Things I'm LOVING: April!

Quite possibly, I am the worst blogger EVER. Huge sorry to all of our family and friends who try to keep up to date with us! Being we live across the world and all...  I do have plans to update, and redesign the blog. Always enough ideas, never enough time... Never mind... Here's what I'm LOVING this week! Joining in with Meghan for this weeks, 'things I'm loving'...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something you can be thankful for..no matter how simple it is.

This is gold. How fun for them! I LOVE just how fun flying can be! First Flight is a very cute video, take the time to watch it, I was laughing so hard! 

I'm loving that I've been back at bootcamp! Cheers to my friend Carrie that signed me up to Revive True Wellness with her. So fun. So hard. Loving it!

I am loving that a trio of us girls went down to Wellington a few weeks back to take part in The Color Run NZ. This is the first year it was held in New Zealand, and it was a BLAST!

Loving the simple things this week - grateful that I love my job, loving having the opportunity to spend some time with friends while working out, loving new haircuts, and loving the roast beef dinner that is cooking in the oven for tonight - it smells soooo wonderful!!

Have a great week friends! xx

Whoa! It's March! Here's what I'm Loving!

Happy Day of Happiness friends! Yes, I do realise I am a couple days late. oops!  What are you doing this week to spread some happiness? I was able to spend some time with some nursing friends after our last study day this week. An awesome way for us to spread happiness - seems like life goes by too quickly and all to often these gatherings are missed for some of life's other appointments. Good to have a catch up now and again. :)

Here's what I'm loving this week, joining in with Meghan for this weeks 'things I'm loving'!

I'm loving that my mom and dad spent six weeks with us here in New Zealand. I'm so happy that we have the opportunity and that we had so much FUN. They have made it back home safely, so a blizzard and more cold weather. Not ideal. But, loving the adventures we had here! Keep an eye out for some updates! ;)

I'm also loving Aoraki / Mount Cook. Breathtaking. 

I finished my Bachelor of Nursing last July, and have been working as an RN since then - however, my actual graduation ceremony was held this week! It was so much fun! 

Loved having mom and dad here to watch me get my Bachelors Degree! :) 

Miss G walking with me in the parade. 

The Mr, myself and Miss G. I wore Degen's beads of courage as my jewellery, as he was my inspiration to change careers. I'm so happy I did, I'm absolutely loving the difference a nurse can make in another persons health journey. Such an amazing opportunity. 

Had an amazing time at this gorgeous lady's wedding! So much fun catching up with friends, and being part of all the love of such a wonderful day. Not only did this beautiful woman deliver both of my babies, I also made her be my friend. Lucky me. Love her to pieces! 

We also got to see a lunar rainbow on the way home from the wedding, I reckon that's good luck! :)

Have an awesome week friends - check out what others are loving with Meghan's link-up: Things I'm Loving. And, spread some happiness!! 

Day 6: Moving?

Before anyone gets too excited, the February Expat Blogger Challenge prompt for today is, I would or would not move to another country after this... I'm not moving anyone, at present...

This is a question I get ALL.THE.TIME. From family, from friends stateside, and from friends here. As well as workmates, and people I have just met! It doesn't bother me, but it is a question I can't answer. If I have learned anything in life, it is that you don't know what is next around the corner for you. Even the best laid plans need adjusting...

Yays:

• I love the fresh produce and wonderful food in New Zealand. Albeit expense, I love how I know what I am buying. I love that I have learned to cook from scratch, because it's a quite spendy to buy pre-packaged meals. Making muffins from scratch is from scratch, not a box mix. I love that there are market gardens all over with fresh fruits and vege. Year round. 
• The scenery is AMAZING. Enough said.
• I love being so close to a beach. And the mountains. 
• Relaxed, laid-back lifestyle.
• Child-friendly and child-orientated lifestyle.
• Amazing work/life balance.  

Nays:

• It's SOOO far from Minnesota. And expensive to travel back to the middle of the country! 
• All my family and a lot of my friends are back stateside (or Germany), and I miss them! 

I think home is wherever the heart is, and at the moment our home in is NZ. You never know where the future lies, even though we do have a rough estimate... 

This one time at the airport...

This one time at the airport, I met Glen Campbell...

<<I have photos and a story to go with this, but I am EXHAUSTED. I will update as soon as I find my photos!!>> :)

Keeping up with February Expat Blog Challenge!

Reflection

I'm not naturally a reflection or a 'dear diary' type of person, so this particular day of the challenge is not as appealing to me. However, I'm dedicated to finishing this challenge!! :)

Today's February Expat Blogger Challenge is looking at the 5th post I wrote, and discuss my frame of mind and my style of writing.

My 5th post was about Mother's Day - I started this blog to keep my friends and family updated on our lives and whereabouts. So, I guess my frame of mind was keeping people informed. :) I was a bit used to describing our lives with Degen's Caringbridge Site, and enjoyed the fellowship it brought. I also liked that I could update everyone at the click of a button. 

My 2014 goal is to spend more time writing and blogging, so long may it last! February is also my birthday month, and blog revamp month. Here's hoping!! :)

At Home...

Day 3 of the February Expat Blogger Challenge! 

Todays topic is an object that makes me feel at home... 

I arrived in NZ in December 2006 with 3 suitcases! I now have a 3 bedroom, office, kitchen, dining room, bath/toilet, garage FULL of stuff. 

While I love the occasional Corn Nut or Peanut Butter Cup, nothing makes me feel more 'at home' than talking to my friends and family on FaceTime or SKYPE. I love it and it makes the distance seem that much less!! I also love to have lots and lots of photos around the house to showcase my photography and get the occasional glimpse of my loved ones. 

My gorgeous niece Kiki (nickname given by Miss G) and Miss G on FaceTime! So cute!! We 'see' each other weekly for our chats! Sooo cool! 

My home - being with my loves. 

What makes you feel at home? I think it's the people!! :)

“Not all those who wander are lost.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

Day 2 of the February Expat Blogger Challenge and today's prompt is...

“Not all those who wander are lost.”  ― J.R.R. Tolkien


A co-worker once said to me, 'Some people grow roots, others grow wings. You, my friend, have wings.' 

I had a goal in my 20s to see 30 countries before I turned 30 years old. While I didn't quite achieve that goal, but I came very close. <<Maybe I should revisit this for 40 by 40? ;)>> I love seeing new places, experiencing new cultures, new foods, new ways and means of living. I love it. And, while I love to wander, by no means am I lost. While I continue to seek new adventures, learn new skills - I am by no means forgetting the roots of who I am and how I came to be. 

Growing up in rural Minnesota, I always had grand dreams of 'escaping' and seeing the world. And, thankfully, with my family and friends support - I have made a good effort of it. I was quite lucky to have seen Europe as a 13-year old, travelled the USA with family, backpacking Europe with friends just out of college at 22, and exploring the USA with friends on our vacations and long weekends. 

I met and married a Kiwi bloke, and we have been creating our own adventures ever since. We went to Europe on a 5-week honeymoon - a combination of backpacking, and visiting family and friends as we travelled. Awesome adventure! 

Iceland. Amazing country - beautiful. Raw. COLD. 

We had to very carefully walk out to the falls, because it was sooo icy!

Austrian Alps. Awesome views. Awesome coffee. 

Venice. Romantic. Beautiful. 

France. Gorgeous views, awesome food! 

We traveled a fair amount of the upper Midwest and Canada via Ducati motorcycle, which was an adventure in itself! Our latest overseas wandering was in Australia with our beautiful Miss G in 2012.

And, of course we wander around gorgeous New Zealand quite a bit too. I'm so thankful to have a bit of a tourist mind here in New Zealand, even after 7 years of living as an expat here. We continue to explore this beautiful country every chance we get. 

Cheers everyone, and happy wandering! :)

The view from where I write...

Kia Ora, Happy Saturday! It's the WEEKEND!!! My parents are en-route to New Zealand, we've just been to a 5th birthday party for a gorgeous little girl, and I'm catching up with some girlfriends tonight for dinner. Bliss.

One of my goals in 2014 <<life>> is to keep in <<better>> contact with my friends and family in the USA, and around the world... So I've decided to join up with a fellow expat blogger In an Opal Hearted Country and get my writing mojo flowing...

Today is the 'The View From Where I Write'... Now. I rarely write at a desk anymore. <<Love you new 2014 version MacBook Pro!>> I'm usually scattered somewhere around the house and garden- so I thought I would share what our lovely 1/4 acre looks like. <<Obviously, minus the messes and anything that would make it look like it does, lived in, on a fairly daily basis...>>

Here we go! Love our place on this Earth we call home, and I'm still working on making it ideal... We'll get there eventually...

Here's where I'm sitting now... My little corner of the sofa...

Through the front gate into the gardens... Love my swing, so relaxing... 

Care for a swim? The pool area has lots of strawberries, flowers, lancewood and vege growing around it! 

Miss G's fun area - our old tent makes a perfect 'camping' spot on sunny days! And, she absolutely loves her tire swing that daddy and granddad built! Hi Lenny! Our awesome rescue dog that has slotted into our whanau perfectly. Love him! The back yard also have lots of pumpkins, squash, grapes and lemons! Yum! Totally loving  my 1/4 acre plot and all the yummy foods we can grow. So lucky!

I'm also linking in with the adventures of MNMs with Things that I'm Loving!

Kia Ora and LOVING Wishing for a Happy 2014!!

Kia Ora! Happy 2014 everybody! If you follow me on Instragram, you know we have been out and about enjoying the holidays, and life in New Zealand - and LOVING it. 

My goal is to really get this blog updated regularly so all of my lovely friends and family around the world can keep up to date with our adventures! I have some fabulous ideas, and I'll keep you posted! 

In the meantime, here's what I'm LOVING this week....

I'm loving driving past this beautiful mountain, my favourite - Mt Ruapehu. 

The new addition to our family - loving our gorgeous rescue dog Lenny! He's fitting in perfectly with our family! Love him!! :)

Went camping for the first time with Miss G - had such a wonderful time! Camping is exhausting!!

Spot the seals at Cape Palliser!! 

Oh my goodness! First day of Kindy! How did this happen!! Loving my big girl!! :)

Linking in with the adventures of MNMs for this weeks... 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to my lovely friends and family! I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!! 

Things I'm Loving ... Good Books!

Linking in with the adventures of MNMs for this weeks things I'm Loving! 

In an effort to complete some of my 34 goals, I just finished reading the The Kite Runner.  LOVE.  A beautifully written book by Khaled Hosseini, and as described by iTunes movies, "An epic tale of fathers and sons, of friendship and betrayal, that takes us from the final days of Afghanistan's monarchy to the atrocities of the Taliban reign." Definitely worth a read, it also crosses off my goal of reading the books on the Whitcoulls Top 100... 

What do you use to record books you've read? I used to keep a spreadsheet, but always forgot if I read books or not... I started using Good Reads, and I'm enjoying the accessibility of that so far. It doesn't seem to have a few Kiwi author's books in the files, but all and all it's a good way for me to track what I have and haven't read. Especially when I get to the second hand book sales with my pal Alicia!! ;) 

Another lovely friend came into our household this week - and I'm loving her! Evie the Elf! She is our lovely Elf on the Shelf that came to live with us this holiday season!! She also brought lots of Christmas presents from Grandma and Grandpa - guess who was negotiating if she could open some!!! ;) 

I seriously LOVE that my family members all have iPhones. It's amazing how easy they are to connect via FaceTime with, so good. Especially on days I am sick and want my mom to make me things to feel better. I think I annoyed her with FaceTime today!! (Gastro bug, seriously yuk!) I'm also reminded how days like today make me thankful for my overall good health. {Touch wood.} I help so many people daily who are very ill, and a few days of gastro is nothing. 

I'm also loving my new computer!! My old MacBook Pro crashed last week - I managed to pull 

everything off of it I needed, thankfully! So when my new one came, I set it all up and gave Miss G the old one to play with. Low and behold, it's back to life! Seriously. I tried hard to resuscitate my MacBook!! She is amazing. Loving this photo of her and with Degen on the screen. So special. 

Check out what others are loving this week and join in the fun!! 

Things I'm Loving - early November!

Wow! It's November!! How did that happen? We've been busy, busy! I'm adjusting to full-time nursing, Miss G's loving her in-home daycare and the MR Ed is still tinkering away on trucks and his car... (It does look pretty cool!)

Anywho, onto things I'm loving in November...

This weekend, we celebrated Guy Fawkes by having friends over for a BBQ and to watch the annual fireworks display put on by our local firefighters. I was having so much fun visiting, eating yummy food, drinking fantastic New Zealand wines and cuddling Miss G (who now thinks they are too scary and noisy)... that I didn't take a single photo! But, I promise, it was fun, and I'm loving we had the opportunity to catch-up with friends in good weather! :)

Loving the roses in our gardens!!

Sitting pretty at the Victoria Esplanade Gardens for a friends birthday party! 

I'm loving that I'm back at bootcamp this week! CAN. NOT. WAIT. Summer fitness, here we come! I'm planning on hiking Tongariro crossing this summer, so best get in shape for it!! Here we are hiking the Manawatu Gorge...

We've had some absolutely stunning family photos taken by the gorgeous Kim Sargent Photography. Sorry, no sneak peeks, as they are Christmas gifts! But, come the holidays, look for the redesign of my blog! (New year, new look!) Kim is AMAZING if you are in the Manawatu and looking for a photographer. Beautiful photos by a wonderfully talented lady. Love her!! :) Ok, maybe one TINY sneak peek!! PS, yes that is my thumb holding the photo... ;) 

I'm loving The Kite Runner as my latest read. I've just finished a few lovely Philippa Gregory books, so I'm welcoming the change in scenery. :) 

Check out what the others are loving this week in Things I'm Loving!!

High time for some High Tea

You guys! I've been MIA for an uber long time.... Life has been hectic!

Here's what I've been up to:

• Becoming an officially official New Zealand Registered Nurse!!! yay!! Finished my final clinical placement, passed state finals, and finished! Bachelor of Nursing, check - done! Three years has gone by sooo quickly!! 
• WORKING as a Registered Nurse!! I've been working for about eight weeks now in a specialized area of nursing... So much to learn, but absolutely loving it and so excited about the opportunity! 
• Trying to juggle being a mom, working full-time, keeping the house clean (!?!?), feeding us health food daily, keeping in contact with friends and family, exercising regularly and going to bed by 9pm! Yipes! It's tiring! How do all you out there do it?!?! I would love some tips!! But, I think I'm finally getting into the swing of it... 

Anyways, onto the high tea! As many of you know, I am a 'member' of an exclusive group that NO ONE wants to belong to. But, thankfully it is there for those that need it - the Child Cancer Foundation. I haven't really been very active in the group recently, and thought that it's time for that to change. I need to continue to grieve, and it's amazing being with other mom's who have been on a similar journey... 

So another CCF mom, Tracy and I jumped in a car and headed to Wellington to meet up with other CCF mom's who 'get it'. High tea was just what we all needed, and we had such a fun time! Delicious!! :)

PS The cupcake was amazing. 

Muddy Puddles!

Miss G and I spent the day at home today - I have officially finished my clinical placement on Friday, and am busy procrastinating studying for Nursing State Finals on 16 July. (Wish me luck!!)

I also have a variation of Miss G's cold/chest infection she had last week... Not ideal, but hey, it's the winter season, it's to be expected... And, it gets me out of running? Right? No, probably shouldn't...

While I was off doing laundry this morning, Miss G was riding her 4x4 around the yard. All of a sudden, I hear some laughing and lots of splashing... Umm... Peeked around the corner to find a mischievous Miss G jumping in muddy puddles, as she says!! I was, quite bossily, informed to go away and go back inside because she was busy, getting into mischief?!?! What a character. She really cracks me up everyday!

She later asked if we can please go to playgroup. No, I reply, mommy doesn't go to playgroup with you - you go with Bestie K. Mommy, she replied quick as a wink, it's okay if you are a bit shy, I'll be with you.

Gosh. I don't know where she learns this. Don't you just love how kids are so honest and say it how it is? Keeps me on my toes! ;)

What kinds of things have your (or others) children said that have really thrown you off your game? I need to learn some quick replys. hehe. ;)

How did I miss THIS?!?! Or THIS?!?

Have a good Monday! xo

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Catching Up!!

Kia Ora friends and family!! Yes, I realise it has been TWO MONTHS since my last post. Eek!!

What's been happening around these parts? HEAPS. Like - I am on week 7 of my 9 week transition-to-placement FINAL, full-time clinical placement. Final - like, I will be sitting my state final exams on 16 July to become a Registered Nurse. Where has 3 years gone? How did this happen so quickly!?!? 

I have been working on some of my 34 Goals... I've signed up for a half-marathon (what was I thinking!?!?), reading like a mad woman (loving Overdrive), have a job offer (WOOHOO!!!), and wrapping up my degree to name a few!

Miss G is HILARIOUS at 2 1/2 years old. Everyday she says something absolutely comical and witty! It's just so fun to watch her grow up and see how quickly she picks up the smallest of things. It's great. She is absolutely obsessed with Finding Nemo - will be great to take her to the movies when Finding Nemo 2 comes out!  She also loves Pocoyo and Dora - good times. She loves going to daycare - as she gets to play with her best buddy. She typically walks into the house without looking back. Miss Independent!

MR Ed has been plugging away at work, cutting firewood and sneaking in a few low-key trips in his rotary. He managed to wrangle a trip up to the Bay of Plenty to see his parents with Miss G. They had a very fun time away (I was on unpaid shifts! Boo!), and I got in plenty of reading time in front of the fire with Pixie, Daisy and Diesel! (As well as my clinical hours...)

My sister and her family have officially moved back stateside. (Devastated!) Will definitely miss my siso, bro-in-law, our Taupo holiday home and of course my sweet Kiki!! Gotta love FaceTime... Hoping for a USA holiday next year...

Also, the MR's brother and sister-in-law have moved over to Aussie! Very exciting opportunity for them both - and can't wait to come for a holiday! ;)

Keep an eye of what we are up to with Instagram >> view the latest on the sidebar! :)

Things I'm Loving: AUCKLAND!

Linking in with Meghan for this week edition of 

Last weekend, we loaded up the ol' Suby and headed up to Auckland for a whirlwind weekend of FUN. 

It was my sister's 30th birthday celebration and we headed up to the Mexican Cafe for a fun family gathering on Sat eve. 

Miss G LOVES Mexican food!! 

YUM! 

We had a table(s) of 20 - complete with 7 kids! (4 under 3!) Excellent food, great atmosphere and AWESOME company!

Headed north of Auckland for some fun with my absolute favorite English family. 

Loved catching up with them! 

Miss G loved Dinky! (But was too scared to ride!)

My favs - Debbie and Guy!

Tegs and her gorgeous horse! 

My Bro was in town for 24-hours of fun - and we braved to rain to hit the Auckland Zoo! 

Chasing a 2-year-old is not an easy task! ;)

The awkward moment the emu attacks you?

"Hurry, there's more animals!"

Knackered! 

Toured a bit of Auckland city - mostly got lost and couldn't find parking. Felt like a bit of a hillbilly. ;) 

Uncle Dano and the girls. (Miss G's nickname for my bro.)

Siblings!

No one was playing the game with me! ;) 

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