Stage 3- BLYC- family fun day, horses an staff training

So today we only had a half day, the afternoon we spent chilling playing mini golf an temping bowling an messig around on the bumper cars so it was awesome fun. Looking forwards to the staff banquet tomorrow night- tropical paradise theme! Altho the snow is melting it really isn't 'tropical' in the slightest! our staff video is done an looks awesome even if I so say so myself! Haha we had fun having snow fights, messing around with the horses, pushing trees over ect. All set to an awesome aussie band called Jinja Safari. There's not much to say as I only wrote a few days ago. But things are going well an am having fun. Our horse assignments are fairly set, I have Tucker an Juneau which I am very happy about! So is shaping up to be a fabulous summer! (altho the weather could be a little warmer! But I'm sure that will happen) I am thinking of you all an are hoping that you are all well. Aending much love.

Stage 3- BLYC, horse battles, singing prayers, fun an games

So I can't remember the last time I posted. Or what it was, I think I did once in Pastor Montes cabin, but so much has happened since then! Meeting new people an making friends. The weather is slowly warming up with is LOVELY! It's melting allthat snow which is awesome. Staff trainig is full on but going well. Though were all exhausted an were glad for the sabbath yesterday an the afternoon off today! Me, Bek, Jason an Kevin (two guys from 06) are chilling out in Sisters an Bend today so can't wait to hit up taco bell an red robin! We got our horse assignments the other day, I didn't get Spice, but I'm loving working with Juneau, though all my horses are challenging I think Juneau an I have a real connection, she's getting less flighty around me. Bonita is also a bit nervous but she's a sweety an Tucker is going to be my biggest challenge this summer so well see how thy goes, as he an I have a bit of a personality clash. I love the wranglers, they are all lovely an Brian is getting less shy around me an Bek, our Aussie ways have been a little overwhelming for some people, but most love it an everyone else is getting used to our accents an ways of speaking. I disnt bring my laptop today so still no photos, but I will try an remember for next time! I'll also take some of my babies an Beks so you can put names to faces! Im not sure how I survived 5 years away from here. I just feel like I'm home, that I'm exactly where I need to be right now. Well Im going to go an enjoy my day off! Love to you all. I am still alive an well, albeit with a few battle scars from Juneau, but I won so I wear them proudly! Haha x

Stage 3- Big Lake, snow, horses and friends

Well I have been here at Big Lake (BLYC) for 2 full days now (we arrived on sunday arvo). We started training with the horses monday morning and have done two full days and two evenings of Parelli training, which has been challenging but very useful and well sometimes fun! but i can really see the difference in the horses i was working with in the end! we get our horse assignments for the summer tomorrow, so wish me luck in getting Spice and Juneau! the two big goey girls. :) the wranglers are all really lovely, nicole and kelsey are darlings that Bek and I get along with fabulously! and it has been so amazingly good to catch up with old staff members!! though we're all pretty busy so i havn't had too much time to catch up with them all extensively yet. though that will happen soon i'm sure. tomomrrow the rest of the staff arrive, so then staff training really starts!! next sunday the kids arrive so that will be fun. really looking fowards to hitting up Bend (the second closest town an hour away- Sisters is only half an hour but doesn't have much in it) and bring on the Taco Bell and Red Robin!!

well hopefully soon (probably when I get into Bend) I will try and upload some pics to show you all the snow (we have an iceberg in the corral. and some of the snow is up to the roof!!) but its not as bad as i was expecting, though we do have alot of creeks running through camp! I havn't been brave enough to test the temperature of the water yet though!

Stage 2- (Portland) Basketball, photoshoots and bluegrass

well its been lovely have a few days to settle in, spend some time with my american family- the wonderful Torkelsens, getting to know the boys again- who are all very into and good at basketball, (i have been to a basketball game every night since i arrived for one boy or another!) though i tell you what, i have never seen anyone eat as much as those boys do! it makes cooking a challenge for someone like me who comes from a predominately female family! Brandon left the other night on his way to Greece for summer school, and Bek finally arrived from Australia yesterday afternoon and Darla and Monte headed away for some alone/connection time before summer camp leaving 3 aussies and two american boys- should be fun!! haha

Today we heading to church, and awesome church where they played bluegrass songs and they had real coffee and food! i was so impressed!!! it was a lovely church called the city sanctuary and i ran into Christina Perry from camp 5 years ago and Jason Robinson as well which totally made my day! of course we headed home and made haystacks- apparently its sabbath lunch food everywhere in the world!

Tomorrow Bek and I will be on our way to camp, so this will probably be my last blog post for awhile, and fb will be even less so. although when i finish editing the photos from the two photoshoots of the Torkelsen family i will post them up (we had to do two as the light was bad in the first and the boys were messing around too much!) it was hilarious, but didn't result in many good pictures, though when they want to the boys are very easy to photograph!

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday, giving me my first view of the beautiful snow capped mountain thats you can see from the back yard between the stately pine trees. as beautiful as it is, I can only hope that the sunshine will help melt some of that snow! though it is raining again today of course. got to keep that greenness going!

Stage 2- (Portland) Starbucks, greenery and Elk

So after a stressful wait in Sydney airport to see if I would get on a flight (which obviously I did, thanks to the wonderful Qantas staff who looked after me so well) and then a long, cramped and practically sleepless 14 hour flight to LAX (thanks to the two big guys beside me who took up all my room and the kid behind me that delighted in making lots of noise and was constantly banging on my chair) i arrived, made my way through customs and found my alaskan airlines flight dad had booked for me when we knew I was on my way out of sydney. I made my first purchase in america- which i'm sure you can all guess what that was! yep, Starbucks ;) a delicious Mocha Coconut Frappe to be exact.

After a nap all the way from LA to Portland I arrived to find Monte and Calvin Chuang there to pick me up, much to my relief as couldn't be sure if dad had gotten through to let them know I was arriving early. but there they were and Calvin made us a lovely dinner before we all headed over to see Chad's basketball game (which they won in the last quarter). after which i went and had myself 13.5 hours sleep! and I'm STILL tired. but just chilling today, which is nice after all the stress and travel over the last few weeks and days.

I am loving the greenery, the cheap EVERYTHING, the beautiful countryside (they had an Elk in the backyard yesterday before I got here!) and looking forwards to it finally getting warmer- at the moment is cloudy, occasionally raining and only a little warmer than Perth's winter. I am told by Monte that there is now only 50 inches of snow at camp, so it is melting...slowly (thats still a meter and a half!) so I'm hoping for sunny warm days to melt the rest of it between now and sunday but I'm not too optimistic! haha

For those of you who know Monte and Darla Torkelsen, they are very well. the boys are growing up fast! Brandon is heading over to Greece for summer school tomorrow for six weeks which is very exciting, and I believe that Chad and Trent will be coming to work at camp this summer. The boys all tower over me now, even Trent who is an 8th Grader. but they are all well albeit very cheeky! I will post photos soon as Darla has asked me to take some family photos before Brandon leaves.

Stage 1- Sydney (Photos)

Stage 1- Sydney part 2

Well unfortunately as most of you may know my trip to sydney got cut a little short due to volcano eruption messing with flights, but i still had 2 amazing days chilling out with my beautiful girls! sunday consisted of an amazing brunch, naps, then chilling with friends ending in a girls night of fondu and Burlesque (the movie)- with Yummy Thai for dinner of course! followed by Monday morning breakfast with Anna, Tammy, Grace, Taki, Wolf, Jena and Joel at the cooranbong cafe. After which Tammy and I made our way down to sydney, delighting in a Chilli Choc Chai at the wonderful T2 before enjoying a night in with more Thai as Tammy was at work (I have to admit it was nice to have and evening to myself in the view of probably not getting to enjoy one of those over the next 4/5 months!) then up Tues morning and to the airport I go to try and get on an earlier flight! fingers crossed it all works out!

Stage 1- Sydney, part 1

Well although it has been a rocky start, the adventure has finally begun!! :D first stop sydney where two beautiful girls, Anna an Tammy who are truly the best friends anyone could ask for picked me up from the airport an whisked me off to a delicious dinner with Moses an Rob in Newtown (Sydney). After which Anna an I enjoyed some quality time together driving up to the bong (Cooranbong) where I spent the last 3 years of my life studying. I must admit that it feels damn good to be back. Who would have thought that I would actually miss this place?? An I am very much looking forwards to having some quality time with my girls, not to mention the ever present yummy Thai an fondue! Bring it I say- after a shower an a by of sleep though ;) wish me safe travels an available seats for the rest of my journey! :) much love- Lelle x