Chillin in Melbourne (literally, BRR!)

Well HELLO!  Just thought I would do a quick update, although not much has been happening!  We have been getting all settled into our routine and life here in Melbourne after months of non stop activity!  It was all very fun but we are enjoying a little time relaxing and being a bit boring.

Since I got back 4 weeks ago we have been doing a little home redecorating-- painting, rearranging furniture and buying new furniture-- all sorts of exciting stuff :)

This past weekend we had the Exxon Mobil Winter Ball and it was really fun!  I always enjoy getting all dressed up and going somewhere amazing with great food, friends and dancing!  
Other than that we are just enjoying watching the Olympics (although we really only get the Aussie athlete games to watch) and spending time here in Melbourne!

Life is good :)  USA USA USA!

Hometown holiday

Just got back in town from my 5 week trip to HOUSTON!  It was so great to be back there!  I loved spending time with friends and family.  Thanks everyone for making time for your ole aussie friend.  

Here are some pics from my time in H-TOWN :)

Griffin getting sworn into the marines

Kasey, Julie, Amy, Taria and ME!  mmmm mexican food at last :)

pool time at the Peltiers w/ Amy and Amber!

Fathers day in Galveston with the whole fam!  Mom, Dad, Grant, Carole, Griffin, Garrett, Brian and I

beach bocce ball

more mexican with old work friend Rita

Poolside BBQ with my besties

and our boys! :)

Stacey and Jenn came in town! dinner with julie, jenn, stacey and hilary, Mmmmm more mexican! :)

Lauren!!!  I wish you were going back to Melbourne with me!!  :(

Julies baby shower!  TX STATE GIRLS!

I actually am a bit sad I didnt take more pictures... I should have more with my parents, with my friends at TMHA, with Shelly and Emily, with my brothers and sis in law, everyone we saw while in KS (fun weekend and NO pictures- ugh so mad at myself!), with my cousins and their wives at girls night out...  oh well, more memories to come! :)

I know when it is time for us to move back we are going to just fit right back in, but until then we are going to keep enjoying our lives down under!!

Road Trip to Sydney!

Now that I am in Houston I have plenty of time to write about our fun road trip to Syndey!  It was just me, my mom and dad and Brody, since Brian was in LA for a wedding!

We decided to take the "scenic coastal" route on the way there.  So we woke up plenty early and left for the LONG drive!  It was really a beautiful trip.  The rolling bright green hill that covered most of the drive were amazing!  We tried to get some pictures but they dont do the scenery justice....
   


























We stopped to have a seafood lunch along the coast in Lakes Entrance... then 10 hours after that-- We arrived in Sydney!!!  (The whole coastal drive was 15 hours!  WOW!)  We stayed in Bondi Beach at a rental apartment so Brody could come along on our Sydney adventure.

The next day I had made a reservation to me and Brian's favorite restaurant, Doyle's.  We got to the Watsons Bay area early so we could check out the area, which has awesome cliffs and fabulous views of the city!

   

Ahh It is so nice there!  I just love it!  Brian and I decided that since our favorite restaurant happens to be in Sydney we will have to go back for our 10 year anniversary (we'll see about that!!?)  The food was delicious-- so it is good to know that it wasnt just a fluke the first time!  haha  BEST SEAFOOD EVER :)  The views arent bad either!

We then took the ferry into the city!  I love that boats are a normal/daily part of transportation there... Plus seeing the Opera House and Harbor bridge from the water is the best view so I wanted that the be the first way mom and dad got to see it!  
TA - DA!  Its always great to see this :)  When we got off the ferry we spent some time touring some of the touristy areas-- the Opera House, The Rocks

    
 After we toured the area we went back to Bondi where we got to spend the evening with our other travel companion, BRODY!  He loved walking along the beach, although, he was not actually allowed ON the beach... oh well!  We even got to take him to a bar later that night!  Bondi is definitely puppy friendly, which was soooo nice!  I wish more places let you take your dog with you everywhere!!  We ordered in pizza that night and it was delicious-- if you go, Bondi Pizza is the best!

The next morning, after a long walk with Brody and breakfast at a sidewalk cafe, we went back into the city to see more Sydney sights.  We started off at St. Marys Cathedral.  It is the most amazing church with a beautiful park across from it.  Some of the pics are similar to Brian and my trip in February but deal with it :)


        

Then we took Mom on a Mothers day Sydney Harbor Cruise!  They had a delicious seafood buffet  so we enjoyed that and had some wine before going on the upper deck to take 1 million pictures... Here are a few... (I know this blog is mostly pictures but that is what we did the whole time!)

We spent the rest of the day strolling through the Royal Botanical Gardens which are beautiful and then getting back to Bondi Beach to hang out with Brody for the evening.  

That last evening was great with a wonderful sunset over the beach!  We all four loved it and it was a perfect end to our time in Sydney.  

The next morning we woke up and set off on our drive home... we did not take the "scenic coastal" drive but although it was not coastal, it was still very scenic!  And MUCH shorter (well still a good 9 hours but thats much better than 15!)  I had the best time showing them around Sydney!  I dont think I would have ever though about going on a trip with just me and my 2 parents but it was so much fun!  Maybe we can do it again sometime :)

Now that I have shown you all our pictures and stories from Tasmania and Sydney I feel like I need to do a whole separate entry from our time around Melbourne!  I think its a great city and we all took lots of pictures!  (well mostly my mom, actually, dad took about a million himself, which means we have about 3 million pictures....)  I am sure I will get around to that post soon!!!