I have Wheels!!!!!!!!

After just mastering and getting used to the Melbourne public transport system I got myself a car!! Woohoo!! It is pretty necessary for me to have a car now especially for when i move in with my Mum as it is a little while away from uni and my mates.

I did a bit of car shopping around and ended up with a Mazda 323 1992 - I had a few dramas with it at the start however once the car yard fixed it up I picked up on the weekend and it is driving beautifully!

It is such a nice car... quite a bit different to my old Kombi camper days! haha! Rear spoiler, tinted windows, central locking, alloy wheels, wicked sound system etc etc. It is so nice to be on the road again and have the independance that driving gives you.

Here is a few pics of my red machine...

she is so pretty! I have to find a name for her now - Any ideas???

As i am staying with my sister, and while i am on the topic of 'wheels' my bro-in-law insisted in taking me for a ride on his bike. I was a little nervous at first as last time i was on the back of a bike like that i nearly fell off!

It was awesome. The wind blowing around me just made me really relaxed. My dreads were flying out from the back of the helmet too which was cool. I look forward to another ride. Rick was a careful rider which made me felt safe and comfortable. It was just soooo cool!!

Here are some pics of Rick's bike......

My Sister Tina's Baby-Shower

Last weekend we decided to throw my sister Tina a surprise babyshower. Tina is about 2 weeks off having the baby and was insisting that she didn't want a babyshower but we gave her one anyway!!!! hehe! Bruce (Tina's partner) was in on it and ensured that Tina was home for us to surprise her.

(My sister Glenda, Mummy, Me & My sister Tina)

It was a lovely afternoon playing games like 'pin the dummy on the baby' - Glenda won, 'Guess the measurement around the belly' - it was a tie between Mum and Max (Bruce's son) and 'Draw the baby' which Bruce won. We had lots of laughs playing these games as you can see by all the pics below :)

(Tina 'pinning the dummy on the baby')

(Glenda - the winner of 'pin the dummy on the baby')

(Bruce joining in)

(Silly faces - Wooooooaaahhhhhh)

(Tina & Mummy)

(Measuring the baby-bump!)

(Tina's friend Jo measuring the baby bump)

(Max & Mum winning the baby bump measurement game)

(Bren - my nephew drawing the baby without looking)

(Brendan now having a laugh at his baby drawing)

(Tina judging the baby drawings)

(Bruce's drawing won)

It wouldn't be a babyshower without mum doing her needle & cotton determining the sex test! An old wives tale but mum swears by it. She not only did the test on Tina but on all of us! The needle didn't move over my tummy!! Wouldn't that be funny!!! For Tina the needle did big huge circles which means it's a girl. So we will see in the next few weeks how accurate the test is! A 50-50 chance anyway!! hehe!

(Mum with the needle & Thread test - Full circles so apparantly a girl!)

(Mum making sure that i am not expecting!! haha)

Tina got some beautiful gifts including a basket full of baby goodies, funky baby singlets & a gorgeous 'nappy cake' made by Glenda just to name a few.

(The nappy cake! You can't eat it - it's made out of nappies!)

(Going through her basket of goodies)

(Awwww how cute!)

(Bruce looking on - He eventually joined in!!)

All the best to Tina and her upcoming arrival of her new bubs! Not long to go now!!! My prediction is
it's a girl!

("We are family... I've got all my sisters with me" (& my mum) ... well Except for Debbie but she is with us in spirit as i was with everyone in spirit when i was in London!)

Isabella's VIP day at School

(Bella and I under her school banner)

Last week my niece Isabella invited me along to her school VIP day. So i took the morning off uni and had Bella hold my hand showing me all around her school. Bella is in prep (reception for all you english folk reading this!) so she felt very proud of her school.

She showed me her classroom, where she sits and where she hangs her bag.

(Bella's school bag spot!)

(Bella's chair in her classroom)

Bella then went on to show me how clever she is on the classroom computers. For a 5 year old she certainly knows what she is doing! In fact i think she could teach my mum how to use it!! hehe!

(Computer fun)

(More fun on the computers)

(Bella is very clever on the computer)

As we were walking around the school Bella introduced me to her Year 6 Buddy Michaela. She loves having Michaela as a buddy and they do all kinds of fun things together.

(Bella with her Year 6 Buddy Michaela)

Isabella showed me the sports hall, the art room, the computer room and also the library. She even showed me the section where she borrows her books from :)

(Books in the library)

Finally Bella introduced me to her teacher. She was very sweet and Bella loves her teacher very much.

(Miss Mitchell - Bella's Prep teacher)

Once the tour around the school finished it was time for the school concert on the outdoor stage. It was a very warm morning so it was nice to sit out in the sun and watch all the kids do their show. It ranged from musical instruments to dancing and singing. It was a lovely morning which was followed by morning tea.

(Me with the girls under the school banner)

It was very nice and i felt very special to be apart of Isabella's special day. She is growing up so quickly but continues to be an adorable little girl.

Werribee Zoo - Rhythm's of Africa Sat 10th March

While the sun is still shining here in Melbourne a few of decided to head to the Werribee open range zoo. I had never been there before so i was delighted to hear that it was the last weekend of the season for the 'Rhythm's of Africa' show. Mel, Jeremy, Bryce, Shayne and I packed up a picnic and set out for the afternoon/evening in the sun.

(A massive giraffe)

Once we arrived we got to go on the safari style tour around the zoo. We came across many animals that wouldn't usually inhabit Australia. It was very cool indeed! Although with the way Melbourne is going at the moment with the lack of rain i am sure the animals feel very comfortable with the climate!!

(Mel & Jeremy on the safari bus)

(Me, Bryce & Shayne on the safari bus)

(Rhino!!!)

(Zebra!!)

I would have to say my favourite animal to watch was the camel!! He just kept looking at us with his droopy lip! Very cool!

(Droopy Lip camel!)

I also love watchng the meercats - they are very curious creatures.

(The curious Meercats)

(Shayne & Bryce copying the meercats)

After we finished the bus tour we collected our picnic from the car and made our way to the African village. There were so many people spread out over the grass, however, we managed a good spot towards the front where the stage was to sit and have our picnic.

(Having our picnic dinner)

It was very cool to arrive and hear the beats of the drum and see the awesome dancing of the African Royal Drummers a group from Ghana. Typically I couldn't keep still and with the help of a little red wine I was up moving and grooving to the music!! At one point the woman in the group had pulled me into the centre of the drumming circle to dance! hehe very cool! It wasn't too long before Bryce, Shayne and Mel were up with me.

(Oscar - one of the group members doing his thing!)

(The African Royal Drummers)

(The lady in the group was AWESOME!)

(Me having a dance!)

Surrounding the stage were a few huts where they were serving African food and drinks, doing hair braids, providing a drumming workshop and even a kids activity of learning how to carry pots on your head. (Shayne sitting on the pots at one of the African huts)

(The drumming workshop hut)

(Bryce, Mel, Me & Shayne enjoying the afternoon)

(Me outside one of the huts)

At the end of the evening Bryce brought a CD cause he loved the music so much and we sat around chatting to one of the group members - Oscar. He invited us to join him at another African party that night however we were exhausted and declined but Oscar has now become a friend to us and even came along to Bryce's birthday party too. I am so happy to have found some African culture in Melbourne as i really do miss being with my boy Aaron and his mates.

It was such a wonderful evening and fun was had by all of us. I know where i plan to go next summer when the 'Rhythm's of Africa' season kicks in again!!