T-minus One Month!

One month from today we'll be on our way to Ferntree Gully.  We are of course hoping for just one big snowstorm before we leave so that we can make a snowman.

But if the forecast stays like this:

Our snowmen are going to look a bit more like this:

We have friends who have been on exchange the past year and are working through the mixed emotions that come with the end of the experience. It's a sober reminder as we get ready to leave that at the end of our year we're going to have to go through all the same steps again - packing up, saying goodbye and living with the months of homesickness afterwards. But you know what? It's all totally worth it!!

Clown Car Upgrade 2.0

Preparations for our return to Ferntree Gully continue. With only 2 months and 17 days until we leave we're trying to be as proactive as possible.

This time round, instead of frantically shopping for a car almost immediately after landing, we were fortunate enough to be able to purchase a car from another exchange family currently in Australia. It's got a few years and miles on it, but it's in great working order and it's been well cared for through 2 different exchange families in as many years.

For those of you who aren't familiar with our beloved clown car from our last exchange here's a look into the past.

Aww, I kind of miss her!

I can honestly say that the kids have gotten bigger since then...and so have our wheels!

We've upgraded ever so slightly to a "not as old as the last car" 2004 Toyota Camry.

And of course for those of you expecting an updated picture of the kids...

The McEwens are going back to Australia in 2016!

2015 is shaping up to be a pretty good year, but we're already looking forward to 2016. We're excited to say that we're headed back to the only other place we love as much as home - our second home - Ferntree Gully, Australia!

Our wonderful exchange partners from 2013, Peter and Robyn approached us early last year and asked us if we would be interested in participating in another exchange with them. At first it seemed too good to be true, but after some careful consideration we decided that it was fate playing a card - we needed to take hold of this opportunity and go back.

We're very excited to get a second chance to spend some more time in a place that has very much come to feel like home to us.  Of course we know that it's still going to be hard to leave again at the end of the year, but we're not going to think about that right now ;)

So get ready Ferntree Gully, lock up your maple syrup - the Canadians are coming back, eh!