Mariah's blog

I just had my birthday on the 22nd. My main present was a digital camera, that I got from my mum and dad. Since then I have been taking photos like crazy. I took heaps of photos at my birthday party. I kinda just had a little party this year. I invited 5 people and we did some random things, for the first time. This is the first time I have ever had a birthday party without a theme. First, we went out in the paddock to play the silly Olympics. Some of the Olympic games were: egg toss, 3 legged race, stuffed animal between the legs and run, eat a cracker-blow a bubble, and bear pie (where you have a gummy bear under a pile of whip cream, and you need to get the bear without using your hands, basically shoving your face in it!) Then, we had the silliest hair-do contest, with a partner. After that, each pair got a product and had to make a commercial out of it, that we filmed. Next, we opened presents, ate mud pie, and played soccer in the paddock. I had a really fun birthday and got lots of presents.

On the 29th I got chosen to go to what is called 'Winter Trials' for girls soccer. Winter Trials is where 4 people from each school, in the district, compete in a try out. 14 girls got chosen from the Manning District (the one I am in). Three out of the four girls from my school got in, including me. Then I get to move on to the next division, about an hour from where I live. The object is to make the one best soccer team from each Australian State and then they will compete against each the other states. The coach from the Winter Trials asked me to play on his u13 team. I went down to New Castle for two games. Our team lost both games. It was a lot of fun though. I also made our school soccer team. So I am on 4 different soccer teams right now. It felt strange not being in my Flying Cucumber colours and not playing with the team I have always been with.

I can't wait until our holiday. We are going down south. It will be over Easter. Aussies celebrate Easter a little different then us Americans. I don't know about any of you, but my family normally, has plastic eggs that are hid, that have candy or money in them. We also have our Easter baskets full of goodies hid. Here they just hide chocolate eggs.

I can't wait until December so that I can see most of you again!

~Mariah~