HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROO! Our other daughter.

You all know Joy, or you've randomly ended up on this page - and you don't.  But she's our little kangaroo.  She isn't an only child - really.  But there isn't a picture of our eldest kangaroo over on the left.  That is because she doesn't live with us - and isn't officially ours - but in our hearts...  she is a part of our hopping family - and always will be.  No matter what.

Let me introduce you to Roo.

Roo graduated from university last year.  Hard to believe...  She first came to us when Joy was a little baby.  She came to help out and play with us for a few summers.

She quickly became part of the family and we all loved having her 'home' with us each time she returned.  

We've travelled the world together!  We've seen US landmarks...

Played in the snow...

We once took a "small" detour to see things that really meant something to her.  She LOVES the Red Sox!  She helped us develop our love for them, too.  

When she graduated from high school she came to Ireland to see us and we surprised her with a trip to Italy to track down her family line and see the land from which she came...  via her grandparents at least.  The last picture reminds me of Roo and Joy when we were in the Sistine Chapel and they laid down, amidst the groups of people, to soak in the paintings on the ceiling...  

I love watching my girls together...  then, and now.  

Happy Birthday, Roo.  

You are family.  No matter where you live - what you do - what you aspire to...  we will always love and cherish you.  You are our girl.  Our Roo.  If I had one wish for this next year in your life it would be that you would see the amazing young women we do.  That you would surround yourself with people who build you up and inspire you to be the best you can be.  You have passion and compassion.  Use them to become the woman I know you can be.  I love you, more than my fingers can adequately type on this blog!  I can't wait until we add Australian on our long list of adventures together!

(We are ever so grateful for your 'other' family that not only shares you with us, but has taken us in as theirs, too!)

Koalas, Kangaroos and Kids - Oh My!

Koala's aren't bears.  Did you know that?  So, should you say koala bear in an animal park, you'll get corrected.  I know this for a fact as we some crazy American's made that mistake and we overheard a very enthusiastic staff member give that family a long... long... lesson.

So let me introduce you to our marsupial friend, who is related to the kangaroo and isn't even slightly related to any type of bear.  Trust me.  I know.  Because I overheard!

Just as snuggly soft as you might expect, with a lovely smell of eucalyptus on his fur.  They have serious claws though, so if you find one in the wild we were warned to stay away.  This, however, is hard to do.  They hide in the trees deep in the bush - far away from the human eye.  There are these signs around the country...  but they are VERY misleading.

Let's just say that that same previously mentioned family who called them koala bears saw this sign and went back and forth up and down that 4km stretch for over an hour...  to no avail.  Crazy, crazy family. So glad WE aren't that clueless!

Anyway, back to our day.  My bff and I went with our girls and her nieces.  It was a girlie day.  Her son wanted NOTHING to do with us.  Which was okay, because he is always wanting to hold my hand in public and he's getting to the age where people look at me funny.  Don't you H?  Silly, silly boy.  So, I held the hand of this little gem instead, and it brought back so many memories of Joy!  This little gem had no fear.  NONE.

Here are the girls...

We had a great time!

We stopped at the water's edge on the way home and had some fantastic fish and chips and a play at the playground to help us get rid of any remaining energy.  We were thrilled to find very friendly pelicans!

We were successful!  We had a great day, with great girls, AND I didn't have to hold H's hand.  It was, indeed, the perfect day!

(fine print: H is a teenage boy who absolutely despises any kind of human contact with anyone over the age of 30. I get great, great pleasure from torturing him in nearly any setting.)

Music to my Ears

Joy has always loved singing.  From an early age.  Perhaps because we always had music on or were singing to her.  Or, perhaps, she just has music in her soul.  Regardless, our girl loves to sing.

Last year on my birthday cruise she got up for live karaoke (with a band) and sang to a room full of adults.  I was more nervous that she was.  She walked up there, and gave it her all.  It was her first standing ovation.  I doubt it will be her last.

A friend let us know the local musical society was having auditions (like six months ago) for Seussical the Musical.  Joy was determined to audition.  She got a role in chorus and...  the rest is history.  She got a taste for the theatre - and there is no going back.

She rehearsed twice a week for months (and months, and months...) while I looked on protecting her innocence.  (I'm still a neurotic mom, and this was a cast of mostly adults - who would occasionally forget it wasn't a full cast of adults!)  I was an entirely new kind of stage mom, but I brought treats so they tolerated me.

She was often doing homework on her break, but she was determined to stay in the show, so she rarely complained.

Here is a picture of Joy with her director.  He was incredibly talented and an all around great guy.  (His mum can be proud!)

Boomer and I were all hands on deck, too.  He worked hard on the set, while I slaved away helping with costumes.  (If I never seen another feather or have to make another pompom again, I'm really okay with that!)  If you look behind Horton the Elephant you can see Joy channeling her inner bird for this scene.  

She made some great friends, had a great time, learned crazy amounts of dancing routines and generally was where she was scheduled to be...  when she was scheduled to be there.

I am one super proud momma.  We have a private copy on youtube.  If you want to see it, send me a note and I'll forward you the link.

Like I said...  I'm certain this won't be her last performance.  She got the bug...

Bucket List

1. See a kangaroo in wild
2. Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
3. Go skinny dipping
4. Take a Dance Class
5. Visit all States in Australia
6. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
7. Swim in a natural pool at the base of a waterfall
8. Write a Cookbook
9. Get into Geneology
10. Water Ski...  actually get up
11. Ride a Horse on the Beach
12. Get Re-certified in First Aid
13. See an Opera at the Sydney Opera House
14. Learn basic piano
15. Adopt a Dog from a Shelter
16. Learn how to use a pogo stick
17. Make and Fly a Kite
18. Paint a Picture
19. Work with Bees/Honey
20. Sew a quilt
21. Own a pair of Alaskan Slippers
22. Swim with a Dolphin
23. Complete the Rainbow Road on Mario Kart
24. Catch a fish at sea
25. Have a honeymoon with Boomer (never happened)
26. Host a Dinner Club for 4 consecutive Weeks
27. Be a Vegan for 2 weeks - Just to try it
28. Have a Girlfriends Getaway with friends from my life
29. See a Musical in London's West End
30. Sleep on a Beach
31. Do the Freedom Trail with Joy again now that she'll remember.
32. Get a smooch (and picture) from my guy at the following places...
1. On the Sydney Harbor Bridge
2. On the Great Wall of China
3. On or near the Eiffel Tower
4. By Old Faithful
5. On the Y
6. On a boat/canoe on Heart Lake
7. On 10 'big' things in Australia
8. On the banks of the Fox Glacier
9. In the hot pond on the Big Island
10. By the Spray of the Iguazu Falls
11. On Cherry Blossom Road at Yeowja Stream
12. In the shadow of Uluru
13. In a richshaw
14. By a prikley pear cactus on the Galapagos Islands
15. In a Hot Air Balloon
16. On Puplit Rock
17. At Paria Canyon
18. On Pangong Tso Lake
19. Swimming in Verdon Gorge
20. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (summer, please)
21. Perito Moreno Glacier
22. William's Bay
23. Lauterbrunnen Valley
24. Snorkling the Great Barrier Reef
25. On the Trans-Siberian Express
26. Wineglass Bay
27. At Buckingham Palace
33. Run in one of those huge hamster ball things
34. Go Ice Swimming in Finland
35. Go Paragliding
36. See Elephants in the Wild

More to come as I discover things I really want to experience.

Too Big of a Bite

So, I haven't updated in ages...  because I haven't completed everything on my list...  again.

What used to be my do in a year list is really and truly my bucket list.  So, I'm rebranding it so I don't feel ashamed and avoid updating you all on our fabulous adventures!

I'll add to my bucket list as I think of things I really want to do.  I'll take things off as they become less important to me.  It's my bucket, I'll change it if I want to.  (To the tune of 'Its My Party')

Now that that very important random item has been addressed...  We can get back to talking about the adventures of our kangaroo clan!

First up...  Joy is TEN.  When in the world did that happen?  I'm not impressed by how fast she is growing up, but am delighted to be along for the journey.  If I can't slow the speed down...  I'm going to have to start running so I don't miss anything.

Joy was in her first musical.  We have a copy on youtube.  Send me a message if you want a link to enjoy.  She was in the chorus and we think she was absolutely brilliant.  Her first time on the official stage, and we were in awe of her ability to remember moves, songs, props, etc.  (Ironically still unable to remember to empty her lunch bag and put clean clothes in drawers...)

Boomer is still with the same company changing the internet world one boring inspiring code/program/whatever at a time.  He is absolutely addicted to cycling.  He loves gardening roses and tickling Joy.  (Which I am trilled about, because for the first 9 years of our marriage he had no one but me to take those forms of torture out on...  and she loves it!)

I was laid off after my position was made redundant.  I decided not to go for any of the jobs my company was offering - I was working too many hours and missed my family.  I'm now working 30ish hours a week (less than half of the hours I used to work!) and enjoying spending more time with Joy and keeping our house organized.

There is a fine line for me and tidiness.  If I have NO time, I long to clean and organize.  If I have EXCESS time I don't do it.  I do best when I'm busy and have a schedule - but not so busy that I fall into bed with dinner in my hand.  So I'm really enjoying getting everything perfectly organized and retraining my family how to help keep it that way!

Funny/shameful side note...  I don't have loads of memories from my childhood, but one thing I vividly recall is Bridget Cullins borrowing a hairbrush at my house.  We were walking to the stairs to leave the apartment we were living in and she asked where she should put the brush...  I said "Just throw it on the floor, my mom will pick it up later."  I would just like to say a public "I'm Sorry" to my mom.  Every single time I pick up some random thing from the floor - I hear myself saying it all over again.  Of all the memories etched in my brain - I'd much rather change it one for when I was doing something angelic and awe inspiring.  Perhaps because this was my only dreadful act - that is why I remember it so vividly?  Well, one can dream...

I'm off to sync my phone so I have lots of wonderful pictures for future posts.

Oh, and I would like to point out that when we were a leprechaun family we had many visitors.  Count for visitors to the kangaroo family?  ZERO.  Who will break the dry spell?