Santa's Little Helper

Wow, I'm way behind here.. Christmas was super busy, and didn't leave much time for playing on the computer.  Christmas was great- and I will be sure to share our Xmas stories and photos soon... stay tuned.  For now- here are a few of Santa's newest helper.  Dyllan Clause.

Santa Photos 2010, 2011

2010

** Yes, I know.. I need a scanner- and a printer.. its on my wish list...

Dyllan hasn't grown much hair since last year!  haha.  I love this years photo for so many reasons... first.. the obvious- Dan!  WHAT are you so excited about?!  Second.. Dyllan's face... "wooooowww" she's saying..at the bubbles being blown.. and third.. umm Santa... CHEER UP! and Chin up!  Didn't he go to Santa School?!  Both Santas in these pictures actually.. cheer up!  YOU choose this job...

A Christmas Party Weekend

 This weekend was filled with Christmas parties, friends, sun, and probably a little too much wine.  Tis the season, right?!   Friday night we laid low- Dyllan, Dan and I walked up to the local sushi train for dinner- then came home to watch a movie.  Saturday we went to our friends Cam and Sophie's place to hang out before heading to the Kelleher annual Christmas party.  The house was gorgeous- overlooking Manly beach.  Great food, good music, and lots of fun conversations.  Misses Bug hung out with Yunny and Lozzo- and enjoyed carols in the park near their house.

Christmas Speeches

Niamh, Sophie and I- sipping wine in the garden

Grilling some sausages! (just a few..)

Christmas Speeches 

Watching the speeches

Not a bad view from the grill

Grill Master Dan

The boys.. after the Christmas party- and before heading out to Kings Cross... here comes trouble

Jeremy and Niamh- pretending to be photographer/model

Here is Dyllan in the park- watching the Christmas carols set up

 a video from Lozzo's iPhone 

Instagram

Who's on Instagram?  For some reason- I only just discovered this app- by accident actually- as I was looking for a quick photo editor on my iPhone for our santa photos.  Instagram is great- you just download the app- upload your snapshots- and poof- you can instantly transform them into mini works of art (well, kinda..).  Little did I know- as I as fooling around with my photos on instagram- they were being shared publicly.  I was quickly notified (within seconds!) by Teri- as she "liked" each photo I uploaded- and sent me a message saying she was thrilled I was now on instagram.  HAHA! I had to call her immediately- and find out WHAT I had done.. and WHO was looking at my photos.  She laughed and explained that you can make your photos public or private.. and how its like a photo version of Facebook.  Well- I am hooked.  Ask Dan.. I am instagramming everything.. borderline annoying.. but oh well.  SO.. if you wanna see what we are up to.. every few minutes.. friend me on instagram (ericanewton).  Hope to see you there!  

Here are a few photos from the past few days.. plenty more where these came from..

My little maid helper

out on a walk with her backpack (leash)- Dyllan pulled a Mylo- sat down and wouldn't budge.  Oh well, made for a cute photo outside the corner mom and pop grocery.

Shelley beach- looking toward manly beach

Walking from Manly beach toward Shelley beach

Last Sunday- Santas were spotted EVERYWHERE!!  Wonder if this weekend will bring out even more Santas?!

Dyllans new obsession...  putting money into her piggy bank.  You have a long way to go Bug.. College is expensive! Gonna need a few more pigs.. and a lucky lotto ticket.

Bundled up in my rain coat - ready to make a dash for the gym.. no stroller, no umbrella, no rain coat.. pouring rain!  At least she got a kick out of it!

Christmas in Manly

Road our new bikes (and dyllan in her trailer) down to the beach for a picnic dinner

No, she hasn't fully graduated to the sippy cup.. maybe one day.. but her bottle is still her container of choice.

HAHA- she was zooming around the house with the trash on her head LAUGHING her head off !

Our tree- and citronella candle.. drinking cold wine on a warm night.. weird.  But loving it.

Real Estate Certification Accomplished

Over the last few weeks I have been working toward getting my real estate certification.. and I am pleased to report- I am now certified to sell real estate in New South Wales!  Woohoo!  Glad that is done- and I can focus on what to do with it- now that I am certified.

Im sure you're wondering- as am I.. now what?!  Its a toughie.. Ideally I would love to dive into the shallow end of the real estate swimming pool, splash around a little, work the hours I want- only 3-4 days a week- and have the weekends free.  Are you laughing???  Yes.. i know- I grew up knowing that when you are in real estate- there is no such thing as a set, reliable schedule... there is- as mom always said "real estate emergencies"- in all hours of the day- all days of the week.

So with all that said- my plan is to get busy and network- drop my resume into local agencies and try to meet some of the agents- in hopes that someone might need help a few days of the week- and I can learn the business here (there are some major differences - and some similarities- between real state here vs in Washington).  Did you know a common way to sell your house is by live auction?!  Imagine that..  I think I actually like it!  I am pumped to get my head into the game over here- but a little reluctant too- as I don't want it to consume all my time.

Its funny the way everything kinda lines up when you least expect them to- its almost as thought something is telling me to do this right now.. the Little Dove Daycare down the road (the one with a 2 year min. wait list) called the other day and said there was a spot for Dyllan if she wanted to attend.  Not to mention- I randomly met one of her (potential- future) teachers at a friends Christmas party... then got a call yesterday from an agency in Mosman - to come in Monday for an interview..   I haven't even applied anywhere.  I think they call this... "opportunity comes a knocking"... I better answer the door.

HAHA!! my desk at real estate class... complete with a bowl of candy- refilled EACH day!! Did they know how to please me or what?!

Santa Photos 2011

I know I have been MIA lately- and all for good reason.. a new post maybe tomorrow?!

But for now- before I head off to bed- here are our 2011 Santa photos!  HAHA- you are gonna die of laughter... a preface:  We waited over an hour to sit on Santa's lap.. well into Dyllan's nap time- on the other side of town.. post face paint, and dancing in the street.. so as you can imagine- Dyllan Bug was exhausted.. but Dan and I rose to occasion and in an attempt to hype her up- we told the elf behind the camera that she liked bubbles.. so - as they blew bubbles.. Dyllan lit up (a little).. but not as much as her dad!!!  Um, Dan.. WHAT are you doing?!

Haha, Dan is overly excited, and Santa is overly over it!  (in fact, he made sure to tell us he was "off" in half hour- can you tell he's had enough?!)

Our friend David loved this photo of Dan so much that he ordered a copy- cropped... of his own, in a snow globe to put on his office desk (yes, he works in the same office as Dan)

Dyllan- Belle and I getting face paints.. I asked the lady for a small lady bug - just something small that wouldn't get all over her white furry vest... she insisted that the rainbow was much easier- as she painted away.. and promised me that if Dyllan held still- she would add a little bug on the rainbow... well this is what we got... 

HAHA!! Dyllan was so good.. but didn't get any lady bugs.. just a GIANT rainbow.. with tons of crazy flowers!!  As long as Dyllan was happy.. as you can tell- she was pretty pleased.. Mom wasn't too thrilled.. ummm what happened to the small lady bug I asked for?!  I dint ask for a face mask- rainbow for our Santa pictures!  haha.. oh well.

David's snow globe - a paperweight for his office

Just two dads waiting to see Santa... (David and Dan)

Photo from David's iPhone

and just a little payback to David for the snow globe.. we made him into an elf- with the addicting iPhone app "face in a hole" 

 

Lost in holiday spirit

Wow- I can't believe I have been so slack at posting.. I think the lack of computer time is due to several things... first- the holidays are just around the corner- and although most Australians don't celebrate Thanksgiving- didn't mean I wasn't going to host a turkey chicken feast!!  Second- Misses Bug has demanded much more of my full attention lately- thanks to a friends recommendation of a book (Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina)- Thanks Kirty!- now I feel like allowing Dyllan to watch TV/movies is like drinking wine just after finding out i'm pregnant! And third- is for some crazy reason- our social calendar is jam packed with BBQ's, beach parties, art walks, play dates... it must be summer.  And holiday season.

Just to recap- I did make a decent attempt at recreating a Thanksgiving feast.  We had Dan's middle brother- Brenden and his wife Libby over for dinner Thursday night- and I decided to whip up a Thanksgiving feast- last min- and without going to the store (honestly!).  I made crasin (cranberry, right?) and feta stuffed chicken breasts- quinoa with sautéed crasins an onion (thanks to Jessica for this recipe here) - warm edamame (kinda like green beans)- sweet potato fries- and Libby made asparagus, and broccolini with herbs, lemon, walnuts and goats cheese (she's the best cook!) - and bread rolls.  Although it was no deep fried turkey- stuffing and garlic mash with pumpkin pie for desert (this is making my mouth actually water.. especially the pumpkin pie part- which they DONT have here)  - the feast was actually impressive- for not having gone shopping at all.  We ate our thanksgiving feast- while playing board games- a perfect combination for me (but not Dan's cup of tea... don't worry- slowly I will ease him into a board-game player...)

Like I mentioned before- Misses Bug is becoming more time containing- partly- Im sure- cause she is entering the TWO's (yikes, almost 2!!) and is naturally more inquisitive, independent- yet totally reliant, demanding, and active- like i'm sure most (almost) two year olds are.  This means any second I turn my back, deviate my attention, or brush her off for something else (like the computer) - she has a mental breakdown.  And now- thanks to Kirty's book recommendation (the book was actually really interesting- and written by a fellow Seattleite- scientist)- I can't turn to my number 1 babysitter- her DVD player- or the TV.  AND- just for the record- I am not a child-raising-book-reader- in fact this is only the second book I have read (i'm not a book reader) - the first one was "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth, MD - which I HIGHLY recommend (if I haven't before)- it was our Bible to Dyllan's sleep schedule.  It actually made out life super easy- even in the early months!  So--thanks to Kirty's book-  this past week or so- I have been in what I call "nanny mode".... I have nannied for years... and years.. and I gave each kid I nannied for 100% focus, attention, education, outdoors time, socialization... never once turned on the TV or sat around.. because that was what i was getting paid for!!  Now- not only am I earning a paycheck- take my good salaried work load and... throw in laundry (and when I say "laundry" I mean at least 2 loads a day and line drying everything.. even teeny-tiny baby socks, and underwear!!) vacuuming, cooking, and believe it or not... showering!!  Its way more than any nanny job I've ever had.. AND I don't even get paid!

Having said that.. I do consider my job worth monitory recognition.. I went to the dry cleaners yesterday to drop off 2 dresses and 2 jackets.. 3 of which needed specific "dry cleaning" washing.  After the lady told me the 2 dresses and 1 jacked (actually, more of just a piece of thin cloth with buttons) were going to cost $56... I took the "professional dry cleaning highly recommended" suit-jacket home with me- and figured my 15 min of time was worth WAY more than $25!!  So chalk that onto the minimal free time I have these days--- HOW did housewives do it back in the day?!?!?!  No dry cleaning?  Hand-washing-line-drying....Ironing and hemming?!?!?  6 kids?  Perfect hair and make up?  Tons of friends...  Don't get it.

Anyway- here are some pictures from life in the Newton family.. lately

Just a native parrot- in a native tree
(is it bad that i wanted to capture it and take it home for a pet?!)

Brenden and Dyllan boogying to some beats while we fixed Thanksgiving dinner

Our Thanksgiving feast (yes, thats ice in my wine glass... its HOT here right now)

The Chefs- Cheers!

Our Dining room.. 

Manly beach on Sunday.. I think summer has hit.  Beach was packed.  Volley ball tournaments- surf competitions.. old men in speedos yep- it summer in Manly.

Sunday BBQ at the Langridges (where we used to stay- before we found our new place)- Isabelle, Frankie (under water) , Dyllan and Dan- this is also the place we will be ringing in the New Year (costumes and all- but thats another blog post)

Surfing Dyllan

Saturday night- we went to Dan's High School friend - Jordan's wedding at Coogee Beach Baths (Carlye- I think of you every time I go to Coogee!!)

Rockstar (this morning)

After stopping to pick EVERY flower on the way home from gym/kids club- she decided to pick/kiss/cuddle the ONLY flower we have in our front entry.. 

Helping mom set up our (fake) xmas tree- definitely more than we bargained for- separating each fake branch... then tying each ornament string.. we are close- but not quite done!!  Dyllan got way too impatient for this project.