Trunk 'N Treat

As most people know, Halloween is an American holiday. Australia is trying to start the fun, but its a work in progress. Our ward decided to throw together their very first Trunk 'N Treat. It was funny, each Sunday up until the party they would have me stand up and explain what people are suppose to do.

For those Australians who don't know what a Trunk 'N Treat is let me explain: This is becoming a popular way of celebrating Halloween for safety reasons. Everyone in the ward(church group) comes and decorates their trunks (boots) all spooky like, and puts candy in them. Then the kids go from car to car saying "Trick or Treat" and then they get treats. That way kids aren't going to stranger's houses and getting candy from them.

So anyways, I am very proud of myself. R was a ladybug and I made it all by myself. I think she looked the cutest! I figured she could use the wings, and tutu after the fact. Our friends from Blue Haven, the Dulls, came down to celebrate with us. I had bought WAY to much tule for the tutus so I made Charlie(R's best friend) a tutu and wings as well. They were such cute ladybugs, and had SOOOOOO much fun together!!! And little Jonah was a cute cowboy!

Cute ladybugs!

Couldn't help posting this pictures. I LOVE R's face in it!!! LOL

In the "graveyard".

Pinata, which was a cool one. No sticks or hitting involved. They just pulled a string out, and if it was the lucky string it would pull open the hatch at the bottom. GREAT idea!!!

And the ladybugs starts their candy adventure! Cute trunk, huh?! It was funny, the first few trunks we went to R would say "trick or treatING" ha ha ha. Cute kid. She finally figured out that she only needed to say "trick or treat", and REALLY got a kick out of saying it!!

R LOVED this trunk. She thought it was so cool that it had teeth!

More loot!

Jake luckily handed out candy at our trunk so that I could go around with the kids and of course take pictures!! :) This is Jake, Ali, Charlie, Jonah, and R!!!

R and her candy!

Then she was VERY proud of her face painting. A flower, if you couldn't tell!!!

Looking at all the candy she scored! Way to go little ladybug!

Unfortunately Jared had to work, and couldn't be there. All and all it was a REALLY fun night! For being the first ever, our ward did a very good job. We even had a sausage sizzle (for all you Americans that is like a BBQ), YUM-O!!! Hope that you all have a great Halloween. We sure have, even if it was celebrated 2 days early!

Like Father, Like Daughter

Jared had finished work and said that because of the wind, all the airplanes were using only 1 runway. That one runway has a road under it. So we loaded into the car(yippy) and went and parked it. Then walked to the fence, under the path of the planes!

It was pretty cool to be that close to the planes coming in to land, but R loved it! It brought a tear to Jared's eye. Ok not really, but it was a proud moment for him!! :)

Being an airplane while waiting for the next one to come land!

Last night Jared and R were playing with her legos. Jared made an airplane with them, and R has been playing with it all last night and today. Jared has always been proud of R, but this really brings a smile to his face!

No Where Ride

As most of you know, we have a car! Jared didn't have to start work until late, so we took advantage of the nice weather, the car, and took a no where ride. We live really close to the beach, but our beach doesn't get the big waves because we are next to a bay. So we drove around the bay to the other side to the beaches with actual waves. Jared had an idea where he wanted to go, but we had no map. We found this beach first. I even thought I saw a beached whale, then I realized it was just me!! I HATE pictures of me and my HUGE belly, but I decided I needed one to look back on. R took this one of course, and so I think the angle makes it look bigger. Ok, who I am kidding? Its just HUGE at any angle!!!

Love this pic of R.

You would think I would learn if we are going to a beach, rain or shine I need to put my kid in her swimmers. She gets soaked EVERY time we go, but she has a blast!!

This is what we did for the majority of the time. Jumping off this sand wall into the water. R LOVED this. She could have done it all day! I took so many of these jumping pictures and thought they turned out so dang cute!

Look at that face!! Pure joy!

There was also a lot of running around in the water. You can tell a little better in this picture how soaked she got.

No need for a comment! US!

I love this little lady! Look how well I can hide my belly! :)

We followed the shore around and drove passed 2 other big beaches. One VERY popular one, Bondi Beach. We didn't stop, but we are pretty excited to have them pretty close to us! On our way home we saw a sign for the suburb Jared's school is in. Jared had never actually been to his school where he is doing his Masters degree, because its all on-line. We thought why not. So we went and walked ALL over his campus. We snapped some photos!

And of course R had to have her picture taken as well!

We even bought Jared a hoodie with UNSW (University of New South Wales) on it! He feels a lot more official now, and proud of his school.

Jared also wanted to brag to our friend Darwin, because he now has actually been to his school where he is doing his Masters degree before he graduated!!! :) Guys and their competitions!!

If you can't tell we are having a lot of fun being able to drive places!!! I just hope that the car can make it to places outside of Sydney. We will see!

Oh we made it back without a map. I was very proud of ourselves. We kind-of have one advantage. We live REALLY close to the airport. You could be in the middle of no where in Sydney and there will be a sign pointing you to the airport. So if we ever get lost we just have to follow one of the MANY signs pointing to the airport, then we can get home from there. VERY COOL!!!

Australian Pride

My baby and I have been watching the Commonwealth Games. For all the Americans its a big event, like the Olympics but only for the countries who are part of the Commonwealth(intergovernmental org. of 54 independent states. All but 3 were formally part of the British Empire). Its almost over and Australia has kicked some major butt in the competitions. While watching the flag ceremonies R asked what the song was they were playing. I explained it was the National Anthem of Australia. So we taught her the first line, and she is VERY proud that she knows it. Her dad is even more proud, especially because he tried to teach her the first line of the American National Anthem, and she wanted nothing to do with it! So here it is:

Conference Weekend

The joys of living a day ahead of Utah is that Conference Weekend happens a week later. We were able to have it this last weekend. What a joy is it to be able to hear our church leaders speak to us. I can't believe that it happens every 6 months, and its already come and gone again. The crazy part is that I was STILL pregnant last time! Why does pregnancy have to take SO dang long??

Things I missed not being in Utah for Conference Weekend:

1. Not being able to watch it from your own house(this is HUGE)

2.Not being able to get tickets to actually attend

3. Not being able to go to the McSweeney's house in between Sunday sessions for Conference Potatoes

4. Not being able to attend Ladies Night at Deseret Book :)

We come to the conclusion that R would only be able to handle one session (2hours), so we decided to attend the Sunday morning session. R did pretty good. We brought her usual church books, and brought some snacks. We decided to start watching the other sessions online, but R made us laugh really hard when she brought her baby's bed out and turned it on its side, and used a play mushroom as a microphone and stood next to the computer.

Funny girl wanting to be a speaker in conference!! All and all we are excited to either get to watch the rest, or just read the rest. The talks we were able to hear were really good. Jared and I really got a kick out of Pres. Uchtdorf's talk "Of Things That Matter Most".

How grateful I am to have a living Prophet who can speak to us and share things that can make our lives so much better! The blessings I have received from being a member of this church has made my life so happy. The more I learn about the gospel, the more grateful I am to be a member. I can't wait until the Ensign comes out with all the talks printed in them, so I can read all the talks without interruptions from a 3 year old! :) And most importantly I am grateful that next time conference comes around I will NOT be pregnant!!!

A Huge Blessing

This post is for the people NOT on Facebook. I already told the story there, but I posted pictures on this.

Since moving here we haven't had the money to buy a car(still don't). But moving to Kogarah where we live now, we live about a 1/2 mile from a great park, shopping center,hospital and train station. So we have been walking everywhere, which was fine. Getting to church is another story. Our church isn't just down the road like it is in Utah. By car it takes about 20 minutes. So it took us about an hour because we would walk to the train station, take the train, then walk to the church. Jared's calling in church has meetings every Wednesday nights, so he would either have to be picked up by someone, or train it!

Jared has been riding his bike(yes a pedal bike) to work every day. Rain, wind, or shine Jared was out there on his bike. It actually always scared me, because the roads are smaller here, and the drivers are a lot crazier! Its a law to wear a helmet which is good, but I also made him have lights on his bike, since most of his shifts ended after the sun went down.

All and all we were managing. There were still MANY days that I just thought to myself "I just wish someone could just give us a car, but the world doesn't work that way!" People in this ward have generously lent us their cars while they were on vacation, but we would have to give it back when they got home. So I'm done venting, and on with the HUGE BLESSING!

So last Sunday a man in our ward said he had a car that we could have, but it just needed to be fixed. He said he was going to take it into a shop to see how much it would cost to be fixed. So that Monday he called us and said "its not worth fixing, sorry!" What a bummer. Well then on Sunday he said that he got it fixed and its ours if we want it. What?!?! Really???? So Monday we went over to their house and he said "take it for a drive and see what you think!" So we took it for a short drive, and it was great! We came back and he signed over the paperwork. Jared said "what can we pay you for it?" and he replied "nothing"! Jared even tried to pay for the work that got done, and they wouldn't let us!! This is our FREE car!!

The trunk is HUGE too, which will be nice with a stroller for the baby. How amazing!!! I feel really blessed, and I know that Heavenly Father hears my prayers. Walking was fine unless you are 8 months pregnant and HUGE!! I have spent many nights in prayer asking for a solution, but I never imagined it would come in this big of a way!!!

It still doesn't seem real. It seems like it is just some one's car who is on vacation and we will have to give it back in a few weeks! But its ours!!! Again I feel SO blessed!

C-Section vs. VBAC Part 2

So on Friday I had another ultrasound, and my decision has pretty much been made for me. I am at 34 weeks and the drs say that the position the baby is in at this point is usually how it will stay. Well from the first picture you guessed it, like sister like brother. He is breech. I have a heart shaped uterus, and R's head got stuck up on the right side, just like his. The ultrasound guy said" I doubt he will be able to turn". When I got the ultrasound he was in the Frank breech position.

Anyways, I have an appointment with the doctors on Thursday where I will most likely schedule my C-Section. I actually feel a little more at ease having a decision. I was still up in the air right up until my ultrasound. Thanks to my little boy for making my decision for me!!!

I was able to see his little face. It is totally cute and already has some chub on his cheeks. Even though it wasn't routine, I asked the ultrasound man that he would ease my husband's mind if he could double check the gender. Sure enough, I definitely saw that he was a boy!!! No pictures this time :( because they were checking other things like blood flow, heart rate, ect! Nothing too exciting!!!

I will add more to this post after my appointment if there are any changes. Thanks for all the input. I just suck at making decisions, so its nice to have one very important one made!!!