That's RIGHT...

...we're eating watermelon in January!

Poor Cooper was left inside the house.

Brooklynism

We went to Toowoomba this weekend and we drove past a building with big letters that said, "CHINESE MEDICINE." Kayla read it out loud with a question in her voice and Brooklyn said, "yeah, medicine for Chinese people in case they get sick."

New Blog Challenge

I have started a new blog to help keep me motivated in my qwest to lose weight. I have set it up as a challenge and EVERYONE is welcome to sign up. There are prizes and money to be won. You can use any diet and workout plan you choose, just make sure that you choose wisely so as to not hurt yourself. Head on over here and sign up, I promise you won't regret it.

Laundry Soap

I am becoming very domesticated again. I realized lately how much I have missed making things homemade. There is such a sense of pride and accomplishment knowing that one can be self-sufficient. I decided to try my hand at making my own laundry soap. It didn't turn out quite how I had hoped, but have been reassured that it will be fine to use. I will have to experiment with a different bar soaps. James's cousin Jenn makes her own laundry soap and loves it. I will post the recipe here, but you might want to take a look at her blog as she gives some really good suggestions. Leave lots of comments for her so that she will start blogging again and we can all bask in her wisdom.

Laundry Soap Recipe:

1 quart (4 C.) water

2 C. grated bar soap (like Fels Naptha, NOT Dove)

2 C. Borax

2 C. Washing Soda

*You will need a pretty big pan.

*Bring water to a boil.

*Add finely grated bar soap. Stir until bar soap is melted. You can leave the stove burner on low if you want while the soap is melting. Shut heat off completely.

*Add Borax and Washing Soda. Stir until all is dissolved. Or at least pretty close.

*Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed. In my experience it works better to add hot water rather than cold. Hot water from the tap works well for me.

*When cooled you can add some of your favorite essential oils.

*Put into final, covered, container.

*Use between 1/4 and 1/2 cup per load depending on how dirty your laundry is.

*Have fun!

I used tea tree oil and it smells incredible. I made half of this recipe and have enough laundry soap to last us at least a month and only spent $4-50. Good luck and let me know if decide to give it a try.

Mating...not just for animals on the telly!

We were watching a show on the telly about some kind of animals. I wasn't really paying attention. I guess they were talking about mating rituals and things. Sierra said, "Oh, I get it. Mating is having babies, right?" I said, "yeah something like that." She watched the show for a few more minutes and then said, "Ewe gross!" I looked up to see what was on and asked what was so gross. She said, "so that means that you mated with dad FOUR times." She continued to shake her head for a while and then said under her breath, "you probably still mate. Yuck!"

I just don't know what to say to that. I chose not to say anything. Now Brooklyn is asking what tampons are. What happened to my innocent little babies?

Has it really been a decade...

...since the Y2K scare? It is amazing how much has happened in the last 10 years.

In 2000 James and I were sealed as a family for time and eternity in the Boise, ID Temple. We took our first trip to the Pacific Ocean with the in-laws and James' brothers, sisters and grandparents. I think that there were 19 of us at the time and we all stayed in the same house on the beach in Oregon. Lots of drama and lots of fun! James graduated with his associates degree in engineering and got a job in Gillette, WY. Much to our dismay we found out we were pregnant with baby number 4. Sierra was only 9 months old, James was leaving for 3 months for training, and we were getting ready to move. It was a lot to handle. If only I knew what was in store for us. We packed up our car and moved to Wyoming the day after Christmas.

The first few weeks of 2001 were spent living in a Best Western. Not my idea of a good time! Brooklyn was born May 22. What a blessing she turned out to be. In September we moved to Evanston, WY. It was nice there, we liked only being 4 hours from home. Close enough to go and visit for the weekend, yet far enough away that we were not seeing them every weekend. James’s Grandpa Gibbons passed away in November. I don’t remember him much. We were not very close with him. I do remember that he was intrigued with the fact that my dad worked for the USGS.

In 2002 we moved from one side of town to the other after the guy we were renting from decided that he was going to sell the house we were in. We met some really great people because of that move. James’s Grandpa Leavitt passed away in August. He was an incredible man and is missed every day. He welcomed me into their home and family with no questions asked after we found out that we were pregnant with Tyler. I never felt like I was out of place there and he will never know how much that has always meant to me.

Tyler was baptized in May of 2003. James found himself working a lot in the Rock Springs, WY area and requested that we be transferred there. We ended up finding a town house in Green River, WY. We found out that my cousin lived there and it was nice not having to move to a place where I didn’t know anyone. James spent the latter part of the year ill. He was having constant tension headaches and we could not find a cause. He was not allowed in the field and we were having a hard time making ends meet, especially at Christmas that year. It was the first time that we saw the graciousness of others. We have always been blessed by others but this was the first time that we were truly in need and it was just there. One night the doorbell rang, I went down to answer it and there was a box of fruit and a nice big ham and a turkey. A few nights later we received another ham. We also got a free dishwasher that year just because a guy was moving and didn’t want it anymore and the crossing guard knew we had 4 kids and no dishwasher. She told him about us and her husband and a friend dropped it off for us. A life saver indeed!

I decided to go back to school in January of 2004. James changed employers a couple of times and then found one that he really liked. The doctors got him on the right meds and he quit having the headaches all the time. My Grandpa Campbell passed away in March. I regret not getting to know him better. I will always remember how hard he worked to make sure that we had a good time while we were at their house. He always took us camping and we loved it. He also made the best raisin filled cookies ever.

For most of 2005, James worked in Sheridan, WY 5 days on and 2 off. We saw him on the weekends and that was it. I went to school and played single parent. Kayla was baptized in February. We were able to take the kids to Disneyland. We loaded up our Ford Windstar minivan, complete with the wagon on top and made the journey from Green River to Las Vegas to San Diego to Los Angeles and back in one week. We had a blast and learned a lot! Can’t wait to take them again, we’re flying next time. James, his brother Paul, their dad and Tyler all went to South Dakota and hunted bison. In December we were transferred to Casper, WY.

2006, I continued going to school. We traded off the poor van and bought a Ford Expedition. In August we took James’s parents and niece Emily to the Oregon Coast for a week and had a great time. We loved every minute of living in Casper and then we got the call. You know the one where they offered James an awesome promotion. We were excited; it meant that James didn’t have to be in the field anymore. Then we found out that it was in Vernal, UT. We hated living there, but are grateful for the experience. Without it we would not be where we are today, right?

In March of 2007 we got the best news ever. There was a management position open in Casper. James applied and was chosen. So, we packed up and moved again. We bought our first house. I discovered my love of photography. Met my very best girl friend in the whole world, she just didn’t know it yet. Worked on remodeling our house; which became a never ending project. Sierra was baptized in the middle of a blizzard in December.

2008, gas prices started to rise above $4 a gallon and James panicked. We traded off my beloved Expedition on another minivan. I was accepted into the coveted nursing program at Casper College. James took a job with GE and we bought the most fun car ever, a Subaru Forrester. Continued remodeling our house. We went to Red Fish Lake Lodge with James’s entire family. Oh the drama! Gotta love family. I started the nursing program and found that I hated it and decided to take another path. I just have not found that path yet.

Finally 2009. If we knew what this year had in store for us, we would not have believed it. James and I went through a really rough patch. We were able to work through it and rediscover what we loved about each other. It was wonderful falling in love all over again. We went to Red Fish with the most of the family this year and Brooklyn was able to be baptized in Little Red Fish Lake. Continued remodeling our house. Then James got a call from the HR manager for Weatherford International saying that there was a job open in Australia that she thought he would be perfect for. He told her send his resume and then figured it would just get put at the bottom of the pile like all of the other international jobs he has applied for. The next day he got a call from the Business Unit Manager and was told that he was the best candidate. The next night he got another call saying that the job was his if he wanted it. We finished up the remodeling, put the house on the market, and started selling our stuff. James left in July to begin our new adventure. The kids and I followed in November. The house is currently under contract again and we are looking for a more permanent residence to move into.

2010 is going to be the beginning of the best decade ever. It just has to be, we live in Australia after all!

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

We received so much rain yesterday that it started flooding out many of the streets and McDonald's even closed early. We went for a drive, because we are the crazy curious Americans, and there were toads all over the roads. James had fun hitting them. Don't feel too bad they are all poisonous, so the locals have told us to kill them and throw them out so that the kids and dog don't get sick. The best thing to come from all the rain was the cooler weather. It is so nice today in the 70s. The girls and Cooper even had a blast dancing in the rain. Love it!!!

For the Birds...

We took the kids down to the 'Big Rig' and walked through the museum of Roma's oil patch history. It would have been more interesting if we didn't already know about how the oil field operates. The most fun part was at the end of the tour. We were able to purchase duck food and the kids got to feed all of the birds. It was the first time for the girls to have them eat out of their hands. We are now sitting at home enjoying a much needed, beautiful summer thunder storm. Ahhhh, cool air :)

Only 363 more days until Christmas!

This holiday season has been a strange one for us this year. This has been the first time that any of us have celebrated Christmas in the heat and without snow. It all started when I went to the store to buy ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner and either couldn't find them or didn't want to pay $65 for a 12 pound turkey. Since our stuff has not arrived we were not going to have a tree this year and it felt so strange. I was just not is the Christmas spirit this year. Especially with everything that has seemed to go wrong lately. Then, James was going through one of the storage sheds out at the base where he works and happend to find a 4ft tree. We bought some lights for it and the girls made some paper decorations. It was the best tree we have ever had. I happened to find the lens for my camera that went missing. I tore the house apart looking for it and we just assumed that someone had taken it off the counter in the kitchen where I left it. It turned up just sitting in plain sight on the floor in my room just barely tucked under James's night stand. I can't tell you how many times I looked there. Our neighbors just down the street, who are also members, called the Mission President and got the ok to get permission from the General Presidency to start up a branch here so that we don't have to drive for 3 hours to Dalby every week. Our house in Casper also went under contract again last week. Everything is starting to fall into place and our prayers ARE being answered. I have truely been reminded of the reason for the season and we have all been so blessed this year. I hope that all of you find the blessings and comfort that you are in need of. Merry Christmas!

The giant sugar cookie that Sierra made for Santa. He even forgot to eat it this year until the kids came in to wake us up. He rolled over and said, "Sh!t, do you know what I forgot?' I said, "no, what?" Then we heard the girls say, "Santa didn't even eat his cookie." That was his ONLY job before coming to bed.

They even wrote these nice notes to him!!!

Crazy girls modeling their new pj's from Grandma and Grandpa Campbell.

Christmas songs...Aussie style!

Australian Jingle Bells
Dashing through the bush,
in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust,
esky in the boot,
Kelpie by my side,
singing Christmas songs,
It's Summer time and I am in
my singlet, shorts and thongs
*
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia
on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.
*
Engine's getting hot;
we dodge the kangaroos,
The swaggie climbs aboard,
he is welcome too.
All the family's there,
sitting by the pool,
Christmas Day the Aussie way,
by the barbecue.
*
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia
on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.
*
Come the afternoon,
Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce,
are swimming in their clothes.
The time comes 'round to go,
we take the family snap,
Pack the car and all shoot through,
before the washing up.
*
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia
on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Deck the Sheds
Deck the sheds with bits of wattle, fa la la la la la la la la
Whack some gum leaves in a bottle, fa la la la la la la la la
All the shops are open sundies, fa la la la la la la la la
Buy your Dad some sox and undies, fa la la la la la la la la

Deck the sheds with bits of gumtree, fa la la la la la la la la
Hang some deco's off the plum tree, fa la la la la la la la la
Plant some kisses on the missus, fa la la la la la la la la
Have a ripper Aussie Christmas, fa la la la la la la la la

Say g'day to friends and relies, fa la la la la la la la la
Wave them off with bulging bellies, fa la la la la la la la la
Kids and babies youngies oldies, fa la la la la la la la la
May your fridge be full of coldies, fa la la la la la la la la

Chop the wood and stoke the barbie, fa la la la la la la la la
Ring the folks in Abudabe, fa la la la la la la la la
Pop the stuffing in the turkey, fa la la la la la la la la
Little Mary's feeling ercky, fa la la la la la la la la

Rally rally round the table, fa la la la la la la la la
Fill your belly while your able, fa la la la la la la la la
Joyce and Joany, Dave and Daryl, fa la la la la la la la la
Sing an Aussie Christmas Carol, fa la la la la la la la la

Dry Christmas by Trevor Williams"

Sung to the tune of "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas"


I'm dreading another dry Christmas
Like all the ones we have these years
Where the tree tops burn and Fire Fighters yearn
To feel raindrops on there faces
- - -
I'm dreading another dry Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
With the bush fires burning so bright
And we pray for rain before Christmas night
- - -
I'm dreading another dry Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
We pray all the fire fighters will be alright
And they can all be home by Christmas night.

Six White Boomers

Firstly the introductory narrative.
Early on one Christmas Day a Joey kangaroo,
Was far from home and lost in a great big zoo.
'Mummy, where's my mummy? They've taken her away.'
We'll help you find your mummy, son. Hop up on the sleigh.'

The song commences here.

Up beside the bag of toys little Joey hopped,
But they hadn't gone far when Santa stopped.
Unharnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why,
Then he heard a far off booming in the sky.

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.

Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat,
Took his fur lined boots off to cool his feet,
Into one popped Joey, feeling quite okay,
While those old man Kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh.

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.

Joey said to Santa, 'Santa, what about the toys?
Aren't you giving some to these girls and boys?'
'They've got all their presents, son, we were here last night,
this trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight.'

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.

Soon the sleigh was flashing past right over Marble Bar,
'Slow down there,' cried Santa, 'it can't be far,
Come up on my lap here, son, and have a look around.'
'There she is, that's Mummy, bounding up and down.'

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.

Well that's the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had,
Curled up in mother's pouch feeling snug and glad.
The last they saw was Santa heading northwards from the sun,
The only year the boomers worked a double run.

Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers, snow white boomers,
On his Australian run.