Wordless Wednesday - basketball trials

Tuesday's Tangent - Legos

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I think legos are a lot like life...

... sometimes it's about putting things together, building something great or small, and sometimes it's about picking up the pieces.

I like legos.
except when I step on one accidentally left out. ;-)

blessings.

little things...

Sometimes it's the little things that can really make your day!

Like today...
After a fabulous, refreshing weekend with friends in Gosford, I discovered it was a bit difficult to get going this morning... and we had places to go.  So, I made a comment to my most-wonderful husband that I would need a Coke this morning to get started.  Sadly, right now, there's no coke in the house.  (shocking, really)  I knew I'd eventually get one, but it wouldn't come til later in the day.

Imagine my delight and joyful surprise to discover a bottle of Coke on the table when I emerged from the shower!  :-D  Happy shock!  My super-sweet hubby, went to the corner (but not our corner) shop to make my 'wish' come true.  :-)

It was just a little thing.  But it really brightened my day!  :-)  yay.

Wanna share any of your day-brightening little moments?

Tuesday's Tangent - trees

When we first arrived in Australia, I was amazed at how different the trees look.  To me, they look a little odd, not at all like the rectangular brown truck w/ the circular greet top that I saw and know from my 30-odd years of living. 

Actually, I've always thought that Dr. Seuss must have visited Australia because the trees here remind me of the trees in many of his books.... (look here) ...trees that have tall, thin trunks with puffs of leaves at the ends of scattered branches.


But, as I walk around these days, the trees just look normal...  like that's just how trees are suppose to look...  When did my maples and oaks get replaced by eucalyptus and gum trees?

 

looks about right, eh?

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a bit of Aussie goodness...

I've learned to eat sandwiches a little differently since moving to Aus. 

We had lunch a couple weeks ago with a family who lives down the street.  Set out with all the 'regular' sandwich fixin's (like meat, cheese, tomato, lettuce) were cucumber slices and beetroot slices!!  Who would do such a thing...

But I like cucumber and beets, so I gave it a 'go'.  And the results were stupendous!!  A little extra crunch and a bit of sweet added to my wonderful lunch.  :-)  WooHoo!!!

Now, a sandwich just isn't a sandwich without the tangy taste and tantalizing crunch of beetroot and cucumber on my sandwich.  mmm, mmm, good.  ;-)

Flashback Friday - Loving on Riley, 2000

Little Brenna, Age 2 

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Where ever we go, if little ones are around, she becomes a 'Pied Piper'. 

She's drawn to small kiddos, and they follow her around.

I'd guess it started here...

when we started watching our little neighbor three days a week.

Although Brenna was just two, she was a big helper!

Neither of the Griffith kids have lost their touch with the little ones....

it just takes longer to warm up to the big one.  ;-)

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on a side note, I miss Riley's mom. 

She was a great friend and a fun neighbor.

I'm sure she still is... just not livin' next to me.  :-(

Thankful Thursday - sunhats and aloe

The sun is hot in Australia.  They say (no, i don't really know who 'they' are, but they do say!) that the sun's rays/effects are stronger here than in the states.  You really can't go outside without one of my new best friends, sun block. 

But I now have a couple new friends this summer.  The first is 'Ms. Sunhat'.  I had no idea there were so many styles of hats, nor that some had better SPF ratings than others.  My new sunhat has a 50+ SPF rating.  (no idea what that exactly means, but bigger is better!)  AND it's cute!  I'm not a hat person.  My sister is, she looks cute in any type of hat, but me, not so much.  So finding a hat that looks cute on me, is a big plus! 

Here's the big news...  my friend Ms. Sunhat doesn't work, if i don't wear it.  Who would have guessed??  But, wearing hats in the hot sun is... well, it's hot...  and i'm not fond of hot.  hmmm....

Which brings me to my second friend... aloe!  He comes to the rescue when I neglect my first friend.  Isn't that sweet of him?  ;-) 

So, I'm working on building my connection w/ Ms. Sunhat, trying to spend more and more time w/ her... and reconnecting w/ Mr. Aloe, who is a very steady and helpful guy.  Hopefully, I won't need to rely on him much in the future.

Brenna's wearing her cute sunhat...  guess i misplaced mine

(really, it was so hot, i don't know how anyone kept a hat on! ugh!)

Shawn and his sunhat... where did mine go??

Both pics take on Australia Day while we were in Wollongong enjoying the festivities.

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Wordless Wednesday - ahhh....

Tuesday's Tangent - bandaids

I like band-aids.  They come in so many shapes and sizes.  You can also find fun, colorful, and even character band-aids. 

When I was younger, I liked putting on band-aids just for fun.  The most memorable occasion when was I was about 16.  Just put a cute Care Bear band-aid on my hand and caused some fun conversations. 

That Care Bear band-aid came from my sister's stash.  She also loved putting them on, as did both of my children.  Sometimes they'd have a plethora of band-aids covering their body for big, little, and non-existent boo-boos. 

Although they're created for a particular purpose, covering wounds, band-aids are useful in other ways too.  A sweetly given band-aid can ease any childhood injury, it doesn't have to be open or have blood.  It eases pain just in the offering.  Sharing a 'fun' band-aid can bring smiles and joy, making someone feel special as well.  Wearing silly band-aids can start a conversation. 

I like band-aids. 
For something quite small, it can do so much.

The end of summer....

Summer ends in two days for the kids.  I can't believe that summer break is almost over!  What a difference it seems to make celebrating Christmas and New Year's in the midst of summer vacation.  Or so it seems to me.  It's a shock that school is starting again in just a couple days. 

But it's been a lovely summer.  We've spent time with family friends, had some lazy days, and gone camping.  The kids have been to friends' and had friends over.  They've gone to movies and cooled off at the beach.  They've even started to learn to surf, thanks to a good Aussie friend.  (sadly, I'm the only one who hasn't had a 'go' at surfing yet... but my time will come...)

Here's a few pics from our summer fun!

A family outing to Wollongong harbour with a lovely walk.

Darian and Brenna enjoying some time together playing cards.

Visiting with friends at the Dapto Community Carols.

(yes, one's a Canadian)

Enjoying the sun and the crowd at the carols.

We've got our song books out ready to join in.

A special time of worship with the Mullins.

A quick pic before the New Year's Eve fireworks in Wollongong.

A first surfing lesson from Greg.

Getting ready to ride the wave...

Looking like he's done this before.

Enjoying a quiet afternoon relaxing and reading in the backyard.

Shawn on his first outing w/ Greg.

For the record, it's summer, the break, that's over... not summer, the season.  The season's going strong and has several weeks, or a couple months left it in.  ;-)