a gratitude list.

+ firstly, i'm grateful for my parents and all they do for me. i'm grateful that they fostered my love for travel, taught me the importance of earning my own way in the world from a young age, taught me how to save and for their unwavering support in every decision i've made. i love you guys.

+ i'm grateful for my host mum stephanie for opening her home to me and trusting me to help raise her children. i'm grateful for all the life lessons she's taught me, her sarcasm and that she makes me go to gym when i really can not be bothered.

+ i'm grateful for kylee. that woman's a superstar, i tell ya. my soul sister and partner in crime, the new world toy to my countdown stickers. i don't know how i would have got through this year without her.

+ my host children, lulu and sebastian, man do they drive me crazy and test me at time but they also have taught me so much about patience and unconditional love. i'm grateful for sebastian and his sweet, tender perspective on life, and for lulu and her creativity that knows no bounds, her insight to life that is far beyond her years.

+ i'm grateful for my 'other family' the horsfords for their never wavering love and support, for always welcoming me into their home and into their family and lastly, i'm grateful that there always seems to be somebody home no matter what time of the day to chat with when i'm in need of some company.

+ i'm grateful for my friends. i love you guys, even if my neighbours hate you.

+ i'm so incredibly grateful for the opportunity i have to travel. i've got to see some indescribable places, meet some amazing people and i've even got to do some of it with some of my best friends. these past 8 months have been nothing like i could ever have imagined and i wouldn't change it for the world.

+ i'm so so so grateful for my iphone and google maps haha. the number of times my phone has saved me this year is a lot higher than i would like to admit.

+ i'm also grateful for skype, keeping me connected with home.

+ i'm so very grateful for lauren. my au pair bestie and the coolest australian i know. she keeps me sane, lets me vent and truly understands it all.

+ my aunty nat, i love you. i'm so grateful for all you taught me.  for your strength, your courage and your snapchats. i'm grateful for our chats, and i'll treasure those words forever. i love you and i miss you more every day.

+ and lastly, im grateful for my health, my able body and my education.


Happy American Thanksgiving! xo

note-worthy moments of late.

[Morning snuggles]

[playdough creations]

[an afternoon at the fair]

[nail dates]

[coffee being a supportive bae.]

[make up a la lulu]

Halloween

Halloween was like two weeks ago, I know, I suck, I'm sorry but not really.

On the Wednesday before Halloween we carved pumpkins, coz when in America do as Americans do obviously. It's definitely not my forte but we got to roast pumpkin seeds so who's the real winner here? (clue: me, not the pumpkin.) Fun fact: the pumpkins Americans carve aren't regular old eating pumpkins. Fascinating.

[pumpkin + a few days of rotting + lulus help carving]

The week of Halloween we went through about a million different costume options with Lulu, We finally decided that we would go as biker chicks until about 5.30pm just before we were about to leave to go Trick or Treating she decided that she actually wanted to go as a fairy. Cue; making homemade fairy wings from leftover moving boxes and tin foil. 

The apartment complex we live in has an annual Halloween pool party which we went to and then we headed over to the kids dad's neighbourhood with Lulu and four kids in tow where we went trick or treating. The street was FULL of families and most houses were decorated. A few people had set up their garages with scary things to walk through before you could get your lollies. I screamed on multiple occasions.