How cute xx
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Australia. Show all posts
Friday, March 8, 2013
Random Videos
This video is from when we first moved to Australia last year... in fact the first few pics are from the airport. However unfortunately I only just figured out how to get it online so sorry its a wee bit late. It also has some pics from Ella-Rose's first birthday.
How cute xx
How cute xx
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Welcome Lily...Surprise Home-birth for Baby No. 5
We arrived back in Auckland on Sat 13th Oct from our year-long escapade in Australia. I was 38 weeks and 2 days pregnant. Besides me was my husband and the 4 children in tow ranging from 9 years to 22 months. As if that was not enough, we had 10 large suitcases, 2 car-seats, a double buggy, a port-a-cot, 5 carry-on cases, and a baby-bag.
The kids had been very well behave considering they had been travelling or transiting in airports from 12 noon on the 12th. The only hiccup we had was a few bouts of vomiting by Joseph in the last hour before we touched down in Auckland.
We unpacked at mum and dad's and I contacted my previous midwife on the 15th to ask if she could deliver my 5th baby. She was delighted. She came over to see me on the morning of the 17th Oct (Weds). I had been having some reasonably convincing braxton-hicks contractions earlier in the morning, but they had died down before she arrived. She did some basic paperwork and gave me a form to get some blood tests done. However... I never got to do that. Tane took the boys to get their hair cut and I was baking alphabet cookies. I rang my mum as she was out to ask her where the cocoa was and she said she was going for a walk and would be back in an hour. "That's fine" I said as there was no action in the baby department.
However, a few minutes later the braxton-hicks came back... or so I thought. I felt sick too so I went downstairs to bed. By this time Tane had come home so he watched Ella while I went and laid down on the bed, with Anna-maria, bless her, giving me sips of water between the contractions. Tane came downstairs to check on me and said we had better go to the hospital, I told him we had better wait till mum gets home... as she was not yet. As soon as she arrived he called the midwife and told her to meet us at the hospital, however when he came to get me I told him it was to late as the baby was already coming. In the meantime Anna-Maria was a good helper and put towels over the floor.
I have never seen him run up those stairs so fast to call the midwife to tell her to come to mum and dad's house. The midwife arrived about 5 mins later and listened to the heartbeat... all good :). She told Tane to get the towels out of the dryer as the baby was about to be born. I stood up for my next contraction, my waters broke and out came our baby. I caught her just-in time so she did not land on the floor. When Tane walked back in the room he was in shock... There I was standing by the door with the baby in my arms.
The kids were so excited and were in there to see the baby.
Love you Lily-Grace... our beautiful baby number 5.
The kids had been very well behave considering they had been travelling or transiting in airports from 12 noon on the 12th. The only hiccup we had was a few bouts of vomiting by Joseph in the last hour before we touched down in Auckland.
We unpacked at mum and dad's and I contacted my previous midwife on the 15th to ask if she could deliver my 5th baby. She was delighted. She came over to see me on the morning of the 17th Oct (Weds). I had been having some reasonably convincing braxton-hicks contractions earlier in the morning, but they had died down before she arrived. She did some basic paperwork and gave me a form to get some blood tests done. However... I never got to do that. Tane took the boys to get their hair cut and I was baking alphabet cookies. I rang my mum as she was out to ask her where the cocoa was and she said she was going for a walk and would be back in an hour. "That's fine" I said as there was no action in the baby department.
However, a few minutes later the braxton-hicks came back... or so I thought. I felt sick too so I went downstairs to bed. By this time Tane had come home so he watched Ella while I went and laid down on the bed, with Anna-maria, bless her, giving me sips of water between the contractions. Tane came downstairs to check on me and said we had better go to the hospital, I told him we had better wait till mum gets home... as she was not yet. As soon as she arrived he called the midwife and told her to meet us at the hospital, however when he came to get me I told him it was to late as the baby was already coming. In the meantime Anna-Maria was a good helper and put towels over the floor.
I have never seen him run up those stairs so fast to call the midwife to tell her to come to mum and dad's house. The midwife arrived about 5 mins later and listened to the heartbeat... all good :). She told Tane to get the towels out of the dryer as the baby was about to be born. I stood up for my next contraction, my waters broke and out came our baby. I caught her just-in time so she did not land on the floor. When Tane walked back in the room he was in shock... There I was standing by the door with the baby in my arms.
The kids were so excited and were in there to see the baby.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Winnie the Pooh performance
Anna-Maria performed at the theatre last night. They did so well. This time Anna-Maria lip-synced the words as she was supposed to instead of repeating them after the fact.
Joseph was Christopher Robin and Anna-Maria was Tigger. They both did really well, but I think Joseph was a bit bamboozled by being on stage in front of an audience.
The recital started at 5.30pm and went on till 9pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. I thought the kids would not want to stay that long (there were 55 dances), but they stayed it out until 8.40pm when Anna-Maria finally started to get tired. Joseph was very excited watching the other performances, often bouncing up and down in his seat. The only one who did get tired was Joshua, who wanted to go home at 7pm, but I suspect more than anything he just wanted to read his books (He is ready the 5th Harry Potter book, the second time round).
Here are a few pics of them moments before they went onstage.
Joseph was Christopher Robin and Anna-Maria was Tigger. They both did really well, but I think Joseph was a bit bamboozled by being on stage in front of an audience.
The recital started at 5.30pm and went on till 9pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. I thought the kids would not want to stay that long (there were 55 dances), but they stayed it out until 8.40pm when Anna-Maria finally started to get tired. Joseph was very excited watching the other performances, often bouncing up and down in his seat. The only one who did get tired was Joshua, who wanted to go home at 7pm, but I suspect more than anything he just wanted to read his books (He is ready the 5th Harry Potter book, the second time round).
Here are a few pics of them moments before they went onstage.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Ozzie update
We had a great time yesterday. The weather was beautiful - 18 degrees in winter. We went to Crescent Head, and spent time at the beach and the playground. The kids loved it. Ella-Rose and Joseph went for a swim in the estuary, but the other 2 were not so keen, so just played in the sand.
The kids enjoyed spotting Rainbow Lorikeets and watching 3 pelicans have a fight over a massive fish head - and then attempting to swallow it.
Anna-Maria had fun digging a hobbit-hole. We are reading 'The Hobbit' together as a family... and it is amazing to see their little imaginations run wild as they incorporate what they learn into their play.
The kids enjoyed spotting Rainbow Lorikeets and watching 3 pelicans have a fight over a massive fish head - and then attempting to swallow it.
Me trying to look pregnant.
Ella-Rose getting herself comfy on the driveway eating a pear.
resisting a smile for the camera
Anna-Maria wearing her '100 days at school' hat and necklace
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Life in Australia
Beautiful weather, beautiful beaches... We are staying in a beautiful house... right across the road from the kids school.
Price-wise, things seem to cost the same as in NZ, except you get a nicer house for the same price, and if you are earning more, then comparatively things are cheaper... so are for us... and many other kiwis who come over.
One thing we have noticed over here is the standard of education is so much more advanced than NZ.
This has become startlingly obvious in just a few weeks at the difference in schoolwork that Josh was doing in NZ compared with here. Back in NZ he was doing 12 + 4 etc, but here the children in his class... which is a mixed class of children his age and a year younger are doing sums like 572+ 346. They also have done a lot more advanced work telling the time and using money... so Josh (and to a lesser extent Joseph), have a wee bit of catching up to do, but they'll get there soon.
Anna-Maria however will be off to a flying start... she has already got a lot of basic words and maths facts sorted out and she is so excited about starting school in the new year.
I am enjoying my job, but they keep changing my roster. Initially I was working 32 hours a week... but in december they have increased it to 44, and they seem to have rostered me to work every single weekend between October and December. I am going to try and talk them into rostering me sensibly. In the meantime, I have been looking into GP work for when my contract ends, and Tane has a few more weeks to wait for his practicing certificate... He is then going to apply for legal aid status and look for a job...
The kids are enjoying life here. Yesterday they found we have a large lizard living in our garden. I thought it was a snake, but Tane assured me it wasn't. Today straight after school we went to the beach. The kids loved it... Tane tried to teach Josh to surf... then Tane had a surf. Joseph and Anna-Maria played in the whitewash. All the kids dug a series of channels and holes in the sand, which Ella-Rose loved crawling into and sitting in. As we were sitting on the beach I said to Tane it feels like we are on holiday and yet we aren't. It's just the beach is so close we can be there in 5 mins after school is finished. We got home around 5.30pm and would have stayed longer except Ella-Rose's teeth were chattering and she was getting cold.
The girls and I went to Bunnings Warehouse today and bought a spade, compost, and plants (capsicums, red onions, hot chillis, cucumbers, coriander and tomatoes). So tommorrow we have to get out in the garden and finish preparing the vegie patch so we can plant them.
Price-wise, things seem to cost the same as in NZ, except you get a nicer house for the same price, and if you are earning more, then comparatively things are cheaper... so are for us... and many other kiwis who come over.
One thing we have noticed over here is the standard of education is so much more advanced than NZ.
This has become startlingly obvious in just a few weeks at the difference in schoolwork that Josh was doing in NZ compared with here. Back in NZ he was doing 12 + 4 etc, but here the children in his class... which is a mixed class of children his age and a year younger are doing sums like 572+ 346. They also have done a lot more advanced work telling the time and using money... so Josh (and to a lesser extent Joseph), have a wee bit of catching up to do, but they'll get there soon.
Anna-Maria however will be off to a flying start... she has already got a lot of basic words and maths facts sorted out and she is so excited about starting school in the new year.
I am enjoying my job, but they keep changing my roster. Initially I was working 32 hours a week... but in december they have increased it to 44, and they seem to have rostered me to work every single weekend between October and December. I am going to try and talk them into rostering me sensibly. In the meantime, I have been looking into GP work for when my contract ends, and Tane has a few more weeks to wait for his practicing certificate... He is then going to apply for legal aid status and look for a job...
The kids are enjoying life here. Yesterday they found we have a large lizard living in our garden. I thought it was a snake, but Tane assured me it wasn't. Today straight after school we went to the beach. The kids loved it... Tane tried to teach Josh to surf... then Tane had a surf. Joseph and Anna-Maria played in the whitewash. All the kids dug a series of channels and holes in the sand, which Ella-Rose loved crawling into and sitting in. As we were sitting on the beach I said to Tane it feels like we are on holiday and yet we aren't. It's just the beach is so close we can be there in 5 mins after school is finished. We got home around 5.30pm and would have stayed longer except Ella-Rose's teeth were chattering and she was getting cold.
The girls and I went to Bunnings Warehouse today and bought a spade, compost, and plants (capsicums, red onions, hot chillis, cucumbers, coriander and tomatoes). So tommorrow we have to get out in the garden and finish preparing the vegie patch so we can plant them.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The joys of moving...
The countdown for leaving Blenheim is fast upon us. We haven't figured out yet which day we are leaving... but we know we sell out house the 22nd August, so it will be that weekend. We have had a garage sale, and tried to sell our biggest stuff on trademe. We have given a car-load of stuff to the salvation army store, and there is still a lot more packing and sorting to go....oh no... only 2 weeks.
It is crazy that we have so much stuff. It's the first time since we have been married that we have had a really ruthless 'spring clean'... We can't believe some of the stuff we are finding. Some curtains that came from England... Some of the old wallpaper from my old bedroom... in England! - into the bin. Clothes I had from before Tane and I were married... I was glad to see they still fit, but had holes in so... into the bin they went.
We sold our bed yesterday... so last night Tane and I slept in the lounge on the inflatable camping mattress... We had spent the whole day packing and sorting... so when it got to 9 o'clock I was tired... it then took us another hour or something to pump up the bed while we listed to the All Black vs Wallabies game on the radio. Mission accomplished - we had a surprisingly good sleep.
Our bedroom. :( Sad to be missing our bed.
This evening the kids decided to dispose of our dilapidated washing basket once and for all. They took turn bashing it to smithereens with a wrench. They had such a fun time.
"It feels like camping" Tane says. The kids think its exciting... but I am sure the novelty of living out of suitcases and sleeping on mattresses on the floor will long have lost their novelty by the time we depart for Australia in October.
The kids are finding new and novel things to do with their time as most of their things have been sold, given away or packed. Today as we were getting ready for church I shushed Tane so I could listen to the boys conversation which went something like this.
Josh:... and we can be spys"
Joseph: "I don't want to be a spy"
Josh: "But we can be spys and figure out what people are doing" When Josh and Joseph are scheming they remind me of Angela and I when we were little.
We are sad to be leaving Blenheim... We have made some really good friends here, both from work and from church. We are really glad that we departed from the comforts of familiarity , family and friends to venture out on our own. We would never have made such good friends and Tane and I have had to rely on each other a lot. We may not have been to as many movies as Tane would have liked... but it has meant we had to choose just the best ones (which is fine by me).
We are getting excited to see Grandma and Grandpa. in 2 weeks and Aunty Hoana & Uncle Rob in 5 weeks, and also catching up with the rest of our family and friends before we head off on our next adventure.
It is crazy that we have so much stuff. It's the first time since we have been married that we have had a really ruthless 'spring clean'... We can't believe some of the stuff we are finding. Some curtains that came from England... Some of the old wallpaper from my old bedroom... in England! - into the bin. Clothes I had from before Tane and I were married... I was glad to see they still fit, but had holes in so... into the bin they went.
We sold our bed yesterday... so last night Tane and I slept in the lounge on the inflatable camping mattress... We had spent the whole day packing and sorting... so when it got to 9 o'clock I was tired... it then took us another hour or something to pump up the bed while we listed to the All Black vs Wallabies game on the radio. Mission accomplished - we had a surprisingly good sleep.
Camping in the lounge :)
We have no kitchen table or couches in the lounge. Our computer sits on the floor with the screen on top of the hard-drive. The kids beds have also been sold... but their mattresses are not being picked up until the day we leave.
We have boxes for chest of drawers. Initially there was a semblance of order... the boys had a box for their undies and pjs, a box for T-shirts and jumpers and a box for pants... but now whey just have a whole bunch of boxes and clothes everywhere... and that is when I have packed some of their clothes and given away a whole lot more.
Since we are now sleeping in the lounge, our bedroom has become mission control and storage for all our packed stuff. It was all orderly and neat until late Sunday afternoon when the kids got in there and started climbing all over the boxes, several have since fallen over and will need re-packing...(great).
This evening the kids decided to dispose of our dilapidated washing basket once and for all. They took turn bashing it to smithereens with a wrench. They had such a fun time.
Destruction is fun...
"It feels like camping" Tane says. The kids think its exciting... but I am sure the novelty of living out of suitcases and sleeping on mattresses on the floor will long have lost their novelty by the time we depart for Australia in October.
The kids are finding new and novel things to do with their time as most of their things have been sold, given away or packed. Today as we were getting ready for church I shushed Tane so I could listen to the boys conversation which went something like this.
Josh:... and we can be spys"
Joseph: "I don't want to be a spy"
Josh: "But we can be spys and figure out what people are doing" When Josh and Joseph are scheming they remind me of Angela and I when we were little.
We are sad to be leaving Blenheim... We have made some really good friends here, both from work and from church. We are really glad that we departed from the comforts of familiarity , family and friends to venture out on our own. We would never have made such good friends and Tane and I have had to rely on each other a lot. We may not have been to as many movies as Tane would have liked... but it has meant we had to choose just the best ones (which is fine by me).
We are getting excited to see Grandma and Grandpa. in 2 weeks and Aunty Hoana & Uncle Rob in 5 weeks, and also catching up with the rest of our family and friends before we head off on our next adventure.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Australia vs New Zealand
All blacks vs Wallabies, Jandals vs thongs, Ozzie vs Kiwi...
Is the grass really greener across the ditch?
Since Tane and I have been married there has been a dramatic drainage of our friends and colleagues from this side of the Tasman to the other. Everyone says life is better over in Australia, and Tane has been wanting to go for a long while now. But I don't want to go just because everyone else says it is better because, I know there are always two sides to the story.
However, we have decided it is time for a change. We've been here for 4 years now... and it was meant to be only 2. We are ready for a new adventure and an opportunity to try life is Australia has arrived. But as I sit here wondering I'm thinking... Is the pay really that better over there? Does it cost more to live, and eat? And what about the lifestyle???
Not to mention the bugs and creepy crawlies. Are the cockroaches really much bigger and fly and land on you??? ugghhh
Will we enjoy the surf or will we spend more time sitting on the beach waiting for jellyfish and sharks to clear off?
What about the spiders and snakes... will we be stung and poisoned before we even unpack?
More seriously, we think we'll give it a go... we can always come back if we don't like it right?
But come to think of it... none of my friends have returned yet.. (so it must be pretty good)... and it doesn't look like they are coming back anytime soon.
Is the grass really greener across the ditch?
Since Tane and I have been married there has been a dramatic drainage of our friends and colleagues from this side of the Tasman to the other. Everyone says life is better over in Australia, and Tane has been wanting to go for a long while now. But I don't want to go just because everyone else says it is better because, I know there are always two sides to the story.
However, we have decided it is time for a change. We've been here for 4 years now... and it was meant to be only 2. We are ready for a new adventure and an opportunity to try life is Australia has arrived. But as I sit here wondering I'm thinking... Is the pay really that better over there? Does it cost more to live, and eat? And what about the lifestyle???
Not to mention the bugs and creepy crawlies. Are the cockroaches really much bigger and fly and land on you??? ugghhh
Will we enjoy the surf or will we spend more time sitting on the beach waiting for jellyfish and sharks to clear off?
What about the spiders and snakes... will we be stung and poisoned before we even unpack?
More seriously, we think we'll give it a go... we can always come back if we don't like it right?
But come to think of it... none of my friends have returned yet.. (so it must be pretty good)... and it doesn't look like they are coming back anytime soon.
I don't think we'll be going this far away from civilisation. I mean, there are a few essentials such as a hospital, a court, schools, church and a beach for surfing.
At the moment we're just waiting for the passports...supposedly a 10 working day job but you know government departments... it has now been a month, which is over 20 working days. They did however manage during this time to send us two letters letting us know we could pay an extra $153 if we wanted it processing urgently. (ha! - the cheek!)
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