5TF: #3

1. I am addicted to Diet Pop....this is serious! Dave used to say that he would have to fill my IV when refilling my cup. My mom only drank Diet Coke, so I believe I gained my addiction from her. My favorite Diet Pop is Diet Coke Lime, I miss it sooo much since they don't have it in Australia. 


2. I am the youngest of three girls. I definitely have the youngest sibling persona, I love poking people until they get so fed up that they want to punch me....and then poking them once more for good measure. 


3. I already have my first girls and first boys names picked out (Grace Carolynn & Sean Burton) but still have to figure out when I want to have kids. I change my mind every week from wanting them right now to wanting them in two years. 


4.  My first concert was Alan Jackson in the 7th grade. I went with my sisters and their friends and thought I was the coolest 7th grader ever.  I still remember where our seats were, the vehicle we drove up to the concert in, and my sisters ditching me to get closer seats.


5. 13 Going On 30 is my feel good movie, I pop it in whenever I feel like poo. Im a sucker for silly chic movies that I should be to old to watch, plus Mark Ruffalo is soooooo cute! 

Wellington, NZ: The Harbor

Not of the harbor..but the view to the train, which took us to the harbor. 

Wellington Harbor

A bird that looks like a penguin 

Baby Fur Seal

From the top of Mt. Victoria

The Wellington Harbor is beautiful, it takes your breathe away. You look out at the tri-blue colored water, with the rolling green mountains in the background and you feel like you just may be in heaven. Houses are on the side of the hill, boats and yachts stationed at the dock, it looks like Italy but nope you are far far away from there in New Zealand. Dave and I had a wonderful time holding hands walking around the harbor taking in the little bits of sunlight and taking it all in.

Shoave's Future

This is Dave and I in the future, no joke, and I can't wait!! 

What a cheeky devil!

From our trip to the store:

Dave: The little breeze feels nice.

Sho: Eh. It makes my dress blow up.

Dave: That isn't so bad

LWP: Sept. 18th

A day late and a dollar short...but still filled with love! 

(its a lot...because we went to NZ!!)

interview outfit got me the job

This was in a store front window. An American Willie Warmer!
These would be a hit for football fans!

Photos from Hard Heels Exhibit by Peter Busch.
Capturing the true grit of The All Blacks.

Italy? Nope, Wellington Harbor, New Zealand

Rugby World Cup Field at Wellington Stadium.
Our seats were only 6 rows up!

View from the top of the cable car

If there is a mirror or reflection item ,we will take our picture.
It's a guarantee!

Dave lost in the tree forest

Showing some tree love

No Skateboarding Dogs

Rainy, Gloomy Day

Watching Over the City 

I slid (fell) down a muddy hill...oooppps!

FTF: Five Things Friday

1. I used to have a Dalmatian named Pepper. My sisters and I were in love with the movie 101 Dalmatians growing up, so what a surprise it was to actually get one!



2. I absolutely hate little noises such as people sniffling, tapping there fingers, scratching, little beep beeps, etc. They drive me mad and I will hurt someone if necessary to make the noise stop!


3. My favorite ice-cream is Ben & Jerry's Half Baked Fro-Yo. I eat this by the pint load...I know it's not good for me but it's like Pringels once I start I just can't stop.


4. I have brown hair with natural red tints from the sun. I have grown to love my hair color but when I was in high school I dreamt about having rich red hair....but then someone told me if I didn't keep up red it would be orange soon. I'm not one for keeping up on things so it never really happened.


5. Speaking of Disney movies ( #1 todays list), my favorite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast. Not only does Belle have brown hair BUT she loves to read, she won my heart right away. Actually she stole it from Ariel and I never went back, leaving Prince Eric behind as well. 

For your enjoyment!

Dave and I are leaving Australia for the weekend to head over to the Rugby World Cup in Wellington, New Zealand.  How exciting! I didn't even know that the USA had a Rugby team (we are even ranked #16!) before coming to Australia. Right now we are 1-1 for the tournament the next game is on Friday night against Australia. This is the game that Dave and I will be attending..eeeepppp!!! I have never been to a game THIS BIG before or a tournament this grand, I never even imagined I would attend something like this!

Rugby is a big deal here in Australia, Dave and I have watched heaps of it on the tellie. Dave is really good at explaining it to  me (since he played a little in college) and I think I have it down pretty good. However, if I hear the worlds 'Rugby' or 'New Zealand' in the same sentence I can't help but think of the Haka War Dance.  The Haka is the traditional war cry/dance/challenge of the Maori People to display their power and strength. Now this dance is preformed by different teams of New Zealand (and other nations with tribes) before matches.

So while we are gone, I leave you with this for your viewing pleasure:

Now check out this hilarious commercial:

Hope you enjoyed the clips!!

Sydney Harbor Bridge

It took 9 years, $6.25 million, and the lives of 16 men to make the creation of one of the most iconic Australia landmarks, the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The bridge was built during the Great Depression and the men who built the bridge were the highest paid workers in Australia, due to the dangerous conditions they faced each day they came to work. 16 men gave their lives to the bridge and hundreds more chanced it day in and day out. After the bridge was completed and celebrated the same men who risked their lives building the iconic bridge were sent back to the unemployment line.  Out of all the facts that I have heard or read about the bridge, this is the one that sticks in my brain. So when Dave and I walked across the bridge I thought about all those men working hard for years to build the bridge I was now walking across.

There are different ways for one to experience the Sydney Harbor Bridge. You can view it from a distance taking in the whole bridge at once, you can do the Sydney Bridge Climb and walk up to to observation point, take an elevator up to a lookout point, or walk across the bridge beside the whizzing traffic. Dave and I decided to do the latter because I have already done the Bridge Climb and Dave is afraid of heights...plus it saved us some money (which I then spent on souvenirs)!

Walking across the bridge wasn't as exciting as Dave and I both that it would have been. The fence with barbed wire top keeps you locked into your path daring you even think about climbing over. However, when walking across it seems just like any other bridge, but then you look at the Harbor and remember nope, This is not just any other bridge. The views of the Harbor and city are the best part of walking across the bridge, they are breathe taking views that you can't capture on film. 

Shadow of bridge in the Harbor

NSW Flag at Observation Point on top of the bridge

I did love seeing the structure of the bridge up close, how intricintaly they flow from one spot to another. The sun hitting some areas brightening them up while other areas are left in the darkness of the shadows. After crossing the bridge, we turned right around and walked back again, seeing things that we didn't see before. 

I believe my favorite time to see the Sydney Harbor Bridge is at dusk when the lights start to come on truly illuminating the bridge and the Harbor. 

This last week has been really lazy and relaxing with no schedules to really keep. We took our weekly trip into Sydney, spent time at the beach, and read many many pages.  

Here are my favorite photos from this past week:

This is Our Spot in Our Park...I like having places that we now call Ours!

I got new shoes, they make me feel very strong and rockerish

Sign in Sydney that reminded us of our friends Diana and Blake

Planted by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1954

I love the mix of old with the modern

Beautiful stained glass on bits of the sidewalk outside buildings

Dave tying my shoe...I'm a lucky girl! 

Up, Up, and Away!

Sunny weather brings more frequent beach visits

Sunday afternoon shopping at the local 2nd hand bookstore