:: a night away ::

Danny & I have just gotten back from a night away at The Inn at Solitude without the kids. It's amazing how much a mere 24 hours away from our normal routine can make. We started the day with Jamin having his first ski lesson (more on that tomorrow!) & then waved goodbye when Oma drove away back down the mountain. Next we took the lift up Moonbeam & had a picturesque lunch at Sunshine Grill. We snowboarded the afternoon away & then walked back to our room for the night. Doesn't that just sound like another world? It seemed like it to us!

I would have to say that the most exciting part of our time away was being able to eat, sleep & relax on our own schedule. Kids really do take over the day at home so we reveled in eating a snack at 5 o'clock, then going out to dinner at 8. We slept in till 9 in the morning, something we remember so fondly from our days before kids & just made it to the restaurant in time for breakfast. 

This night away has been many many months in the planning & has had numerous setbacks & changes. It really still amazes me that we managed to escape at all. Normally Danny & I go away every year for our anniversary but this year in August we were very far away from our babysitters. So 5 months later we managed to get everyone comfortable & healthy enough that we could leave the boys with Oma. 

So thank you Oma for giving us a much needed break & for surviving the crazy chaos that is our house full of two little boys. You are the best!

{this moment}

A time in our lives that I don't want to forget...

Libraries hold a very special place in our lives & this morning we ventured downtown for our  first outing to the Salt Lake City Public Library. The architecture & lighting were absolutely stunning, not to mention the amazing children's library. More to come next week but I couldn't help but share this photo today. 

Jamin is in the foreground & it's like he's venturing into a new world... and I guess in a way he is - the world of books!

< countdown >

The countdown has begun to our big trip back to Australia - 10 sleeps to be exact. After numerous changes in plans, our return flight on the 6th February looks pretty definite now. Travel plans in Danny's line of work change very frequently so I am somewhat used to it & have cultivated a flexible attitude many years ago. Our working holiday to Chile, South America with a 20 month old Jamin & Kael in my belly may also have helped with this flexible attitude. Let me tell you... there is nothing worse than Lan Chile (the Chilean airline). I should know, we took over 10 flights with them in our 4 week trip there & almost every time there was something else to deal with. 

Anyway... Obviously I love travelling with very young children. Umm... no. Danny & I often dream about the days ahead in our future when we can sit on a plane & actually watch movies, sleep & maybe even read a book. These dreams are often child free but we also like the thought of the boys being old enough to want to watch back-to-back movies on the plane. Jamin is slowly getting there. He talks to every visitor we have about whether they went on the 'DVD plane' & is seriously excited about going on the plane this trip home. I have given up any notion of trying to provide alternate entertainment. He can watch 13 hours of movies for all I care. Kael is going to be the challenging passenger now that he is running around, detests the car seat & has the attention span of a hyperactive squirrel.  Ah yes, I am so very looking forward to the 13 hour flight from L.A. to Brisbane. 

Let me tell you about a stroke of genius that Danny & I are still congratulating ourselves on. We had the foresight to book Mum's return flight home with ours. This totally tips the adult to child ratio in our favor & means that we can book a seat elsewhere on the plane so that we can take shifts. A stroke of brilliance, yes? I think so. 

The boys have their own luggage (another 2nd hand bargain) to carry on to the plane & I am in the throws of a packing frenzy, trying to plan for 7 weeks of summer in my favourite place with all of my favourite people. 

There are two brand new nephews who I get to meet & squeeze for the 1st time, lots of bigger nieces & nephews to reclaim my place of favourite aunty with & sisters to have long long talks to. Oh... I think that the plane trip might just be worth all I will gain from this visit home. 

:: the last knitting update ::

I have some news for those of you following my knitting journey. The beautiful scarf has now been completed! The question is... who completed it?

Who is this mystery knitter that would allow herself to be convinced to finish yet another project that her daughter started...

Why my Mum of course!

She also knit me this cute matching headband that I have been seeing a lot around the city on other girls heads. I wanted one & my Mum is smart enough to be able to make it in one night without a pattern. 

Isn't she amazing!?

So are you ready to hear the reasoning behind handing over the completion of the scarf?

We leave for Australia in 10 days & I really wanted to be able to wear my scarf before we left. At my current rate of knitting output there was no way that was going to happen. So I decided that my desire to wear & enjoy the scarf outweighed my need to finish it myself. My Mum is a super knitter & she basically had that last ball knitted up in about 2 days whereas it would have taken me much longer. 

So judge me or not - here I am, a happy girl with a new pretty scarf that I intend to wear everyday for the next week & a bit! 

+ an american work TRUCK +

All of Danny's dreams have come true with the addition of a 3rd work truck to the RME Inc's fleet. He now gets to drive around feeling bigger & more powerful than about 2/3's of the other people on the road. We took the truck for a first drive up the canon so we could go snowboarding on Sunday & I must say it is a very comfortable ride. 

Our garage is now filled to capacity with our two huge cars & outside the caravan takes up all the available space beside the house.

We really do fit in now, don't we....? oh dear.

:: sundance film festival ::

This weekend we chose to make the most of our close proximity to one of the more famous independent film festivals. Most of you would have heard about the Sundance Film Festival which is actually held in Park City, just a short 1/2 hours drive north of Salt Lake City. The locals joke that its the one week a year where the town is overtaken by 'the people in black" i.e. New Yorkers & other very hip film makers. 

We walked along the main street to take in the famous theaters, some very well dressed crowds & talented buskers before heading up to a cute cafe where we had a second delicious breakfast. The cafe had prominently placed signs on the tables stating that there was positively absolutely to be no meetings held at the tables unless the tables were rented out for that purpose. They then listed the rates as starting at $45/hour. Interesting huh? I guess these New Yorker types like to hog tables causing endless frustration to the waitstaff, business owners & other hungry patrons.

Jamin sampling the hot chocolate after braving the -8'c cold outside.

Me & my boy, who's growing up awfully quickly! He was doing the toddler walk around the tables charming all the other customers.

Oma had her work cut out for her chasing the boys around the cafe. We had a long wait for the food so the extra set of hands was so very appreciated! 

A very fun morning. Too bad I wasn't able to get any tickets to the films. Maybe next year we can actually take in a film & really experience the festival...?

{this moment}

A time in our lives that I don't want to forget...

Jamin's first Tim Horton's donut all the way from Ottawa, Canada in Daddy's carry on luggage... & it was good...

:: a lunch at Lone Star Taqueria ::

This week we decided to stop by a local mexican hot spot for lunch & a tourist fix for Mum. Lone Star Taqueria  is famous around Salt Lake City for their fish tacos & the teaming restaurant certainly confirmed that. 

The boys loved the burritos.

The authentic Mexican staff who seemed to really enjoy their jobs. The boys could not keep their eyes off them & their boisterous ways.

I think we will be heading back with Danny another day so that he can sample the delicious food too. 

< the great toy sort >

It has been a heck of a long day with me battling the cold that Kael so kindly passed on, so I apologise about the late post. But as you can see I have been very busy.

You wouldn't think that we arrived in Salt Lake City 9 months ago with only a couple of boxes of toys. Admittedly, all the toys that you can see surrounding me were either second hand or birthday presents but it does feel a bit excessive. Luckily I just plan to hand them all back to the secondhand shop when we head home. 

So the well thought out plan was to split the toys evenly into 6 boxes corresponding to each day of the week. Wednesday is missing because that is the day the boys go to daycare. I also plan to have a few big toys, like Duplo or Little People sets, that the boys can play with each day. 

Split into their boxes.

The only storage place I could think of that is out of the boys sight & reach is the top of Jamin's cupboard. I will take down a different one each day when the boys get up & we will return it before bed time. Thats the plan...!

My lovely new tidy toy shelf in the lounge room with all of the boxed toys. I may need to rethink this set up because a certain little monkey has already climbed up trying to reach the third shelf. 

"That bottom row of boxes are for climbing, right Mum?"

I also had to add in a photo of my new bookends that I picked up today out at Park City. Aren't they gorgeous? I have been looking for quite a long time & I think these owls are just perfect to mind my parenting books!

With the little ones in bed & a tired, aching body fighting the latest cold, I don't think that it'll be long till I follow them. Goodnight all...

:: a video 4 daddy ::

Danny has disappeared to Canada for the week for a conference. I am not envious of the -20'c temperatures in Ottawa but I am envious of the hotel room & the uninterrupted sleep that he will be enjoying. When I vocalise these thoughts he always likes to remind me of his reality of late nights catching up on his actual work & a busy conference schedule. I see his point but I can still dream can't I?

The boys do not enjoy Daddy going away. They are used to having him just downstairs in the basement next to their newly located trampoline. He's there to distract & say hello & goodbye to every time we are heading out. He comes up for lunch & regular coffee breaks & some play time if he can squeeze it in. Yes, we have it good here in Salt Lake City. Much different to his Australian work schedule with him leaving at 7:30am & getting home by 5:30pm if we are lucky.

Last night after dinner we were killing some time before bed & decided to make a video for Daddy. The result is just about the funniest thing I have seen in a while. Definitely the epitome of where the boys are at in this stage of their lives...

Come home soon Danny - we miss you so much!

< sick again >

Our (not so) little Kael is sick again... We had a grand total of 9 days between the bad flu that he picked up somewhere & this new cold that has gone to his chest & turned into croup.

9 days! 

But it was a great 9 days where we remembered what a happy, inquisitive, independent little boy he is. Lucky for that because when he is sick he turns into a cranky, clingy, impossible baby. It's not his fault but it sure does make life a lot less enjoyable & more complicated for the family. 

Oma is also having a hard time charming him into loving her in his current state. But she says that she won't give up - she will win him over! Lucky for us because we are hoping to get away alone for a night up at the ski resort & it will be much easier if Kael actually likes his Oma :)

Anyone have any suggestions for keeping Kael from picking up every virus that floats by him?

+ oma arrives +

After a week of extreme uncertainty about whether she could get to the airport from flood stricken Toowoomba, Oma arrived to greet an extremely excited Jamin. We are so happy & relieved that she was able to find a charter flight from Toowoomba to Brisbane airport on Friday afternoon.

We are looking forward to a few weeks of showing Mum around a snow covered Salt Lake City, so very different to the summer she experienced here 6 months ago. 

I am a very happy girl right now!

{this moment}

A time in our lives that I don't want to forget...

Searching for our first real Christmas Tree with Grandad & Gran

Salt Lake City, Utah

:: a heart garland ::

A few months back I wrote about my struggles with motherhood & having a heavy heart. I was so very overwhelmed with the love & support that so many friends & family took the time to share with me. It is amazing when we take the time to be honest about our personal struggles how many people reach out with their own stories & love. 

I just wanted to share my absolute favourite gift of support & love from my precious family, Brian & Lara & their beautiful girls. They posted me a heart garland that the girls had coloured in & Lara had put together. It now takes pride of place above our bed & reminds me of the love that all of you shared with me in a tough time in my life.

So thankyou to each & everyone of you.

My heart is feeling very full.

:: far from the floods ::

I am feeling so incredibly far away from our home & family in Australia at the moment & yet also as if I am right there. I can picture the people & the places & have a bit of an idea in my head about what things look like after all that water (not really, I know). I can imagine just what we would be doing if we were still living in Toowoomba - hanging out with my Mum & sister who live just down the road. Sharing food & talking through how overwhelming the whole situation is. Danny might be trying to get out to his brother on the farm near Dalby to try & help there. 

But... we are here in America... a very very long way away from home, family & friends. It will be so weird to be talking about the 2011 floods in years to come & to say "We weren't there. We were living in America". It feels like we have missed experiencing a vital part of our history. 

It seems selfish to say but I am devastated at the thought that Mum won't be able to get to the airport on Saturday to come & visit us. It's like you look forward to something for so very long & then to think that it might not happen at all is just so sad. The road from Toowoomba to Brisbane is still cut off with rumours that it might be a few more days at least until it is reopened. But of course there are much more important implications from that... the town running out of food, fuel, and water. Much bigger things than Mum coming across the world to visit me. But I will allow myself that sadness while also feeling sad for all the people who have lost life, houses, memories & pets. 

So to all the people who hold a place in my heart living in Queensland - I miss you & wish that I was there to talk & hold a hand & give a hug. Know that I am thinking of you, praying for you & counting the days until we visit. 

+ a preschool writing box +

I stumbled upon this great Mummy blog this morning & decided to put together a writing box for Jamin. He is a little ahead for his age & very interested in typing his own name everytime he is anywhere near an iPhone or keyboard. Danny is currently teaching him to type "Smith" now that he has "Jamin" all sorted. So I thought that maybe it's time to see if he is interested in learning to write... These tracing sheets seem to be a good place to start in learning to form letters. 

Thanks Planning Queen!

:: an afternoon at the movies ::

Danny & I traded time to ourselves yesterday. He went snowboarding in the morning & I got to escape to the movies in the afternoon. I feel pretty excited to have discovered that our local cinema, 5 minutes down the road, charges $1.50 for a ticket! How crazy is that? I couldn't help comparing it to the Toowoomba cinema which charges something like $13. I will definately be going back!

I went to see Life as We Know it, which is a chick flick about two Godparents who end up having to take on a 1 year old girl when their friends die in a car accident. See the trailer here. It was just the girly escape that I needed yesterday afternoon - I laughed, cried, envied clothes & may even have appreciated the male leads physique just a little bit (but only because he reminds me so much of my husband :) It was pretty funny to see all the challenging parts of parenthood so well portrayed in a movie.

I returned home in a good mood for having taken some time out. It is amazing how you appreciate being able to sit down & watch a movie uninterrupted for 2 hours when you have little kids. What a phase of life this is!?

{this moment}

A time in our lives that I don't want to forget...

Hike to Landscape Arch, 

Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

+ very cool cars +

A couple of months ago Jamin received an Automoblox car for his birthday & since then we have become big fans of their toys. They are basically really stylish wooden cars that drive beautifully & can be assembled & disassembled pretty easily. Jamin spends a lot of time taking his apart, making it into different shapes, then putting it back together. When Kael started wanting to play with Jamin's we decided that to save on fighting, he could have his own for Christmas. 

He doesn't look very excited in this photo but believe me, he does love his new truck!

I loved these cars so much that I bought a three pack & sent it back to my nephews for Christmas. Ainsley has done a bit of research since then & says that they are substantially cheaper here in the States. So if anyone wants a special little present for their little boy or girl let me know & we can organise to get it back to you in the next few months. 

:: a chilly winters morning on the slopes ::

Winter here in Salt Lake City has been getting me down over the last week... so much so that if Danny said "time to pack up & go home" I would have whooped in excitement. But today seemed to make up for some of the summer homesickness that I am feeling. I am finally becoming more confident on the snowboard & am starting to really love it! It was a chilly -12'C temperature when we stepped out of the warm car this morning but we just geared up so that not an inch of skin was exposed & hit the slopes. The sun came out an hour or so later & the day got even better!

On the Sunrise Lift heading up the mountain. Its super slow but the scenery is spectacular.

Here's a little video to show you how my skills are progressing. This was at the start of the morning & I had actually improved a lot more by the end. It is just amazing to have the opportunity to learn to snowboard at a resort 30 minutes drive away. Rather than having to go through a painful week or two of a holiday on the slopes dealing with beginners injuries, we just head up a couple of times a week to have some fun & build on our skills.

And here is another quick video of the end of my last run for the day.

Danny had a great morning as well except I am not quite as skilled as him yet to be able to get a video of him while riding. Next week maybe? He went and explored up the Powderhorn II lift a few times to snowboard down Sunshine Bowl & Gary's Glade. He is doing so well & absolutely loving our new sport!

So for all you skiers & snowboarders out there turning green with envy while reading this... buy a ticket & come over to check it out. We have a basement that is just waiting for you to crash! You just have to put up with family life the other 80% of the time we aren't in the slopes.

:: knitting update ::

The knitting of the most beautiful scarf in the world is going well although I would really just like it to be finished so that I can wear it now! I was slowed down a few weeks back by that nasty tailbone injury from snowboarding and therefore could not sit down without extreme pain. Who wants to sit down to knit when it hurts that much I ask you...? Not me & therefore not much knitting got done for a while. Then I stumbled upon the car knitting time slot & haven't looked back. The car is a great place for me to knit - the boys are strapped into their seats & relatively happy, I was in the back next to them while we had visitors so there wasn't much to see out the window & we were doing a lot of driving around. So my scarf grew & grew. 

It doesn't normally sit on the Christmas tree like this but I was searching for an appropriate hanging spot but both of the boys are in bed & couldn't help. I also thought this might be a nice time for you all to farewell the tree who is returning to the lovely old man who we bought it from. Danny has absolutely no faith in my ability to keep it alive over the next year & we are also planning on being home in Australia for Christmas next year so won't use it again then. I am not sorry that we chose to get a living Christmas tree, especially now that we are starting to see them all dumped on the sides of the road awaiting their fate as garden mulch. I sigh in self righteousness that my tree will live to celebrate another Christmas, with another loving family. 

Goodbye lovely tree - go in peace.

:: saturday sledding fun ::

Despite the freezing temperatures we all ventured out of the house on Saturday afternoon for some fun sledding at the swimming pool park. No bike riding or swimming or even playing on the equipment this time though... too cold! The only thing to entertain us was sliding down the hill on our new sled.

Noteworthy moments of the outing were Danny dumping Jamin head first into the snow while pulling him around on the sled & the pain my fingertips were feeling once back in the car. Just how cold does it have to be to start getting frostbite?

I am missing Australia & the warm summer so much this last week & am dreaming of our trip home in 5 weeks. The snow might look like lots of fun but really with two little boys its more of a chore being stuck inside than lots of fun outside. It seems like I spend longer getting them dressed to go outside than the actual amount of time we are outside. And we always end up coming in with one or both kids in tears. Usually because of a face full of snow. 

Anyone have any snow play tips for little kids? 

< inside slidin'>

Most days I look at the little indoor slide I picked up for $30 & think that I am a genius. The boys must climb up & down it at least 50 times a day & I just smile inside thinking of all the pent up energy they are exerting while we are stuck inside with the freezing weather. Of course there was a day last week where Kael fell off twice & managed to give himself a bloody nose each time. Then I wondered if I needed to be supervising him just a bit more closely. 

Now I just need to figure out a way to get the trampoline out of the -2'C cold in the garage & up into the living room & we will all be happy. 

Here's a little video showing some of their tricks.