Cock-a-Doodle-Doo

Wednesday, September 30th, 2013

No school this week!!

Erich has started flying with the Australian Air Force.  He needs to get his hours back up since he hasn't been flying lately.  He has to get so many hours per month and he had gotten behind with our move.  He is flying with a squadron that transports the government VIPs and the VVIPs.  (Yes, that's right. VVIPs.)  He will fly again later this week and will be all caught up with his hours!

On Monday, the kids and I worked in their toy room (here they call it a rumpus room).  We organized and sorted toys and I (secretly) got rid of some. We also spent about three hours at our neighbor's house playing.  It was fun to see the kids play with another kindergartner.  It was a beautiful day and they played outside and jumped on the trampoline.  I enjoyed talking with the mom.  It was a good afternoon!

On Tuesday it was cold, cloudy and rainy.  The kids and I went to McDonalds for lunch and then to do some shopping at Costco.  (Sounds like an outing in the U.S.!) We stocked up on more American food.  I was very excited to find Lay's Barbeque Potato Chips.  The chips (crisps as they call them)here are flavored differently. They do have barbeque flavor but its not anything like the ones in the U.S.  They also have a plethora of chicken flavored chips.  I was also excited to find Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon FROM THE U.S.!!  No more of that ham they call bacon! Costco rocks.  I've heard that they are the only place in town to get a pumpkin for Halloween.  A pumpkin can be yours for $20.

Chaney playing dress-up is going out to solve the mystery.  (I don't recall what the mystery was but I'm sure it was about who took Barbi's hat.  Or something like that.)




Wednesday was beautiful! We went to the Canberra Aviary.  It was great.  I've mentioned before that the birds are beautiful here in Australia.  Today we got to get up close and personal with them.  The kids (and I) enjoyed feeding apple slices to the birds. 

 

 

 

 

Most of the birds we saw at the aviary we haven't seen in the wild.  We have seen some of the colorful green birds and some others that weren't at the aviary. 

 

After the aviary, we walked around the cute little shopping area.  We went to the Lolly Store. (candy store)  The kids each picked out a small lolly.  I enjoyed seeing some of the unique candy and the sweets imported from the United States. 

 

 

I'm a bit intrigued.  I didn't buy them but I think I'm going to next time!

Charlie chose a basketball whistle gum dispenser.  Chaney chose Nerds. I'm partial to the Nerds myself.

Imported Twinkies.  $17.50.   Wow. 

 

Our Aussie Friends!
After the Lolly Shop, we went to a café.  The kids each got a mini chino. 
It's frothy milk with chocolate sprinkles.  The grown ups enjoyed a cup of coffee. 

 

 

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• Tonight when watching TV, Erich and I saw an advertisement for a new show that is getting ready to start sometime soon.  At the end of the promo, it said, "Starts Thursday Week."  Well...  Hmmm... We aren't entirely sure what that means.  Obviously it starts on a Thursday.  But, does it start this Thursday and continue every week?  Or, does it start next week on Thursday? It's the little things that always get me!  Just when you think you got it all figured out, something like this happens!  The other day Erich said to me, "You haven't gotten used to feeling stupid yet?  I have!"  What I now have figured out is that I will never have everything figured out.  
• The weather here is starting to warm but is still chilly.  We still have the heat on.  But these beautiful flowers are on a tree in our front yard.  Spring is in the air. (My brain is having a hard time understanding that is spring is here.  It's October!  Several times over the last few days, I've been thinking to myself that since October is here it's time to unpack my Halloween and fall decorations.)

 

 

• You aren't wearing sunglasses when you are down under.  You are wearing sunnies. 
• I miss Directv.
• The U.S. Government shutdown is the top story on Australian news. 
• Tonight at bedtime, when I was tucking in Chaney, she confided in me that she wished she lived in the countryside so the chickens could wake her up. "Cock-a-doodle-do!!"  Six year olds are awesome. 





Weekend in Pictures

Sunday, September 29th, 2013

Our Weekend in Pictures:

Firday morning before school, Chaney drew a picture.  I'm sure that you recognized that she drew herself and her kindy teacher.  You will also notice the underground dirt and the grass with roots. 

Friday morning on the way to school.  The last day in their winter school uniforms.  I realized in all the pictures I had of them in their school uniforms, they were wearing their maroon "jumpers." (pullovers)  Next time they are at school it will be the 4th term and they are required to start wearing their summer uniforms.  I just spent $300 on summer uniforms...

Getting goofy.

Charlie attempting to escape.

Friday evening. A wild red and green parrot on the house behind us.  The wild birds are amazing here.



On Friday evening, Erich and I enjoy an adult beverage on the back patio and Chaney decided to bring her markers outside too.

Saturday afternoon we went to Questacon, a kid science museum.  This is a thongaphone.  No, your underwear isn't calling you. You use a flip flop (known as a thong here) to hit tubes and it produces music.

Charlie surrounded by mirrors.

 

Cheese!

After the museum we walked around a bit on the way to the restaurant. 

On the way to the restaurant, the kids have a race past the statue they have named Bob. 

At the restaurant.  Charlie is pointing out the picture of a Koala.  This restaurant had American license plates on the walls.  We saw several states including Louisiana and Alabama.  But not Missouri. 

Sunday afternoon playing in the side yard.  The trucks are hauling the rocks around. 

Mommy's glass of wine.  What a great weekend!
(And by the way, this weekend we also did a lot of work around the house.  But I didn't think you wanted to see pictures of me in my PJs, hair a mess, while I unpack boxes and arrange closets. Believe me, you don't want to see that.)

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• They don't call it a kitchen counter.  They call it a bench. This one took me a while to figure out.  I had begun to think it was odd that everyone had benches in their kitchen where they prepared food and placed their grocery store bags. 
• They don't call them coloring pages.  They call them coloring ins.
• Just like in the U.S., the kids started speech therapy on Friday.  The therapy place (the only one in town that takes our American insurance) is 25 minutes away and I will have to pick the kids up from school early once a week.  In 2014 they are opening a small office closer.  So maybe we can move closer then.  It should be interesting to see how the therapy goes.  They usually do therapy once every fortnight (two weeks) or even once a month. The rest of the therapy is done at home by the parent. We will be going to therapy once a week.  Luckily the twins can be seen at the same time.  Also, they pronounce their vowels differently and they don't pronounce the R's at the end of words.  Car is pronounced "ca."  Go ahead and say it out loud. 
• When my sister Allison and I were little, we used to have these red toy phones.  They had a long wire that ran between the phones and we could talk on them and really hear each other!  The wire was long enough we had one phone in my room and the other in her room. We loved those phones!  The other day in Kmart, I stumbled across these:

  

  I had to get them!  Charlie and Chaney each have one on in their room and they LOVE them too. 

  

 

Wavin' in the Wind

Thursday, September 25th, 2013

Here are the twins after their last school concert performance on Wednesday night.
I wish you could've seen them "Rockin' Around the Clock."  It was SO cute!

There is a new US Ambassador to Australia and he arrived in Canberra this week.  I have attached a link below to an article about the new Ambassador and on the same page is a quick video about the US Embassy grounds. 
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/new-us-ambassador-john-berry-touches-down-in-canberra-20130925-2udmz.html
 \

I took this picture today outside the American Embassy.  It's not a great picture.
 I just liked seeing the U.S. flag waving in the wind.

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• I found frozen waffles!!  I found them in the frozen dessert section.  They taste pretty much like the Eggo waffles from the states. They are about $5 a box but the kids love them.  I make them peanut butter waffle sandwiches with chocolate chips for breakfast. 
• I found my scale.  Since we packed the scale in June, I've lost 15 pounds.  It's the lack of enthusiasm for the food here that I credit this loss.  That weight loss is without even trying.  Imagine what I could do if I tried!!
• Years ago I remember hearing that in Australian toilets, the water swirls around the bowl in the opposite direction than it does in the U.S. before it goes down the drain. (I think it's even on a Simpson episode.) (I had intended to video tape water flushing in the U.S. so the kids could compare it to flushing here. But I got busy before we left and forgot to record it.) Well so far, I've been unable to prove this.  Their toilets are different here! They have buttons you push to flush the toilet. When flushed, the water rushes in and straight down the drain. It doesn't swirl. I've been keeping my eye out (I seriously have) for a toilet that has water that swirls in the bowl before going down the drain. I'll be that person.  I'll be taking a video of the toilet flushing.  On a related note, I wonder if water swirling around in the bathtub before going down the drain runs opposite than the US... Hmmm... I'll let you know what I find out... (I wonder about the corniest things! Aren't you glad you know me??)
• It is seriously windy here today.  It blew down part of our gate for our back fence. 

• Tomorrow is Friday!  Finally!  It is also the end of term 3 for the kids.  They have two weeks off before 4th term starts! I am really excited to spend the whole day with my kids.  I've missed them.

 

With Gusto

Tuesday, September 24, 2013 - Day 61 Living Down Under

Today was the kids' school concert.  They were super cute and they did a great job!!  This was a dance and drama concert and each class had a different decade.  Charlie and Chaney's class had the 1950's and they danced a routine to "Rock Around the Clock."  I wish I could included pictures but videos and photographs were prohibited. (I couldn't believe this. The other parents didn't seem put out by this so I think this might be the norm around here.)  The school concert is a BIG deal.  They had costumes (I paid another mom to make Chaney's 1950's skirt) and they have three performances.  Three! One today at noon, one tonight at 7:00 and one tomorrow night at 7:00.  Each family only gets 4 tickets and you list the preference of which performance you want to go to.  Erich and I took two tickets tonight and two for tomorrow night.  Since we have to take the kids to every performance, I figure we might as well sit through a performance!  I am hoping they have pictures on the website or something.  Their costumes are at school so I will try to take a picture after their last performance, once we get home! 

I didn't fully appreciate the dance and drama program they have at C & C's school until tonight.  I taught intermediate grades for 9 years.  I saw a lot of class performances over the years and when the kids were supposed to dance, they were awkward and moved as if their legs and arms had just been attached earlier that day.  I just figured it was the age of kids and they were just growing into their bodies.   I've changed my mind.  I watched about 400 students tonight from kindy to year 6 (kindergarten to 6th grade) perform dances. They ALL performed with gusto.  The boys and the girls.  It was so neat to see.  What are you going to do with gusto today?

Enrich Schroeder.  Word.

I wanted to get the "footy" shaped crackers for Charlie but I just couldn't choose which of these delicious flavours to pick.  So I left empty handed.  (What is their deal with the meat flavored chips and crackers??)

 

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• I joined Costco so I could buy American processed cheese.  Don't judge.
• In the last 61 days, I've been to the mall more times then I have been in the last 15 years.  It ain't no lie.  I hate malls.  I have to go to the mall to go to the grocery store, the bank, K-Mart, Target and the liquor store...   I've managed to develop some mad coping skills.
• When they write, and they make their capital G, they don't use the horizontal line. Check it:
  

  
• They love their baked beans down here!  They serve them over toast.  And in sandwiches.  I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried!

 

Lollie Gobble Bliss Bombs

Sunday, September 22, 2013 - Day 59 Living Down Under

We had a great weekend.  We continue to unpack, decide where things go, etc.  Erich bought a new lawn mower.  It's one of those old-school, manual push mowers.  We have a small lawn in the back.  The front yard is just mulch, rock and artificial grass. 

 

 

Before Erich mowed the grass weeds in our back yard, Charlie took time to investigate.

 

 

We also went to the circus!

 

We laughed at clowns!

 

We enjoyed popcorn!

 

And cotton candy!

 

And death defying acts!

 

We had a great time!!

 



 

 

 We also had time for a family rugby game.

Daddy vs. Charlie & Chaney

 

Charlie and Chaney won!!

 

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• I miss garbage disposals. 
• I went to the American Ladies Bunco game last night.  I had a lot of fun! I am meeting one of the girls later this week for lunch.
• They don't call it a turtleneck.  They call it a skivvy.  That's what I call underwear. 
• They don't call it caramel corn.  They call it "lollie gobble bliss bomb."  I'm serious. 

I'm Back!

Friday, September 20th, 2013 - Day ??  Living Down Under

It has been a while since I have posted.  But I'm back now!  The kids brought home some nasty virus that was going around their school.  After the kids were better, I got hit with the same crap.  It hit me hard and I slept and slept.  And then I slept more.  And then our household goods arrived.  And then we started unpacking.  But, things are starting to settle down a bit and I'm finally feeling well again.  I have so much to share with you and I need to get you caught up on what's been going on in our lives! I will spend the next several posts filling you in on all our little family happenings and my random thoughts and observations. (I bet you are on the edge of your seat.)



Still in their school uniforms, Charlie and Chaney help daddy buy a lawn mower at the store.

Our household goods arrived last Thursday. The last time we saw our household goods, they were being loaded into huge wooden crates in June.  (I would love to know exactly where the crates traveled since the time they left us in Missouri!)  We got a call that our household goods passed Australian quarantine and we were able to schedule the delivery.  On the morning of the delivery, Erich left the hotel apartment early to get to the house.  A little bit later, I left the apartment with the kids.  I was taking them to school and then heading to the house to meet up with Erich and the removalists (movers).  Now, remember that our apartment was about 12 miles and a 25-30 minute drive to our house.  The kids and I were just one block from our apartment waiting at a stoplight.  As the light turned green, I noticed a large truck with wooden crates ahead of us.  I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be funny if that was our stuff?  I mean this is a city of 300,000-ish, what are the chances of that??"  So I sped up to catch up to the truck.  As we approached the truck, I thought to myself, "In the remotely small chance that is our stuff, its not like I'm going to know for sure. It's not like it's going to say 'I came from Warrensburg' on the back of the wooden crates."  And then we pulled up behind the truck, this is what we saw:

The kids were so excited that we had to follow it.  It did turn out to be our shipment and we were able to follow it within blocks of the school. 

I am so glad to be in our house!  Today was the first day I looked around and it started feeling like home. It's been wonderful to unpack our own things but there have been a couple of times it's made me sad. As I come across photos of family, or special items, I think of our time in Warrensburg and miss it.  *tear*  So far, we have had very little damage. Erich's dresser had quite a bit of damage and the kids' train table suffered some damage.  But not one other thing has been broken. *knock on wood* (or touch wood; whichever one you prefer.)

It seems pretty amazing that this is the only major damage we have after a move across the world!

 

When having your things packed for a move, the packers are to write on the outside what's inside each box.  They usually just write just one or two words and that is supposed to help us know what's in the box.  Movers are notorious for doing things like labeling a box "socks" only to open it and find one sock and the rest is plates and bowls.  They are also known for misspelling things.  One year we got a box with a "chest set."  (chess set)  This year we got a box of "haters" (hats) and a:

 

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• When I asked Charlie what he wanted for a snack after school the other day he asked for toast with Vegemite.  Seriously. He even got it out of the pantry.

(Don't worry.  That's not vegemite on his face.  That's face paint from school.)

• The election in Australia is over.  The Sex Party did not win. 
• We are finally sleeping in our own bed again!  We last slept in our bed in June.  We counted that we slept in 9 different beds since we last slept in our bed.  We get around.
• It finally happened.  I heard "I Come From a Land Down Under" by Men at Work on the radio.  Of course I turned it up loud and jammed!  (I've heard that song once but "Born In The USA" three times. Hmmm...)
• Tomorrow we are taking the kids to the circus!! They are so excited. 
• Since moving into the house we now have the biggest cable TV package you can get in Australia.  It's a whole 88 channels. It's included in our rent.  This morning I got to watch the Thursday Night NFL game.  The Chiefs played and I was excited to get to see them!  A little bit of home right here in my living room. 
  

 

Party

Sunday, September 1, 2013 - Day 38 Living Down Under

I got out of the apartment yesterday!  I went to the grocery store to get food. Chaney is still sick so we stuck close to home the rest of the weekend.  On Saturday, Erich took Charlie with him to the park and to run some errands and today he took him to Questacon, the science museum.  On Saturday we also watched rugby on tv.  The season is almost over so Erich says we need to enjoy it now since it won't be back on until February.  Yes.   I need to enjoy it now.  That's exactly what I was thinking.

Charlie and a million Erichs at the museum. Charlie looks so grown up here!  

Chaney and me on Sunday morning.

Watchin' TV together.

The weather was beautiful this weekend!  We can tell spring is around the corner.  The trees and bushes are starting to bloom.  Below is a picture of some pretty blooming bushes I saw on the way back from the grocery store.  I broke all sorts of laws touching my phone while in the driver's seat.  (Don't worry, I was at a stop light.)  But I just had to show you.  So if I get a ticket in the mail, you will pay half, right?

 



I've mentioned before that the Australians will elect a new prime minister in September.  The two main political parties are the Labor Party and the Coalition.  But, there are other smaller parties that have out signs and are mailing literature.  For example, there is the Sex Party.  I kid you not.  Some of their platform includes regulation and taxation of marijuana, decriminalizing personal drug use, and legalizing voluntary euthanasia. The Sex Party.  If you aren't easily offended, you can watch their tv commercial here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hxZ0yDTfnjw#t=44
It reminds me of a Saturday Night Live skit.  But it's for real.  Totally legit.  The Sex Party.

My Random Thoughts and Observations...

• Chaney will be staying home again tomorrow from school.  (And when I say "home", I really mean our shrinking hotel apartment.)  She has been hit worse with this nastiness than Charlie was.  Hopefully she will be back to school on Tuesday or Wednesday.
• The Aussies like the phrase "straight away" for meaning right away.   When Erich picked up Charlie from school on Friday, Charlie said, "Daddy, I want to go home straight away."  The kids are already using the local lingo.
• This morning we woke up and turned on the tv to see if we could get any American college football games since it was Saturday night in the U.S.  We have been told that on Sunday mornings they do play college football.  But it looks like we will have to wait until we are in our house and have cable. 
• In Australia, lemonade is a carbonated beverage with a lemon flavouring. There was a girl on the news today that had a lemonade stand to raise money for cancer.  To me, a lemonade stand is where you prepare (squeeze) the lemons, etc.  I wonder if here they serve that kind of lemonade at a lemonade stand or if they just open their carbonated beverage to serve. 
• I almost cried (for happiness) when I saw an American NFL Football commercial on a local TV station yesterday.  Joy. 
• Today was Australian Father's Day.  Erich is such a great dad, he deserves to celebrate it twice this year. 
• Down here, corn starch is called corn flour.  Ask me how long it took me to find that out while I was wandering the aisles at the local grocery store.  Go ahead, ask me.
• I've mentioned before they play a lot of American TV shows here. I saw a promo ad for an American show they are going to start showing soon.  Here Comes Honey Boo Boo will be starting soon.  Great.  That is not the way I want people down here to picture Americans.  Have you seen Here Comes Honey Boo Boo?  You should try and catch an episode. You have no idea what you've been missing.
• I almost named this post "Sex Party."