An arvo at AAMI, Port vs Carlton

On Saturday arvo, along with forty five thousand others, we made our way to AAMI Stadium in West Lakes, for the last of the AFL home and away matches. 

It was a snap decision earlier in the week to go and see Port Adelaide take on Carlton. It's the first time we'd been to AAMI, and the girls first ever AFL footy match. 

It was packed, the atmosphere was awesome, and the kids were perfect. The only complaint from Izzy was when she couldn't hear my phone from all the noise in the last quarter, she took numerous photos of the back of the head of the man in front of us. Summer slept through most of the last half and woke to chants of 'Power, power, power', and the raucous that comes with a close tussle.

Port dominated up until the last quarter when Carlton came back from nowhere to win by a point. I like to think Kenny (the port coach) told the boys to take it easy in that last quarter, to save themselves for this weekends final against Collingwood. That's my theory for Port losing and I'm sticking by it. 

I heard a Carlton supporter yell out "Carlton are playing like shit, and we're still beating them", keep thinking that sunshine, they let you have it. 

I haven't really followed much of Collingwoods games this season, so I'll will be torn watching this Saturday night. I'm a sucker for going for the underdog, so I think my heart will be with Port. I am a South Australian after all. 

The sun sunk below the members stand during half time, so we got some reprieve after that. Lots of sunscreen before then.

Dad's influence. Throwing undies up into the fan, and watching them fly around the room.
It had us all cackling in the hotel room that morning.

Hunting for mushrooms

Monday we went for a short drive out of town, it's that time of year when mushrooms come popping up out of the ground. 

I remember Mum bringing me along this stretch of track when I was preggers with Izzy, and the mushrooms were thick, we got two shop bags full. 

I wanted to share the excitement of picking mushrooms with Izzy. We found some, we were about a week late, most of them were too far gone, the bugs had got there first.  We'll definitely will be coming back in a couple of weeks to creep along this track again, looking for mushies. Izzy still won't want a bar of eating them. 

Wordless Wednesday

Canunda National Park

Saturday was a beautiful Autumn day. Canunda is only 14 km to the south of town. If you hear a local saying "Goin' out the back" this is where they are headed. It's no go swimming, because of the undertow, you might say it is one big mofo rip. But it is as popular as flies on shit for fishing and four wheel driving.

I love coming here. I came down here and walked and walked when I found out I was pregnant with Izzy. Sitting here on this beach, listening to the thunder of the waves, looking at the horizon, knowing there is nothing until you hit the south pole, makes all your problems go away. It is so cathartic, for me anyway.

The view on the walk from the car.

The native muntrie berry groundcovers were still in fruit.
I was very glad to get my yearly fill.

The rotunda and the perfect tree.

It was a beautiful day. We headed out for a walk to the supermarket, Izzy rode her bike. Quite frankly the kids were rat shit, and it took what seemed forever to get out of the house. Sunscreen, hats, nappy change, drinks, snacks and everything else needed for a venture out. Finally we made it out the gate and down the road. 

After we'd been to Woolies, we dropped into Andy's Bakery for some lunch and walked across the way to the Rotunda, where we sat and the girls ate their watermelon, cocktail pasties and donut. I only buy one donut, Izzy is always horrified when I tear it apart and give the smallest part to Summer. Totally ruins the perfect roundness and beauty of 'her' iced and sprinkled delight.

We had a relaxing, enjoyable time. I will have to bring them back to 'hang' at the rotunda again. It's the first time I have taken the girls and spent any amount of time here. They spent time rolling down slopes on the grass, and walking around the steps of the rotunda, and exploring the trees. The drain that runs through town goes past this park, and of course they had to go exploring along that too. Mostly this time of year, there is no water in it, but it has a couple of metre drop off, which had me running when Summer took off down the hill to go and investigate.

Never taken any notice of the great trees in this park before either. How great they are for getting photos of the kids in. Next time I'm taking my camera. Usually I do bring it along, but I only had my phone this time. Plus, do you think the kids would co-operate to get a decent photo? Nope. They were having too much fun!

This park is popular for wedding photos, it made me wonder how many times this tree has been featured in wedding shots.

Warrnambool and the Port Fairy folkie

Motor boat on Lake Pertobe

Lake Pertobe adventure playground

Izzies view on the way home

Joining Trish for

Wordless Wednesday :)

The skatey (skate park)

Monarto Zoo

Boxing Day we made our way home after spending christmas with Bretts family north of Adelaide. On the way back we spent a couple of hours at the Monarto Zoo, about 15 minutes out of Murray Bridge. I had a sore and puffy foot still(I got spider bitten two days before christmas), so was apprehensive, but knowing they had buses to ferry us around in made me feel better. Plus Brett had built Izzy up and she was asking when we were seeing the animals as soon as we took off from his sisters house. How could we disappoint her?!

I got as many photos as I could, we didn't take the pram in and frankly it would have been a hassle having to fold it up every time we got on a bus. We went on about four different buses, or was it five, and I was usually holding Summer trying to take one handed photos with my camera, easier said than done! 

White Rhino and baby, amazing!

This was the final fence of three to get into the carnivores section, where the lions were, triple assurance they don't escape, which is comforting, they were huge! Note the sign on the fence, it's someones idea of a joke. The volunteer guide doing the talking at the front of the bus reckons it's because the lions don't like it when the spokes get stuck in their teeth. Boom tish!

Nought to eighty kilometres per hour in three seconds. Vision of up to five kilometres. Amazing creature. Not one I would like to come across in the wild, but apparently you can have a cheetah experience and get right in their enclosure with a guide if you're brave enough.

Sitting on a bus watching another bus full of eager zoo goers. The size of the zoo grounds when you look at this is astounding. It is fantastic to see the animals have so much room to roam. I am with the firm belief that is why, as opposed to a "cage" zoo, the animals grow to such huge sizes like the lions and this american bison. The photo doesn't do justice to how massive this animal is, it was HUGE! 

Who knew there were different types of zebras? They have two varieties at the zoo. This one is the Chapmans zebra. 

Monarto currently has eighteen giraffes! They all weren't on display, they are trying to keep the boys away from the girls, they are too good at breeding, there were about nine that I could see. You could get off at the bus stops and have a look around, this was at the giraffe section, there was a walking trail that ended on a raised platform so we had a great view. 

When we made it back to the start my foot was aching so I sat with Summer in the cafe and Brett took Izzy for a short walk to see the chimpanzees. Izzy was funny, showing me how the chimps jumped around and telling me how cute the baby one was. I'm sorry I missed the baby one. We had a fantastic time, so glad we went.