Category Archives: Random Ramblings

2 weeks on….

Posted on by Mika
1

It has been 2 weeks since Christchurch was hit by the devastating earthquake.

We mourn for those who have lost their lives…..and for those who have to live without them.

I am in awe of the aroha (love) that has embraced Christchurch.

If you have a moment, hop on and view the short videos on “Voices of Christchurch” by NZ Herald. Lovely stories. (Love the generous dairy owner, the cheerful folk at Aranui and the hardworking volunteers at Saint Martins)

Wellington has been hit with 3 small earthquakes recently. It gave us a small glimpse into what life must be like for those in Christchurch who are constantly hit with aftershocks.

Two of the earthquakes were in the middle of the night. I slept through one, and my hubby slept through the other!. Another one was in the evening, after the kids were in bed. It started with a rumble and a then built up to a jolt, and it was over as quickly as it started. At the end of it, you couldn’t help wondering whether you would be prepared enough if a disaster happened.

I felt that no amount of physical preparation can prepare you for the fear and chaos that would follow an actual earthquake. Even though the earthquake we experienced was small and short, it played with your mind, along with the adrenaline and fear that comes from the question, “what if this is it?!”

In Wellington, supermarket aisles are lined with bottled water. Torches, generators, emergency blankets are all getting sold out in stores. A few weeks ago, the question that everyone was asking was, “do you know anybody in Christchurch?”, now the question is, “Have you got a survival kit together yet?”

My older brother celebrated his birthday over the weekend. My mum and I had a good laugh, when we found out that we both put together a workplace survival kit for him as a present!

I’m sure a lot of you have already started getting your emergency kits together, but if you haven’t, please have a think about making small steps to get your family prepared for a disaster.

On a completely different note…for the first time since school started in February, the younger kids are actually settling into bed straight away!

Not sure if it is because it is getting darker earlier, or because it isn’t so hot in the evenings, or because we added some extra bedding because of the cold nights we’ve had over the last couple of days…all I know is that it is a hugeee relief to not have to convince children who seem wide awake, that it is in fact bed time!

Simple ways to get your family prepared for a disaster

Posted on by Mika
5

Time stands still Robyn Edie Southland Times

A clock on the Christchurch Art Centre which stopped at about the time of the quake – 12:54. Image by Robyn Edie

We grieve for those who have lost their loved ones, or have family and friends unaccounted for. I know New Zealand rallies around them, and we send all our love and best wishes to them.

Praying, and participating in donation drives, can make us feel like we are doing what we can…but sometimes you just wish you can take away the pain of it all.

I think, for a lot of us, we have started to wonder, “what if it happened to our city?!”, “how prepared are we?”

Here are some tips that I have put together, and hope that it will be of use to you. Please take a moment to read it.

Aroha nui (much love!)

Simple things you can do today:

  • Fill up your petrol, and get into the habit of filling it up when it gets to half full. This way you will have enough petrol to get you out of the city without stressing about refueling.
  • Withdraw cash (you can do this when you get your petrol!). Keep some in the car and your 72 hour kit, so you don’t have to worry about withdrawing money in a disaster and can buy things without using EFTPOS etc.
  • Write out important phone numbers and put it in your 72 hour kit, purse and car. If you find yourself without your cellphone (with all your numbers on speed dial!), you can get through to your loved ones.
  • Make sure your cellphone is always charged. Cellphones have been the lifeline between family and friends during this disaster. It has been the way that people have been able to communicate where they are and if they are safe. (I need to get better at this, but make sure your carry your cellphone around with you)
  • Find out how to turn off water, electricity and gas at the mains.
  • Put a pair of shoes by the bed. This will save you from standing on glass in the middle of the night.
  • Put a torch by your bed as well.

Things that you can do this week:

  • Get a list of items you need for survival kit, or do a stock take of your current survival kit. You should have items to last you 3 days. You can get lists online. Here is one from Get Ready, Get Through.
  • Find out what the emergency procedures are for your child’s school or preschool.
  • Get an emergency pack together to keep at your desk at work. This should include sturdy shoes (so you can walk home from the CBD), water, torch, radio with batteries, (a crank torch, radio and cellphone charger could be  a good investment), jacket, sun hat, energy snacks, whistle, dust mask, glow stick and a little first aid kit. A lot of workplaces have Civil Defence supplies, but if you are trapped under your desk, or you leave the building in a hurry, you may not be able to access the office supplies.
  • Talk to your family about an emergency plan. Get Ready, Get Thru has lots of good info, and a Household Emergency Plan template.
  • Get torches, candles and matches in an accessible place. Can you get to them in the dark? Do you have extra batteries?
  • Collate all your important documents together, in a place that is easy to get to. Insurance, passports, birth certificates, hard drive of photos.

Things you can do this month:

  • Get a 72 hour kit together. Don’t forget medication and sanitary napkins. Include sanity items, like mini games for the kids, and chocolate! I know people who kept their 72 hour kit in mini suitcases they can roll along. This way they could just grab it and it contained their 72 hour kit, sleeping bag and water. (If you can try and track down some long-life food/military food/freeze-dry food, it will save you from having to change over the food so often)
  • Put a survival kit together for the car. We don’t know where we will be when a disaster will hit. (This is in addition to your jumper leads, jack etc)
  • Gather items for an emergency toilet. Plenty of toilet paper, bucket or shovel and plastic bags.
  • Get a 20 litre container. So you can collect water from distribution points in an emergency.
  • Get a gas cooker with extra gas canisters if you don’t own a BBQ. Usually after an emergency you will need to boil water.
  • Get a corded phone. With no electricity after a disaster, cordless phones will not be able to work.
  • Get a bucket to collect rainwater.

Things you can do this year:

  • Put aside a couple of things for your storage cupboard each week. Give you and your family the peace of having a full pantry so you do not need to rely on supermarkets after a disaster.
  • Save up and buy a tent.
  • Refill empty juice and fizzy drink bottles with water and store them. Not milk bottles.
  • Do a first aid course.
ROBYN EDIE/ Southland Times

A clock on the Christchurch Art Centre which stopped at about the time of the quake – 12:54

NZ is mourning for Christchurch

Posted on by Mika
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Christchurch – Then and Now Images:  NZ Herald

The whole of New Zealand, and people from around the world, are mourning for Christchurch.

As you meet people, you know what is on their mind, because it is on yours too.

We are worried, and we feel so sad for everyone in Christchurch.

I find that in quiet moments, it is hard to think about anything else.

You can see in this footage of a CCTV in a supermarket, how ferocious the earthquake was.

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/supermarket-cctv-footage-moment-earthquake-struck-0-12-video-4039048

Then, you read first hand accounts of what people went through, and you can’t help but wonder how you would have handled it, if it happened to you.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4693057/The-day-the-earth-roared

Air New Zealand has graciously provided cheap flights to and from Christchurch. This site, is constantly being updated.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/christchurch-earthquake-update

Go to this comprehensive page for all sorts of information. Like how to donate (which is what they really need right now), and information about who to contact if you are worried about friends and loved ones. This page is also kept up to date with new information.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4692248/What-you-need-to-know

Also from the site, they included some important information, that we could all could benefit from:

ARE YOU READY?

  • Ensure that you have an emergency survival kit and work out where the best place is to store it.
  • Identify safe places in your home or workplace – such as under tables or beside walls – where you can quickly get to when a quake hits.
  • Check your household insurance policy for cover and amount.
  • Discuss ways to get in touch with family, and plan for reuniting.
  • Arrange authorised people to collect children from school and provide the school with a list of these people.
  • Establish a meeting place in case your house becomes unusable or family members are separated.
  • Allocate tasks for those at home, such as turning off power, checking on neighbours.
  • Do a first aid course.
  • Know where your nearest civil defence centre is.

IF A QUAKE HITS …

  • Whether inside or outside you should stop, drop to the ground and cover your head with your hands.
  • If inside a building, try to get under a doorway or table, but only if it is less than two metres away, so you are not hit by falling debris.
  • If driving, immediately pull over and stop.
  • If you are at the beach or near the coast, immediately after the quake move to higher ground in case a tsunami follows.
  • If in a damaged building, try to get outside and find a safe, open place.
  • If there is a smell of gas or electrical sparks or broken wires can be seen, try to turn off gas and power at the mains.
  • Listen to the radio for information and advice.
  • Do not go sightseeing to look at the damage that the earthquake has caused.
  • If your property is damaged, take notes and photographs for insurance purposes.

Peace be with you all xoxo

You are in our hearts and prayers, Christchurch..

Posted on by Mika
2

Christchurch Cathedral ruinedChristchurch Cathedral Image: NZ Herald

I heard the news that Christchurch had suffered a devastating earthquake after hopping onto Facebook today.

I switched on the TV, hoping to find out more information. Both TV1 and TV3 had dedicated their channels to covering the earthquake.

It was grim.

Buildings flattened, cars squashed by falling debris and injured people. Unlike the Christchurch earthquake in September, this time we had fatalities…

The latest update was there were 65 confirmed dead, with the number expected to rise.

Christchurch is the beautiful city that my husband and I went on our 10 year anniversary last year.

To see the places that we admired, reduced to rubble was heartbreaking. This is how I remember the Christchurch Cathedral:

Christchurch Cathedral Image: mkiwi.com

My Great-Uncle and Great-Aunt live in Christchurch, along with their children and grandchildren. I was relieved to hear my dad had been able to get in touch with them, and that they are well. What a relief. Through Facebook, I was able to find out that other friends in Christchurch were safe.

Social media like Twitter, news websites, Facebook etc have been able to keep worried New Zealanders up to date of the news coming out of Christchurch.

There was even a Twitter and Facebook request to Wellintonians, asking if they had spare beds for those stranded at the Wellington airport. Within 10 mins, another update informed us that accommodation had been arranged for everyone that needed it.

Late into the night, TV1 and TV3 continued their coverage on the earthquake. I was in awe as I watched first hand the rescue workers and civilian rescuers, risking their own lives to try to assist others in need. True heroes.

My older daughter was told about the earthquake at school by one of the teachers. After dinner, the kids started talking about what they would do in an earthquake. Who would get them if they were at school when an earthquake happened? What if something happened to mum and dad? Would an earthquake happen tomorrow? Would one happen tonight?

Such a time of uneasiness and worry, especially for those who are directly impacted by the earthquake.

Our hearts and prayers are with you. xoxoxo

FYI:

Info from Air NZ

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/christchurch-earthquake-update (Good on you Air NZ!!)

Special airfares and additional flight capacity

All available fares on Air New Zealand domestic services from any point on the domestic network to/from Christchurch for booking and travel through until 8am Friday morning are available for $50 one way. These can be booked via the Air New Zealand website and call centre.

In addition, Air New Zealand will operate a return Auckland-Christchurch service tomorrow utilising a Boeing 747-400, with seats available at the $50 fare.

Times for the special additional flights are as follows:

  • Depart Auckland 10:30, arrive Christchurch 11:50
  • Depart Christchurch 13:20, arrive Auckland 14:50

My heart goes out to you

Posted on by Mika
1

Just finding it hard to write about anything this week, when my mind has been consumed with all of the hardships that individuals, families and communities have been going through.

In my community we are not effected by flooding, in my family we are not reeling from the sudden death of a husband, and as an individual I am not dealing with breast cancer….but it is the reality for some….their new kind of reality.

My prayers and thoughts are with those who are suffering right now. I pray that you can find comfort at this difficult time in your lives. xoxoxo

 

 

2011: Being a better friend to..you!

Posted on by Mika
5

Like a lot of people, I have been thinking about goals and New Year’s Resolutions lately. Ideas have been swirling around in my head over the past week, but I have not been able to settle on anything…until the idea that felt right, came to me today.

I have decided that I am going to be a better friend to myself.

I want to be a friend who:

encourages you to follow through with ideas
makes you see sense
encourages you to make good decisions
helps you stay organised
reminds you to be kind to yourself
sees your potential
keeps you focused on your dreams
tells you to smile more
reminds you of your priorities and keeps you on track
knows when you should let go
encourages you to be unique and yourself
challenges any negative thoughts or attitudes
helps you gain clarity by giving you the space to really think
is your biggest fan
and makes you a good hot chocolate when you need it…(yum!)

Here’s to 2011!!

Happy New Year!

Posted on by Mika
1

Hope you are relaxing into 2011! (I have been in my pajamas ALL DAY, and it was fabulous!)

I probably won’t be on here very often during the school holidays, but I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year!!!

Thank you so much for coming by and reading my blog, I really appeciate it!!

Housework and Fun?? It is possible!

Posted on by Mika
3

What is it about the New Year looming that make us scrurry to get our houses in order before New Years Eve?

If you are like me and have been enjoying the Christmas break tooo much but now the mess is getting under your skin, here is a post from New Year’s Eve last year. It really did work, with the kids help, we got the house in order and had fun at the same time!

Can you guess what I’ll be doing today?!

It’s been a great week of relaxing. Yesterday, we went on another of my favourite bushwalks in Khandallah that ends up at the Khandallah Playground.

This morning, hubby and I worked on our goals for the year.

Next, was getting the house back in order!

On small pieces of paper we wrote what job needed to be done and a fun a game. The aim was to do the job for 20 mins, then stop and play the game as a family for 10mins. We put all the pieces of paper in a container and took turns drawing out the job and associated game. This worked well for our children aged 8, 7 and 5…my 2 year old pottered around, and helped out here and there. It also kept me from getting overwhelmed by focusing on a small job rather than the entire house….oh! and focusing on the game at the end didn’t harm either! We also took plenty of food breaks, and kept things light and fun!

This is what we got done today:

JOB: My youngest daughter’s room. GAME: Musical Statues

JOB: My son’s room. GAME: Hide and seek

JOB: Laundry. GAME:Trampoline

My hubby flipping the kids on the tramp

JOB: Kitchen. GAME: “Don’t eat the Prophet!” (An alternative to “Dont eat Pete” that the kids were taught at church. I have pictures of prophets that I scattered on the floor, then we put a lolly on each of the prophet’s face. One person covers their eyes or goes out of the room, while the group chooses one of pictures to be “it”.  When the player returns, they eat the lollies one at a time; but the minute they touch the picture that is “it” we all yell out “DON’T EAT THE PROPHET” OR “DON’T EAT PETE!” Their turn is over and the next player leaves the room. Continue until all have had a turn.)

JOB: Hallways. GAME: Tickle Monster

JOB: Family Room. GAME: Watched a DVD before bedtime.

Well, I’m off to play Guitar Hero which we rented to rock in 2010!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.

I also appreciate your lovely comments, I love reading them!

See you all in 2010!

Repost from last year http://jugglingmotherhood.com/2009/12/31/fun-and-housew…it-is-possible/

Christmas 2010 Highlights

Posted on by Mika
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Going to the Telecom Tree on Christmas Eve with the Family.

Then, heading over to join the big crowd outside the house in Oriental Parade, to try and make enough noise to make the sound activated Christmas lights light up.

Watching the Nativity scene in the Joy to the World DVD on Christmas morning on our bed with the kids.

The kids made Christmas presents for the family this year. I loved seeing the excitement of the giver and receiver. A lot of thought and effort was put into the making of the gifts over the past couple of months. It was really special to see the kids show genuine appreciation when they received the presents. Probably one of my favourite parts of the day.

Our special banquet breakfast (lots of favourite food and drinks – kind of like our tradition of the birthday breakfast in bed, but we get to enjoy it all together, and it is at the table…rather than the bed….hehehe.)

Visiting family and loved ones.

Looking 4 months pregnant after finishing the amazing Christmas dinner that my mother prepared!

From our family to yours…may you have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Sad day for New Zealand…

Posted on by Mika
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We have been told that a second explosion ripped through the Pike River Mine this afternoon that had 29 men trapped in it. Their view is that there are no survivors.

My heart is so heavy.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the families and the mine workers  since the first explosion on Friday.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those men.

For more information: www.stuff.co.nz

 

Gotta Love Mood Lifters

Posted on by Mika
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I was going from shop to shop on Wednesday scouting for Christmas presents. I had 2 1/2 hours of childless time, so I was a woman on a mission.

Then in one of the shops, I heard the song “Forever” by Chris Brown….and I just smiled, and lingered in the shop until the song finished, because it totally made me think back to this YouTube video:

We need videos like this in our lives, that just lift our mood when we need it. I love the energy of the clip…fun, friendship and individuality.

Have you seen the parody?

If you want a quick “pick me up”, stop by Kira’s blog “Kissing the Joy“. On the right hand side of her blog, look for “Snippets of Life”, where she records funny things her children say:

Me: Grey, God has given you a great brain and amazing talents. If you work hard you can do anything you want.

Greyson: Like shoot lasers out my eyes?

Or this quote:

Me: Wow, my mouth is on fire.

Rowan (3): Oooooh, can I feel it?

Love it!

Good reads: Ezine Articles | Cheer Yourself Up: 25 Instant Mood Lifters


Sunshine equals Possibilities

Posted on by Mika
7

I woke up this morning to this:

So when my friend suggested we go here:

I jumped at the chance, so our kids could do this:

And this:

And watch this:

I started the day with a nice sunny walk to school with the kids. (My poor wee boy, was running ahead of us and totally fell! Scratched up his knee and elbow pretty bad…was such a brave boy!)

Oriental Bay was lit up by the beautiful sun, and had a slight chill in the breeze, but Wellingtonians aren’t picky! We make the most of whatever sunshine we get.

After school, we went to the Grenada Village Playground, and the weather was gorgeous! If I didn’t have to drop off my daughter’s friend back home by 5pm, I don’t know when we would have left.

Then to top off the day, it was still light outside at 8pm!

After a late dinner of homemade sushi, the kids all bunked in one room together and conked out soon after.

Another serving of today please!

Borne Naked Handbag Liner Winner!

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I pulled my son aside tonight, and asked if he could help me draw the winner of the Borne Naked Handbag Liner giveaway. (Read about my Handbag makeover!)

He took his job very seriously.

He collected all the names and shuffled them up.

He looked away as he drew out the name (even though he didn’t understand why he hand to do that.)

I got butterflies in my tummy as I wondered who he was going to pick out.

Then out came the name, Lizza! Congratulations! (Then I had to stop my son from drawing out another name!)

Thank you for entering the giveaway! 

Lizza, your Borne Naked Handbag Liner is all wrapped up and ready to be delivered to you!

That was then, this is now…

Posted on by Mika
7

You know what is ironic, October last year I produced the MOST posts, ever. 41 posts apparently! It is now 21 October 2010, and I have managed 5 posts! :P

Having 2 weeks away on holiday and away from “life” has been fabulous. Now I’m just trying to get through all the things that were on hold.

The time that I usually spend blogging has been used to organise the home (my new favourite past time…for the moment!) and going out in the evenings or chillin’ with my hubby. All good stuff…but how to balance everything?!!? (Let me know if you find the answer!)

So what have been my highlights this month?

  • Spending time with my best friend in Melbourne.
  • Watching the kids have the time of their lives with our family in Auckland.
  • Have a déjà vu moment, as I watched the kids go out with my brother, in the inflatable row-boat that we used as children.

  • The arrival of my very first order from Amazon UK. I purchased the latest BBC Series of Jane Austen’s Emma. So good ;)

  • Michal’s Aunty and Uncle are down from Hamilton with their kids to be the supporting act of Justin Williams’ Tour. Since they are staying with us, we have been able to catch up with them, which is always nice.

I had a read of what I wrote in October 2009, and it was fun reminiscing. Here are a few highlights:

  • I attended ULearn09 in Christchurch along with other educators (Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary sectors) to learn more about how we can use technology to enhance our children’s learning. I also got to meet Margaret Carr (she helped develop the Early Childhood Curriculum of New Zealand).
  • I shared how I had a problem with the sock monster, and then got some wonderful advice. (I am happy to say that I no longer have a problem with socks, now that I buy multiple pairs of the same coloured sock for each child. As well as using a mesh laundry bag to contain all the socks, which I pop straight into the washing machine, and then into the dryer.)
  • I shared our super easy Chocolate Crunch recipe. I love it because it is delicious, makes a big batch and I always have the ingredients on hand in the pantry.

I wonder what life will be like in October 2011?

Finding the rhythm again…

Posted on by Mika
3

Life has returned back to normal. We arrived home late Sunday evening (to a delicious Japanese dinner with my family in Wellington…YUM! Homemade gyoza, rice and miso soup…**swoon**) The older kids are back at school and my youngest and I have been pottering around the house for the last couple of days. I even escaped the housework and had a playdate (read: more of a playdate for the mummys than the littlies) on Monday which was loovely.

The trip away has really recharged my batteries and helped me to see the bigger picture of what is really important.

I just love my hubby even more!

Everyday I want to parent a little bit better than I did the day before.

I want to be more picky with how we spend our money, so we aren’t spending it on impulse buys, or junk that we don’t need.

I am finding homes for homeless objects in my house, and eliminating clutter.

Most of all, I want to stay and linger on the good moments. I want to soak them up, instead of focusing on what is lacking, or what is going wrong.

We were about to leave to pick up the kids from school, when I noticed that a couple of lights in the car were left on (those with toddlers can probably relate!). Yes, the car battery was flat.

So, I whipped out the pram, whipped on some comfortable shoes and we quickly walked to school, and made it just after the school bell.

I was grateful it was a nice day so we could walk, and we weren’t too rushed.

I was grateful that we had a good pram, even though it kind of clicks as I push it along.

And even though there were challenging moments with each of the kids today, I didn’t lose my cool and it worked out in the end. I am grateful for that.

One of my favourite things about blogging, is how it helps me to reminisce on all the good moments of the day.

Oyasuminasai (Translation: Goodnight in Japanese)

 

Back in Kiwi-land

Posted on by Mika
6

I’m sitting here listening to the squeals of delight from my 3 year old daughter playing with her 5 year old cousin.

(Just as I finished typing that, my daughter fell and cried. Doh!)

After cuddles, she went right back to playing with her cousin like nothing happened. Typical huh.

So, I’m back in New Zealand with my kids! Yay! We are in Auckland with my brother’s family in the North Shore.

I flew in from Australia yesterday…and boy do I get anxious before I fly (and when we are about to take off, and land!)

Ever since I had children, I get all sorts of horrid thoughts of leaving my children motherless whenever I have to fly. Lots of prayers said yesterday! So grateful to be back safely with my kids.

I have been spoiled with the check-in kiosks and the online check-ins. It took 30mins to check in with Air NZ at Melbourne Airport.

Then we had to weave through another line to go through the x-ray to check for liquids in our carry ons (although the guy walking around with a  mic and speaker was pretty entertaining…he sounded like the voice over guy from the game shows, he was informing us about what liquids to declare etc…He was tipped that someone was having a birthday, so he got everyone to join in on singing happy birthday to him.)

Then it was onto the horrid line to clear customs (no smart card here!). I wished I had an audio book to keep me company and a portable fan..hot!

Although the silver lining was that I allowed enough time for all the lines and I got to see Eric Bana from the Time Traveller’s Wife lining up at the express lane at customs. YEEES!

Cruising Fitzroy, Melbourne

Posted on by Mika
6

On Saturday, we spent the whole day in Melbourne in a place called Fitzroy.

It is an amazing place.

Looking down the street, I kind of felt like I was in the middle of Newtown, Wellington with the old buildings dotted along the side of the road.

Fitzroy also reminded me of being back home at Cuba Mall in Wellington. It has the same laid back atmosphere, where one’s individuality is embraced. I love Wellington because it is so eclectic…but it has nothing on Fitzroy. I loved the people who looked like they stepped out of a 50′s movie with bright red lipstick and Katy Perry hairstyles (except they weren’t dyed purple like her). Shelly made friends with the guy who was giving out the pamphlets for the Rose Street Markets.

One thing I noticed when we first arrived, was the Graffiti! I have never seen anything like it!

I think businesses decided to get graffiti art because that is the only way they can avoid being targeted.

The main reason we ventured out to Fitzroy was because of the Rose Street markets.

It is a great place to pick up one-of-a-kind pieces of art and meet the creators.

Shelly and I fell in love with the jewellery by Nicole from Emerald Green Submarine.

We were drawn to the beautiful photographs at this table.

We found out the images were photographed by this lovely guy, who takes them whenever he is overseas on a volunteer project. His passion was contagious. All profits go towards Orphfund.com. I am excited about having a photo that has such a meaning to it.

We walked up and down Brunswick Street to see if we could find somewhere that would be the perfect place to rest our feet and indulge in some delicious food. We stumbled across the Vegie Bar, and were taken to their outdoor courtyard at the back. It was just right! Once again, fabulous service, and yummo food!

Brunswick Street is filled with loads of interesting shops. It was so much fun window shopping.

We had a relaxing drive back to Geelong after a full day. This is a photo of the Westgate bridge.

Loving the Geelong Waterfront

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8

We ventured out to the Geelong Waterfront yesterday…it was a beautiful crisp day.

They have a gorgeous vintage carousel that has been restored (24 out of the 36 horses are original, and each horse took 300 hours to restore! Yikes!). I think I enjoyed riding the carousel as much a the kids!

I love ferris wheels, so jumped at the chance of going on the Sky Wheel to enjoy the amazing views.

After having a picnic by the seaside, it was off home to relax.

Then my friend and I did some late night shopping down at the mall.

It is a bit of hoot shopping with my friend. We are opposite body shapes, and colour pallets. So, if something doesn’t look good, we end up chucking it over the top of the dressing room to each other. Then there is the constant visits to each others changing rooms to check out our potential purchases. The giggles, the walking of the “runway”, the critiquing and even more laughter.

The fun night of shopping was topped off by re-visiting the waterfront to go to the The Warf Shed Cafe. The staff were awesome! The food was amazing! The ice chocolate was to die for (a real scoop of ice cream inside and a generous topping of cream on the top ladies!)

Then we drove past the ferris wheel that was now all lit up with colours that changed from green to blue to red…beautiful!

If you bump up your aperture and try to hold the camera steady on the car, you get this: