The Business of Busyness

Just a few things... I feel like I've been doing so much lately, and I want a chance to catch up on everything!

So in no particular order...

My friend Keisha & I have been having Grey's Anatomy marathons every week since the very beginning of this year- it's always been our favourite show, but we are now addicted to it in a big way! The latest episode comes out in Australia today and I am just itching to know what happens with the characters next!



I just finished reading this book- and now I really want to see the movie! I'm going through a phase where I really want to read books that have been/ are in the process of being turned into movies.



I'm trying to teach myself how to play Pachelbel's Canon in D major on the violin... oh, and also the violin solo in Green Day's song Time of Your Life (two very different kinds of music, I realise). I have sheet music that helps, but I really learn best by playing by ear.




I can't stop eating this basil, cashew nut and parmesan dip. I'm not even normally a dip kind of girl, but this one is so good on top of crackers.




The next few weeks are going to be big weeks for me- next Friday I'm heading to Singapore with my sister to visit Dad and the rest of the family up there. Our Grandma Val is also flying up from New Zealand so it'll be one big family holiday! I'm so looking forward to it; the last time I visited Dad in Singapore was years ago and I'm excited to see what's stayed the same... and what's changed. And also- of course the shopping has me very excited too!




Right after I get back from Singapore in the middle of February, we are headed to New Zealand for my cousin Ashley's wedding! Ashley and I like to tell everyone that we are exactly "two months and one day" apart (she was born on April 16th and me on June 17th). She is the first of us grandchildren to get married (which makes sense, as she is also the oldest grandchild on that side of the family- she just beat me by those two measly months!)




And then, after a week in NZ, I arrive back on Monday and uni starts back on the Tuesday! I can't believe it- back to classes, textbooks, assignments... But the fantastic part is that this wil be my final semester! 14 weeks of classes... and then I'm done for good! I'll be a fully qualified primary teacher- how crazy is that?!

My Day

After working every day for the past three days, I spent the day babysitting Emi and Jordan today. We watched High School Musical 3, organised their playroom, went for walk, had Subway for lunch and then a little "iced chocolate" date at Gloria Jeans before coming back home for a swim in their pool to cool off.

The girls are both obsessed with everything High School Musical, which means all day long I've been subjected to listening to them hum, sing and play any and every song from the three movies! I'm pretty sure I know each and every song by heart now!

After convincing them to sing something different, we had a little jam session with Emi on the guitar, Jordy singing and me (attempting to play) Jordy's half sized violin. Emi has a tonne of sheet music from popular films, so we belted out "My Heart Will Go On", "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", and even a little "Thunderstruck" and "Time of Your Life".

I was just glad to hear anything that didn't have to do with Troy and Gabriella ;)

And yet, maybe I spoke too soon... as we speak, Emi is outside playing basketball, and has just brought her iPod and speakers out to play... you guessed it, more fantastic songs from High School Musical!

Complete with scene reenactment with basketball and all!

Oh how I wish I was ten years old again! The whole 'doing anything without caring what anybody thinks about me' thing is kind of appealing!

Loves

Things I love...

I love nuts (especially cashews at the moment).

I love colour (especially any shade of pink or red).

I love having tv show marathons on dvd.

I love pretty scrapbook paper (but never know what to do with it).

I love having long hair to do each day.

I love having a stack of new books to read.

I love pyjamas (and have 2 drawers just for my pj collection).

I love country music (Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Dixie Chicks, Sugarland, The Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, The McClymonts, Gloriana, Court Yard Hounds).

I love writing on a chalkboard (except when the chalk makes that noise. *cringe*)

I love my iPhone and all it's apps and Internet and usefulness.

I love having a row of cookbooks lined up all neat in my kitchen.

I love my new paper lace lanterns in my room.

I love all my cute pink baking utensils.

I love reading (anything that's not a textbook!)

I love sewing.

I love wooden letters on my wall.

I love scarves and all the pretty fabric.

I love playing violin.

I love the colour of the feature wall in my room.

Checking In

Sorry I've been a little AWOL since New Year's...

I've been hanging out with friends

Reading good books

Baking and cooking

Planning my life for the next six months

Contemplating university, dancing and church schedules

Wondering what my life is going to hold for me after I graduate in June

Oh yeah... and working A LOT



So that's where I've been... and what I've been doing.
Clocking in lots of girl time with my friends while they've been on holidays from their grown-up jobs. Doing lots of non-grown-up stuff like having board game nights and playing the Wii and having tv show marathons all night long. Soaking up all the time we have together before we all have to go back to the real world of full time jobs and university classes and other obligations.

New Year's Eve

I spent New Year's Eve with a group of friends and friends of friends in the city. None of us had ever ventured in to see the fireworks live before, and we thought it was about time that we did!

We caught the train into Sydney, first to Central Station, and then to Circular Quay.

Once we got to Circular Quay, we walked through The Rocks, all the way up to Observatory Hill.
It was boiling hot in the middle of the day, so we were glad when we finally made it!

And look at the view we had- perfect position for watching the fireworks off the Sydney Harbour Bridge!






There were heaps of big beautiful Moreton Bay Fig Trees on Observatory Hill that we all sat under for shade.





We also had a beautiful view of Sydney harbour.



We spent the afternoon staking out a good spot (complete with a park bench and everything!)


We enjoyed a picnic lunch, and played card games.



Once the sun started setting, I had to get my camera out and take some photos because it was simply stunning light.








As 9pm rolled around, we waited in anticipation for the first of the fireworks shows to start.
The Bridge and all the city lights were looking beautiful all lit up in preparation.


Finally the 9 o'clock family fireworks show started!














And then, a couple of hours later, as midnight arrived, the bigger fireworks show started. Sydney is renowned for having the best New Years fireworks in the world, and at midnight, the fireworks were let off from the Bridge, something Sydney-siders look forward to seeing every year.


From where we stood, behind the Bridge, it was a little harder to see the fireworks and lights on the Bridge as there was virtually no breeze which meant no wind to get rid of smoke from letting the fireworks off. This meant that the 12 o'clock fireworks were not as easy to see as the 9 o'clock ones, but we still got a good view of the fireworks that were let off from the barges that were stationed in the harbour.

Another Sydney NYE tradition is to display a lit up picture on the Bridge. It's always something symbolic and supposed to set the course for the New Year. In the past we've had a dove, yin and yang symbol, a coathanger (the Bridge's nickname), a smiley face, and the word 'Eternity' written in script.

This year, some people thought we'd just keep the big 'O' that's been up there since Oprah has just visited!

But no, this year it was...

a handprint.

It was actually really cool, it was designed to look like a real giant handprint, with finger prints and everything.

Leaving the city was of course the definition of chaos, fighting crowds, waiting in line, trying to fit on overcrowded trains. We got home after 3am, a good 15 hours after we'd left home!
It was a great experience though, and definitely something I'm glad I've ticked off my to-do list.