Turning twenty one

I'm not going to lie. I was quite nervous about turning 21 in Australia away from home. Twenty one is a big deal, you're an adult now and being away from home for that milestone made me a little uneasy. I was worried that, for the first time, I was going to feel uncontrollably homesick. I've spent every birthday at home and to spend such a big one somewhere else, pretty much as far as I could get from home, was odd. 

Kingston enjoying a chocolate shake, waiting for pancakes

When it came down to it I had nothing to worry about, of course. I had family all around me and Jack and if that wasn't enough the beautiful invention that is skype made me feel like I could have been at home. Jack woke me up at 4.30 am when he was going off to work with a kiss goodbye, a happy birthday and a card 'presents later' he said. Although I was quite happy with just a card at that point, Jack doesn't do cards you see. A perfect start to the morning. 

Uncle Bernard and Kingston enjoying some Christmas colouring in

Of course, being the lazy twenty one year old I am, I went back to sleep but dragged myself out of bed at 7am to a cloudy Western Australia - could have been at home. I'm always marvelling at how amazing skype and face time is but on my birthday I appreciated it more than ever. My whole family was sat around my mum's iPad ready with a cake and a 'happy birthday to you', in almost sync. It was the next best thing to being with them for sure. Over the past few weeks I've received a few gifts and cards in the post from back home so whilst on skype to the family I opened them and I think we all appreciated being able to do it together like normal. 

'Who needs strawberry shake when I can have mum's coffee?'

You may know I'm staying with family in WA, which was another thing that made my birthday special. I've never spent a birthday with these members of my family before so it was really nice to get to do that and something I'll definitely not forget. We went out for brunch and I definitely drunk too much coffee and definitely had to go to bed later in the day with a caffeine hangover. But it was a lovely morning and I highly doubt they'll be many birthdays where I can sit outside by the water eating pancakes without freezing my butt off. 

Surprise presents on the bed from Jack

Getting to spend my birthday with Jack was a little gift in its self. He went away two days before my birthday last year which was horrible, but this year he more than made up for it and spoiled me rotten. Not only on my birthday but over the whole weekend. He's definitely a keeper, he even remembered yellow flowers (the lily's are yellow). 

We're in love we just don't like sitting too close

Another surprise, getting taken out to dinner at The Lighthouse in Bunbury, again with the whole family that are living over here. It was so special and lovely and a lot of fun. Not to mention the food was amazing. I felt incredibly lucky and blessed the whole day. 

The Clan down under

My whole birthday was a really lovely, special day that I'm really not going to forget in a hurry. I'm so grateful for the amazing family and friends that I have that treated me like a princess the whole day. And I got to wear a playsuit with lemon's on it, with no tights, on December 5th. Very lucky I think you'd agree. 

Sunbathing ranga style 

Me and Jack spent all day Saturday at the beach which was perfect. It was so relaxing and beautiful and for me the best way to spend my birthday weekend in Australia as I love the beach but due to not wanting to get pneumonia normally avoid it on my birthday. Apart from once when I got a new coat and wanted to put it to the test. I even got a tan which topped it off with a cherry.

Being antisocial 

We finished the weekend with morning tea and the cinema. Again a lovely day well spent and a perfect way to end my birthday weekend. The only complaint, the lack of Cornish clotted cream for scones. But other than that the perfect weekend. 

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