We are not in Canada anymore...and the Warrumbungles, revisited.

Some of my most favourite experiences down under are the ones where there is no denying where we are. I consider these experiences to be the fruits of our labours - one of the main reasons we decided to embark on this adventure. When we get to meld those experiences together with what we enjoy doing, or with people we enjoy spending time with, well that is just like the "creme de la creme". We have been privileged to have a few of these experiences recently, and for that, we are grateful. 

Every-day-shennanigans...

 Lego Club is still going strong!

Calla's Drama Club did an AMAZING performance of Disney's Mulan. We were all so impressed with the coordination and levels of talent of this multi-age group (20ish and under). 

I had my first try at stage make-up. We literally ran around and bought the cheapest make-up we could find about 30 minutes before Calla landed at the door.  

Having a go at throwing a boomerang. Rylan was the best at it. 

 Our investment of zoo passes for the Dubbo Taronga Zoo has been well worth it. It is such a beautiful place to hang out.

 Spending time with new friends that were in Dubbo for the month. We met at homeschool group.

 Every year, our kids get to choose what kind of birthday cake they want, and Kevin and I do our best interpretation of what they have asked for. This is our kangaroo cake.

We had a joint birthday party for Josiah with one of his classmates. It was a lot of fun for him to turn 6 in Australia this year.  

 Fairy bread and other Australian party food.

 A few days later, Kevin and I got to celebrate our 18th anniversary together at the Red Earth Estate winery and dumpling house.

One morning, I awoke to find this "little" guy hanging out in our kitchen. I really am not fond of spiders at the best of times. Thankfully, Kevin was still home, and reached over his head with two paper plates and trapped this nightmare inside. I have never heard Kevin scream, however, as the spider found a way out of its paper plate trap and jumped onto the floor, Kevin made a noise as close to a yelp as I've ever heard. We both had a great laugh as he chased the spider around to catch it once again and set it free in the garden. I have a secret nightmare of having one of these guys on the ceiling of the car as I'm driving. Oh, heaven help me if that ever happens!

A couple of months ago, we were driving back from a trip in the evening and saw flames leaping higher than the treetops near to where our connect group leaders live. The kids were very concerned about whose house may have burnt down that night, and we prayed for this mystery family every night for weeks before we asked our connect group leaders whose house it may have been. They sort of brushed it off by saying it must have been a bonfire. We tried to explain how huge this fire actually was, and they continued to believe it was "just an Aussie bonfire" as they had not heard of any house fires in the area. Well, one night, our connect group had "just an Aussie bonfire". When I rounded the corner and saw this monstrosity, I had quite a chuckle to myself. You can see the silhouettes of people to the right of this beast of a fire.

 To add to the feeling of being in Australia, the kids took turns riding goats. Josiah LOVED this activity, and couldn't get enough.

 And to end our evening, all of the kids piled into a ute with a large spotlight and drove around the paddocks looking for kangaroos. All good country fun!

 The kids are getting better at putting on little performances for us. This one took quite a bit of practice and crafting to get it right. Super-Jo to the rescue!

Let me introduce you to the Australian magpie. We have been hearing about swooping season (nesting season - August to October) ever since we arrived and people discovered that Kevin commutes to and from work on bike. Apparently, magpies hate cyclists and mainly target them during swooping season. As cyclists ride past their nests, or territory, the male magpies dive-bomb them over and over with their sharp beaks and talons, occasionally causing injury. Often, we see cyclists with zip ties all around their helmets to try and keep the bombers from getting too close. Kevin (as those of you who know him can imagine) refuses to wear something so conspicuous. So, Kevin has had the misfortune of experiencing this swooping phenomenon, and I find myself inappropriately giggling at his fear of the bird's clacking beak every time I hear about it. I know, I know, it will serve me right when my turn comes.
A link to a video that illustrates the terror that these creatures invoke - you have to watch to the end. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGGTcYfrEZU

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The Warrumbungles

After a week that felt downright lonely and discouraging for a number of random reasons (just another part of this roller coaster ride), we had a weekend away planned at the Warrumbungles with friends. Kevin and I were feeling rather tired and blah at the start of our weekend, but (true to roller coaster fashion) ended up having a most wonderful time with our own family, and with two truly lovely families that we got to share the weekend with. Spending time with people who made our whole family feel welcomed and loved, and like we were part of some kind of community, was just what we needed. It is a bit of an art to not just "talk shop" when you are part of a mix of people who you have known for a long time and newbies (like us), and something that I try to be sensitive of when we are on our home turf as I have been the "new girl" often enough to know what that feels like. It was so nice to be on the receiving end of that same sensitivity, and such a good reminder of continuing to be sensitive to this when we are back home among old friends again. We are so grateful for our refreshing weekend away with the Haddons and the Stockings!

 If I had an Australia bucket list, hiking the Breadknife trail in the Warrumbungles would have been on it, as it is rated as one of Australia's top 10 hikes. I thought that our whole family would attempt to do it this weekend, but I am so glad that a few of our party decided to stay at the campsite and offered to hang out with the kids that did not want to make the 12.5 km trek. In the end, I think it would have been a big stretch for even our ambitious littlest hiker, and our middlest would have been itching to get back to play with the girls, so it was just me and the big boys who got to enjoy this one.

 Follow the yellow brick road.....

 We watched a couple of climbers on this big rock.

 We made it! A rewarding lunch at the top.

 The breadknife is the thin tall rock in the middle-right side of this photo.

 Just me and the boys (who nearly sprinted up this hike)!

 The golden wattle, a species of acacia which is also Australia's national flower, was blooming beautifully all along the trail.

After a lovely hike, a glorious shower, and doctoring up a nasty blister, we wolfed down dinner and made our way to the observatory for a presentation on the amazing night sky. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Warrumbungles is a dark sky park, and we had the added benefit of a new moon for star-gazing. We were only five minutes late, after nearly having to dodge kangaroos on the side of the road the whole way, and after making a completely wrong turn. We spent the next ninety minutes getting to look through multiple telescopes at a plethora of heavenly wonders that I don't remember the names of, whilst keeping ourselves warm by snuggling our children (we thought we would be indoors and didn't quite dress appropriately). It was so good! Another tick off of my imaginary bucket list.

 The kids basically spent the whole weekend on their bikes and in this dry creek bed making forts, restaurants, mines, etc. Except for meeting Australian ticks (we were informed that they were not the notorious Australian paralysis ticks - thank goodness!) in that creek bed, they had an amazing time.

 Learning a great new game.

 The kids wined and dined us at their rock restaurant and provided entertainment with their rock band afterwards.

We had such a great time, and it felt good to come "home" and rid ourselves of ticks and dirt (Jo ended up having burrs and rocks in his socks and proclaimed, "That's why my feet were so uncomfortable!" as we emptied them) before settling in for our traditional coming-home-from-a-trip pizza-movie-night.