Sluffing School!!!

For Christmas, our kiddos got passes to the 3 theme parks on the Gold Coast: Seaworld, Wet n Wild and Movie World. We had crossed the first 2 off our list already, but Movie World was still waiting.  So we surprised them one morning as they were getting ready for school.  Lex called in "sick" (first time this year) and while the kids were getting dressed I said, "Why are you putting on your school uniform?  I don't think they require that at Movie World!!!"  They went crazy!  It was a really fun surprise.  We set off to see what all the hub bub was about.

It was a beautiful winter day!  Our first stop was the stunt man car show.  Look at this motorcycle man jumping the buildings on the movie set.  It was fun to see the cars spinning and speeding and doing figure 8's without crashing into each other.  The motorcycles were our favorite though!  Cool as.

Then it was off to try some rides!  Movie World is maybe half the size of Lagoon in Utah. It was really fun though.  Everything is themed around movie studios, making movies, and movie sets.  The characters you see walking the streets and standing for photos are Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn etc.  It was fun!

Oaks and I hit hit the Kiddie-Land while the other 3 went off to ride the dare devil stuff.  Poor Oaklee is as brave as any of them, but didn't quite meet the height requirements on all the coasters...even with a shoe-full of napkins :)

So we snagged a ride on the Road Runner instead.

Parker and Syd were awesome to join her on a few of the rides in between their speeding free falls and loop de loops.  What's a kiddie land without a train ride?

There was a fun kiddie-coaster and some good tilt-a-whirl Tweety bird cages.  But still....

We were all thankful to find a really fun roller coaster that Oaklee (with her deepest breath and very best posture and the nicest ride attendants) JUST qualified for!  It was Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion Roller Coaster.  It was actually totally awesome.  Here they are in the haunted graveyard, just outside the ride.  The ride starts out really mundane, like a tour through a haunted mansion, but then you pass through a set of door and you are lifted, like an elevator up and then suddenly, you drop down a very steep roller coaster hill backward! And the rest of the ride is like a wild mouse coaster in the dark!  It was really fun and scary!  That Wild Mouse feeling of your front wheels going off the track and jerking you back on, lots of hills that lift you off your seat etc. etc.  Oaklee and Birdy went on this ride 6 times.  Nice to go during school when the lines are...well, non existent!  And nice of Lex to keep going with them.

Main street at Movie World

Zombies at Oaklee's favorite ride!

Part of Movie World is Wild West Town.  I thought this fake set was so fun.  I am dying laughing at how Oaklee is making an attempt at making this look real. (it's just a flat painting)  Syd actually looks like she's sitting on that bench, but Oaklee with her floating foot...not so much!

One ride we really loved was the log ride.  It was one of the better log rides I've been on.  It had a really good backward drop at the beginning and the end hill was crazy steep and crazy long!  It was a really fun ride.

For lunch we ate pies (meat pies, an Aussie staple), and the whole day was great.  You have to push hard at these parks because they all close up at 5!  Crazy right?  It's annoying because my favorite time at amusement parks is always night, when things cool off and everything is lit up.  But alas, Australia pretty much shuts down and goes to bed at 5. Luckily the parks aren't very big so you can squeeze it all in pretty easily, especially when you go on a school day!  Here is a pic of our favorite coaster-- Superman's Escape.  Only Lex, Park and I got to go because of height restrictions but man-- it was a good one.  Straight up that first hill and then...yah, straight down!  It was a fun day.  And "check" another one off the bucket list!

Votes for Women!

Brisbane Ward--love this group of women so much!

Most people know that boobs in our house are affectionately called "votes".  This stemmed from a line in the classic movie, "Mary Poppins".  When Syd was little, she loved Mary Poppins (still does) and whenever the suffragettes would march with their banners across their chests stating "Votes for Women!" and sing all about "votes"--for some reason, this translated differently in her mind. The banners across the chests and the marching and the female power just all evolved in her mind to mean that girls' chests are proudly called their "votes".  So the saying "Votes for Women" takes on a very feminist, empowering meaning in our house-- above and beyond suffrage!  Anyway, that explanation was mostly to cover my post title choice.  Let me explain this picture.  Yes, it is what it looks like a clothes line stretching across the church building's cultural hall full-- and I mean chuck full-- of bras!!  Our ward here did a service project for women in Africa called The Uplift Project.  It's a worldwide organization that collects bras, swimsuits and underwear for women in villages in Africa that don't have access to "vote"-support if you will!  Our ward collected over 300 bras (new and used) at this project!  It was so awesome!  I didn't have any used ones I could spare, so I took my girls and told them all about the project and we hit Big W (Aussie's version of Wal-Mart) to see what we could find.  The girls loved picking out their favorite bras to donate to the project.  We hit up a clearance rack and found heaps for cheap as!  Oaks picked out some cute pink flowery numbers and Syd opted for stripes and polka-dots.  The girls were so happy to help these less-fortunate women. It was fun to hear them thinking of how a flowery, pink bra might ."..really make some lady happy". And I know they're right!  I believe a cute bra really does have the power to lift one's spirits! It was a great project.  I loved offering our "support" -- ;) to our sisters that are in Africa trying to fish the rivers and feed their babies.  I'm a mom too, and while our trials are different our dreams and love for our children are most likely very similar.  The Relief Society is such an amazing organization that connects women of all faiths worldwide.  "...The errand of angels is given to women, and this is a gift that as sisters we claim..."  I love that part of our calling in life!

Move Over Betty Crocker-- Marie Calendar Coming Through!

Before the oven...

 I had to do this quick little post to document my domesticity-efforts for posterity sake!

Yep, I said, "my" efforts.  Feel free to make the correct inference...I made this!!!  It's a berry pie that tastes very much like the famous Marie Calendar's razzleberry pie that my fam loves at Thanksgiv!  A friend of mine, Jacqueline Hutchins (bishop's wife), made this for our Aussie Thanksgiving celebration and I loved it.  She asked if I wanted the recipe and of course I told her, "Oh I'm not keen in the kitchen, I could never actually "make a pie"."  She then, in all her assertive nature simply stated, "You will be coming over to my house before you leave Brisbane so I can teach you to make pie."  And you don't argue with Sister Hutchins!

Out of the oven...finished product!

Well, she didn't forget her promise and had me and Oaklee over for an afternoon of rolling pins (yah, I actually used one for something other than play-doh), homeade pie crusts (I thought my cute crimpy edges turned out pretty good!) and berries of all shapes and sizes (holy yummy!).  It was actually really fun.  I love when people are happy to share their talents and patience with me (it took a lot of her talent and a lot of her patience).  And of course, the reward was great!  I made it just a day before Lex's birthday, so voile!  Happy Birthday, Lex!  Who needs birthday cake when you can have birthday pie?  It was delish!  And hopefully I learned enough to make it again without a helper/coach in the kitchen next to me :) !!!!

The Wheel of Brisbane!

Another Brisbane bucket lister--check!  There is a huge ferris wheel down on the river in Southbank called The Wheel of Brisbane.  It's so big you can see it from all over the city.  It lights up in different colors and reflects off the river.  We've always said, "we'll ride it before we leave."  Well, we are nearly out of time!  So for Family Home Evening, we headed to Southbank to board The Wheel!

My kids all know, I've got a bit of my Dad in me (Grandpa So Jo)-- I kinda hate ferris wheels.  Yah, they are really scary to me.  I can do all kinds of roller coasters but ferris wheel...yuck!  You know what it is?  It's the feet dangling down from the seat!  I hate that.  I've always hated rides like that:  the carousel swings, the sky ride, the free fall drops etc.  It's those dangling feet up super high...hate!

And this was HIGH!

Lucky for me though, the seats were completely enclosed gondolas.  Yahoo!  I knew that would help heaps.

We wanted to go at dark so we could see the city lit up on the river.  One of my favorite sites in Brissie.  We were all so excited!

Just boarding our gondola!

Well, these pix do not do the view justice, but the height of the wheel and the view on the river did not disappoint!

I love this river!  It makes everything so beautiful...and green! :)

We had fun pointing out all our favorite spots that we could see from the Wheel.  Oh Brisbane, you are totally snuggled deep into our hearts!

Family selfie squished into the gondola!  

After the ride we headed over to Southbank mainstreet to get feed.  Do we go with kebabs or burgers?  We opt for some good ol' Aussie burgers at one of our favorite burger joints..."Grill'd".  Burgers with huge meat patties, beetroot, tomato, pineapple, cheese, lettuce and toasted buns...yumm-o!

What a great FHE.  It was so much fun!

We love you Brissie!

Happy Birthday to the Queen!!!

The Aussies love days off!  So there are plenty of public holidays when school is out and the city shuts down.  Of course, Lex doesn't get them all off, but this one-- he did!  And why not?  It is the celebration of the Queen's Birthday!!!

Some of our friends, the Orths, have property about an hour West of Brisbane and they invited us to go out for dutch oven dinner and celebrate the day on their beautiful property.

We had heaps of fun.  The kids got to go on the trailer to pick up wood for the campfire.  We cooked meat and potatoes and roasted pumpkin in the pots over the fire.  It was absolutely delish!  Love me some roasted pumpkin!  Gonna miss the pumpkin here.

The older girls took care of my little girls all day.  They let them help feed the cows and after dark, all the kids got to play night games.  They used torches to play steal the flag and hide and seek.  There were quite a few kids and Park had a blast hanging with the older boys!

Here are our friends, the Orths and the Pearses.  They are so much fun.  We loved spending the day with them and their families.

Michelle Pearse, me and Angela Orth!  Love these ladies.  Such good friends.

They had all kinds of cool "toys" to try.  Like bow and arrows and real Indiana Jones whips.  Oaks loved the bow.

At the end of the night we had yummy biscuit dessert with cream and the kids did sparklers.

This was such a fun day.  It was great to see some of the countryside of Queensland.  It was such beautiful country.  We loved celebrating with great food and great friends....LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!!!

Aussie Rules Football= AFL

 Ever since Park started playing AFL for Yeronga, we've had seeing a professional AFL game on our Brisbane bucket list.  We finally got our chance when the Brisbane Lions had a home game at their stadium in Kangaroo Point--The Gabba.


It was so much fun!

We had pretty good seats...for general admission anyway!  We invited one of Park's friends from the ward, Keith Hutchins.  His dad is our bishop.  They are also ex-pats.  They moved from Alaska and are going to be here about 3 years.

Me and Oaks...and our dear friend with the bushy hair!  Thanks photo-bomber!

We loved watching the Lions.  AFL is pretty crazy, it's like a mix between soccer and football and kind of volleyball too, because you can't throw the ball you have to punch it-- like an underhand volleyball serve!  It was fun to watch.

After having played a season of AFL at school, Park was having to field all kinds of questions from me and Lex about penalties that were called, points scored or not scored etc. etc.  We could hardly hear other over the cheering and booing...by the half--the alcohol had made everyone just a little louder :)

Aussies do love their beer.

Nearly measuring up to the wing span on this Lion!

We loved watching the AFL game.  It was fun to park at the Hutchins and walk down to the stadium.  It's a beautiful stadium and the game is so crazy, you can't really get bored!

Another one to tick off the old bucket list!

Go Lions!!!!!

The Hills in Brisbane Are Alive With the Sound of Music!

We have absolutely loved the music program at Yeronga!  I couldn't believe the music director not only allowed but actually insisted my kids be involved. The music program is during school, but only those in the bands, choirs and strings get pulled out for weekly practice.  The choirs and band also have an early morning practice once a week. I didn't think she'd want them since they would only be able to do half the year.  Park tried out for tenor sax and she took him, I emailed her explaining we'd only be here 1/2 the year and we didn't want that to inconvenience the band when we left mid year, but she replied saying she knew the situation and would not want to deny Parker and Sydney the chance to be involved in music, especially when they loved it so much and had so much potential!  

 So Syd joined the Cosmio Singers and sang and competed at a couple different events this semester and Parker joined the band.  We all enjoyed...usually...his practicing every morning.  The tenor sax is uhh, a pretty loud sound!  We heard a lot of Twinkle Little Star, Jingle Bells and Ode to Joy.  But he really loved it and he actually picked it up pretty well.  It was so fun to watch them both love music and participate in it.

This is Ms. Plumridge the music director.  She is such an incredible educator.  It is always about the kids for her and planting seeds of music appreciation!

Here are the Cosmio Singers at their final winter concert.  When they perform, all school choirs wear their formal school uniforms.  Makes it easy for me!

Here is Park coming onto the stage for their winter concert (winter is in May and June and July here).  He did awesome!

In the winter concert (choir and band performed) there was a dedication in the program to the Allen family, especially Parker and Sydney.  It said how they would be missed, thanked them for sharing their talents with the music program at Yeronga and good luck in America.  It also said, "..don't forget us and keep making music!"-- I was so touched I got teary.  It was very sweet!

Park and his friends after the concert!

The band at Yeronga State School!

Horns and reeds!

Parker and his good friend Cooper who lives right around the corner from us on the Corso.

After the winter concert we celebrated at....where else?


Chompers for fish and chips and Aussie burgers baby!

It was a great year for music.  And on the last day of school Ms. Plumridge brought each of them a going away gift.  Park got a CD of tenor sax players and Syd a children's choir CD, with notes encouraging them to keep going in music.  What a great experience.