Busy. Moving.

Wow, what a weekend.  We did it!  We managed to move all of our crap stuff out of our house and into storage over the weekend.  Phew, glad its over.

Lucky for me I had Dijieri to entertain Dyllan for me while I packed up all the boxes.  She was such a help!!

We are now house/dog sitting for a friend in Balgawlah (a neighborhood that I would love to move to when we get back!) Between packing, working, moving, and shuffling around- we have still managed to have some fun.  Yesterday we went into Manly to celebrate Cam's birthday - with some yum cha at Manly Phoenix on the warf.  It was so refreshing catching up with friends and taking time to stop and celebrate a little- before getting back into the thick of the move.

Enjoying some yum cha!

"Somebody stop me!"

"More Please... boys?!  Pass the Yum Cha!"

Quick Drink with Sophie!.. then back to the food!

Cuddles for Birthday Boy

The Boys Side

The Girls Side

Manly Warf Bar 

"Be right back, Dad... just gonna go order us a round of drinks!"

Busy Busy Bug!

Pooped after Yum Cha and tons of attention!

Today- pooped after a big trip to the storage locker

The house we are staying at

Back yard... notice the dog in the lawn chair!!

living room

Sunny - the dog

Our friends are in Greece (Mykanos)  right now- they clearly love Greece- they have pictures like this all over the house!  Makes me feel almost like I am there... er... almost...

Tonight we are having Stacey and Bushy over for dinner.  They just got back from a trip to Bali-  can't wait to hear all about their trip!

Dyll Bug and I leave for Seattle THIS Thursday- So excited!  Well.. except for the dreaded flight over.. I am praying to god that this Phenergan (travel sleeping medicine) works and Dyllan actually sleeps for a while on the flight.  I dont think Dyllan has ever - in her entire life- fallen asleep in my arms.. haha.. not sure why I think she will all of a sudden.. on a flight.  But wish me luck anyway!

Ok back to work.. then groceries.. then dinner.  Can't wait to see some of you soon!!

How to be the Perfect Wife

This was taken from Helen B. Andelin's Fascinating Womanhood, published by Pacific Press in 1965. The course was designed to teach women how to be happy in marriage.

Dyllan's in "Perfect Wife" training

GET YOUR WORK DONE 

Plan your tasks with an eye on the clock. Finish or interrupt them an hour before he is expected. Your anguished cry, "Are you home already?" is not exactly a warm welcome.



Doing her chores- putting the groceries away






Folding the laundry






Sorting her laundry






Buried in laundry






Laundry, laundry and more laundry!!






Shaking the carpets










HAVE DINNER READY

Plan ahead, even the night before to have a delicious meal, on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.



Cooking up a tasty meal






washing the vegis







PREPARE YOURSELF

Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. This will also make you happy to see him instead of too tired to care. Turn off the worry and be glad to be alive and grateful for the man who is going to walk in. While you are resting you can be thinking about your Fascinating Womanhood assignment and all you can do to make him happy and give his spirits a lift. When you arise, take care of your appearance. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.






Getting her beauty rest







Just a quick power nap









Freshening up



Do I look pretty?!






Painting her nails



Diva Dyllan




Lookin good







CLEAR AWAY THE CLUTTER 

Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. in a bucket or wastebasket and put them in the back bedroom for sorting later. Then run a dustcloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order and it will give you a lift too. Having the house in order is another way of letting him know that you care and have planned for this homecoming.



Sorting out the junk drawers






cleaning the bathrooms






...more laundry






cleaning the tub















PREPARE THE CHILDREN 

Take just a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small) comb their hair, and if necessary change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them look the part.











oooo la la.  look at my flip flops




MINIMIZE ALL NOISE 

Especially give heed to this if your husband has to join rush hour traffic. At the time of his arrival eliminate noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet at the time of their father's arrival. Let them be a little noisy beforehand to get it out of their system.



"Shhhhhh"




BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM 

Greet him with a warm smile and act glad to see him. Tell him that it is good to have him home. This may make his day worthwhile. If there is any romance left in you, he needs it now.



Happy little ballerina 






















SOME DON'TS

• Don't greet him with problems and complaints. Solve the problems you can before he gets home and save those you must discuss with him until later in the evening.
• Also, don't complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as a minor problem when compared with what he might have gone through that day.
• Don't allow the children to rush at him with problems or requests. Allow them to briefly greet their father but save demands for later.

MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE 

Have him lean back into a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to massage his neck and shoulders and take off his shoes. Don't insist on this however. Turn on music if it is one of his pleasures. Speak in a soft, soothing, pleasant voice. Allow him to relax - to unwind.



LISTEN TO HIM 

You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first, then he will be a more responsive listener later.

MAKE THE EVENING HIS 

Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and to relax. If he is cross or irritable, never fight back. Again, try to understand his world of strain.

THE GOAL 

Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit. Then add to this the application of all the principles of Fascinating Womanhood and your husband will want to come home. He will rather be with you than with anyone else in the world and will spend whatever time he can possibly spare with you. Try living all of these rules for his homecoming and see what happens. This is the way to bring a man home to your side, not by pressure, persuasion or moral obligation.


HAHA- funny to think that people used to actually follow this guide.  Wow, times have changed.  It would be interesting to write one for today- and see how funny it would be years later... 

Packing up and Moving, Again!

Photo from here

Well once again, we are moving.  Its been so great living here in Mona Vale- with Lionel and next door to Yunny and Lozzo- it made the transition to Australia super smooth and easy!  They have been such a help- and so fun to be around.  But the time has come- to move again.  Dan's new job is in Bondi- which is about an hour - an hour and a half (depending on Traffic)  drive or bike ride for him!  Just a little too far.  We are looking at moving to either Mosman, Freshwater, or Balgowlah.  Rent is insane!  Sydney is now the second most expensive city in the WORLD to live (Tokyo is #1) .  Hope we find something a bit bigger than my shoe box...

Its funny here - rentals don't become come online until either the weekend before they are available or when they are currently available.  So its made it kind of tricky for us to secure anything to move into when we get back.  I have been checking the real estate sites daily- talking with real estate agencies- and nothing.  No one has anything we can even preview for when we get back.  SOOO when we get back we will be moving in with some friends who have been super nice and are letting us stay with them until we find a place.  Fingers crossed we find something quick.. Isnt the "stinky fish" rule only 3 days for house guests?!  Yikes!  

Anyway- I am off to get some packing done.  Just over a week until Dyllan and I head back to Seattle (Dan arrives Aug 18th)!  We can't wait!  Dyllan got her new Australian passport the other day and her 18 month shots today- so she is all set.  I dont know if I'll ever be all set and ready to fly 18 hours with Dyllan on my lap.. ugh.  Any tips?!  

Cant wait to start enjoying summer!