Australia...in chunks

So, it is one of my last days in Australia and I haven't written a single thing about it on my blog. Been having way too much fun! Tonight it is cold and rainy in Sydney and I spent too much time in it today so I am sticking close to the hostel still trying to warm up...figured now is just as good of a time to write! So here goes. I will take the trip in chunks as I get some time. :)


My first real stop was Melbourne which turned out to be such a cool city. Wandered around my first day and just checked the city out. There are so many beautiful buildings! Here are just a few.
Apparently, I didn't get the memo that you are supposed to wear all black in Melbourne so I was the only person with any color on them. Not only was it color, it was flaming red! So I pretty much stood out like a sore thumb. Oh well, live and learn right!


Took a day trip down to Phillip Island which was really cool. Stopped at a sanctuary and got to meet/feed some kangaroos and wallabies. They were way too cute! Also saw my first koala, dingos, and a wombat. Even held a snake which is not typically high on my list of things to do.



We continued to a working farm where we saw sheep being sheared and also a demonstration on herding dogs. It was awesome to watch them work. They were training a new pup named Sheba and you could tell she just wanted to run after the sheep and turkeys. It was too cute!





After that, we went to see the grand finale! Every night, there are a bunch of Little Penguins that come out of the ocean in big groups and run across the beach to their burrows. It was awesome to watch them. Unfortunately, they don't allow pictures to be taken so it doesn't mess up the penguins but it was impressive to watch to say the least.


The next day I walked around a suburb called St. Kilda which was beautiful. A bunch of cool old houses with a ton of wrought iron all over them. More pix of that too...but apparently my pictures don't want to load tonight. So that is the first few days of the trip. More to come...including the pictures for this post!

Adventures with birds. And pups.

I was told not long ago that from now on, I can only rescue kids and animals...interesting advice I know. (Long story which I can fill you in on if you really want to know...) But I got the chance recently to help out two animals that needed a little rescuing. First, a sweet little bird somehow got trapped in the chimney of my parents house. I had heard it in there and couldn't get it out. Then the flapping stopped so I though he flew out. Surprisingly, the next day I heard him in there still...not good. I kept trying to get to him but the flue is at a weird angle and I still couldn't reach him. Finally got a mirror and held it up over so I could see him. Then my brother kindly helped his crazy little sis and with four hands we were able to hold the mirror and flash light and get little bird out. He was pretty stressed and dehydrated but otherwise ok. After some water, he was good to go and he flew away. So cool!

Second, I came out of church two weeks ago and there was the cutest German Shepard just sitting there. She was dangerously skinny and was very skittish, especially around men (can't say I blame her. lol) I ran home and grabbed some dog food, water, and a leash. Went back and it took me two hours and the "help" of two cute little 10 year old boys (who I think were supposed to be in primary) to finally get her in the back of my suv. No vets are open around here on Sunday so my best bet was to take her to the Humane Society. They have been nursing her back to health and she is doing great! So if anyone wants a 1 1/2 year old sweet as can be pup, come and adopt her! I wish that I could but Orem City won't allow three dogs in one house without a special permit. Sad...

Anyway, I consider myself very blessed to get the opportunity to help these sweet animals! Plus, I followed the advice of someone who is very special in my life. Worked out well. :)

My Sweet Grandma

I had a remarkable day. Sad but definitely moving. Today marked the funeral for my 93 year old grandmother Clara. She passed away last week while I was out of town and I was heartbroken that I didn't get to say goodbye to her. What an amazing woman. She was endlessly kind and so generous with her time and love. She is an incredible woman in every meaning of the word. As I sat today, surrounded by my family, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards my Heavenly Father for blessing me to come to the family that I did. I have so many people in my life that inspire and love me and I am so grateful for that. I think of the legacy that my ancestors, including my sweet grandma Clara, have passed on to me and I realize that I need to step up in my life and continue that legacy on to the others in my life. But I consider myself lucky to be the carrier of a torch that has come down to me from some of the strongest people that I have ever heard of. It drives me to be better.

My thoughts are particularly with my grandpa right now. I have known loss and lonliness in my life but I can't begin to comprehend the lonliness that he must feel after having lost his sweetheart of almost 70 years. Watching him over the last few days has been so hard but has brought so much peace to me also. Even through his sorrow, he has such a quiet strength about him that can only come from the knowledge that he will be with her again very shortly, never to be seperated again. I am so grateful to have that same knowledge. The knowledge that I will be with my family forever. What a humbling gift. I apologize for putting something so personal here, but wanted to share my love, appreciation, and admiration for my grandparents. Goodbye grandma. I love you.

Bucket List

A few weeks ago, I was joking about making a bucket list because of my upcoming 30th birthday. I have been thinking more and more about it and decided I am going to do it! Not so much as a "do these things before I die" list but as a "I have so many things that I want to do and see, I will miss alot of them if I don't write them down" list. So here are a just a few...

Climb Mt. Whitney

Restore an old house

Olympic distance triathalon

See the Northern Lights

Galapagos Islands

African Safari

Swim with Whale Sharks in Ningaloo, Australia

Be a mom to foster dogs

Own and restore a '76 Landcruiser
These are just a few of the many things that I have included on my "bucket list" at this point. I am open to any suggestions too. :D Gotta live life while you can, right?!

"Twenty years from now you will regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did. Explore! Dream! Discover!" -Mark Twain

Canyon Fun

So, I have to admit that I live in a pretty cool place. My office is right at the mouth of the canyon and some of the girls that I work with decided that it would be fun to head up there once a week. Well, winter kind of ruined that for us for a while but it is nice enough again that we were able to go yesterday. We had a blast! Leslie, Lana, and her son Cayden joined me for some good times. We rode up to Bridal Veil Falls and then headed back because the weather decided it was only going to cooperate for so long. It was great to be up there again...it had been too long!

My kids

I haven't had the opportunity to have two-legged kids yet, but I am definitely a mother. I have always been a sucker for animals but for some reason, when one is supposed to be part of your life, you just know it. I've been VERY blessed to have some of the coolest "kids" ever.

1. Yeti-He is my sweet noodle! I first saw his pic online at the Oregon Humane Society and instantly knew that he was mine. I left work early that day after telling my boss that I found my dog and had to drive an hour and a half to adopt him before someone else did. (Luckily my boss was a dog lover himself!!!) Went and filled out the paperwork and had an adventure on the way home including my rockin' car dying along the way. He knows when I am having a hard day and will just lay by me as long as I need him to. He brings peace to my life in a way that few things do.

2. Moxy-She is the craziest dog I have ever met! I adpoted her while living in Hawaii and she has never let a dull moment creep into my life since. If you ever need Mox, just look for the nearest tennis ball and she can't be far away. She is full of energy, kisses, and tricks...her most recent being an awesome high-5. She is super obedient unless there is a bird or squirrel around at which point she loses all ability to hear anything I have to say. She makes my heart happy and I love having her spazziness make me smile and shake my head at the same time.

3. Hi'iaka-Crazy, spunky, brilliant, and sassy. I have had a connection with Hi'i from the first time I worked with her. She has this way of looking into your eyes and knowing exactly what you want her to do, including what you will let her get away with! I had the opportunity to work with her mom, sisters, and baby too and I assure you that spunkiness is definitely genetic in dolphins! She has a remarkable way of communicating how she is feeling that day, but also to know exactly how you are feeling that day too. Love that girl and miss her terribly.


4. Bo-Oh, Bozer, where to even begin with her. There are alot of jokes going around about Bo most of them having something to do with her on a short bus. I couldn't disagree anymore!!!! She is an amazing girl and has the capacity to be calm when everything around her is in chaos. She marches to her own drum which I love about her. My heart was forever changed when I saw this sweet girl with sunscreen on her forehead and heard her unique vocal (squeak might be a better way to describe it). It's gotta be hard to go from open ocean harbor patrol in San Diego to a tank in Hawaii, but she has pulled it off with impressive style. I truly believe she has changed the way that I look at life. I love her madly! This picture was the last that I took with her before I moved away from Hawaii and I still choke up each time I look at it and think about how much I miss her.

So, these are my kids. My life is better because they are in it. Some are close, some are not, but they have an amazing inpact on me and always will.

My first post!

So, trying to figure all this blog craziness out. I am excited to have a place to put down experiences and thoughts and pix that I can share with all of the people that I love. Fingers crossed that it turns out cool and not just boring for everyone. :D