Time for an update....
 

I've lost count of how many years we've been here! With all the ping ponging and all ;) But its a few, so thought I'd update!

Our boys are now 10, 12 and 14 and my how they've grown! The younger two still attend eumundi state school (beautiful school) and are incredibly happy. My eldest started high school in noosa 2 days ago, and fingers crossed all appears to be going ok (I on the other hand, almost fainted at the price of the uniforms - so I'm not ok)! Husband is still policing noosa, and is very happy, he's doing all kinds of teachy things with new recruits, teaching computer software stuff to the oldies and doing other stuff like quad biking on the beach (doesn't sound like a hard job really ;) )! (ummm theres an awful lot of 'stuff's in there, so i probably don't know exactly what he does)!

Daily working life is all a bit of a routine; school runs, off to work, finsih work then the school run - very mundane, but, we do make an effort to get out every evening after work for a walk on the beach, take the boys to the skate park or catch up with friends for a latte. We also try and get away at least one weekend a month to somewhere 'different'! Our most favourite place in teh world is Bunya - just the peace, being in BFN (butt **** nowhere) the wildlife etc etc is truly amazing!

We still keep in contact with a few pommies, but the majority of our friends are aussie

So just a few little things about how I've got on...

I wake up smiling every day - I truly love and appreciate where I live
I walk/run through the noosa national park with my friend Ronnie once a week - we do 14kms (and yes I get blisters) - we stop off at all the bays, to sit watch the surfers, chat and giggle - it destresses us before work!
I drink at least 3 lattes a day, all with friends while we have a gossip
I mainly work on the beach - its a hard job I can tell you :)
I love cherry blossoms and gerbarah's very much!
I'm scared of water - so you won't catch me in the sea!
I do however own at least 24 different bikini's!
I've had my flip flops since the year 2000 when we first came out to Sydney ;)
Yes...... they need replacing!
My brother now lives here too
My Mum and Dad are selling their house to come and live here....not sure how I feel about that really
I don't miss my family
I do miss my friends :)
I'm very proud of my children - they haven't really achieved anything spectacular - but they have adapted,overcome and are normal 'aussie' kids - they love life, live it to the full and speak their minds (be it in a slightly Queensland bogan accent - but we'll deal with that later) ;)
I have a thing for lip gloss and sparkly things
I collect Ikea photo frames - then never put anything in them!
I have no excuses for this.....


Well thats how I've got on, time for some pics!

Re: Time for an update....
 

AAAAAAAND you take boody great photos!!!!:thumbsup:

great post...thanks for that:thumbsup:

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![/QUOTE]

Excellent posting, well done.

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ah ty have some more! Oh and as a follow up re bunya - I have some details after receiving some enquiries re this.

We book through www.bunyamountains.com - we've stayed at a few of the homes/chalets but the one we love is One Tree Hill, amazing views over the South burnett region. The best time to stay is in the winter - you get snow! Its at least 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else. Even last month we ended up lighting a fire and snuggling as it was around 15 degrees, which quite frankly is bloody cold ;)

Take everythign with you as there really is nothing there. The nearest Dr is 64km away at Dalby. Take a good first aid kit and tweezers to remove bush ticks. You need to take your own bed linen (doona's and pillows are supplied) and towels, otherwise they wack you with a bill of $45 per person!!! :ohmy: Take firelights, kindling (they supply logs), and of course take ya camera cos the wildlife is just aawwweeesommmm (as my boys put it) XX

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thanks ! :thumbup:

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Great pics and even greater update! We love where we are too although 200 kms from coast or river we try to get away one weekend at least a month!

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A great update and WOW! what fantastic pics! Not long till we put in the Spouse application visa then we too could be experiencing places like this.
Glad to hear you love your life down under and that your move has been so successful. Wishing you and your family all the best. Lou x

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We absolutely LOVE the bush - but jobs are here on the coast, so this is where we'll stay! Our escape however, is woop woop! We're country bumpkins!

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Nice to read a positive update,, you have fab life there,,im made up for you and your family,,great pics btw,,how many times did you ping pong?

Bluekipper

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Glad its all going good for you, hope when we ping pong again it will be great as well:thumbup:

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amazing photos :)

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The thing with ping ponging is you have a real appreciation of what you want. We simply moved to the wrong area! We were just outside of Brisbane - we came from a gorgeous Suffolk village (and I mean seriously gorgeous) so why we ever thought we could live near the city is beyond me! Everytime we got out of the city I just felt I could breath again. Going back to the UK was good tho, it also gave us focus so we could sell teh house and get rid of any ties. Now we simply have nothing to go back for. Our family are moving over this way, as are our friends. Soem friends that can't move over, have already come over for a holiday, and we all keep in touch (facebook) anyway!

:D

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This is fab fab fab!
I have read so many of your posts and they are always really inspiring:)
Does it feel weird that so many people are following you out to oz?
my brother and parents also want to come, I can't wait
Your photo's are fab, what camera do you use, if you don't mind me asking
bec

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Hi bec! I accept my brother being out here - nice to have family in the area, not sure about my parents :confused: We didn't come out here to escape anything, but my parents lived less than 35mins away from us in teh UK and yet they only saw our boys once a year!!! They're saying they're moving out cos they miss the grandchildren :confused: I find that bizarre!

Haha I'm a nikon girl well and truly - I use a nikon D80 for portrait shoots and a nikon D300 for other shoots (commercial,weddings etc). I also use a fuji s9500 - for other stuff (landscape,seascape etc) I've got some info on my blogger (its just boring family stuff but you might like it)

www.funkyphotography.blogspot.com Theres a link on the right hand side to some migration stuff and stories from other families :D

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Hi Glittababe
your photography is great...
i too am most grateful for being able to live in a really beautiful part of the world. We moved between South Africa and the UK a number of times, before finding what we'd been searching for, after all those moves, and now appreciate it every single day.
Our daughter too has been brilliant during all the moves, and is very happy here... Sometimes it takes time to find what your'e looking for.. now we have found it!:thumbsup:

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amen! I couldn't imagine living anywhere else now - here is home. I hear pom's too often say "well I'm going home for a holiday" (referring to the UK) - only its not their home and they have to get over that! This is their chosen home, embrace it! I know families that would love to come and live here, but, for one reason or another simply can't. Yes it has problems, but doesn't everywhere? Focus on the good stuff, deal with the bad stuff! Chuck those rose tinted specs in the bin as soon as you land!

Please note to the very charming pic of us all together wasn't taken by me - it was at infinity on teh GC!!!

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you have a great attitude which is guess why you are succeeding.

Ineresting your point about moving from a small village to the city and it being the wrong place. We live in a small town here in teh UK and i hate big cities, hate major traffic and therefore am considering Cairns, however hubby is fancying Perth but i'm just not sure it would work as i think a big city would just get to me.

oh and your kids are gorgeous too

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hi annie
lovely update!!
glad to hear you are all still loving it!
and wow, your boys are getting big!
fab pics as always,
sue xxxxx

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Great read GB:thumbsup:

Ps What camera you using please?:D

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Haha they're not always that gorgeous! Cairns is beautiful! If you're not city people then definately head up that way. It really is an amazingly beautiful place! I'm just trying to find some pics of our boys to see how much they've changed!

Here we go, how they were.......

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Hi Sue where abouts are you???Haven't been on here for so long, have lost track!

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and how they are now...... (scary)

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Hi, your photography skills are outstanding, i've really enjoyed going through your pics - are you a pro? :thumbsup:

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.



still in the uk ... hoping to get out this year, but with our luck im not holding my breath!
xxx

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why's it taking so long??? Are you still working teh plus 20 hrs per week?? I was so lucky, after fearing the worst that I hadn't done enough, they took into consideration all teh bank work I'd done! I used to curse at being called in on my days off, but now I'm so grateful! Maybe it was meant to be ;)

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well, my mum had a stroke in jan 06 so we werent going anywhere as theres really only me who could look after her. we came to aus for a long holiday in may 07 and decided to apply on oh's skills -- only for that tra pathway to be withdrawn. my mum passed away in april 08, and then oh's mum ill and she passed away in june 08. so just trying to get life back on track, financially as well as in other ways ... we are now saving and building my hours up so we can apply on my skills - which should be end of sept.

.. thats providing no other crisis/emmergencies happen along the way!

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Oh my word!!! You've had it all going on! I remember you coming out for a reccie as Deb's told me. Gosh I hope everything now settles so you can get back here! Can't wait to finally meet you! XXXX

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Hi Annie,

Long time no speak! I just pop on here every now and again to catch up on people's news., so lovely to see your post and hear that all is still going so well. My goodness, your boys are growing up quickly! Dave and I have two little 'uns now (aged 22mths and 5mths) so I am kept pretty busy! Give my love to Debs when you next see her.

Take care, and love to all,
Nicky

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Very true. We came back because I was so unhappy and then losing my Mum topped it all off for me. Glad we did come back and realise that we are more focused on what we want as a family not what we should be doing (i.e. staying for family. friends etc). Just cant decide if to just take a leap of faith and go later this year or try and secure work first.

Have eldest daughter from Perth here at mo with her ozzie boyfriend. they are having a great time but go home next weekend :( God I am gonna find that bit really hard:(

Its harder this time about going than last in the respect of this recession thingie looming over everyones head:blink::confused:

Wanna try Brissy area first as I felt that was where I wante to be when we visited a few years ago but circumstances made us stay in Perth, saying that tho I can see all the good bits of Perth now, so would happily go back there..

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:lol: - werent you away or something when we were in bris?
yes, would be nice to finally meet up!
say hi to deb for me ... tell her to send me that email she keeps promising!!
sue x

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hello strangers!!!!!!
gosh, two children!?? you have been busy ... :lol:
glad to see you are still in sydney, hope life is being good to you all.
sue :wub:

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She a top chick and a top photographer.

lace xxx

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awwwwwww thank you hunny miss you all the way over there! XXXX

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You have been busy bees!!! So glad its all going great for you, you deserve all the luck in the world X

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:rofl::rofl:

Those pictures are amazing.

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Ooo I don't remember you coming over? I knew you did come, but you went down south didn't you? haha deb's doesn't really talk to anyone anymore, her and Baz are getting divorced, shes working full time, her sons gone back to the UK. bumped into her at work a few months ago and she seemed happy enough ;)

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hi annie,
we came up and spent the day with debs ... im sure she said you were away or had family or were busy or something ... some reason we couldnt meet you the day we came up.
after 2 weeks in adelaide and a week on the gold coast, we stayed in central brisbane for a week and did a lot of driving around!! drove up to the sunny coast the week before we left ... loved it :thumbup:
Debs told me they had split up, and last time i heard from her she sounded very happy and settled ... is she still at the same address do you know? I have a card i keep meaning to send her ...
sue x

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Hi Sue, not sure whether Debs is in the same place as her house was up for sale??? Might be worth a quick check with her before posting anything...... phew! We're all moved at last, boxes everywhere!!!!! Its so stressful, glad we won't have to do it again. I definately wake up smiling with the views form my place! Will try and take a pic!

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WOW!! Am I envious or what?! Wishing you and your family lots of happy times in your wonderful new home. Enjoy (I'm sure you will!) Lou xx

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Ahhh ty, we're so exhausted, we need a new bathroom, a new kitchen, a laundry room etc etc but I'm sure it'll be worth it ;) Our views just go on for miles and miles! Off to ikea tomorrow to do the kids rooms. We've had to get rid of their computers and go for laptops as no space!!! More $$$'s - I expect I'll now be working till I'm 100! And who'd have thought flyscreens could be so expensive??? :confused: