Checking off the Bucket List!

Another great week down in Australia, can you believe how fast time is flying!? This past Thursday, we celebrated my birthday with the family at the Wilkens' house. Shane's parents, Bob & Maxine and Carol's mum, Joan came over for dinner as well. Maxine is the best Pavlova baker in the world, so they made her bake one for me for my birthday! Pavlova was named after the great Russian Ballerina, Anna Pavlova. It is a meringue type of cake with a crispy crust but soft yummy inner layer! Oh, you all would love it! Matt, we are making this our next project to try and bake when I come home! This dessert is extremely popular in Australia and in the Wilkens' family, only because Shane's Mum is the best PAV maker ever! Pav's are served for celebratory occasions and Maxine isn't allowed into any occasions without a "Pav" present!

We had such a yummy dinner for my birthday celebration! It was "Chicken Wellington's", a puffed pastry stuffed with chicken, bacon, mushrooms, and cheese. This was served along with veges and a potato! We also enjoyed a delicious chocolate sponge cake with the candles designed like a "23." Crazy, it didn't feel like my birthday at all- but it was nice being able to celebrate it so many times! :) The Wilkens' got me a unique pair of earrings and necklace made out of iron ore which was made in Australia! Joan (Carol's Mum) got me a calendar of Aussie animals and Bob & Maxine gave me a calendar of all of the gorgeous Australian scenery! (Great keepsakes!) The Wilkens' also threw in some different flavored Tim Tams (which are all delicious). I honestly don't know how I'm going to get all of this food home and past Customs!?! Can someone figure that out for me!?!

This weekend was spent at Healesville Sanctuary just outside of Melbourne. It was an open range zoo full of "ONLY" Australian wildlife! We had a blast walking around the zoo and looking and reading about all of the different animals! Healesville is a sanctuary that cares for over 1500 injured/orphaned wild animals every year. I was able to see so many different animals and learn so many things about them all. Australia wildlife is so interesting and amazing... I really enjoy being able to experience all of this! I watched platypus eat yabbies (little shrimp), looked at a lizard that had no legs (and no it wasn't a snake), and saw the Australian Easter Bunny (Greater Bilby) funny looking creature. Look him up if you have time! I almost got attacked through the fence by a Brolga (which is a type of Crane), apparently his mate was nesting and from just walking into the area, I saw him and he was right up next to the fence... so I got down to look at him and he shot his beak through the fence at me! I learned later that he was only trying to protect his mate! Oops! I saw flying foxes (look just like bats), Laughing Kookaburras, Echidna's, and so many more amazing animals! During this visit at the zoo, so many things were checked off of my bucket list. I was able to watch Koala's eat gum leaves and climb around in the trees. I fed kangaroos corn & carrots out of my own hand, and even was special enough to receive a little smooch from little Skippy! This kangaroo stayed by me and let me pet and rub under his neck for nearly over five minutes... When he decided to finally leave and get more food from the other visitors, he licked my arm! I wish I had my camera out because that would have been the coolest picture ever! (side note: I still have eaten kangaroo, and now that I had this experience.... I'm not too sure I can bring myself to do it now!?)

Of course the Tassie devil made his appearance in Healesville too! These are my new favorite animal, I think! Besides the koalas and kangaroos, of course! But this little devil, had quite the personality (if you see what I mean?) His area was blocked off by an electric fence so we couldn't get too close, but I climbed around the fenced in area and stood on top of a rock near the devil to try to get him up to move around.... I'm fascinated with making these marsupials get up and move when I see them! After making many noises, he finally perked up and started walking around his area... We followed him every where he went and once he stopped, I was able to get a few good photos! Unfortunately, to our surprise he decided to give us a little bit of how he felt about us waking him up... He came right over in front of us and squatted- "Yes, Mr. Devil pooed right in front of us!" When he finished, he rub his bottom on the ground (I guess that's how they wipe, no thumbs?) and went right back to where he was before & layed down. (That was him saying, "I'll show you American!") Whoops- Oh well at least we got a show!

This weekend was so great and so much fun for the little girls and most importantly, Me! :) I can't believe it's nearly Thanksgiving. A teacher from Bellaire has "American" sister/brother in laws that her siblings married and only one of them live here in Australia. Her mom is cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner for the American daughter-in-law and Claire (the teacher at Bellaire) invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner! I'm not too sure what the plans are exactly yet but I figured that would be fun! Carol's birthday is on the 28th of November, so we are having her birthday dinner on that Friday (and we get another PAVLOVA!) Marcelle (Andrea's host mum) talked about having a Thanksgiving BBQ for Andrea and I as well, so don't worry I won't be missing out on the Thanksgiving feast. I'm sure it will be like my birthday was and I will probably get about four Thanksgiving dinners!

It's almost time for me to come back home.. Is everyone getting excited? I can't believe how quickly time is flying! I definitely have to plan a trip back (don't worry, it won't be for awhile... got to save up again!) I want to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef (but it's so far away from here and I'm running out of weekends to get these things done.) So, I'm taking Claire's advice from school and saving some things to do for Round 2!!

Can't wait to see everyone! Miss & Love you all!