Christmas part deaux

 Isn't that a nice view? Over the Christmas break when it seems nearly everything shuts down for the summer season we spent a lot of time at the beach. Which was good since it's the rainy season and after the new year boy have we seen our fair share of the rain! This beach is down in Coolangatta, which I believe is technically in New South Wales the state just south of Queensland.

 Lindsay went surfing here one morning with a mate and realized that his surfing skills weren't quite up to the skill level of the surf here. The current is strong and you have to walk a long way from where you end up riding in to where you start. But it's beautiful. In fact recently we had our first set of family come visit us and and "Cooly" as the locals call it was a beach that we went to. We played and were able to watch part of a pro surf competition going on that day. Saweet!

 Back to Christmas....in March....On Christmas eve we did an afternoon activity with some friends. We made gingerbread houses- the boys doing one and the girls the other. It was fun to compare the attention to detail between the genders.

 And of course when it's that hot out...who wants to be cooking? Not me so we did a simple yet yummy sausage sizzle for lunch. And then we headed down to the pool for a swim

 That little doll of a face makes me want to just love on her. Her affection is openly given to anyone and I have been able to earn her trust a bit and it makes my heart truly sing. I have even been able to babysit her without any crying, which is an achievement for this little girl. She is very attached to her parents, so it's been nice for everyone that I can help out, especially since she will have a new sibling next month!

My good friend Jody and the little munchkin. We had a blast with them and tried our best to exhaust our little ones for the big visit from Old Saint Nick. Having Christmas in the summer is not something I want to do forever but right now I absolutely love it! It's so different it is hard to compare and while there are lots of things to miss about a cold and white Christmas, we can create just as magical as a Christmas in the beautiful shining hot sun. Where else can you swim all afternoon to take up a Christmas eve day. Where seafood is plenty and so yummy for the dinner. Where you want to sleep with absolutely no covers rather than piling them on. It's so cool!

Christmas morning to come!

to stay in habit

I realize its been nearly a week since I have posted. And I really want to get back into a regular posting routine. When I take the time o blog I enjoy it. It can get a bit stressful when I am so behind and need to catch up like now, but I WILL get there! This last week was the week I had planned to it and really catch up and schedule out posts because we have our first family visitors coming here to Oz this weekend! I can't wait. 24 hours and we get to share this experience with some family! But Monday morning EJ woke up and proceded to vomit over a dozen times in a few short hours. Finally he exhausted himself and slept for a good three hours and when he woke he finally was able to keep a bit of water down. So basically this week's plans went out the window.

But my efforts were not completely in vain. I took the time to really get some other projects done that have been hanging over my head. Worked hard on going through all my paper clutter and files and purging. I also spent a good chunk of time making EJ a new chore chart so that his jobs reflect his abilities now rather than a year ago. I also made him a chart for our preschool time that we will start up just after family leaves.

Its a good thing there are some fun things to look forward to after family leaves because otherwise I think I would be a bit down. But St. Patrick's day is one of EJ's favorite holidays now since the leprechauns made such a cheeky appearance last year. We are going to set out some traps this year to see if we can catch any, and boy is our little man so excited. And also starting a more structured school with him. Then in April when the second school term starts, he will get to start swim lessons and I think we will all have a great time with that. EJ will get to go twice a week and he already does great, but I cant wait to give him that physical and social outlet.

I am typing from the new laptop and still need to get our photos backed up so I can upload them but until next time friends...I am still around, just running around having a blast with family-well as of tomorrow!

Christmas part 1

Who still posts about Christmas in February and late february at that.... oh that would be me...

This year I wanted to enjoy our Christmas just as much the last and it was even more exciting because Ej really grasped the concept of Christmas and was so excited about Santa that it made everything super magical. This year we added lights into the mix and it was so very fun.

The balcony all lit up at night

 The Christmas tree with the Christmas book advent activity in the basket next to it, which was a blast.

 This year I decided against the activity advent because I didnt want to commit myself to too much. We did however add a new tradition that was a big hit. We started the Elf on the Shelf tradition and Ej proudly named our elf "john john" whom he loved to find each morning after john john had gone back to the north pole for the night and reported on Ej's behavior of the previous day. Ej was not allowed to touch john john or else he would lose his magic but he could talk to him as much as he wanted about anything he wanted. Wow was that so cool to our little man. He still mentions telling john john about different things.

And below Ej taking a little Christmas themed bath. I found the idea of a blog titled "In leiu of Preschool" about themed baths using foam which sticks well to bathtub walls with water and so we made some fun shapes and he played for quite a while in these fun baths.

 And this was Christmas eve morning. It was sucha  great day...

I know it's lame but to be continued....

How now Brown cow

Back from Hawaii and access to our pictures. I am HOME! It feels so good. Vacation was so wonderful, I definitely felt like I got a good recharge and regained motivation and energy for some good things coming home. Its nice to not be living out of a suitcase and moving every week or so. Its nice to be back in our routine. Whatever that looks like. I often feel like our lives need more structure and have learned that our life as the Moon family is very unique, far from normal and yet we still have things that go on routinely. Not typically on the same day each week but nonetheless happen.

Anyhow back to the update. I thought I would do a highlights of previous months but I dont know if I will be able to just brush over everything so quickly so I may just be posting as normal things from the last couple of months and try to catch up without too much fuss.

Back in December we had the chance to go with a couple from our church out to their cow farm and feed their cows bread from another church member's bakery (the leftovers they cant sell) and it was so much fun.

Here we are unloading the bread, opening the bags full of bread and making sure all the wrappers are off

 Ej starting to take the bread to leave it in piles for the cows once they come in the fence

 Ralph bringing in the cows so they can feed and pointing out different things about his cows. Those cows have a piece of his heart for sure. He has named each one and tagged them and is having a hard time with the fact that he needs to get rid of some because they have multiplied beyond his capacity. There was even a cow with the same name as Ej which was so cool!

 After we fed them we took a break and had some morning tea (snack) and enjoyed the views. The boys took a tour of the property while I stayed behind with Lorraine and gleaned knowledge from her wise and experienced life as a mother of a large family.

 Ralph taught Ej how to play a game that now I cant remember the name of (that's what I get for not blogging it right away) that is similar to horse shoes/ring toss. But this was made out of rope hoops and a wood pole

 Ralph showing off his skills with a whip and teaching the Mister about it all

 Mr. Moon having a go with it. Him.....not so successfull- he actually had the whip backlash and hit his cheek one time...ouch! But he had fun practicing and one time got the satisfaction of the perfect whip sound.

 Ej's cow

It was such a blast, and something that we will definitely do again!

back on the bandwagon

So I don't have much for you all today. But I know that I need to start blogging regularly again, otherwise I will just fade out. Which would be sad because then it would be hard for family and friends to keep up with us and I wouldn't be able to print out our blog and have our family scrapbook so easily accessible.

Currently our little family is on a big adventure in the Rainbow state of Hawaii. There has been lots of moon family tales to tell since the last time I posted. Since we are in Hawaii I have no access to our pictures from the last two months I will just try to get into updating what we are up to now and upon our arrival back home do highlights from around October on to now that way everything is documented and everyone can be in the loop.

With it being the summer in Oz we have spent lots of time outside in the water and have made extra effort to spend more time at the beach this year. Christmas was so fun and EJ really got into the magic of Christmas making it the most fun one yet with him. Mr. Moon received skydiving tickets from me and that brought on adventure for us all.

New years was quiet and then Mr. Moon set off a few days later to Hawaii. EJ and I joined him a few weeks later and we have been enjoying the escape from the heat, the lower prices and the blessings of having a military base at our disposal. My parents and family friends came and we had the fun of enjoying their company for a week and this next week Mr. Moon's parents are coming for his graduation from the NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) Academy and some vacation time.

Then its back to Oz to welcome some more Moon's for our first family visit since living down under. We can't wait!

This year will go by super fast for us I think. It's the year of company, the year of finding out our next assignment in the military, our last year in Oz. Being here in Hawaii I have realized just how many things I miss from living in the states, but also how many incredible things I am going to miss of Australia, a piece of my heart will always belong there even with all the rough stuff.

So folks, here's to updating more. Getting pics up when we get access to them, and to updating less on facebook. To me it's so hard to update everywhere, it seems to be one or the other for me. More people seem to see things on facebook, but I can't get as detailed-print as easy-and I can easily update here and still see what my friends are up to on facebook. Problem is to stop taking so many phone pics and more with our actual camera.

Basically this year is back on track with blogging. I don't know how often, but it will for sure be more consistent. We did get a new computer afterall that is so much easier and nicer to work with than our tiny netbook that got the job done but was so little it got frustrating.

Cheers mates, see ya real soon!

Still here

I apologize for my recent absence. I really have no excuse other than the temps have risen and instead of heading to a park everyday (it's too hot for that now) we are usually poolside or beachside or somewhere playing in water if not doing our everyday business. So back in July when you all were taking your virtual breaks I was in mid winter and now it's my turn :)

Halloween has come and gone. I didnt get many pictures but I will try to scrounge up what I can find. We had a blast with visiting Lone Pine Koala sanctuary where we have annual passes as they did a couple of different Halloween events (nearly the only place here) that we attended. We also went to a small Halloween event for the primary kids (aged 3-12) that the youth group from church hosted.

Thanksgiving came and went. we were lucky to celebrate two weekends in a row with different feasts and different ex patriots. Since its not a holiday here there was no time off, no black friday in the stores, and so we have the feasts on a saturday. It was lovely to have traditional American fare and large group gatherings similar to family gatherings back in the states. It is interesting to see how when you look hard enough and have enough people put in all the effort you can find nearly all the foods that Australia doesnt typically have. Some had been stockpiled from husbands who travel back to the states frequently and others from specialty shops around the area. It was just a good cuple of celebrations.

And what's a post without pictures....

a couple of months ago, the Mister was travelling quite a bit and we had spoken of Santa possibly bringing EJ a big boy bike for Christmas. One trip he came home with said bike and I thought we would hide it away...

 Obviously that didnt happen. EJ saw it as soon as his Daddy walked in the door and while I tried to come up with a cover story, EJ would have nothing of it and the Mr. would cooperate with me. I pulled him aside and was asking 'what are you doing? I thought we agreed on this?' and then in his realistic/logical perspective that he always has he told me ' I thought since he would have to wait two months for Christmas and then he would leave a few weeks later for a length of time to go overseas, by the time he got back he would have hardly any time to ride it around before next fall.' Righto my dear, true that. So once again united, EJ was ecstatic that he had a big boy bike like his friends in New Castle and that it was spider man!

This picture is his I am tring to play it cool and not smile even though I am bounching around face. Notice how he is sucking in his cheeks trying not to smile. What a goof ball! He has also been having lots of fun playing with his backpack and often packs it for walks, play dates, church, and now bike rides. And yes he is still obsessed with airplanes as noted by his sticker book that is now full but he can not bear to get rid of.

This little man is so full of personality it is remarkable. He is so smart and yet sometimes he makes me want to bang my head against a wall because he seems to lack common sense. He seems to be one of those kids who can tell you all about airplane parts and what different airplanes do and exactly what his Dad does for work (which is pretty complex for a 3 year old) and yet he cant figure out why he trips and falls every time he tries to walk or run backwards for any distance while walking on uneven sidewalk. He makes me and Mr. Moon look at each other shake our heads all the time with his witty comments and hilarious logic that only a 3 year old can possess. Lately he has been telling people who ask him how old he is.. 'on my next birfday I going to be 4 (holding up for fingers), then 5 (holding up one hand), then 10! (holding up both hands)' EJ is cheeky as all get out sometimes, today we were swimming in the pool and when it was time to get out, he of course didnt want to. Finally I got him out and as we started to walk where the towels were he turned, laughed like a mad scientist and proceeded to jump back into the pool. As I jumped in after him and lifted him out of the water he was still laughing hysterically at his own antics. seriously never.a.dull.moment!

Seriously Nasty!

Exhibit A

Plenty of room to breath in wonderful Oxygen

Upon first glance at this picture you may think, eww, why are you showing me the back of your throat?

Now let me show you Exhibit B....see the difference? I know this is gross but it proves a point!

very little space for that precious oxygen to come in!

Exhibit A is my mouth in a healthy everyday state, nothing out of the norm (well at least I hope!). I actually just took that picture right before posting this to show the difference of the two pics.

Exhibit B was my throat/mouth last week when I was absolutely miserable, as in take my friends up on their offers for a couple of days to come get EJ for a few hours while I laid around and did nothing because I felt so lousy. NOt typical for me...well I lay around when I am not well but usually keep the little man with me, not this time-I used my friendly sitter passes. And luckily I have awesome friends and more offers than I needed-it's so good to feel loved and have established a support network  before needing help like this.

Back to the comparison. Did you notice in Exhibit B, that the right side tonsil (which was actually my left tonsil) is so swollen it goes nearly halfway across my throat? Did you also notice that my uvula (the hangy down part) is swollen to the size of a grape? That my friends may have been one of the worst parts of this whole ordeal, that torture swollen uvula made me feel like I was gagging constantly and was so big it rested on the back of my tongue and sat on my gag reflex. The morning I woke up with that part of the illness I came out of the bedroom and started talking and immediately had to run to the bathroom and heave because it gagged me. Sorry I know, it's way gross. The night prior to the uvula swelling my throat hurt so bad I was brought to a crying fit to Mr. Moon which I think knocked him off his rocker a bit because although he has seen me cry plenty, I don't tend to cry over sore throats. It was ridiculously painful.

And the whole point of showing you this gross illness which lacks a name (the doctor didn't know what to call it and ended up writing "throat infection"-she also didn't see the uvula-that was a day later, before the antibiotics started working their magic)............I Mrs. Moon get the weirdest most random symptoms and illnesses since moving abroad and leaving my native land. Crazy but true.

To date I have suffered hand/foot/mouth disease....common to young children, strep throat (common illness) but with vomiting and GI issues....not so common symptoms, remember how I mentioned having 'floaters' in my vision....yeah I am cool like that-rockin the eyes of someone a few decades ahead of myself in the age game, oh and lets not forget about this most recent fiasco. I hope that I never have to deal with this 'throat infection' ever again and would never wish it upon my worst enemy. Luckily the uvula swelling went down within 24 hours but I had a sore throat (mild irritating one) for over a week, then it turned into the Exhibit monstrosity.

Luckily the Moon men did not get it. They were saved. Hallelujah!