Our new life in Australia

A few weeks ago we hit our 6 month mark since we have been in Australia. The past 6 months has been a unforgettable life experience that they whole family will remember. From learning to drive on the opposite side of the car on the opposite side of the road, learning to how to measure things in kilograms instead of pounds, and many other things that we would have never had a chance to experience in the US.
Since my last blog entry (over a month ago,oops!) We have had our first home leave trip back to Missouri. We stayed in the states for 2 weeks while the girls had a few weeks off from school. While we were there we went on a major shopping spree and bought TONS of summer clothing and shoes. You name it we bought it.  It was so fun.
Jayden's birthday celebration was also on the calendar while we were back home. Thanks again to everyone that came out to see us and to wish Jayden a Happy Birthday. We are so blessed to have such great family and friends.
We also try to do a tourist thing with the girls each time we go back to St.Louis. This time we went to a St. Louis Cards baseball game. The girls loved it! We got some Cards t-shirts, beads, and my mom even made a sign for the girls to hold up during the game.
Grandma and Grandpa B toke us camping for a few days. We camped in St. James, Missouri near Meramac Springs Park.The girls had a ball catching fish with Grandpa B and Jason. While we were in the area we took the girls to Ogangada Cave. I have been to this cave before when I was a kid but I didn't remember how awesome this cave was. It was so neat to hear Hailey say "Whoa! That's awesome!" so many times. Jayden also enjoyed the cave tour once the tour guide promised her there wasn't any bears in the cave.
After camping we had a few more days to rest up before the big trip back to Australia. Our first home visit was a great one. We hope to see you all again very soon.
Since we have been back from the States things have been non-stop! The girls still had a few days left of their holiday break so we had a few playdates, played on the beach, went to the zoo, and started tball.
The girls are still doing awesome in their new school. Jayden is learning to read and she is VERY excited to finally learn how to read like Hailey. Since we have been back Hailey has gotten two awards from school for excellence in reading and for completing a reading program.
Both of the girls have started tball. They are doing awesome! Both of them have gotten awards for best effort of the game. We are so proud of them.
Jason has started his rotation at the Mine in Cloudbreak. He will be on for 2 weeks and off for 1 week. But the first couple of weeks he will be home on the weekends. It's going to be tough at first but I think once we get in the swing of things..it will be a piece of cake. I hope.
As for me I am staying busy. I joined the American Women's Club of Perth,I am helping out at school, and running the kids back and forth to school,playdates, tball, and orthodontist. As well as all the other Mommy duties. I stay quite busy.
Here are some pictures from the last month:

Perth Zoo

Perth Zoo

Me with some friends from Kiewit

Ice Cream with Abby at the zoo

Finally warm enough to go swimming! 

Hailey in her new summer uniform for school

Best Effort of the game award

Jayden in Hong Kong

Jason and Hailey fishing in Missouri

At the Cards Baseball Game

Cave touring

Play Ball! 

Yum, Ice Cream!

Our new life in Australia is starting to become a new normal. We are ready to see what this summer brings .Yes, it is now summer,weird!

Busy,but fun times.

Whew, what a crazy couple of weeks it has been. Jayden got sick with a virus a couple of weeks ago..She was down and out for 4 days with a fever and lots of coughing. Granted we haven't been sick since we have been to Australia, so we were probably long over due. 

After Jayden got better we did some pretty fun things over the weekend. It's spring in Australia and the weather has been gorgeous and all the trees are budding and wildflowers are blooming. So we decided to take advantage of the weather and head down to Swan Valley to The Laughing Barrel Winery. The girls ordered a wood fired pizza. They got to actually got to wear aprons, roll out the dough, and make the pizza. The food was excellent and the winery even had a playground for the kids to play at. 

On Sunday we went to Cottlesloe Beach. We brought a picnic,some sunscreen, and sand buckets and met up with another Kiewit family. We all had so much fun looking for seashells and playing in the ocean. But after 3 hours of being in the sun we were beginning to get a little red. So we packed up and called it a day and when home and we all washed and waxed the car together.

We also had a very busy week at school this week.

 Jayden had a mini track and field day and her first field trip. Jayden had a blast playing all the games at the track and field day. Some of the events included: sack race,egg and spoon race, and a rubber chicken relay race. Jayden got a ribbon and a metal. Jayden also got to got to go on a field trip this week to the Western Australia Museum in Downtown Perth. She had so much fun going to the museum with new friends and seeing the butterflies on display.

Hailey also had a track and field day and a field trip to the Perth zoo. The Australian's call Track and Field Day here, sports carnival. This is the event of the whole school year. Parents are invited to come and watch their child all day as they take part in the carnival. Hailey did very well she got: 2-1st place,1-2nd place,3-3rd place,and 1-4th place ribbons. It was so fun to watch her come out of her shell and do all the events. In between taking pictures and watching the events I had fun chatting and meeting parents from the school. It was a long day but we made it though with no sunburn and seven ribbons to show for it. Hailey went to the Perth zoo on Friday and she was so excited about the day she was up at 6:30am! Hailey got to touch all kinds of fun furs, eggs, and pet animals that she would never got a chance to do in the US. 

Kiewit had three more engineers transfer from the US from the mining department. We have worked with three out of the four guys,that are now in Australia, in Sheridan,Wyoming. So great to see familiar faces in a a different country. I am looking forward to showing them the ropes and learning and experiencing new and fun things with them. As we enjoy this adventure of a lifetime.

Making wood fired pizzas

Laughing Barrel Winery

Enjoying the day at the beach

Ahh, I could get used to this.

Cottlesole Beach

Jayden's Track n Field

Sack Race

Having Fun 

We passed a level in swimming lessons

Look at my ribbon Mom!

1st place in bounce ball relay

Flag Ball

Skipping rope race

Enjoying our first sports carnival

All decked out with ribbons

All dressed up for high tea

Yum, hot chocolate

Hailey and Grace (birthday girl)

Jayden at one of the many farmers markets here

Sunset walk

Some more fun things we did this week:

• We joined a old school video store (like blockbuster). It had been years since we have been in a video store and our girls didn't even know how the process worked. Australia is a little behind on the times.
• Hailey went to her first high tea birthday party. She got all dressed up and met her new friends at a local cafe. At the party they had hot chocolate and sweets. Hailey said the best part about the party was she got to have as many sweets as she wanted and visiting with the other girls from the other Year 3 class from school. 
• The girls both passed level one and two in swimming lessons. We signed both of the girls up for tee ball this summer and the first game is in October.
• Jason is gearing up to start rotations at the end of October at the Cloudbreak Mine. He will be on a 2 week on and 1 week off schedule. Jason will be living at a "Man Camp" during his 2 week rotations.

Spring!

September! For Australia that means spring is here! No more "cold winter" mornings. We still haven't turned on our heat is "winter". We just put on more clothes or grab another blanket to stay warm. 

The weather in Perth has been beautiful the last couple of weeks. Trust me I have the farmer's tan to prove it. 

Jayden 

Besides the everyday craziness with school and after school activties. We have been enjoying the sunshine!! Jason and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary on August 24th.Jason took the day off from work and we decided to go on a wine tour bus. The bus picked us up in the city around 9 am and took us all over Swan Valley. We went to five wineries, one brewery,and a chocolate factory. It was a great day! 

That weekend we went back to Swan Valley to "The Maze" The girls had a great time doing all the mazes,  playing mini golf,and looking at all the animals. 

Arts and Crafts Fair. 

Hailey

Sunset at the beach

Me at a winery in Swan Valley

Girls at "The Maze"

Jason at a winery

Jayden with her award

New Australian Friends!

Hailey 

Hailey with her award

Jayden playing mini golf

Me enjoying the sun.

Crazy glasses day at school

Rainbow

Some other fun things that we did the past few weeks are :

• Went to our friend, Lily's 2nd birthday party at a park near the city.
• Went to our first Arts and Crafts fair in Australia.
• Both Hailey and Jayden got awards from school! We are so proud of them!
• My friend Lisa and I took a bike ride up the coast, while the kids were at school.

Yes, I did get a little carried away with pictures..But, that's okay! You only live in Australia once. 

The month of August, so far!

I can't believe that it been two and half weeks since I last did a entry in the blog. Time really does fly!

Since school has started back up with Term 3, we have been busier than ever. 

Hailey and Jayden all ready for swimming lessons

On Tuesdays after school we are doing swimming lessons. We are doing the lessons at a local pool, near the girls school. Jayden is getting the hang of swimming. In fact all she wants to do is swim underwater since she learnt how to put her head underwater in Idaho. I have to remind her to focus and to listen to her teacher about 75% off the time. All she wants to do is, do her own thing and swim.

Hailey is also learning some new techniques and gaining more and more confidence at each session.The school has a swim team and her goal is to be on the school swim team one day.

Hailey is in a after school program at school on Thursdays playing soccer. But, they are doing more then soccer, with is program she is also learning to play Field hockey and Lacrosse. While Hailey is at after school sport I take Jayden for "Mommy and Jayden time." We normally go over to the shopping mall and I get her a cookie and a milk. After that we normally meet up with friends or go play at a park. Jayden loves "Mommy and Jayden time" She looks forward to it every week.

Jayden's picture of her cousins in the states. 

The girls are still doing great in school. Jayden is working on sight words and starting to learn how to read. She is very eager to learn how to read just like Hailey. Hailey is also doing very well. Hailey is learning her times tables and still is reading above her grade level. She is still making new friends everyday. 

Jason has been busy with work,working on getting a FMG contract signed.We now have a signed contract with a mine up in Cloudbreak. Jason starts working on site at the mine in October. He will be on a 2 week on and 1 week off rotation.

I have also been busy helping out at school in the classrooms, going to a dietitian (already lost 2.2 lbs), and getting my RA checked out (Which is great!).

Hailey and Jayden at AQUA 

In addition to all of the craziness during the week on the weekends we are still exploring the City of Perth. 

Last weekend we went on a dolphin cruise to see dolphins. The dolphins however had different plans. N o luck on seeing any dolphins but it was fun to be on a boat and see the sites. Last weekend we also went to the Aqua aquarium. Aqua is a nice aquarium but really expensive $75 just for the four of us. EEK!

Modern Day See Saw

Surf's up dude!!

Double rainbow 

Jayden 

Girls in Manudrah

Girls helping me make pizza dough

We are also planning are first trip back home to the states since we have been to Australia. We will be in St. Louis September 22-October 5. We have many fun things planned already. A trip to the American Girl store, shopping spree (because clothes are alot cheaper in the states), Jayden's 6th birthday party, and a camping trip with Grandma and Grandpa B.

We can't wait to see you all in September! Have a great day!