The girls and I went snorkelling on the Barrier Reef. Another huge highlight for me.

This groper was very tame and was rather used to having his photo taken.

Sorry, but there is no way I was having my photo taken in my bathers.

We did a daytrip to Cape Tribulation which is the highest you can travel in Qld without a 4 wheel drive. The kids didn't get a chance to swim. A tourist bus driver said it's too risky even though the stingers don't really come in until November.

Jarryd was very interested - NOT!! He is playing his nintendo under that towel.

The marks in the sand are where the crabs dig their holes.

The swimming lagoon on the Cairns forshore. Most of the bigger cities have swimming pools on the foreshore because you can't swim in the ocean for 6 months of the year. Too dangerous for box jellyfish.

We went on the skyrail to Kuranda in Cairns.

A beautiful journey in a gondola on a cable through the rainforest.

This sign gave us a laugh every time we saw it.

Apparently cassuarys can do some serious damage to cars.

How good is this Water Park in Townsville. It's on the foreshore and it's free.

You can just see Jarryd in the photo of the water coming down. He is on the right with a red hat on.

This goana or lizard of whatever it is was walking around outside our door at our resort in Townsville. He was huge!!

The main street of Airlie Beach. Another beautiful place.
The Big Mango near Bowen. I was disappointed it mango season hadn't quite started.

Probably my favourite place of the holiday. Hamilton Island.

What a wonderful place. Very expensive though.

Ashleigh is standing on the balcany of our room so the view was wonderful.

We swam everyday in 1 of the 5 pools around us.

This was taken at the caravan park we stayed at in Hervey Bay. The grounds were just gorgeous and the kids spent ages feeding the birds and the turtles in the pond.

For us, caravan park accomodation was the way to go. Some of the cabins were more luxurious than the resorts.

Australia Zoo day. We had a wonderful day and I was surprised at how much there was to see and how much walking we did.

Somehow though it just didn't feel the same without Steve Irwin although his face is still everywhere in the park.

The view of the pool from our 22nd floor Surfers apartment. The pool was amazing. It's called Beaches in the sky and it's on the 5th floor.

The other photo is my cousin's backyard in Brisbane. It is a tropical oasis and this photo doesn't do it justice. They have been on so many gardening shows with their garden.

Movieworld day. I thought Movieworld was the best park this time around. Lots of characters for the kids to meet and Jarryd was lucky enough to be picked in the Bonnie & Clyde show.

It was a little rainy but we still had a fantastic day.

A couple of photos from Dreamworld and White Water World.

The girls went on every water ride so many times. They didn't stop all day.

Same with Dreamworld. Every ride and roller coaster.

And you are never too old for Wiggle World.

We had an unreal day at Currumbin.

I went there as a kid and remember the lorikeet feeding.

Jarryd was a bit upset because they jump over your arms and scratched him. Nikki was chosen for the snake show. She was very brave. I'm not so keen to have a snake around my neck.

Back to Reality

Home Sweet Home.

I can't really say I am happy to be back. I loved Queensland and wish I could have had longer, but all good things must come to an end.

I have lots of photos to post but that will have to wait for another day. We got home at 9.30pm last night and after a bit of unpacking and washing today, we had a birthday party to go to so I am stuffed.

Also it's going to take a bit of adjusting to daylight saving. Queensland don't have daylight saving and it was dark by 6.30pm up there. It was coming in dark tonight and I looked at my watch and it was 8.30pm and the kids hadn't even had tea!!!!

So right back into it tomorrow. Kids back at school and Steve and I back at work. Talk about coming home to a huge week. The girls have their end of year dancing concert next Sunday and Nikki has a full dress rehearsal tomorrow night and then Ashleigh's is on Wednesday night. I don't even have all the costumes yet. Let's hope they can remember their moves after 5 weeks off dancing.

I hope I don't have to sew any sequins!!!!

I'll be back soon with a huge photo post.

Quick Update

Hi from sunny far north Queensland!!

We have had the most incredible week so far. Spent the first night in the Sheraton Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. To say this is luxury is an understatement. We had a 3 bedroom apartment with our own pool and it was divine. It cost us 2 weeks pay but hey what's money!!

We could only afford to stay one night so we moved to another resort in Port Douglas which was really nice too. We went up to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation and did a huge walk around Mossman Gorge which I thought would never end. Up and down rainforrest in the heat and humidity but it felt great when we got to the end.

Then we had a night in Palm Cove which is such a beautiful place. We went to the beach at dusk and it was amazing.

Then off to Cairns for 4 nights. We stayed in an amazing caravan park in a cabin with everything you needed. Dishwasher, washer and dryer and 2 plasma screen TV's. Heaps for the kids to do. From there we went on the Skyrail - gondolas on a cable which took us to Kuranda - a small village catering for the tourists.

Yesterday was the highlight. Nikki, Ashleigh and I went on a snorkeling tour to the Barrier Reef and it was amazing. I don't think you can ever know what it's like until you do it. I was amazed at what we saw - swimming with the fish and looking at all the coral. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

I knew Qld was expensive but I don't think I was prepared for how much food and drink costs. They certainly rip off the poor old tourist. We took heaps of water on our Kurunda trip but by the end we needed another bottle of water. $3 for a small bottle of WATER!!

We have just arrived in Townsville. The first stop on our car journey to the Gold Coast. Next to Airlie Beach and across to Hamilton Island for 3 days.

I will have heaps of photos to share when we get home.

See you later.

Nikki's 11th birthday

Nikki had a lovely day today. We went to Fasta Pasta for lunch with one of my best friends and her family who are over from Melbourne for the school holidays. This is Maddie and Nikki.

Nikki and her cousin Maddok cutting her cake. An icecream cake with lots of wicked chocolate around the sides.

After we spent the afternoon catching up with good friends in our outdoor area around the pool. It was a glorious day and the kids had a ball running around with each other in the sunshine.

Nikki was very spoilt and had a wonderful day.

Problem solved????

I have had a play with the settings.

I think it's fixed.

Maybe.............

Where has September Gone??

It is Nikki's 11th birthday tomorrow and she had a bowling party with her school friends. Note she put hair mascara through her hair. Red suits her!!!

The kids opened Steve's last easter egg.


A couple of weeks ago, Jarryd had a soccer carnival and there was sideshows and rides for the kids. There was an animal nursery and I had trouble getting Ashleigh out. She just loves all animals. She was most upset because I wouldn't let her buy a pigeon. (Some of the animals were for sale)

September has been a total blur for us. We have had something on every weekend. Kids parties, 40th birthdays, kids sport and sport breakups.

Yesterday was unbelievable. I had to be at the hairdresser at 8.15am to have foils done and then Nikki had her bowling party at 10.30am. I forgot when I booked it that it was the AFL grand final so I changed it to the morning so we could be back in time to watch the football. Which by the way I am not talking about!!!

Not really. After Nikki's party a friend and I and the kids went down to the Alberton Oval (Port's home base) to watch the grand final. Well we realised early on that there was no way we were going to even come close to Geelong. They were awsome and we were dreadful.

Now I know Port were absolutely humiliated but why do people feel like they have to kick you when you are down. My husband was the worst offender. He had to keep making smart arse comments throughout the night along with quite a few others. I told him the only people that are allowed to pay me out (like it was my fault they lost!!!) are Geelong fans. At least our team made the grand final not like his team - Essendon who didn't even make the finals!!!

I think he realised he had overstepped the mark when I went to bed without saying goodnight and he missed out - lol. Paybacks are sweet!!

My 10 year old nephew had a terrible accident last weekend. He was playing cricket with some friends and was hit above his ear with a cricket ball. He was knocked out. Throughout the night and the next day he was vomitting so was taken to the local country hospital. He was flown by air ambulance to Adelaide last Saturday and they found out he had 2 blood clots in his brain. He was in surgery at 3am Sunday morning and had a 4 hour operation to remove the blood clots. 30 something stiches later and plates and screws in his skull he woke up and has been doing well up until he got an infection during the week and has been put on antibiotics. Then to make matters worse he picked up gastro and has been put into isolation.

Nikki had her netball presentation today and got the runners up tropy for best and fairest. I was given a wine cooler bag for coaching which was nice. It will definitely come in handy to take away to put cool drinks in while we are travelling.

This will be my last post before our holiday. Tomorrow is Nikki's birthday and we are having a family lunch at Fasta Pasta. I also have to pack at some stage tomorrow. Then I am working all day Tuesday and Wednesday and on Thursday at 8.30am we will be on a plane to Cairns. Yahoo!!!!

We are all so excited. It's been planned for so long and now it's finally the last few days before we go. I will have to try and get on a computer along the way to check emails and blogs. I can't possibly go a whole month without a computer.

I also want to wish Beckie all the very best for her upcoming role in 'The Singing Bee' I know she will do well and I've got everything crossed her her to bring home the big money.

I hope everyone stays happy and healthy while we are away. I'll have plenty of news, adventures and photos to share when we get back.

As usual blogger isn't putting spaces through paragraphs so I apologise for it being so hard to read. Also I knew it wouldn't put my photos with the comments about the photos?????

Any ideas how to fix this. It's happened the last few times I have posted. Bugger!!