I am thankful for Koalas and Kangaroos!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!  Today I am thankful for so many things.  I am blessed to be in this gorgeous country, experiencing new things with my family.  I am encouraged by the things my daughter is learning just by doing and seeing.  I am thankful for such a loving and wonderful husband and my vivacious and sometimes challenging children.  I am thankful for the wonders of technology making my friends and family that are so far away, feel so close by.

Missing family and friends very much now that the holiday season is approaching.  No snow, no freezing temperatures, no Christmas lights on houses.  Yes, there's the occasional decorated tree in the shopping center, and commercials on tv.  But it's just not festive.  HOWEVER... we are in Australia.  So I will stop complaining.  ;)

Today we ventured off to The Koala Park Sanctuary in a suburb called West Pennant Hills - not far from where Devon works.  It's about a 40 minute train ride, then a 3K walk.  Now, they call it Pennant HILLS for a reason.  Yikes, that was a work out!  But very well worth it!  The place looked pretty run down unfortunately, but it was still a great experience.  Did a little research on the place last night and according to their website, quite a few celebrities have visited this sanctuary.  Among them are none other than Liberace, Johnny Depp, and Paul Hogan - all pictures definitely taken in the '80's or before.  Apparently nobody important since then... well except the Giffords!

Here are a bunch of fun shots from our morning at the park:

bought a box of cheerios to feed the kangaroos

The only Wombat we saw, sleeping in a barrel

So cute and cuddly

Wallaroos!

  

Isla had a blast petting the kangaroos.  She was a little scared at first, but after a while it was hard to tear her away.  They are very docile and friendly animals.  I'm sure they are that way from being born and raised at the sanctuary.

Christmas card anyone??

Even Ian was getting into it!

Petting the Koalas 

I want to bring him home with me!

Isla so tired on our walk back to the station

Such a fun day!  But for some reason Isla kept asking to see Alligators.  Hmmm, maybe a trip to the zoo tomorrow?  Oh, and I pretty much had the Raffi song 'Williby Woughloby Woo" in my head all morning.  Guess tomorrow it will be "We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo"  Ahh, love Raffi.


And just for kicks, I wanted to show you how much a coke costs here from the vending machines.  I think they are $1.50 at home right?  Yeah, they are $3.50 here.  I've been sticking with filtered tap water.   I miss diet coke!

M&Ms - $2.50 for a small bag.  Do these people know they are getting ripped off?  I wonder...

Ok, one more!  Just took this picture a few minutes ago (11:30pm)

This was on the wall of my apartment.  Ummm, ewe, gross, venomous?? I proceeded to DOUSE the thing with bug spray.  I really don't like the idea of these things crawling around my 3rd floor apartment at night.  Insomnia, here I come!!

Much love to you all!  I miss daddy long legs.