Here are some pictures of the park near the house. This is a bit overexposed, but here is Joaquin on his way to play for the first time in the park near our house.
What is this tree??
I think that I have seen this before but not as a tree. I feel like I have only seen this as a small plant. I have to find out what it is before it drives me batty. That reminds me...in Queens Park, there are palm trees growing next to oak trees. Is that unusual??
The Australian Chapter
And how fitting that I shall begin it with my birthday, the thirtieth no less. Yes, today I completed three decades of life and will begin my fourth. How do I feel? Very, very grateful. I could have only made it to 25 or 7. I welcome my 30th and will welcome every birthday after that. I am just a bit sad however to be so far from home. My main chica, T-ta (as Elias calls you now) and I were supposed to be in the big NYC thriftin' it up. Oh, I long to go back to the Salvo Boutique just off Broadway! 2010 will be our year Chica de Tug!!!!
Enough about my bday, what about Australia you ask? There is so much to tell and I am already forgetting things because I went without internet for so long, but I will try to compile a list here of the things that I have learned thus far:
1. I have an internet addiction. But I guess that doesn't really have anything to do with Australia, I just happened to discover it here. So we won't count it...
New 1. That when one drives on the other side of the road they also walk down the sidewalk on the other side and they push the shopping cart down the other side. You might be saying "Well, Duh!" to yourself right now, but I ask you, really!?!? would you have really thought of that?!?!? I only caught on after twenty minutes of Australian shoppers trying to avoid playing a game of chicken with me.
2. Cantelopes are rock melons
3. Bell peppers are capsicums
4. Mackers is McDonalds
5. Many many australians can name all fifty states of the U.S. Quick...name the seven australian states! Got you, there are only six! Any dill knows that!
6. a dill is an idiot.
7. Aussie is not pronounced "OSSIE", it is "OZZIE"
8. Cookies are biscuits
9. Esteban was inducted at work his first week (had his orientation)
10. You greet someone by saying "how are you going?", not "how are you doing?", and this even applies in the past tense ("so how did you go?")
11. If something is suspicious or suspect, it's "a bit dodgy"
12. Being "switched on" applies to smart people who catch on quickly, not necessarily electrical appliances or light switches...
13. Evidently every Melbournian has a personal stylist,or at least they all look that way.
I think that's all I've got for now. In general, we are very happy with where we live. It is very close to a park. Everything is very expensive here though and that might be a slight set back. I went to buy some toys for the boys the other day and I almost cried in the store. I mean it, I was really fighting back the tears because the prices were so high that I was thinking "I am such a bad mom, bringing my children to this land where I can't even buy them a toy! Shame on me." But I did end up buying them a little people set that costs about three times what it would in the states. I am not exaggerating. Aren't they all made in China anyway and aren't we closer to China now?? I think that's all for today.
Enough about my bday, what about Australia you ask? There is so much to tell and I am already forgetting things because I went without internet for so long, but I will try to compile a list here of the things that I have learned thus far:
1. I have an internet addiction. But I guess that doesn't really have anything to do with Australia, I just happened to discover it here. So we won't count it...
New 1. That when one drives on the other side of the road they also walk down the sidewalk on the other side and they push the shopping cart down the other side. You might be saying "Well, Duh!" to yourself right now, but I ask you, really!?!? would you have really thought of that?!?!? I only caught on after twenty minutes of Australian shoppers trying to avoid playing a game of chicken with me.
2. Cantelopes are rock melons
3. Bell peppers are capsicums
4. Mackers is McDonalds
5. Many many australians can name all fifty states of the U.S. Quick...name the seven australian states! Got you, there are only six! Any dill knows that!
6. a dill is an idiot.
7. Aussie is not pronounced "OSSIE", it is "OZZIE"
8. Cookies are biscuits
9. Esteban was inducted at work his first week (had his orientation)
10. You greet someone by saying "how are you going?", not "how are you doing?", and this even applies in the past tense ("so how did you go?")
11. If something is suspicious or suspect, it's "a bit dodgy"
12. Being "switched on" applies to smart people who catch on quickly, not necessarily electrical appliances or light switches...
13. Evidently every Melbournian has a personal stylist,or at least they all look that way.
I think that's all I've got for now. In general, we are very happy with where we live. It is very close to a park. Everything is very expensive here though and that might be a slight set back. I went to buy some toys for the boys the other day and I almost cried in the store. I mean it, I was really fighting back the tears because the prices were so high that I was thinking "I am such a bad mom, bringing my children to this land where I can't even buy them a toy! Shame on me." But I did end up buying them a little people set that costs about three times what it would in the states. I am not exaggerating. Aren't they all made in China anyway and aren't we closer to China now?? I think that's all for today.
Later that same day...
So I was looking at my posts and realized that the picture of our entryway looks terrible, I was just looking at the floor. The ugly blue on the walls will be painted Antique Brass, sounds lovely, no? and the trim will all be painted again and will one day be very beautiful. One day, that is, after we return from Oz. So these pictures show our progress and I think this is about all we are going to get done. We got the floors down, but they need a second coat of polyurethane and the spackled wall there is our kitchen. I think its gonna have to stay like that. We did all that ourselves too. I think I am like a master spackler now. I want a T-shirt that says "Master Spackler".
That reminds me of this awesome shirt I saw one time on some guy at Busch Gardens. If any of my beloved friends or family ever see this, BUY IT FOR ME!! On the front it said "I'm a formata" and had a picture of a formata, and on the back it said "so hold me." HA HA HA!!! It still puts me in stitches!!
(yes, I was a band geek, but if you laughed, then so were you!)
Anyway, what was I saying? Its long gone now, so I will end here. Ciao.
Chuckles...
So I remembered a funny story about the children today and wanted to write it down. As the title of my blog hints at, our children are in this huge, HUGE superhero phase. Joaquin's obsession is with Superman and Elias' is with Batman. Just the other day, Joaquin got his four year vaccinations and he didn't cry or flinch a bit. When I acted surprised and praised him for being such a big boy, he replied "It's not about being a big boy, mommy. I'm Superman. I told you I was Superman." Then two weeks ago when we went to Philadelphia for our immigration physicals, the doctor saw the boys together. He first talked to Joaquin and asked him his name. Joaquin proudly responded "My name is Joaquin Tristan!", then he turned to Elias and asked "And what's your name?" Elias very seriously replied "Batman!"
Seven days!!!
We have precious little time left to get everything done and I am kind of freaking out! I have discovered that the Australian Deparment of Immigration is only slightly easier to deal with than our own. I applied for our visitor visa but I have this sinking feeling that I put Esteban down as a female! I just called immigration and their response??? "No worries! Unless of course its not obvious and then you've got worries beyond what I can help you with!" Now read that to yourself in your best aussie accent...pretty funny and frustrating at the same time.
However, my freshly laid tile floor looks very good. Let's see if I can stick a picture in here:
Yep, I did that! Although I have to say that this picture makes the slate look a bit more colorful than it appears in real life. I still have to grout it. Esteban and I have tried to finish all the projects that we had started, which was a lot. I believe that there is a lesson in there, but try as I might, I don't think I'll ever get it.
Joaquin can recognize his numbers now, so what is his new obsession? Calling people on the phone. As I write he is pushing me to read off someone's number...hmm, its late, is there anyone I'm angry at? Just kidding! I also had one of those "ouch" parent moments just now. Joaquin took too long to dial and the "telephone lady" starting telling him to hang up and dial again. He then resolutely hangs up the phone, looks at me very seriously, and says "How do I get this stupid thing to work???"
However, my freshly laid tile floor looks very good. Let's see if I can stick a picture in here:
Yep, I did that! Although I have to say that this picture makes the slate look a bit more colorful than it appears in real life. I still have to grout it. Esteban and I have tried to finish all the projects that we had started, which was a lot. I believe that there is a lesson in there, but try as I might, I don't think I'll ever get it.
Joaquin can recognize his numbers now, so what is his new obsession? Calling people on the phone. As I write he is pushing me to read off someone's number...hmm, its late, is there anyone I'm angry at? Just kidding! I also had one of those "ouch" parent moments just now. Joaquin took too long to dial and the "telephone lady" starting telling him to hang up and dial again. He then resolutely hangs up the phone, looks at me very seriously, and says "How do I get this stupid thing to work???"
First ever blog...
Right now the hubby is bathing the kids. This is usually when I sneak away to do something for myself. We are moving to Australia in eight days and we are trying to get our house prepared to be left alone for some time. Today I lay floor tile at our front door. I still have to put the grout in. For the first time, I think I did a pretty good job.
I am not going to get GG's sweater done. However, I am happy with how it is turning out so far. I am using a knitting pattern from Runway Knits. I think its called the seafoam shrug. Its really a cute idea, I will have to make one for myself after I finish this one.
I can't think of anything especiallly cute that the children said today. Sometimes it makes me really sad to know that I have already forgotten so many things that they have said and done even though they are so young. I can't dwell on it.
Tonight I will probably continue packing up our bedroom and try to take some photos that I can post.
I am not going to get GG's sweater done. However, I am happy with how it is turning out so far. I am using a knitting pattern from Runway Knits. I think its called the seafoam shrug. Its really a cute idea, I will have to make one for myself after I finish this one.
I can't think of anything especiallly cute that the children said today. Sometimes it makes me really sad to know that I have already forgotten so many things that they have said and done even though they are so young. I can't dwell on it.
Tonight I will probably continue packing up our bedroom and try to take some photos that I can post.
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