Paddington Markets and Good Vibrations

On Saturday we headed over to Oxford Street to The Paddington Markets for some shopping, music, food, and great people watching.   After the markets we headed over to Centennial Park to check out the crowds going to Good Vibrations- A music festival we have attended in the past- that attracts a bunch of great musicians all preforming outdoors on several stages.  Lots of fun!  We had a good time watching from afar this year. 

"Paddington showcases the very best of Australian contemporary art, craft and fashion, directly by the artists and craft makers themselves. Emerging design, art and fashion students compete for an opportunity to launch their creative talents on the Sydney art, design and fashion scenes.


Every Saturday, the markets come alive with 250 stalls selling unique collectibles and retro, the latest fashion styles, contemporary designed jewellery, home wares and original art. It is the creative mix of international artists that makes Paddington the market to visit on Saturdays in Sydney.

In the open-air, the market is situated in the grounds of the heritage-listed sandstone Paddington Uniting Church amidst the Victorian terraces and modern art galleries of Paddington. The Market is an integral part of the famous Oxford Street shopping strip. " ~ sydney.com

The Paddington Inn

Checking out the crowd heading to Good Vibes

Centennial Park

Visas Shmeezas and Wacky Wednesday's

Dyllan's passport photo, haha.




I have been pretty busy lately, working on my my visa application.  It is quite a bit of work, and it just doesn't seem to end.  Fortunately, I was able to get Dyllan's application for Australian citizenship turned in last week- so that at least one of us is legally here for more than 3 months.  See, Dyllan and I came over here as "tourists" with the intention of applying for our visas/citizenship once we arrived.  Dyllan's was easy- a little paperwork, certified copies of her birth certificate, passport, photo, and $120.  Mine, however, is much more complicated.  Before we left the US, I had to get FBI police checks and finger prints- and wait 6 weeks for the results.  Luckily, Dad was able to mail them to me, because we left before they arrived.  On top of an FBI clearance, I need to have a full health check (blood tests, xrays, the works- not to mention $310), 2 statutory declarations from Australian citizens

Oh, but it doesn't stop with the FBI clearance and health checks, the list goes on...

Here is my check list...

• Form 47SP- Application for migration to Australia by a partner (Me)
• Form 40SP- Sponsorship for a partner to migrate to Australia (Dan)
• Evidence that Dan is 18 or older- certified copy of birth certificate and passport
• Evidence that Dan can support me - pay stubs from the last 2 years, letters from employers, tax assessments
• Certified copies of all of our passports and birth certificates
• Certified copy of our marriage certificate
• 2 recent passport size photos of all of us- with certification on back
• Evidence of a genuine and continuing relationship
• At least 2 statutory declarations bu a supporting witness relating to a partner visa application- basically 2 Australian citizens supporting our claim that our relationship is genuine and continuing.
• Form 80 - Personal particulars for character assessment
• $2, 575 (yikes!)

Oh boy.. well the good news is... I am almost DONE!  Just need to finish my love story and wait for the FBI checks to arrive.  Phew! 

Thankfully, on Wednesday- Yunny offered to take Miss Bug off my hands for a few hours so that I could get some work done.  For as long as I have known Dan, his mom has taken her parents out every Wednesday for "Wacky Wednesday".  "Wacky Wednesday"  happens every week without fail- and usually consists of sitting down at a cafe for coffee and conversation, and many times followed by a little shopping at the "op shops" (second hand stores).  Over the years several people have tagged along on Wacky Wednesdays- good friends, other family members... so it was only fitting that the newest member of the family come along.  Dyllan had a ball.  She got her own seat, a "babychino" (milk), and lots of attention!  After coffee, they took Gaga (Marianne's dad) to the op shop for a new shirt.  I didnt see the one he came in.. but the new one looks pretty sharp!  It even had the tags on!

Gaga, Dianna (a good family friend who usually joins Wacky Wednesdays, Dyllan, Yunny, Granny)
Notice Dyllan's purse on the table.. full of snacks.

Just learned to wave to people.  Cant stop her now...

Playing with Granny.

A weekend away

haha, someones "Beach House" but not the Newton's
(go figure, I didnt even take a picture of theirs! But you can find a few pictures and information on their beach house- as they used to rent out the downstairs portion as a holiday accomodation)

This past weekend we ventured up the coast about 2 hours to the Newton family beach house at Caves Beach.  We left friday night and met Brenden and Libby up there.  Yunny and Lozzo joined us first thing in the morning, and Lionel came up after work Saturday evening.

As always, we got off to a slow start, and didn't make it up to Caves Beach until close to 10pm.  Everything takes longer with Miss Dyllan..  But we made it.  We put her new pack-and-play together (scored that at a garage sale the other week!) and put her to sleep, then pulled out a bunch of futons and blankets and plopped them in the middle of the living room to sleep on.   (Marianne and Laurie have just put the beach house on the market- so they brought most of the furniture down here to furnish our house).  We hung out with Brenden and Libby for a while, ate bananna paddle pops and drank wine- then went to sleep.

The next morning was stinking hot.  At 5:30am.  Dyllan woke up early (figures..) so Dan and I decided to take her on a jog.  Everyone outside thought we were nuts for attempting to run in the heat.. we just smiled and waved. 


Sunrise



an iguanna or something... creapy!

Brenden trying to catch the iguanna or lizzard .. acutally i think its called a blue tongue!

Looking down from a  bluff

Wiiiiiiiiiiillllllllsssssooooonnnn!!!
(reminded me of the movie Castaway..  haha!)



on some bluff



Caves Beach

After breakfast we headed up to Newcastle- where Carlye and I studied abroad our Junior year in college.  It was soooo fun being back there.  Just like old times.. well not really.  I didnt have my travel buddy with me.. or eat buckets of "hot chips" and "Lollies" while tanning on the beach.. But it was fun to see what's changed, and whats stayed the same.  I remember when Carlye and I first landed in Sydney- people would ask us where we were going and what we were doing.  When we told people that we were studying up in Newcastle- we would get this disgusted look and they would say "Whhhhhhhyyyyyyy Newcastle?!" Apparantly, Newcastle has been know as an industrial town- where ships come in and out- and there isnt really anything to do there.  I think its changed quite a bit.  In fact it changed quite a bit when we were living there too.  For example- they added a grocery story.. well not really a whole grocery store, just a little corner shop called "Nick the Grocer"  Thats where Carlye and I would buy our food.  We had to grocery shop because nothing was open past 5pm.  Not even subway.  It took a little getting used to, but we managed just fine.  For the most part, Newcastle looked just the way I remembered it.  And I loved being back.

Our old "terrace".  62 Church Street at the top of the second steepest hill in all of New South Whales...

A new restaurant on the waterfront.

The "dildo" tower and The Brewery (where we went on Thursday nights for live music)

The lighthouse

A bar called Customs- where Carlye and I visited frequently

Newtcastle Beach

Newcastle Beach - Surf Comp.

Homemade musli bars

Due to Dan's extensive Ironman training, and increased appetite- I decided I needed to make some homemade energy bars.  After one failed attempt I finally found a good recipe.  I ended up sharing them with the family- and they were gone in a matter of hours.  I think I better make another batch, now that I know the recipe is good.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (125mL) honey
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 125g butter
• 3 cups rolled oats (see note for GF)
• 1 cup rice bubbles
• 1 cup sultanas
• ½ cup chopped apricots or dates or choc chips
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels), sunflower or sesame seeds

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.  (350°F) 
• Grease and line a slice tray ( 31 cm x 22cm) with baking paper.  
• Combine honey, sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 
• Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
• Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.  
• Remove from heat.
• Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
• Pour over the hot syrup and stir to combine.  
• Spoon into prepared pan and press firmly to make sure the mixture will stick together.
• I wet my fingers with a bit of cold water and press the top to get a smooth finish.
• Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
• Cool and then refrigerate until well chilled and cut into 24 slices (about 2cm x 6cm).

ENJOY!  ... We sure did.

  

Notes:

• To make these muesli bars gluten free, use 2 cups of crushed cornflakes and 2 cups of rice bubbles.
• The mixture has a total of 1½ cups of dried fruit – use whatever combination you  prefer. 
• You could use half honey, half smooth peanut butter in the ‘syrup’ or add nuts to the mixture.

Popsicles and playdates

Since I have arrived in Mona Vale, I cant help but notice all the "mums" pushing strollers.  It seems like we have picked a perfect place to meet other (stay at home) moms and babies toddlers (after all, Dyllan is now 1 and considered a toddler.  I still think that's crazy!). 

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with a girl that Lozzo works with.  She is a part time math teacher at his school- with 2 kids ( a little older than Dyllan).   We were supposed to meet at the Flying Fox Cafe (a little cafe in the middle of the park down the street) at 9:00am so it wouldn't be too hot- but I was running late.. I quickly showered off after a walk (yes, even walking around here- you break a sweat!)  with Yunny and Benji and flew out the door.  By the time we got to the Flying Fox Cafe- I was covered in sweat (again), and Dyllan was screaming because she had rubbed sunscreen in her eyes- and had a reaction- red bloodshot eye with little red bumps on her face (I think she got the super sensitive eyes and skin from me!).  I took Dyllan to the bathroom to wash her eyes out- then introduced myself.  Great first impression. 

Luckily, Melissa was super nice- she didn't seem to mind- and even bought us coffee's and Popsicles.  Dyllan had never had a Popsicle before (why would she, in Seattle?!) and she absolutely loved it.  I handed it to her, expecting her to drop it right away and not know what to do with it.. but to my surprise, she grabbed it by the stick, and took a massive bite off the top.  She didn't stop there.. bite after bite, she snarfed the entire thing down before it even had time to melt (or give me a taste!).  Lately, Dyllan has earned the nick name "Miss Piggy"- this is another great example of why she is living up to her new nickname. 

Weeeeeeeee!

Going swimming

Its been so hot here.  I'm not complaining though, I would much rather be hot than cold.  I would take sunshine over rain or snow any day.  But lately, the forcast has read "Sunny. Hot. Humid."  (just like that).

The other night I decided to take Dyllan down to the ocean baths to cool off and go for a swim with her new fun island raft.  I don't know who was more excited to use it- me or Dyllan.

It was quite the trek down to the baths- its about a 20 min walk from our place to the beach- but this time the power was out, so all the traffic lights were out and crossing the main roads was a little tricky.  When I finally got there- I realized that although our stroller is great at off-roading- its probably not made for sand dunes.  After some hesitation I decided to go for it.. I bumped Bob, the sand buggy, down a long flight of stairs then onto the sand.  The sand was much deeper than I thought.. and the front wheel kept getting bogged.  I pushed with all my might-and got some momentum.  We made it.  The rest was a piece of cake.  I blew up the fun island, and off we went...

So excited to get out, she can hardly stay in her stroller!

Spotted.  The Pool.

Hang on, Dyllan... Im blowing up your raft.

Let me outa here!





Gimme my raft!

She LOVED the raft and the ocean bath- shes "buggered".