Newsworthy

Could there be anything cooler than an Australian vacation with your husband? Yes. How about strolling through Sydney on the very day of your arrival, grabbing their local newspaper, and finding an article featuring your handsome husband. So that happened to me yesterday. Sydney houses over 4 million people, and I get to be married to the man found found in the Property Section (pg. 47), of the Financial Review, and yes Linda Smith, I bought you a copy!

At a little shop, purchasing the paper.

The cover of the paper. 

The best bit in the paper: the part about Ryan E. Smith. 

I told Ryan he is just like a narwal: "causing a commotion because he is so awesome."

Jet lagged much? We're in the downtown district, super close to the Hyde Park and the Botanical Garden. The weather was lovely, so we ate lunch in the Park at an outdoor cafe.

Giant game of chess, with several old men playing. Simon would have loved it!

Beautiful church in downtown Sydney.

They had this plaque on the back of every bench in the chapel.

I thought it was so lovely and faith affirming.

Yes, that IS the Sydney Opera House just behind us. SOOOO exciting!

This is a toilet in the Sydney Opera House. 

I found it super amusing that they light up the toilet rolls.

How elegant.

Cops on horses.

Thats just plain cool.

***This post is for Thursday, October 6th, 2016***

Sydney or Bust!

Ryan has been asked to be the keynote speaker at conference in Sydney for a few years now. He decided to play hardball this year, and told them that he would come only if they brought his hot smoking wife out with him too (I can't be sure if those are the exact words he used, but I"m sure it was something to that effect.) They agreed, and I'm sitting in our airbnb rental, so it worked. 

There we are! At the SLC airport. We flew from Salt Lake to LA, and then from LA straight into Sydney.  The last leg was 16 hours. SIXTEEN HOURS.

How do you know your husband travels too much? He becomes a "Gold Star Delta Club Member."

That means that whilst waiting to board/during layovers, we get to hang out in a special VIP room with loads of delicious buffett food, free drinks, comfortable seats, and lovely bathrooms. We were curious what the bathrooms looked like (even thigh neither of us had to go.) I took this pic to show Ryan. I don't think it looks much like an airport bathroom.

Fast forward 16 hours. We're about to land, and that's Australia that I'm looking at.

Incredible.

WE did successfully land, and pass through customs.

The signs prove it.

***This post is for Tuesday, October 4th, and Thursday October 6th, 2016. Due to the time zone difference, we didn't even get a Wednesday. But don't feel bad for us. It looks like on our return trip we will get two Fridays. And I think we would all prefer two Fridays over a Wednesday anyway.***

Spiders Bite!

My dear sweet son Norman got but by a bug on Sunday night. I thought it was a mosquito bc we had just been for a walk and a few of us had been bitten and were itching. But Monday morning rolled around and he looked a we bit puffy. And Monday afternoon rolled around and he looked like he had been bumped his head by something.  And then Monday night rolled around and he looked like he was a member of one of those new popular baby fight clubs. And then Tuesday morning found us with an eye completely swollen shut. This also happened to be the day that Ryan and I were headed to a trip to Sydney, Australia (vacation/work trip.) Mercy. On Monday night I took him to see his Dr., and continued with the Benadryl and antibiotics, but I thought Tuesday would have my little man looking better...not worse. Luckily for my mother nerves, the swelling had subsided a bit by the time we left for the airport, and our sitter is fabulously capable, but this was not the exit I had in mind. Word on the street (actually an email form the sitter) has him looking loads better. Thank heaven, because prayers have certainly been offered in that direction.

Monday night at the pediatricians office.

He is indeed sucking on a lollipop.

Welcome to Tuesday morning.

This is the unbid side of his sweet face.

Notice the difference?!?

Me too. Poor little wee man.

***This post is for Monday - Tues, October 3rd and 4th, 2016***

20th Tour

This weekend was my high school's 20th reunion. All in all, it was such a lovely event, and I walked away feeling so incredibly blessed to be lumped in to such a fabulous group for the 4 impressionable years of high school.  The reasons I am declaring this reunion a success are: #1 My better female half, aka womb mate, aka twin joined me in the reunion fun. I cheated in high school: my best friend rode to school with me, was in almost all of my extra curricular activities, had several classes with me, and we went home together and shared a room. #2 I got to tour my old stomping ground. The campus tour was fabulous! I don't really have what's technically referred to as "a mind's eye." I find it incredibly difficult to picture places that I've been (like even my own home). I struggle with the details. Fact: I couldn't describe what any of my children look like, unless I'm looking at them/ looking at a photo of them. Long story short, the tour of Sahuaro High School was a happy jaunt down memory lane. #3 I got to enjoy a fabulous Mexican dinner at El Charro with my dear friends, the "lunch bunch." I know why we were all pals in  our teens, and why we remain pals in our late 30's.  The lunch was fabulous, but still only half as good as the conversation. #4 Our big reunion dinner was lovely.  Somewhat informal, with tasty Italian food to nibble on, it was all that I had hoped it would be.  I chatted with several random classmates, and heard about children and jobs and travel and divorce and murder and house fires and illness and pets and career changes... I even got called "cute as a button." Can't beat that.

Admin building.

Walking the halls.

So many hours spent in this gym!

We were lucky enough to have my track coach, Sandy Novak, take us on the high school tour.

My friend Kara and I crushed it during our PE Badminton pairs. 

A worthy reason for a picture.

Our fight song. And beat the Sabercats we did.

A view form our track. Lot's of miles were logged on that track.

Our little theatre. I still remember my lines from the play "Fame."

A small, but fabulous tour.

Lunch bunch. The restaurant thought we would never leave:~)

*** This post is for Friday and Saturday, Sept 30 and October 1st, 2016***

A Right of Passage

My darling daughter maximized the time spent away on our girls trip and is now enjoying two new holes in her head. My plan was to give her the option of having her ears pierced when she turned 11, but our visit to Tucson seemed like such an apropos time, that I suggested it, and she jumped on it.  So once she is able to remove her starter pair (6 weeks) then we must get a matching set!

Park Mall in Tucson Arizona. The "before" shot.

The lady that sis the piercing and these odd angel wings and halo thing going on.

We took it as a good omen.

Anners was a little bit nervous (no thanks to her aunt for telling her that "the head straps that hold your head in place don't really hurt all that much..." in reality, no head straps needed. Just simply hold your head still.

  

The second ear was much easier and less stressful. 

I'm glad that I still got to hold her hands.

I love that my mom is creeping around in the back.

And the "after" shot. Lovely earrings, cheeky daughter.

***This post is for Friday morning, September 30th, 2016***

Flight Fun

Annie, Norman and I will be spending a few days in the Old Pueblo of Tucson, AZ. My 20th high school reunion is calling my name/ I'll jump at any chance to visit my family (my parents, twin, brother are all in Tucson, and my sister is just a short two hour drive North to Gilbert.) As far as flights go with a toddler, it was better than I expected. Annie is such a gem with her brother; she entertained her little brother, and in turn, Norman thinks everything she does is art.

Everyone loves kids running around in the airport!

Look at that pajama bum!

Mercy! And 10 points to AJ for letting her brother crawl all over her person.

*** This post is still for Thursday, September 29th, 2016***

Anywhere in Bountiful

Each school semester I try to take my kids out for a high quality lunch date with mom. Calvin chose McDonalds (fast and easy, and he needed to get back to school asap.) I'm here in Tucson, AZ with Annie (and that is certainly going to count as our Mom/Annie bonding time.) But Owen's turn was on Thursday, and he opted for Wendy's, which was so funny since we had grabbed a bite to eat there just a few days ago... but he apparently really like it, so Wendy's it was!

Owen opted for a hamburger meal, with a side of chicken nuggets.

He got an I-Spy game with his meal, which he played on his way back to school.

I love these lunch dates! And I love my Owen!

***This post is for Thursday, September, 29th 2016