PORT DOUGLAS VACATION

Mossman Gorge

We finally made another trip here in Australia.  Over the 2 week break from school we traveled up to Northern Queensland to Port Douglas to visit what every local here says is a "must do", so we did!  Port Douglas is located a little north of Cairns (pronounced Cannes) and it is famed for "where the rainforest meets the sea".  It was beautiful!  We did a tour of the Daintree Rainforest learning about different plants and animals, the Skyrail and the Kuranda Scenic Railway over and through the rainforest, we took a river tour to see if we could spot some saltwater crocodiles, saw some beautiful countryside filled with sugarcane, visited Mossman Gorge to hear the tales of the Aboriginal people and see how they live/lived.  (I say lived as well,  because as most things, they are becoming a thing of the past, being forced from their heritage by none other than the government)  We all had a fantastic time seeing another part of Australia.  I think the most interesting part for me was listening to the tour given by a young man of Aboriginal decent.  Their people have made it a point to pass on as much of their heritage and culture as they can.  We witnessed children as young as 5-6 doing the dreamtime dances in the streets.  The dreamtime dances are stories that have been passed down from generation to generation telling of the great water snake (river) that moves throughout the land, stories of the emus being chased by the river snake, and so many more.  We even got to hear the famous didgeridoo (proper name is the Yikki Yikki), have traditional tea and damper (biscuits), and so much more!!  There is even a plant that grows in their forest that they gave to the enemies during the war to wipe with after using the toilet....I think it's comparable to our bull nettle in Texas!  And I know I wouldn't dare wipe with that!  HA!  The paints the aboriginal people use are natural bug repellents and made from clay that they just mix with water.  I could go on and on!  We even got to see the endangered Cassowary in the wild-I didn't get a picture because it was too fast!  We had plans to go out to the reef again, but decided a day by the pool would suffice since we did part of the reef last year!  Enjoy the pics and God bless!

Standing under the canopy of the rainforest next to the Giants of the Rainforest. (huge trees)

Family Photo (including Heart the Cat)

The 3 Things every Aboriginal takes with him.  A stone, boomerang, and shield.  We were told you are a skilled hunter if your boomerang doesn't come back! (I'll let you think about that one)

Our 4-Wheel Drive tour guide preparing the traditional billy tea.  He took the billy (bucket), put it over the fire to make the tea, then he swung it around in front of him like a windmill 4-5 times to move the tea leaves to the bottom of the billy.
Amazing....none of it spilled out!

 This plant is called the Wait-A-While.  (no joke)  If you look close enough it is covered with spines that grow facing upward.  So if you happen to be able to go up this plant, you will have to "wait-a-while" to get down because you will get caught on them.  The Aboriginal use these plants for hunting and fishing.

A sending out a distress call against a Red Cedar.  The tree is hollow so if you get into trouble you take your stone and hit it as hard as you can against the base so the sound resonates through the forest.  It's their nature made SOS!

Traditional Smoking Ceremony Fire-We all had to walk around this twice through the smoke to cleanse ourselves before we entered the rainforest which is sacred to the Aboriginal people.  Our guide had to introduce us to his ancestors before we could begin the walk.  (he had to let them know he was bringing in guests to tell us all about their heritage and hunting grounds)

Had to take a pic of this sign! 

The Kuranda Scenic Rail-train ride from the top of the rainforest town of Kuranda back down through the rainforest to Cairns.

The only croc we saw on the river tour.  He was about 1.5 meters, according to the guide, which is big enough! (he's a bit hard to spot...he's on the log hanging out)

SCHOOL EVENTS AND EASTER

It has been a couple of months and time is still flying by!  A's school had their swim carnival the end of March and she did awesome!  She got first in her heat for the backstroke and second in her heat for breast stroke!  Then in April, they had their annual cross country meet and she came in 13th place out of all of the Year 3 classes (approx. 112 kids) She ran so hard and kept up her pace the entire race around the course.  We celebrated Easter weekend at church beginning on Good Friday.  We were asked by Father to carry up the large cross for veneration as a family.  E was so proud!  She held on so tight to the cross!  We had some friends over for fajitas and all the trimmings, the girls built their annual Easter nests, hunted eggs, and enjoyed the day!  

SWIMMING SUCCESS

FOCUSED ON THE RACE

OUR EASTER BUNNIES

SILLY GIRLS AFTER A SWIM

UPDATES

Here we are, FEBRUARY, already!  How in the world did nearly 2 months of 2015 already go by?  After a nice visit back home to Texas for the holidays and a little stop off in sunny California for a break in flying back with a little cousin and sister time, we are now back in full swing here in the land of Oz.  A lot has happened since we've gotten back.  A has started Year 3, YES, YEAR 3!  3rd Grade!!!  She is still taking guitar lessons, swimming, started playing basketball on Saturday mornings, and of course horse riding. She got some very exciting news yesterday as she was nominated by her riding instructors for the "B Squad".  She gets to go for a 5 hour lesson every 6 weeks with the riding school's owner (who is a professional dressage rider) as well as with Queensland's top dressage instructor, lecture time on horse care, and as well as doing a bit of good honest stall cleaning! We were very happy and excited for her as they usually wait until the kids are 8 to move them up to the squads.  I just love watching her ride.  She is such a natural.  (seems to be anyhow....I know cows...not horses but am learning along with her!)
E was supposed to start at a little preschool, but after some deliberation, B and I just decided it would be too long of a day for her.  She is still doing her gymnastics, swimming  and music classes and the child still LOVES to sing!  She is also starting to read a few words on her own, can count to 100 with us, and enjoys being outside running!  As always, the both of them keep us busy!

1st Day of Year 3

Rainbows and Butterflies!  "Take my picture, Mom!"

Lost our first top front tooth

A Little Beach Time- "I'm sun baking!"

 

CHILD OF THE WEEK

YEAH!  Hot off the presses....A was named Child of the Week for the SECOND time this year!  We are so very proud of her accomplishments and she is proud of herself for obtaining this award twice in one year!  She received the award this time for "sharing her insightful ideas in class discussions and creating imaginative texts with good descriptive language".  Here are a couple of snapshots from this morning's (November 5th) school assembly.  WAY TO GO A!!!

Receiving Her Certificate From the Assistant Principal

Posing With Sister After the Assembly

Proud Moment!

HALLOWEEN

Halloween seems to be growing on the Australians as there were more Halloween items in the stores this year even though the majority of it was geared toward the dark and evil side of things. I even had a lady at one of the stores we frequent here ask E what she was going to be for Halloween and when she told her "a butterfly" the lady seemed rather shocked and said, "why that's not scary at all!"  There were a lot more houses accepting trick-or-treaters this year.  The tradition taking off here is if the house has a balloon attached to the gate or door, then it's accepting trick-or-treaters.
Two days before, we carved the pumpkins and roasted the seeds.  A went for an "RSPCA" themed jack-o-lantern requesting a paw print and E decided on a more traditional route for hers.  B and I did the carving, with A cleaning hers out on her own as much as she could, but E decided it was "yucky" and "eww"to feel the pulp and seeds! Although, she did enjoy the roasted seeds with both girls saying they tasted like popcorn!  We took the girls, our angel and monarch butterfly, to the same street as last year where we met up with our friends and their kids.  The girls had a blast, but they are always happy no matter what's going on!  E was happily singing "It's a Happy Halloween" and "Trick-or Treat" while she walked down the street and A enjoyed getting to walk ahead of the grown-ups with her friends.  As usual, we had a great time as did the girls who received lots of candy (which neither eat very much of) and were beyond ready for bed by 7:30!  Enjoy the pics and God bless!

"SCARY" POSE!

This was supposed to be our good one with everybody looking and smiling but we have yet to accomplish that fete! LOL!!!

Our "Together" photo!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2014!

UPDATING! (Yes, it's been a while!)

Ok!  I'm catching up again! The past couple of months, like all the others, have simply come and gone so quickly!  We have been busy, as usual!  A couple of months ago, the girls and I planted some tomato and strawberry seeds and we are finally beginning to see the "fruits" of our labor.  A celebrated Father's Day with Brandon at school back at the beginning of September, and of course, we had another birthday to celebrate!  (Hard to fathom that 3 years has passed since our little E was born) We celebrated her big day with a family dinner at her choice of restaurant,  had the traditional cake and gift opening at home after dinner and then had a small party with friends on Sunday.   The girls are thriving and even went for their first swim of the spring season here as the temps were in the mid 80's last week.  A is excited that she will be on her last term of school for year 2 and E went for an "interview" at a preschool here for a January start date.  (she's ready but Mom had to fight back tears during the interview!!!)  As always, here are a few pics as to what's been going on around our place!  Hope everyone is doing well!  Enjoy and God bless!  xoxo

E pointing to the first red tomato on her plant before she picked it off!

A all dressed up for her "date" with Daddy at school. 

E getting her gift of "Happy Birthday" from big sis on the guitar! (she was so excited as she learned to play it at her lesson that day---and did FABULOUS!!) 

Our two precious monkeys!  Love them SOOO much!

A very happy 3 year old with her special request chocolate cake!

BIRTHDAYS AND NEW ZEALAND

Last month we celebrated yet another milestone!  Two, really, to be exact.  Brandon turned the BIG 4-0 and our sweet girl turned the BIG 7!  We had our traditional family dinner and cake together and then, since Brandon was 40, I had the brilliant idea of making him go on a scavenger hunt for his gift.  Of course, there were 40 clues hidden throughout the house to take him to his gift.  He did well, until the end when he found it, but had to ask what it was because he couldn't read the fine print!  Adalyn had decided on a sleepover with two of her friends.  It was so fun hearing the giggles of three little girls.  They had pizza, cake, smores, and movies. So, as for birthdays and fun, God has truly blessed us with another wonderful year gone by and hope for the promise of the year ahead!

Since Brandon works so hard to provide for us and 40 IS a milestone, I thought really hard on what he would enjoy and NEVER be able to figure out what his gift would be for his birthday.  Being that we are over here, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and being that we are so close to New Zealand, (which was on our bucket list to visit while here) I decided to do a Red Stag hunt over there for him.  We flew into Queenstown, New Zealand, two weeks after their birthday and were met at the airport by Mr. Willie Apsinall.  I came across the Makarora River Ranch on a recommendation by a friend back home whose Dad does a lot of overseas hunting for some big horn sheep.  Anyhow, long story short, the Makarora River Ranch is owned by a Texan, so in some aspect, it was meant to be! HA!  Little did we know that Makarora gets quite a bit of rain each year, and this year they've been having more rain than normal.  So, the day before we are leaving, I receive a picture of a rock slide and Brandon gets a call from Willie saying that both roads to the ranch are blocked because of rock slides!  But, not to worry, Willie says (after Brandon and I decided we'd delay the trip by a couple of days) don't worry, they'll have it cleared by tomorrow when you guys land.  Well, we landed and the rock slide was still not cleared, so Willie and Kaye went out of their way, got us a room (a small house) at a bed and breakfast near Lake Wanaka for the night, and Willie had arranged a boat from another ranch hand to pick us all up the next morning to take us around the slip where the rock slide was in order to get us to the ranch!  Talk about above and beyond and not to mention GREAT UNPLANNED ADVENTURE !!  It seems to me that no matter where we go or who we meet those that make their living from the land or the animals/crops on the land ALWAYS do what's necessary or beyond the call of duty for their fellow man!  So, we headed out the next morning, after feeding sheep and chickens a the Alpine Lodge bed and breakfast owned by Michelle and Craig.  The girls had a blast feeding Molly the sheep and her companions and were all giggles and smiles on the boat ride!  I could write a book on the beauty of New Zealand! It was nothing but green grass, snow capped mountains, waterfalls, and clear blue water! Brandon got his stag (absolutely beautiful animals), we got to stay in the valley of the Makarora River with 360 degree views of the mountains, skip rocks in the river, visit the Blue Pools, and just enjoy the beauty that the good Lord placed all around.  I can't say enough about our hosts Kaye and Willie, Brandon and I felt like if it had been anywhere else, we probably would've just been told, "sorry, roads closed, will have to reschedule".  The only downside to the trip was it wasn't booked for long enough!  (the pics aren't in chronological order but hope you enjoy them!)

Feeding Molly the sheep and her friends

7 on one side, 40 on the other!

Happy 7th Birthday, Adalyn!

Blue Pools (you could see all the way to the bottom) That's not a reflection of the cliffs in the photo, that's how clear the water is! 

One of the many mountain views from the ranch.

Brandon and his birthday present. (not sure where this big baby is going to hang!)

Family Photo Op…of course, as always, not everyone is ready or looking! ;)

On the lake from the boat