Sunday, December 31, 2006

Jesse's side of our move...

Jesse has been getting used to his travel crate. He now goes in there when we are out and he always gets fed in there. See that bucket? That's the water bucket that he's been getting used to drinking out of. When he flies, it will be frozen so that he has water for the whole flight and doesn't drink it all at once. It's been pretty easy getting Jesse comfortable with his new crate. It really helped that he was kennel trained as a puppy and has always used a kennel as his safe place. As you can see, the crate is HUGE!! Jes and I can both hang out in there pretty comfortably. The reason we had to get the bigger crate is because apparently Jesse is a long dog and his nose and bum touched the front and back of the smaller size one. The pet relocator was worried that they might not accept him in that size in Honolulu. Obviously, we don't want that, soooo, the bigger size it is. But, MAN, that baby is going to be expensive to ship!!! We're still waiting for our estimate from the pet relocator. Not going to be a cheap thing BUT as we all know, Jesse is worth it!! I just hope that he does okay away from us. He heads to the kennel in Montreal on January 20th and if all goes well, he'll hopefully fly out of Montreal on April 4th. He'll spend a night in a kennel in Vancouver, owned by our pet relocator's colleague, to help break up his flight. From Vancouver he'll fly to Hawaii (his crate will be sealed and he won't be able to get out once he leaves Canada) and then off to Sydney. There he'll spend 30 days in government quarantine and then we'll pick him up and take him to Brisbane. We're hoping to rent a car and drive there. Jes has visited the kennel to get used to it and is actually spending the weekend there again next weekend, to help make his final visit a little easier. I'm sure he'll be fine. I just hope that Steve and I are busy, so that the time goes by fast for us!

Bare walls

Christmas has come to an early end in our house this year. As most of you now know, Steve and I are leaving for Australia on January 21st and have pretty much sold everything we own. We have kept our very special and sentimental things and those things are being sent to Nova Scotia on Wednesday (the 3rd). Since that of course includes, all of my treasured Christmas decorations, Steve and I took everything down yesterday and packed it to be shipped. It's very bare in here! It's good that we've had the Christmas stuff up or it would have been quite depressing living in such an empty, bare apartment for so long! Anyway, it was a little sad to pack up my Christmas ornaments, knowing I won't see them again for years, but once I got over that, I started to just get really excited. I packed some of my summer clothes as a trial run, to see just what I can and can't take. Steve and I will each have 2 suitcases of stuff when we leave...that's it!!! I was actually pretty impressed with myself. I have a lot packed already and still have lots of room! Luckily girls' summer clothes are usually quite tiny;) So, as I look around the apartment today, I get very excited about our move and all the adventures ahead. I think of selling all our stuff, as a very exciting fresh start...a great way to de-clutter and buy new stuff that you really like! Plus it's a great reason to HAVE to shop in Brisbane! :)

Friday, December 29, 2006

Boxing Day Snow Storm


We had a very nice Christmas. I was planning to post some pics of our Christmas dinner, but somehow managed to delete them from the camera before they made it to the computer. Oh well. I'll post next year's Christmas Day BBQ in Brisbane;) On Boxing Day we woke up to a very pretty snow storm,that left everything white and beautiful (hence the pics). We took Steve's Mom to the Biodome and it was so quiet there! Guess the holiday combined with the snow made everyone with screaming bratty kids stay home. It was great! I'll post those pics next. Steve and his Mom walking in a winter wonderland.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Christmas Morning!




Canadian Christmas CDs, great for next year in Brisbane! Thanks Darryl and Stacey!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Christmas Eve

Jesse opening his Christmas Eve present.
Christmas Eve fire.
Jesse really liked his frog.
Steve's Mom (Debbie) opening her Christmas Eve gift.
Steve showing his enthusiastic Christmas cheer!
Jesse opening my Christmas Eve present. He really likes opening presents! Steve cooking us our traditional Christmas Eve dinner...seafood chowder. Yummy!
Steve and his Mom.
Seafood chowder fixings.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Don't Tell Cari I Posted This!

Not sure what to say about this.

I'm a Stud!!!!!
Steve (in the dog house) Dickinson

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Party crashers

Steve, me, Melissa and Annick all crashed Katie and Marc's work party last night. We had a great time! Melissa and I were especially good at crashing. We enjoyed lots of free food, wine and even posed for a picture with their professional photogragher! hehe:) Anyway, we had lots of fun and it was SO great to see Katie again. I have really missed hanging out with her, since she moved to Virginia (they're back in Montreal for Christmas). Thanks Katie and Marc for inviting us to come out!
The above pic of of Melissa and I after we raided the dessert table! We just have so, so much fun togther! I'm really, really going to miss you guys!
Melissa and Annick, dancing queens.
Katherine, with great party hair and great...uhhum...;)
Me, on fire.

Is Katie hitting on my husband here??
Melissa and Katie.

Me and Melissa.

Friday, December 22, 2006

It's starting to feel...

...like it's really happening! Steve booked our tickets last night for our move. We leave Montreal on January 21st for Honolulu, where we will stay for 2 days and then it's off to Sydney on January 24th, and then from Sydney to Brisbane. A long trip but we're starting to get excited. Still hard to believe that we're leaving in less than a month! Here's a couple of pics that Annick sent me. Her friend took them when she visited Australia. Guess this is what we have to look forward to!

Snow or no snow...

...the Dickinsons are ready for Christmas! Although, some members of the family are a little more excited about it than others...this is Steve wrapping my presents. Full of the usual Christmas cheer!
Our tree with ornaments.
Pretty lights.
" Stockings are hung by the chimney"...okay well the tree, but still, it looks nice:)
Pretty presents. Jesse has been wanting to open them. Me, I'm not wondering about them at all.....nope not at all....not me...I am weak though. I already caved and let Steve open one of his presents from me. Next year, I will NOT be so weak. I will learn to have patience! This is my solemn vow.
Ho Ho Ho. Hope you've all been good this year;)

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Click the Pic





















Thanks Jeremy!


Steve (Dundee) Dickinson

Santa Dog is coming to town!


You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...Santa Dog is coming to town! Don't ya just love the holidays??:)

Finally some snow!

So, I have been waiting for the snow. I have been hoping for snow since October! I want to enjoy it for as long as I can before we move to Australia! AND for the first time since we moved to Quebec, there has been unusually warm temps for December (7 degrees!) and no snow! I even heard on the news last night that it might be a green Christmas:( Seeing as we'll be having those for the next few years, I was slightly disappointed. However, this morning I woke up, opened the curtains and Voila! a slight dusting of snow and pretty snow flurries falling everywhere! It is only a little bit of snow but it still looks pretty and very Christmasy! The above picture is from our dining room window and the below pic is from our living room window.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Our Christmas tree...

This year's tree was pretty important to me, since chances are we won't be having a real tree in Brisbane for the next few years. It smells so, so good!
Steve putting our star on the top...
and hanging some ornaments:)

Friends...

...who I got to visit while in NS. Thanks Lor for letting me camp out on your couch!
And thanks to Kristi for the great hospitality!So nice to see you Shan! She and Adam are moving to Madison, Wisconsin in July! All the best guys!
Lorianne and Craig.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

The family

My sister, Connie and my niece, Melissa.
Steve's Nanny and his Mom.
My sister-in-law, Monica and my niece, Chelsea, oh and Fluff, her beloved bunny:)
My nephew, Joshua.
Me and Chelsea.