26.10.13

Wow, I knew it had been awhile since my last post, but it has been over two months! Sorry about the long pause - I've been incredibly busy over the past few months. I suppose this blog is a bit of an indicator as to how much free time I have, and as you can see, I haven't had much of it lately!

I can't believe this year is so quickly coming to an end. So much has happened this year, and much of it has happened it the last several months. Let's see..... I've turned 30 years old, I've gotten engaged to my soul mate and love of my life, I'm about to start the final six units of my course, and I broke my first bone (just a silly middle toe, but it hurt like hell!). Oh, and to add to all of that, I have become an Australian citizen...... well, I suppose not quite for that last one. I've passed my citizenship test and my application has been accepted by the immigration department - now I am just waiting to attend a citizenship ceremony and take my pledge. But, until I do that, I am not "officially" a citizen. Just waiting to receive the letter to inform me of the ceremony date!

So, lots of milestones this year! In the more day to day things, life is pretty normal. I've been super busy with my studies and work, and trying to fit in some social activities whenever I can. We recently went to the coast with some mates over a long weekend, which was very nice. And summer is now quickly approaching, so Shaun and I look forward to lots of beach camping!

It's been awhile since I have spoken with some of you, so let me know when we can Skype! In the meantime, check out some photos over the last few months.....

xHB

21.08.13

Wow - I am so incredibly pleased right now! I just got my marks back from my Performing Arts unit and my Science and Environment unit - high distinctions for both!! And my final PA assignment came back with a smashing 90% and fantastic comments from my tutor. Seriously.... check this out....

"Reading your work made me want to be five years old again and in your class. I love your original and creative ideas and would employ you on the strength of this work.
You made good choices about what to present and your work is of a very high professional standard. Right from the start I felt confident that you have selected a specific age group, the theory supported your overview and introduction and the theme and experiences were developmentally appropriate. I congratulate you on your research and developing a good understanding of the theory before designing these experiences because this paid off with the integrated and playful nature of the experiences. It was very evident that you have a good understanding of how the Performing Arts in Early Childhood can create a learning context in which children can build new skills, understandings and knowledge.
The learning experiences indicate you will incorporate opportunities for children to generate, realise and respond within each area and will sustain and generate interest. This is a very competent assignment and I am confident that as an Early Childhood Educator, you will be able to engage the students in worthwhile learning and communicate this valuable information and knowledge to others."

Sorry, I know this seems like I am incredibly full of myself, but that's not how I intended. However, I am really proud that my hard work has paid off.... feeling so chuffed right now. Beer please!

xx

11.08.13

Just got back from a lovely stroll with Shaun - you can check out the pictures I took on my Flickr account. It was a lovely winter's day here in the nation's capital, so we made sure to get out of the house and enjoy it for a bit. Plus, we both needed a break from studies. Not much new to report on my end..... I do have a meeting with the person who will be my mentor teacher on my next prac - I will be teaching a Year 2 class. I'm already nervous, as the highest level I have worked with so far is kindy! Oh, and next week, I will be applying for my citizenship - I didn't think I would be very excited about, but I actually am! Tonight is fancy dinner night, and Shaun has decided to take over. He is making home-made pumpkin and pine nut ravioli with a sage butter sauce - can't wait to eat it!!! Hope you are all having lovely weekends, wherever you are in the world!

Much love, HB xx

4.08.13 - v.2

I finished the assignment! Feels so good to click the submit button - especially since the paper was nearly 7,000 words! Celebrating with a Coopers Sparkling..... and yes, those are delicious peanut butter cookies baking away in the background.

Coopers Sparkling.... or as Nit Nit once said, "A Boopers"!!

04.08.13

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of posts lately - I've been flat out with uni and work. So this will be a short one, as I have a massive project due later today and need to put the finishing touches on it before submitting. It's worth 60% of my final marks, so it has got to be good! Here is a picture from Friday night, featuring my lovely friend Kath. She works for the ANU and was putting on an event honouring Fred Ward, a brilliant Australian designer who created many beautiful pieces of furniture at the university. His style is minimalistic and absolutely gorgeous - Dad, I reckon you would really like some of his pieces. Kath helped put on a fantastic event, and there was free bubbly!

Happy friends on a Friday evening

13.07.13

Hey everyone! It certainly has been awhile since my last post, so I will try my best to fill you in on what's been going on over the past several weeks. Let's see, several weeks ago, I got very ill and was sick for about a week...... so that pretty much sums up 5-6 days of the past month! I had a really terrible flu bug and it was so awful. Feeling all good now, and hope that is my only sickness this winter! That week really put me behind with uni and work, so the next week or so was crazy busy, as I had two massive projects due for my course. But, I got everything done and submitted on time, and already found out I got an HD on one of the projects! Shaun's sister, Carolyn, came to visit after that and stayed for a week or so. We spent about 5 days in Sydney, and it was so much fun. It was really lovely to have her for a visit. And that pretty much brings us up to date..... nothing too exciting to report, as you can see. It's the weekend, and this Saturday has been pretty much a waste - Shaun and I had a few after work drinks last night, and then went to check out this Malay restaurant in the city that we had never been to. BIG MISTAKE!!! The food was not that great and we were both sick all last night - we both had really terrible stomach cramps and only slept for about 4 hours. Needless to say, we have felt like rubbish today and have not been very productive. I got a bit of cleaning and washing done, and we started on our taxes, but other than that, we've been pretty useless.

Oh, I am going to start using my Flickr account again, so if you want to see some snaps from the past few weeks, have a look here.

Hope you all are doing well, and would love to set up Skype dates soon!

xxHB

23.06.13

It's 8.43am on Sunday morning here, and I have already been awake for three hours! Couldn't sleep, so I've been up studying. Nothing like waking up when the moon is still full and bright in the sky! Oh well – at least I've been productive...... although I foresee an afternoon nap in my future!

15.06.13

So, I was wearing a pair of really old leggings this morning and decided to start ripping some of the tiny holes....... Why did I do this, you may be asking yourself? Well, I was really bored and it was a distraction from studying. Anyways, after I had ripped two massive holes in both legs, I showed Shaun and he very earnestly said, "Oh, that could be your Lady Gaga outfit. That's like something she would wear, right?"

This comment had me cracking up for literally 20 minutes. To be honest, I cannot stop laughing, even as I type this entry.

14.06.13

I should be spending the morning studying, but instead, I am outside photographing birds. I know..... I'm obsessed.

12.06.13

We've just had another wonderful long weekend here in Canberra, and this time, we headed over to beautiful Mollymook to spend the weekend with friends. We rented a gorgeous house right across from the beach and spent plenty of time lounging, eating, drinking, walking along the beach, and working on a gigantic puzzle. Oh, and our little baby friend Archie was there too, so there were plenty of cuddles to go around. We had such a great time, and the weather was beautiful for a winter getaway - plus, the coast house had a huge wood burning fireplace where we spent every night with wine and chocolate. I've put up a few pictures from the weekend for your viewing pleasure. What have you guys been up to lately?

xxHB

Sailboat on the sea

Not a bad way to spend a winter's day!

Gorgeous Mollymook Beach

Man of the weekend – Archie!!

Finishing up soup night

Shaun eating soup from the pot

Boys working on the puzzle

Puzzle Crew

3.06.13

                                  Hi there, lovely Talia – I miss you! xx

27.05.13

Last night's dinner - chickpea masala and rice, coconut naan breads, pappadums, mint yoghurt, mango chutney, and lime pickle. YUM!!

26.05.13

Well, it is now coming to the end of my last free weekend before my next study term starts. Overall, a good weekend - Friday night, Shaun and I walked down to our local shops to grab some cheap takeaway and a few beers for dinner and just chilled out at home. On Saturday, we did the usual cleaning, washing, shopping routine and then went over to our friends' house for dinner. We have known Kath and Paul for nearly two years now, and they have certainly become good mates of ours. Kath made a delicious creamy mushroom pasta for dinner and we brought over a fresh green salad. We had a few drinks and just spent the night catching up and listening to music. Today has been a pretty lazy Sunday, and we spent a lot of time eating! Do you ever just have those days when you are always feeling hungry? Well, today was like that for me. We started the morning with coffees and breakfast quinoa - my new fave breaky dish. You cook the quinoa in coconut milk with a bit of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then you add fresh fruit, toasted nuts and a drizzle of honey - delicious!! We ate leftover takeaway for lunch - I had ayam goreng (a Malay chicken dish) and Prawn had stir-fried veggies with rice. For afternoon tea, Shaun made his famous homemade scones with fresh cream and jam. We are currently making dinner - chickpea masala with rice and coconut naan breads. Can you tell that I love cooking and eating?!? We may even make an orange cake for dessert! Hope you all had enjoyable weekends, too.

xxHB

25.05.13

Seriously, it is pretty much a bird watcher's paradise up in here! Look who came to entertain me this morning..........

Mountain Rosella

Mountain Rosella

Eastern Rosella

Eastern Rosella

24.05.13

Today is starting off well for me - it is Friday, I have the day off from work and I don't have any studies to do. Plus, I had a lovely sleep in this morning. Looks like it is going to be another beautiful autumn day here in the Can. As I was sitting at my kitchen bar having a cuppa, I got to watch several beautiful king parrots munching away on some gum nuts in the gum tree right outside my flat - and of course, I took a few (okay, a lot) happy snaps.

23.05.13 – v.2

     An oldie, but a goodie – so happy to share my life with my best friend!

23.05.13

Really dig his style and wish he would officially release a full-length album. Apologies to those who may be offended by the language!

Jai Paul – BTSU

22.05.13

Just got my final marks for two of the units I just completed this term - high distinctions for both! Feeling rather chuffed at the moment. Think I will have a beer or two to celebrate!

05.05.13

Wow, what a busy few weeks it has been! If you've been reading my previous posts, you will know that I had a bit of a mental meltdown a week or so ago - the good news is that I am back on track, and only have one assessment left for this term. Working and studying is really full-on, and I suppose I will just have to accept the fact that a breakdown is bound to happen every now and then. I have two more weeks teaching at my prac school, and it has been a really good experience so far. I get along nicely with my mentor teacher, and she has provided me with so much positive feedback. Not to toot my own horn, but I do think I have been doing a really good job, and it has been nice to hear those positive comments from my mentor.

Today was an absolutely lovely Sunday. It was a beautiful autumn day, and we took a lovely stroll around the lake. We were having our friends Lauren and Rudy come over for lunch, and that means little Archie was coming over too! I was so excited to have a little baby visitor! He is so sweet and precious, and the five of us had a great afternoon. Shaun and I mad delish individual pies for lunch - cheese, semi-dried tomato and chorizo!! We served those with a  fresh green salad, and then for tea, we made an orange sponge cake with mandarin icing. We spent nearly six hours eating, having coffees, playing with little Archie and just enjoying the day together. I love Sundays like these!

How did you spend your weekend?


xxHB

Parliament House

Captain Cook Fountain on Lake Burley Griffin

Colours of Autumn

Saturday Sunset Spectacular

25.04.13

This study term is leaving me feeling nearly defeated. I am working so hard, but have so little motivation at the moment. I feel like all I ever do is go to work and study. Due to circumstances outside my control, I have had to take on a more than full-time study load this term, and it is so full on. Sorry for the depressing post - I'm just feeling overwhelmed.

23.04.13

I just found out that Urban Outfitters ships free to Australia! Plus, returns are only $5. This is very good/very bad.

22.04.13

   

Seriously, how can it be Monday again already? The weekend always goes by way too fast. I'm not ready for another work week – and even more studying! Thankfully, only four more weeks until this study term is over!!

20.04.13

I just finished and submitted a 22-page paper for one of my units - so happy to have that off my plate! Now, for a quick breather before getting stuck in to my next assignment. I will be so happy to finish this course next year!!

19.04.13

Some of you may recall that I have a bit of an obsession with taking photos of sunsets - and that obsession is still going strong. And if you have a look at some of these photos, I reckon you could understand why! We have the best views of the sunset from the patio of our flat, and I promise you that these photos have not been retouched or enhanced. These photos have been snapped over the last couple of weeks - some absolute crackers!

14.04.13

The other day, I was driving in the car, and the road I was on was a bit bumpy. My key chain was occasionally jingling against the steering column, and each time this happened, the noise sparked a very vivid memory in my imagination - one that I think I might share with some of my siblings.

Does any remember driving with Papaw in Rackety Boom, and hearing his key chain almost constantly clinking against the metal? This probably happened so much because he was always driving on the shoulder of the road. It is a sound that I instantly recognise, and as I was driving, I imagined myself as a young child, sitting in that truck, going somewhere with Papaw - maybe to another pasture, or to the service station up the road, or maybe even to that place where he played snooker..... I can't remember the name.

Anyways, I just wanted to share that little memory - and I would love to know if any of you remember it too!

12.04.13 – v.2

I have said it before, and I will say it again - I love the birds in Australia! Seriously, birds I see here flying around on an every day basis are the kinds of birds in pet shops in the US. These are a few of the birds I have seen outside my flat this week.......

The King Parrot - one of my all time favourites. I get to see these guys flying outside my window almost every morning!

The Galah - beautiful and pink

The Gang Gang Cockatoo - they make the strangest noises.... sort of like a creaky door opening and closing!

12.04.13

Jeez, I have been on a posting roll! My goal was one per week, but look at me now! Anyways check this out........

What the view from my house looked like this morning. Foggy Canberra Town!

What the view from my house usually looks like in the mornings

11.04.13

Last night, as I was about to head downstairs to go to bed, I saw a rather large spider on the wall. My natural reaction was to scream, "Shaun!! There's a huge spider - get it!" And that is pretty much exactly what I said. So, being the caring guy that he is, he catches it in a glass before taking it outside to let it free.

I was unsettled for the rest of the evening, thinking there were more spiders lurking in every corner. This featured spider is very common here, and it is called a huntsman. The name sounds rather daunting, but they are not poisonous, although they will bite you. I don't care whether it is poisonous or not, I DO NOT LIKE SPIDERS!!

Gotcha!

Dislike

The brave spider catcher

9.04.13

Before today, only overseas viewers have known about this little gem, but I have just told a dear friend in Perth to check it out - welcome to my silly, not frequently updated, little blog, Erica! I miss you! xx

8.06.13

I meant to add this one to the picture montage, but forgot! So, we all know the tradition of the easter bunny, but do you know about the easter bilby? Here in Oz, we definitely do!

6.04.13

Okay, so this one is a little bit late, but hey, better late than never, right? Last weekend was a long one (4 days!) due to the Easter holiday - so, we met up with our friends from Sydney, Dave and Siobhan, and headed down to Malua Bay. We had booked an apartment with an AMAZING sea-side view. Seriously, waking up every morning to the sound of the surf and only a 3 minute walk to the beach...... can you get any better?!? Anyways, we had a fantastic time - lots of good food, good wine, good weather, and good laughs with friends. We spent a lot of time down by the beach, and went to the local bowl-o for an afternoon of lawn bowls. Lawn bowls is similar to 10-pin bowling, but not quite the same. You play barefoot on the grass, and the aim is to get your ball closest to the white cue ball at the other end of the lawn. Needless to say, an afternoon of bowls and beers is exceptionally fun! Here is a picture montage of the weekend, taken with my new camera. It has some awesome built in filters, like sparkles, reflection and watercolour. I still don't really know how to use the thing, but its heaps of fun!

View from living room window!!

Malua Bay

Pretty flowers

Shaun rocking the pony!

Surfer Boys

Me and Siobhan, not looking impressed!

Alfresco dining with seaside view? Yes, please!

Obviously, we are not very good!