The Hultgrens Australia: March 2011

Good Morning all and welcome to another month which means that it’s time to tell you what happened last month. I can feel a long one coming on so grab a cuppa (coffee) or diet coke..see I know you all.

February was an eventful month for us, we were getting back into a routine and the boys are trying to fit back into school and basketball. The month started off with a few hot days, we went off to the local indoor pool which I’m not sure was such a good idea. It was 38C (100F) outside so you can imagine how hot it was inside with 200 people running around – not the best of experiences but the boys had a good time. We met Nicole and her boys Daniel and Noah so that was fun for all the kids, then finished the day with basketball training. It’s a quiet night for me but Bruce is back and forth bringing Jamieson back and then taking Conner, I just have to do dinner for everyone at different times which isn’t always easy because I hate reheating something I only made that night. (Not that I’m a control freak or anything – I know you’re all laughing)

The boys had their first basketball games which they really enjoyed, Conner seemed to fit straight back in and apart from being the smallest in the team his abilities are pretty much on par with the other kids that just play domestic but a little behind the boys that play on the representative teams – that height and skill will come says Bruce.

Bruce had to take Jamieson to school to get his uniform the day before school started and realized that if Jamieson grows anymore he won’t fit into anything they can supply, which was pretty funny. The first day of school arrived and the boys were a little nervous. Pete dropped Ashley off at the house and he came to school with us which made Conner a little less anxious (not that he let on) Jamieson was nervous in the car on the way. We got out of the car and were walking up the street towards school when we hear this scream out the window of the car parking in front of us (it was one of Jamieson’s old friends mum – screaming YOUR BACK!!) So that was nice for him and made him a little more comfortable going into school. We met the principle and she walked us down to the Senior Unit to meet his teacher. OMG!!!

The layout of the schools down here is amazing – they do a lot of open learning and group teaching. We walked past the library (which wasn’t closed!! Sorry for rubbing it in) – past the computer lab through the Junior unit. The Senior unit is the bottom end of one of the wings with no corridor, 4 classrooms but no walls, they have table areas, floor areas, a small stage (I will try to get some video and upload it for you) Jamieson’s teacher is really cool (like his teachers at Stone Lake) and Bruce and I left smiling. We said good bye to Jamieson who was talking with his old friends who were saying – is that you Jamieson?? Pretty funny! On the way in we noticed a boy that Jamieson had played basketball against the night before and after school he said he thinks they would be friends, which was nice to hear. Conner said he had a nice day at school, he didn’t get too much work done but said he had a nice day. We finished the night off at the Bells for pizza which is always fun and to top it off there was an amazing lighting light show (I didn’t have my good camera so I missed out) by the time we got in the car and went home it was done, but it was amazing while it lasted.

Happy Birthday to Felix! Saturday was a busy one for us, I went off to the Lolly Shop to work for Liz, Bruce and Conner (really just Conner) had their referee course so Jamieson went off to Trudy’s for the afternoon to play with Alex and Max and Trudy was taking Jamieson down to Raelene’s with her for Felix’ party (for fish n chips and golden gay time ice cream because that’s what he loves – no cake!!! I think it’s all the attention etc that comes with it, with his autism he doesn’t like the noise) Conner apparently really impressed the course director and he told Bruce that he thought Conner would be very good and he may be asked to go and do tournaments etc, so that was good to hear and he really seemed to love it. We got home showered changed and got to Raelene’s not too much later than when the party was supposed to start. Fish n Chips mmmm, it was nice to catch up with everyone all in the one place. The kids all played outside so all the adults just chilled out and chatted. I got some nice shots and I will tag the names so you can put faces to names.

Sunday was an around the house day, there was still stuff everywhere so I was doing the inside and the boys and Bruce were doing the outside. Ross dropped in with his dog while they were on their walk, Trudy and the kids dropped over for the quick visit and I also went into town to get some more school supplies that the kids needed. Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest right?? ** Monday we got a call from Pete to say he and Fleur got engaged Sunday night!!! YEAY!!!! Monday I called him back after Bruce told me and he was really excited and said he thought it was time he was a grown up in that area and it was a really sweet story – he knew it was going to happen that day but inevitably nothing went to plan, so he asked while she was cutting up cauliflower for dinner!! She proceeded to ask ‘are you sure about 5 times’.

Monday morning I had the house to myself – Bruce went over to Al’s the watch the Superbowl and the boys were at school – can you hear the quiet? So I cleaned the house and all the fun stuff you do when you actually have the house to yourself. The rest of the week was fairly usual (it didn’t take us long to get back into the routine which is a little scary) Tuesday night – basketball training, basketball on Wednesday, Thursday Conner started refereeing and Friday catching up with the Bells for dinner. On Wednesday night Mandy (A Bellaire Primary Mum) came over to say welcome back and we realized that Matt (the boy from basketball and school that Jamieson was friends with was Mandy’s son) and now they are best buds. We finally organized a car which was good, we could give Pete and Ros their old car back. Friday at school Jamieson had the school swimming carnival and found out he made the relay team for the regional sports (against other school in the area) so he was really happy with that. He also was named ‘student of the week’ for his class. Every teacher nominated a child each week and they are called up the front at assembly on Friday afternoons. Conner was doing fine with his curriculum at school, it turns out in Math he is a little ahead so at the moment it’s refreshing which he’s very happy about. His teacher did ask him if he wanted to move up to the advanced class and he declined…she does give him advanced work in some areas which he’s happy with. Otherwise he seems to be finding school quite easy and there is very little homework which I’m not sure I like too much.

Saturday was busy for everyone, Jamieson went over to Matt’s to play and Nick (Bell) came over to hang out with Conner. Sunday we got into the car and drove up to have lunch with Maureen (Bruce’s mum) it was good to see her and she seems to be doing well so that is a load off Bruce’s mind – we showed her how to hook up and use her DVD player. On the way home we dropped into Kristy’s and had a quick visit. Hudson (her baby – nearly 2 yo) is so gorgeous and is just starting to talk so that’s always fun, but he was getting into it with the bigger boys.

Happy Valentine’s Day (although it’s not the same in Australia as in the USA. Valentines are only for the couples or want to be couples) Jamieson had tryouts for the school basketball team which he made and Bruce is coaching (DER!! The school is very appreciative; apparently they are thinking the team will do really well this year) I can’t make the lightning premiership (one day tournament) because I’m working – NOT HAPPY!!! Hopefully mum will go and gets some pics for me. Mum and Dad picked the boys up from school, which apparently Dad is NEVER doing again. Let me just tell you, there are schools within a few km’s away from each other where Bellaire Primary and Belmont High are located which means that where ever you go there are cars EVERYWHERE, add grumpy old Grandpa to the mix and that’s when you get to – NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN! Pretty funny though, I laughed when he was telling us. Mum and Dad stayed for dinner, Jamieson went over to a buddy Jack’s place for a birthday dinner which he loved. Wednesday Matt came over for dinner after basketball, it’s funny to see the two of them giggling away, you forget they are only 11 because they are both so big! Thursday Bruce went up to Melbourne to have a birthday lunch with his mum – apparently the train system here is really good he really enjoyed not driving and loved not having to park in the city and Conner had refereeing. Friday Jamieson had school pics then over to Matt’s for a hang out, what a good way to end the week for him. Sunday saw Bruce and the boys out to YMCA for Bruce to play with the ‘old’ guys then training the boys on the other spare court. I went into town, then off to Tracey’s for a catch up and cuppa with her and Elise. Her and Rhys start University at the start of March and are looking forward to all the fun of ‘O’ week (Orientation week) then Conner and I went over to the Bells, I caught up with Liz and Nic and Conner hung out.

Coming to the end of the month, usual timetable during the week the boys basketball is going great, Bruce is refereeing A grade on Tuesday nights after the kids practice and Conner is refereeing on Thursday so it’s basketball of some description 3 of the 5 nights, nothing changes really. Friday night, Nick came over after school, Mum and the Bells came over for dinner, I suppose you could say the usual week that was. Bruce spent Friday- Sunday in Melbourne at an internet marketing conference that Pete was speaking at with Ed Dale. Then Sunday night we went over to the Crisps (Patrick is YMCA boy that used to play basketball with Conner before we left) the Livingston’s (Pete, Ros & Ashley) were also there which was a fun night. The kids swam in the heated pool and we got the usual questions about living in the USA.

And that was the month that was, busy at times, still trying to blend back in but definitely back into a routine.

I hope everyone is well and living life, we do miss you all and think about our other home. Everyone would be winding up the school year and ready for the Summer break. I hope you all have fun things planned and letting us know what you are up to is on the agenda.

Catch up with you all next month,
xxxx

The Hultgrens Australia

Monday, March 21, 2011

February 2011

February Pics....