Room With A Pew

We received an email about St Davids Presbyterian Church selling their pews. On a whim we bought two hoping that it might provide an abundance of outdoor seating for us. Then came the dilemna of how to actually transport them!

Malcolm found a company that would provide us with a rental van large enough to fit the pews...just. We had 6 hours and 75kms to play with. The pews turned out to be relatively easy to move and they were soon placed in their new home. We thought we would attempt to move the Balinese daybed that we bought years ago. It had been living quietly in my parents garage awaiting its moment. Today was the day!

With my mother happily shouting out instructions to the troops consisting of 6 adults, 2 children and a team of dollies, we managed to move the damn heavy daybed from one house to the neighbouring house. Mission accomplished!

Removalist team of 2 in red

It just squeezed it with centimetres to spare!

The two church pews in place looking like it was designed to be there...

The Balinese day bed in daylight!

A Christening

To celebrate the completion of our pool (after a LONG wait), the decision was made to christen it by jumping into it. Yes it was mid winter. Yes it was freezing. No it wasn't my idea! Glad I was designated photographer.

Psyching themselves up

Oh what a feeling!

Hey someone piked!!

Smart move because it was FREEZING

Ohana

Our home has officially been named. After many months of thought and brain-storming, the name that we've picked felt right immediately. So our Disney castle has been named "Ohana", simply because as explained by Lilo, " 'Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. "

Our stainless steel letters arrived, and with some help from the builder (they bought the glue, brought the spirit level, and drew the line for Malcolm to stick the letters on to), Malcolm successfully installed the letters next to the front door.

Malcolm's handiwork

Nervously peeling back the tape...

Ta-da! Thanks Peter for your help!

On a completely unrelated note, I felt like baking today. After years of oven neglect, I finally remembered how much I enjoy it! Waiting to be used were over-ripe pears and left over macadamia nuts. The pears were bulked up with frozen blueberries and Donna Hay's rolled oats crumble topping received an additional boost of chopped macadamias. It was quick, easy and it must have tasted alright as there were none left behind!

Pear and blueberry with macadamia nut crumble topping

Guess it was popular

Soldier On

It has been a struggle all week having been unwell as well as having asthma. However, much needed to be done to get our old home ready for rental and our new home ready to move into. After a crazy morning of running around, we were fortunate enough to have our private interior designer shop with us in the afternoon. A stop at a closing down store saw us grabbing bargains! Who could resist things at 70% off...We left with wedding presents, goose down pillows, doona, and that was followed by a purchase of a custom made bed, a mattress, and mattress protector. Mr sweet talk managed to snare us some extra pillows on top of the commercial price. Just thought I'd share that the name of the pillow is...Bambi. Awesome!

Testing out mattresses, I was ready to stay there and not move...

By mid afternoon, we finally stopped to have some lunch at Harry's Cafe De Wheels. I was really struggling by this stage so stopped, picked up the children and organised our week in a new area with totally new routines. Wish us luck!

The Move Part 1

Goodbye house

After eight wonderful years, we farewelled our first built home. Unfortunately, timing was not the best as our new home will not be ready for another 3 weeks! Nevertheless, after much throwing, selling and giving away, our belongings were packed up and squeezed into the storage area and garage of our new home awaiting the next move when they can occupy their intended long term placement. I, for one, would be reluctant to play Tetris against the removalists.

I wish I could have said that the move was completely smooth...For the most part it was, the things that got moved were done with efficiency and care. Unfortunately, due to a slight miscommunication, the washing machine was left behind! The piano will also move at a later date because the new concrete floors requires another seal. So look out for The Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and perhaps Part 5...

Also due to slight miscalculations (don't ask for details...) Malcolm and I were left nomadic. So the Pymble Hotel it was. However, I have a feeling that I was made to live like a princess. I was so distressed that I didn't take any photos. Enough said.

Things you find when everything in the house is gone!

It doesn't look like we have much but there are many, many boxes behind that half closed doorway...

Update Time

You know what it means when I update my blog...we are going on a holiday! Yes the time has come. Tomorrow, the Albanys will be heading for the gaming convention and I will be trying to defend the championship.

But before I can blog about that, the anal person inside of me is niggling me to give an update of events since...January! GASP!!!!

So here goes...

House Matters
The old ancestral home has been demolised much to the sadness of the oldies. However, much to our frustration, the new has yet to be started. The good thing is that we get to more time to save up...

Goodbye old house

Birthdays Galore
Happy Birthday to myself, Malcolm and Lara!

Let's take a family photo! Oops...forgot the birthday girl

My awesome birthday presents...Snow white ipad decal! along with a seven dwarves iphone case

Most precious card from Lara! One of three...

A pair of lose more calories shoes from Malcolm. Is that a hint?!?!?

Redeemed himself with a bargain of a shirt!

Yet another special gift. A disney share! Yes I am now officially a Disney shareholder (along with Malcolm)!

Au Pair Affairs
We farewelled Heather, our wonderful American au pair, and welcomed a french au pair. Due to unfortunate circumstance, we had to give her notice. She has since left and we are awaiting the arrival of our very first Canadian au pair. In the meantime, we have also found an amazing au pair for Jan 2013~Will keep you update!

Easter Break
What a great time to reflect upon what an amazing thing God has done for us through Jesus Christ. A great time spent with family and friends!

Family golf day. Never too young to start.

Action packed day. BBQ with friends at the Armoury

Gaming practice. The countdown begins as revisions begin in earnest!

A New Beast
Yes the big red tomato is no longer...We now have a new silver CX9 with number plate to match. CEO!


A New Job
With impeccable timing, I have scored myself a new job just as we lost childcare...

New Beginnings
Jonah has begun piano and swimming lessons much to his mother's dismay. Life is just that little bit harder...On a positive note, we managed to get ALL three children in the same timeslot for swimming lessons. Woohoo!!!

Trivia Specialists
We won the jackpot...all $650 worth! And tonight, we won, earning ourselves a $75 bistro voucher. Go the Fruitloops!

To Buy Or Not To Buy

The mission for today was to fill a whole container load with "stuff". On hand to help us, was Nancy, someone from a logistics company. Her role was to take us to the shops which stock or can provide what we want, bargain on our behalf, and then look after pick up, packing, fumigation, and shipping.

We had so much fun fossicking through warehouses full of furniture, stoneware, homewares and much much more. There were many unusual items, and most were very well priced. We wanted to find timber feature pieces to soften the white walls and polished concrete floor in our new home. One of our favourite finds was a HUGE recycled teak table that was over 100 years old. The other highlight was finding a place that could custom make and carve a recycled teak front door for us for under $500. Watching the wood carver at work filled us with awe. They worked with a very rough stencil and just hacked away to produce beautiful designs. 

Pineapple juice today

Time to go Asian for breakfast. Nasi goreng

Teak framed mirror...$35!

Hand carved door. We can get a teak door custom made for under $500

Kitchen stools made from old traditional boats

Seat for our entry

In 6.5 hours, we managed to buy enough to fill one container. With our mission accomplished, it was time to fill the stomach. We worked through the recommendations made by my cousin which have been great so far. It appeared that he had a leaning towards high end dining...We went to kudeta, a beach side restaurant and drinks lounge. It really was a funky place with amazing views and decor. The food was good. The service as with all our other experiences, was superb. They were efficient, professional whilst maintaining a very friendly and relaxed demeanour. There no airs or graces and everyone was welcomed including children! I thought this was fantastic.

Grateful that the restaurant was very close to our villa, we rolled into bed exhausted. Tomorrow is a day of rest at the beach of Nusa Dua. Stay tuned

Dinner venue

View upon entry

The drink lounges by the beach front

Deciding on what to eat

Kites flying at the beach

Papaya based mocktail

Soft shelled crab salad with pork belly

Macadamia praline tart with yoghurt sorbet

Seek And Ye Shall Find

Today, we returned to our ancestral home in preparation for the upcoming demolition. We had to sort out 22 years worth of treasures that was sitting in the garage of the house, and my brother and his family had to move out. Many things have happened after my last post made on the house more than one year ago! State legislation repeals, class actions, council woes, and town planner incompetence just to name a few. Most importantly though, after all that drama, we have D.A approval! So the home that we have grown up in will be demolished before Christmas and hopefully building of the new homes will commence in February next year.

A piece of land around 2000m2 that somehow could not meet council's subdivision requirements...go figure.

The backyard...

...but wait...there's more!

The garage was FILLED right to the door with boxes. My parents had done a good job sorting through half the boxes over the past couple of weeks. Today was the last day we had to go through the rest before my parents leave on yet another overseas trip. It was a nice family day, full of fun, food and reminiscing, especially with discoveries of long forgotten letters and photographs.

A tired mother who can't wait to fly away!

Boxes to be sorted...2 more rooms of it next to the garage!

Hmmm...it appears that some were just moved to the garage next door 

The children had a blast finding "treasures"

Children looking after each other while the adults worked.

My parents kept Ikea catalogues from 1983...

Trival pursuit lah!

The library book that banned Malcolm from Willoughby library...

...due date was 15 Dec 1999!

More treasures...our long lost wedding certificate!

Jonah was determined to get the trolley from  house number 3 to house number 5

Darn! Stairs too hard

I know! Walk down the grass

Until it is even with the driveway

Then walk back up

See Mum! That's how you do it!

Asked the children to decorate the "tree" with decorations we wanted to throw out in a bid to get them out of our hair!

Lara had no problems

But Jonah couldn't reach

So he decorated twigs on the ground instead!