G'day, eh!

Melbourne - Last Days

2011-11-22T14:09:00.004+10:00

It's hard to believe that we leave Melbourne this Saturday to fly back to Canada. Only 4 more sleeps! We've been doing lots of organizing, sorting, selling, packing, cleaning, booking, but most importantly, we've been doing lots of enjoying. Here's a few little snapshots of what we've been doing during our last couple of weeks in Melbourne, as captured on my trusty (very cracked!) iPhone...

Pedicure dates, coffee dates, breakfast dates, lunch dates, dinner dates, drink dates, walking dates, and let's not forget just plain ole relaxing in the park dates. It's been really, really nice. We truly have such wonderful friends!

Also, here's a little slideshow one of the girls I worked with made for me...

Click here!

It made me cry the first time I watched it. So sweet. I miss those ladies already!

Ah, goodbyes are tough but I'm looking forward to being settled in a new routine and new surroundings in Montreal. I'm a routine kind of girl and it sure will be nice to have things a little normal again. You know, things like having a refrigerator again and not having to store our milk in a cooler! :)

Borassa Valley - South Australia

2011-11-14T17:56:00.009+10:00

We recently visited Adelaide and it's stunning surrounding areas, which just so happen to be Australia's most famous wine region. It was one trip I really wanted to do before we left Australia, and so we set out on a 5 day road trip adventure. The time that we spent in the Borassa Valley was magical. Steve had booked the most amazing cottage for us to stay the night in. It was truly an enchanted place with beautiful gardens and a pathway of roses leading to our front door...

Inside was just as pretty and came complete with our own private outdoor courtyard (where we sipped wine and chatted while snuggled up in the coziest blankets ever!) and a luxurious spa bathtub...

It truly felt like our own private little oasis. We had such a blissful stay, which felt like just what the doctor ordered after a few weeks of uncertainty and change! I'd truly recommend Jacob's Creek Retreat to anyone wanting a romantic getaway in the Borassa Valley. Well done to my hubby for finding and surprising me with such a lovely place. You're the bestest!

After dinner on the evening of our stay, we took a walk through the gardens, along the creek named Jacob's Creek, around the property and through a nearby vineyard...

It was absolutely gorgeous and oh, so peaceful. The sun was setting and there wasn't another soul in site. The highlight of the walk though was by far the cat that joined us just outside the gate of the retreat's property, followed us on our entire walk (even waiting for us while we stopped to soak it all in), and all the way back to the gate of our cottage. Once we were safely inside, the cat laid down and relaxed by the gate. It was incredible!

It was such a loving kitty and really took to Steve. This is the third random cat that has come into my life in the last year (remember this and this?), which kind of got me thinking...what does a cat symbolize? This was pretty interesting to read. :)

The next morning, we visited Jacob's Creek winery. I've wanted to go to this winery since we first moved to Australia. It's a wine I used to drink in Canada and have always thought it would be cool to see it in Australia. We did a winery tour, which ended up being only me, Steve and the wine expert guy. We had 2 hours of one-on-one wine lessons from a guy that knew his wine! It was awesome. We learned so much!

We even got a private wine tasting and learned lots about matching wine with food. It was all so interesting! I had endless questions!

We bought 6 bottles of wine that are exclusive to the winery and are sending them back to Canada. We even had one bottle labelled, "Cari and Steve's Borassa Valley Adventure 2011". Yup, we're lame like that and love it! :)

We had the best time in the Borassa Valley. It will always be a special memory and hold a special place in my heart. As someone said to me, the best way to describe that area is a "gentle place" and I couldn't agree more!

More road trip photos to come! xoxo

Are you for real?

2011-11-13T19:10:00.003+10:00

Things are slowly starting to disappear around our house, like today, the wardrobes went to a new home and our clothes are currently living on our bed. We spent the weekend seeing friends and saying lots of goodbyes. It's Sunday night and I don't have to pack a lunch, iron an outfit or prepare anything at all for work tomorrow (I finished work last week....photos to come!). One might think we were moving, yet somehow I don't think it's actually hit me yet. WE ARE MOVING TO CANADA in less than 2 weeks (Nov. 26)!! Seriously, when is it actually going to feel real? It's all a bit strange!

Upside-down and inside-out...

2011-11-07T18:14:00.007+10:00

...that's sort of how my life feels at the moment. Just take a look at our spare room. Yikes. Here's a closer look, just so you can really see the...work in progress...? Yes, let's call it that.

Random Cari Fact: I don't actually cope that well with change. You'd think I would be pretty good at it by now. This is going to be our third big move in just 5 years but I always find it tough. I usually get my head around things after awhile but there's always lots of ups and downs to get there. I'm an emotional person, what can I say! According to my naturopath, it's my blood type, I lead with emotions, it's in my biology! :)

The last few months have definitely been a roller-coaster but slowly, day by day, more and more things get checked off the to-do-list and my poor head gets a little bit more quiet. Yesterday, we washed Jesse's crate. It's been stored in our outdoor shed for the last couple years and definitely needed a good clean.

You may remember this picture from 2006? Funny how so much changes, yet so much stays the same! Also funny that having this crate clean and set-up for Jesse to get comfortable being in again totally helped to settle at least a few of the many thoughts running through my busy head. As Steve kindly put it today, I'm a mental monkey at times. I won't deny it!

In the middle of all this change and upside-down craziness, I feel more grateful than ever for a few little things...
...my amazing co-workers (you know who you are!) who make me laugh out loud several times a day (I'm gonna miss them!)...the sunny warm weather that's offering us a little taste of summer in the middle of what's going to be a very long winter...all the hard work Steve has been doing to organize oh so many things...a chiropractor who keeps my headaches at bay and my emotions in check...last little catch ups with extra special people...my new face wash that leaves my skin feeling super soft and my spirits lifted (it really is the little things! It smells good too!)...a half price sale on plane tickets that meant booking my trip home to Nova Scotia from Montreal for Christmas and a niece who thought to inform me of the deal...coming home yesterday to find Jesse sleeping happily in his crate (he likes it!) and lots of kind emails, facebook messages and texts from friends who make me feel very loved.

Even if things do get a little crazy at times, I'm one lucky girl! xoxo

A day at the beach.

2011-11-06T07:41:00.002+10:00

It was an absolutely beautiful day yesterday, so we hit the beach! The weather in Melbourne can be quite fickle, as Melburnians say, it's not uncommon to have 4 seasons in one day. Yesterday was fabulous from start to finish, however and we enjoyed every beautiful moment.

There was lots of relaxing on the beach, soaking up the sunshine, laughing at playful puppies frolicking on the beach, a delicious lunch with a cool glass of wine, ice cream and even enough time for a late afternoon nap. It was blissful...

...and just the sort of day we are currently making a point of taking full advantage of before we move back to Canada (just in time for winter!).

Oh, did I neglect to mention that on the blog? I'm sorry! Yup, we're heading back to Canada, Montreal to be exact in just 3 more weeks. It's a busy time for us but exciting all the same. I'll be back soon with a few more details about our move.
Until then, hope you are all happy and well! xoxo

A very patient puppy...

2011-10-07T20:28:00.001+10:00

Poor Jesse. I think he'll be happy when Steve goes back to work...

Ah, weekends...

2011-09-25T20:01:00.013+10:00

We had a really lovely weekend. Actually, it was sort of my idea of the perfect weekend. I thought I'd share a few photos from our last two days with you. They were all taken on my trusty iPhone (I'm so spoiled having a phone with a camera, I rarely bother lugging my camera out and about with me). This weekend was the perfect balance between being social and being a bit of a hermit. Love it! I'm also loving the flowers I picked from one of our neighborhood bushes, shown in the photo above. I consider them the Aussie version of lilacs. :) They smell very similar. Does anyone know what they are actually called?

We spent Friday night eating take away, drinking wine, chatting and laughing with friends. It was great! Saturday morning, we met up with the same friends for breakfast and coffee (x2). My most favorite thing to do on a weekend morning! The rest of the weekend was spent napping, calling home, doing a few things around the house, and exploring the Prahran Market (complete with self serve fresh mussels!:)

There was lots of eating in the last couple days...

... but luckily also walks with Jesse Jay...

...soaking up all the signs of spring...

...and watching movies with more eating!

Let's not forget the time we spent just chilling in the grass and enjoying a take away coffee.

A lovely weekend, indeed! I'm back to work tomorrow with a busy week ahead. Thank goodness for weekends to refresh.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend too! xoxo

Steve's Marathon Training...

2011-09-22T20:49:00.005+10:00

Steve's been training for a Marathon that's coming up on October 9th. Sometimes when he comes home, he looks like this. Yup, his nipples actually bleed. I show him lots of sympathy and love, after I've snapped photos of him, of course!
(Steve edit - this pic was taken after a 3hr, 35km training run, which rained for a lot of it causing much more friction than usual)

Then he takes an ice bath to help stop his muscles from swelling. I can't help myself, the sympathy goes out the window and I just laugh. I mean, seriously, look at that face! You'd laugh too! It's okay though, it's loving laughter! :)

I wish I had half his dedication. It's pretty impressive. Good work with the training Babe, not long now until the big day! xoxo

Neutral Space

2011-09-19T15:06:00.003+10:00

Steve's studio was closed today. A lot of really talented people and friends are out of work, including my handsome hubby. We're not sure what we'll do next but if there's one thing I've learned it's that there are always negatives and positives to everything that happens and it's all happening for a reason. The sun was shining this afternoon and temps hit 29 degrees, so we headed off to the beach to clear ours heads...

...and if there was ever a neutral space, snuggled right in between all those negatives and positives, this was a little taste of it. I'm trusting in my heart that the right thing will happen and we'll be okay. I'm staying neutral and planning to just enjoy this roller coaster ride of life and will wait to see where it lets us off. xoxo

Cranky moods call for...

2011-09-18T09:24:00.004+10:00

I've been fighting a viral infection (sore throat, sore glands, fever, etc...) for the last couple of weeks and it's really knocked the energy out of me. That along with some more (this time, unexpected) unhappy news this past week about Steve's job found me waking up on the wrong side of the bed yesterday morning! Steve was already up and at it and out for a bike ride, probably just what he needed to clear his head. I was determined to get myself out of my funk and opened every curtain in the house to let the sunshine in, wrote in my gratitude journal, called my Mom for a nice chat (does wanting to talk to your Mom when you're feeling down ever change:) and once Steve got home, we headed off for breakfast at an adorable little cafe we've been wanting to check out...

The cafe is called "MART", which is "TRAM" spelled backwards. It's a cozy little place with lots of pretty flowers and herbs growing in plant pots and it's located right on the tram line.

We had to wait for awhile to get a table, which was okay with us because it was a beautiful day (yeah for spring!) and we just watched the trams and people pass by, while sitting on the brick wall in front of the cafe, chatting.

They also served us lattes with pretty saucers while we waited, so who could possibly complain? :)

This guy, who I later found out is named, Hercules kept us quite entertained while we waited. These dogs seem to be all over Melbourne and holy crap, they are cute!! Their teeth and tongues make me laugh!

It really is a charming little place, if you ever get the chance to check it out, please do...

...because the food is pretty darn good too! And they served our pancakes with a brand new bottle of real Canadian maple syrup. Gotta love that! :)

After brekky, we took a little drive, stopped at an op shop and just explored new areas. It was nice. We ended our day with a walk with Jesse, followed by a rye sourdough, cheese, dip, red wine spread and a movie.
I have to say, by the end of the day I had pretty much forgotten all about waking up on the wrong side of the bed! :)

A little of what's been happening in my tiny corner of the world...

2011-09-13T20:02:00.008+10:00

Well, once again I've fallen way behind with blogging and oh, how I've missed it! Here's a little bit of what's been happening when I'm not blogging. :)

There was a Hen's night for my friend Ange. We celebrated with fishbowl sized margaritas and cruised around town in a limo with a charming driver...

...lion kisses were also a special part of the evening. :)

Then there was the wedding! I was a bridesmaid and enjoyed sharing in Geoff and Ange's day so much. It was absolutely gorgeous! Ange looked so beautiful and the day was just filled with love...

Geoff cleaned up pretty good too! I heart weddings. :) I think I'll post a few more photos soon, it was just too lovely of a day to only be shared with two pictures!

Spring showed it's lovely presence for a short amount of time and it was complete bliss! We hit the beach one evening for a walk after work...

...and watched the sunset.

I planted pretty flower pots...

...and herbs which just so happen to be still alive! Yippee! I'd love to have a vegetable garden but it's baby steps for me. Let's be honest, my thumb is not nearly as green as I would like.
Spring has been aloof as of late but the little teaser that we enjoyed for a week or so has me counting the minutes until summer. I'm so ready for warmer weather and sandals!

Lastly, I haven't been feeling my best lately, lots of headaches and neck pain, and really tired. It's reminding me of the importance of taking proper care of myself, eating well, exercising, down time, etc...something that I got slack with when I started feeling so good. Evening walks around our neighborhood with Steve and Jesse are great for restoring balance in so many ways. It's been one of my most favorite things in the last couple months. Plus, Melbourne is just oh so pretty at night!

What have you been up to lately? I've missed you! xo

Day 3 - Kings Creek Station

2011-07-31T18:45:00.012+10:00

On our third day in the Northern Territory we woke up early and drove to Uluru to watch the sunrise. It was nice to see the sun stretch across the rock and feel everything around us wake up, including us! Afterwards, we splurged on a buffet breakfast at the resort before heading off on the 4 hour drive to Kings Canyon...

It was chilly first thing in the morning and at night but absolutely beautiful during the day!

The roads are super flat and there isn't really radio (some AM depending on where you are), so we passed time playing games and chatting on the walkie-talkies with our friends in the other van. Fun times! :)

En route to our destination, we stopped at Kings Creek Station, a working cattle/camel station (ranch) with lots of fun things to do!! Petrol was pretty expensive though!

They did have real coffee though and after a few days without that, I was a very happy camper!

Yippee! Caffeine fix! :)

We went on a camel ride and ate camel burgers. I know, it seems wrong, doesn't it? To be honest, I had a chicken burger and only had a bite of the camel one. Steve, Bruce and Claire all braved the camel burgers and enjoyed it. I couldn't stop thinking about how smart and cute the camels are!

Our sexy hair nets for under the helmets...

Seriously, what is wrong with me??

Camels are very sloooow but it was also a really relaxing ride...and a bit surreal! We were riding a camel through the outback of Australia. CRAZY.
Camels are also very smart...they are as smart as a seven year old child, according to our guide. They catch wild camels at this station for export...that kind of made me sad. I don't like the idea of a wild animal being taken from their home and freedom. I'd make a terrible station worker!

There were lots of dogs about. What a life these dogs live! Lucky puppies! It made me miss Jesse who was in a kennel in Melbourne.

We also took a helicopter ride. My first time in a helicopter! It was pretty cool...

We saw wild horses!!!

AMAZING!

The views were very pretty from up high...

...and very red!

We also went quad biking, as the Aussies say. This was one of my most favorite things on our trip...it was awesome!

We drove through the outback on some pretty crazy tracks. We were allowed to go fast and I even saw a wild camel! Like I said, awesome!!

I'd do this again in a heart beat! If only I could travel around the city on a four wheeler...

Making friends with the animals on the ranch...

We arrived at Kings Canyon Resort Campground and found our site to have the most amazing view...

We got settled, made a spaghetti dinner and kicked up our feet with a nice drink. Good times!

Gotta love camping! What a fabulous day!!

Day 2 Evening - Sounds of Silence - Uluru

2011-07-24T21:24:00.005+10:00

After a fabulous day spent at Ayers Rock, we went back to the campground, refreshed and got ready for "Sounds of Silence". A bus picked us up at the campground at 5pm and off we went. We weren't really sure what to expect (I thought we might need to not talk...thank goodness that wasn't the case!) but had been told that it was a pretty incredible experience. We weren't disappointed!

We drove over bumpy red dirt roads for awhile before being dropped off at a beautiful location where we were greeted with champagne and told to relax and enjoy the sunset on Ayers Rock. We nibbled on canapes (I ate my first bit of crocodile!) and mingled with the guests.
The above photo makes me laugh, we're standing as if not to block the rock!

Claire and I enjoying the evening.

It was a really special place in the middle of nowhere...

...and the view of Uluru and The Olgas was amazing!

A gorgeous sunset...

After the sunset, we made our way down a long windy path that opened onto a red space with beautiful tables all set for a feast...

They served an Australian buffet (kangaroo, crocodile, prawns, lamb, etc...). The food was really tasty and the wine was in abundance!

We dined with travelers from Spain, China and Northern Queensland. We got to know each other a little, laughed a lot and enjoyed good food and drink together under a beautiful starry sky. We even chatted with fellow Canadians from Calgary, which is always nice when you're far away from home.
After dinner, they told us Aboriginal stories (wow!) and pointed out the constellations. It's funny to know you live under a completely different sky than you have known your entire life. No Northern Star to be seen anywhere but I can now locate the Southern Cross like nobody's business! :)

The bus picked us up and dropped us back at the campground when the evening had to come to an end. We slept well with full tummies and happy hearts. Sounds of Silence was by far one of the most special moments of our trip. I'd recommend it to anyone! It's truly a very unique experience!

Hmn.

2011-07-20T21:29:00.004+10:00

We recently got new bedding. After almost five years of the same bedding (seriously, have we lived here that long?), it was at the top of our wish list. We bought everything...sheets, pillows, pillow case covers, comforter, comforter cover, the works. I put it on the bed (I just love that brand new feeling!), turned my back for two seconds and...Jesse. For a split second I realized why Aussies are so fond of "outside dogs". I even thought for another second that our next dog wouldn't be allowed on the bed, or furniture in general and decided I would most definitely tell Steve that if we ever get another furry friend, all furniture will be off limits. Then, I remembered. I remembered how much I *love* weekend sleep-ins with me, Steve and Jesse all snuggled up in bed. I remembered how much I *love* sleeping back to back with Jesse when Steve stays up late or is away. I remembered how much I *love* waking up to Jesse resting his head on the mattress, staring right at me, waiting for me to wake up and wiggle over to make room for him. The dog hair, paw prints and extra wear and tear are most definitely a pain in the butt but I wouldn't trade it for anything! And if I'm being honest, I don't blame Jesse one bit. I've been sleeping like a baby since getting this new bedding..who wouldn't want to sleep in it? I'm sure it beats a dog bed any day!

Day 2 - Ayers Rock (Uluru)

2011-07-19T19:09:00.005+10:00

After a good night's sleep in the overfill part of Ayers Rock Campground, we woke up early to get our big day at Ayers Rock underway. The above photo is one Steve snapped bright and early from a hill overlooking the overfill camping field.

This is the overfill area up close. I just loved how red it was. We didn't notice the color until we woke up because we arrived after dark. It was pretty cool to get out of the van to head for the bathrooms and see the red, red soil.

We headed off to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park where Ayers Rock, also known as Uluru lives. This was our first glimpse of Uluru as we drove into the park. Seeing it for the first time was pretty spectacular. It's just so...Australia. When I first heard we were actually moving to the land down under, this was what popped in my head. It's considered the heart of Australia and there's no question in my mind as to why. It's truly amazing being in the presence of this rock.

One of my most favorite moments of the trip was having breakfast there. Sipping my coffee and eating my eggs beside Ayers Rock was surreal and very calming.

The best thing about a Britz camper van is the gas stove which enables you to cook a yummy full brekky anywhere!

After breakfast, we packed our snacks and water and set out on the 9.4km walk around the rock. I'm so glad we went in winter when the weather was a beautiful, sunny 18 degrees. It gets HOT there in summer, about 40 degrees. Even when we were there, you could feel the bite of the sun.

We chose not to climb the rock in respect of the Aboriginal people who ask that you don't. There were also several parts of the rock that are sacred to the Aboriginal people and there were signs asking you not to photograph there. Again, we respected that but sadly, there were lots of people who didn't. It made me a bit sad.

Steve on our chocolate chip cookie break.

Aboriginal art work on the rock...

I have to admit, I wish there would have been more information about Uluru, as you walked around the rock. There really wasn't anything to help you learn more about the place, which I found quite surprising and a bit disappointing.

But, the views helped to make up for it! :)

Group shot.

Gorgeous colors!

A quick stretch, much needed after our first night's sleep in the camper van!

Nearing the end of the walk...Bruce and Claire taking a rest.

I love this picture.

Uluru was everything we had always imagined and more. Everyone that goes there tells you how amazing it is, but I don't think I really understood until I felt it for myself. It's just another reason why Australia is so special.

I'll be back tomorrow with how we spent our evening at Uluru...

My Monday...

2011-07-18T21:01:00.013+10:00

...a photo an hour for an entire day. A fun way to make a long, busy day...fun!

8am///Got ready for work. It was a ponytail day...no time for hair!

9am///Arrived at work, coffee in hand, picked up at my favorite drive through en route...still hot. The nice guy at the coffee shop gave me a free paper with my coffee. I read my horoscope. :)

10am-12pm///Played major catch up on email, voice mail and other paperwork. Lots to do after being away sick for half a day on Thursday and all day Friday. Busy, busy!

12pm///Lunch. Left over pizza and a garden salad. Delicious!1pm///Tea in my work mug, complete with my name so no one in the office 'borrows' it. You need to watch your mug pretty closely around that office of mine.

2pm///Admired my screensaver and did a few neck stretches in my chair during a much needed mini break from cranky emails and people!

3pm///The afternoon tea of champions...tuna and beans!

4pm///The blind I bought from my boss...fits the window perfectly...lucky guess!

5pm///Work finished! A super productive day. Off to the grocery store and dollar store next door to my work to pick up a few things.

6pm///Home and dinner started...yum, tacos! So quick and easy but yet, oh so tasty!

7pm///Fed Jesse dry food because I didn't make it to the pet shop that sells raw food before it closed...

...and made cupcakes for friends who are celebrating a birthday. A big thanks to my hubby and puppy who walked to the store to buy me vegetable oil because I didn't realize it was gone.

8pm///Decorated cupcakes and made little decorative flags. Ate a cupcake for quality control. ;)

9pm///Dishes, tidied up, blog.

10pm///Bedtime!

Hope everyone has/had a wonderful Monday. I'll be back tomorrow with more of our trip to Northern Territory. xoxo

Day 1 - Alice Springs to Ayers Rock Campground - Northern Territory

2011-07-17T19:20:00.007+10:00

We had the most amazing adventure in Northern Territory. I absolutely fell in love with the outback and Australia, all over again! We did so much in just 5 days and took lots of photos, so here is a recap of our holiday, day by day.

Day 1 we flew into Alice Springs. This is us on the plane. We traveled with our friends, Bruce and Claire and had a fantastic time with them. They're great fun!

This is me waiting for the boys to get our Britz van. They make road trips and camping super easy, although this time wasn't quite as relaxing as some of our previous holidays in the camper vans. We were not the only ones living in the Britz. We shared the space with mice! Yikes!

We did a huge grocery shop in Alice Springs and got enough food and drinks to get us through 5 days. There isn't a whole lot of shopping in the outback once you you hit the road and what you do find is very expensive. Gas was $2.14 a litre!

On the first day we drove about 450km from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock Resort Campground where we spent our first night. The roads are very flat and the speed limit is 130km for a lot of the drive. It was weird to legally be able to drive that fast! It made 100km an hour seem like we were crawling.

Our first pit stop found us at a road side rest stop where we got our first up close experience with the red soil. It's just so red out there!

Bruce and Claire had their van upgraded to the larger size. This is big brother van and little brother van taking a rest.

Me and Claire. We look quite good here, I must say. After 5 days and limited showers, we definitely weren't looking quite so spiffy! :)

We also stopped at this rest stop where they offered free camping, complete with showers, laundry and toilets that were labeled "Sheila's and Bloke's"...very Aussie! I was really impressed by the fact that you could just camp at most rest stops for free along the way. Very handy!
We got excited when we saw this in the distance, about 100km from Ayers Rock Campground. It's not Ayers Rock though, this is Mount Connor and is actually three times larger than Uluru. Strangely, I've never even heard of it but it is quite impressive when you see it hovering in the distance!

We saw a really pretty sunset on our first night as we got closer and closer to our destination.

You really need to watch for wildlife when driving at night. They have more animals than people living in the Northern Territory, everything from kangaroos to wild horses, camels, donkeys, rabbits, etc... We even saw wild emu by the side of the road, along with lots of hawks and other pretty birds.

It was nice to arrive at the campground, although it was packed! This time of year is their busy season and we actually had to camp our first night in their overfill space, basically a large field. We didn't care though, we unpacked a little and then kicked up our feet for some snacks and drinks. The best part of camping, if you ask me! :)

We headed to bed early, tired from a long day of driving and looking forward to an early morning and a full day at Uluru. Stay tuned for day 2 photos!

Off we go...

2011-07-06T19:04:00.004+10:00

Just want to say that we're leaving on a jet plane tomorrow for a grand adventure in Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock). I'm pretty excited! I'm sure to have lots of photos to share upon my return! But, just before I go, I just had to share a photo of my great niece, Zahria. Yup, I'm a great aunt! It kind of makes me feel a wee bit old but I'll take feeling old any day if it means having this beautiful little lady as part of our family. Isn't she perfect? I can hardly wait to meet her! I'm over the moon happy for my niece Nicole and her partner, Sean. Baby Z is just the sweetest little thing ever! xoxo

Feeling thankful...

2011-07-04T21:33:00.005+10:00

Things have been a bit up in air in our lives these last couple of months and to be completely honest, it's exhausting. We're both getting pretty tired of waiting and wondering and just not knowing. Today was a particularly blue day for me but I've been making a point of focusing on and appreciating all the positive and good things surrounding me each day and today was no exception. I've been snapping photos of all the things I'm grateful for on a daily basis for awhile now and have been writing in my gratitude journal as much as I can, but when my darling friend, Kate asked if I'd join her in writing three things I'm grateful for each day in the month of July, I thought it would be the perfect way to share, on occasion some of the random pictures I snap here and there of all the many things I love and am thankful for on my travels from one day to to the next. Here's just a few of the many photos taken with my phone lately and chosen from the long list in my journal...

...I am grateful for...

...matching, warm, cozy slipper boots that keep my toes snuggly and happy on chilly Melbourne nights. "...they make my toes feel like ten friends on a camping trip." I just love that line...

...day trips to pretty places on sunny days...

...yummy, fresh fruit and veggies that help to keep my energy (and spirits!) up...

...thrift/vintage shops full of hidden treasure...

...early morning coffee (especially on extra chilly mornings!)...

...cute boots with wool tights and pretty dresses...

...pretty plants in simple pots that leave me feeling inspired to run away, buy a farm and live off the land (as a vegetarian with lots of pets, of course! :)...

...and most importantly, these two boys of mine, who make the cut on a pretty regular basis...

What are you grateful for today? Would you like to join me in writing 3 things a day that you are grateful for in the month of July? It's amazing what it can do for your spirits, even on the bluest of days! :)

First 10km Run!

2011-05-30T17:50:00.006+10:00

Yesterday, Steve, our friend Ange and I did the 10km Sri Chinmoy run. I wasn't sure how I'd go because I had never actually ran 10km but Steve stuck with me and as always was very encouraging and helped to keep me motivated. I really enjoy running with him, he's very supportive and inspires me to try harder. My iPod also helped to keep me moving! A good playlist goes a long way when you're running!

The run was really nice, near the ocean with really great views of the city skyline. It also took us through Williamstown, an adorable little town that I'm hoping we can go back to explore sometime soon.

This was us chilling out after we came across the finish line. Ange and that guy standing behind her (Geoff :) got engaged the night before the run, so they were pretty happy! We were pretty happy for them...they make a really great match!

There was lots of love in the air this weekend, with friends getting engaged and Steve and I celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary. I'll be posting our annual anniversary photo soon. This is Steve and I after we came across the finish line.

And by far, the best thing about doing runs is going for brunch and coffee afterwards! We went to Fraus, a crepes place known for their hot chocolate. There were a million flavors to choose from and it comes served in a giant cup, more like a soup bowl than a hot chocolate mug. Definitely a meal you can enjoy much more after a good run that works up a good appetite!

Next fun run is July 31st. Let's see how we go between now and then! :)

Early - Mid May in Photos

2011-05-22T14:21:00.014+10:00

Hello! I've been on a bit of a blogging break, in case you hadn't noticed. I just haven't been very inspired to sit down and blog in the last few weeks but after browsing through old blog posts from this time last year, my inspiration seemed to return. I really love what a wonderful tool blogging is for documenting our adventures and day to day life and I really want to keep it up. Finding the time is the tricky bit, but I really want to try harder. I'm going to give it my best go! So, let's recap, shall we? Here's a picture post to bring you up-to-date on what happened in the first couple weeks of May. May is always such a busy month for us and one of my most favorite months of the year. This year has been no exception!

We kicked off the month with Steve and a couple of friends from his work doing the Puffy Billy Race, a run that races the Puffing Billy steam train through the Dandenongs. It's basically a 13km run mostly uphill. I took the train!

The views along the way were really pretty and the train was all open and people could sit on the side of the train with their feet hanging out the side. It was pretty neat, especially if you were little...the kids on the train loved it! So did I!

I really felt for the runners...it was a tough one! Steve beat the train I was on, so he did very well!

The layout of the train station and the steam train itself made everything feel like we had stepped back in time. I think I would have really loved living back then!

I'm still loving all the beauty of autumn, although celebrating my favorite month in autumn and not spring is still pretty confusing. Not sure that will ever change!

I think I can, I think I can. It's probably more likely that the runners were thinking this than the train!

Well done on the run Steve...you rock!

On May 8th, I did my first ever fun run, and you know what? It was actually fun! We did the 8km Mother's Day Classic run to help raise money for breast cancer with a few friends. An insane amount of people came out for the event and even with a stomach bug I managed to finish the run. I wasn't about to miss it after months of running in preparation. Sometimes, being a stubborn Taurus pays off!

This is my running buddy, she helps to keep me motivated and gets me out even when it's the last thing I feel like doing. Thanks for all the support Ange!

We were quite happy with ourselves for following through and doing the run. I have to admit, I think I may have caught the "running bug" I have heard so much about from runners. It's kind of addictive and oh so good for my mental health. It also helps let me eat and drink whatever I want, so that's a real bonus!
Well done everyone! You guys are awesome!

I baked a lot this month and finally tried making rainbow cupcakes. They turned out great! I think they'd be really fun for a kid's birthday party.

We had a little house guest just before my birthday. We were walking Jesse on our usual evening stroll when we stumbled upon a little kitten. Of course, I couldn't bare the thought of it being outside on a cold and rainy night, and somehow managed to talk Steve into letting us take it home. Did I mention that Steve is very allergic to cats? He's such a good guy! I sort of fell head over heels in love with the little thing and Jesse was pretty fond of it too. They were so cute together! We would of kept it forever if it weren't for the fact that Steve blew his nose and took allergy medication for the entire 3 days it stayed with us!

Can I just say, kittens are way more work than puppies?! They get into everything and like to climb things unexpectedly at random moments...

Point proven. Jesse didn't seem to know what to think of that! Ha!

But, we forgave it pretty quickly because, well, they also really like to snuggle and I love me a good cuddle!

After posting lots of found kitten flyers around the neighborhood without any success, we had to give in and take it to the vet, where they scanned it for a microchip. Sadly, it wasn't micro chipped (Micro chip your animals people!) and we had to leave it at the vet to be picked up by the pound. There's a law here that if you take a lost animal into a vet to be scanned for a micro chip, the vet has to keep the animal and send it to the pound. It makes sense in that it means all lost animals are in one place in case their owners are looking for them, but it stinks to not know what happens to the animal once you leave the vet. I like closure. I'll be honest, I cried. I just hope with all my heart that it's owners found it or it has been adopted by a loving family who gives it lots of cuddles and laughs at it's crazy kitten ways!
Thank you Kitty for coming into our lives, we really loved our time with you!

On May 12th, I celebrated my 31st birthday. It was a lovely day. The girls at work bought me these pretty tulips (my favorite!) and had a cake for me. Steve and I went out for a nice dinner and then a massage in the evening. I can't quite believe I'm 31 already! It seems like only a couple of months ago that I turned 30. Time is flying!
Thanks to everyone for the lovely birthday wishes on facebook, email and by post. You guys are the best and I love you all!

And last but not least, I dyed my hair a really fun red. I'm not sure this photo even does it justice, it's much more red in the sun! I really love it and think it will stay like this for awhile. Although, who knows, I seem to get bored very easily!

So, that's the highlights of the first couple of weeks in this oh so wonderful month. I'll be back soon with what's been happening in the last two weeks. Just want to say a big thank you to anyone who has faithfully been checking in here, waiting for an update...you're the best! Thanks for your patience! xoxo

Easter Dinner

2011-04-25T12:30:00.010+10:00

Easter Dog.

Easter goodies for the kiddies.

Easter decorations.

Easter ears.

Easter nibblies.

Easter ears on hubby making Easter ham.

Easter ham with maple syrup and brown sugar glaze.

Best Easter ham ever.

Easter cupcakes.

Easter dinner guests...

Easter coloring.

We hosted an Easter dinner yesterday at our house. We had a traditional Easter feast with ham, veggies, homemade rolls and all the trimmings. I even made Steve's Mom's mysterious "green stuff" (more about this later!). We had cupcakes, sugar cookies and lots of chocolates for dessert. We sipped wine and beer and cider. It was delicious. But, best of all, we shared it with great friends! It was a really wonderful Easter Sunday gathering.

Hoping your Easter weekend has been shared with family and friends too! xoxo

Chillin'

2011-04-19T20:38:00.004+10:00

How funny is this photo! This was the boys on Saturday morning, vegging out. Only two more work days and we get to veg out for five.whole.days! I'm counting the moments! In other news, we finally got rid of these chairs and got a new couch. Who says you need a couch delivered? We have a Yaris and it has yet to disappoint me. I'm thinking of starting a blog and naming it "S#@t I can fit in a Yaris";) We really showed that Ikea guy who laughed and shook his head when Steve pulled our little car up to the loading zone!

Autumn

2011-04-18T20:05:00.006+10:00

Autumn is in full swing in Melbourne and it's been absolutely beautiful around the city. I just love this time of year. It's so fresh, crisp and pretty. Steve and I decided to take a little drive out of the city to see the leaves changing and stumbled upon an adorable little winery where the leaves were all sorts of lovely autumn colors and the air smelled amazing! It was truly gorgeous...

The autumn colors aren't quite as impressive as Canada but they are pretty darn close! Close enough to make autumn my most favorite time of year both in Melbourne and Canada. I've even been enjoying the cool mornings that require quick trips from our cozy bed to the shower and heat in the car on the way to work. Autumn is good. The wine we chose at the winery for our Easter dinner this coming weekend is really good. Life is good! :)

Aussie adventures

2011-04-17T18:29:00.005+10:00

We went mountain biking today at Lysterfield Park and saw a large Red-Bellied Black Snake sunning himself on the path. We also saw several Eastern Grey Kangaroos nibbling on grass beside the trails. We're not in Canada anymore, eh?

Dining adventures!

2011-04-10T09:12:00.004+10:00

I've been a bit of an emotional yo-yo in the last week. I'm not good with uncertainty and my control freak self doesn't cope well when things feel out of my hands. I've been up and down, some days really positive and at peace with whatever happens in our life, other days really anxious and exhausted, analyzing every possible option and basically making myself crazy. By the end of last week, I was completely drained and just needed a little quiet time to unwind. Friday night I came straight home from work and had a nap, then went back to bed at 9pm! I was pooped! But after a really good nights sleep and a peaceful Saturday spent dabbling in a few things around the house, including cleaning and baking (both therapeutic for me!), I was feeling much more myself. Our friends, Geoff and Ange invited us to their neighborhood for dinner and we dined at the most delicious Ethiopian restaurant...

The food comes on one big gigantic plate covered in the most delicious bread. You just dig in with your hands and enjoy!

Ange did the ordering, so I'm not sure exactly what we had but I do know it was a pretty good variety, beef, lamb, chicken, veggies and it was all really tasty! See Steve's hand in this photo, that gives you an idea of how big the plate was...Steve has big hands!

It was nice to hang out with good friends, drink a bit of wine (er, a bit too much wine!) and just relax. I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that if Steve's studio in Brisbane hadn't closed, we would never have moved to Melbourne and would never have met our fabulous friends here or experienced any of the fantastic things that we've got to do in the last two years. Everything happens for a reason and it's true, when one door closes...

Smile Steve! Steve loves it when I take his picture, can you tell?

All gone! Thanks Geoff and Ange, as always, we had a great time!

I'm off to the osteopath today and am thinking I'd like to do something a little inspiring. Perhaps, I'll grab a coffee and hit a copy of my favorite little shops. Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Pros and Cons

2011-04-07T19:53:00.008+10:00

Steve and I made a pros and cons list tonight. It was the size of our living room rug. We have a lot of options to weigh at the moment! Jesse wanted in on the action, which is fair enough considering he is a pretty important part of this wee little family of ours! He literally laid in the middle of our list and we brainstormed around him...

...Man, I love this dog. xoxo

Weekend Photos

2011-04-03T20:41:00.003+10:00

We had a really nice weekend, in spite of getting some unhappy news at the end of last week. The project that Steve's been working on for the last 2 years was canceled, which in his industry always makes me nervous. It's not the best field for job security and I admit, I was a little worried on Thursday and Friday. But after a very chilled out and enjoyable weekend together, I feel really at peace with things. What's meant to be will be. Plus, who can stay worried and unhappy when you are eating pancakes with this sweet puppy sitting beside you bumming for a bite?

A few more photos from the last few days...

We bummed around the city yesterday and cafe hopped trying coffee. It was a lot of fun! The verdict: Starbucks coffee is complete crap in comparison to adorably charming cafes around Melbourne.

My chili plant is growing! And let me tell you, those little peppers are hot hot hot!

Easter daisies. I'm so looking forward to a five day Easter break!!

Carrot muffins, gluten and dairy free. I really need to get back on track with my eating. Gluten and dairy just tastes so darn good!!

I got new running shoes! I tried them out tonight and they worked very well. I'm comfortably running 6 km now and planning to start adding on 2 km in the next month in preparation for the 8 km Mother's Day run in May. It feels good to see myself progressing and have my fitness improving.

Although eating foods like this may be a little counterproductive! ;)

I guess if we're going to indulge in food and wine, it's only fair that Jesse does to...

...dog beer, anyone? No, we didn't buy this for him but it was pretty funny to see this on the shelf at the pet store! Has anyone given this to their pooch?

Our time turned back last night and I broke down and turned on the heat for the first time this year. Winter is here, like it or not. I think it's time to buy myself some cozy new slippers and maybe even a new jacket for the season. If you can't beat it, join it, right? :)

Fly by.

2011-03-27T17:13:00.004+10:00

The Australian Grand Prix was this weekend in Melbourne. We live pretty close to where it's held, so it's been a noisy four days! I could care less about the cars or the race but the Qantas 747 plane that flew over at the beginning of the final race was pretty cool! We climbed up on our neighbors' roof for a closer look...

It was cool to see it fly so low over the city. I imagine it was really fun for the pilots!

Notice the race flag on the side of the plane and I've always thought the kangaroo on the Qantas planes is pretty awesome! Very Aussie.

We just finishing watching the race (why not, right?) and it was as if we had surround sound. Kind of strange to be watching it on TV but be hearing it all around us!

Girls Night!

2011-03-26T19:21:00.005+10:00

We had a little girls night last night. I've only just recovered! Those kind of nights out are oh so good for your mind and spirits but oh so bad for your physical health!! I had a great time with great friends. I feel really blessed to have such a wonderful group of ladies as friends here in Melbourne. Friends are always an important part of your life but when you're away from home and family, your friends are more important than ever. I just don't know what I'd do without them!

Photo shoot! :)

Oh my. Silly girls!

Thanks for a fabulous night out ladies! Let's do it again soon! xoxo

Weekend Recap

2011-03-21T18:13:00.006+10:00

Honestly, I can't think of anything better than a laid back, go-with-the-flow weekend. I was sick at the end of last week, so a relaxed weekend was even more appreciated than usual to help get me feeling back up to scruff. Melbourne is an amazing city for doing as much or as little as you want and this past weekend the weather cooperated beautifully for a do-whatever-makes-you-happy-kind-of-two-days.

For us that meant, sipping a morning coffee by the ocean, buying fruits and veggies at the market, barbecues, bubble baths, long afternoon naps...

...time just hanging out together, watching movies, decorating the house for Easter...

...and baking. It's always so nice starting a new work week feeling refreshed! I'm grateful for quiet, peaceful weekends.

In other news, I want to say hi to the new followers who have joined this space lately. I can't tell you how exciting it is to see someone new has started following. It seriously makes my day! So, a big thanks to you for taking the time to read and follow!

Hope you all had a do-whatever-makes-you-happy-kind-of-two-days too! xo

7 Random Things...

2011-03-16T19:45:00.004+10:00

Steve has a cute bum.

I love coffee. I went years and years never drinking coffee, only to become the girl that gets a take away coffee every.single.morning on the way to work. I'm all about a nice skinny latte in a cute take away cup. This is what Melbourne has done to me. Thank you Melbourne!

Steve is cute. I like him a lot. I think I'll keep him. :)

Dressing up and going out on the town with good friends is lots of fun. Getting hit on by an 18 year old boy makes you feel old, contrary to popular belief.

Jesse literally makes my heart hurt, he's that cute. Steve has stiff competition in the cute department.

I love eggs benedict. A lot. But not as much as I love coffee. However, a breakfast of eggs benedict and a coffee at the cafe around the corner from my house pretty much makes for the perfect Sunday morning.

Life is giving me lots of reasons to smile lately. I'm grateful.

I'm pretty crap at taking our camera with us these days and usually end up just snapping most of life's little moments on my iPhone. I thought it was about time to share a few of those random shots!

Weekend Highlights...

2011-03-14T20:40:00.002+10:00

...summer weather ...(hot!)

...the naked bike ride (yup, they were totally naked!) we saw go through the town of Daylesford, while we sipped lemon lime and bitters and ate wood fired pizza...

...the adorable little jacket I found in a thrift shop for five bucks...

...the Moomba Festival just down the street from our house...

...walking home from the festival through the Botanical Gardens and stopping for an afternoon glass of wine, just as it started to rain cats and dogs...

...a run with a friend...

...take away Thai and a few drinks with friends at our place...

...take away lattes with my hubby at the cafe around the corner...

...spring cleaning (okay, autumn cleaning in Australia!)...

...baking cookies...

...walking J...

...spending three whole days with my loving hubby!

I *love* long weekends. The countdown is on for the next one (Easter...not long to go!). I really believe the world would be a much happier place if every weekend was three days long. Agree?

I'll be back soon with more photos from our weekend adventure! xo

Holy Hot!

2011-02-24T19:50:00.002+10:00

Steve and I went for Asian food tonight at a restaurant down the street from us. Every dish on the menu had a spicy rating...
1 little chili pepper picture = mild
2 little chili pepper pictures = spicy
3 little chili pepper pictures = super super hot!!!

Being the wimp that I am with spice, we opted for a dish with 1 little chili pepper picture. Oh. my. gosh. I almost died. My mouth and lips are still burning. Holy hot!! It was loaded with fresh red and green chili peppers, as well as dried chili peppers. Even Steve, who loves spice thought it had a pretty good kick! It just makes me wonder, what the heck must the 3 little chili pepper dishes be like? Yikes.

It was still a pretty lovely dinner out. Plus, it's Friday tomorrow, so all is right with the world!

An evening stroll...

2011-02-22T19:34:00.005+10:00

I've had a few challenging days lately. It's been tough getting into the routine of working full time again and making time to take care of my health, my dog, my house, etc...all while having the time to do the fun stuff life is really all about. Balance is hard to achieve and I'm learning that without balance, I'm unhappy. I'm slowly finding my groove again though and more optimistic it's achievable with each new week. One thing that always, always helps to clear my head and put things in perspective is a walk around our neighborhood with Steve and Jesse...

There's just so much to see and I'm so grateful to live in the neighborhood that we do. Our evening walks have become something I really look forward to, even on the days when I'm exhausted and cranky!

Did you know that Melbourne is home to the largest tram network in the world?

It's been cooling off lately. I'm wondering when autumn will make it's grand entrance. I'm not sure I'm quite ready for it just yet...

The Shrine of Remembrance.

This is Jesse's buddy. He lives around the corner from us and Jesse will actually refuse (put all paws in a full halt position and not move) to cut down the street that means not going past this puppy's house. So, we always pass his home and as we approach, Jesse cries and whines the entire way to the gate, pulling hard on the leash until we reach the place where this oh so cute pooch awaits. I've never seen Jesse so in love with another dog. It's pretty cute! They sniff, play through the gate and make lots of crying noises to each other. Maybe they are soul mate puppies torn apart by humans and large iron gates...?

Haha! There's construction going on everywhere in our neighborhood at the moment. This is Steve being a dork. Pretty funny though, if I must admit! :)

I miss my family today. Lots. Just sayin' is all. I miss you guys! xoxo

Fruit salad, yummy, yummy.

2011-02-21T20:14:00.009+10:00

Did anyone else just sing that title as the Wiggles song? I don't even have kids and I get those catchy little tunes stuck in my head! I was hoping to post a few photos from our Monday evening stroll around our neighborhood tonight but blogger is refusing to cooperate. So, I'll leave you with the yummy fruit salad we enjoyed upon arriving home from our lovely (although chilly!) walk. Could it be that autumn is in the air already? I'm feeling inspired today and am looking forward to the coming week. Four goals for this week, in an attempt to maintain some balance between work and living;

~ Run 2 times.
~ Blog 3 times.
~ Bake cookies.
~ Paint my nails.

Wishing you all a joyful and well balanced week!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T19:38:00.005+10:00

I had such a special Valentine's Day, it really couldn't have been better! Steve surprised me with tulips (my fav!), and a heart necklace that reads "Wherever you go, go with your heart". Steve knew he was going to be stuck at work late tonight, so we went out for a Valentine's Day breakfast instead of dinner and I found $50 in the pocket of a coat I haven't worn in awhile...score! Tonight, while Steve is at work, I got take away noodles, drank a nice glass of wine, walked J and now I'm watching Sleepless in Seattle on TV. I'm looking forward to my Valentine coming home soon, as a wonderful end to a very happy day! Wishing you all a very magical Valentine's Day with a great big sprinkle of romance!! xoxo

Happy Valentine's Day Eve!

2011-02-13T17:52:00.003+10:00

One more sleep until Valentine's Day! I've been really looking forward to it and in honor of the special day, I made a few little Valentine's Day treats. Just in case you're wanting to make something sweet for your sweetie, here's a recipe I think you might enjoy...

Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup hard butter or margarine (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well.
Combine dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture in two additions, mixing well after each addition. Divide in two portions, shaping each into flattened discs. Wrap in wax paper. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Roll out dough on lightly floured board to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Arrange on a greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until just golden brown around the edges. Let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack to cool. Decorate as you please...that's the fun part! :)

I also made some vanilla and chocolate cupcakes but cheated and used a mix. They're still pretty yummy though and oh so pretty!

Happy Valentine's Day baking!! xoxo

Hello!

2011-02-10T18:20:00.003+10:00

I was looking here for a photo saying "hello" because I wanted to say hi and check in with you guys. That's when I stumbled upon this picture and fell in love. How cute is this? What a special picture!

Anyhoo, I haven't been around much this week. It's taking a little bit of practice getting back into the routine of working full time again. I'm sure I'll get in the swing of it all in no time but if you could just bare with me until I do, that would be much appreciated! :) For now, just want to say hi! xoxo

Imagine found here.

Holy Rain!

2011-02-06T18:51:00.005+10:00

We kicked off the weekend with a crazy rainstorm that dumped an insane amount of water in a very short amount of time. Steve enjoyed playing in the ankle deep water on our street and the water that poured out of our gutter. I enjoyed staying dry and snapping photos from inside!

A big thanks to everyone for the best wishes on my new job. My first day went really well and I'm very happy to be back to work again!

I'll be back tomorrow with a longer post. For now, I'm going to go enjoy the last few hours of my weekend. I have to take full advantage now that I'm a working woman again! :)

Get a job. Check.

2011-02-02T10:37:00.003+10:00

Remember yesterday when I said 'job hunting' was on my to-do-list for this week? Well, check that off the list because I GOT A JOB!!! I found out late yesterday afternoon. It's an administrative job in my field (early childhood) and I couldn't be happier. I'm really glad I held out for something I really wanted! I start on Friday and I have to say, I'm nervous! It's always a little stressful starting a new job but especially after you've been off work for awhile. I feel out of practice! It will be really nice to be back into a routine again though and be getting a regular paycheck!

Steve and I celebrated with a very fattening dinner (pasta, Caesar salad, bread and wine!) last night....

...and it was so yummy!

Keep your fingers crossed for me that all goes well on Friday!

Weekend Recap...

2011-02-01T12:03:00.004+10:00

The highlights of this past weekend included;

...catching up with our friends Dan and Amy for Friday night drinks and Greek souvlaki, while they were in Melbourne for a visit...

...going to the osteopath for a much needed tune up (holy sore hip!)...

...enjoying a delicious Saturday night dinner at our neighbors' house, followed with watching the tennis finals...

...going out for Sunday morning brunch with our Brisbane pals, delicious eggs benedict and a cappuccino...

...ice cream on a very hot summer day (40.5 degrees Celsius!)...

...followed by a lovely stroll along the beach in St. Kilda, where all these pictures were snapped...

All and all, another fabulous weekend! On the to-do-list for this week;

...get all documents in order for our permanent residency application, including our medicals and X-ray appointments (check!)...

...swim laps at the pool...

...more job hunting (boo!)...

...babysitting Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 8:30 to 5...

...drinks with a friend on Thursday evening...

...dinner with a friend on Friday night...

...and just for fun, paint my toe nails and use my new nail art stickers I bought for $1 yesterday! :)

Wishing everyone a happy week!

Macadamia, white chocolate and raspberry muffins...

2011-01-31T20:12:00.004+10:00

I've been craving white chocolate and raspberries muffins for awhile, so I asked facebook if anyone could suggest a good recipe. This one was recommended by a friend. I'm not a huge macadamia nut fan, so I wasn't too sure if I'd like them but decided to give them a try anyway. They actually turned out pretty good and I think they look really pretty! I added a little dusting of icing sugar for extra prettiness! :) I'm still not completely sold on the nuts though. I find it a little overpowering. I'm thinking that the next time I try making them I might go sans nuts but still use the macadamia nut oil. Maybe then, it won't taste so nutty. I'm quite picky when it comes to nuts! Steve really liked them and so did my neighbors, who I shared them with. I'd still love to find a recipe that focuses more on the white chocolate than the nuts though. I fa-la-la-love white chocolate! So, if you have any great recipes to share, please send them my way...

Be back tomorrow with a weekend recap. Hope you all had a wonderful one!

Feeling red. And white. And pink.

2011-01-28T11:42:00.003+10:00

I'm really looking forward to Valentine's Day. I just *love* it! Although, who doesn't love a universal day intended solely to celebrate love? So, in preparation for the big day, I've been doing a little crafting. I made this heart tree for our living room and I made a heart garland for around the window (I'll show you that another time). I can't wait to make heart shaped sugar cookies and a few little handmade Valentines for those special people in my life who I simply adore! Ah yes, it's that time of year again, when your heart just can't help but be filled with a little extra love!! xoxo

Our little family of three...

2011-01-27T19:23:00.004+10:00

Our friend Angela is a wonderful photographer (see her work here!), so when she offered to take photos of the three of us, I obviously couldn't pass it up! She took pictures on two different days, once in the park and another time at the beach. These are a few of my most favorites...

I definitely plan on printing and framing a few of these. They make me smile every time I look at them! :)

Thanks Ange! You're the best!

Happy Australia Day!

2011-01-26T08:58:00.002+10:00

It's Australia Day today, a day when Aussies all over this wonderful country celebrate all things Australian. It also means we've officially been in this country for 4 years! Wow. The longer we are here, the more I fall in love with this place. It's just so beautiful...from the beaches to the outback, it's spectacular. But, really, truly, I think it's the Aussies themselves that make this country so fantastic. It's people like this guy who show what Australia is all about, saving kangaroos from the flood waters that recently devastated Queensland. I love this photo. It brought tears to my eyes! As a Canadian living in Australia, meeting and befriending Aussies everyday, I have to say, it's the Australian people that make me feel so at home here. Aussies really are just as cool and unique as their accents! :) So, Happy Australia Day to all you Aussies out there! Enjoy your day, you deserve it! xoxo

Photo originally found in Nine News flood pictures.

Weekend Highlights...

2011-01-24T17:19:00.004+10:00

We had a lovely, relaxed weekend. The highlights included dinner with our pals, Bruce and Claire on Friday night, followed by a visit to the yummiest ice cream place ever...

I've seen Cold Rock ads on TV but hadn't tried it until Friday night. Basically, you pick your ice cream...

...pick your candy or chocolate...

...get it all mashed together...

...and voila! The yummiest ice cream ever! I had Aussie vanilla and cookies and cream ice cream with M&Ms and Twix mixed in. Yum!!

On Saturday night, we got take away noodles and sipped white wine. If you look closely, the wine label says "Bridgewater" which is why I picked it. I'm originally from a town called Bridgewater and thought it was a sign. I also bought a bottle of wine recently because it was called "Henley", my maiden name. I think I see a trend developing here! And yes, I often choose wine based solely on it's label. And yes, I'm proud to say so! :)

Sunday involved getting my hubby to dye my hair. He's quite good at it! I'm an auburn/red head yet again and loving it! I needed a little bit of edge in my life...I've been brown for awhile now and was getting tired of it. It's funny how just changing your hair color can make you feel so much more yourself again! I like a little spunk in my life!

I also ran my first 5km last night and felt pretty good the whole time. I'm definitely seeing progress in regards to my 2011 goal of learning to run. It feels really good! I'll talk more about this soon...

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend too, whether you were soaking up the sun or bundling up in warm clothes! I think of you all! xoxo

Not quite so ordinary after all...

2011-01-21T16:20:00.004+10:00

I've been babysitting during the days for the last couple of weeks now. It's been a great way to get used to being in a routine again, in preparation for starting back to work and a great way to make a little extra cash. It's also an added bonus that the family lives in an adorable part of the city, oozing character and charm. Albert Park is filled with gorgeous Victorian homes, cafes, restaurants, pretty little shops, great coffee, parks and beaches. I've been trying to stay inspired during the long days by getting out for walks with the little turkey and my trusty iPhone. Here's a few of the photos I've taken over the last week. I really love taking pictures of random things when I'm out and about. I think it truly helps me to appreciate all the beauty around me, even if it is just another ordinary day, filled with ordinary events. I'm truly grateful to get to do all my ordinary daily stuff in such an extraordinary city!

Western Australia - More adventures!

2011-01-20T12:31:00.011+10:00

Here are the last of the photos from our adventures in Western Australia. It's quite fun looking at them after all this time. I'm reminded of what a wonderful trip we had! Well, it's actually only been a couple of months since our trip but time just seems to be flying by!

Warning: Lots of photos ahead!

We visited Fremantle, a little area about 19 km outside of Perth. It's a very quaint little place, with shops, restaurants and cafes resting beside the sea. It's also home to Little Creatures Brewery, so we stopped by for lunch and a drink. I just love their cider on a hot and sunny summer afternoon!

Cheers Mate!

It was pretty cool inside, with friendly servers and a laid back vibe. Good food too!

We stopped by a lot of random places while driving from place to place. The coastline was very pretty with lots of beautiful look-offs to stop, explore and enjoy.

Steve loves to climb anything, anywhere!

There were several cool places to take short walks or long hikes, depending on what you wanted to do. This trip, we opted for shorter walks but still saw lots of pretty pieces of nature and wildlife.

The wineries in Western Australia are endless! They have over 150 wineries in a very small amount of space. If you like your wine, you'd love it there! We only went to one, since we were limited on time, but we weren't disappointed. The vineyard was beautiful, the pinot noir was fabulous and the cheese plate we ordered was delicious!

Aren't wineries fun?

There are some very pretty beaches surrounding Perth. The week we were there the weather was quite cool and kind of rainy, which meant very quiet beaches. We pulled up in our Britz van, grabbed a beer and cider and chilled on the beach. Generally, we were the only ones on the beaches we stopped at. It was blissful.

*Love*

Throughout our entire trip, we camped at caravan parks in our Britz van. We were very impressed by all the caravan parks we stayed at, all very clean and well kept. We flew by the seat of our pants and just stopped at the parks as we came across them. It was the off season, so they always had availability. One of my favorite caravan parks was on a farm and had animals you could love and feed...

I want a pet horse. Actually, I want to live on a farm. I think I'd make a great farm wife! :)

They also had a huge jumping thing. Not sure what the technical name is for it, but I do know it was lots of fun!

Yippee!!

We took a drive through Boranup Karri Forest, a forest known for it's tall trees and pretty wildflowers in the spring. I have to say, that after seeing the trees in Vancouver, this didn't seem overly impressive. It's still worth the trip though, the trees were very big in comparison to most other trees in Australia and I'd love to go back in the spring sometime to see the wildflowers!

We had such a relaxed time. It was wonderful!

If you missed it, we also did some cave exploring while we were there...that was fun!

Thanks for reading all about our adventures! :)

Portsea

2011-01-18T20:38:00.003+10:00

One of my goals for the summer was to visit Portsea, a cozy little seaside town about a two hour drive from Melbourne. We've had a lot of rain this summer, so when the sun finally came out after days of heavy rain, we decided to take full advantage, jumped in the car and headed out on a fun little day trip!

We relaxed in the sun, swam in the sea and explored the little town. There weren't as many adorable shops as I imagined there would be but we did manage to find a nice coffee.

We also went for a short hike at Point Nepean National Park, a park filled with lots of history from the Second World War...

...and very pretty views!

We decided to go to the neighboring town of Sorrento for dinner. We had a lovely dinner and a walk though the town before heading back to the city. It was a really nice day. Isn't it great how just a day away can leave you feeling refreshed and renewed...

Granola Goodness

2011-01-17T18:27:00.003+10:00

While my hubby has been busy giving the blog a pretty face lift, I've been keeping busy making a few healthy treats. One of my goals for the new year was to eat well and I realized very quickly that if I'm going to stand a chance of sticking with it, I need a few delicious snacks to easily grab when I have the munchies. I really love granola, but have yet to find a really tasty one in the grocery stores that doesn't have wheat, added sugar or preservatives. They sell some yummy ones in specialty shops, but they cost a fortune. Even while searching for a recipe to make my own, I found most contained lots of dried fruit (high in sugar) or wheat germ. In the end, I kind of just made up my own recipe and it turned out fabulous, so I thought I'd share!

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups traditional oats
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cups mixed nuts (I just bought a bag of natural nuts and threw the whole thing in)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 heaping tsp. ginger
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 tbsp. vanilla

To make:

Mix all the dry ingredients together, except the dried fruit. In a separate bowl, mix the honey, oil and vanilla together. Drizzle the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and toss to coat completely. Spread the mixture evenly over two greased cookie sheets or casserole dishes (I greased the pans with sunflower oil, as well). Bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until oats are nicely browned and nuts are roasted. It will depend on your oven, but it should take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes. Once ready, remove from oven and let cool on pans. Stir occasionally as it cools, to break up any large chunks. It will get crispy as it cools. Once cool, stir in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.

It's really tasty as a snack on it's own, but I especially love it over fruit salad! I'm also thinking it would also be delicious over baked apples with cinnamon as a special treat. It's so nice too because you can basically use whatever you've got on hand and mix it up a little to keep it from getting boring. I'll definitely be making this again! I'm slightly addicted.

Let me know if you give it a try! :)

Face Lift

2011-01-16T09:13:00.002+10:00

Blog's having some work done, watch this space.

Steve (HTML is not my friend) Dickinson

Summer in Melbourne...

2011-01-10T19:15:00.006+10:00

...is pretty great! Well, when it's not raining and it actually feels like summer! Last week, we had a couple of really nice days and made sure to take full advantage of them! I'm really glad we did because this week is calling for rain every.single.day. We've had a lot of rain all over Australia this year. My heart is breaking for those affected by the floods in Queensland, the state where we used to live. So, to stay cheerful, I'll cling to the memory of...

...treating ourselves to gelato...

...sitting in the grass downtown and watching the hustle and bustle go by...

...eating dinner outside...

...catching some rays as we wander around the pretty city...

...snacking on raspberries bought from the fruit stand on the street corner...

...and hanging with Jesse at the dog beach.

I really do love summer. I also really do love rain but I think we've had just about enough for now. Everything in balance. Please, come back sunshine!

Western Australia - Cave Exploring

2011-01-05T14:35:00.009+10:00

It occurred to me today that with all the excitement of the holiday season, I never posted the photos from our adventures in Western Australia. Steve posted about the Ironman race (the reason for our visit), but aside from all that fun, we still managed to do a lot of exploring. So much in fact, that we took almost 500 pictures! So, to make it easier, I'll break the recap up into a few posts over the next few days...

We spent most of our time in the south west region of Western Australia around Busselton, where the race was held. While we only touched on a very small amount of a very large state, I felt we really saw a lot of what was nearby! There were more wineries than I ever thought possible in one little space, beaches, quaint little towns and caves! Lots of caves actually, but we chose the Calgardup Cave in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park because you could explore it on your own, no guided tours. Just you, a helmet with a light and a flashlight, or torch, as the Aussies say.

Going into the cave...It was chilly the further down you went and dark! Very dark! I guess that makes sense, seeing as it was a cave...

You were told to stick to the walkways and stairs. It was really easy to get around...

...although there were some low bits that required you to duck down for awhile. Guess that's why the helmet is a good idea!

Steve loves caves. We explored a cave in Tasmania and Steve and his cousin went to one when they were in Kangaroo Island. This was one of his favorites though, because you could just take your time, explore at your own pace and just enjoy the silence. Man, there is a real silence when you're in a cave! There's nothing like it. We were the only people in the cave for most of our visit and if you turned off your lights, sat quietly, you would hear nothing but the occasional drip of water in the cave. It was a mixed feeling of complete relaxation and total spookiness!

I have to admit, caves are pretty cool! Imagine being the first person to stumble upon one? How exciting!

If you're ever in the neighborhood, I would definitely recommend you check this cave out. We really enjoyed it!

New year, new goals...

2011-01-04T11:12:00.007+10:00

I love making lists. I constantly have a to-do-list on the go. I may or may not be the kind of person who puts "shower" on my to-do-list, just to later have the satisfaction of crossing it off the list and feeling like I've accomplished something! ;) So, it makes sense that I love the idea of making a list of goals, and what better time to do that than at the start of a new year, right? As I started writing my goals for 2011 on paper, I kind of just kept on writing...apparently, I have a lot of goals and big plans for 2011 floating around my head! It's all good though, some are big, some are small. Some I have been doing for awhile but really want to stick to in the new year. I decided that this year I would share my goals on my blog because then I feel a bit more obligated to follow through with them! So here they are, all 22 of them! :)

~ Eat well but treat myself in moderation.
~Do the 8 km fun run in May with friends. This means learning to run!
~Moisturize my face daily with an SPF moisturizer.
~Use an eye cream each day. I'm getting lines already!
~Start a new job.
~Spice up my blog.
~Trust that everything is happening the way it's meant to be.
~Be grateful. Use the gratitude journal Steve bought me for Christmas.
~Learn to forgive and forget.
~Learn to control my negative thoughts and silly worries.
~Learn to just sit and relax.
~Be kinder to myself. It's okay to make mistakes.
~Be kinder to Steve.
~Call home more often.
~Return every email I receive.
~Send cards.
~Take more photos.
~Learn to sew pajama pants.
~Take a big trip with Steve.
~Buy organic/free range eggs, chicken and pork.
~Brush Jesse more regularly.
~Continue checking off the goals I have for summer in Melbourne.

Wow! That's a lot but I'm really excited about them. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Did you make any new year goals this year? I'd love to hear them!

Photo found here.

Our very merry little Christmas...

2011-01-02T15:53:00.004+10:00

We had a really, really nice Christmas. I think one of my most favorite moments was seeing Jesse dressed in his Christmas outfit. I don't think he felt the same. Ha! I just had to share one more photo of him wearing it. Check out the look on his face! Jesse spent Christmas at the kennel and I missed him like crazy cakes.

I spent Christmas Eve day learning to make pavlova (an Australian classic Christmas dessert) with my neighbor, baking cookies and running a few last minute errands. Christmas Eve, we headed off to our friends, Geoff and Ange's place for food, drinks and good times. There was a lot of food and Christmas crackers! I love Christmas crackers. This is one tradition that was new to me when we moved to Australia but most definitely one I will carry on.

Our lovely hosts on Christmas Eve...Ange and Geoff and their adorable little tree.

Bruce and Claire joined the fun too. It was a bit of an orphan Christmas Eve, for anyone away from family and without plans. Seriously, what would one do without friends?

Christmas Day, we went to our lovely neighbors' house for Christmas morning breakfast. I think it could quite possibly be the best breakfast I have ever eaten!! Dale cooked us an Aussie breakfast...bacon, eggs and pancakes, all cooked on the barbecue. Yum! We took the Canadian maple syrup and eggnog, which we used to make Christmas morning eggnog lattes. Double yum! Seriously, we each had two!!

From there, we jetted off to the airport and boarded a plane to Brisbane, where we used to live. Our friends, Rej and Clo hosted a delicious Christmas Day dinner...

It was nice to see all our old friends again!

And, yes, there was more food...lots of it! Seafood is an Australian tradition during the Christmas season. I wasn't complaining!

Steve-O in his new Christmas clothes.

Kate was due on Christmas Day and had Baby Gully the day we left Brisbane. She made pregnancy look fabulous!!

The weather was pretty rainy for most of the time we were in "Sunny Queensland", but we did manage to get one trip to the beach in while we were there. Baby Gabriel didn't seem to mind the cloudy skies. :)

Dan and Amy were kind enough to let us stay with them while we were there and as always, were amazing hosts. Thanks guys!

I'm surprised at how few photos I took over Christmas this year. I honestly think I was too busy eating to snap pictures! We returned to Melbourne on the 30th and then hosted a quiet but nice New Year's Eve gathering. We ate more food, drank champagne at midnight and watched the fireworks. More good times!

A big thanks to everyone who helped to make our Christmas season so special. I am so thankful for our friends!

I took our tree and decorations down today. It was sad. I truly love Christmas and everything seems so bare once all the decorations are put away. Just all the more reason to look forward to next year! Plus, I have a really good feeling about the months to come. I really believe in my heart that 2011 is going to be a great year! xoxo

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T18:43:00.011+10:00

Can you believe it's 2011 already? Wow. As I was saying goodbye to 2010 and thinking about all that's happened in the last year, I couldn't help but be glad to see 2010 move on. Although, after looking at photos of all we did in the last year, I realize that there was a lot of good with the bad. Lots of ups and downs. Lots of adventures. Overall, not a bad year at all and I think I'm a happier and definitely healthier person entering 2011, thanks to everything that's happened in 2010. So, thanks 2010 and welcome 2011!

Here's a few of the highlights of 2010 in order of month...

January...

Our friends, Dan and Amy visited Melbourne and we went to the Australian Open with them. My first time going to the tennis.

February:

We went on our one and only camping trip of the year in the Grampians and had to come back early because Steve got a horrible stomach flu.

March:

A crazy storm with heavy rain and hail hit Melbourne, leaving our house flooded and our carpet ruined. Steve was away in Canada at the time for work. It was a mess!

Steve's Mom and Aunt visited us from Canada. It was nice to show them Melbourne and all the surrounding areas.

April:

Jesse ate 12 tea-light candles, including the foil holders. He also ate a tub of Vaseline, requiring Steve to cut off all his bum hair at 4:30 in the morning and 11 condoms, which he carefully removed from their wrappers in 2010. Good times.

Dan and Amy visited Melbourne again, this time staying with us for the Easter weekend. We hosted our first Easter dinner with Melbourne friends.

May:

I turned 30 and spent the day vegging out at the spa with my hubby!

We met the Purdys in Sydney before they moved back to Canada and had a great time!

Steve and I also celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary.

June:

Steve turned 33!

He also went back to Canada for work.

I was told that I have chronic fatigue syndrome and was advised by my specialist to leave work and focus on getting healthy again. I took his advice.

I visited Brisbane to meet Baby Gabriel, our friends, Rej and Clo's beautiful baby boy.

July:

I gave Jesse a serious "Mom haircut"...check out those ears!

I also fell off my bike trying to slap Steve on the butt. I still have marks on my legs where the bruises were and a buggered shoulder as a result of my cheeky ways!

I started seeing a homeopath in hopes of feeling better. It worked. Within weeks I was feeling more human than I had in over a year!

August:

Steve and I went to Yeppoon, Queensland, where he did a half Ironman race. It was held at a resort, so it really was a win win for both of us!

I had a 5 hour iron infusion, which left me the sickest I've ever been in my life. Seven days of high fever, 4 scripts of antibiotics and 3 weeks later, I was finally able to get out of bed.

September:

I visited Brisbane for my friend Amy's Hen's night.

Steve's cousin, Lisa visited us from Canada and she and Steve went to Kangaroo Island. Unfortunately, I was sick pretty much the entire time she was here!

Jesse turned 9!

October:

I visited Canada! Amazing time!

My Nanny Henley passed away. She was by far the kindest, most loving and most beautiful person I have ever known.

Steve and I got dressed up for our friend Angela's book launch. Steve looked very handsome in his suit!

November:

We went to Roller Derby for the first time.

December:

We went to Western Australia, where Steve completed his first Ironman race.

I saw Oprah at Federation Square in Melbourne.

We visited Brisbane for Christmas and it rained almost the entire time!

Ah, it was an interesting year! I'm so thankful for the time I have been able to take off work to feel better, the amazing friends I have made that have helped make Melbourne feel like home, all the traveling we have been able to do in the last year and the fact that Jesse, Steve, myself and our family are all healthy going into 2011. I feel very grateful!!

May 2011 be just as great of an adventure!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-24T22:51:00.002+10:00

We tried for a nice Christmas Eve photo, but this is the best we could do!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Lots of love...

Cari, Steve and Jesse
xoxo

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-20T09:54:00.003+10:00

I'm getting really excited for the big day! It's also starting to feel a lot like Christmas. I've decided I should be very careful what I wish for because...wishes really do come true!! I've been saying that Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas in summer and how I wish it was chilly and wintry annnnnd GUESS WHAT? Summer disappeared! It's been so cold these last two days! It's been 10 degrees during the day, cold, damp and rainy. I even had to put our wool blanket back on the bed last night and I've worn a sweater and jeans two days in a row! I'm drinking tea to help warm up! That is crazy for December weather in Australia but oh so much more Christmas like for this Canadian girl! :)

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-18T19:33:00.004+10:00

...thanks to these yummy smelling tree ornaments I made to attach to a few gifts and hang on our tree. I used a different recipe this year than the usual one I make every year. Rather than just cinnamon and apple sauce, this recipe calls for a few kinds of spices. Extra smelly goodness!

1 cup cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. allspice
1 tbsp ginger
3/4 c. applesauce

In medium bowl, combine cinnamon, cloves, allspice,
ginger & nutmeg. Add applesauce, stir to combine.
Work mixture with hands 2 to 3 minutes or until dough
is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut dough with cookie cutters.
Using straw or pencil, make small hole in top of ornament.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
Remove from the cookie sheet and bake on the oven
racks for another hour and a half.

Add a pretty Christmas ribbon or string and voila! :)

Original recipe found here.

Ice Skating in Australia

2010-12-17T18:03:00.002+10:00

In an effort to make things feel a little more like Christmas, Steve and I organized an ice skating outing and invited a few friends along to join us. We went to the Icehouse, a newly built arena in Melbourne. It was so much fun, with Christmas lights, Santa, warm Canadian mittens and best of all, familiar Christmas cheer!

Can you believe that Steve and I have never gone skating together before? I skated so much as a kid, but pretty much haven't been on skates since I graduated high school. I think it's like riding a bike though and I found my skating legs quite quickly. Sadly, those same legs were a little stiff and sore for days after. Definitely not in the same shape as when I was a kid! Steve was quite impressive and skated up a storm!

A big thanks to our friends who joined us and helped make it such a fun evening!

Christmas in Australia

2010-12-15T15:52:00.004+10:00

I love Christmas. Seriously, I love everything about it, but to be honest, since moving to Australia, Christmas really hasn't been the same. It just doesn't feel like Christmas and truly, I really think that as long as we live here, it never will. Christmas is not meant to be celebrated in summer. It goes against every Christmas song ever written. It's not bad, just very different. But, since we do live here and I do love Christmas, I try my best to keep the spirit and excitement of Christmas alive and embrace the different. This year it's been harder to do than last year, I think because we went away for Steve's race and taking a summer vacation made it feel more like, well, summer than Christmas. I also think not working at the kindergarten this year hasn't helped. Last year, I was busy doing Christmas related things with the kiddies and even if they do have to be slathered with sunscreen before going outside, they still get just as excited about Santa as kids who have to bundle up in snowsuits! Also, Steve and I have both found that the city of Melbourne doesn't do Christmas well. City of Melbourne, where are the decorations?! You'd never know it was Christmas by walking around the city!! Having said that, I've been trying to stay festive by baking Christmas cookies, listening to Christmas music, doing Christmas crafts and of course, putting up our Christmas tree. We went to the same Christmas tree farm as last year and picked this pretty little tree to bring home. The smell of pine all through our house has most definitely helped to bring a little Christmas cheer to my heart! I feel very fortunate to now live in a state where they grow Christmas trees! I also picked up some eggnog today and visited Steve at work, where he made me an eggnog latte with their fancy coffee machine and it tasted just as good as the ones I love from Starbucks at home. My to-do-list for the next few days includes EA's Christmas party, making a few homemade Christmas gifts for friends and watching a few of my favorite Christmas movies. I'm determined to enjoy the holidays, even if the temps are rising and the sun is shining brightly!

Ironman Western Australia

2010-12-08T18:42:00.012+10:00

I can honestly say I have never worked so hard for anything in my life. So many early morning weekend rides, long evening swims and runs in between. A co-worker who did an Ironman years ago, once told me that the Ironman is the most selfish event you can ever do because of the amount of training that is involved. I now believe him, and so does Cari.

The Busselton Ironman was an extremely well organized and fun event. Busselton is located 2 hours south of Perth Australia. The whole town gets involved so the vibe is awesome.

Athelete support tents.

Lucky number 265. On Saturday I dropped off my transition bags and bike.

There I am!

Setting up in transition....

Things happen a little different in an Ironman. Usually all my run and bike gear would be set up next to my bike in transition. At an Ironman you place your run and bike gear in separate bags, as you enter the transition area you yell out your number and someone grabs and passes you your bag.

Swim start. Busselton has the longest wooden Jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. It's almost 2km long which makes it perfect for a 3.8km swim.

Lot's of people wrote messages along the run section of the race. It made for some funny reading during the run. My favorite one read, "If your spouse still loves you, you haven't trained hard enough"

Race morning! Alarm went off at 2am. I actually slept really well the night before the race. Got up, ate, even had a shower to help get my head straight. The morning of was beautiful, 15 degrees and no wind.

It's a good thing sharks don't eat long sleek black creatures that swim in the ocean.

Only minutes to go.

Ironman has a mass swim start, when the gun goes off all 1200 - 1400 people go at once. It makes for a pretty close and personal swim for the first 500 meters. I did the swim in 1hr 13min, it turned out a lot better then I expected. I've trained hard for the swim, many evenings spent in the pool doing 50 - 70 laps at a time.

Coming out of the swim they had a fresh water spray which was nice.

End of lap turn around on the bike, that's not me in the pic. It was a 3 lap course, each lap was 60km. The bike leg of the race was really good, a slight wind came up during my 2nd lap which stayed for the rest of the ride. I held back on the ride, kept my heart rate down to make sure I had something left for the run.

Game face....

Don't ask....

I did the bike leg in 6hrs and 3min. They had bike catchers to take your ride and rack it for you, that was another first for me. As soon as you dismounted someone was right there to take it away.

Off for a run. So after a 3.8km swim then a 180km bike ride you have to run a marathon (42km). The run is the biggest killer of an Ironman, and it chewed me up and spit me out. I ended up with a time of 4hrs and 54mins. I'm not happy with my run result but I learned a lot from this race and will change my run training to help bring the time down. The first 15km off the bike I felt pretty good, the last 10km of the run I actually still felt pretty good but the old legs were really starting to complain. But I finished, and at the end of the day that's all I cared about.

Finished!

At the finish you are greeted right away with a helper, they grab your arm and talk to you, making sure you're ok. Someone else drapes a Ironman finisher towel around you and then a 3rd person places a medal around your neck. The "helper" walks with you to the recovery tent and then goes back to help someone else. It was a very smooth and helpful process.

Ironman

Steve (getting a tattoo) Dickinson

So far this week...

2010-11-25T16:21:00.007+10:00

...Steve did a great job at his first race of the 2011 series...

...we attended a birthday barbecue and I took peanut blossoms that I made...

...we ate barbecued burgers two days in a row because it seemed like the perfect thing to do in 30 degree heat...

...we ate breakfast for dinner, my favorite!...

...I became addicted to mangoes and have been eating them with everything...

...we went swimming with Jesse at the dog beach...

...and Jesse took a huge bite out of this jelly fish! He really will eat anything!...

...we went back to the night market with friends and I had another long awaited cupcake, this time it was called berry bliss and had fresh raspberries all through it!...

...I had my first peppermint mocha latte of the season in a Christmas cup, from Starbucks and yes, they spelled my name wrong (as always!)...

...and I finished writing and addressing all 50 of my Christmas cards, one of my most favorite Christmas traditions!

Hope you're all having a great week!

Race season has started!

2010-11-23T19:39:00.004+10:00

Sunday was the kick off of the Gatorade Triathlon Series. With a turn out of more then 1250 people, it was a great start to the season. Weather conditions were perfect, no wind and decent temps. All up it was an awesome day. The race was a true sprint, 500m swim, 20km ride, 5km run. All this Ironman training has paid off, I managed to drop 20 positions in my age category, going from 55th place to 35th from last year (out of 135, 30-34 male racers) Out of 1250 people in the whole race I finished 320th.
Time break down
Total -1:08:39
Swim - 8:41
Bike - 33:28
Run - 22:38

Hardest part of the race was getting the old wetty on.....

Almost on...lucky number 1122!

My age category had light blue swim caps this time, goes nice with my eyes!

Swim done, off to get my bike..

That's me on the other side of the road.

They close down a 10km loop of beach road in Melbourne so bike leg is smooth and car free. The whole ride is along the waterfront.

The transition area, lots of expensive toys in there.

My biggest fan. I think she might be getting a little tired of going to these races....I hope that changes, its really nice having her there.

Where did I park?

So, Cari and I leave in one week for Perth. I can't believe the Ironman is almost here, 9 months of training has all come down to one race..... Expect a big update in a couple weeks.

Steve (swim, bike, barf) Dickinson

The countdown is on...well soon!

2010-11-20T08:06:00.004+10:00

With all this talk of warmer weather and summer goals, there comes of course, Christmas! Yes, I really do live in an upside down world! I broke our usual rule of waiting until December 1st to decorate this year for three reasons;

1. It doesn't exactly feel like Christmas is coming here and I wanted to help myself get in the spirit of the holidays.
2. Living in Australia requires you to prepare everything early (cards, gifts, etc...) in order to post it and be sure it gets to Canada in time and well, that's just more fun in a decorated house.
3. I just really wanted to decorate!

Each year I try to make something new to add to our Christmas decoration collection. This year, I really wanted to make a countdown to Christmas advent calendar thing. What do you call these? I saw them in stores and they were selling for $40. That's way out of our price range this year, but oh so easy to make. So, using stuff I already had, I did just that...made my own, using the ones I saw in the shops for inspiration...

I'm going to fill them with yummy little chocolates and lollies (Aussie word for candy!). I'm not going to tell Steve what kinds I choose, it can be a surprise each day!

The countdown is on...er, well soon! Come on December 1st! :)

Have you started decorating yet?

Summer Goals 2010

2010-11-19T08:06:00.004+10:00

With spring in full swing and summer feeling just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to do a summer goals list. I've been waiting for the warmer weather for awhile now and I'm determined to enjoy it to the fullest now that it's finally here! Here goes...

~ See a movie on the rooftop.
~ Have picnics in the parks more regularly.
~ Hit the beaches!
~ Get a body board and use it again.
~ Host a couple of BBQs with friends.
~ Organize a BBQ in the park with friends.
~ Get an outdoor table set.
~ Eat breakfast and dinner outside whenever possible.
~ Plant some pretty flower pots.
~ Visit Portsea.
~ Get take away coffees and enjoy them in the Botanical Gardens.
~ Go thrifting with Ange at that great place she keeps telling me about.
~ Hit the outdoor markets.
~ Go for a drink on hot summer evenings, with my hubby, at the many lovely cafes near our house we keep saying we should try.
~ Mountain bike.
~ Swim twice a week at the pool.
~ Play tennis again.
~ Wear summery dresses as often as possible.
~ Start a new job.
~ Go for random no-real-plan road trips.
~ Go camping!!
~ Take Jesse to the dog beach at least once a week.
~ Watch the sunset on the beach in the evenings after dinner.
~ Visit the night market weekly.
~ Find yummy new BBQ dinner recipes to make.
~ Go out for gelati on warm summer nights.

I think that's it for now. I may add to this as I go but for now, I'm feeling pretty excited about all there is to come in the next few months! I'll be sure to post all about each one as we do it...

Night Market photos...

2010-11-18T19:34:00.004+10:00

Here's a few more of the photos we took at the market last night, some with Steve's phone, some with our point and shoot...

We got to the market around 6pm and it was still pretty quiet, so we were able to get a table. I've been told it gets pretty busy and it was filling up quickly by the time we left at 8pm. I guess what I'm saying is, if you're going to go check it out, go early!

This was yummy, if you like seafood. It was a Spanish food stall. Steve really liked it! The plan is to try a different stall each week. Of course, that also means trying a different kind of cupcake each week!

That's a lot of food!

This app on Steve's phone is fun! This stall sold the prettiest fairy lights. I've got my eye on some once I have a job again and extra money to spend! :)

Oh. My. Gosh. The cupcakes! Steve had a double chocolate with cookies and cream icing with Oreo bits in it. I had a vanilla with strawberry butter-cream icing. I'm not joking when I say I have thought about this cupcake all day today! I can't wait to try another kind next week. Just a little advice...word on the street is the cupcakes sell out quickly, so pick yours up early on in the evening!

Steve and Geoff being...Steve and Geoff.

Deep fried potato on a stick! Yum! I want one of these next week!

I have to say, I've suffered a bit of a food hangover today but it was worth every bite! I might just have to be a wee bit smarter about just how much (read: how much sugar!) I eat next week!

This could get dangerous!

2010-11-17T20:34:00.003+10:00

The Night Market opened tonight at Queen Victoria Market. Soooo much food and stalls selling all sorts of handmade and creative things. It's open every Wednesday night for the next 2 months or so and seriously is a food lover's dream. I ate the best cupcake I've ever had! I'm still thinking about it. We went with our friends, Geoff and Ange and had a brilliant time. I'll be back tomorrow with more photos but in the meantime, here's a funny pic Steve snapped with an app on his phone, while I ate my gelato. Yes, I had a cupcake and gelato. Like I said, this could seriously get dangerous!

The beach at sunset...

2010-11-09T20:07:00.004+10:00

...as snapped from my trusty phone. By far one of the best things about living in Melbourne is being so close to the ocean. So close in fact that we drove 5 minutes tonight and watched the sunset on yet another beautiful day in the city. It was so warm that even after the sun was long gone, I sat on the beach in just a tank top and skirt. Ah, gotta love that!

I'm feeling very grateful today to live in this beautiful place. It's a summer goal of mine to soak up as many sunsets on the water as possible. It truly helped relieve the stress of job hunting, interviews, life decisions, etc...and it didn't cost a cent! :)

Sunny Melbourne

2010-11-07T18:11:00.005+10:00

Melbourne in the sunshine is pretty fantastic! There are people everywhere doing everything from enjoying a BBQ in the park with their family to rollerblading with friends along the ocean or hanging out at fabulous cafes downtown, sipping lattes in sundresses and sandals. The city feels like it's awaken from a long nap and everyone is refreshed and ready to enjoy the months to come. On Saturday Jesse and I decided to do just that, get out and enjoy ourselves!

Steve had a big day of training on Saturday. He went on a 180 km bike ride, followed by a 10 km run. I seriously don't know where he gets his motivation or dedication but I have to say, it's pretty impressive! With only 4 weeks from today until the big Ironman race, he's doing very well! Jesse and I took a walk, hoping to surprise him on his ride with a little encouragement and a pat on the back. Luckily, we saw him along the way and had a quick chat and photo before he continued on his merry ride. He wasn't quite as easy to spot as I thought he would be. I learned that a lot of people wear red and white jerseys and I even saw two other riders with Canadian ones! How on earth will I ever be able to pick him out of 1200 athletes on the day of the race?
Afterward, Jesse and I walked to the dog beach, where we spent lots of time doing nothing but playing in the water and taking photos. Good times...

Jesse really liked it too! As for Steve, he successfully finished his training day and still managed a mountain bike ride with me today in the park. What a guy, eh? :)

Bliss.

2010-11-06T08:48:00.002+10:00

It's Saturday morning, the sun is shining brightly in my newly painted kitchen and everything smells like these delicious banana muffins that have just come out of the oven. Life is good. Happy weekending everyone!

Funny how things happen sometimes...

2010-11-04T13:02:00.004+10:00

I woke up this morning thinking how I really needed to use up the left over canned pumpkin and cream cheese icing in my fridge. It's been sitting in there since I made the pumpkin spiced cookies for Halloween and seeing as canned pumpkin doesn't exist in Australia, I'm not about to let that special can of pumpkiny goodness go to waste! I started thinking I would love to try making some pumpkin cupcakes, if only I could find a recipe and opened this blog as part of my daily eat breakfast, read blogs routine. To my surprise, I was thrilled to find a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes! I finished breakfast and set to work making them right away. No point in wasting time when the universe is basically telling you to bake something, right? They are super yummy! You should make them, especially if you have canned pumpkin and just enough cream cheese icing to frost 12 cupcakes in your fridge! Thank you universe. I owe ya one! ;)

Warning: Lots of Photos!!

2010-11-04T08:47:00.008+10:00

I really, truly enjoyed my recent visit to Canada. It felt much more relaxed than last year when I was there, I had a lot of quality time with family and friends and loved the beautiful autumn weather. I took almost 300 pictures and did my best picking just some my favorites, although even those seemed to add up quickly when posting! Here's a few of my most favorite moments from my time at home...

...seeing frost on everything first thing in the early morning...

...soaking in the smells and colors of a Canadian autumn...

...enjoying my first Thanksgiving dinner with my family in 4 years...

...nice long chats with friends that are more like family over several cups of tea...

...a nice long walk with my Mom in the country...

...spending lots of time with my two fabulous sisters!...

...celebrating my Mom's 75th birthday with her, surprise party and all!...

...seeing my Mom's face when she realized the party was for her...

...being there to celebrate Steve's Mom's birthday and spending an evening playing cards, laughing and chatting with the lovely ladies in his family...

...visiting the house where my grandmother lived...

...hearing my Mom's stories of when she was young and went to school is this one room school house...

...touring the back roads of the south shore...so pretty...

...falling in love with this stray cat that now calls my Mom and Step-Father's house home...

...basking in the sunshine that was surprisingly warm for October!...

...day trips to pretty places...

...remembering that autumn leaves can be that rich in color...wow...so red!...

...laughing until we almost peed our pants trying to get this photo of me, my Mama and my sisters...

...visiting with great friends in Montreal...

...some who I haven't seen since we left Montreal 4 years ago!...

...meeting beautiful babies that were born since we left...

...and seeing how much these kiddies have grown in just 6 months!...

...visiting with my grandmother in the hospital and having a real special goodbye, before she passed away...

...catching up with my family in Ottawa before heading back to Australia...

Ah, yes, it was a wonderful trip! Just what I needed to restore balance and perspective back into my life. I can't think of anything better than family and old treasured friends to help you feel grounded, refreshed and yourself again!

Thanks again to everyone who made my visit so special. Love you all! xo

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T21:12:00.002+10:00

...pumpkin spiced cookies with cream cheese icing...

...grilled pumpkin seeds...

...pumpkin carving...

Yep, I think it's Halloween!

Wishing everyone a spooky one!

Pictures from last night

2010-10-30T08:41:00.002+10:00

Cari and I got all dolled up and went out to a friend's book launch. Seeing as I get dressed up about twice a decade we got our neighbor to take some pictures for us. The pic above is in their kitchen and the one below was taken on their roof.

A good friend, Angela McConnell is a photographer and has been working for 18 months putting together "Burlesque A Retrospective"
We spent a fabulous evening with good friends, drinks, dancing, and Burlesque performances. Well done Angela, it was a fantastic time!

We got home around 2am, I decided it was a great time to strum out a few notes on my ukulele...

Steve (bought way to many shots and is now poor) Dickinson

I'm back!!

2010-10-29T09:13:00.003+10:00

Did you miss me? I missed you! I landed in the land down under yesterday and am spending the weekend recovering from jet lag and hanging with my two favorite boys. I had such a fabulous visit at home with my family and friends. I'll be back soon to share more about it. In the meantime, here's me and my Mama, a photo I snapped when we went on a little day trip adventure. I miss everyone at home already! Thanks for such a wonderful visit. xo

Roots and Wings...

2010-10-06T11:39:00.005+10:00

I leave tonight on the red eye flight to LA. From there I go to Detroit, Ottawa and finally Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I'm not looking forward to the flights but it'll be great to see everyone once I finally get there! It's funny, I've been quite homesick for Canada the last few months but yesterday was the kind of beautiful day that reminded me of how grateful I am to be living in Australia. I walked Jesse around Albert Park lake (an amazing 5.3 km walk) and saw black swans (only in Australia), lorikeets, cockatoos, and other colorful parrots I don't know the names of. It was pretty amazing, although a little scary at times if you happen to be afraid of birds (ah-hem...). It's swooping season in Australia, so all the more scary and those black swans sure didn't like Jesse walking past, especially when they had their sweet little babies close by! Just so you know, black swans make a very scary pre-historic animal kind of hiss sound when annoyed... Yikes!

How cute are the baby black swans? These ones were a little bigger than others I saw, but adorable just the same!

Everything is so, so pretty right now. It seems that almost every tree, shrub or bush in Australia flowers at some stage. I'm sure this isn't fact but it definitely does feel like it! I haven't even left yet and I'm already missing bits of Melbourne (all the pretty new signs of spring and in particular my two favorite boys!). Sad, I know seeing as I'm only away for 3 weeks! I'm the biggest flip-flopper ever. When I'm here I miss there, when I'm there, I miss here. I always think of the part in the movie "Sweet Home Alabama" when Reese Witherspoon's character says...

"I'm happy in New York Jake, but then I come down here (meaning Alabama) and...this fits too." To which Josh Lucas' character replies..."Since when does it have to be one or the other? You can have roots and wings Mel."

Ah, I love that part. It always makes me teary because I can so relate! It's nice to think of it that way...roots and wings:)

I think that's why visits to Canada are so important to me, it helps keep it all in balance. I'm a firm believer that balance equals happiness!

So, I look so forward to all the fabulous things and people I will get to enjoy in Canada over the next 3 weeks, and then the exciting things about coming back to Australia...my handsome boys, spring in full swing, and possibly another piece of this amazing mars bar cheesecake I ate last night at our favorite dessert place. I figure I deserved a little cheat, seeing as I'll be away for awhile!

I'm not sure when I'll get to post again, as I'll be quite busy and all over the place for the next 3 weeks, but I'll pop in whenever I get the chance and have lots to share when I get back! Until then...xo

Packing...

2010-10-05T11:16:00.004+10:00

I leave tomorrow for Canada and have finally got around to packing this morning. Jesse isn't too happy about it. He's spent the morning laying on top of every single thing I lay on the bed.

I wish I could take him with me! He'd have a blast running and playing in the Canadian autumn air. Autumn really is Jesse's best season. The colors of fall compliment him well. I can't tell you how many pictures we took of him in the woods in Canada, with leaves changing color all around him. So pretty!

I'll be back later with one more post before I leave. For now I'm off to do a few more last minute things...