Merimbula

There is a branch (what we in the LDS church call a small "ward" or congregation) in our Stake that is about 3 hours away down the coast, in a beautiful spot called Merimbula. There are only a handful of LDS families that attend there but one gal, Amanda, and I struck up a friendship through the occasional conferences/roadshows/camps that bring us together. She is an American married to an Australian and loved the chance to connect with other Americans who are few and far between down there. They were kind enough to invite our family down for a long weekend. What a treat! They had recently built a home just 5 minutes walk from the beach and we had a smashing time. The drive was breathtaking and I even pulled over to snap a few pics (only 2 vomits this time~hooray! Good thing too as I was the sole adult/driver/cleanerupper.)

The kids did great. I had a few long and hairy nights sharing the space with multiple kids and babies, but they all got along wonderfully, we enjoyed lovely conversation and the days were beautiful.

Here's our crew heading for the beach (aka: a Sister Wives episode.) After being walloped in the waves, we carved out a sandy, cool put-put golfcourse/soccer pitch for a rousing game to end the day.

Can't get tired of fresh passionfruit vines and this as your backyard!

Amanda's husband, Sam, offered to take us on a hike through the wind-swept cliffs over to this gorgeous spot with a lagoon on one side and beaches on the other.

I think it was a dry-run to see how his littles would do, and we had some adventures hacking away at debris in the path, but otherwise no hiccups. :)

 Peek-a-boo Dezzy! Five little troopers I got right there. It was a tough and gorgeous "walk." Des didn't make a peep.

I want to live right on that spot of sand.

The wall of trees in the distance was so cool looking. Raw and tangled and wild. Like tree-playdough sculpted into a hill by the wind.

 With a few minutes left, we climbed down to a hidden cave on that little island-y spot. Got pretty wet timing the waves to scramble around into it without getting swept out to sea - an adventure my kids will not soon forget. I love hanging with other adventure-seekers!

 That evening we joined their extended fam for a lovely Sunday dinner at the most beautiful property tucked away in the hills. Wild gardens, gorgeous flowers, fruit trees a-plenty, a homemade BMX track out back, dogs, a pool, kids everywhere, playsets, birdcages, snags on the barbie - awesome. Wish I had got a group photo, they were so wonderfully hospitable!

















The next morning I snuck out early with their dog to enjoy the beach solo in my pjs. I tell ya, there's just nothing like the sun rising on the beach. The way the light creeps over everything, illuminating the world, inch by inch. With the sea spray on your face, if that doesn't make you feel alive, I don't know what does! Especially after a rough night. Rejuvenation~

 We were kindly invited to join their whole clan for some water skiing on the lake our last day. It was delightful to be back on the water. (I don't know how many years it has been!) Lots of firsts that day: Des's first time on a speedboat, the girls first time on kneeboards, Will's first time on skiis and my first successful 360 (on the kneeboard.) Yee-haw!

 It was just so much fun. Thanks, Parker family!! Seriously, look at this place. I wouldn't mind this drive every weekend! Like Mandy, I've fallen in love with this country.

What In the World Is Kefir?

I thought the same thing when I first heard of it. Then I noticed some in the health section of the refrigerated products at the grocery store and figured it was legit. Basically it's a drinkable yogurt-type product that originated in some mountainous region of Europe centuries ago. It's like a carbonated milk and touts all kinds of benefits, but suffice it to say it's like yogurt on steroids. And it's pricey. 

What I didn't know was that you can make your own. For no more money than the price of milk. Now when I read up on it, I was impressed. And when a friend offered me some live culture (think of it like a sourdough "start" that can't just be manufactured,) I didn't hesitate. 

What I didn't realize was that it's not delicious (as Will's face attests to below) but when you consider all it can do for you... I think plugging your nose for a couple seconds a day is a small sacrifice. :) It does taste heaps better store-bought /flavored, but I'm told they don't used the traditional "grains" to produce it, so I'm not sure how beneficial that product actually is. Some people really enjoy it mixed with some honey or maple or agave or crushed fruit. To me it wasn't worth wasting the honey as it still made me gag, but to each his own. Basically, it's fermented milk so it tastes curdled/sour/bubbly (like "milk soda" some say) and if you leave it long enough you get the special bonus of feeling chunks slide down your throat. 

But please don't let this deter you! I only share this to juxtapose the fact that I still drink it every day. Weird? Yes. So why do I do it? Because it makes me feel amazing. It gives me a marked energy boost, drastically curbs my sugar cravings, and keeps everything functioning well. I honestly do notice the difference when I've forgot it for a few days. (And that can't be said for everything, namely my oil-pulling experiment - although I do think I might give that another shot someday, just to be fair.) I notice a serious drop in energy/productivity and am wasted by 10pm. I don't know how or why I experience such a boost but with more than three times the healthy bacteria found in yogurt, kefir maintains overall health by actually colonizing these probiotics into your gut. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals and easily digested protein. It can be made with any type of mammal milk (I use raw cow milk) or even almond/coconut/soy milk, and due to its breakdown of lactose, it's great for lactose-intolerant folks as well. 

Here's a POST with more details on making your own, but basically you just cover the cauliflower-like "grains" with milk in a small jar on your kitchen counter, swish it around occasionally and in 12-48 hours (depending on how you like it) you've got the finished product! Drink and refill. Or if you find it easier to consume mixed into your daily smoothie or pancakes, go right ahead. 

Kefir grains feed off of milk and therefore grow bigger each day. After exhausting all my interested local friends with my "extras" I now just break off and discard half of it as it gets too big to handle. I know there are people online that sell it and I think you can purchase either freeze-dried or powdered forms as well, but if a friend ever offers you this miracle food, give it a try! My sister even makes a water-based-kefir I'll be interested to try soon. Online testimonials are pretty convincing, especially from those who had found no respite from their illnesses in the medical community. Seriously, just Google it for some convincing success stories. It couldn't be easier to make, and may just be the health cure you've been searching for.

Summertimes!

It has been such a great last summer here in Oz. My heavens, will we miss this place! While we haven't traveled everywhere we thought we might during our three years, we are very happy with all we've experienced and the priceless memories that are forever etched in our hearts. Can't think about the goodbyes without tearing up, but hey, that's still two months away, so let's focus on the positive! Here's a glimpse of how we kept up this summer:

From family painting days, to ceiling/hair adornments... creativity was a-flowin'.

Lots of outdoor time. We especially enjoyed the live music at the National Botanical Gardens and our generous neighbors' pools. (Hot Aussie summers would've been a very different experience here without their kind, open invitations!)

I was very proud of these brave souls as they got out of their comfort zones to go busking a couple times. I keep telling them, do it while you're young because people appreciate it a lot more when kids get out there.

And I'm not gonna lie, they made bank.
(Sidenote: their motivation was mainly due to their mean parents who made them pay for a large chunk of the fun school camp on offer this year! Definitely fast cash.)

 

 

splurging on some gelato afterwards

Forgive my use of Instagram photos, but that's how I kept memories tucked away this summer...

A couple days I did tending trade offs of our two youngest so the big kids and I could bike ride or explore or geocache or whatever and MAN, was that fun! We kept yelling out to each other, "This is so cool - we can go so fast!" or being wowed whenever we loaded in and out of the car in under 10 seconds rather than 10 minutes. As much as we love those sweet, rowdy, little munchkins, it was a real treat to have active fun and mature conversation with these awesome kiddos of mine that are just growing up way. too. fast.

Cared for the school chooks over part of the summer holidays and I could hardly pull them out of the pen each time. Especially Des. While the other kids were diving and chasing to catch them up, he would just walk up to one, scoop it up in a hug, stand up and smile like it was no problem.

Of course, plenty of indoor fun to be had as well. This was the most laid back summer I think I've ever had in my life. I was a relaxed mum. We didn't have sports on or any real trips to speak of. We'd done all the local sights already so we just chilled out and enjoyed life. And while they didn't read as much or learn any new skills, I think the bonding that took place in our last semi-reclusive summer certainly made up for that.

Granola became an almost weekly tradition this summer.

outdoor group Suzuki classes

Fell in love with the old school Manuka Swimming Pool too. Retro cool digs complete with mosaic artwork on the walls and walkways. I swear these guys really are fish now.

And lest these pics make it seem Dad wasn't ever around, Darren took these girls on a paddle boat ride without any prodding when they were out together one Saturday. That memory's gonna last a while. :)

Jackie Chan, Who Knew?

A while back I got to take the official Embassy Residence tour and see some of the upper rooms and living areas of our Ambassador(s) and their families. And where they host their distinguished guests. The main areas of the house are generally open for entertaining as they have holiday parties throughout the year for their Embassy community, but it was cool to see the kitchens and servants' back stairs and such. The lounge rooms and library/study areas were quite impressive too.

Then they showed us Jackie Chan's bedroom (and long-since dusty boxing bag in the accompanying attic.) What the what?! Well, I guess Jackie's dad used to be the cook at the residence and his mum was running the household staff or something. Awesome history.

 Funny side story: a Marine once wanted to show some bravado on a similar tour and gave the bag his best punch. And was rewarded with a broken hand. Apparently, sand turns to something like concrete when left undisturbed for years at a time!

 I just love the giant vases of fresh flowers everywhere giving every room a regal, posh feel. It's no Downton Abbey but is a fun glimpse into a more glamorous life, nonetheless.

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Random POST-EDIT: I added a whole heap of pics to my previous "Vegetation" post recently. For anyone interested in a glimpse of the fantastic flora and fauna in this country, click the link.