After swimming for quite a few hours, this is Ryan:
Going...
going...
going...
Gone!
Anthropologie Favorites and Black Friday
4 months ago
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Ryan: Going, Going, Going, Gone...
After our fun-filled swimming adventures last week, I took Tegan & Ryan to Gloria Jeans for minichinos and cupcakes.
After swimming for quite a few hours, this is Ryan:
Going...
going...
going...
Gone!
After swimming for quite a few hours, this is Ryan:
Going...
going...
going...
Gone!
Ryan's first day at School
My godson Ryan's first day at school...
He looked so grown up in his uniform!
He was so excited to get to school.
I walked him to his classroom and had to steal a cuddle and a photo up before we said goodbye.
While I'm at it, I thought I'd post some pictures of the day we went swimming last week:
I love his expression in this one.
Most of my photos of him look like this... he wouldn't stop swimming and stand still long enough for the camera to focus on his face!
He looked so grown up in his uniform!
He was so excited to get to school.
I walked him to his classroom and had to steal a cuddle and a photo up before we said goodbye.
While I'm at it, I thought I'd post some pictures of the day we went swimming last week:
I love his expression in this one.
Most of my photos of him look like this... he wouldn't stop swimming and stand still long enough for the camera to focus on his face!
Monday, January 26, 2009
25 Random Facts About ME!
Ok, so this is the newest craze in the blog world (you'll just have to trust me on that)... posting 25 random facts about yourself!
This is going to be a bit harder for me, seeing as most of the people who read my blog are related to me... so they kinda know me! :)
But I thought it would be fun, so here we go:
1. I'm a bit citizenship-challenged, because I have a New Zealand passport but changed to Australian citizenship so I could apply for uni.
2. I secretly love the All Blacks, but love giving Kiwis a hard time when the Aussies win any sport so I support Australia.
3. That said, I actually hate doing sport. I am certainly not a runner, and I hate sweat.
4. When I was 7, I told my mum I was never going to wear trackpants that had elasticised ankles ever again because they made my legs look fat. To this day, I never have.
5. In primary school, my nickname was "Dictionary" because I was a really good speller and never had to look words up in the dictionary to find out how they were spelt. I never did enter any spelling bees though...
6. At high school, my nickname was "Princess" because I told a story in Year 8 History about how my great-great-great-great-great grandmother was a Maori Queen, so that made me "this much Princess". I was also a little bit precious, so the name stuck.
7. I gave myself the nickname citychick because I'm not really an outdoorsy, country kind of girl. But really, I don't love the city that much.
8. When I was in Kindergarten, I told my mum I was convinced that when I grew up, I was going to be a teacher during the week and a hairdresser on the weekends (you know, because it's not like teachers take home any work with them and hairdressers don't work on weekdays!)
9. I have had a fear of needles ever since I can remember. When I was in hospital with an infection when I was 5, I remember it took 5 nurses AND my mum to hold me down before they could put my IV in. I've also gotten so upset during school vaccinations that the Headmaster came out to see what was going on, and when I had an allergic reaction to penicillin when I was a teenager, I refused to have a shot. The doctor told me, you realise people die from allergic reactions, and I said "That's ok, just don't give me the needle!". Dad told him it was genetic! (That's my excuse too!)
10. I used to love flying, but the older I get, the more scared I am of it.
11. I eat Nutella straight from the jar.
12. I can count on one hand the number of fruits that I actually eat. Although I prefer fruit to vegetables!
13. I get in obsessive compulsive moods, where I randomly go on a cleaning spree or organising binge. For instance, my shirts are organised by sleeve length and then neck line, my dresses from most casual to most dressy, and my sock drawer by colour.
14. I hate staying around the house all day. I need to be doing something!
15. Apparently I'm a true Gemini because one minute I can be cranky and the next I'm perfectly happy. Although I think starsigns are a load of rubbish...
16. I considered getting a car I didn't actually like, just because it came in pink.
17. When I received my scholarship letter, I was convinced I didn't get it because surely if I won, they would at least tell me over the phone!
18. I want to learn to scrapbook, but I'm holding off because it's just so expensive!
19. I have really good willpower if I put my mind to it. I think it also helps that I'm stubborn.
20. I have 40 dresses in my wardrobe. I can't not buy a pretty dress, especially if it's on sale! I would wear dresses every day if I could.
21. I refused to buy a pink dress to wear to either of my school formals because I knew it's what everyone would expect.
22. I don't like white chocolate. I do like dark chocolate though.
23. I wonder if when I'm a teacher the kids will be able to pronounce my last name. As it is, I get many variations already.
24. Sometimes I like studying just because it gives you an excuse to put everything in order.
25. Have you noticed how this list isn't exactly random? I've subconsciously categorised it... I do that. I like order. At work, I think if one top comes in many colours, they should all be grouped together so the customers can choose from said colours. JeansWest disagrees. They think we should spread the colours out and put them all over the shop. I do it my way!
This is going to be a bit harder for me, seeing as most of the people who read my blog are related to me... so they kinda know me! :)
But I thought it would be fun, so here we go:
1. I'm a bit citizenship-challenged, because I have a New Zealand passport but changed to Australian citizenship so I could apply for uni.
2. I secretly love the All Blacks, but love giving Kiwis a hard time when the Aussies win any sport so I support Australia.
3. That said, I actually hate doing sport. I am certainly not a runner, and I hate sweat.
4. When I was 7, I told my mum I was never going to wear trackpants that had elasticised ankles ever again because they made my legs look fat. To this day, I never have.
5. In primary school, my nickname was "Dictionary" because I was a really good speller and never had to look words up in the dictionary to find out how they were spelt. I never did enter any spelling bees though...
6. At high school, my nickname was "Princess" because I told a story in Year 8 History about how my great-great-great-great-great grandmother was a Maori Queen, so that made me "this much Princess". I was also a little bit precious, so the name stuck.
7. I gave myself the nickname citychick because I'm not really an outdoorsy, country kind of girl. But really, I don't love the city that much.
8. When I was in Kindergarten, I told my mum I was convinced that when I grew up, I was going to be a teacher during the week and a hairdresser on the weekends (you know, because it's not like teachers take home any work with them and hairdressers don't work on weekdays!)
9. I have had a fear of needles ever since I can remember. When I was in hospital with an infection when I was 5, I remember it took 5 nurses AND my mum to hold me down before they could put my IV in. I've also gotten so upset during school vaccinations that the Headmaster came out to see what was going on, and when I had an allergic reaction to penicillin when I was a teenager, I refused to have a shot. The doctor told me, you realise people die from allergic reactions, and I said "That's ok, just don't give me the needle!". Dad told him it was genetic! (That's my excuse too!)
10. I used to love flying, but the older I get, the more scared I am of it.
11. I eat Nutella straight from the jar.
12. I can count on one hand the number of fruits that I actually eat. Although I prefer fruit to vegetables!
13. I get in obsessive compulsive moods, where I randomly go on a cleaning spree or organising binge. For instance, my shirts are organised by sleeve length and then neck line, my dresses from most casual to most dressy, and my sock drawer by colour.
14. I hate staying around the house all day. I need to be doing something!
15. Apparently I'm a true Gemini because one minute I can be cranky and the next I'm perfectly happy. Although I think starsigns are a load of rubbish...
16. I considered getting a car I didn't actually like, just because it came in pink.
17. When I received my scholarship letter, I was convinced I didn't get it because surely if I won, they would at least tell me over the phone!
18. I want to learn to scrapbook, but I'm holding off because it's just so expensive!
19. I have really good willpower if I put my mind to it. I think it also helps that I'm stubborn.
20. I have 40 dresses in my wardrobe. I can't not buy a pretty dress, especially if it's on sale! I would wear dresses every day if I could.
21. I refused to buy a pink dress to wear to either of my school formals because I knew it's what everyone would expect.
22. I don't like white chocolate. I do like dark chocolate though.
23. I wonder if when I'm a teacher the kids will be able to pronounce my last name. As it is, I get many variations already.
24. Sometimes I like studying just because it gives you an excuse to put everything in order.
25. Have you noticed how this list isn't exactly random? I've subconsciously categorised it... I do that. I like order. At work, I think if one top comes in many colours, they should all be grouped together so the customers can choose from said colours. JeansWest disagrees. They think we should spread the colours out and put them all over the shop. I do it my way!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Casting Crowns concert
Photos from the Casting Crowns concert...
We had half an hour to wait before the concert started... so Claryse & I got a bit snap happy!
We're both as blind as each other!
Photos of the band:
This is my favourite photo from the night:
We had half an hour to wait before the concert started... so Claryse & I got a bit snap happy!
We're both as blind as each other!
Photos of the band:
This is my favourite photo from the night:
Girls Night In
Some photos from last night's Dancing Girls Night In:
Me & Jordan last night
Jordan in her bedroom (look how precious it is)
Me & Jordan last night
Jordan in her bedroom (look how precious it is)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Latest Projects
Only 1 month left of holidays until the dreaded uni goes back...
The good news? I'm in my final year of my Bachelor of Arts, which means I only have 2 semesters left before I graduate! Of course, there's still my Masters of Teaching to complete, so technically I still have 2 years left at uni (I'll graduate twice!), but whatever gets me through the semester...
Anyway, my holidays have certainly flown by. Given that I only have 1 month left, I've been frantically trying to cram in everything I had planned for my 4 month vacation. This past week I've been doing a lot of babysitting/ catching up with the kids in my life. This week I saw both Emi & Jordan as well as Tegan & Ryan.
I've also been doing a lot of reading. Over the summer I've read (and become addicted to) the Twilight series. I've also read a smattering of other random books. One I really like is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
I really had hoped to cull my reading list (I often start reading a book only to put it down in exchange for starting a new book, then pick up the old one only to have to start reading from the beginning because it's been so long and I've forgotten the plot!) but instead I've only added more books to my collection! I have a pile on my table next to my bed, plus others stashed in the drawers. The pile on my table is my "current" selection, but even that's gotten so big that our cleaner has moved it to the floor! I now have a huge pile of about 6 books on my floor... but she arranged it artfully so I kinda like it and I've kept it like that!
I love reading... but there's only so much time I can spend sitting still (clearly a gene inherited from Father, not Mother). Four months of holidays is a long time, people. I need projects! When I was younger I used to do crafty projects to keep me busy during the school holidays, but I stopped once school started to get a bit more study-heavy. I decided these holidays that I want to get back into it.
My project this week was making myself a personalised corkboard for my room (I got the inspiration from another blog). All week I've been looking for a plain corkboard that's the right size, and you wouldn't believe how hard it was to find! I finally found it today, and I painted it with the paint left over from painting my feature wall.
When I got home, Mum was like "You're not going to do this now, are you?" I replied, "Don't you know me by now to see that I'm a do-it-now kinda girl, not a let's-sit-and-wait-around-for-a-while kinda girl?!"
I bought ribbon too, you know, to accessorise! I'm sure I don't need to tell you what colour scheme I'm going with... Now I just need some white letters to spell out my name... with two A's and two I's, Alicia is a name that refuses to be spelt using just one set of the alphabet! Plus, I can't find any nice font that comes in white. So for now, my corkboard remains nameless.
Anyway, that's project #1. Project numero deux involves photography. (I am getting into this left-brain stuff!) I've decided that I want to get into photography as a hobby. You know, cos my life is so empty and I need more activities to fill up my days. :)
We have a standard point-and-shoot digital camera, but I'm feeling it's not up to the challenge so I've been looking at SLR cameras. Man, are those expensive! Even on eBay! Anyway, last night Mum whipped out her old SLR camera from like 20 years ago- it's older than me! It is ancient- and really heavy! No way you could fit that baby in your pocket! I was playing around with it, looking at all the different settings, when we discovered it had film in it! I am so curious to see what photos are on that film! Can you even develop film that old?! We shall soon see.
So I've decided 2009 is going to be the Year of the Photo for me. I'm going to take lots of photos. I already love being surrounded by photos (my room is like Photo City!) so it's no surprise to anyone when I whip out my camera these days. But I want to get more artsy with photography, learning more about camera settings and light, shadows, effects, etc. That's a goal for 2009. You know, in between aiming to get pointe shoes for ballet, getting back into tap dancing and taking my first violin exam. Piece of cake. Like I said, I'm a do-it-now kinda girl. Dad says I'm "go-go-go, let's get there already!" I've got stuff to do in this life and not enough time to do it! Carpe Diem, right?! Let's do it today.
The good news? I'm in my final year of my Bachelor of Arts, which means I only have 2 semesters left before I graduate! Of course, there's still my Masters of Teaching to complete, so technically I still have 2 years left at uni (I'll graduate twice!), but whatever gets me through the semester...
Anyway, my holidays have certainly flown by. Given that I only have 1 month left, I've been frantically trying to cram in everything I had planned for my 4 month vacation. This past week I've been doing a lot of babysitting/ catching up with the kids in my life. This week I saw both Emi & Jordan as well as Tegan & Ryan.
I've also been doing a lot of reading. Over the summer I've read (and become addicted to) the Twilight series. I've also read a smattering of other random books. One I really like is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
I really had hoped to cull my reading list (I often start reading a book only to put it down in exchange for starting a new book, then pick up the old one only to have to start reading from the beginning because it's been so long and I've forgotten the plot!) but instead I've only added more books to my collection! I have a pile on my table next to my bed, plus others stashed in the drawers. The pile on my table is my "current" selection, but even that's gotten so big that our cleaner has moved it to the floor! I now have a huge pile of about 6 books on my floor... but she arranged it artfully so I kinda like it and I've kept it like that!
I love reading... but there's only so much time I can spend sitting still (clearly a gene inherited from Father, not Mother). Four months of holidays is a long time, people. I need projects! When I was younger I used to do crafty projects to keep me busy during the school holidays, but I stopped once school started to get a bit more study-heavy. I decided these holidays that I want to get back into it.
My project this week was making myself a personalised corkboard for my room (I got the inspiration from another blog). All week I've been looking for a plain corkboard that's the right size, and you wouldn't believe how hard it was to find! I finally found it today, and I painted it with the paint left over from painting my feature wall.
When I got home, Mum was like "You're not going to do this now, are you?" I replied, "Don't you know me by now to see that I'm a do-it-now kinda girl, not a let's-sit-and-wait-around-for-a-while kinda girl?!"
I bought ribbon too, you know, to accessorise! I'm sure I don't need to tell you what colour scheme I'm going with... Now I just need some white letters to spell out my name... with two A's and two I's, Alicia is a name that refuses to be spelt using just one set of the alphabet! Plus, I can't find any nice font that comes in white. So for now, my corkboard remains nameless.
Anyway, that's project #1. Project numero deux involves photography. (I am getting into this left-brain stuff!) I've decided that I want to get into photography as a hobby. You know, cos my life is so empty and I need more activities to fill up my days. :)
We have a standard point-and-shoot digital camera, but I'm feeling it's not up to the challenge so I've been looking at SLR cameras. Man, are those expensive! Even on eBay! Anyway, last night Mum whipped out her old SLR camera from like 20 years ago- it's older than me! It is ancient- and really heavy! No way you could fit that baby in your pocket! I was playing around with it, looking at all the different settings, when we discovered it had film in it! I am so curious to see what photos are on that film! Can you even develop film that old?! We shall soon see.
So I've decided 2009 is going to be the Year of the Photo for me. I'm going to take lots of photos. I already love being surrounded by photos (my room is like Photo City!) so it's no surprise to anyone when I whip out my camera these days. But I want to get more artsy with photography, learning more about camera settings and light, shadows, effects, etc. That's a goal for 2009. You know, in between aiming to get pointe shoes for ballet, getting back into tap dancing and taking my first violin exam. Piece of cake. Like I said, I'm a do-it-now kinda girl. Dad says I'm "go-go-go, let's get there already!" I've got stuff to do in this life and not enough time to do it! Carpe Diem, right?! Let's do it today.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Claryse's Birthday
Tonight we went out for dinner for Claryse's 20th birthday. "We" being Keisha, Claryse & myself, as Laura & Elise are off on church camp.
If you've read my twitter updates, you will know about my search for the perfect cupcakes. Mum found some that passed the grade, and so I took them with my under the guise of being part of the present I had for Claryse. Towards the end of the night, I was trying to come up with ways to slip the cupcakes to the waitress without Claryse noticing it. Eventually I moved my handbag to the chair across from my and then quickly shuffled the cupcake bag to the counter and gave it to the waitress. I thought for sure Claryse would have noticed, as it was hardly subtle!
However when they came over with said cupcakes - sparklers, Happy Birthday song and all!- she was very surprised!
Apparently she didn't even notice, she just thought I was being an idiot moving my handbag. Anyway, it was very cool. I don't get many moments of stealth-ness, so needless to say everyone was pretty impressed- even the people at the table next to ours!
If you've read my twitter updates, you will know about my search for the perfect cupcakes. Mum found some that passed the grade, and so I took them with my under the guise of being part of the present I had for Claryse. Towards the end of the night, I was trying to come up with ways to slip the cupcakes to the waitress without Claryse noticing it. Eventually I moved my handbag to the chair across from my and then quickly shuffled the cupcake bag to the counter and gave it to the waitress. I thought for sure Claryse would have noticed, as it was hardly subtle!
However when they came over with said cupcakes - sparklers, Happy Birthday song and all!- she was very surprised!
Apparently she didn't even notice, she just thought I was being an idiot moving my handbag. Anyway, it was very cool. I don't get many moments of stealth-ness, so needless to say everyone was pretty impressed- even the people at the table next to ours!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
"Shower The People You Love With Love"
As you may know, the Dixie Chicks are my most favourite band ever.
In fact, the fiddle player, Martie, inspired me to learn the violin.
This is one of my favourite performances of theirs (and it's not even their song!) They performed "Shower the People" at a James Taylor tribute.
Martie knocks my socks off with her violin solo in this clip. It gives me chills every time. That is why I am learning this instrument!
Oh, and I also love her dress. And her hair. Basically, I just love her. I want to be her.
In fact, the fiddle player, Martie, inspired me to learn the violin.
This is one of my favourite performances of theirs (and it's not even their song!) They performed "Shower the People" at a James Taylor tribute.
Martie knocks my socks off with her violin solo in this clip. It gives me chills every time. That is why I am learning this instrument!
Oh, and I also love her dress. And her hair. Basically, I just love her. I want to be her.
Girls Night In
Me, Keisha & Claryse last night at the DVD Night-That-Wasn't at Keisha's house (If you read my Twitter updates, you will know what I'm talking about!)
I am rocking my Victoria's Secret tracksuit that I bought to wear on the plane when we fly to America.
I want to look cool while I'm flying the 14+ hours there.
I am proof that marketing does work (haha Dad!) because I bought this outfit because of the model who was pictured wearing it. She is holding a suitcase and she looks so jet-set! I want to look like that too... Not like I am actually afraid of the whole 'flying' thing!
I stupidly bought it without considering the exchange rate... so it turned into one very expensive tracksuit! But I love it, so... I don't mind so much. I learnt my lesson. You can't see because I have my right leg crossed over my left, but on the left leg it has "(Love Heart) PINK"... which come on, really sums me up pretty much in 2 words!
I am rocking my Victoria's Secret tracksuit that I bought to wear on the plane when we fly to America.
I want to look cool while I'm flying the 14+ hours there.
I am proof that marketing does work (haha Dad!) because I bought this outfit because of the model who was pictured wearing it. She is holding a suitcase and she looks so jet-set! I want to look like that too... Not like I am actually afraid of the whole 'flying' thing!
I stupidly bought it without considering the exchange rate... so it turned into one very expensive tracksuit! But I love it, so... I don't mind so much. I learnt my lesson. You can't see because I have my right leg crossed over my left, but on the left leg it has "(Love Heart) PINK"... which come on, really sums me up pretty much in 2 words!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Wedding Dress Pics
As soon as I figure out how to upload photos from my camera phone to my computer, I will post pictures from the other day when we went with Keisha to 'visit' her wedding dress.
It's worth the wait, trust me, she looks absolutely stunning. The Dress is beautiful.
Now, if only Samsung would work with me here. I've tried using a data cable; bluetooth... I've even downloaded a new program after re-installing failed to help.
It is yet to prevail.
But never fear! I will not give up!
The Dress is definitely deserving of it's own post on here.
And my photography skills are improving, even if I do say so myself! I want to show both off.
It's worth the wait, trust me, she looks absolutely stunning. The Dress is beautiful.
Now, if only Samsung would work with me here. I've tried using a data cable; bluetooth... I've even downloaded a new program after re-installing failed to help.
It is yet to prevail.
But never fear! I will not give up!
The Dress is definitely deserving of it's own post on here.
And my photography skills are improving, even if I do say so myself! I want to show both off.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Hot Hot Hot
Today was the third 40+ degree day we've had this week!
It is HOT!
So hot that you can only walk 2 steps on the pavement before jumping up and down and running back into the shade.
So hot that yesterday at dancing (with no air con, only fans) I had sweat running down my face, into my hair, down my arms, legs and down my back. Ewww. Oh, and my face was bright pink. Did you get a nice mental picture?
So hot that icecream doesn't even stay frozen, it just melts.
So hot that our air con at home has almost given up its job, and now only some rooms are cool. Others, like the room I'm in right now, are quite warm.
Hence the reason for this short post! I'm off to follow the air con, amigos!
It is HOT!
So hot that you can only walk 2 steps on the pavement before jumping up and down and running back into the shade.
So hot that yesterday at dancing (with no air con, only fans) I had sweat running down my face, into my hair, down my arms, legs and down my back. Ewww. Oh, and my face was bright pink. Did you get a nice mental picture?
So hot that icecream doesn't even stay frozen, it just melts.
So hot that our air con at home has almost given up its job, and now only some rooms are cool. Others, like the room I'm in right now, are quite warm.
Hence the reason for this short post! I'm off to follow the air con, amigos!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Meet My Friends! (Part 1)
Since I mention them so often, I thought it was time to put faces to the names... of my friends, that is.
I've mentioned to them that I have a blog... they don't know that they feature on it.
We'll go in chronological order, shall we?
I first met Elise in Year 8, only my second year at PAC.
The story goes that at a pool party for a fellow PAC-er, we were the only ones not in the pool (we were at the food table! Ha! that should help explain our friendship!) and so we struck up a conversation and we've been BFFs (Best Friends Forever) ever since.
We are similar in many ways- we picked similar subjects at school and uni because our interests are the same (history, psychology... cookie dough icecream and toblerone cheesecake...) and we have the same sense of intellect and humour.
We even (inadvertently) wore very similar style dresses to our Year 10 formal.
Yet we are also very different. She's more logical and realistic than I am. I'm definitely the dreamer in the relationship!
Often we'll like different things about the same thing - for example, what Brooke Fraser songs she loves, I don't like and vice versa. But we both love Brooke.
We went through high school joined pretty much at the hip.
We've been overseas on a school trip to New Caledonia together and got baffled equally by the French language and our bizarre host family.
We were school prefects together.
We went through (and survived!) the HSC together.
We debated uni courses together (and when she choose to attend Sydney Uni while I went to UWS, it was the hardest year of our friendship but STILL we survived).
We've dealt with boys, death, separation, stress, craziness and joy together. At school, she was my best friend. We went through a period of "readjustment" as we embarked on this journey called "tertiary education" but we are now back to the authentic version of ourselves.
She is in her third year of the first of many degrees (seriously, she's going to be at uni for SEVEN years!) which is what you get when you want to become a doctor. Be on the lookout for Dr Elise Butler in about, oh, 10 years.
Nowadays, we hang out together at each other's houses and our conversations range from the deep and intense to the light and whimsical. I love that we can flow from one to the other so seamlessly. We get each other.
I met Keisha early on in high school, but we didn't really get close until Year 11.
Each of us had been 'restructuring' our groups of friends, as you do at 15-16, and we hit it off pretty quickly. At school, Keisha was the bubbly girl who would talk really fast to anyone. We had the same classes all the way through school and so our friendship developed over many years.
In Year 11 four of us just seemed to gravitate towards each other (we say it was "a God thing") and we suddenly had this really intense friendship. Even though we were all doing different subjects, we always had lunch together (we snuck into one of the empty classrooms) and caught up with each other.
Keisha and I were very alike in high school... we were the softies, the dreamers, the romantics. We often had similar points of view. Keisha can be relied upon to provide a little silliness and a lot of heart.
After school, Keisha became my closest friend. She went to the UWS campus next door to mine, studying Communications, and so we often met up during the week and forged a really strong friendship outside of the school bubble.
Last year she quit uni, got a full time, very well-paying job with the government, got engaged and moved out of home. So we've faced a lot in our friendship!
Her fiance Adam was my best guy-friend at school, and if you'd told me they would eventually get married, I would never have believed you. For starters, Keisha didn't even like Adam at school! I was the only one that saw his potential as a human being! And now they own property together, have a mortgage and are planning a wedding.
Despite all that, Keisha has been my sanity these past few post-school years. She's quick to bring stress-head me back down to earth. We all go to church together, which has been another milestone for both of us after much to-ing and fro-ing with churches. She's grown up so much (I say her owning a house makes me feel 10 years old!) but underneath she's still the same girl who would sing stupid songs at the top of her voice in class.
I've mentioned to them that I have a blog... they don't know that they feature on it.
We'll go in chronological order, shall we?
I first met Elise in Year 8, only my second year at PAC.
The story goes that at a pool party for a fellow PAC-er, we were the only ones not in the pool (we were at the food table! Ha! that should help explain our friendship!) and so we struck up a conversation and we've been BFFs (Best Friends Forever) ever since.
We are similar in many ways- we picked similar subjects at school and uni because our interests are the same (history, psychology... cookie dough icecream and toblerone cheesecake...) and we have the same sense of intellect and humour.
We even (inadvertently) wore very similar style dresses to our Year 10 formal.
Yet we are also very different. She's more logical and realistic than I am. I'm definitely the dreamer in the relationship!
Often we'll like different things about the same thing - for example, what Brooke Fraser songs she loves, I don't like and vice versa. But we both love Brooke.
We went through high school joined pretty much at the hip.
We've been overseas on a school trip to New Caledonia together and got baffled equally by the French language and our bizarre host family.
We were school prefects together.
We went through (and survived!) the HSC together.
We debated uni courses together (and when she choose to attend Sydney Uni while I went to UWS, it was the hardest year of our friendship but STILL we survived).
We've dealt with boys, death, separation, stress, craziness and joy together. At school, she was my best friend. We went through a period of "readjustment" as we embarked on this journey called "tertiary education" but we are now back to the authentic version of ourselves.
She is in her third year of the first of many degrees (seriously, she's going to be at uni for SEVEN years!) which is what you get when you want to become a doctor. Be on the lookout for Dr Elise Butler in about, oh, 10 years.
Nowadays, we hang out together at each other's houses and our conversations range from the deep and intense to the light and whimsical. I love that we can flow from one to the other so seamlessly. We get each other.
I met Keisha early on in high school, but we didn't really get close until Year 11.
Each of us had been 'restructuring' our groups of friends, as you do at 15-16, and we hit it off pretty quickly. At school, Keisha was the bubbly girl who would talk really fast to anyone. We had the same classes all the way through school and so our friendship developed over many years.
In Year 11 four of us just seemed to gravitate towards each other (we say it was "a God thing") and we suddenly had this really intense friendship. Even though we were all doing different subjects, we always had lunch together (we snuck into one of the empty classrooms) and caught up with each other.
Keisha and I were very alike in high school... we were the softies, the dreamers, the romantics. We often had similar points of view. Keisha can be relied upon to provide a little silliness and a lot of heart.
After school, Keisha became my closest friend. She went to the UWS campus next door to mine, studying Communications, and so we often met up during the week and forged a really strong friendship outside of the school bubble.
Last year she quit uni, got a full time, very well-paying job with the government, got engaged and moved out of home. So we've faced a lot in our friendship!
Her fiance Adam was my best guy-friend at school, and if you'd told me they would eventually get married, I would never have believed you. For starters, Keisha didn't even like Adam at school! I was the only one that saw his potential as a human being! And now they own property together, have a mortgage and are planning a wedding.
Despite all that, Keisha has been my sanity these past few post-school years. She's quick to bring stress-head me back down to earth. We all go to church together, which has been another milestone for both of us after much to-ing and fro-ing with churches. She's grown up so much (I say her owning a house makes me feel 10 years old!) but underneath she's still the same girl who would sing stupid songs at the top of her voice in class.
Jordan & Emi
I haven't posted for a while because I don't feel that I've done anything blog-worthy of late. Most of the mundane stuff I document via Twitter... and it's not really worthy of its own blog post.
Anywaaaaay...
I wanted you to meet Jordan, who I babysat today, and her sister Emi.
I guess these girls are my 'pretend children'... the ones I practise my mothering skills with?!
This is Jordan (the photo is from the ski trip I took with her family back in... June? July? I can't remember, but she was 6 years old.)
She is the most affectionate of the 2. She spent a good hour on my lap this morning, watching TV. She is always up for a cuddle.
She is also definitely the more girly of her and Emi. She loves pink, dressing up and posing for photos.
This is her big sister Emi, back in 2006 (my last year of school, and her first year of "big school".)
At PAC, we have a tradition that to celebrate the Year 12's leaving, we have Kindergarten students present them with flowers... sort of symbolising the present generation of students leaving the next generation to rise up, I guess.
When I graduated, I had Emi as the kindy student to present me with my gerbera. And by the way, this wasn't a coincidence. I totally rigged it. In the video, you can see Emi waiting in the wings at the side of the stage with her teacher while student after student files past to present their Year 12 student with their flower. Poor Emi has to wait all the way til they reach the P's before we get to have our moment together. But it was so sweet.
Emi is the tom-boy. She loves active games, but is also very intelligent and imaginative. She is the first to think up new ideas for a game or a story. She is also very sensitive, and likes affection, but not to the level that Jordan does! Emi is more of a run at you as soon as she sees you and topple you over with the force of her hug kinda girl. Whenever she does this I jokingly say "Feel the love!" (physically and emotionally!) and now she often says it to me, though I'm not sure she totally understands the connotations! Emi is also the one who came up with the nickname "Leashy B" for me... we're still trying to figure that out.
I don't really remember how I got so close to both of these beautiful girls. Obviously I knew their mum Sally from my years at her dance studio but it wasn't until Emi started school at PAC that I started really getting to know them. I used to skip my free period on Tuesdays to pick-up Emi from the primary school and then Sally would pick us up, we'd go get Jordy from pre-school and then I'd babysit them at their house while Sally was at dancing.
We did all kinds of fun stuff together... lots of crafty stuff. Even now, when the girls get Christmas or birthday presents, they are quick to classify them as "Leashy presents" because I have become known as the only one willing to do the messy, involved craft activities with them!
And then I started going on trips with them.
This photo is from the 2007 ski trip we went on.
I wish I had more photos of them because these few don't really do them justice. You can't really see Jordan's cute, poser attitude or Emi's rambunctiousness.
Anywaaaay... I just thought they were worthy of their own blog post.
They've certainly made my life a lot brighter!
Anywaaaaay...
I wanted you to meet Jordan, who I babysat today, and her sister Emi.
I guess these girls are my 'pretend children'... the ones I practise my mothering skills with?!
This is Jordan (the photo is from the ski trip I took with her family back in... June? July? I can't remember, but she was 6 years old.)
She is the most affectionate of the 2. She spent a good hour on my lap this morning, watching TV. She is always up for a cuddle.
She is also definitely the more girly of her and Emi. She loves pink, dressing up and posing for photos.
This is her big sister Emi, back in 2006 (my last year of school, and her first year of "big school".)
At PAC, we have a tradition that to celebrate the Year 12's leaving, we have Kindergarten students present them with flowers... sort of symbolising the present generation of students leaving the next generation to rise up, I guess.
When I graduated, I had Emi as the kindy student to present me with my gerbera. And by the way, this wasn't a coincidence. I totally rigged it. In the video, you can see Emi waiting in the wings at the side of the stage with her teacher while student after student files past to present their Year 12 student with their flower. Poor Emi has to wait all the way til they reach the P's before we get to have our moment together. But it was so sweet.
Emi is the tom-boy. She loves active games, but is also very intelligent and imaginative. She is the first to think up new ideas for a game or a story. She is also very sensitive, and likes affection, but not to the level that Jordan does! Emi is more of a run at you as soon as she sees you and topple you over with the force of her hug kinda girl. Whenever she does this I jokingly say "Feel the love!" (physically and emotionally!) and now she often says it to me, though I'm not sure she totally understands the connotations! Emi is also the one who came up with the nickname "Leashy B" for me... we're still trying to figure that out.
I don't really remember how I got so close to both of these beautiful girls. Obviously I knew their mum Sally from my years at her dance studio but it wasn't until Emi started school at PAC that I started really getting to know them. I used to skip my free period on Tuesdays to pick-up Emi from the primary school and then Sally would pick us up, we'd go get Jordy from pre-school and then I'd babysit them at their house while Sally was at dancing.
We did all kinds of fun stuff together... lots of crafty stuff. Even now, when the girls get Christmas or birthday presents, they are quick to classify them as "Leashy presents" because I have become known as the only one willing to do the messy, involved craft activities with them!
And then I started going on trips with them.
This photo is from the 2007 ski trip we went on.
I wish I had more photos of them because these few don't really do them justice. You can't really see Jordan's cute, poser attitude or Emi's rambunctiousness.
Anywaaaay... I just thought they were worthy of their own blog post.
They've certainly made my life a lot brighter!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Photos from the beach
First photos of 2009!
Yesterday I went with my friends Keisha & Claryse (we went to school together) to Manly Beach. It was 40 degrees, so we picked a good day! It was very sunny, but since we were on the coast, it wasn't too hot. We had such a good time.
My fabulous hat!
With Keisha:
Us with our fabulous hats:
On the beach:
Having lunch:
Keisha & Claryse on the beach:
The 3 of us:
Yesterday I went with my friends Keisha & Claryse (we went to school together) to Manly Beach. It was 40 degrees, so we picked a good day! It was very sunny, but since we were on the coast, it wasn't too hot. We had such a good time.
My fabulous hat!
With Keisha:
Us with our fabulous hats:
On the beach:
Having lunch:
Keisha & Claryse on the beach:
The 3 of us:
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