Day Twenty Nine...Spring in Winter?

Our weather is all screwed up this winter. It's way too warm, and all my plants are confused.

Today I noticed our newest tree in the front yard, christened Tiny by the kids, is blooming. Its a gorgeous crab apple tree - lots of these are around Temecula, and they are all blooming right now.

Tiny isn't supposed to bloom in Winter and I hope we don't get a frost or a bad storm and damage Tiny.

So I will enjoy my crab apple today and the pretty white flowers and hope that we get to enjoy it again in the Spring!

Day Twenty Eight...tastes like home...

I had to make a trip to Costco today - Ugh, how I dislike shopping at Costco. 

Think its the huge shopping carts, and the enormity of the items sold there. Everything is huge, like I'm shopping for a giant or a household of 20. Then you have to figure out where to store all that stuff, and after your 20th can of beans you probably don't even want to eat beans anymore. Plus its almost always crowded, I just don't like maneuvering my cart through throngs of people. Weekends are the worst, I swear most people go there to eat the free food.

But there are a couple things I do go in for so I try and make my trip quick.

Luckily today was relatively quiet, so I spent a little time perusing the isles just in case I came across something I didn't know I needed. Down the refrigerated section I came across these Gyoza Dumplings. OMG! YUM!

Straight away it made me think of my favorite little restaurant back home, near where my mum lives. Pins and Noodles, affectionately called Pins...

The fun thing about restaurants back home, especially in older neighborhood areas, a lot of them are old houses converted into restaurants. Pins and Noodles is one, with tables and chairs throughout all the "rooms" and a kitchen built "down the hallway". I love it! It has so much character. Its basically a pasta and asian inspired restaurant - odd combination but totally works, and they have the best Gyoza dumplings.

I took home the Costco version and fried some up for lunch - I could close my eyes and be back in Pins, that's how good they were. They also remind me of a Russian dish my Oma made, very similar, called Pelmini, one of her famous recipes when we were kids and one that has gone with her. Gosh I miss those days.

So, I savory the taste of the gyoza and smile at my memories of Oma - and also many dinners with my parents at Pins.

Day Twenty Seven...Old school...

Thank goodness for the great weather today!

My dryer decided it was going to quit working on me today. And I can't get a new part until next week sometime. Of course I had just done all the towels and bed sheets. With no dryer, and no washing line. Bummer.

Gosh, how I miss my good ol' Hills Hoist!!

Americans, well at least in California, don't know the concept of a clothes line - I wonder if they even know what one is?!

When I moved here I was baffled - how was I going to get my clothes dry?? The thought of putting everything in a dryer was so foreign to me - and to this day I still rebel and hang dry a lot of my things.

I remember as kids swinging on our clothes line - around and around we would go - like a merry go round.

On hot summer days we would rig up the hose to the washing line, and lay underneath, water spinning around like some fancy water park. I remember washing all my Barbie clothes, and pegging them all up in a row.

Towels would come off all stiff and crunchy but smelling like sweet sunshine.

To me a washing line symbolizes a typical Aussie backyard - wouldn't be right without one!

Each time I go back home I find some gadget, some do-hickey that I can use to dry my clothes that I can't bare to put in the dryer. I have cute little spinning hangers, and the coolest over the door rack that I cant live without.

And today I was so glad I had my folding rack - at least I got the towels dry in the gorgeous sunshine - can't wait to fold those stiff crunchy buggers!

Day Twenty Six...High on a Scent...

Today I am grateful for my job. For this full table of Scentsy. Because this means I am busy.

I love opening up those big white and purple boxes - filled with the delicious scent of Scentsy. I love lining up all  the bars, checking each warmer - labeling and packaging.

I love the home parties, where I get to make new friends each time. I love making deliveries and seeing how happy my customers are. I love the freedom this job gives me. I love the smells and the colors of the wax bars. I love the extra income that Scentsy provides me. I love the travel and the friendships I've made, the Scentsy sisterhood.

Not many people can say they love their jobs, I'm truly grateful I can.

Day Twenty Five...3 Little Monkeys...

Today is a half day from school so we are home by lunchtime. Grace's friend Lindsay has also come over to spend the afternoon. They are always wanting to spend time together, and Lindsay is like an adoptive daughter to me.

So while I am making lunch the kids decide they are going to play outside and climb their tree.

Grace and Lucas learned how to climb our front tree a few months ago and have virtually been living in it every given chance. They even rigged a pulley and bucket system so they can pull up snacks and what not. I even found Lucas sitting up there one day reading a book!

Watching them in that tree reminds of the hours and hours my brother, sister and I spent in our tree.

My dad bought our first house when we were little kids based on the the ginormous Liquid Amber in the backyard.

It was a gorgeous tree, probably about 20 feet tall. Lush green leaves in the summer, perfect for hiding in. And the most stunning array of colored leaves in Autumn. Many days were spent raking leaves so we could jump in the piles! We even had a tire swing hanging from a low thick branch.

The 3 of us spent so much time in that tree, playing games, hiding from our parents and spying on the neighbors.

The tree grew spiky balls that when dipped in mud and left to harden made perfect weapons when fighting with one another. Every few years the cicadas made their appearance, singing their ear splitting tune and shedding their hard shells all over our tree. 

I'll never forget those years of climbing our tree, the hours spent laughing and plotting with my brother and sister. That tree was ours, our haven, our hide out, our place.

So, watching my kids play in their tree brings back so many fond memories and I love how they are making theirs.

Day Twenty Four...Racers, start your engines..

I had a great day today!! 

Another picture perfect day - cloudless blue sky, a crisp morning turning into a sunny and warm 86 degree day (30C). Started my day with a walk, that turned into some good laughs as we tried to jog part of our walk. How great it is to be enjoying a brilliant morning with a close friend and having a great laugh at yourself! so liberating!

Then on to a networking lunch -a great meal surrounded by like minded business women. Enjoyable and productive at the same time -my kinda meeting!

But the best part of my day was the spontaneous decision by Troy to take the afternoon off and surprise the kids and have a fun afternoon together.

He had heard the indoor go kart racing center had "kids drive free" on Thursdays so we drove over to check it out. You should have seen Lucas's eyes light when he realized where we were. Priceless.

Grace and I decided not to drive today - and it was fun to watch my two boys race each other around the track, trying to out do one another - true boy competitiveness. Lucas wasn't too sure at first but by the end was beating his dad. To see his enthusiasm and joy was infectious! He told me next time he's going to take me on - Better watch out boy, this chick knows how to drive!

 

 

Day Twenty Three...Walkies!...

Well, I asked for weather and I'm getting it!! Monday was cold and rain, today is clear and crisp with highs later on in the 80's! Nothing boring about it this week.

Today I went on my brisk one hour walk with my girlfriends, and when I got home decided that I would continue my walk and take my old man out with me. Old man being Jack. Poor old Jack, with all his health problems is gaining weight and really needs his walks.

So I wake him from his nap, get his harness on and we are off!!

In the good old days Jack would run his whole walk, and he could go on forever. These days he gets half way around the block and he's pooped out - down to a stroll and then a nail drag. 

But its a gorgeous morning, he needs some exercise and I get to spend a little time with him - even if it's more of a stroll. The sun warming us, the fresh air in our lungs and doing something good for one another.

Day Twenty Two...Office on the go...

Today was a busy day for me - a busy Scentsy day!

Coffee and lunch meetings ( my favorite kind of meetings! ) with two of my Directors - brain storming and chatting about the new Scentsy year.  Meetings with customers - taking orders and closing a party. Chatting with team members on the phone. Busy busy busy, all day long.

The majority of the day was spent in Big Red - my office on wheels.

I love Big Red - the seats are like big comfy armchairs. I have lots of room in the cup holders that hold cups and everything else I could possibly need. I have room for my phone and boxes of scents, my bags with business supplies and catalogs...my passenger seat holds everything from my handbag, to snacks and everything in between within my reach.

I drove from appointment to appointment, chatting, munching on a pastry, drinking my tea - listening to my favorites songs. I cruised around town on a beautiful day, peacefully accomplishing a lot. Grateful for being busy, grateful for my ride. It was a very satisfying day.

Day Twenty One...Rainy Day...

Today is cold and rainy and I love it!! Finally - some weather.

This winter has been really mild and at times way too hot for this time of the year. Most of the year it's so boring, its either hot or hotter. I miss the seasons that I got back in Sydney. I love a good storm, something that we hardly ever get. I miss lightning, thunder and hail! crazy huh??

I love cozy sweaters and scarfs, favorite jeans and boots. I love sloshing around in the rain, drops falling on my face.There's something satisfying about watching my wind screen wipers swish back and forth, trying to keep my window clear. I love wet sticky leaves in the yard, and my plants soaking up all they can.

I love coming into a warm home after being cold and wet.

Mostly I love watching it rain on my window, something so calming and peaceful about it.

Day Twenty....Game Day...

Our family loves traditions. The little things we do daily, some once a week or once a month, even yearly.

We try and sit down together for family meals, asking each other how our day was, what was our favorite part, what was the worst.

I love our special dinners for the birthday person, or that we bake cookies for Santa every year. Watching movies such as "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" for Thanksgiving and  "It's a Wonderful Life" for Christmas. Church on Saturday nights and pizza with half cheese half pepperoni.

But one I really love is our Sunday morning family game day.

Sunday mornings are for getting up late, for cinnamon rolls and hanging out in PJ's. And for playing board games together.

Now its not always pretty, quite a few tears have been shed, tantrums have been thrown and board pieces and pretend money have flown. And its not always me :)

But for the most part we have fun, laughing and learning - life lessons in a game.