New School Year

Jenny missed posting a new set of pictures of Ben and Rachel at the start of the new school year in January. So you can compare to the start of the prior year here they are. Ben is in 6th grade here and Rachel is now in 4th. Ben kind of looks like a few pictures of his cousin Josh in pictures when he knows it is a day without his computer.

Holly and Dan come to OZ!

Okay so I am think I am through with all the pictures and stories from last Jane and Feb when the Niesens and Owens came to visit. Now I am to April when our friends Dan and Holly from Portland came to visit. They were here for a wedding in Sydney and popped down to Melbourne for the last leg of their trip. We had great time with them and I just have to say we love visitors!!! Anyways, we enjoyed, helping Holly along on her tour of Indian restaurants in Australia and also took them on a wine tour of the Yarra Valley. Last but not least we visited the Phillip Island to see Penguins and Koalas and of course the Nobbies.... More on that later!

Koala Conservatory

While at Phillip Island we went to the Koala Conservatory. This is a great park where you can also see Kangaroos and Wallabies. The animals roam free here. The day we were there, one of the Koala's was walking along the boardwalk. Many tourists (apparently unable to read signs) decided to feed and pet him. That is until the Jake tattled and the Rangers came racing down. Those tourists all had to go get cleaned up as believe it or not wildlife can carry ticks! Shocking I know!!

The Nobbies!

On Phillip Island we went to a place called the Nobbies. There are several rock formations in the ocean where the Seals hang out. You can also see an occasional penguin under the boardwalk. We mainly like going here to have an excuse to say Nobbies. Really, try it. It will make you laugh.

Dan, Holly and Jake
Ooooh... the Nobbies!

More Darling Harbour

The Niesens

Jake's Parents

Owens and Niesens

Darling Harbour

We spent Christy's Birthday (My Sister) at Darling Harbour. We had a great dinner at the Meat & Wine Co. Great steak and Wine and Cocktails and Conversation and View! And, no the Aussies aren't as loose as the Frenchie's when it comes to wine and minors. The kids were being dorks.

Bondi Beach

Okay, so it looks like I am on a roll with the blog, trying to get it up to date!!! I hope you are all enjoying it! I am still on the Sydney Trip with my sister's family and Jake' parents. (Back in Feb 2006!!!)This post is all about Bondi Beach. This is the famous surfing beach in Sydney. Unfortuantely we had crappy weather that day. The kids and Phil still swam but there was no surfing to be had!

Sydney Spider!

In addtion to the sharks, jellies and crocs, we also have big ugly spiders! This one we saw in the Botanical Gardens in Sydney.

This was at the Anzac Memorial park in Sydney. We had been walking all day through the Botanical Gardens and ended up here. It was very pretty at tnight with all the lights around the pond. It was a good time for the adults to sit and rest on the steps and the kids to run around. The fruit bats were flying around that night. My niece Gracie loved them, however they freaked out her mom!!!

The Opera House

Chris, Phil and Grace at the Opera house.

Sydney Aquarium

While in Sydney we went to the Aquarium. I have never seen four kids move through an exhibit faster. These pictures in front of the GBR exhibit were probably the only times they were actually still.

Another GBR Pic

I forgot about this picture of Ben and his Grandma Niesen at Green Island. They had their picture taken with a croc at the animal park there!