Happy happy joy joy

Ben and Jerry's has arrived in Australia!!! Oh can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this, as Aussie ice cream is less than desirable! Their first "scoop shop" opened in Sydney this weekend, however, tubs of their glorious ice cream are being sold at selective stores here in Victoria, mostly in and around Melbourne, which is a good thing, so I won't just run out and buy it all the time. Another good thing about them being in Melbourne, is they are selling for $12 a carton, yep the same size that you can get over in the States for $4.50. They also only have four flavors to choose from so far, Chunky Monkey, Strawberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Double Chocolate Brownie. So until Everything But The, or Phish Food starts beings sold, a carton of Ben and Jerry's will have to be a special treat! But still, Costco and Ben and Jerry's in Oz all in the same year...that makes me happy happy! :)

Annual Footy Grand Final Party

So remember how I mentioned that the past couple months have been crazy busy? As I write this, I am still amazed that it is already November! Wow!!! Anyway...back at the end of September (when my parents were visiting - and yes, I know I haven't posted any pictures about that yet....still waiting for my mom to send me some photos *hint hint*) we hosted our annual Footy Grand Final party. As in years past, I was in charge of keeping the kids entertained. However this year I didn't have to worry so much about it, as the kids loved playing footy out in the back yard in the rain and mud. What fun that was! However I was able to snap these fun photos with the kids using an old picture frame.

Isac, Cassie, Michael, Jonah, Tyler

Michael
(don't you just love his muddy pants?)


McKenzie

Sisters: India and McKenzie

Cassie
(one of my basketball girls)

India
(she turned 7 the next day)

Hannah, Cassie and Lacey

Tyler

(a mad Saints fan)

Hannah

(basketball girl)

Isac
(a Swan's fan and brother to India and McKenzie)

Overall we had a great time, except for the rain, but then again the kids loved it out there in the mud! We had about 40 people there, lots of good food and although the team I was cheering for didn't win it was a great day! Such fun when friends come to play! Looking forward to the next party, hopefully we won't have to wait until September!

A history lesson

Hello Students, today's history lesson is on the small Victorian country town of Archies Creek, where I currently reside in the great country of Australia. I came across a book about Archies Creek that Darran had in his collection, and I was so fascinated by it, I thought I would share a brief history on this little quite town that I have learned to call home. I will keep it brief, as I wouldn't want to bore any of you, or make you feel like you have reverted back into your Jr. High school history classes. :) Otay students (said like my Jr. High Vice Principle) let's begin.

Much of the area where we live was developed due to the discovery of coal in 1825. But it was more than just coal that caused the area to grow into the booming metropolis that it is today. (hehe) Many early settlers (pioneers) realized the potential of the land and begun clearing it for cattle and sheep long before the coal began being mined in 1859. Archies Creek was one of those towns that began long before the mines opened. Archies Creek was know for it's butter factory, which was the life blood of this town, and there are records that the factory existed in the late 1800's but didn't start to officially be used until 1902. As a result of that factory, the town of Archies Creek got it's place on the map!

There was a school in Archies Creek. School 3135. It began in 1889, there were eight or nine children of school age in the immediate area, with more moving in due to their parents getting work at the butter factory and the saw mill. So in 1891 a school was started. The residents of Archies Creek cleared the land and build a weather board school house. The Department of education agreed to lease the building for 7 pounds ($11 US) a year, and the school opened in October 1891. The school was not set in an ideal place, and quickly became uncared for rundown and unpainted. The school was then moved to the town of Ryanston and remained open until 1909.
There was also a church in Archies Creek. It opened in 1933. and was called the Archies Creek Church of England. The church was transported by bullock wagon from West Creek to Archies Creek, it was dedicated on June 10 1933. It operated until 1967, then was closed and demolished. We do have a church here in Archies Creek, called the happy clapper church, okay so that is what Darran and I call it, but there is no official church building here, they meet in one of the old butter factory buildings.

No community would be complete without a regular meeting place, and Archies Creek was no exception. The Archies Creek Hall was built and paid for by the towns people who bought shares into the building. It was completed on December 24, 1903. But they decided that it was too short, so they lengthened the building and on January 1, 1904, a ball was held as the opening function for the hall. Tickets (like the one shown above) were sold that admitted two ladies and one gentlemen into the ball for a cost of 5 shillings.

Outside the Archies Creek Hall after a ball

The hall saw many a ball, dance, gathering place to celebrate the servicemen returning from WWI, parties, town meetings and weddings. The hall is still standing today, and now serves as a place for weddings, get togethers and is highly used for 18 and 21st birthday celebrations.

As I mentioned earlier, the life blood of Archies Creek until 1957 was the butter factory. It provided employment for over 200 people at the peak of its operation and was at the forefront of dairy factory development in Australia. The factory was privately owned until 1903 when the Wonthaggi Dairy Produce Company purchased it for 800 Pounds. ($1257 US) It was run as a Co op with local dairy farmers on the Board who controlled operations and built up a world wide reputation for quality butter and other dairy products.

The Official Butter Factory Seal

This is the Butter Factory when it was in is glory day. I have heard many a school tour was given through the butter factory. (think Wonder Bread or Albertson's bakery tours when you were in 2nd grade). I often drive and walk by the butter factory now, which is used mostly just for storage and try to imagine our sleepy little town in it's hey day when the butter factory was in operation and just how cool it would be to take a tour of it now!
This is what Archies Creek looked like 106 years ago. This is the famous Archies Creek
Royal Mail Pub and hotel(okay famous to those of us who live here, or those of you that have visited) pictured in 1903. The pub opened in 1902 and has provided the area a meeting place to "swap a yarn and enjoy a drink." Why Royal Mail you ask? Well, this is where the locals would come and pick up their mail. The first mail service came from Grantville (which is a 20 minute car drive), mail was delivered on Tuesday and Saturday. The pub/hotel was used for butter factory meetings, the doctors service was here when the doctor visited, and was often used as the funeral home and surgical unit. The original hotel was burned down in 1920, and while they rebuilt the pub, business was carried out in the stables found at the rear of the pub. The bar still remains the same today as it did back then. Blokes on one side and Shelia's on the other...no mixing company at the bar, if you wanted to do that, it was out in the beer gardens or in the hotel. Today our neighbor John owns the license to operate the Pub and the restaurant is run by our friend Chris and his lovely wife. It's full of old age charm and character, and each time I go in, I can only imagine the stories the walls have heard!


So there you are, the history lesson for today students. I hope you have enjoyed learning a little more about the history of this quaint little town that I call home.

Grateful

Today I am grateful for many things...I am grateful for my wonderful counselors and secretary! How I love these ladies! This Is Tafale (on left) and Jarne (middle). Tafale is my secretary and Jarne my 2nd counselor. It's been quite a week for these two ladies! Tafale sprained her ankle and is on crutches, and not able to do much (oh how I know the feeling) - but yet she made platters of finger sandwiches for our RS activity. And Jarne, is in hospital right now having just suffered her 4th heart attack at the ripe ole age of 30. She's healthy, takes care of herself, it's just a genetic heart problem that the doctors can't seem to understand the cause. She went into hospital on Thursday afternoon, after taking care of her 3 small children, visiting an elderly couple in the ward and helping them with their house work, visiting a sister who had just finished radiation for cancer and finished getting the last minute details organized for our RS activity that we had today. As I sat there at the activity today, a day to celebrate and pamper ourselves, I was brought to tears as I thought of these sweet sisters and all that they had done to make the day special for the ladies in our ward and for the love and the support they give me. Marlene, my 1st counselor was there today to help out and brought that bit of laughter, spunk and support and I couldn't have done it without her! I am so grateful and blessed with a wonderful presidency!

I am grateful for these darling darlings, who brighten my day everyday! I may be living on the other side of the world from them right now, but oh how I love them! All I have to do is look at a picture, or pick up the phone to hear their voices and I know that I am loved. What an amazing feeling it is to be loved by the cutest nieces and nephews on the planet (at least on my planet)!

I am grateful for the beautiful area where I currently live. What a blessing it is to live in Australia at this time! I love that I live in a place that has incredible sunsets, beaches, rainbows and beauty everywhere you turn. I am grateful for the peace I get when I take the time to enjoy the beauty of a sunset.

I am grateful for my parents!!! How lucky I am to have been born of goodly parents! What a great strength, support and friends they are to me! I'm grateful for their examples, for their love, for the lessons that they continue to teach me and for loving my hubby like they do! (mom, you glad I finally updated my blog? ) :)

And lastly, but certainly not least. I am grateful for the love of my life! For the never ending adventures, laughs, and support. I am grateful that he is my best friend and loves me and accepts me despite all my many flaws. I am grateful for the constant joy and (at times) frustration that he is in my life! Can't imagine what I would ever do without him!

So these are just a few things that I am grateful for today. What are you grateful for? Have you taken a minute to even think about it? If not, I hope you do! We all need to take the time to be recognize the things we are grateful for!

A new calling

So as I have mentioned life here in Archies Creek has been a bit full on the past month or so. Lots happening even before my parents visit. One of the biggest changes that has happened in that time, is that I have a new calling for the church. I was called to be the Relief Society President in our ward about two weeks before my parents came to visit. I am very humbled and still in awe that I have been entrusted to guide, teach, nurture, support and love the wonderful sisters of ward. What a blessing it is to have this calling at this time, and how I love the dear sisters in my ward! We have a wonderful group of sisters who come from all over the world, our ward is a true testimony that the church is growing all throughout the world! How grateful I am to be a member of the largest women's organization on the earth, what a true blessing it is in my life!

A week after my parents left to go back to the states (I'll post about their time here soon, I promise) I had the opportunity to teach in RS. And as I thought and prayed about what I was to teach on, I felt inspired to touch base on some simple principles of finding balance in our lives. It made an impact on my life while preparing the lesson, as well as so many sisters in my ward, that I wanted to share it on my blog as I know we get so caught up in the world and life around us that at times we get out of balance, so these are a few things that I think we need to have in our lives in order to find that balance.
Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley was known for her humor. She said, "The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me such a headache."

(Attitude)

There once was a woman who woke up one morning looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. “Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and She Had A Wonderful Day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and She Had A Grand Day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did And She Had A Fun, Fun Day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!" Attitude is everything!

"If we are to instill faith in our children, they must see us demonstrate our faith in their young lives. They must see us on our knees daily, asking the Lord for His blessings and expressing our gratitude to Him. They need to see us using our priesthood to administer to those in need, and to bless our children. They need to see us reverently worshiping in our sacrament meetings. they need to see us cheerfully and willingly giving of our time and talents to the building of the Lord's kingdom here on earth. They need to see us proving our faith by the payment of our tithes and offerings to Him. They need to see us diligently studying and discussing the scriptures to increase our faith and understanding." Elder. L. Tom Perry
President James E Faust has said, "Sisters don't be afraid to be different in our century! Sometimes we have to be different in order to maintain Church standards. So I repeat, don't be afraid to be different, but be as good as you can be."

"I find that when I get casual in my relationship with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking that I am far far away. If I immerse myself in scriptures the distance fades and my spirituality returns." President Spencer W. Kimball

President Spencer W. Kimball said, "When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls."

"Feeling good doesn't just happen. Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It's all up to you. you can renew yourself through relaxation. Or you can totally burn yourself out by overdoing everything. You can pamper yourself mentally and spiritually. Or you can go through life oblivious to your well-being. You can experience vibrant energy. Or you can procrastinate and miss out on the benefits of good health and exercise. You can revitalize yourself and face a new day in peace and harmony. Or you can wake up in the morning full of apathy because your get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone. Just remember that every day provides a new opportunity for renewal -- a new opportunity to recharge yourself instead of hitting the wall."

Stephen R. Covey

(prayer)

"Prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our doings (see Alma 37:37) We are promised that if we pray sincerely for that which is right and good and in accordance with God's will, we an be blessed, protected and directed. " Elder David A Bednar

In order to keep our lives balanced, we need to make sure that our lives are centered around Christ.
President Ezra Taft Benson stated, "The fundamental principle of our religion is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is it expedient that we center our confidence, our hope, and our trust in one solitary figure? Why is faith in Him so necessary to peace of mind in this life and hope in the world to come? Our answers to these questions determine whether we face the future with courage, hope and optimism or with apprehension, anxiety and pessimism. My message and testimony is this: Only Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to provide that hope, that confidence, and that strength we need to overcome the world and rise above our human failings. To do so, we must place our faith in Him and live by His laws and teachings."

I hope that in the crazy lives we live we will all be able to find peace and balance through laughter, scripture study, strengthening our family, having a positive attitude, prayer, filling our buckets, service, being an example and centering our lives around Christ.

Today

It's Monday here in Australia, 10 o'clock to be exact. It's a day and time where usually I would be at work. But not today. Today I am home being sick. I don't often get sick, and I often don't call in sick to work. But I learned that life is too short and you can't just spend all your days at work, even those days that you are sick. My job will survive without me. My co workers probably won't even miss me today while I am home nursing a deep cough and stuffy head. But I need to take care of myself so that I can do it all and be it all to those that truly need me, including myself. It has taken me a long time to learn this! When I was living in Utah and working at the hospital, I can tell you of only one time in 10 years that I had a sick day, and that is when my staff forced me to go home. Oh I am sure there are more, but I just remember feeling guilty about leaving my staff and going home to sleep. That was also the day that a golfer hit a ball through my window. Memories, don't you just love them?

Why the change in my thinking? Why not be at work today with this cough, stuffy head and martyr syndrome? Because I would be miserable there. I know that I'm not well, and I know that if I do stay home that I can sleep, take care of myself properly and probably catch up on my blog (finally). Life is for living, and if you need to call in a sickie (as they say in Oz) then allow yourself a sickie, because if you aren't any good to yourself you're not going to be good for anyone else.

I know deep thoughts. Now I'm off to blow my nose.

A little rain

To say that we have had a little bit of rain today, here in Archies Creek and the surrounding area would be a lie...because, we have had bucket load after bucket load after bucket load of rain since last night. I love rain storms here in Australia, they are fast moving, usually with big to huge rain drops and they sound REALLY cool on metal roofs...sometimes the rain falls so fast that it gets so loud falling on the metal roof that it becomes deafening. They are for lack of a better word awesome! Well, with all the rain that fell today....this is what I came home to as I turned the corner on to the Main Road (the road where we live) in Archies Creek. Heaps and heaps of water spilling out of Archies Creek (yes people there is a real creek) and covering the road! This is the new conference/reception center and restaurant that is just getting ready to open. There usually is a beautiful little pond where this big lake is now sitting.

This is Archies Creek...and well the surrounding area that is usually just green grasses. There is a building just to the right of where I was taking this picture. The water was inches from the front door.

Here we are driving through the flooded street - we just had to have a bit of fun! :) Don't you just love my bright green sweater?

Another view of Archies Creek usually it is maybe an 1/8 wide of what this picture shows...yep, there was a lot of rain!

This is the road...well, the road is under all that water. That blue sign there, well it says, "Conserve Water Now". A great reminder when we are in the middle of summer and everything is dry as a bone. But Darran and I thought it was pretty funny considering all the water that is currently in Archies Creek.

Yep, there's my man with camera in hand, driving through the flood. Yea, we live on the edge!

Here is a better picture of the road coming into Archies Creek. We were just in front of the old butter factory, and across the street from the pub.

And this...this is at the back of our house. This is the beautiful cow pastures that back our property. Usually there is a small pond between those two sets of trees in the middle of the picture. However, this is where all the excess run off from the creek is coming.

And there goes all the excess water, rushing down to the lower grass lands. This was taken at 630 pm on Wednesday night. Can't wait to see what it looks like tomorrow morning after it continues to fill. I'll keep you posted, as I know you are all excited! :) We are safe, and on high ground, and we do have a canoe...so I think we'll be okay! Gotta love the rain!