Get with the lingo!

Today marks 4 weeks that we arrived 'across the ditch'.

Is it too soon to get with the lingo??

Can I stop saying thongs and say jandles?
Can I say togs instead of cosie?
I'm just not sure!

Here's a few more for you.......

biff it  =  throw it out
squab  =  spare mattress
tog top  =  rashie
verge  =  nature strip
skiv  =  disappear
jersey  =  jumper

They are all words that get used almost daily by us and those around us, so they may just creep in?
The one thing that WILL NOT creep in, is how they finish off every sentence with an "ay". It's said at the end of a question, a sentence or just a statement and it drives me crazy. Bib has said it once and was quickly corrected and given strict instructions about picking this up!

I don't know how we'll sound in 2 years or what 'lingo' we'll be picking up only time will tell......in the mean time we loved having a little giggle!!

What words have you picked up along your travels? Have you managed to keep your accent when you've lived away??

New Abode

Our new abode can be found in Auckland, New Zealand. It is classed as what locals call a 'villa' and is constructed of timber cladding and a tin roof. It's a lovely old house with a lovely old homey feel. Our stuff fitted in and almost everything we brought found a home (despite that small issue of zero drawer space in bedrooms, previously mentioned!) It has the same amount of space, essentially, as we had at home, only here we are about 8km from the city centre compared to about 40km back in Sydney and a fantastic 5km from Pip's work compared to about 25km back home. Yay, we actually get to see him and share dinner all together :)

Now whilst all the above is GREAT, what we are all loving the most about our new abode is the garden! It's awesome! The family that lived here for the last 30 years who we are renting from had 3 boys (older now obviously) so they kept the garden with great grass areas for playing, but they also were huge believers in sustainability and self sufficiency. We are in heaven :)

There is every type of herb mentionable, a huge guava tree, an enormous feijoa tree (yet to actually try one of these, but said to be beautiful straight off the tree). There's bananas, rhubarb, strawberries, blackberries, quince, advocadoes, lemons, limes, apples, and even 2 designated vegie patch areas........HEAVEN!!

As you can see the vegie patch is not quiet in action yet, but watch this space cause we have lots of winter vegie lovers in this house who are itching to get in there. Not too sure what works and doesn't work here, but we'll have fun trying.   Do you like my little garden knome :)

What's your favourite part of your 'abode'? What's your favourite winter veg?

3 already!

 

 This beautiful little girl, my beautiful little turned 3 this week. CRAZY! It seems like just yesterday we were still waiting for her arrival and having guesses at what her sex would be. But 3 already......wow that's gone fast.

 

We celebrated small, with a few pressies that we knew she would love. A painting easel, some paints, her own outdoor setting with the cutest canvas umbrella and a wooden clothes line for all her pegging pleasure! Perfect. She spent most of the morning painting, surprise surprise, then we got ready for a little cake celebration and a 'rainbow' themed afternoon tea with friends.

 

She loved it. A day all to herself, doing everything she loved. She danced, she painted, she had her face painted, she opened some packages, she played with friends and she ate ice blocks (yes that was a plural there!) It was great. Her face was smiling almost the whole day. And honestly (not just cause I'm her mum) but she has the best smile that makes you just want to smile back.

 

She asked for a rainbow cake and was delighted with what I came up with, phew!

 

Then with just 2 more sleeps my 'big' little 3 year old was off to start her first adventure at Kindy.

She looks so grown up and brave and excited and cheeky. I just can't believe she's 3 already!!

 

Happy adventures being 3 beautiful girl. You are amazing and we love you so much x

Drawers for all

The house we've moved into is an older house (they call them Villa's in NZ)  and whilst it's got great bones it does come with some of the older problems.....like very few power points (none in the main bathroom to be exact) small cupboards, creaky floorboards  etc. We are settling in well and finding homes for most things but it seems that drawers weren't very popular in the old days. So when the rentals say 'built in's' in all rooms, this only means hanging space. Leaving us with a lot of clothes yet to find a home!

Luckily NZ has their own version of Ebay called TradeMe. It's almost exactly the same but for New Zealanders only really. It's very additive I have to say. You name it, it's on there! So of here's where we headed for some drawers. We needed 3 sets. One for Pip, one for Bib and one for myself........

It seems the ones that were painted already were going for between $150 - $250, so never being afraid of a little DIY I though I'd go for a cheaper one and do it up ourselves! Here's Pip's one before (I had already started when I remembered to take a picture!) A quick wash, sand, undercoat and paint......... and look, she's much better :)

Not bad if I do say so myself. Now all I need is 2 more!! Lucky I love a good bidding war :)

Do you love a DIY project? What have you bidded on recently?

For the love of animals

 

Wherever we go, whatever we do, my 3 little munchkins are just drawn to animals. Big, small, fury, slimy, scaly it really doesn't matter. It's wonderful to watch and yet sometimes hard at the same time.

Take Stooge and the bird pictured above. He discovered this bird that had fallen out of it's nest and been left for dead. He found it, carried it everywhere and swore he would care for it till it's mum came back. In less than 1 hour he got so attached to this one little bird. It broke my heart and his to leave it behind. But he did it, and he has now pledged to save all his money to buy his own little bird and I know that that bird will be bought one day and he will cherish it for as long as it lives.

 

Did you have a pet growing up? What did you save for when you were younger?



A month in pictures.....

To keep me up to date and fill you in on what we've been up to, I thought it easiest to just put it in pictures! There have been some highs, some lows and some just plain old waiting games to be played, but we're almost fully settled now, so hoping to be back in routine very soon!!!

Arrival at Auckland airport!

 Making fun with the only things you have.

Empty house = ipad time.

 Reunited with loved ones dearly missed

 

Shipping container arrives.....every one's happy!

What to do when there is boxes of paper everywhere!!

School in Auckland begins - 2013

Enjoying our new country

 

Our family word for 2013 is ADVENTURE. We thought it only fitting....new country, new beginning, new adventure. Hope you'll follow along with us :)

 

Whats your family word for 2013? Any tips for settling into a new country for us??

 

 



Big School

 

 

 

The day arrived.......Big school for my little man!

It always comes around so fast. 5 years.......gone!

 

I am so so proud of you my beautiful boy.

Have a wonderful time and know we are always there to support you.

Life is an adventure, you just have to follow your heart.

x

Across the Ditch!

And I'm back! What a break. Thanks for waiting!!

We have had such a busy and action packed past few weeks, what with Christmas, packing, saying goodbyes, moving countries, finding a house to live in, unpacking an entire house and today to top it all off.........we started school! Phew, luckily I'm sitting on the lounge right now!

For the next 2 years you'll see me writing about our adventures from across 'the ditch' otherwise known as New Zealand. We have moved to Auckland for Pip to be country manager, which is a really exciting opportunity for him career wise, and for us too for that matter. We've already been travelling around the north island playing the tourist, having a ball and are looking forward to being able to discover and explore the south island (and more of the north....) over the next 24 months.

Have so much to share, and can't wait to get back into it.

Hope you enjoyed YOUR break :0)