Hot Sydney Nights

This weekend I surprised Ben for his birthday by kidnapping him and taking him to the city for an overnight getaway. I arranged for our friends the Finch's to take the kids straightaway after Laine's birthday party {details forthecoming} so we could head out to see the sights. Thanks Finch's! -Though I know I'll get mine soon enough...

We stayed at the Shangri-La in The Rocks in Sydney. It is such a fun little area with this great weekend market and lot's of quaintly shabby old architecture juxtaposed with the leaping modern sky scrapers in the near distance. And of course it was just above the Opera House and Circular Quay.

View from our room on the 19th Floor

Heading out for dinner at The Italian Village right on the water. The meal and view {yeah, this WAS our view, we are right outside the restaurant which is an open-air restaurant} were both delicious

Harbour Bridge in the distance, of which we finally did the walking trek across the next day

Cute little bits and bobs in the city - the Argyle Stairway

On our way to dinner, taking advantage of one of the rare times we remember our camera, hence this being the 67th picture of me with this smile, pose, and outfit -just a {slightly} different background

'Allo Govnah, cheerio.

Argyle Stairs, different view, new outfit, different time of day

Heading up to the bridge

We also went to Paddy's market in Chinatown. It was so good to finally get a feel for the city and how it is laid out, since up until now I still didn't really have my bearings.

We missed the kids but were glad they weren't there to drive us crazy. Like Ben said at breakfast, when you're with them you wish you were alone, and when you're alone you wish they were there. They had fun playing with their friends and we were so glad to hear that they had behaved themselves!

Happy Birthday next week Ben {the 3rd if you are wondering}. And don't forget come next Friday, that WAS your present!

Shelf Relicance / THRIVE giveaway!

FYI -my other blog is giveing away a THRIVE giftbasket of samples! Click the button on the sidebar to click over.

Heart,
Natalie

where to start, where to start

Laine singing in the assembly today, precious! She did great, and she was adorable when she said her lines, of which I didn't get a picture. She had to speak Spanish in front of the whole school, don't ask me what she said, all I caught was 'Me llamo Laine'

Gabey enjoying the birthday festivities

Happy 5th birthday Laine!

The girls getting their sass on

Laine and her teacher, Mrs. Adams

Birthday treats for school

Once you've fallen off the proverbial blogging bandwagon, it is pretty much a beyotch to catch up. I find myself alongside this train running and running as fast as I can {okay, not really, my gait is more of a lazy Sunday stride if I'm being honest} ...but I see the train in the distance, moving on without me and I feel powerless to ever catch up. I'm too lazy to even put the above pictures into proper order much less drag them down to the bottom of the post where they belong.

Oh well.

So much has happened. Did I even fully finish my Christmas posting? I can't even remember. And I keep on almost posting, except Ben says he's got a post he's working on that I keep hoping will magically appear. Since that hasn't happened...I guess he'll keep us all guessing on that one.

So I've still got our trip to New Zealand in March, our trip home to CA, UT, and FL in April and May and then all of the other bits and bobs in betwixt, like two assemblies Laine has been in -so cute! She sang her little heart out and made her mama proud. And her birthday was two days ago too. We have a 5 year old in the house ya'll, and she already seems older and wiser. Today she told Gabe she was 'so proud of him'. She cracks me up with her maturity, and her sweetness never ceases to melt the 'ol heart just a little.

Last week she leaned over to Ben and asked 'Dad, what's the Jesus password?' -we surmise meaning she wanted to go up and offer the sacrament prayer. Hilarious.

She is so sweet and is really trying to be a good big sister and a good example. She is talented and tries hard at everything she does. She is making me so proud and happy with the way she practices her piano without being asked and loves her dance class. She has her moments too, but she has always had a real zest for learning and has been an easy kid to love. She really is just a big ball of sweetness, and we just love her so much.

So there you have it, life is good, the kids are growing up and we are just soaking it all in. As for us, I'm loving work and Ben is stressed and working lot's but finding enjoyment as well. I honestly have just been feeling this overwhelming feeling of gratitude and happiness lately. It's like, I look around, and I have nothing but hope and optimism for the future and the present couldn't be better. It's not perfect, and far from it, but when I take a look at the glass before me, I realize it is not just half-filled, it's pretty much filled to the brim. Even through my trials and frustrations, of which I am so grateful.

The last laugh

Okay, so do you remember the whole swing set debacle of 'ought 5? If you don't, read up on it here. And then chase that down with chapter II here.

Okay, everybody up to speed? Well, we moved from the house with the big yard to the house with no yard, so the 11 year old piece of junk couldn't come with us. Sad. In our haste, we just left the POS for the new owners to deal with it, until we got a letter informing us that if we didn't come remove it from the premises we would be charged $240 to remove it.

So we listed it on ebay, stating that they needed to show up, dissasmeble it themselves and cart it away. It took all of 45 seconds of my time to do so.

Please see the listing here, including what we got for the thing.

Looks like we get the last laugh. On top of that we've moved and changed our phone number, so as far as we know PSM doesn't know where we live anymore.

Another round on us everybody!