And Then It Was Sunny

Oh the difference sunshine makes. It has been warm for the last three days. I looked at myself in the mirror Saturday and was horrified with how pasty white I was. I have NEVER EVER in my life been this white! But alas now after a sunny few days I'm sun kissed, and very happy.

We are on another new journey. The journey to med school is already full of windy twisty turns. After four months of dealing with a very very very challenging neighbor, including two police visits this week, we are moving. Where? Not sure yet. We are praying for a new place that is warm (kinda funny ironic joke in NZ but still hoping for semi warm) and clean and affordable. I'm also asking for a dishwasher, bathtub, sunny & a fireplace. We are also praying we can break our lease without expense to us. Right now it stands with them wanting to charge us a leaving fee and advertising. We will probably appeal to the tenancy tribunal and hope to get that waived.

I have been a mess a few days over it but have a new exciting perspective. We GET to move and live all over the place. I have an adventurous heart at the same time I'm dying to be settled and truth be told, be in control. This week as Sam and I talked about where he might get placed in 3 years from now (Dunedin or 2 other cities) I was reminded I just don't have control. So instead of freaking out and planning I will allow my adventurous side to take over and revel in all our fun change, and not in the horror of moving.

Just that tiny shift in perspective and reminder of who I really am changed a lot. Much like the weather, my attitude went from gloomy & grouchy to sunny and happy. Feel free to remind my little butt of this when I'm complaining in December about packing and moving.

A few shots from the sunshiny goodness that was our weekend.

Pumpkin Day

I miss Fall in America. And for the life of me I can't wrap my head around the Southern Hemisphere seasons. Spring in October??

We pretended it was Fall today (after a lovely day at the beach. We continue to be fascinated with the South Island and their lack of love for beaches, but I digress). Pumpkin finger painting this morning, picking out pumpkins (at the grocery store, not quite the pumpkin patch experience, but we made it fun...I won't tell you how weird and American I looked as I loudly talked about it in the store), spraying fall scents in our house, carving pumpkins, making pumpkin seeds, and having pumpkin cheese burgers. What a day!

Park with Daddy

My Little Hipster Boy

Max is SO funny these days. He loves helping me cook and bake (and we just made THE BEST chocolate chip cookies I ever made! Cornstarch. Who knew it could make cookies to die for?!?)

He loves posing for the camera & loves going to sleep at night...most nights.

Baking the World's Best Cookies

Eating the World's Best Cookies

His pretending to be asleep face

Watching his new Cars movies from Nanny and Pop (my parents)

Watching Cars in his Car.  His current preference to where he watches his movies.

Hippster.

Always laughing.

Heading to Church with this turkey.

Can you see the matching cheesy round face grins? Ha! He's definitely my kid and an American!!

I turned around in the car this morning and saw this.

Turkey

Max didn't quite cope at church today, so mommy spent lots of time in his class.  But he was super proud of the sandals he made for learning about God's peace on his feet.

Momma time.  Thank you Aunt Denise for my quiet moments each month!!

Spoiled

Hi everyone. My mommy usually posts but I decided it was time you hear the truth. She's mean. She sounds all happy schmappy on the blog, baking, playing, taking me to the beach but I'm here to say it's a lie. Exhibit A:: today I simply communicated my very real need for a cookie at Starbucks. She had the nerve to say, "Not today buddy." I didn't ask her if today was a good day I simply communicated I must have a cookie. So seeing she was playing the calm not get angry in public game I thought I would bring my loud very cute game. I won. Are you surprised? Me neither. She stuck to her guns going on and on about good choices and rationalizing sugar earlier in the day. But in the middle of her droning on and on in parent speak Aaron, oh wonderful Aaron, at Starbucks said these glorious words, "can I give Max a special treat." It was as if time stopped for a moment on the streets of Dunedin. Angels were singing, I'm sure of it. My mommy's a bit of a sucker when people love on me and university students who act tough but melt at my cuteness, so I was pretty sure what was coming next. Yep. Predictable. I smiled before the yes even came out of her mouth.

It was pure heaven in a cup. It's hard being as cute and smart as me. Poor mommy didn't stand a chance between me and Starbucks boy.

Maybe next time we will go with the "good choices" mommy goes on and on about. Yeah right!

More Max Pictures

I thought I would show all the pictures of Max so you can see his crazy & very cheesy personality. And seeing its mostly the grandparents reading this plus a family digital scrapbook it just seemed fitting to bombard the blog with Max!