Random April Pictures

 Right before we left for Australia we mostly moved into a new house.  Jared wanted to live closer to the Salt Lake airport, and I wanted to stay close to my family. So we compromised and ended up on the north end of Springville. It technically is closer to the airport! :)

So we came home to a lot of new things. 

My lovely family moved more of our stuff over 

and had our beds ready for us when we got home from Australia!

P loves cuddling with Q on our new couches!

 I became a minivan mom, and LOVE it!!!!

 My girl is still super cute!

 I was getting mad at people trying to make my girl crawl before Australia. I didn't want to be chasing a baby around the airplane if I didn't have to. So when we got back everyone started bribing her to get her to crawl!

 and she finally figured it out!

 First win for my van! 

I was able to bring my kids plus 3 friends home from playing at our house!

Going Home

 We were so lucky to spend almost 2 weeks in beautiful Australia! 

We were able to spend so much time with Grandpa Paul 

which was the main reason we went, 

but were able to see so many other family members!

On the way home we didn't get the bassinet seats which was almost nicer. 

We got the farthest back rows where Q got her own seat. 

 The kids thought they were pretty cool sitting by themselves. 

We played musical chairs a lot, and at one point Q was laying with R.

 But mostly slept by herself all cuddled up!

 In true P fashion, he wasn't feeling well on the way to LA and threw up EVERYWHERE. I hadn't packed spare clothes for him, so luckily the flight attendants gave him some of first class pjs to wear. If you know our family at all, you know that when we moved back from Sydney and we were flying to LA, and P threw up all over then too! Note to self, pack the kid spare clothes when going on long flights!

In LA jet lag was kicking my kids butts! They wanted to sleep, but there wasn't anywhere to sleep so we told them to climb under the chairs (so people could still walk by), and they literally fell asleep there. We had a long layover, so I was just fine with this!

P having fun before our flight to SLC

Once we got on this plane the kids crashed AGAIN!

I wanted to sleep, but I was afraid I'd drop Q so I just rested my eyes!

It was such a great trip! 

I feel so blessed to have family over there to visit when we go over!

Jared is wanting to go back every year if possible. 

So until next year (I guess)! 

BYE AUSTRALIA!!!

Australia Post 6

Our last two nights in Sydney were spent in a hotel near Central Station.

We drove from Hill Top and decided to stop by our old stomping grounds.

We stopped by a bakery for Jared and got a VERY messy cream bun!

 Q and I even had a few bites, but you can't really tell! :)

 This was the park that I would take R to all the time!

It was strange going back to it!

 We stopped in for an Aussie burger. 

It was HUGE like usual!

 Then we check-in to our hotel and headed downtown, where Jared found more of his Passionfruit ice cream!

 R and I were lucky enough to be the ones to go on a jet boat ride around the harbour. 

We tried our hardest to sneak P on, but he was just too short! :(

 R was pretty nervous, but excited at the same time!

 Jared, P, and Q wondered around the opera house!

 Jared took this picture of us on the boat!

These are a few photos from the go pro camera

 Even though we had ponchos we still got soaked!!!!

My kids on the steps to the opera house!

 I love my family!

 Then we headed to the one place I wanted to eat, Pancake on the rocks. 

 Uncle Jim met us there after work!

 We strolled around the harbour 

 and did a little shopping. 

Then walked and talked with Uncle Jim all the way back to our hotel.

 The next morning we headed to Central Station.

 P got that jacket and hat the night before. 

After he bought them on the walk home he was strutting like he was untouchable! 

He LOVES his hat and jacket!

 and headed to Luna Park. Jared felt really bad that P couldn't ride on the jet boat so promised him that we could go there for him. 

I've been to Luna Park a handful of times, but never been on any rides. 

 The kids and Jared got wrist bands and were off riding some fun rides.

Q and I were laying low so that she could get a nap in.

 But she was able to join them on the ferris wheel!

 In the water right by the boat stop for Luna Park were TONS of jelly fish. 

None of the pictures of them turned out, but they were so cool!

After we were done here, we met up with Uncle Jim again for an AMAZING last dinner in Sydney. It was delicious. We then rode the train back to Central Station where we side tracked a little visit another one of Jared's cousin named Erin who lives and works in the city! Again, lame me and no picture! 

It was a GREAT way to spend our time in Sydney! We love Australia, and P reminds us all the time that he is Australian! 

Australia Post 5

 After we left Jared's uncle's house we headed to his other Aunt and Uncle's house in Hill Top. It is in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Uncle Jim met us there too. 

When Jared and I were planning our trip back to Australia we knew we needed to do the major tourist attractions, but wanted to see new things too.

 As much as we love sitting around chatting with Aunty June and Uncle Dennis the kids wanted to get out. So we decided to do some spelunking near their house (which we had never done before)

It was so dark in the cave. 

This was taken with a flash!

 It was so dark and slippery, and it kind-of scared the kids, and lets be honest me a little!

After some exploring Jared realized that we couldn't get through to the other side of the cave.

So we followed a trail up and around to the other side of the cave.

It was a cool trail!

 Jared found a "yabby" a freshwater crustacean.

 R and Uncle Jim 

 One of my kids favorite part about Hill Top were the wild birds 

that would come and eat the seeds Uncle Den would put out!

 I wish I could have recorded their conversations while bird watching.

Uncle Jim was so fun to have around!

I didn't get much sleep in Hill Top! :)

 The next morning we headed to Kangaroo Valley

 to see some waterfalls(again, we had never been to) 

We met up with Donna, Sandy, Cherish and Ella. 

We didn't have a lot of time to go visit them in their new house, 

but were happy to have spent this day with them!

The first falls we went to were Fitzroy Falls. 

This is actually where Sandy proposed to Donna. 

R and Ella

 It was a very LONG waterfall! 

 Our motley crew walking to the other lookout of Fitzroy Falls

 These pictures totally don't do it justice! 

You can kind-of see the look out platform that the picture 2 above was taken from!

 The little girls!

 Most of our group! 

Auntie June and Uncle Den were in the bathroom!

 We decided to eat some lunch at the visitor's center. 

 Jared with the missing two!

 My smily baby!

 Then we drove around to another waterfalls. 

It was called Carrington Falls. 

This waterfall was stunning! From the plateau to the bottom of the falls is about 520 feet.

Again, my phone camera didn't do this amazing place justice!

 This is only part of the falls, but you can see people on the top right of this picture.

It shows you how big this fall is! 

 Along the plateau above the falls you can play in the water (safely). 

It was so fun!

P ended up being my little buddy at this part!

 The kids LOVED exploring

 Jared on the rocky edge of the waterfall! 

This picture doesn't show the drop off at all!

Then June, Dennis, and Jim headed home, but Sandy wanted to show us a little waterfall really close to Carrington Falls. This was a short hike to Nellie's Glen.

It was a very cute waterfall with a pond at the base!

Last kid picture before we headed back to June and Den's. 

 My little family!

This day was probably one of my favorites! I LOVED the new things we were able to explore and the waterfalls were so amazing! Even the top of Carrington Falls was so fun and cool! I am so grateful that we were able to go there!

We love the Southern Highlands

The drive to and from Kangaroo Valley were stunning!

Around this area is where they filmed the movie "Babe"

My kids loved playing on the seesaw too!

 And more bird watching!

The next morning we left to head back into Sydney!

We loved being able to see so much family! 

Thanks to all those who went out of their way to come spend time with us!