Things I'm Loving

This week I'm loving..

Being famous in Blogland

I was lucky enough to be a guest blogger on Simone's blog this week! You should all go and check it out right here!

My new shoes

I bought 2 pairs of red shoes this week! Love love love!

Friends

I've been absolutely loving having my friend Rachel over! It's like a sleep over every night! Late nights, lots of  chatting, cooking, meeting up with people! It's been fun!

Cafes

There's a cute wee cafe down the road from my work called Euphorium. It has amazing goats cheese and roasted vege sandwiches which are my favs for sure! I had a treat a few weeks ago but was too full to eat it, so it came in this hilarious box!

Linking up with my gorgeous friend Meg

Things I'm Loving!

This week I'm loving...

The name game

I've been playing a new game with Starbucks. Each time I go, I change my name to mix things up a little bit! The first one was my dog Bella's name! The second was my old dog Molly. The third time when I went in for the kill Gertrude, I was too exhausted and craving coffee that I couldn't even count out my money properly, let alone give a fake name. Next time!

My leather jacket

My Dad bought me this jacket from Camden on their last day in London! Lucky me! And as it's been getting a bit chilly in the mornings here, it's had it's fair share of outings already!

Weird London Cafes

I was hungover when I saw this, and really couldn't think of anything worse!

Keith

I've been looking after Keith for the last 8 days whilst my cousins have been away. He's such a dream! And an egg, which made this photo even more hilarious!

Baking

My track record for baking with my kids isn't exactly great. It's never been great. I think the only time there was success was on my last day at Early Years before I moved to London where we made a cake. Yesterday I attempted ginger bread men and some left over biscuits. Lets just say the kitchen was lucky not to have been burnt down. The result...

Goodbyes

I like to think of them not as goodbyes, but just a 'I'll see you in a year or two'. I farewelled my friend Megan last weekend, as she was moving back to Australia. It was a lovely night... from what I remember of it! p.s I'm still sporting my Malaysia tan!

Frogs

I stumbled - literally nearly stood on it - upon this wee froggy at my cousins this morning. A frog in London? Yeah, it got me too!

Welcoming

Next Tuesday my gorgeous friend Rachel is coming over to London! She'll be staying with me for a bit and we're hopefully going to go flatting together! I haven't seen her since she saw me off at the airport a year and a half ago, so the excitement levels are extremely high!

Speech time at my 21st.

Linking up with Meg for things I'm loving!

My 'Claims' to fame.

I haven't had many 'claims to fame' but the 2 that I can distinctly remember, have been great!

In 2009 when I went to the Winery Tour in Martinborough, it was a stinking hot day. We got given free Dominon Post's so I made mine into a hat to try and keep me 'cooler'. The coolness factor was definitely right up there as Jason from OpShop called out over the microphone "Who's the person that made the paper hats? I want one!" 

So with no hesitation I jumped up and quickly made one for him. As I passed it up to him the wind blew it apart so they told me to go around the side of the stage. Low and behold - next thing I'm up on the stage, in front of 1000's of people, showing Jason how to make a paper hat. And I got a free t-shirt out of it. Totally worth the red embarrassed face!

The second was when it was the London riots last year. Stuff.co.nz had an article on their website asking for stories from any New Zealanders in London. So of course I sent mine in. Within a couple of hours, who had their quote as the headline? ME! (full article here)

I was also in the Hutt News in 2000 for my primary school's Dance Splash group. 

And I think that has been all! Have you had any 'claims to fame'?

Things I'm Loving!

This week I'm loving...

The All Talk app

It's a super fun app, where you're given a word and you have to describe that particular word without saying other words... Sounds a bit confusing but it's such a fun game! I think you should all get it and then play it with me! It's an iPhone and android app so we have the best of both worlds here.

My new job

Like I said in my post earlier on in the week, it's about grabbing life by the balls. I know it's not going to be easy, but I'm ready for this major challenge. What makes it a bit more fun is getting the kids to try and say my name, mainstream nursery and the unit nursery kids! So far I've had: Miss Cluck, Miss Clock, Miss Dark, Miss Lark, Miss Luck, but not Miss Clark like it should be!

All about me

My updated 'all about me' page on my blog. I was long over due for a re-write, my whole blog is due for a makeover! But I put one of my new favourite photos on there. Hope you like it!

Watch this space

You should all keep your eyes out and open, cos someone might be having a guest blogpost on someone elses blog. Just sayin'.

The Kindle app

I love reading (finally say my parents!) and it's a lot handier to have the app on my phone. I do have a Kindle, but sometimes I forget to take it with me. This app is great as it syncs to your Kindle and updates exactly where you're up to in your book on both devices! Sooo technical!

2 Broke Girls

Holy macaroni, if you haven't watched this TV series - you must! It's soooooo hilarious and inappropriate but absolutely fabulous! Basically, there are 2 Broke Girls who work in a diner and want to start up a cupcake business. Max has been brought up with a very 'different' upbringing where as Caroline has had everything she ever needed at her fingertips due to the wealth of her father. Until he's sent to jail for being a fraudster. I can't describe how funny it is, I think you should all just watch it!

This song

This was my summer song when I was on Kapas Island in Malaysia. It's perfect. It's beautiful. And those lucky folk who are heading into Spring, should start pumping this song when the sun is shining and I guarantee it'll lift your mood! I listen to it everyday (when I have to test the hearing aids in my class) it's just brill.

Linking up with the gorgeous Meg

Grabbing Life by the Balls.

source

I've started a new job. It's incredibly hard and challenging. I don't know what part of teaching deaf kids with severe learning difficulties was going to be easy. 

But it's a great opportunity for my career. In saying that, for me it's not about adding another notch to my belt and boasting that I have 5 years teaching experience under me whilst only being 22. (I am proud of that though). 

It's the chance to grow. It's the chance to be challenged but have on-going support. It's the chance to expand my mind. It's the chance to be completely submerged into an unfamiliar environment, and whilst struggling to come up for air, it makes me realise that this isn't a rushed journey. I don't need to panic and second-guess what I'm doing. 

I'm made for this.

The love, praise, guidance and inspiration come naturally. And those are some qualities a real teacher holds. 

I'm sure we've all had 'crappy' teachers during our years of education, I certainly did. Sometimes they just wear out, and forget what it's all about. But that's all they've ever known, often it's the only career path they ever took. 

But, right now, for me, it's a new beginning. It's a time to - excuse the dodgeball quote - 'grab life by the balls'. 

It's not going to be an easy teaching year, and I know that. What fuels me is seeing the progress these children make, when maybe 20 years ago, they would've been sent to a prison-like school because no one had any hope for them. 

I have hope. I believe in these kids. And my friends and family have hope and believe that I can do this too. The warm messages of support and reassurance have played a big part in believing in myself. And with that, I shall leave you with a special message from a special friend...

"If anyone can teach them with compassion and kindness, you can".

Things I'm Loving - My Parents

I've been lucky enough to have had my parents over from New Zealand for the last month.

Fresh off the plane.

I've loved the time spent with them, I even gave up my room for a month and slept in the lounge! Total dedication! 

Mum surprised me with my belated 21st quilt. I was told that I wouldn't get it until I moved back to New Zealand. I think she realised that it might not happen for a while...

I showed them around London, we were proper tourists...

In Trafalgar Square...

At a Wetherspoons for dinner (it's one of my favourite chains of restaurants - a drink and burger for £7!)

We went on the new 'Emirates Air Line' - a gondola that goes over the Thames to Greenwich...

Mum met her new friend Queenie...

Me and Dad entertained ourselves at Marks and Spencers whilst Mum shopped...

We had a lovely picnic in Victoria Park on a gloriously sunny and hot day...

We went to Devon where we got to catch up with family whom my parents hadn't seen in 21 years...

I got to meet my Great Uncle Ron. He's such an amazing guy - despite his height ha! - and like I said on Face Book, if I was in my late 70's, I'd definitely have a crush on him...

We lived the high life and went to the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall - such an amazing experience!

We hopped on the Euro Star over to Paris where Mum and Dad got to catch up with their friends from Belgium who they met when we lived in Finland and also hadn't seen in 21 years...

We saw the sights - like the Sacre Coeur in Montmart...

I took some sneaky museum photos - this was at Victor Hugo's house, he wrote Les Miserables... 

Mum showed everyone how tiny our hotel room was. If you go to Paris, I highly recommend staying in Hotel Henry iv. It's on the same island as Notre Dame. 

I got Mum and Dad to pose 'like they loved each other' but they weren't allowed to kiss, on the bridge covered in padlocks with love messages on Pont Neuf...

We did a boat tour on the Seine River...

We got a quick shot with the Eiffel Tour in the background...

And then we returned to London, where my parents went to Scotland for a few days. After being back in London for 3 nights, I had to sadly say goodbye to them this evening. It was incredibly hard, there were tears, and a very special moment where my dad told me he loved me. I probably should've kept that a secret, but it doesn't happen very often. 

So farewell wonderful parental units. I had such a special time with you, being able to show you where I live and a peak into my new life in London! I miss you already but will see you again next year when I pop over for a visit! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Linking up with Meg cos she's choice for things I'm loving, and Simone for best in blog...

Malaysia, whaka yeah! : part 1

The low-down. The 411. The deets.

We spent 3 nights in Kuala Lumpur. Saw a lot of amazing temples, parks, buildings. Ate a lot of amazing food and soaked in the amazing culture. 

Cutesy buildings in Kuala Lumpur.

Feet eating fish frenzy

If I wrote a book about a magical land, this would be the secret tree where all of the most wonderful, special and fantastical things happened. All inside that one tree. That led to that great land. 

Nature at it's finest - Lake Gardens.

I absolutely love this photo.  And butterflies. Which we saw at Rama Rama butterfly park.

We then traveled on a bus and had a 3 hour boat ride on one of these to get to Taman Negara - a national park in the middle of Malaysia. 

After negotiating a permit to get into the national park and then a permit for photographing, we went on a fun canopy walk. 

We devoured some delicious (not-so-dairy-free) pancakes for breakfast

And then we were on our merry way to Kapas Island a.k.a Paradise...

(coming up in part 2 so I don't bore you to tears)

Linking up with Meg my choice buddy and my other choice buddy Simoney