phone dump

So major phone dump, I need to do this at the end of every month I think. I find that I take a lot more pictures of every day life things on my phone because it's always on me. They are not great photos but they give a bit more of a peek into our adventure here. Without further ado...

A friend taught me how to make sushi, and I have practiced a few times and am trying to get better. Its a great lunch!

 This is a blue tongue lizard. And the tongue is really really blue, its odd. Its a lizard but the tail slithers like a snake. They are freaky if you are not familiar with them, but they are good to have around because they eat the icky bugs. They just take you off guard. This one Ej and I came across one day on our way home from the park.

 A nice relaxing Mr. Moon sitting under the shade of a tree at south bank.

 A massive bumble bee that we found dead on the sidewalk that same day. Seriously look at that thing, it's ginormous!

 When I am on top of things, I have found a great solution to get through the grocery shopping quicker and without less whining and requests. Made a small list with simple drawings of things Ej was in charge on finding, then gave him stickers to mark off what he had gotten. Major success!

 For a while (we need to get back into it) we got into the groove of going on family runs about once a week. Ej wanted to get in on the action. We discovered he really loves to run! This was one morning, him and I were on our way to the shops on foot. All of sudden I look behind me because I no longer see him in my peripheral vision and see him stretching to get 'ready' for his walk to the shop. It totally cracked me up and I had to snap him stretching.

 Beautiful right? This is a two minute drive from our church has Stake Conference. Amazing!

 While on our road tripping holiday we stopped at a park and upon entering just out on the lawn was this peacock fanning all his feathers for the lady peacock in front of him, which had no interest and ended up leaving him about 10 minutes later. It was interesting to watch this mating ritual. The male would rattle his feathers kind of at the same time as fanning them out and following her.

 This was the view from our hotel room in Sydney. The Harbor bridge and part of the opera house.

 Bondi Beach!

 Ready for whatever water. We found a sweet deal on this wetsuit and while it's actually quite large and probably inefficient at this point (it was the smallest size they carried), it will be great coming up in the next couple of years! And it was a pretty chillly spring morning that day.

 This photo and the one below are actually life savers (or life guards) from the show 'Bondi Rescue' which I am guessing doesnt air in America. But its a show that airs here about the life guards at this beach and shows their rescues (kind along the same lines as COPS, but just at the beach). It was quite cool to see them, but I was too shy to go ask them for proper photos, even though we saw plenty of people do it.

 Our family in front of the Sydney Opera House in the Harbor

 This was an interesting thing I saw at a grocery store. I have seen xantham gum listed as an ingredient on a label but never for sale, until here. It was at one of the big name grocers here - Coles....totally crazy!

 We returned hom from our holiday on the big River Fire celebration that happens along major points of the Brisbane River. We really wanted to go but by the time we arrived home from our road trip that day we were too tired and didnt feel like braving the crowds. It is an awesome part of the Brisbane festival that runs for a month. We watched what we could from our balcony. It was a bit sad to miss the music that goes along with the fireworks and lasers but it was still a good show and lovely to watch as family from the balcony and then just walk inside to resume bedtime routine.

 THis was a pair of magpies we saw at what we call the 'lookout' park. The magpies this time of year get a little protective of their mates and nests and start attacking people. I never understood phobias of birds until I saw this crazy behavior. Last year Lindsay was pecked in the eye, you will often see bikers have zip ties spiking out of their helmets to fend them off and people often leave bloody from their encounters. Just this last week one got so close to me its feathers brushed through my hair and ears, freaked me out...especially because it came from behind. But this day they seemed like a cute little couple and we were high above them on the equipment and so they had their heads turned to see us.

 This shows a little of the Jacaranda trees that are in bloom now. They are beautiful bright purple blossoms that are up for around a month and then they fall off and the tree is green until winter again. In the background fo this picture is the blue building. THis tower has a blue strip that lights up around it at night and when we first moved here we used it basically as a beacon to direct us while driving. When we were close enough we could navigate using this building. It also happens to be the building that Ej and I have walked to often.

 I got new specs. And I am not good at picking out my own glasses. Mr. Moon picked these out and it took me a couple of days to get used to them, but I love them. This picture is not good, but at least you can get the idea.

 At a recent beach visit, we saw this blue jellyfish washed up from the tide going out. They are giant and when there is one there is usually a lot. I wasnt in the water that day but Mr. Moon said that he saw a bunch and they kind of have that effervescent (sp?) blue to them. He was boogie boarding and surfing and he said every time he saw one he would arch his back and lift his limbs to avoid being stung.

THis I just took a couple days ago and its such a good picture of spring here, absolutely beautiful! The purple Jacaranda and another 'popcorn' tree as we call them.

So there is a brief update from random phone photos. Hope you liked it!