Give a Little Love

This video. 

I'm in love with it! 

I think it's such a good reminder of how important small, random acts of kindness are. I'm using it as a little inspiration for my resolutions for the new year :)

Enjoy!

"Exegi Monumentum Aere Perennius"

This little brass plaque hangs outside of Oupa's house and translated from Latin it means: 

"We have built a monument that will outlast brass." 

It's a pretty powerful motto and such a neat attitude to have towards your family. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I've had to come to Australia and meet and spend time with JP's extended family. They are absolutely amazing people, able to make you feel welcome and included and are so much fun to talk to and do things with. Even after just 2 weeks I really feel like they're family.

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Before we left, Oupa let me feed his koi fish and it was one of the highlights of my trip! 

He calls to the fish, and they all swim over in a great hurry and basically jump out of the water over each other because they're so excited to eat. It's very entertaining to witness.

Feeding these fish is serious business too, because each one costs almost as much as I pay in tuition for a semester of school :)

NYE

Australia is one of the first places in this whole world to ring in the new year, and my goodness do they know how to do it in style! They have 2 sets of fireworks explode into the sky from 3 different places. The first ones light off at 9:00 PM and the second are lit at midnight (of course)! 

Grand total spent on those fireworks you might ask? According to google it's anywhere from 5-7 million (!!)

We spent the evening in the fabulous company of JP's cousin Brendan and his girlfriend Jesse! She graciously hosted a little party for us and we spent the final evening of 2012 mixing mocktails, chatting, and playing cards. And to top it all off, the view from her balcony was absolutely perfect -- it had a clear view of all 3 firework-light-off points! Let me tell you, those fireworks were some of the most amazing things I've ever seen, ever.

**photo cred: those very cool firework pictures were edited but not taken by me! They were taken by Shayla's husband Nick :)

Koala Park

This day was possibly the highlight of my life. 

(excepting the day I got married... haha)

Getting to frolic with koalas AND kangaroos?! Is this even real life?

They were so precious and cuddly I thought I had just died and gone to heaven.

Father Christmas found us in the Southern Hemisphere!

Christmas was spent opening a few gifts, setting a very festive dining table for Christmas luncheon, eating that delicious luncheon, and skyping family. It was a marvelous day AND it poured rain the entire day, making Christmas even more magical (I'm not being sarcastic there... I actually love the rain haha) 

Oh, and Christmas wouldn't be complete without a 4 hour game of Trivial Pursuit right? 

I hope your Christmas was just as wonderful!

This is the closest we're getting to a Christmas card this year... haha!

Happy Christmas!

It's Christmas morning here in Australia and in true Christmas spirit, it's pouring rain.

But I actually don't mind it because I might have gotten a little bit sunburned yesterday and the cool air feels fantastic haha. 

Plus I'm pretending that it's like "snow" on Christmas, so I'm pretty happy about it. 

I am so grateful for the family I've had the privilege of meeting here! It's really been a Christmas unlike any I've had. I wondered if I would feel sad and homesick, since this is the first Christmas I've spent away from my family, but JP's family is so warm and friendly and wonderful that I've felt like I've been with family this whole time (which I definitely did not expect to happen)!

So Happy Christmas from Australia!  

Above is a little picture of our tree back in Utah! :)

Bondi Beach!

When next in Australia, I highly recommend the walk from Bondi Beach ---> Bronte Beach.

You get stunning scenic ocean views AND it appeases your inner thrill seeker because you can walk right along the edge of 30 meter cliffs with 35 kilometer-per-hour winds threatening to blow you off at any moment. 

(metric system anyone? I'm really getting the hang of things down here in the down under)

And then you should get some calamari and chips from the little fish restaurant on the boardwalk behind Bondi, with some swiss ice cream as a chaser. 

(I think I've already gained 10 pounds... I mean kilograms...) 

And then you should go lay out on the world famous Bondi Beach, because why on earth would you travel halfway around the earth (literally) and not do that?! Just avert your eyes from the topless women sunbathing as well... thankfully there weren't many. 

I can't believe we've already been here for a week!

This is JP's Oupa! 

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about him since I started dating Jean Paul and Oupa truly is one of the kindest, most generous men I've ever met. And he's Jean's namesake! Pretty great guy to be named after :)