:: 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!