Off on another adventure.

Tathra has been a really nice peaceful place to be, and while we love it most of my moms family is in a city on the East Coast of Australia called Brisbane.  We could drive there from Tathra but it would take 2 days - so today we are flying off to Brisbane
It sounded really cool when mom told us that we were meeting cousins, but when I realised we had to get on another plane.... not cool - oh the trauma. The planes themselves are not bad I guess, but travelling with the Lach-Ness monster is really horrible.

We woke really early to get ready - got in the car and drove to Camberra, it took 3 1/2 hours, there are some really cool little towns along the way. We drive through the "Snowy Mountains" they were not actually snowy but thats their name. They are where they filmed a movie "The Man From Snowy River". Apparently my mom used to have a crush on the guy Jim in the movie when she was my age. hahaha. I need to see this movie.
From Camberra we flew to Brisbane. Luckily it was a short flight only 1 hour and 50 minutes. All the other times I flew  I was sitting with my mom and borthers but this time I sat on the seat across the isle from them. It was OK because I didn't really have to take care of my brothers, can you say  heavenly????? but I had to sit next to two total strangers, one of them slept with his mouth open most of the time, and I will admit I kind of nodded off as well.

We got off the plane and saw my aunty Peta waiting for us. Aunty Peta gave us big hugs and kisses and cried a little. It has been 5 years since we have seen her and I have grown up alot.
Since we all didn't fit in her car mom, Lachy and I got in a cab to drive to her house. I have only been in a cab 2 times in my life. He was really fast!.

So far Brisbane is alot warmer and bigger than Tathra. The city goes on forever. There are alot of trains, busses, and shops everywhere, it's pretty amazing.

Big,Big city

                                                 Big, Big city!
Today we ventured into down town Brisbane city. To get there we had to take a train from Aunty Peta's house. It was a lot of fun because it was fast and exciting. sometimes we went through tunnels in the dark - I really like the train.

Waiting at the Train station. We have a double stroller for the boys, it is really cool!

At the top of Queen Street in Brisbane

When we got to the city we went to Queens street mall. We saw lots of shops, designer shops for dresses and jewelry were there. Queen street is a pedestrian street, which means no cars drive on it, and you can walk all over it, it is long and full of shops, cafes and restaurants.
We looked at a couple of dresses, we might have to go back and try some on!

 After the mall we got some lunch. We walked across a bridge over the Brisbane River to Southbank. There are some really old and beautiful buildings in the city, and alot of people were walking every were, it was very bustling!

 Aiden was happy at southbankbecause there were ibis' and pigeons to chase, he is a sucker for chasing birds, thankfully Lachy fell asleep somewhere over the brisbane river!
. For lunch Mum had a Greek Dona Kebab, cate had a corn dog, and I shared my corn dog with aiden just like mum and caitie shared their food with Lachy. Southbank is huge, we didn't even see all of it, it's big parklands, trees and grass, with playgrounds and a man made beach and swim area that all overlooks the Brisbane River, teh swimming place was being cleaned up and wasn't open but should be in a week or so, I can't wait to go swimming there! Southbank is also right next to the Queensland Museum, Art gallery, And Performin arts centre where they do ballets, operas and Symphony Orchestra Concerts! we are going back to look at those as well.
We caught the train from Southbank back to Petes house, we are definitely going to have to go back - There is so much to see and do.

Birthday surprises

Today was a special day, at least it was a special day for Catie. It's Catie's birthday today!  And right after breakfast can you guess what she did?  Can you guess what she did!...... She opened presents.

 She got a brush, a key chain, a baby rabbit figurine, chocolate, and...... a camera!  I was pretty jealous of the camera, because this camera was super cool. it's big, I'm guesssing it was expensive, it's yellow, it has a bunch of different settings, it prints the pictures after you take them, it is a polaroid camera and cate only lets certain people touch it. And I'm pretty sure my name is not on that list. After cate opened presents we went to the beach.
 That part was fun, in fact we spent the whole morning on that beautiful beach, we swam and played in the sand. I buried Aiden in a pit and Emmy and I turned Cate into a Mermaid.
We were hungry after the beach so nana got us some fish and chips. Chips in Australia are actually "fries" so we had battered and fried fresh fish and fries. It was good - and a classic Australian food for the beach.
 We went home after that because the boys were tired and it was getting overcast.

We played the after noon and then for dinner Cate asked for Chicken Chilli with Cafe rio dressing and fried tortilla strips.
The neighbors came over and we had Cates birthday cake. It was a lamington cake with strawberry lindt chocolate balls and sliced strawberries on top. It was delicious!  Lamingtons are also an australian classic food. Overall Catie had a VERY australian birthday!

Fun Fun FUN

                                                   Fun, Fun, Fun!
Today we went lots of places but first we went to the park at the beach. 

Sunrise over the Tathra Coast. 

At the park Aiden, Cate, and I played hide and go seek,  we hid around the park hopping from place to place when the finder wasn't looking in our direction. I'm trying not brag here but I think I hid the best because I was always found very last!
Any way after the park we went to the beach. We weren't alowed to go in the water because we  didn't have swim suits and it was cold from the rain, plus mum didn't want the boys going in, AND the waves were really to big. At least that is in my opinion.

Beach time

Finally some sunshine 

After that we went back to my nana's house, thats where we put the boys to sleep, mum sat down on the couch while we got our shoes back on and headed out the door.We got back in the car and headed to Merimbula where my nana took us shopping.For a while. Now I am back at the house typing this and waiting for dinner, my mom made chicken chilli soup with fresh fried tortilla strips and cafe rio dressing - one of my favourites!
My sister is playing the piano... or at least trying to ,my aunt Emma is ironing her shirts, Aiden and Lachy are having a bath, my nana is...I don't know what my nana is doing, everyone is busy and happy. This is DAY 3 in Australia.     

Treats in Bega

Treats in Bega
Today we drove to Bega, which is only about fifteen minutes away from Tathra, so it was a short drive. 
When we got there it was raining, so my nana let my sister and I borrow two umbrellas from the back of the car. We walked up the side walk stopping and looking in shops, one of my favorite stops was the bakery, they had so many yummy looking things in the windows, and my nana bought us each a treat to munch on for afternoon tea.

Aiden eating an Aussie lamington

My mum and my brothers shared a lamington, my mum also shared a chocolate eclair with my sister, I had a tart like thing that was filled with chocolate pudding. It was so sweet I couldn't eat it all and had to save half for later.
We then went to the "Reject Shop"(for those of you who were wondering yes - thats what it's actually called, very funny name)we went in there to get some more crafty things so that if it was still raining  when we got back to my nana's house we had things to do. 
After the Reject Shop, we went to a place called the "Red Cafe",

A funny weird couch on the wall of the Red Cafe

 where we snuggled and had some creamy frothy hot chocolate and orange and dark chocolate cake - it was SO delicious.  

Happiness at the Red Cafe

As always the boys needed a nap so we started heading home - on the way, we stopped by the Bega cheese factory, Bega is famous in Australia for it's cheese.  

It has beautiful rolling green hills and lots and lots of cows.

Cow road block in Bega - the cows walk across the road when it's time to get milked.

We got some funny pictures and tried lots of yummy cheeses.

Copying the mannequin

Cate the Cow Whisperer

Aiden was a natural

Seriously - count the legs on this

While my brothers had a nap I  decorated the fairy tree. The fairy tree is an umbrella shaped tree with an opening in the front, I love this tree, fairies live in it. So when I visit my Nana I like to decorate it and make it beautiful for them, today Cate and I put pretty pink flowers from the garden all over the opening.I think it turned out pretty and it was fun.

Fairy Tree Decorating Time