photo catch up - Natural History Museum

We decided to check out the Las Vegas Natural History Museum one day last week. It had always been a fun place to go when we went with a group, but this time we went just with us and still had a good time. We probably took longer to look at the exhibits this time.

The boys made a new friend:

Nicholas loved playing in the sand and using the paintbrushes to 'discover' hidden bones etc.

And he liked dressing up and the magnifying glass:


And they all enjoyed pretending to be a fish:

And then hanging out inside the yellow submarine:

photo catch up - recent fun

I just love this photo of Nicholas..

We've been having lots of family fun at the hotel pools:

Summer jumping in!


Mission Hills water park with the Lifelearner group:

Nicholas loves the Spongebob swimmers he got for his birthday:

AJ rockclimbing during a homeschoolers session. It was his first time and he did really well - he was a little nervous at first, but once he knew he wasn't going to fall, he bravely went all the way up!

photo catch up - 4th July

Our 4th July started by getting starred and stripe'd and heading to Boulder City for their annual parade. It's not a fancy parade, but it sure is fun.

Love those glasses!

The first part of the parade starts with the politicians, veterans, Miss Boulder City, cheerleaders and other fun entries like this guy on his bike:

And Uncle Sam:


And horses:

And funky shoe cars?:

And then the real big fun starts...

the entries that want to participate in water play come along - they shoot water pistols or throw water balloons at the spectators, who do exactly the same thing back! Sometimes the floats even come really prepared with a huge container of water and a hose:

This little tank says on it "Peace - the old fashioned way" Hmm.

In the end, the locals come out on top with some of the residents along the parade route getting their garden hoses out and even filling up garbage bins for everyone to refill their water pistols from. It is so much fun and totally worth sitting in the hot sun for an hour or so first.

Totally drenched and happy! We had brought our water pistols along and the kids thought that was the best part of the parade.

In the evening we went to a party at Tara's place - thanks Tara, Justin & Zeb, we had a great time! Nicholas sure loved the sparklers too.

half way already!

We are already past the halfway mark in our trip here. I've surprised myself with how easy it was to drive here again. I thought that after 2.5 years away, I'd be wanting to drive on the left hand side of the road like we do in Australia. The first time I got behind a wheel here, I admit going a little slow and sticking to the right hand lane. After a few blocks, I breathed out and something clicked in and it all came back to me - even shortcuts and how to get to old favourite places.

Other things that we've gotten used to here again are light switches that go the other way; electrical power points that have no on/off switch; automatic flushing toilets and soap dispensers; the toilets themselves that are larger and lower here; the huge oven at the motel suite (but the oven is a standard size for here); and huge video billboards.

Are we moving back here? I just don't know.

Direction?

I was lying in the bath today after working out (I've been having a lot of long baths lately - I think I need that water immersion therapy, especially in this dry climate), and I had the thought "what if I'm not meant to have a little farm?" - What if my life just goes on and on changing from place to place? What if my life is more about adapting and letting go and then re-adapting and letting go again....?

When I was in my 20's, I had the idea of owning and running a spa with massage therapists etc. In my 30's that idea transformed into a retreat center on our own farm. Now I'm questioning that, as I question everything else. I'm thinking that 5 acres would be the biggest I would want and possibly, even smaller - just a basic house and a big vege garden and a few fruit trees might be all I want as I think about getting older and the realistic side of what I would want to take care of (besides the family and a few animals). Maybe if the place is right, I could have a little space to offer some classes in yoga and things like that, even if I rent it out for those purposes. Just rambling here. Looking for some kind of realistic vision after feeling like I've just let go of a whole lot.

Maybe I should start with the things that I know for sure...my priorities:
1. Being a mama and keeping the family together.
2. Living simply and fully while saving to buy a place in Australia.
3. When there, living near the beach.
4. Continue to pursue my interests in natural living along the journey.

I feel like I'm wide open at the moment, a little lost and swirling around in a void. I feel like I need to throw out an anchor in order to ground me and give me direction.

....thoughts a couple of hours after posting the above:
This current feeling is uncomfortable, so I looked into it for the deeper lesson. Sometimes you hear a cliche and it just doesn't mean anything, or you think 'yeah, that's real nice'.
Now I think I'm really understanding the saying that life is about 'the journey, not the destination'.
So, I can choose to feel swirling and lost, or I can be flying and free. Releasing any attachment to the specifics of my previous goals, and pulling back, seeing the larger picture, re-evaluating and seeing how things need to change.

releasing, again

I haven't been inspired to blog much lately, and that's ok.

Cary is really enjoying being back at work here. He says he is excited to go to work 6 days a week, and when he's at work, he's excited to come home and see us. It's great being together as a family, and it's important.

When Cary told me a week ago that he thinks we need to move back here for a couple of years, I totally freaked out. I have been so very very happy back in Australia, living simply, in an absolutely beautiful place that nourishes my soul, my mind, my heart.

But that doesn't pay the bills.

So I've needed some time out to lay low and process the options.
I cried.. I ran faster than ever on the treadmill with Amy Steinberg blaring on my headphones... I moped around... I took long hot baths... I stared aimlessly at the wall... I opened myself up to guidance and answers... I chatted with God and then...

A whole lot of things happened to shift my attitude:-

* I realised that there are worse places to be than Las Vegas;

* I saw Cary's excitement when he was talking about some recent deals and I knew that this is really important to him;

* I realised that I am familiar with this place - we already have friends and I know where to shop for the best deals;

* I felt deep, deep gratitude for the time we've had in Australia and in me I can feel what it is like to be at my favourite place (the beach). Each visit we've had there, I've stored inside and I can recall exactly how I felt, what I saw, the smells, the sounds, the feel of the sand and the water.

* Our time in Australia has changed Cary and forced him to slow down and enjoy life more, to focus on more than just work. Maybe that was one of the most important reasons we needed to go there.

* I felt a determination to appreciate life even more and make the most of opportunities.

* I realised that Cary really does want to move back to Australia, but he wants us to be in a better financial position so that we can buy a little farm. He does love Australia, but he wants more than sucking our savings dry.

* I remembered being a little girl and wanting, more than anything, to be a mother. I am doing that. Parenting this way is the most important thing to me. More important than living in the most beautiful place in the world. I am grateful that Cary agrees with this style of parenting and fully supports us in that.

* I felt a deep gratitude for everything in my life thus far - the people, the places, the lessons, the things. I've learned from everything and will continue to do so.

So I realised that even though it might require a bunch of paperwork and upheaval to organise a "temporary" move back here, I'm ok with it if it means we can be in a better position when we do go back to Oz. Perhaps something bigger and better will come from this.

Maybe our time in Australia has served its purpose for all of us. If an opportunity arises that allows us to stay there, then I will be making sure I live it deeply. If I need to release my attachment to living there, then I will do that too, for now. Maybe I need to learn that I can carry the sweet feelings of aliveness I have when I'm in Oz, anywhere. (It's definitely much easier in a beautiful area though.)

Maybe releasing my attachment to the way things are in Oz at the moment, will allow a new opportunity to come in, here or there, that will brighter than I could have imagined. We'll have to wait and see about that. In the meantime, I'll continue to make the most of each day, to live fully, love deeply and laugh often.