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I don’t know if the image gallery above will work correctly, but here are a few shots from the first week of our trip here, you can click on them to see them embiggened.

Highlights include:
– A second and third Christmas with presents and lots of delicious food (thanks everyone, especially Sandi for the food and Christmas pudding); this included many photos of the family and cousins with grandma – so wonderful to have them all together
– Swimming at the beach near grandma’s and a pool right next to the ocean that fills with sea water when the tide comes in
– Jumping on trampolines
– Getting kissed by dolphins and a seal, feeding penguins and posing with a python at the Pet Porpoise Pools
– Visiting Billabong Koala Park and petting kangaroos, wallabies and koalas (did you know there are white kangaroos?)
– Eating two delicious Jordanian meals prepared by my sister-in-law, Ola (also eating one “traditional American” meal of enchiladas, prepared by me :))
– Pedicures and manicures with my two sister-in-laws
– Cuddles with cute baby cousin/niece Jasmine
– Morning walks that include a short trek along the ocean with gorgeous views

So far we are having lots of fun and packing in lots of family time. Stuart, Ola and Jasmine left yesterday and this week will be a little more low-key as Simon’s mom went back in the hospital this morning for another blood transfusion and also because she was feeling pretty unwell (she has high levels of iron from monthly blood transfusions – she doesn’t make her own red blood cells so she has to get the transfusions). We’ll be waiting to see what the doctors find out. We have some more visits planned with extended family,  a double date with Sandra and Joel, and more beach time – plus lots of snuggles with grandma Dorothy.

We’re now on the last leg of our flight

: just over an hour from Brisbane to Sydney. Qantas continues to impress, we were fed a full continental breakfast within five minutes of take off (again, for a 70 minute flight). The highlight of the breakfast was my peach, mango, passionfruit yogurt – delicious – it’s too bad passionfruit isn’t more common in the States because it is so good!

The remainder of our ling flight went pretty smoothly, though the kids woke up about 8 hours into the flight and couldn’t be convinced it was still time for sleeping. Alas. We took many bathroom trips and I gotta say, not sure how the mile high club exists since I barely had room to change my nearly three-year-old’s diaper. Being awake most of the flight did allow me to watch two more movies in a 7-hour span: What’s Your Number? and Crazy, Stupid Love. Incidentally, both are movies featuring some amazing sets of abs, but only one of the movies was actually good (hint: it wasn’t the one with Anna Faris). I actually laughed out loud and with vigor at the end of the second one.

The flight crew was amazing, bringing meals for the boys once they noticed they woke up. And a cold water and chocolate treat for me. I seriously could not be more impressed. Excellent customer service is such a rarity these days.

During our stopover in Brisbane, Simon and I got our flat whites (coffee with steamed milk) and the boys split a Lift (sparkling lemon soda). Our first taste of Australia… Next up a stop at the Heatherbrae Pie Shop on our way north from Sydney for a meat pie and a spinach roll. We miss the people most but the food as well.