Relaxing at Ramada Resort Phillip Island in Melbourne...

Just got back from visiting family and chillaxing with my children at the Ramada Resort on Phillip Island, a 2-3 hour drive from Melbourne Airport (depending on traffic).

Had a great time working on my thesis of which I decided to delay submitting until early next year as there are still some things I want to do and check on.

But still got time in the last couple of days to spend in the outdoor pool and the outdoor and undercover spas that they had at the resort.

It was such a refreshing time that I would recommend it for any who have been so busy with so much that it's important to take some self-care time out for relaxing and getting a better perspective on things. That's the reason why I decided to delay the submission date as I still thought that I had so much to write on i.e. mini theses within the thesis.

Nice to be back and straight back to work with my last weekend class with my current cohort with their submission finals this weekend too with presentations. I just can't believe how fast this last few weeks have gone by with Xmas just around the corner and summer holidays coming up.

I also have plans for Samoa at the end of next month with never a dull moment and looks like I'll still be writing in Samoa too but feeling good as I'm at the last stages and tidying up as I go. It's not alike working on something important that needs to be done well and not just settling...

 

Helicopter ride in Melbourne...

 

It's been a busy 7 days in Melbourne, Australia with my family. It was a kind of break and catching up with family as in my youngest brother and his family living in Melbourne.

I got to spend my birthday there with my mum and children and had a great time. I even got to go on a Helicopter ride with my middle child which was pretty special too.

My mum and youngest were staying with my brothers family but as there were 6 of us travelling, the rest of us stayed at Phillip Island resort which is a 2-3 hour ride from the airport depending on traffic.

We really enjoyed our trip and even got time to go on walks and check out some of the wildlife (although used to humans) walking around the resort. I got to see a wallaby and some interesting endemic birds that I'd never seen before. We even had time swimming and going to the spa for a deep soak with so much to do.

We loved going out for dinner with two birthdays that were celebrated. One was at a Steak and Seafood Restaurant which was really neat as it was Greek theme and also a 'Flame Tree' where I enjoyed the seafood - some pretty special memories were made here.

All in all, a very special time away from NZ but still had time to Zoom in with my class as I'll be back for weekend work with them with end of year and work to be handed in. Just so glad to have some time out with family enjoying ourselves together. Feeling specially blessed...

Birthday celebration at Valentines Restaurant...

Today, I shouted out my mom and eldest daughters to a birthday lunch for my Brisbane cousin's daughter and her grandmother who are currently visiting Auckland. (The youngest was at Rainbow's End with her senior class as a school trip otherwise I would have brought her along too).

It was such a neat time to be with my God-daughter and her son as she's been working really hard, alongside a cold, to finish her academic course and get ready to join the Masters degree study next year.

It's been a real honour to be able to support some of my students to enter into the Masters degree in Applied Indigenous Knowledge at my workplace, as I know that it makes such a difference in the doors that it can open and the places that they can influence regarding their indigenous knowledge.

The actual birthday lunch party consisted of 8 of us and we had a great time sampling the mains and desserts as well as sharing updates and plans for the upcoming holidays. Was also able to give the birthday girl a gift basket and a Cheese Cake shop birthday cake just for the occasion.

Wow! roll on Christmas, the festivities are already beginning and looking forward to what Christmas has to offer in remember the reason for the season. With our trip to Melbourne just around the corner next week...
 

Air NZ to Melbourne...

 

It's going to be a very busy month with so much going on and looking forward, already, to December and a break in the Christmas period.

But before then, I'm looking forward to taking my mum to visit Melbourne and family there. It's been a wish of hers to visit and I'm blessed to be able to take with with some family members as well.

We're flying AirNZ, as we've found it to be of good service and it's familiar to us since first flying on it with my family in the 1970s. 

It's definitely had many upgrades but am glad to have been able to book earlier as sometimes this carrier has some bargain airfares, if you book early enough. It's also special as I'll be spending my birthday overseas and will take some time for R&R (rest and relaxation) when we're over there.

I'm also looking forward to seeing if I'm able to accomplish a feat that I've been looking forward to finalizing but more of that when we actually get there. Am also looking forward to visiting Phillip Island again which is a couple of hours drive from the international airport but will be good to be travelling with family.

Otherwise, just getting ready for a busy weekend of work and studies. Also trying to get things sorted for the end of the year and all that entails as well as another trip back to Samoa after Christmas and into the new year. Definitely, never a dull moment...

Pasifika ECE Leadership Award & Grand Ball 2023...

Last weekend after my Saturday work, I raced home to get quickly changed for an event that I was attending with my "glam team" (self titled) i.e. two elder daughters stopped me.

They sat me down and insisted that they would do my makeup and hair as well as choosing my outfit to wear. It was such a laugh but greatly appreciated as I would have just stepped out very quickly with minimum makeup and a plain dress.

However, with my "glam team" at work, I was out in under an hour smelling gorgeous and dressed the same with hair that looked like I'd just stepped out of a saloon. 

Definitely proud of my girls for taking the time to step it up for me and to allow me to enjoy the moment with them. It also helped as it had been a long day in class i.e. from 9am in the morning until 7.30pm at night with time for my students to get their assignments in before the close of the year.

I then raced off to the event where everyone was dressed up the nines and the awards ceremony was over. It was a Pasifika ECE (Early childhood Education) Leader Award & Grand Ball for 2023. The team leader and I received our certificates for leadership and with trophies promised along the way.

Will be the last ECE event that I'll be attending as now turning my attention to other places and spaces but it was still a grand night with dinner (yummy seafood), dessert and dancing. We both had a good time and then needed to return home to rest and get ready for the next morning's class. Never a dull moment!...

End of an era...

Today I wrote a resignation letter to the board that I had served almost 4 years at my local church. The reason being that I did not agree with the closure that the present board members had decided on. 

I think sometimes that one just has to walk away from environments that can have toxic people inside with a clear conscience of doing one's level best at the time.

It's sad for me, as my late father had been on the initial committee that had built the foundation of the Early childhood centre but as that former committee was dissolved to make way for a new Trust, there were several individuals who did not act with integrity and took advantage of the situations (it's a long story).

Suffice to say that I now no longer have to worry about the future of the a'oga (school) and can let go and let the present board continue in their work without my support. I've found over time, that I don't like to waste time on boards, or with organizations or individuals who like don't act in integrity, waste time and make questionable decisions.

It also allows me to reflect on the work that I've done and I can walk away with a clean conscience knowing that I did the best that I could do with the time and resources that I had. It's also a call to action to those who are able to serve carefully and wisely on boards to ensure that if there are individuals who are not acting in the best interests of their communities that they should be challenged and called out, therefore exposing toxic actions that are not beneficial to the many.

I'm glad that I was able to serve in the best ways that I knew how and that I made many good friendships along the way. There are already some who have contacted me in support but at the end of the day, I know that I did the best that I could with no regrets on my work...

Gift baskets for end of year celebrations...

 

Here's another gift basket that I made up with my middle child for her dad's end of year celebration. As the year is quickly coming to an end this will be the start of many more gift baskets to come.

The theme for this particular gift basket was for a female so we decided to go for a colour theme of pinks, purples and soft corals as well as toiletries and some chocolates with a bear to set off the tone.

We heard that it was well received, without the bottle of bubbly that we decided to leave out as it was for a church outfit. Such small pleasures bring me joy as we move into the festive season now that the Halloween season is over. 

Now we've switched from oranges, blacks and purpley themed Halloween palette to Christmasy greens, whites and reds. I've seen how many shopping malls are already started to sprout Christmas themed shopping experiences and products and we've only just started November!

So I'd say, hold tight to your purse strings or you could easily get caught in early sales shopping sprees enticing customers to buy products on sales special for loved ones and especially on products that they might not quite need but may want...