| A blog on my journey as a WORK AT HOME MOM and my WORK AT HOME BUSINESS |

29 January, 2011

School, Food and Chinese New Year

It's week two for Clayton next week and I'm excited that he's starting tennis and swimming in school. I only wish he can do more but I thought it's suffice for now.

School week has been smooth so far and I can spot his mischief in class already. I'm glad he has a nice teacher who has more than 20 years of experience and I'm sure he can learn well under her supervision. I haven't made many friends since arriving except for a couple of moms I met in school. I'm not in a hurry to do that right now but I'm focusing on getting Clayton all settled in Citipointe.

I love grocery shopping here. We go to all stores including Woolworths, Coles, Supa IGA, Crisp on Creek and many more. The health and chemist stores here are good too and they sell all kinds of supplements and vitamins, from Olive extract to phenphedrine... the prices are attractive too.

I find myself cooking better over here and I love the turbo oven we bought from Clive Peeters. We had Siew Yok yesterday and it turned out perfect. I'm attempting to do more in the coming months and it's nice experimenting recipes and learning new ones. Inala is a great place to shop for meat and fish and this vietnamese town has much to offer.

It's chinese new year next week and we'll be having reunion dinner at Peter and Rebecca's. It's our first CNY in Brisbane and though it isn't like home, it's a good time to get together with families.

Our Brisbane Activities on a Summer Saturday

After a break for one week, I'm out for my morning walk at the Bulimba Creek this morning. The breeze was nice and the heat wasn't as intense as the last few days. It's a nice summer's day and we are heading to Burleigh Heads later today.

Yesterday we bought couple of body boards and are geared up for the surf today. We thought we should enjoy the summer and do more beach outings before autumn and winter... it would be too cold by then! It's nice to take morning walks here in the parklands and I can some quiet time with God as I walk through the bush. The air is fresh and the surroundings is serene... what a great way to start the day!

Just a while ago, I bought a couple of 'deals' to Moreton island and it was very good at $55 which includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea. Everyday I get a buzz on daily deals from several Australian sites which includes deals for spa, hair treatments, fitness memberships, best thermogenic fat burner packages, restaurant discounts...etc. Daily deals can be a way to save so I'm looking out for them everyday, that's what it means by convenient online shopping!

It's time to do some packing after clearing up all the boxes so that we can head to the beach earlier. It's going to be a great weekend.

28 January, 2011

Getting Started and Working From Home

The first week of school has ended and I'm glad that Clayton is enjoying his new school. Now that he's in school. we can start to work from home but before we can get started, we need to unpack all the boxes in the garage.

Hubby and myself have been very diligent in our unpacking. After a few days of unpacking and organizing, we had finished opening up all the boxes. The movers had 'repacked' all our stuff so it's been alot of work organizing and repacking for us. I only wish they don't touch what we had packed. We need to clear up the clutter in the garage as we would need the space for a second car in the near future.

DH can't wait to get started with our online consulting business. Basically we will be extending our services to small enterprises or business owners, helping them to gain awareness and increase sales via internet marketing. Whether the company deals with spa packages or funeral arrangements, we can teach them how to optimize their sites and be a consultant to these companies.

I know the weekends is here and I shouldn't be working. I made a resolution to cut down on work when Clayton is at home so that we can spend more quality time together. We are planning to make a day trip to Burleigh Heads and I can't wait to practice on my body board. It is going to be fun and I know Clayton will be the happiest boy as we head for the beaches!

Eumundi and the Beaches

Down at the Eumundi markets, there are lots of crafts and local delicatessen for sale and it's no wonder why it's so popular with locals and visitors all over the world.

It took us one half hours to reach Eumundi but the drive was a smooth and enjoyable one. There are many beaded jewlery stores and I believe there must be many good jewelry making supplies stores in Australia. There is no doubt that Australians are an artistic bunch of people.

There are lots of nice beaches along the Sunshine Coast and Coolum is one of the many great ones. I told hubby that we should visit a new beach every month and the reality is, it might be too cold to head to the beaches in winter. Summer is a great time for beach outings but it's important to put on a good sunblock to protect yourself from the strong UV rays.

Talking about the sun, I have been wearing my sun hat and sunglasses whenever I'm out and about. I'm not too keen in getting more pigmentation at this stage and I would have to work harder to keep them getting worse!

Loving Carindale, the Parks and Bike Trails

School has started this week and my morning walk has been disrupted as I'm in charge of sending him to school in the mornings.

Though I'm missing my walks it is nice to drive him to school without the usual traffic jam I experienced in KL in the last two years. It was a smooth and short drive and I find myself liking Carindale for that reason! But Carindale is a just suburb with lots of nice parks and bike trails, and I'm very happy to be here. Being near Westfield Shopping Centre means we can hop into the shops when we need something in the pantry and banks and amenities are close by.

With the many parks and bike trails, I'm motivated to exercise more and I need to get back to an exercise routine once Clayton settles down in school. Then again, it's too warm to go for walks after 9am so I would need to consider walking in the early evenings when the sun is more gentle. I am considering Fernwood Women's health club which is few minutes walk from Solito as they have many good classes lined up all day. Those who go to gym regularly won't be needing chromium picolinate and weight loss pills if they are disciplined and consistent in their exercise routines.

We have started the ball rolling in the home office and it's time to replan for Midas Mediaworks in the next few weeks/months. For now, I'm looking forward to the weekends and we are heading to Burleigh Heads for more sun and surf before summer ends.

Australia Day in Eumundi and Coolum

It was Australia Day on Wednesday and we made a day trip to the Sunshine Coast. It's been years since I last visited Sunshine Coast so it was nice revisiting the beautiful beaches again.

We have been busy with our boxes in the last one week and there is so much to be done. DH was so busy clearing the clutter in the home office that he has not even fixed up the home speakers yet. We set out very early to get to the Eumundi markets which takes place every Wednesday and Saturday. WE didn't expect ourselves to travel pass the toll bridge but registration was easily done on line. Thank God for relatives which are able to advise us when we are uncertain on local policies and rules. It sure helps a great deal to avoid blunders that way.

Eumundi Markets was nice and there were lots of local stores which is what I like about markets. It's pretty big and I didn't expect myself to end up with a hat, couple of scent pots and some homeware. I would love to revisit this lovely market. After Lunch, we headed off to Noosa heads for the warm waters.

The beach at Noosa was closed when we were there due to stingers being found on the waters. We then drove to Coolum beach which was 15mins away from Noosa. Coolum beach was beautiful and the surf was fantastic. Clayton couldn't wait to jump into the waters!

It was a full day out but we came home feeling happy that we had a great time at the beach.

25 January, 2011

Heading to Sunshine Coast

Finally, school has started for Clayton yesterday and it's a milestone for him and us!

He woke up cranky and I think he was having some jitteries on his new school. After some coaxing, he finally got to school and I was glad that he was feeling comfortable about his new class. We spent some time in the class organizing his stationery and books before saying good bye. And we were off to our first 'day off'! We spent an afternoon in west end and southbank before heading back to school to pick him up.

It's been a very week since our shipment arrived and we managed to clear up all the clutter in the living room. At least we can position our furnitures at the right place so that we can live comfortably. There are still a dozen of boxes sitting in the garage waiting to be cleared. It was stressful that all our things were repacked by the Msia packers and it was hard locating some things.

It's hubby's birthday next week and I'm at a loss of buying him the right gift. Unlike my girlfriend who grabbed some good cigar deals for her hubby, I find it hard to buy hubby anything! I would love to buy him a bike but I have no idea what he wants!

Tomorrow is Australia Day and we'll be heading to Sunshine Coast to the Eumundi Markets. We will be exploring queensland whenever we can and I enjoy these quality family times spent together. I am thankful for these wonderful times and I treasure every moment spent with hubby and Clayton. That's it for now... it's going to be a great day tomorrow!

20 January, 2011

Settling Down in Carindale Brisbane

A month before we arrived in Brisbane, we had planned to rent a house since DH wanted more space. But when we arrived, plans change.

After a few inspections, DH had decided that a townhouse will suit him best as he wasn't used to the quietness. Being a citysider, staying in a house where neighbours seem metres apart is not something very comfortable to begin with. But I am so thankful that the resident manager in Solito Carindale had informed me of a vacancy in the area weeks before our arrival and that was an answer to my prayer. I had prayed for a place in the area and God heard me. We inspected the townhouse and DH liked the location as the four bedder is just metres from the parklands. The best part is, the townhouse is across one of the largest mall in Brisbane, westfield Carindale. In fact I can even walk to the shops on a good day but so far, driving seems the best choice as there are often too much to carry returning home.

The townhouse is a simple three bedder with a study near the entrance, I and glad that we have windows looking out from our study or home office now. The furnishings are modern with two living spaces which is a good size compared to some smaller townhomes. Though no glass mosaic tile were used in the kitchen, I love the open concept and the dining is just next to the ktichen. It is cosy and I'm beginning to like it here. DH goes for his jogs every morning at the creek and I did my walks every other day too. We can't wait to get our bikes and start our biking in the parklands.

The weather is getting better and that is all good for those who are helping out in the flood crisis recovery. Though it will take them months to reconstruct the damages, the spirit of the queenslanders is positive and with that, things will be restored very soon.

Container Had Arrived!

After a few weeks of waiting, the container had finally arrived two days ago! It's both excitement and stress for us as we know that the real work will begin!

The only person who is happy and stress free is my six year old who can't wait to reunite with his toys... he was so happy when the container arrived. We didn't have time to think once the shipment came... there was more load than we expected! The delivery was smooth and it was rather mind boggling at first to see those huge boxes entering the doorway. It wasn't long that those boxes were unpacked and we could see bits and pieces of our furniture coming together. My worse fears was the big king bed but they were delivered and moved to the room without much problems. I have to appreciate hubby for fixing the bed so quickly cos the packers claimed that they couldn't help to assemble brand new furniture. And we were told a different story when we confirmed the contract with the packers in Malaysia. Thank God the assembly wasn't a complicated one. We were most thankful that we weren't held up at the customs. Neither did the flood crisis affect our container timing.

The next few days will be lots of unpacking for us as we try to fit everything into our townhouse. Hubby must be pretty stressed as I can see the acne on his face - haha! Maybe I should find him some natural acne treatments since he's been working so hard to put everything in place. I don't think he'll have time to feel homesick when there's so much to do. At the point of writing, there are more than a dozen bags of junk paper to be dumped and they are all sitting in the garage for now!

15 January, 2011

School Holidays are Out Soon

While kids are happy about holidays, the adults or parents aren't. Clayton is out of school for more than six weeks and I can see that boredom has caused him more trouble than good. Children like routine and when they are out of it, they go wacko.

We went for the interview with the headmaster two days ago and I was so glad that he was well behaved. I am praying everyday that he'll settle down well in his new school and I pray that he will like it there too. He's so bored that he's been irritating us with all kinds of ways and he's probably trying to get our attention. Sometimes he plays pretend games with DH such as wrestler game though he spends lots of time with his lego pieces. I know he can't wait for his toys to arrive from Malaysia.

Carindale is a nice place and we are just a couple of minutes to the bulimia creek. I took a few walks at the creek and bush lands and it was nice. Once we settle down, we will get our bikes and do some family biking fun at the parks. Tomorrow we will be attending Citipointe Church and I heard that they have a very active kids program. I know that Clayton is going to enjoy it and hopefully we can settle down well with a ministry that is close to our individual heart.

A Month in Brisbane

It's been a month plus since we arrived in Brisbane and I'm glad we had finally moved into our new house six days ago. Though we had no furniture in the last few days, we managed to organize our things and unpack our luggges. We finally made a trip to Bunnings and ikea to get all our storages and got all we need for the house before our shipment arrives next week.

It's been nice so far though we were very sad about the current flood crisis in Queensland. Though we may not be as emotional as the locals here we could feel the sadness and pain. Just two weeks ago, we were still strolling, walking and jogging along the riverbanks and traveling in the city ferries but now, all is gone. It will be a while before things are up and running again. The city is still closed and the workers are doing their best to restore powers, clean up the debris and help those who are affected by the floods.

This week, we managed to get our home essentials. Hubby got his Samsung tv and I got my LG stainless steel fridge. I am very happy with my french door fridge and the washing machine had arrived in time too. In a few days' time, the shipment will arrive and we will be busy with all the unpacking and organzing work. And soon, Clayton will be starting and I can't wait for that day to come!

04 January, 2011

Loving the City, Southbank and West End

The holidays are especially long during Christmas and New Year and I'm glad that all businesses are back at work today! I know some private companies may stay shut but most will resume business and I'm so happy we can finally see some activity in the city and inner suburbs.

We had a great time exploring with the City ferries and Citycat last few weeks despite the drizzly weather here and there. It was disappointing to see so many shops closing at the west end when we were there due to the New Year holidays and I can't wait to check out this lovely suburb again. We've been doing lots of walks and it's amazing that clayton is doing so well with the walking. I can't believe we actually walked from west end to kangaroo point... it was a real long walk. We did it despite the rain on Saturday. My hubby can't wait to revisit that suburb for some nice Vietnamese noodles! At the west end, you find some quirky stores selling from memorabilia to cigars humidor, artistic fashion and organic stores, this suburb has a character.

Yesterday we had hot chocolate at Max Brenner and DH wasn't happy with the queue at all. But we had a nice long walk at the Botanic gardens and Clayton was so happy to spot few monitor lizards who posed smartly for the camera. Southbank is beautiful though touristy and there are still fun things to do.

Today we are planning for another visit to the botanic gardens and Clayton has promised to wake up early for walks too!

it's 2011!

Time really flies and we have been in Brisbane for coming four weeks since we arrived on the 10 Dec 2010 and now it's 2011! Just within less than a month of being here, we had spent Christmas and New Year here... it's been good!

I like the serviced apartment we are currently staying at The Docks. I love waking up with a view of the river and I know I will miss this next monday. As much as I am excited to set up our new home office and new home in Carindale, it's going to be a different experience. We spent a quiet Christmas at The Docks and New Year is the same. Nothing spectacular but just the three of us and a a simple dinner. God is faithful and He has been very faithful to us.

I'm not certain how is it like work wise but I know that God will lead us and open doors for us. What's cool about Australia is that you can get very complete office equipment and all kinds of document management when you walk into stores like Officeworks. We will be visiting the store to stock up our supplies for the new home office.

We will be leaving the Docks in two days' time for the gold coast. It's been an amazing four weeks here and I'm thankful to God for giving us this temporary place to have a nice head start. It's going to be a great year and a wonderful year of new adventures and meaning.