Back up two posts

So ... I finally put up some more pictures from Australia. However, I started the post before the "whoopie pie" post, and I couldn't figure out how to get it to show as the most recent one. So my pictures are two posts ago ... go figure! If my blog-mentors knew that I'd be this dysfunctional using Blogspot, I'm sure they wouldn't have encouraged me! Right Kim? and Amber, and Heather, and .....

Whoopie Pies now, pictures later!

Since I am having a heckuva time getting the rest of my pictures up (helpless without Alli), I thought I'd share my wonderful Whoopie Pie recipe with you all! I'm making them even as I blog.

It is so easy, that I'm sure even my hubby could do it.

Easy Whoopie Pies

1 box any chocolate cake mix
Mix exactly like the instructions say on the box, then add 1 generous (heaping) cup of flour.

Drop by spoonfuls on tray. I bake mine at 350 for 9 minutes, but it might vary by cake mix and oven.

Drive to Shipshewana to E & S Sales, which is on SR 5 1/4 mile or less north of US 20. Trudge or skip back to the cooler (which run by generators) and buy a tub of Fluffy White Frosting. Speed home and assemble your whoopie pies. It's really that easy. And the frosting is awesome! It's made by a bakery in Shipshewana.

Crocodiles and Fish

Here's more pics from the rest of our trip ... Brisbane and the Australia Zoo (of Steve Irwin fame) .....

This is the BIG billboard welcoming us to the Australia Zoo. You can see Steve, Bindi, and Terri close to the yellow sign.

If you look closely at this family picture, we're all looking at Kevin and laughing when we really just wanted to hang him up by his hair! It was about at this point of the trip that he decided "no more pictures". You know, kind of like a 4 year old! ;)

I've got more pictures of the Zoo and Bindi and Terri - yes we saw them there too, but my computer is hiding them from me and refuses to let me find the special shots I took. When I happen across them, I'll share them with you. We were in Brisbane just for one day (2 overnights), so the Zoo was really all we did there.

Now on to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef ...

This is my very special man at about 10:00pm New Years' Eve. For those of you who know us well, this snoozing picture won't surprise you!

Here's my special girls walking out in the park with me and enjoying the fireworks. Did any of you figure out what Fairy Floss is? I enjoyed my special treat New Year's Eve. In the US we know it as Cotton Candy.

On another day we trekked on the Kuranda Scenic Railway up through a rain forest to a cool town, where the girls in this family invested in some Australian Opal jewelry. Our return trip was by Sky Rail (a cable car) which is shown in the picture on the right. We were up above all the trees and it was quite awesome and scary. I'm not sure I'd want to do it again, but it was great to ride it once in my lifetime.

Here's Abbi and Kevin, we all know how well they get along ...

.... wait, was that right??? Yup, it sure is them! And they really did get along pretty well on the trip, but this is a"staged" picture. The real problem relationship was Kevin and Mitch. They were stuck rooming together with Austin for most of the trip, and sure enough, Kevin did his share of being a pest. One night they actually "hog tied" him, but I happened to be in the room and rescued him. The next day I found out that after I went back to my room, they tied Kevin to the bed for a little while. I think maybe he learned his lesson that night! :)

Here's a couple of pictures of Kevin and Mitch learning to throw a boomerang from an Aboriginal. We went to Tjapukai Aboroginal Cultural Park and learned some history of Australia. Not too fun for the kids, but I enjoyed it because it wasn't so commercialized. Alli and Derald ended up being the best Boomerang-ers. Good Job!


In the evening we went to a zoo for a night tour and an Outback Cookout/Show. Since this was one of the last nights of our trip, everyone was anxious to leave for home, and had a hard time really enjoying the evening. But I think we will still have memories that we can laugh about for years to come. Especially the memory of sweet innocent Kevin using some bad words in reference to his big brother. That one gave Ashley the giggles, and made me wonder if I should go get the soap or just laugh along with everyone else.

Ahhhh..... cute koala, and Mitch is pretty cute too.

Kangaroo Time!!!!

The Princess enjoying a fancy drink by the pool!

Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef .... where are the pictures? See explanation above! GRRRR

And here's our Welcome Home Hero! He came to see one special person but made us all smile!


Home Sweet Home!

It's Picture Time!

Finally, I'm getting this done. The "jet-lag" thing is no joke! We are all having a pretty hard time getting back on USA clock. The boys went to school yesterday, and Abbi went today (at least until noon, when they sent the kids home because of septic flooding problems). Alli starts on Wednesday. Yesterday Alli & I were grouchy and just plain old "ticked off" about our screwed up sleep schedule or lack there of, and I was telling Dave about it last night and of course he did the only wise and sensible Man-thing that he knew and went into a big lecture about how we need to just "suck it up", and go to bed regardless of if we're tired or not and make ourselves sleep, blah, blah, blah. You know, the answers to all our problems! Well today I'm smiling BIG! Dave's a little grouchy this evening and complaining about how he was wide awake this morning at 2:30am! NO WAY ... I'm so sorry!!! And he continued to tell me how he tossed and turned, channel-surfed, thought about going and pumping off the pool cover, ect... He had the nerve to continue his ranting and raving as I'm sitting there with a smirk on my face! I, of course, did what any loving and kind wife would do ... I told him he has to "suck it up" and just make himself sleep, then I added that I hope he has 1 or 2 more nights just like last night! :)

This post has pictures from the first part of our trip in Sydney and Melbourne. I will make other posts for the rest of the trip .... maybe not tonight, because I just need to go to bed and make myself sleep!

Santa found us even though we were far from home! Kevin tried the caviar tonight, and we also had some very exquisite pink salt in dishes on the table that is from a river in Australia. woohoo!

Here's the whole traveling gang at our Christmas Dinner! You might notice that everyone has a paper crown except for me, I didn't need mine because everyone knows that I'm the queen.

This is the "yacht" (kids term) that we cruised around the Sydney Harbor on, and had a very nice lunch. Austin, Mitch, Kevin, and Abbi also swam off the yacht to a beach and climbed around some rocks and caves.
Hey Alli, where's your steering wheel?????



Our Australian "family" in front of the almost finished Jayco plant in Melbourne.

Our Super Studs displaying the mini home that our dynamic group of 11 assembled while touring the plant! OK maybe not!

Here's the cousins adding some pizzazz to the Outback!

That does it for this post ... wait, is that snoring I hear coming from the overstuffed chair? Yup, he's "just sucking it up", at least until 2:00am!

Home Sweet Home

Wow ... we're finally home at 10:00pm! A short (LOOOOOOONG) 32 hours ago we left our hotel in Cairns for the airport, which was Australia's Friday morning. After crossing the International Date Line, getting acquainted with 4 more airports, we are finally home STILL on Friday. Go figure! Anyway, my head feels like it's in a fog, I maybe slept 2-3 hours, and that was fitfully. Did you know that a 80 lb. little girls feels like her head is 150 lbs. when she is so peacefully sleeping on your lap in a crowded airplane seat?? At least some of us got some sleep.

Mitch fired up Clifford (his big red truck) and took off to visit long lost friends. Alli had a nice surprise at O'Hare when Kyle snuck up behind her in baggage claim, with a rose none-the-less! Everyone say "aaahhhh"! So they still aren't home, but I'm sure they detoured through Goshen so Alli could catch up with some of her Hesston friends before they leave to go back to college. I'm sure when I'm snoozing I won't be worrying about either of these teens! Mitch dropped Dave off at work to pick up his truck, .... and check his mail .... and check his e-mail ... and check his voice mail .... ect.... He'd better hurry home because Abbi & Kevin are patiently waiting for some Taco Bell, which he's supposed to be bringing home. Of course we didn't get a supper meal from LA to Chicago - too short.

Oh and one more thing ... Thank-you Sarah for the Jolly Old Saint Nick on our front porch! You know how much we love the holiday inflatables! You never know where he'll show up next ... prepare to be surprised!

Home Never Felt So Good!

Digitized from US

Well, the pictures will have to wait.  We are paying high dollar for each minute we use the internet here in Cairns, and the connection is very slow.  So to save a few bucks, I think I'll wait until we get to California or even home.  Sorry .... 

Yesterday we enjoyed a train trip to the rainforest, and then a cable car ride back down to the bottom.  Last night was our evening at a zoo, complete with a Aussie BBQ and show.  We all tried to act like it was awesome!  ;)

Thanks to all who have commented and said "hi", it makes us feel closer to home.  It's feeling like a long trip by now, and everyone's feeling a little homesick for people, beds, and homes.

Think of us tomorrow as we begin our 29 hours of travel home.  Brenda, maybe the 1,200 miles won't be so bad ... remember Benedryl!

Love you all, gotta' get out to the pool for my last few hours of warmth!