Dubbo Open Plains Zoo: Part One

One of our favourite things to watch on TV as a family is animal shows. Animal Planet, Shamwari Wildlife Rescue we love them all! So one thing we have had on our list of things to do as a family is visit the Open Plains zoo in Dubbo, NSW. Its the closest thing I think our family will get to going on a safari! It was about a 10 hour drive but we split it over 2 days and it wasn't so bad. We were real excited when we got there!

The first thing we got to see when we arrived were the rhinos. You can see a mother and baby black rhino. The keeper gave us a great chat on what they were like at the zoo and in the wild.

 

Yum nothing like a pine branch to eat!

 

The ostriches were next. After watching them a while a rabbit popped out and gave the ostriches a fright. Boy can they run!

 

There hippos were my favourite!!!! Before they got fed all we could see was an ear or the very top of their head. When they came out you can see how massive they were!

 

Hippos eating some hay... ( I missed the photo where the keepers squirt their heads with the hose which they loved.)

 

Its a bit hard to see but here the keeper has trained the hippo to allow it to file one of its tusks its having trouble with. Dangerous job! But you can see how the top lip is over one part of the fence so it can't chomp down on the keepers hand.

 

More hay for being a good little hippo. :) It was raining as we were watching this, we were getting dripping wet but it was too good to miss.

 

At one of the exhibits we noticed a very bold mouse scampering around. Its just a blur here, can you make it out?

 

Mark and the boys relaxing for a bit.

The lions were just lying around looking pretty bored until a keeper started cleaning a nearby area.

This is Josh at his new favouritist animal of all time- the otter. I was a bit surprised at his choice and wondered what appealed to him so much.

 

After watching the otters I could work out why he loved them so much- they never stop moving!!! (Just like Josh!) I tried taking a few pictures of them but they were so quick they always moved out of the shot.

Anyway stay tuned I have some more blogs on the zoo coming soon!

Road Trip!

My brother Si and his wife Leah had their first baby a couple of weeks ago. A beautiful little girl they've named Ava. Her baby blessing was planned for Easter Sunday so our family decided to head down to Central Coast from Brisbane (about a nine hour drive) and make a bit of a trip of it!

Here is our first stop at a park in Tennerfield. We loved this weather rock!

Hayden is holding  a red autumn leaf. In Brisbane we don't really experience the seasons as much. So we are just loving the autumn colours.

 

Here Hayden has found a 'sandpit' pf sorts, when we stop at our hotel in Tamworth. This is the first time he seemed to enjoy playing in the sandpit. He used to hate getting dirty. Couldn't get him away from this though.

Mark and the boys chilling out after a game of soccer.

 

A shop that Mark actually likes! A shop with products made from kangaroo skin, sheep and leather etc!

Seth and me in Tamworth, a beautiful town!!

This is a photo for my sister who lives in the US and misses Aussie bakeries.

 

The boys eating their sausage rolls and custard tarts.

We love our Prado! Great to drive, takes quite a lot of punishment (note Seth standing on it).

 

The towns in Australia have some great names: Here we are in Gunnedah! (Not to far from Dunedoo, Wallabahdah, Eumungerie, Kootingal and Eulomongo :) ).

Here is a beautiful stop in Coonbarabran.

 I love this photo! Josh and Seth up a tree.

 You can't quite catch the beauty on camera, but it was so beautiful here, mountains all around us.

 On a stop on the way to Gosford. We stopped at this beautiful park in the middle of nowhere!

Seth may be a little big to ride this horse... 

The best thing about the road trip though- we saw our first wombat in the wild! So cute!

The Gibson Family Annual Easter Hunt

Every year the Gibson family have a family get together and Easter egg hunt. It started off small but seems to get bigger every year. My boys think it is great fun!

The kids have gone off on a walk and the egg hiding begins.

Grandpa hiding an egg.

More egg hiding from Carolyn and Kristine.

Jackie has found some! Her first hunt that she can really participate in.

Hayden is looking pretty happy here.

Haydens stash.

Seths basket is beginning to fill up.

Josh is looking really happy. This kid loves sugar!

We always divide the eggs up at the end, then every gets to go home with a bag.

Happy Easter!!

Eight boys!

The problem with having an all boy family is when they have friends over you get an ever bigger mob of boys to look after!
The way the Easter holidays worked out this year, because we were going down South for the week, there ended up being only one day the boys would be able to have a friend over. So I told each of the boys to invite a friend over. When I woke that morning, I thought to myself, 'Eight boys Amy what have you done!' But it ended up working out pretty well. I just made sure I had lots of food and they all just played happily with each of their friends.

Ben and Lachlan on the laptop.

 

Hayden was so pleased Ishir could come to play. They are just about to get out the train tracks.

Josh and his friend Sebastian, they played gameboy for most of the day.

Seth and Nicholas got on their bikes, packed a lunch and went exploring.

Eight boys seemed to be easier then four boys! I even managed to get a bit done around the house. :D

I finally graduated!!!

I finally graduated!!!!!!

It took me 17 years but I finally got there. I started a BA in teaching when I left high school but stopped after about 3 years. Then tried to finish it off but having 4 boys made it a bit of a challenge. Because I took so long of course I kept loosing subjects. When I changed from Griffith to UNE I lost a few subjects too. In the end I dropped it back to a BA in Arts as it was quicker. But I finally got there!

Here I am feeling so specail in my graduation gown.

It was an outside graduation! It was a warm day so lots of water bottles and sunblock was on hand.

Mum and me.

Mum and Dad drove for about 10 hours to attend the big day. Thank you!

The long walk up. Worrying if they would say my name at this point.....

The ceremony got a little boring for my supporters...

Receiving my award from the chancellor. He was really nice.

Proof! I finally have this piece of paper!

Feeling happy all done!