What Laura is made of. . .

Jesse always tells me that I eat so much ice cream that I must be made of it, therefore he needs to make sure that I eat a certain quota of it to keep living. With the onset of warm summer days that quota increases. It was an exciting day in my life when I saw the first ever container of cookie dough ice cream in the grocery. Yes, yes friends I have some how managed to survive without cookie dough ice cream here, until now. Well I am off to enjoy my delicious treat. . .

Christmas Down Under

I don't know what woke us up Christmas morning. Perhaps it was the sun streaming through our blinds warming our feet, or maybe it was the magpies in the hedgerow. Either way, the sounds and warmth held the promise of a beautiful summer day.

We were slow to get crawl out of bed, but our hunger finally got the best of us around 7:00am. The first thing that caught my attention was our stockings. It wouldn't be Christmas without stockings! Laura directed me to my stocking which was packed with caramel chocolates and pistachios, and both of ours had peppermint nougats and dove chocolates that had slipped through the border security. (thanks Mom & Dad D!)

Then we traded the gifts that were wrapped and waiting under our tree. If the tree looks a little sparse, that's because it is. Laura and I never really got into the festive mood because all around us it didn't feel like Christmas. I think that Kiwis try to imitate the hype, but just can't quite compete with the Northern hemisphere mood. Anyway, we just never took the time to get a proper tree, though Laura did manage to decorate a pine sapling which was gifted to us by Laura's friend Nicole.

I got some amazing merino wool socks, chewing gum, and some hand tied streamers for the fly rod which I had been wanting for a long time. They should work wonders on the trout here.

Laura got a big coffee mug for slow mornings, a thermos travel mug for quick mornings on the go, some sock liners for hiking (so I can get mine back), and the promise of a day shopping with the condition that we have coffee together, and buy a hat to keep the sun off her face.

Also we bought each other the early gifts of running shoes for Laura, and a merino wool icebreaker for me.

Laura busied herself with putting together some super delicious parfaits with fresh picked blueberries and strawberries (at her internship she is in an enviable location with research blueberries just waiting to be commandeered, and every roadside stand in the Waikato is peddling strawberries). In the meantime I tried to help her put together some sticky sweet monkey bread, fresh ground coffee and freshly brewed tea.

When the dust settled, we were pleasantly satisfied and ready for some family time. Thank goodness for Skype!

A package had been sitting (customs declaration form down) on our shelf for nearly three weeks since the Bruners had made us adhere strickly to the season tried rule 'not till Christmas', with an extension of their own 'till we are on Skype with you!'

After some good conversation with the Bruners and Dotterers, and the opening of some wonderful gifts, we were on our way to the Cox family Christmas. This family from church were first, but not alone, with their Christmas day invitation.

Our second meal of the day was more mouthwatering dishes....there was even some American cuisine. Steve and Robin spent several years in Atlanta so they were excellent hosts! After our food settled, we dove into a Pavlova dessert, then after that settled, we hit the mini golf course behind their house. Competition was fierce, but lighthearted since it was the holiday. In the end, Stephanie, their youngest won bragging rights.

While Christmas 2009 was new, exciting and warm, we couldn't help but miss our friends and family back home in the snow. Laura and I decided that we'll have to begin some of our own holiday traditions that fit our situation. Maybe next year will be the inaugural Christmas Corn Roast?!?

Thank you all for your love, prayers and Christmas greetings!