Christmas has begun

Today was the Annual St. John's Santa Parade. At was almost called off this year due to the H1N1 hype that is going on over here at the moment but luckily for us it went ahead as scheduled. It was absolutely freezing so the girls were in their snow suits and Noel and I were in our new heavy duty winter jackets, we all had beeinis and gloces/mittens, and it was still freezing. The girls loved it, it was certinally a different parade to the one in Perth, but it was very local and very community based so it was really nice. The good thing about it was that we arrived after the parade had started at the other end of town and we still go front row seats - none of this lining up at midday in the blazing heat.

Ann Marie bought the girls a Christmas tree for their room so they put that up yesterday, lights and all, they think Christmas is much sooner than it is - it is going to be a long wait.

It feels so Christmasy here already, so many houses and stores are adorned in lights and the shops are full of shoppers and Christmas carols are coming from all speakers across town.

This is a picture I thought I would add of Jennas school Assembly, they kids had been learning the song since school started for this assembly, Jenna had 2 days to learn it and knew every word.

We bought a car - actually a mini-van on the weekend and we should be able to get it Monday, very excited! I will finally get to practice driving on the other side of the road!!! - I think I will get up really early one morning while there are no cars on the road and try.

Bye for now from chilli Canada

Vanessa

New Beginings

Jenna had her first day of school today at Bishop Abrahams Elementary School. She was very excited to start school and we were excited for her to be going!!!

She had a great time at Kindy and wasn't happy that it was only half a day as she is used to full days in Australia, but at least it is half a day every day!

She is so excited that they do gym and computer and art and music and that they get books to take home to read. It seems like Kindy here is more like pre-primary in Australia.

We really hope that starting kindy helps to settle her down a bit as she has become a bit feral lately.

The move has had more impact on Jenna than anyone else...as we thought it would, the poor thing is a bit out of sorts and misses everyone terribly.

I think the end of the jet lag is in sight, the girls are getting into a routine and their body clocks seem to have switched timezones...I will never understand why their body clock has once again chosen 6am as a good wake up time.
We were up so early one morning...like 3am...so we took the girls to Tim Horton's for a hot chocolate and then went and did grocery shopping at 5am at the 24hour supermarket...that is the best time of day to do shopping!

We then went up to Signal Hill to see the sunrise over the North Atlantic ocean. It was bloody freezing but beautiful and still and peaceful.

This picture of the girls is overlooking the city of St. Johns where we are living. It is a lovely place, I really think we are going to enjoy our time here.

The girls are used to getting rugged up and remembering they cant just run outside with no shoes on or their feet will freeze!

Jenna was very excited today (and so was I to tell you the truth) , we walked to school and all the puddles were frozen solid and very slippery. I nearly ended up on my backside on my way back from the school as the ground was so icy...after that I couldn't stop laughing at myself and thinking about how stupid I must have looked and how many more times I am going to look that stupid throughout the coming winter.

That's all for today,

enjoy!

We made it to Canada

After lots of sad goodbyes we finally made it to Canada

and damn it is cold.

We left Perth on Friday the 13th Novemmber in the wee hours of the morning (2am) bound for Hong Kong. Mum and Dad came with us to Hong Kong so we had some help with the kids on the plane. They both slept on the first leg to Singapore and then were great on the next flight an hour and a half later to Hong Kong.

We went to the hotel and Noel and the kids crashed...not me, I went shopping with Mum.

Saturday was Disneyland and what a great day! We all loved it and thankfully it wasnt too crowded - we only had to wait about 5 or 10 minutes for any ride.

The next day we did some shopping and went up the summit on the tram and then hit the Markets that night.

Monday we went to see the Giant Buddah, to get there we went in a glass bottom cable car, we spent most of it surrounded by clouds, it was quite eerie, but a great experience. Then it was off to the harbour to watch the light show and back to the hotel - the kids slept in Mum and Dads room so I could pack. Up early the next morning to catch our 15 hour flight to New York. the kids were great on the plane, Jenna made a new friend with a little New York girl who talked as much as her - didnt think that was posible. The girls both slept a couple of times on the plane and Abby had a bit of cabin fever by the end but all in all it was not a bad experience. We then had a few hours at Newark airport and that was worse than the 15 hours on the plane. We then boarded our flight to St. John's and we all fell asleep at takeoff and didnt wake up till we were about to land...thank God.

There was a lovely blanket of snow on the ground when we arrived which the kids thought was great and we were met by a very excited Ann-Marie. The whole airport staff knew we were arriving and kept telling us there were some very excited people waiting for us. We took about an hour and a half to get through immigration because we had to apply for a different visa to the usual one so it was midnight before we left the airport and then it was 2am before we went to bed.

The girls body clocks are all out of whack. The jetlag has hit and they are waking up at weird times. Jenna more so than Abby. Hopefully that doesnt las too long. It is weird though how it effects you, even your digestive body clock is totally out of whack and you need to to a number 2 in the middle of the night....strange!

The first morning here the girls got on their thermals and went and played in the snow...they had a ball!

We are off to buy a TV, and bed for abby and have a look at some cars today...and quite possible buy some more warm clothes!

bye for now!

The Byrnes

I love Surprises

What a surprise I got today when one of my best friends...Shani... arrived from Darwin to spend my last weekend with me! She just arrived at the park where we were having playgroup...well I lost it!!
We are really on the countdoown now - this time next week we will be in Hong Kond getting ready for a big day at Disneyland!!!!!
Tomorrow we have breaky and the Boat Shed, High Tea the the Hyatt (might be joinged by Britney Spears) and then Out to dinner with my besties...couldn't ask for a better day!