Australia #2

THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE....

AT RIVER BEND!

After a few days enjoying the big lights of the city (Geelong), we headed home to the farm. And that's where we stayed for the rest of your vacation. 

Grandpa quickly put Howard to work. 

We found a few moments for relaxing on the beach.

The view from the back door. 

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset dinner from the Back 80 with the lovely Mr Spitty Elyjah. 

Howard spent a lot of time training the girls to search for gudgeon. 

The girls enjoyed being in the river together. 

When the river was slippery and bumpy, they helped one another out. 

In between searching for gudgeon, there was time to gather some "pond scum". 

You can never have too much algae. 

Imogen was delighted to be out in nature every day. 

Grandma and Grandpa were delighted to explore nooks of the farm with us. 

That's me and my dad. 

The view from the top! This is River Bend. 

We tried to get a family photo, but Imogen was more interested in stomping down the hill by herself. 

The uncles take the kids for a ride. 

Grandpa always shears a sheep for us. Paloma took a close look at the action with this photo. 

Imogen explored the shearing shed with Juke.

Paloma and Imogen wait for Grandpa to finish shearing the ram. 

Australia #1

The Journeyers, Back to Australia 

Loading up, buckling in,  and reading the safety features of the Airbus A380. It was one of the seemingly quickest and easiest flights we have made so far. Touch down in Melbourne 14 hours later.

The first week we spent with the Atkins. Paloma and Imogen got to hang out with and spend some wonderful times with their sweet cousins, Rachel and Archie "Rocket" (zooming around in the background)

Here we all are at Serendip Sanctuary checking out kangaroos, emus, brushtail possums, tall spike rush, tussock grass, and...

tawny frogmouths!!

We of course went to the Great Southern Ocean. All our beach attempts this trip were punctuated by overcast skies and blustery wind

Blustery winds, white cheeks and great expanses.

It did not stop us from exploring the beaches, running through the sand and...

...some of us played in the water. note: in the previous photo I am rugged up in a winter sweater.

More to follow. We will be heading to River Bend next...

Happy birthday, Aussie Grandma!

Australia 2014 :: farm life

We got back to Albuquerque a few weeks ago after three very wonderful weeks in Australia. People keep asking me what we did and we did so much and so very little. 

The first couple of weeks were spent on the farm, just hanging out and enjoying the cool weather. 

Here's a little bit about what we did there...

Paloma and Imogen enjoyed riding around on the 4-wheeler. 

Yee-ha! Look who's driving!

"Brrrrr brrrr brrrroooommmmm!!!"

We took a little time out for a family photo shoot.

The H.A.P.I. family

Crazy happy family!

The girls enjoyed driving the tractor. (Howard enjoyed it too - I just didn't get any photos.)

Cool, calm and collected - Paloma is under control. 

Uh oh - who let the pigeon drive the bus? 

Imogen is always happy behind the wheel being in charge.

Let's go!

Most importantly - our desert-dwelling girls rediscovered PUDDLES!

We spent some time looking for some big animals on the farm...

Can you see the kangaroos?

 And some big and small animals together...

New baby!

Sisters?

All in all, I think we were all pretty happy with our visit to River Bend. 

"Yeah, sure, I'm serious."

Is Chicago

Last weekend, we headed north to the Windy City. The flight went well; our girls are great travelers (and we had some candy-shaped bribes to help).

Paloma loved the ride into the city and looked out the train window the whole way.

Imogen didn't have quite the same stamina....

We enjoyed deep dish pizza, a visit to the Australian Consulate and some new passports!
And then we took the opportunity to take in some of the sites, including the snow.

And the Chicago Art Museum...

And Lake Michigan...

(You may have guessed that it was a little cool.)
And then it was off to Lisle to visit the Hackers! Hooray!

It was pretty darn cold out, so we headed inside...
To the DuPage Children's Museum!

Ahoy sailor!

Bubbles o' fun!

Science in action...

Our three princesses (with cousin Sophie).

More than anything, we enjoyed being at home and hanging out. Paloma and Sophie hit it off (and Imogen hit it off with Whizzy).

Thanks Caz, Brian, Mason and Sophie! Oh, and Whizzy!

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