30+ Vows of my Australian Summer – final update

This is my last updates vows list and I have accomplished nearly everything on my list and added more than double to it, IT'S AMAZING! So that means that I have done at least one thing noteworthy daily (on average), truly making the most of this trip :D. Take a look at all the new things I have done on this fabulous trip. Had the time of my life and am now getting ready to go home. I will be on Canadian soil by Sunday night and I'm excited to see everyone but this adventure as truly been incredible so I'm a little sad to be leaving. Check out what I have been up to all summer here Down Under:

1. Go to the Sydney Opera House
   
2. 
   See a kangaroo, more than one wild!
   
3. Go to the Melbourne Aquarium and Zoo (went to the Phillippe Island Wildlife Park and Ballaret Wildlife Park, they are more interactive with the animals), never got to the Aquarium but apparently I'm not missing out, it wasn't that good anyways
   
4. Go on a boat 5 times
   
5. dance in a fabulous nightclub until the wee hours
   
6. Gamble at the Crown Casino
   
7. Go to a Footy game
   
8. Go up the Eureka Tower
   
9. Attend 2 art exhibitions 2/2 – William Ricketts Sanctuary and The World of Mirrors
   
10. Go to the Victoria market
    
11. Buy a Didgeridoo
    
12. See some penguins CORRECTION see a Parade of Penguins, over 800 of them!
    
13. Sit on a patio all afternoon
    
14. Drive on the other side of the road
    
15. Survive 20 + hours of flying
    
16. Learn some Aussie slang
    
17. Put my feet in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
    
18. Drive along the Great Ocean Road
    
19. Bond with my roomie
    
20. spend 10 evenings in the hot tub – 10/10
    
21. meet an Australian hottie or more than a few ;)
    
22. and realize there is no one better than my r. , hubby to be even more so than before
    
23. stroll along streets filled with fabulous shops and boutiques
    
24. see the 12 Apostles
    
25. drink the most expensive coffee in my life (so far life), $7.00
    
26. visit the State of Victoria Library
    
27. Develop some structure in my placement classroom
    
28. Try vegemite
    
29. Get into an Australian TV series
    
30. Hold a Koala – see Koalas and be within arm's reach of them!
    

 

1. Try Kangaroo meat NO! Not making it on the list
   

   
    

Bonus –

1. Try shark fish and chips twice
   
2. Get my picture taken with a hot surfer
   
3. Go to Bondi beach
   
4. Go to Cairns on a fab vacation (just booked), Oh and FABULOUS it was!
   
5. Go to a rainforest, twice!
   
6. Explore some magnificent waterfalls, went swimming in them, got my foot stuck between 2 rocks and went under the water and scraped myself up a bit but it was worth the potential drowning
   
7. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, ALL DAY! It was incredible, HIGHLIGHT OF MY TRIP!!!
   
8. Have my picture taken with the Sydney Harbour bridge in the background
   
9. Admire and get my hands on some real Louis Vuiton
   
10. Have a real Chinese meal in Chinatown
    
11. Have fabulous accommodations for a weekend in a military man's apartment
    
12. Indulge in good wine which was less than $4 a bottle so we got 2 cases=12 bottles
    
13. Get hit on by an Aussie hottie and flash him my ring haha, it was great
    
14. Watch a live band perform
    
15. See a crocodile feeding
    
16. Hang out and FEED KANGAROOS
    
17. Witness kangaroo love, yup they were going at it
    
18. Take a random day trip
    
19. Have a bird eat out of my hand
    
20. see the biggest trees ever
    
21. celebrate Christmas in July
    
22. go to the famous Cuckoo restaurant
    
23. Visit a dairy farm and learn about the production of milk, plus the artificial insemination process
    
24. Pet a baby calf
    
25. Get some fabulous Oakley gear for my fiancé
    
26. Go to the Chocolate Room…heaven I mean
    
27. Go whale watching and see whales and seals
    
28. Milk a cow
    
29. Witness something truly magnificent takes place in nature
    
30. See lots of Australia's native animals, dingos, echidnas, wallabies, kangaroos, crocodiles
    
31. Go on a river boat cruise and see live crocodiles!
    
32. Go on the Ultimate Party Pubcrawl and get ridiculous
    
33. Drink too many free drinks
    
34. See amazing colourful fish, hundreds
    
35. Lay by the lagoon all day, 2 days
    
36. go swimming at Palm Cove beach scared to death because of the warning sign of possible crocodiles in the waters, EEKS!
    
37. Swim in a grater that was once an erupting volcano, so cool
    
    
38. Do yoga in the middle of the rainforest
    
39. See some gnipi=gnipi, a dangerous stinging plant
    
40. Swim in a fresh water spring in the rainforest
    
41. Watch a jelly wrestling championship
    
42. Enjoy ladies night with free champagne served by topless male waiters
    J
    
43. Cheer a friend on in a Wet t-shirt contest, she won.
    
44. become "one of the guys" on a bachelor party
    
45. meet fabulous people from all over the world, including the Netherlands, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, the US, England, France
    
46. enjoy authentic Thai and Vietnamese food
    
47. try several exotic fruits at an Asian market
    
48. have the time of my life! Definitely accomplished!
    

 

Ahhh, Success!

Ah, success!

Today I completed my Bachelor of Education degree!!!

It feels fantastic and I am celebrating with 9 other lovely ladies in Cairns, Australia.

In less than 24 hours I will be sipping Margaritas by the pool

and.......

snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef!

So psyched for this little vaca before heading home to Canada.

I`ll be back once I am home and settled with lots of stories and pictures from my trip.

30 Day Blog Journal

I started this journal not really thinking about doing one journal entry per day as it should be because I have not had the time to get on daily and I will be going away on Saturday to a sun shiny, party destination without the internet so I am doing ALL of the days in this post.

I know there is lots of information but I hope you will read and enjoy :)

Day 15: your dream home

Just a small place for 2....plus many children one day

This is it! Isn't it a beauty or something like this anyway and I may be building and living in my own home sooner than I thought :)

Day 16: a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
"Where the Green Grass Grows" by Tim McGraw
the first song my hunny ever sang to me


Day 17: an art piece
The Sixteenth Chapel, which I hope to someday see in person


Day 18: my wedding
May 7th 2011 I will marry my best friend and it will be fabulous and we will be blissfully happy!


Day 19: a talent of yours
I can cook and bake fairly well without recipes (does that even count?)


Day 20: a hobby of yours
Scrapbooking


Day 21: a recipe

Apple Crisp

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. oats
Mix all 3 ingredients together
Add 1/2 c. melted butter and mix
Put half of the mixture in a pan and press with fingers
Add pre-prepared apple mixture on top (6-7 apples, peeled and cut into slices with 1tsp-3tsp cinnamom, a dash of nutmeg, 1/2 sugar and a splash of lemon juice)
Pour the rest of the crumble mix on top of the apples and press lightly
Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.


Day 22: a website
www.theknot.com
for all your wedding needs, its a great start with lots of pictures and great links.


Day 23: a youtube video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS30lh9DnaE
it's hilarious and has aired on Ellen


Day 24: where I live
in the country not far from the town of Riverview


Day 25: your day, in great detail
I woke up at 7:30am, rolled over and crawled out of bed.
showered, got dressed, brushed my teeth, throw my hair up, put mascara on
eat breakfast. Then walked to school with m. and went into a 7/8 class.
Observed the class do numeracy until recess.
At recess, 10:45am, I went to the staff room, eat a banana and piece of lemon bread and sat and enjoyeyed my coffee.
After the recess bell ran, I went to the prep classroom and helped out with a writing activity and then a numeracy activity.
Went to lunch and heated up some easy mac (tastes the same as back home) and eat it - yum!
4 girls came in to give me a take you chocolate and pencil,
had another coffee while writing postcards to my kids from my internship back home in Canada.
Only got 3 written.
The bell ran, went to talk to some 7/8 students about their lteracy groups. Then went to the preps to observed their performance practice.
Bell rang for the end of the day and walked through the crowd of kids, all saying hello.
Walked home in the rain bvut had an umbrella.
Got home and did some laundry, eat some lollies. Then went to get a haircut.
Haircut done, came home, ate chicken stir-fry for dinner.
Took a quiz from the newspaper with my host family.
went on facebook and started this post.


Day 26: your week, in great detail
There will be less detail for this one since I don't want to bore you when you have been kind enough to read my blog.
This week I have:
-had dinner and drinks with one of the teachers from school and her husband
-had my last evaluation for my BEd and taught my last lesson
-was brought up during assembly to talk to the students about my time here
-watched a movie with my host kiddies and eat smarties, then watched a movie with m. and had nachoes
-woke up way to early and drove for way too long but arrived to Phillippe island, where I
went to teh wildlife park - saw lots of Australian native animals, fed kangaroos then went to the Koalas and watched them in amazingment as they came down the trees very close to us and were eating....one was even walking along the railing but others were sleeping.
-then went to a cafe for the best lunch ever! milked a cow and walked around the historical place
-had afternoon tea at a strangers house with delicious scones
-went to the Penguin Parade and LOVED every minute of it
-spent hours and hours at the VIC market
-at a delicious chai latte
-went to a contempary art exhibit
-went to school for 2 days
-went in the hot tub
-skyped with my hunny and k.


Day 27: my worst habit
bitting my nails....but I'm really trying to stop


Day 28: whats in your handbag/purse
hand sanitizer, hand lotion, deorderant, a compact, lipgloss (2) wallet, sunnies, pen, hair elastic


Day 29: hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
1. find my perfect wedding dress (hope)
2. marry my best friend (dream come true)
3. take a french course (plan)
4. go visit k. in Toronto for a bridal weekend (plan)
5. spend a fab weekend with one of my fav people v. (hope)
6. start building our house! (hope, plan)
7. get a long term supply or full time teaching job (dream, hope)


Day 30: a dream for the future
to get my Masters degree
to start my family soon

Day 13 & 14 of the 30 Day Blog

Day 13: a fictional book

A classic I need to read, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Day 14: a non-fictional book

Want to read this one and soon

brought to you by:

30 Vows of my Australian Summer - Update

I have updated my vows list and have accomplished so much so far, IT'S AMAZING! All of the updates are in purple. I have also added more bonuses because I am doing so many fabulous things and want to do more in this amazing place Down Under. I have 60 vows! So that means that I have been and will continue to do something noteworthy daily (on average), truly making the most of this trip :D. See what I've done so far:

1. Go to the Sydney Opera House
   
2. See a kangaroo, more than one wild!
   
3. Go to the Melbourne Aquarium and Zoo (went to the Phillippe Island Wildlife Park and Ballaret Wildlife Park, they are more interactive with the animals)
   
4. Go on a boat
   3 times
   
5. dance in a fabulous nightclub until the wee hours
   
6. Gamble at the Crown Casino
   
7. Go to a Footy game
   
8. Go up the Eureka Tower
   
9. Attend 2 art exhibitions 2/2 – William Ricketts Sanctuary and The World of Mirror
   
10. Go to the Victoria market
    
11. Buy a Didgeridoo
    
12. See some penguins CORRECTION see a Parade of Penguins, over 800 of them!
    
13. Sit on a patio all afternoon
    
14. Drive on the other side of the road
    
15. Survive 20 + hours of flying
    
16. Learn some Aussie slang
    
17. Put my feet in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
    
18. Drive along the Great Ocean Road
    
19. Bond with my roomie
    
20. spend 10 evenings in the hot tub – 10/10
    
21. meet an Australian hottie or more than a few ;)
    
22. and realize there is no one better than my r. , hubby to be even more so than before
    
23. stroll along streets filled with fabulous shops and boutiques
    
24. see the 12 Apostles
    
25. drink the most expensive coffee in my life (so far life), $7.00
    
26. visit the State of Victoria Library
    
27. Develop some structure in my placement classroom
    
28. Try vegemite
    
29. Get into an Australian TV series
    
30. Hold a Koala – see Koalas and be within arm's reach of them!
    

1. Try Kangaroo meat NO! Not making it on the list
   

   
   

Bonus –

1. Try shark fish and chips twice
   
2. Get my picture taken with a hot surfer
   
3. Go to Bondi beach
   
4. Go to Cairns on a fab vacation (just booked)
   
5. Go to a rainforest
   
6. Explore some magnificent waterfalls
   
7. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
   
8. Have my picture taken with the Sydney Harbour bridge in the background
   
9. Admire and get my hands on some real Louis Vuiton
   
10. Have a real Chinese meal in Chinatown
    
11. Have fabulous accommodations for a weekend in a military man's apartment
    
12. Indulge in good wine which was less than $4 a bottle so we got 2 cases=12 bottles
    
13. Get hit on by an Aussie hottie and flash him my ring haha, it was great
    
14. Watch a live band perform
    
15. See a crocodile feeding
    
16. Hang out and FEED KANGAROOS
    
17. Witness kangaroo love, yup they were going at it
    
18. Take a random day trip
    
19. Have a bird eat out of my hand
    
20. see the biggest trees ever
    
21. celebrate Christmas in July
    
22. go to the famous Cuckoo restaurant
    
23. Visit a dairy farm and learn about the production of milk, plus the artificial insemination process
    
24. Pet a baby calf
    
25. Get some fabulous Oakley gear for my fiancé
    
26. Go to the Chocolate Room…heaven I mean
    
27. Go whale watching and see whales and seals
    
28. Milk a cow
    
29. Witness something truly magnificent takes place in nature
    
30. See lots of Australia's native animals, dingos, echidnas, wallabies, kangaroos, crocodiles
    
    

Day 12

Day 12 of the Blog Journal fits prefectly today

Something you are OCD about.....

Cleanliness, tidyness, neatness - so things being clean

I like when things are in there place and know if they have been moved and then I put it back (my friends tease me alot about this)

I clean quite a bot so there is no dust and everything looks tidy.

I LOVE organization and having labels and files to keep things organized.

So why does my OCD of neatness suit today of all days?

Because I was running late for school(this is an extra week of just observing in the classroom)

So I was rushing, slipped and landed in some mud and hurting my foot.

I came back home because my beige pants were covered in mud (I was crying)

And I am not at school because I took a mental health day, after crying because of falling and worried about an emergency thats going on at home that I know nothing about over here in Australia.

And thats another thing...I am only putting in time this week because I have already completed my 15 week internship so I don't feel to guilty about missing a day of observing.

30 Day Blog Journal

Because of being so busy here and there and everwhere all over this country,

I have to put more than 1 day of this blog journal together.

So here is Day 9, 10 & 11

Day 9: A photo you took

The Sydney Opera House

Day 10: a photo of you taken over 10 years ago

I am probrably 11 years old in this picture at the barn where I always spent my days.


Day 11: a recent photo of you
Me at Bondi Beach July 2010

30 Day Journal - Day 7 & 8

My last post was Day 6 for Monday, which it is in Australia but Tuesday in Canada and on my blogger so I am trying to stay one day ahead but may not so I ahve included 2 days together and they relate anyhow. Enjoy!

The say to give you the bad news 1st so a photo that makes you sad will come first....

{my fiance and I on New Years Eve 2009, just recently engaged!}

This photo makes me sad because I miss him so much my heart hurts.

But.....for the good - a photo that makes you happy :)

{j, myself and m. on a ferry to the Sydney Opera House}
makes me happy because it represents being here on an incredible experience
and makes the sad photo not so sad.

30 Day Journal - Day 6

Day 6: 20 of my Favourite Things

1. the beach

2. sitting on my patio with the sun shinning

3. swim up bars

4. the dog park

5. coffee and long talks with friends

6. wine & bitch fests

7. hot tubs

8. 4-wheeling with my hubby to be (only when I drive)

9. family traditions

10. Kate visiting

11. weddings

12. reading good books

13. chocolate

14. long drives

15. great dinners

16. organizers and stationery

17. cooking

18. travelling

19. ALL the simple things in life

20. true love

20 of my Favourite Aussie things - since I'm here anyways

1. roadsigns that warn you about Kangaroos

2. crumpets

3. the Great Ocean Road

4. sayings like Good on ya and G'day Mate

5. school uniforms

6. the state library

7. seeing koalas

8. Hungry Jacks being Burger King

9. custard

10. penguins that waddle

11. cheap market items

12. the Opera house

13. boats

14. the Cuckoo restaurant

15. trains and trams

16. the round abouts everywhere

17. lollies

18. cheap wine

19. the place called the chocolate room (heaven)

20. being here :)

30 Day Blog Journal - Day 4 &5

Day 4: Favourite book(s)

The Saga

Team Edward!

All of Jane Austens' novels and this classic in peticular


Any of Joy Fieldings' books

The 1st of Emily Griffins novels that I have read

This one was the 1st in a series followed by Something Blue

and Baby Proof had some of the same characters

She has also written Love the One You Are With &

Heart of the Matter

which I have read and loved.

Day 5: Favourite quote(s)

"If you can't handle me at my worst then you sre as well don't deserve me at my best"

- Marilynn Monroe

"dance as through no one is watching

love as through you have never been hurt

work like you don't need the money

sing as through no one can hear you

live as through heaven is on earth"

"Well-beahved women seldom make history"

- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

distance

I don't like the distance between us, not the goegraphical distance of me being on the other side of the world either.

Your distance.......from me.

Is it something I have done?

If so I need to know because..............
I go out on a limb for you, I do everything I can,
I am there for you, truly there for you as a friend.

Why am not getting that in return? What's wrong? What's going through your mind? you life?

I feel so de-tached from you and I don't think its' necessary and I don't like it.

I miss you.......

and I miss us.

I'll be here, where I also am, when your ready...........ready to be my friend again.

30 Day Blog Journal - Day 3

Day 3: Favourite TV Show(s)



Sex and the City plus the movies should have been under Day 2 as well
because these girls are fabulous!


Grey's Anatomy

Oh Thursday night Grey's parties are the best

Friends is a classic fav

Desperate Housewives with all the drama of the women of Wisteria lane

Loss

I'm feeling.....

a little lost.

I know exactly where I am.....

Melbourne, Australia.

Far.....

Far from home.

Away from the love of my life, my wonderful fiance

Away from friends and...

Family.

Miles and miles away.....

on the other side of the world.

I'm thinking of you all...

wishing I could talk to you more,

But...............

this adventure isn't over yet and I don't want it to be.

I'll be home before you know it,

you won't even have time to miss me anymore.

I'll find my way home soon.

30 Day Blog Journal - Day 2

Day 2: Favourite Movie(s) I have many favourite movies I could watch over and over again, including:

Because I Said So

-the 3 sisters much like my family and a fab but sometimes protrective mother really

brings this movie home to me
(which I'm watching as I hang out on the couch at home sick today)

The Notebook

- a teary, breathtaking love story


Marley and Me
- I love my dog as much as they do in the movie, but mine is not as naughty

Now and Then

- a classic movie about the sisterhood of friendship, grew up watching this with my 3 friends

Pretty Woman
- an inspriring always classis movie, Julia Roberts and Richard Geer are fabulous

P.S. I Love You

- heartbreaking and moving, there love makes you feel warm all over

Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants 1 &2

- both great, love the story line and the trials and triumps of their friendships

The Hangover

- hilarious fun, but makes me fear my fiances' Bachelor Party

The Freedom Writers

- inspirational to me as a teacher who wants to make a difference

30 Day Blog Journal

I saw this great idea over at Living Life as a Newlywed and thought I would pick is up as well. So here begins Day 1 of the 30 Day Journal

So Day 1 – My All time Favourite Song is My Best Friend by Tim Mcgraw. I love the lyrics and it is one that my wonderful fiancé has sung to me and it will be our wedding song for our first dance because he is my best friend.

Day 1 - your favourite song
Day 2 - your favourite movie
Day 3 - your favourite television program
Day 4 - your favourite book
Day 5 - your favourite quote
Day 6 - 20 of my favourite things
Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 - a photo you took
Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 - a photo of you recently
Day 12 - something you are OCD about
Day 13 - a fictional book
Day 14 - a non-fictional book
Day 15 - your dream house
Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 - a talent of yours
Day 20 - a hobby of yours
Day 21 - a recipe
Day 22 - a website
Day 23 - a youtube video
Day 24 - where I live
Day 25 - your day, in great detail
Day 26 - your week, in great detail
Day 27 - my worst habit
Day 28 - whats in my handbag/purse
Day 29 - hopes,dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 - a dream for the future

Things I don't take for granted

I was prompted by my Fab friend over at A Life Almost Ordinary who posted about the things she doesn't take for granted, so I am doing a little reflecting myself on:

Things I Don't Take for Granted -

My Forever Friends - the ones you can call up anytime, who are there when you need them and even when you don't.

My Family - who are supportive, crazy and wondeful

Love - its' all around us, you don't have to find it and
Weddings - to celebrate the love between 2 people with those who matter

My Fiance r. - who is the most wonderful, caring, supportive, generous, good hearted man

My baby Dakota - she is my baby dog and still a puppy in my eyes, who is 6 years old now and I love her more and more each year

Having the ability to do good in this world - that's what my career is all about, why I volunteer so often and why I always do what I can

The truth - for those friends who can say it to you straight and more importantly when you are true to yourself and who you are

Music - that can make you feel so many things

The beach - where I feel anything is possible and everything is good with the world in the calmness and freshness of the sand and the ocean

Monday Mantra

This week I am going to relax, go to the movies, spend lots of time in the hot tub, go to dinner, explore the Great Ocean Road, the 12 Apostales, milk a cow and enjoy Australia.

I believe that I can be anything I want!

I'm addicted to Kangaroos, since I was able to hang out and fed them.

I hope that I can accomplish what I desire.

I'm jealous of those people lying on the beach.

Soundtrack of the week "Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night"