Back into the swing of things

The girls are back into school and we are starting to get into the swing of things. The last four days of holiday break were jam full of fun things to do.

Girls taking a water break at Crystal Cave before the tour

Friday 20th of July Hailey was invited to her first birthday party since we have moved here. It makes me feel so good that she is making new friends and getting invited to parties, playdates, and sleepovers. Hailey went to the local movie theatre and saw Ice Age 3. They got popcorn and a drink plus hungry jack (burger king) and cake after the movie. Hailey had a blast and didn't want to leave.

Saturday the 21st we went to Yanchep National Park. This park is only 20 minutes from our home. We went hiking, went on a cave tour (the girls first time being in a cave), and stopped at the beach on the way home. It was a great day.

On Sunday the 22nd. Jason and I got a sitter for the afternoon and went to our first footy(Australian football) game. It was a blast! We went with two other couples though Jason's work. We got to be in the Docker Den( A private box). Where there was all you can eat and drink. The game is really simple to follow. Actually it is easier to follow then American

Footy game

Wild Kangaroos!

Girls at Yachep Park

Footy goal post

football. The guys on the team wear NO padding! You have to basically kick the ball or hand pass the ball. There are no time outs and the coaches (in the orange) are allowed on the field with them to call out the plays. The field is about the size of one and a half American football fields. The goal post are much different looking. If you kick the ball in between the middle two post that is call a major, worth six points. If you kick a goal on the out side post that is called a minor,worth one point. The game is very fun to watch.
Finally, school has started back up. The girls started their third term. We have the girls both in swimming lessons this term. I signed Hailey up for after school sport again,that is on Thursday afternoons after school starting this week. In between all the craziness Hailey got her head gear to fix her under bite. She has to wear it 14 hours a day mainly when she sleeps at night.
Last week was also a busy week for me I am slowly getting to know other Mums here and have been going out for coffee and going out to lunch with new friends while the girls are in school. It's actually really nice to have a events that don't always involve kids.
This weekend we went lawn bowling for the first time. It is played a lot like shuffle board only thing with balls. The balls have numbs and lines on them so they swing a different way depending on which way you rotate the ball when you roll it. Let me tell you it is a lot harder than it looks. Great way to spend a beautiful 70 degree sunny afternoon.
Have a great week everyone!

School Holidays

Only four more days until the girls go back to school. Right now the girls are in between Term 2 and Term 3 of the school year. We have ran non stop since last Monday. We have been a exploring the city of Perth going to museums, parks,going to the movies, having playdates, going out to lunch with friends, painting pottery at a ceramic cafe, going on bike rides,going to free shows and free crafts at different malls,and going to the library. Whew, I am tired! 

Let's start with last Tuesday. We went to Scitech. The science museum of Perth. It was a great museum with a lot of hands on activities for the kids to do. We went to a science show and I took the girls to their first planetarium ( like imax) show. Their faces where priceless as they gaze with wonder at the screen. At one point Jayden asked me if we were moving. I said no Jayden it's just the screen that is moving not us. It was a great day out.

Jayden playing at Scitech

Hailey inside a aquarium bubble at Scitech

Jayden painting her pottery

Me and my girls at the pottery cafe

My friend Lisa and her two and our two girls hard at work

Wednesday we painted pottery at Fired Ceramic Cafe. I found this place online and I thought it sounded really neat and the girls love doing crafts. You pick a piece of unpainted pottery, you paint it, and they glaze it. You pick up your piece a week later and you get to keep your piece forever. Jayden painted a star box and Hailey painted a cupcake box. They turned out way cute! We even met some friends there so that made it even more fun. After we painted we went out to lunch with our friends, hit up a Happy Feet show at the mall, and ended back at Lisa's (the friend's we went to the pottery cafe with) house playing and chatting the rest of the afternoon. 

Jayden climbing a tower at the nature area

Jayden at Kings park

Hailey and Jayden

Nature Area

Hailey and Jayden at Kings Park

Jayden

Thursday we took the train into the city and went to King's Park. Kings Park is a park in the middle of the city (very similar to New York Central Park) We had been there once before but we didn't see everything. So we packed our lunch and snacks and head out for the afternoon. A friend told me there was a great nature area there at the park. There were lots of towers to climb, rocks, and logs to play on. Great area just to let kids run around and play and explore. That day we also went on a hike and met some friends at the park later on in the afternoon. We met up with Jason and we all went home together on on the train. 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we just stayed around the house and ran errands ,went to church, and went to see Brave at the movies.

Monday of this week, it rained all day. So we went to a free craft at one of the malls here. The girls made a Puss and Boots Pencil Bag. After the craft we shopped around for a birthday gift for the birthday party that Hailey is going to on Friday,and had lunch out.

Tuesday the 17th me and my friend Lisa did a kid swap for the day. She took Jayden and her daughter (Sophie) to a indoor play centre and I took Hailey and Grace (Lisa's oldest daughter) to the Katy Perry Movie. The movie was really good. It had a very good message behind it to believe in your dreams and to be yourself.

Wednesday was our errand day. Got the girls haircuts, went to the library, went to another free craft at another mall, went for a bike ride, and went to the grocery store.

Today (Thursday) Jayden has a friend over and Hailey is at a friend's house sleeping over. We have a busy weekend planned Hailey has a birthday party tomorrow to go to at the movies, We are going to Yahcep National Park on Saturday, and Jason and I are going to a footy(Australian football) game on Sunday afternoon. 

I love my girls and I love being with them but, I am ready for school to start back up on Monday so I can have a break! 

The 4th,food,and new friends.

Last week Jayden's teacher asked us to help celebrate the 4th of July in the classroom. So we put together and small slide show so that Jayden could tell her friends what the 4th means and why we celebrate it. Jayden did great! The kids started asking a bunch of questions about America and Jayden answered all of the questions without getting to overwhelmed. I made red,white,and blue tie-dye cupcakes for the whole class to celebrate and they also made American flag hands and parade hats. It was so fun to tell all of our new Aussie friends about the 4th and why it is special to us.

That same day I went to my new Rheumatologist. He said that he is very pleased with my RA. All of my swelling is gone and I feel great. I do need to go and gets a few more test done just to make sure my RA isn't progressing anymore and he also suggested that I lose about 30lbs so he gave me a referral to a dietitian to help me with a new diet. I go back in August for a check up.

On the 5th,I went into the city to have lunch with my new friend Susie and fellow Kiewit wife. I met Susie though my friend Allison when we had lunch last week. Susie came to Australia a few weeks after we did. In fact her husband,Tom, and Jason work in the same office. Anyway, she had a small get together at her home with some other Kiewit wife's and some of her new friends.It was a fun time. 

On Friday I had another very busy day. I had breekie (breakfast) with my new friend Lisa. I met Lisa at school the first day of school in the courtyard. Lisa has two girls the same age as our girls. Lisa has been a great friend and my "go to" girl when I have a question about anything. Lisa brought a few friends to breekie and I got to meet some more mums from school. After I got done with breekie with Lisa, I went shopping for our first official dinner party since we have been to Australia. After getting everything I needed and then some it was time to head back home to clean the house and start making more preparations for the party. On Friday night I went to a Mum's night out with the Year 3 (3rd grade) mums.It was a Christmas in July party. Yep, a lot of people celebrate Christmas on the 25th of July here because this is Australia's coldest month of the year. I had turkey, potatoes, veggies, and cranberry sauce. For dessert I had my first Australian Pavlova. Pavlova is a dessert that I have been hearing a lot about..it's a very traditional dessert here in Australia. It's basically egg whites, sugar,and raspberry sauce drizzled over top. It was to die for! 

On Saturday Jason invited some people work over for our first official dinner party since we moved here. We tried out the outdoor pizza oven. We had about 30 or so people here at our home.We had a pretty good system going. I made homemade dough ahead of time, so all you do is roll your own dough to the thickness that you want your pizza.Put some cornmeal on the cookie sheet. Place your dough on the cookie sheet and then put the sauce and cheese on. Then put on whatever topping you wanted on your pizza. (Everyone brought a topping). It was great fun. I stood inside and guided and socialised with the guest while they made their pizza. Then everyone brought their pizza to Jason and he put it in the pizza oven. Wait 2-5 minutes and ta da! Yummy wood fired pizza!! We started the pizzas at 4:30 and we didn't get done until 6:30. That's a lot of pizza! After the dinner, we had sparklers for the kids. It was a great way to end a very busy but fun week.

The next two weeks the girls have school holidays. That means they are off from school  in between terms (semesters) We have all sorts of fun things planned. But today (Monday) Hailley got a orthodontic expander in her mouth. Not and very fun way to start the holidays but at least if she feels bad she doesn't have to miss school. 

Whew. I think I have told you our whole life story. Have a great week everyone! 

Milestones

Since we have been to Australia, the girls have hit some big milestones.
We have started orthodontic treatment on Hailey to correct her underbite. First, she gets a upper expander, then reverse headgear, and lastly a snap in upper retainer. NO BRACES! For now anyway.
Jayden has also lost her bottom front teeth. One right after another. She is in such a hurry to grow up it makes me sad.

Hailey with her new bike

Another huge milestone since we have been here is the girls both know how to ride their bikes without training wheels. This a HUGE deal. Since we have been working with Hailey for years on how to ride her bike. I think she just needed a nudge, like her sister learning how to do it before she could. To figure out that she CAN do it. We have been going on lots of bike rides ever since.

The girls are still doing very well in school. Hailey is keeping up with all of the 3rd graders even though she is the smallest and the youngest in her class. Hailey is slowly getting over her shyness. She has been saying her stories in front of the class, saying prayers of the faithful in her class mass, and has been in a play. All within two months! We are so proud for her.

Jayden with her bike

Jayden is making friends very quickly and isn't afraid to say "Hi,my name is Jayden and I'm from the USA!" We never know what is going to come out of Jayden's mouth. She is our outgoing and I will do anything once kid.

This weekend we went to a American 4th of July fair. Yes, a 4th of July fair in Australia! It was a fun time. They had American food, American beer,and American games! We even bought a dozen for Krispy Kreme doughnuts, for $25! They are worth every penny that we spent on them. They also had American cake mixes,$6 and can pumpkin,$9 and all sorts of other foods and bake sale items .They also had a bouncy house,petting zoo,and you could even      
play baseball with the local pro softball team. The girls had so much fun! Here are some pictures from the American Fair.

Jayden feeding the goats at the American Fair

This one is really hungry, mom!

Hailey playing baseball at the American Fair

Hey,Batter,Batter

Jayden doing her I got on base dance!

Hailey on first base.

Jayden in front of the Hello Kitty ice cream van!