We are "SO" in AGAIN!

We had a great time at playgroup today. I picked a great day to go as great snacks and treats were EVERYWHERE! Car took a liking to some very good looking homemade pigs in a blanket, made by an American(from Virginia and has two y.o twins) of course! Col ate three Gingerbread men, well not all of three, he would eat the same pattern everytime and then give me a wet 3/4 eaten cookie and say “take it, TAKE IT.” I tucked into a little fudgy delight. The Moms were all so nice, some Aussies, some American, some “other” like Belgium and other European cities that I could not place the accent. The room was very big and had an extensive Thomas set, which is mostly where we stayed, that and the car area. They both played well alongside other children and occasionally with other children. They read a Christmas story and at the end sung songs and played. Colin who could not be swayed to join the group activities opted to "march to the beat of his own drummer" during sing along. Car loved it, I could not get the greatest pic of him under the parachute but the smile was priceless. WE all enjoyed ourselves. The good news is we are in for next year and this is a very good thing because this is the first time in three years they have opened the group. I am learning it is tough and competitive being a Mommy in this town, you have got to be on your game and ready to jump when things open up! You can’t sit idly by and just hope you get in to the right playgroup and preschool and swim lessons and etc...you have to be a TIGER MOMMY! ROAR!!! Hopefully, the good news is once you are in you are IN and you can leave your tiger suit behind.  Now, I can not remember if I filled the paperwork out all the way?

These events happened simultaneously...

Why would someone want to actually play with other kids at playgroup when you can have the whole lawn to yourself! 

We are SO in!

We found out today that the boys got into a “preschool” program, it is technically a long daycare, but is for ages 2-5.5 and has a curriculum. This is soooo incredibly huge. Moms at the playgroup today were encouraging me to sign up on multiple waiting lists, all which charge a fee to be on the list, I was feeling cheap for not doing so. And you may remember we are already signed up on a list for a real preschool for a start date of January 2013. 

You say POTATO I say HOT CHEAP EASYBAKE MESS!

Rarely have I been accused of being overly frugal, actually I never have been accused of anything close to frugality. I do not think I am like a Real Housewife of New Jersey, but no one is going to come to me to get money saving tips! During our move it hit me that I was just a gross over consumer. We had so much wonderful beautiful expensive stuff and most was rarely used and we had WAY too much of it. So now I am really making an effort to be cognisant and mindful in my spending and I am working to not “overconsume.” I ask myself if I really need the fanciest mixer, I am no pastry chef, I rarely bake etc...So, trying to be a nifty thrifty got me all gummed up on this potato thing. I was so excited to be invited to the American Thanksgiving Extravaganza that I volunteered to bring ANYTHING. If I had to shoot my own turkey I would have done it, truly. Well, I usually make a great mashed potato I did not say as much but that is what I ended up making. Then it hit me, I do not have my serving utensils, bowls, my pots suck here at the Funky Cold, no mixing bowl, and oh yeah and most importantly no mixer. Other than that things were off to a really great start. I easily acquired the mixing bowl and a nice inexpensive serving bowl. Then I headed out to get a little hand mixer, still mindful of my big girl Kitchenaid back in the States that rarely saw the light of day. I went to Meyer, like a Dilliards equivalent. I picked up the least expensive handmixer, a Breville on sale for from $45 to $35, I am so thrifty I congratulate myself as I go to the counter, way to go resisting the fancy ones I cheer myself on! The lady wrung me up and said oh boy an extra $5 off, yeah! I hear everything is negotiable here in OZ and this has worked for me at this store before so I say “do you have any other discounts.” She says, “No, but these handmixers do not last long, you do not need a Breville, go to Target and pick one up for $10. I say great, “thanks!!!” Feeling so proud of my sensible shopping I head to Target, the same mixer is $45 there, but they do have one model for $16, so I pick it up. I do not bother to open the box and verify this is not part of the Easy Bake Playline of kitchen appliances. I then head to Woolies to get my potatoes. The POs look different here, they are either bright white, like they have been peeled, or orange clay brown. I ask the produce man which I should use for mashed, he says, “well, the brown are cheaper and if you are just mashing, it does not matter, I would get the brown.” So I go cheap again. I get home and start washing them and realize the clay color is not their color, it is actually clay and dirt on the damn potato. I wash, and I wash, and I wash and I wash. Finally, my HUGE bag of POs are clean. I peel them and still have to wash them again. I then cut and boil them in two pots and in two shifts. While they are boiling I bust out my new fancy mixer. OMG! Are you kidding me? This must have been placed in the wrong section, this is clearly a toy mixer, I would have been better off  mashing them Lucille Ball grape stomping style. But I am stuck, they boys are napping, Mike is at work and this is just going to have to work. I mixed and I mixed and I mixed and I mixed and still my potatoes were lumpy. I thought that little thing was going to catch on fire it was so hot by then end and the littIe motor was revving to max RPMs. I was devastated, I mean having good potatoes could have the potential to get me into all the right social circles, but now with lumpy potatoes forget it, just forget it I will NEVER have friends! I eventually decided that people may give me a second chance. Mike said they were yummy but I was not happy AT ALL! I tried to forget it and just be happy with lumpy POs. I couldn't, I woke up the next morning before the party and blended again but still lumpy. He said he overheard someone at the party saying they were good, and they were all gone, but I don’t know, it seems impossible that they were good. Bottomline, cheaper is not chic'er when it comes to mixers and potatoes, and of course shoes. Also after writing this blog one question is really bugging me why is the singular potato and the plural potatoes? Why the addition of the E? I know there are some really smart people who read this, so please  learn me somethin' on this one! And yes the mixer is going back to the store and I have picked out a lovely one that is not the highest end but it is certainly adult sized and functional and will not catch fire from an oversized batch of mashed potatoEs.   

   

Yes, this is my hand and yes those were the beaters and no apparently it was not a joke

Even Car thinks it is a toy, it looks just his size

Watch out that turkey may take flight!

This Saturday was one of our high points since moving here 10 weeks ago. It also offered wind so intense that if rain was added to the mix, in the South we would be packing the car and headin inland to Hotlanta, "directly" and the rednecks would be boarding their houses and firin up the generators and icin down the Busch. I digress, We were invited to an American Thanksgiving on Balmoral Beach by a very very nice lady who, as my MIL said "I met on the internet." It is not quite as seedy as it sounds, I started stalking her blog before we moved and once we moved I sent her an email and she was kind enough to send one back and so on and on Saturday we met "in real life" at the Thanksgiving party she put together.  Even LK who is usually begging to leave a party was trying every trick he could to stay put. I think there are a few Disney movies that capture the sentiment that I felt at being reunited with Americans, "my kind, my people." The Disney scenario usually goes something like a kitty is raised by elephants or a mouse by lions or a hippo by hedgehogs or something insane and then they are reunited with their kind and they feel so happy and in place. That is how I felt, so happy to be around other Americans. The day started a little rocky with hitting a ton of traffic and not having adequate food in the car to keep the troops happy. We arrived, I scooped out my vat of potatoes into a chafing dish while battling hurricane force winds all while trying to keep my hair in place and out of my lip gloss and most importantly my skirt in the down position. While I was doing this the  boys sat right down at the picnic table that was being used as the buffet, totally oblivious that it was not a place to eat, Colin reached for some chips, fell off the bench and the chips blew away and HYSTERIA ensued. Screaming, crying, running around the table, more screaming, keep in mind there are more chips and more food than you could ever eat in a lifetime. Finally, I spied a cookie and in a moment of desperation broke(literally) the saran wrap and took one before proper dessert time. Most of this break down was my error, I never go anywhere without our 'nacks.' I assumed there would be soooo much food(I was right) that packing 'nacks' would not be necesary WRONG! BAD DECISION! I will never go anywhere without fruit sticks every again! Anyway, we had a met nary a person, Mike was parking the car and here is Colin acting like a crazed maniac. I was a little defeated. BUT I WAS HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH MY KIND DARNIT I MUST KEEP GOING!!! So I just acted like he was not mine, just kidding, I followed him around like an idiot offering everything under the sun until he calmed down. Mike is gonna freak when he hears I promised him a pony! So, anyway, after we got Colin settled we could start socializing in earnest. We fixed a plate of some amazing food, the ham was ridiculously good, turkey, corn casserole, dressing sweet potatoes, roasted root vegetables(I love these and can never pull them off), rolls, green bean casserole, this was a SPREAD, there were so many thing I did not get my own creation, potatoes which will have their own post soon, anyway they were so not worth the space on my plate! So we tucked into some(alot of) food and sat down at a picnic table with a group of people. One person at the table graduated Dana Hill HS c.o '92, Mike is c.o '94, SERIOUSLY THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL. Another person out of the 4 sitting with us was born at the same hospital in Illinois as Mike in 1976 no less, another grew up in Denver, Colorado and her family moved to the Ranch while she was in HS. Another family used to live in Mike's parents hood. What a small world, really.

The "Spread"

Two of my three best guys! Can't tell their Father/Son huh? All we need is Gil for a triplet picture

The cookie that saved the day, I think he had three cookies, his wrist and no real food! Ahh my little Colin, he is a man who knows what he wants and will not settle for less. 

The view from Thanksgiving Dinner

Now keep in mind our social skills maybe a little rusty but I think the day was a success! We met some really great people and maybe on our way to joining the world again. We have been invited to TWO playgroups, and a bookclub and I really hate to brag but I now have a total 8 contacts in my phone. I can pretty much connect you with anyone in the city! Almost everyone we connected with lives super close to where we will be living, PERFECTO, really perfecto! What I think is going to be a really interesting dynamic here is that everyone is in different stages of their visa, most are on a 4 year visa like us. Some are 2 years in, some are 4 months in and some like us are 10 weeks in or "fresh off the boat" as we were called a few times. So, I assume relationships will have a certain fluidity to them. As I think about it this may be one of the reasons that everyone was so open to newcomers, there is no SET clique that have been together for life, people come and go. 

Mike and Cars feet together, we were trying for family feet...The boys bathwater was grey that night. Always a sign of a good time.

Not a vegemite sandwich

 Friday night we went on our first date since we have been here! It was so FUN! Truly a banner evening!!! We got all dressed up and headed to The Four Seasons for a drinky where we sat in an overstuffed couch against the wall. We could see the whole bar and lobby and we could people watch until our heart was content! Then we headed two blocks up George St. to our dinner at est. We had a delicious decadent meal, and I think the best meal I have ever had! We choose the 5 course tasting menu which was so so so perfect. The sommelier picked perfect Australian wines for all our choices and told us in great detail about everything, but in a very quick Aussie pace so I did not feel bored! He made it so enjoyable. It was great service, such a nice restaurant but not stuffy at all. I am thinking of how I can invent another special occasion to hit it up again sooner than later! Right below est. is a swanky nightclub that we went to after dinner, it was around 11:15 so the night was just getting going for most of these people as for me my night was wrapping up, we made a few laps around the bar and hopped in a cab and headed back to the FUNKY COLD MEDINA.

A few fun pics from November

New Car

Looking sharp after a big boy haircut, no tears for anyone!

He is so yummy! 

MOTORCYCLE!!!!!

Not happy but not crying!

Riding/hogging the 4wd buggy at Taronga Zoo

Colin loves these "put your face in" cutout things!!!

An ambulance at Manly Beach, the driver gave them a tour and turned on the lights!!!

Playing in the fountains at Manly, begging  Mommy to join! As Car says "no way"

So fun! Col would stand over the fountain and yell "I pee pee I pee pee" Luckily I am still the only one who can understand them, I think.

"Oh... my kids can wreck that in no time" or the King of Palm Beach

You work the pedals I'll work the wheel

I say to our wonderful gracious Aussie host who organized a beach party in our honor at beautiful Palm Beach Surf Club. The object in question was the 4 WD buggy that the surf lifesavers use to pull important stuff on and off the beach, like boats and probably on a bad day people. "Nah, Nah, Nah our gracious Aussie host says in his cute little accent, they are just fine, the "kids" (surf lifesavers) will wotch ova tham." He points to a few beautiful young people in surf lifesaving gear says their names and they jump up to go hang out with the boys. Well eventually someone takes their eye off the ball and we have pen marks all over the seat, another few seconds and THE motorcycle toy goes into the little glove boxish fuel/water tank area. It is gone forever! Mike and I search in the little hole while trying to not attract attention but, no luck, it is gone baby gone. Colin takes a cue from the resident ladies man Carson and picks up some hot lifesaver chicks in bikinis. Girls can't resist a guy with a hot ride! Eventually, we move the party from the beach to our hosts beautiful beach club, The Cabbage Tree Club. This was a top experience. The party was organized and hosted by THE KING OF PALM BEACH, a gentleman from Coca-Cola that is on the Subway International Team. Mike had only met him a few times and he took it on himself to organize a party for us. He was fabulous and what I think Americans think all Aussies should be. He was a surf lifesaver on this same beach as a young "bloke," was the pres of his surf life savers then he graduated to the beach club and was pres there, he knows everyone on the beach from the 90 y.o going out for a paddle(really) to the 17 y.o Junior Lifesavers. He offered to teach us how to surf, invited us to his families Christmas, invited us back to the beach club anytime and is just a downright good guy, a solid bloke they would call him here. The party consisted of 4 families most with kids, all Coca-Cola employees, some Aussies, some Brits or Pomms and some Kiwis. One lady even said to me, "oh I love your accent I could listen to you talk all day." So, of course I got her # since she said she could listen to me all day! New BFF! The Beach Club is so unique. It is what I envision places were like in the states 50 years ago, where everyone knows everyone and everyone has known everyone for YEARS, not like 5 years like 50 years. There was a table of older people(like 70-80 y.o) and they have been getting together at the club for their whole life. There are also tons of young people to keep the traditions going. It is a beautiful setting, I have been slacking on my pic taking, the camera was in the shop and I have gotten out of the habit, but it is truly beautiful. It is set opposite the beach and as by all beaches there seems to be a big hill, the club is built into the hill. To be a member you can be a surf lifesaver for 8 years and then your membership transitions from Surf Lifesaver to Cabbage Tree, if you go this route your membership is $300/year or you can go the more traditional "club" route and pay 10K get on a waitlist and wait and pay each year while you wait. There are beautiful and classically old school change rooms, there are loads of outdoor dining areas, grassy areas and a playset for the kiddos. For the locker rooms, think hardwood floors, white lockers and fabrics in light greens and whites. Junior members are limited to showers 3min under and those using the shower who are under 17 are only allowed to use a certain shower. You bring in your food and cook it on the barbies, all the men like this barbie part, they set the tables for you, I do not think you BYO, I think you buy it from the club and some days they have dishwashers which are usually junior members. Thank goodness we were on a dishwasher provided day. We had two large tables pushed together on a terrace built into the hill, covered in trees and just the right amount of shade, it looked like a setting out of a movie. We had delicious grilled corn, "prawns," sausage, chicken, lamb steaks,(they were great, I know really they were not gamey at all) and then a yummy fresh fruit tart for dessert. DELISH! The boys were angels and managed to pick up quite a few older women at the club. Truly! I actually caught Carson grabbing a 16 y.o girls hand and pulling her back to the playground as she was trying to leave. She was gracious enough to oblige him. They colored with a different group of older women(like 5-8 y.o), played hide n seek, and all other manner of fun games. Where do they get their confidence and can a 2 y.o have MOJO? They spent about 15 minutes at our table the entire afternoon. Could they possibly already be too cool to hang out with Mom and Dad at the beach club? Say it isn't so! 

Check out his arm and his posture HILARIOUS, all surf lifesavers actually wear those caps in the water!

Whale Beach

Don't tell the girls!

The coloring crew!

Try and impress them by coloring in the lines!