold Coast - stay one night - fly home
We flew by Tiger Airways on their $49 special (one way). Great if you don't mind dragging luggage and young kids on the long hike from the main terminal to T4 and back again. We distracted J by getting her to look for the 'tiger paw prints' on the ground that showed the way to T4.
The beautiful weather in Gold Coast and Coffs was worth the ear pain Beth and I experienced every time the plane took off and landed. I've been battling ear pain and temporary deafness since we moved to Aus, and it doesn't get any better with each trip. Thankfully, J has no issues.
You have to be there to believe it. People surfing. Girls in bikinis reading on the beach. People sunbaking and walking around in shorts and thongs.
In winter.
It's incredible.
We sampled the whole range of accommodation, from caravan park to 4- and 5-star resort. After staying 3 nights at Courtyard by Mariott, which was right in the heart of Surfers Paradise and a short walk to shops and the beach, the next 3 nights at Banana Coast Caravan Park were a bit of a letdown I think. The pool was unheated and filthy, heating was in the form of one tiny portable heater, and everything looked uncared for (the blankets had holes in them!).
So staying at the RACV Royal Pines on our final night in QLD made for a lovely way to round off the hols. The room was huge, the view was amazing, the interior decor was pleasing to the senses, the service was attentive. Beth loved the pool, CA enjoyed a massage as he soaked in the spa, J loved watching Nick Jr on TV, and I was so inspired by the rattan chaise lounge that allowed me to stretch my legs out fully as I read, that I told CA it would be nice if we had one too!
We all agreed that if we ever visit QLD again, the Royal Pines is where we'll stay.
We asked Beth to name her favourite places to visit and here they are...
QLD:
Australia Zoo
Beth is a huge fan of Bindi The Jungle Girl and she was so chuffed that she actually got to see her偶像 during the Wildlife Warriors show.
CA and I felt the place was overhyped and not quite good value for money though.
Movie World
Beth went on the Scooby Doo Adventure Ride, first time with Daddy and second time with a very reluctant Mummy. I am no fan of thrill-seeking and bodily risk-taking and see no reason to scare myself silly.
Beth was extremely persistent and assured me she would hold my hand and help me see in the dark. (Did I also mention I am blind as a mole?)
"It's not that scary Mom."
I believed her and SCREAMED my lungs out as we hurtled forwards and upwards and downwards through the dark tunnel, secured only by a seat belt around the waist. There were times I thought I was going to fly out of my seat.
Never again.
COFFS HARBOUR:
The Big Banana is a theme park famous for the unmissable giant banana at its entrance, one of many Big Icons in Aus (e.g. Big Prawn, Big Pineapple...). It is located on the Pacific Highway, which is where you will also find most resorts and caravan parks in CH.
It's got heaps of activities under one roof, including a water ride which unfortunately was closed when we visited. We watched the 5-minute interactive space movie (CA and I found it so-so; Beth loved it); went tobogganing down the hillside (Beth complained that Mummy went too slowly); visited the candy shop, puppet shop and orchid nursery; and Beth had a go at ice skating. She's only ever skated once at a friend's birthday party, so she spent her 45 mins gingerly duck-walking around the edge of the rink while the teenagers from a nearby school whizzed by her. That was the only time I found it cold in Coffs.
The Pet Porpoise Pool on Orlando St is another family favourite. If posing for happy snaps isn't enough, you can pay a bit more to swim with the seals and dolphins ($75 per child for the Dolphin Encounter, $150 for the Seal Encounter). Beth begged to go in the water with the dolphins, but we were like, nah... Both the girls got to pet the super-friendly dolphins and feed the fairy penguins, AND I bought 2 photos that the photographer had taken as the girls were getting kissed by the dolphin, so everyone was happy.
As we touched down in freezing Melbourne today, I wonder...did we settle down in the right state? :)
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