Final countdown

So James and I have been here for nearly two months. Repatriation can be a bitch- especially since we have been away for nearly six years. My nesting instinct kicked in full bore and started renovating 4 weeks ago. So grateful that the company James works for have put us up in a fab little apartment with sweeping views across Sydney. Sydney has changed. Its a little meaner, people eat like pooh and smoke waaaay to much. But still great to be near family especially with Baby Mac due anytime in the next few weeks. The australian health care system rocks- universal health care works. I am in the doctors clinic because of my epilepsy but i appreciate the extra time and care they afford me.

I feel like it's time to slow down in anticipation for crazy times ahead. But I like crazy- so looking forward to the next rollercoaster ride.

Las Vegas and Grand Canyon

If there's one thing we need to do before we leave SLC ... it's the Grand Canyon. We've been saying that for years, so we finally did it. You might remember we said the same thing about Tofino and Canada and look what happened there .... Flew to Las Vegas, stayed in the death ray hotel (Vdara), spent a lot of time by the pool and hanging out with Heidi and Gary. For the GC, we took a plane (and a bus, and a bus), this turned out to be the best way to see the canyon without wasting 10 hours driving. All round great trip!

Sunrise from 9000ft.

Michelle and Buddha.

I lost $5 on this bloody machine.

Michelle and Heidi

BabyMac 24 weeks 6 days

Today I had my last research study session at LDS Hospital. I was really excited to go and then they gave me this- WOW! BabyMac is now a whole kilogram ( 2.2lbs). It was totally surreal seeing his face.

A day of firsts- I drove a Prius today. Not sure what to make of cars with a push start button. But I do like the idea of 2 gears- drive & reverse.

New Orleans

New Orleans! Who Dat Nation!

1st time we tried to visit we were living in Vancouver, I was going for work and we had bought Michelle a ticket. Then she decided to get meningitis which meant isolation in hospital and no trip.

This time it we made it all the way to big easy for a few days, ate way too much and enjoyed summer in February! There are more photos on the flickr photostream here.

On the ferry to Algiers.

Red beans and rice, yum!

Oak Alley plantation.

I spotted this alligator. The tour guide didn't. I think he owes me about $100 in tips.

Some other highlights:
- jazz @ maison bourbon
- lots of walking downtown, streetcars, french quarter, street performers
- food. mr b's-bbq shrimp cafe du monde-beignets & coffee , acme oyster-boo fries, po-boys, Mother's- jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, bread pudding, red beans & rice
- drink. hurricane, rye whiskey, whiskey sour, mint julep and abita beer
- swamp tour, holding a baby alligator, giant wasps, our new friends from Boston and Spain
-oak alley plantation tour, old oak trees, nice old house

Good place to spend a few days. Friendliest people I have ever met in the USA. Special thanks to Lucien Miller our tour and taxi driver for the kind words and history tour.

Afternoon Tea with BabyMac

BabyMac and I like tea. Well I love tea and no doubt BabyMac has this coursing through his veins.

Beautiful Boy

On Friday January 28, we hit the half way mark-20 weeks and had another ultrasound. James and I were adamant not to find out the sex of BabyMac, but after three games of solitaire and James winning two, it was a snap decision that we find out what Baby Mac was. I spyed it's boy parts and it was confirmed by our doctor. What is funny is I have been singing John Lennon's Beautiful Boy to it for a while.

Yesterday, I had my singing master class, it was the first time I felt BabyMac fluttering. Seems BabyMac reacts to Italian Baroque Opera.

Cheesymite Scrolls

Cheesymite Scrolls

Makes 8

1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
25g butter ( about 1.5 TBSP)
1/4 cup milk
5 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour (approx.)

Grated Cheese of your liking

Vegemite (tonnes)

• Mix the water and the yeast until there are no lumps.
• Melt the butter and add it to the yeast mix.
• Add the milk, sugar, and salt. Mix.
• Mix in 2 cups of flour. Make sure that the flour has been sifted first.
• Keep adding and mixing in flour until the dough loses most of its stickiness. For me this is usually an extra half a cup of flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead for 10 minutes.
• Shape the dough into a ball, and place in a bowl, which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
• Cover with a tea towel and place somewhere warm for an hour. ( I put my oven on warm then turned it off).

• Once the hour is up, remove the dough from the bowl and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a large square.
  
  Depending on your preference spread a layer of marmite or vegemite over the dough. Cover with grated cheese and roll the dough up into a log.
  
  Cut the log into segments. I tend to cut it into about 8 scrolls. Lie the scrolls down on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  
  Bake at 200C (about 390 F) for approximately 15 minutes.

What BabyMac is listening to...

Today Baby Mac is at 18 weeks in utero- and the milestone for this week is he/she can hear! Well at the moment I am learning a beautiful baroque aria, " Un Momento di Contento" from the Handel opera Alcina, for some reason I really want to listen to Kate Bush and I am rehearsing a monologue from the Vagina Monologues. And boy is that piece angry. BabyMac this is not directed at you love. I wonder what BabyMac thinks of all this noise from Mum.

Hello Everyone

Here's BabyMac at 16 weeks 6 days. BabyMac has a new due date based on his/her measurements- June 7. Here's BabyMac's first feature film.

2010 Summary

2010 will go down as one of the best years ever, far exceeding 2008 and 2009 in terms of overall happiness and significant events. What started as a hard slog with Michelle working at Chase, eBay’s stock price significantly lower than acceptable and an IT band injury ended up with many long term wins and major life changing events. Almost everything should be in a previous blog post. Here’s a summary, in no particular order:

BabyMac - our first child is due in June! Working names are BabyMac, Rory and Felicity. Real names will be withheld until its birthday.
Taylor Gwen McCamey - Matt and Kath had their first child Taylor Gwen McCamey on December 21!
Michelle left Chase - this was sometime around summer, best thing ever to reduce stress.
Park City and Seattle marathons - long term goal complete, twice! Best time was Seattle @ 3.50 running the whole way with David
St George, State Capitol and Snow Canyon half marathons - these half marathons are also a good excuse to travel. Best time 1.34 at Snow Canyon.
Fast internet - it’s cheaper and >10x faster than our last internet provider. Netflix works as advertised!
Michelle to Australia/Oprah - Michelle ‘accidentally’ won tickets to see Oprah in Sydney, ‘i didn’t mean to win’ i think she said. When there spent a lot of time with family and returns with a diamond necklace and the experience of a lifetime.
London and Dublin - way back in February, lots of Guinness, rain and UK museums. I love London.
Hoppers - bought our first hopper pan since moving to the USA (only took us 5 years). This turned into our christmas dinner. Yum.
Singing lessons - Michelle, having previously stopped singing lessons because as the teacher said ‘you’re too good, i have nothing left to teach you’, started up again and is wowing the crowds with her renditions of ‘Nymphs and Shepards’.
Jane Eyre - her first adult play! She performed to sold out houses at the Rose Wagner theatre in downtown SLC, the place to see theatre.
Short Shorts - her 2nd adult play, this one included swearing, illegal immigration and a desire to break down the 4th wall.

Fun New Years Eve too, dinner with friends then 'Attack of the 50 Foot Woman' and 15 year old scotch. 2011 looks to be even bigger than 2010, which is scary and exciting. Can't wait.