A beautiful day at Taronga Zoo!

Today we were so excited when we woke up and we could see blue sky! Noah also woke up in a happy mood, so we knew it was going to be a good day. We were so excited that we could take the boys to the zoo like we had wanted to all week. Harri wasn't too sure about going to the zoo as he must have assumed that there were just animals roaming around. He kept saying that he didn't want to go as it was 'too scary' and that he didn't want to see the dinosaurs! When we got there though, he was very excited, especially when we explained that the animals would be behind fences and he would be safe.

We first of all headed to the reptile area.

There was a volunteer standing there with a snake for people to come up and touch, so the boys were so excited to go over and have a feel. Aaron LOVES snakes for some reason and was thrilled to be able to touch a real live snake. Noah was so funny. Aaron helped him reach out to feel it and he got a huge big grin on his face!

The boys loved looking at all the lizards and snakes and Harri would run up to the next thing and say 'look at that!'.

We couldn't get over the amazing view the whole day. It was nice that we could see the harbour properly with the sun out. Harri kept pointing to he Harbour Bridge saying 'look Mum - the Sydney Opera House!' and kept telling me that it was on his Wiggles DVD.


After the reptiles we went to the African Waterhole area. This was my favourite part as we got to see the giraffes, zebra, lions, chimpanzees and hippo. The boys absolutely loved the chimps - especially one that picked his nose right in front of them! The things that amuse boys!








While we were eating lunch Harri says 'we haven't seen the elephants yet - there's no elephants here?'.

All the way to the zoo he kept talking about seeing the elephants, so he was excited when we finally did see them.


Aaron and the boys loved the gorilla's and spent ages watching them.



Just near the elephants was an area called 'the beach'. It was a little area where the kids could get in some shallow water and have a splash, so of course the boys were keen to get in. We stripped Harri's shorts off, but that didn't stop him coming out soaking wet! Every few minutes there would be a big spray of water that would get the kids all wet. Jay and Harri loved standing right in it! Lucky it was a hot day and they dried off pretty quick.

Noah was so good all day - really happy and settled all day which was nice.

When we got to the bottom we caught the Sky Safari back up to the top. The boys loved going up and seeing the harbour and especially loved it when we went over the top of the elephant enclosure. I was actually a bit nervous as it swung around a bit, and I could see on Harri's face that he was too, so I was trying to be brave for him and kept saying how fun it was - but really I was freaking out!!


We were really tired after walking around for hours, so we quickly wizzed through the Australian animal section before heading to the gift shop to get a few souvenirs. Jay chose a monkey soft toy and Harri chose a little crocodile soft toy. They had such a great day and Jay kept saying how it was the 'best day in Sydney' and how much he loved the zoo. The boys were more excited about it all than I expected. It was nice to have them all so happy.
On the way home Harri, Aaron and I all fell asleep! Not long after we got home the rain started up again and there was a huge thunder storm! It is supposed to be raining again tomorrow. We are so glad that it was at least sunny for a couple of days so we could take the boys to the zoo.

It stopped raining!

Yes - can you believe it!? We had a day without any rain! I was actually really muggy today. It would have been a good day to go to the zoo but we had already planned to go to the temple today, because we had tickets to be a part of the audience of Gladiators, which is currently being filmed, so we couldn't fit the zoo in as well.

Aaron and Chrish didn't go to bed until after 1am as they both stayed up to watch the replay of the Superbowl. At 6am Noah was awake with a tummy ache and Aaron was snoring his head off, so I decided to just get up as there was no way I could go back to sleep again. Everyone else surfaced about 8am so we went to the second session at the temple.

Chrish was brave enough to look after the boys for us for two hours, so Aaron and I could go together. I gave him strict instructions to take some photos for me, which he did a great job with! He also went over to the shopping centre across the road and bought them lunch and he said they spent ages in the pet shop looking at all the animals.



When we got into the temple the guy at the desk asked us the usual questions (are you related to Des and June King, and is Bishop Prebble your bishop?). The guy then told us that there were 'some Triffitt's' from Tassie, who had just come in as well and I told him that I was a Triffitt! Of course he asked me which Triffitt and said that his Dad and Pop grew up together. It was great as in our session was Filipa and Chris, and Auntie Ann and Uncle Tom. Fil was going through for the first time. It was nice to have some familiar faces with us, and also nice to meet Chris, before they get married on Friday.

After taking more photos, we headed to the distribution centre and stocked up on DVDs etc.




We had a couple of hours to fill in before Gladiators was starting, so we headed to Westfield at Parramatta for some lunch and a quick shop. Chrish has been looking for a Nintendo Wii for a while, and it has been sold out everywhere, so he was very excited that they had one in stock at Toys R Us. Jalen was so excited (and jealous!) as he has also wanted one for a long time. I think they were both keen to get home to have a play of it.

It's great how easily kids are excited. It made Harri's day to have a $2 ride on a Wiggles ride in the shopping centre.

After a quick shop we headed to Olympic Park for Gladiators. All the episodes they are filming at the moment are going to be shown later in the year on channel 7. I was VERY upset that I wasn't able to take my camera in, but Aaron and Chrish were very naughty and snuck a few photos with their mobile phones. The stadium looked awesome - with smoke machine's and pyrotechnics going off as the Gladiators came out. Tom Williams (from The Great Outdoors) was one of the hosts of the show and also some woman named Zoe someone, who looked familiar, but we couldn't work out what she had been on before. Anthony Koutafedes and Tatiana Gregoriava were both Gladiators, along with a lot of other blonde, big chested women and huge guys.
At first it was all very exciting, but it is nothing like watching a one hour show on TV. Over and over again we were asked to clap and cheer. They had to keep retaking different interviews and introductions and would then set up different shots which meant there was a lot of waiting around for things to happen. They even made the crowd move to different parts of the stadium to fill in chairs behind where each game was going on, to make it look like it was packed out.

We were really lucky as the security ladies came over to us and told us where the best place was to sit, because of different games going on in different areas. They even let us move the wheelchair up to a higher place so we could see better, rather than sitting right down low where the boys couldn't really see. Chrish is quickly learning that most of the time you are treated very well when you have a child in a wheelchair. It is nice when people are so willing to help you. One of the Gladiators came over close to where we were, so Aaron ran Noah down to say hi and the host - Zoe, even stopped the Gladiator ('Scar') to say hi to Noah as he didn't see Aaron coming. The boys (and myself!!) were also excited when Tom Williams came right up to us and waved and saluted the boys. Zoe also came up to us and asked the boys if they were having fun. She commented on how long it gets and said that we were allowed to go if we needed to.

After two games (there were four) we decided to head off as it was getting very long and Harri was very overtired and had enough. Even though it started to drag on it was lots of fun, and exciting to see how it was all done.

Chrish and Aaron are probably going to have another late night as they are playing each other on the Wii and having a great time. It is hilarious watching them jump around the room. You can tell Aaron is getting old as he keeps saying it is time for a 'drink break'!

Tomorrow we are hoping that the weather continues to hold out, so we can finally go to the zoo.

A bad start to a good day

This morning I was the first one to wake up and went to check on the boys. They looked so cute in bed asleep together so I went to grab the camera to take the photo.

I don't think this photo was worth all the hassle, as the strap on my camera came undone and I dropped the camera on the floor, totally smashing the lens on the inside! I didn't realise until I went to take a photo of Harri later on. I couldn't believe that I had wrecked my beloved camera! Luckily it was the 'cheaper' lens of the two. Chrish saved the day and rang all around Sydney trying to price and find a new lens for me. You would think we were in Tassie with how hard it was to actually find one the same size! He finally tracked down a shop in the city that sold them and had one in stock.

It also wasn't a good start to the morning when I switched on the Sunrise weather at 7.30 and heard the guy say that it was going to be raining all day in Sydney - 'very heavily at times'. It had been raining all night and was still pouring down, so we decided that the zoo wasn't going to happen at all. The boys were keen to go on the train at least once while we were here, so we decided instead that we would catch a train into the city to see some of the sites, despite all the rain. The boys were so excited at the train station, especially when a train would wizz past us at high speed. They loved the train ride in. Harri kept asking 'are we in Sydney yet?'.

Our first stop was the camera shop to grab a new lens. It was absolutely pouring down again, so the ponchos and umbrella's made another appearance. I kept thinking that we would get there and they would say they actually didn't have it, but the guy made my day when he did have it.

The boys and I then sat and waited in the train station (to avoid the downpour) while Aaron and Chrish ran to the Virgin Megastore. Aaron spotted it yesterday while we were driving around and was hanging out to go there. We then jumped back on the train and headed to Circular Quay. As the train pulled in Jay kept screaming 'I saw the Sydney Opera House!', so of course Harri started screaming in excitement as well! It was very easy for everyone to spot the tourist with us - especially with my camera hanging around my neck the whole time! :)

The rain had died down a bit which was great as the boys ran straight to the opera house. Jay kept going on about how Australian Idol was there. They ran up the stairs and Jay told me that there were 77 stairs, and I had to put it on my blog! The boys were so excited about being there and seeing everything.




After looking around the Opera House for a while we went and jumped on the ferry to Manly. Even though it was drizzling the boys loved being outside so they could see the Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

Noah was so happy and settled all day. His new med levels must have built up as he was so much happier today. It was nice as we could relax and enjoy it a lot more.

When we got to Manly it was still drizzling, but that didn't stop the boys wanting some icecream.

I went down to check out the beach but it was so drizzly and foggy. There were lots of people out surfing as the waves were huge. It was worth standing in the rain for a bit to check out the cool sand sculpture that someone had made.

While we were waiting for the next ferry back to the city, Aaron and I got some yummy fruit sorbet. Chrish also took the opportunity to have a massage.


We got back to Circular Quay and then jumped back on the train to head back to Chrish's house. The boys were really tired, but Harri was so tired that he was hyped up and was cracking everyone up on the train on the way back.

What started out as a very bad day, ended up being really fun, despite the horrible weather again. It has been especially great to have Noah happy all day long.

Showery Sydney Sunday

Today we headed into the city and went to Paddy's market and Darling Harbour. When we got out of the car Harri said 'Sydney's cool!'. On the way to Paddy's market we walked past the Entertainment Centre and the boys were so excited to see a plaque on the path for The Wiggles.

While we were in the market it started absolutely pouring down with rain, so we ended up buying a couple of umbrellas and waited in the market until the rain died down a bit, before we headed over to Darling Harbour.

We made a dash for it, but we still all got pretty drenched.


After having lunch the boys thought it looked like fun to go under the water sprinklers with their umbrellas.

It was lucky that we had bought Harri a t-shirt at the market as he tilted his umbrella so much that the water just sprayed right under the umbrella and got him really wet! He thought it was hilarious, and I couldn't help but laugh.

We then made a dash for the Aquarium in the pouring rain and by the time we got in there we were saturated. I thought there was supposed to be some kind of drought in NSW!?

While we were lining up to get tickets a guy came up to Aaron and asked him if he was going to the Aquarium. Aaron said we were and the guy then put his hand out and shook Aaron's hand and said it was nice to meet him and left him with two adult tickets to get in! It saved us about $50!

Noah had been pretty happy most of the morning, but was starting to be a bit grizzly, so once we got into the aquarium I got him out of his chair and sat down with him for 10 minutes or so while the boys started to look around. He settled down so we then all looked around together. The boys were so excited - especially when they saw the huge crocodile. Harri kept saying it was 'scary' and 'dead' but after a little while it finally moved a leg.

The best thing was going in the underwater tubes to see the seals and sharks.




On the way out we bought a couple of things including some plastic poncho's in the gift shop. It was so funny seeing the boys in their poncho's - especially Harri who kept tripping over it as it was so long. We kept tucking it up in his shorts but it kept coming back out, so I ended up having to rip the bottom of it off.


Despite the pouring rain it was a really fun day. Harri was exhausted - especially since they didn't get to bed till after midnight last night.

Before we came back home, Chrish drove round and round the city to find Krispy Kreme Donuts for Aaron. It topped off a great day.

Chrish is spoiling us rotten and has cooked up a beautiful roast chicken and vegies for tea, and won't let me do anything to help. Harri is all over him and all day we have been hearing 'Uncle Chrish, Uncle Chrish', and wants him to do things with him. In the aquarium Harri said 'Uncle Chrish is our friend!'.

We just heard on the weather that it is going to be raining all week while we are here, so we will probably have to brave the zoo in the rain as we really wanted to take the boys there to see the animals, and we know we won't get the opportunity again for a while.