Next Stop.... Texas!

Yay! Time for Texas!!!!

Aaron is currently in Hong Kong visiting Seafood Markets and then touring some of inland China. I am not at all jealous. At all. Nope, not jealous of the shopping or the 90 degree heat or traveling to a new country. Oh, who am I kidding... I am furious I am not with him. But he is having such a wonderful time, but he will be joining us soon in Dallas.

Tomorrow I jump on a plane to Auckland, LA, Dallas and I can not wait to look out of the window and see the lights of Dallas!

So, I guess I will see you guys on the other side of the world! Looking forward to a fun (good old American) day of watching College Football & drinking Miller Light and good friends/family!

Love yall.

Windy, Rainy, Wonderful Wellington

Beginning of August, me and aaron caught a flight up to Wellington (the capitol of NZ) to visit Aaron's sister. She moved to Wellington back in February (I think) and is doing her graduate work up there in Publishing. And absolutely loving it.

We got into Wellington on Friday night pretty late, checked into our hotel and then met Rachel at a trendy dark little bar downtown and then off to a wonderful italian restaurant called Floriditas. Afterward, we had a few more drinks out on the town, but overall had a very nice quiet first night in Wellington.

Saturday, Rach had to work, so Aaron and I walked around the city just enjoying being in a proper city.We had breakfast at Fidels... a very very austinish breakfast joint. Lots of hippy people in a hippy atmosphere. Loved it. Made me feel like I was home except everyone still talked funny!

After breakfast we walked around the city. Went into shops. Walked around Parliament and then drank beer in a pub by the beehive (their government building).

That night, Aaron had bought us tickets to see Chef Rick Stein do a stand-up cooking show as well as VIP tickets to a meet and greet with Rick. Aaron had hopes of wooing Rick Stein into visiting Dunedin when the English play at the World Cup in 2011 and inviting him to come on the Harbour Fish boats. Unfortunately at the Meet and Greet, Rick was overwhelmed by 50 year old house wives and poor Aaron never had a chance of talking with him. Aaron's was not a happy camper. All night talking about the house wives with such distain.

Sunday morning the sky was blue so we headed to the impressive Wellington market. AND who did aaron see there? RICK STEIN. So, aaron was able to go up to him with out the swarming women and give good old Rick his business card and life returned to being good for aaron.

Walked around Wellington Harbour with Rach and then it was time to go home!


BUT as walked around Wellington the Cooper family welcomed a new one in. Daisy Mae Cooper was born on Sunday, August 8th. The family visited sweet Daisy Mae the following night and she is just perfect. Very very big congratulations to Damon and Chanel.


Aaron the proud uncle!

Queenstown in Winter

I am not sure which I like more... Queenstown in Summer



or Queenstown in Winter.



Queenstown this weekend was such a needed break for me. Aaron and a group of his friends were competing in the Peak 2 Peak race. Teams of five people race by ski, mountain bike, kayak, running and road bike from the top of the Remarkables Ski Area to Coronet Peak. Aaron's team did a great job - finishing 62 out of almost 200 teams/individuals.

BUT, while he and his friends were freezing in the snow, and sweating down (and up) the mountain(s) and across the lake, I was having a lovely lovely relaxation day. Oh, I started off by reading my book for about 2 hours.... then I got an hour massage at a place in town... then I went and had lunch at a french cafe with a beautiful glass of wine... then I walked around town and window shopped. My day was horribly stressful! After the race, some of the boys went duck shooting, but my nice boyfriend came back to the hotel and we got in the hot tub and drank a beer. Much much much needed weekend. I could have stayed forever...

On the boat with Richard, Helen, Grace and Aaron

Last weekend, Aaron and I babysat Grace, but we enlisted the help of Helen and Richard and their boat. We first went to feed the crazy ducks and then joined Helen and Richard and their crazy dog, Ned on their boat for the day. We had a very full but fun day!


Feeding ducks. Lots of them.


Check out aaron's outfit. HOT mess.

Ned, Helen and Grace


Me and Grace!

Aaron and Grace made delicious Scones in the boat

Sail boat race in the harbour.

4th of July at the South Pole

Brrr. Aaron and I decided to have a "my Name is Earl" 4th of July celebration!



It may be cold and it may be dark, but we wanted to make the best of it. Here are some pictures from our 4th of July party!

"That is a Rogue Wave" S. Palin

Sometimes Aaron and I go down to the beach. Just to check it out. Just to waste some time. Just because.

Anyway, last month we were having one of our random days where we went to the beach. But this time instead of finding a nice quiet beach, we found CRAZY Waves that wanted to eat Dunedin.

So Aaron took a video.

I am just sitting there in the car talking about this cute little old lady who was out by the beach and talking about how if aaron's grandmother lived in town they could be friends and then all of a sudden this crazy wave came up.

Polar Plunge

The day after the Mid-Winter festival, me, Aaron, Helen, Chanel and Grace went to St. Clair Beach where the lifeguards were holding their annual fundraiser - The Polar Plunge. Basically, you pay money to dress up in stupid costumes and run with about 500 other people into the freezing cold ocean on a freezing cold day. YOU COULD NOT PAY ME! I was cold just watching. I mean, like real cold.

These Kiwis are effing crazy people.