The Highlights... Part 1

Our week in Utah was the best.

We hung out with friends, ate lots of yummy food, did some great shopping and we were spiritually fed.

Sunday morning we went to the Conference Center and listened to

Music and the Spoke Word.

It was magical.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is amazing and it brought a tear to my eye when they sang

"God Be With You" at the conclusion of the broadcast.

We spent the whole next day in the Salt Lake Temple and on Temple Square so Deeg and A-J could do baptisms.

It was the temple's first day open after the maintenance closure. So it was VERY busy.

It took 3 hours waiting our turn , but it was worth it.

I loved walking around grounds afterwards and taking photos!

The weather was sunny one minute and cloudy and stormy the next, as you can tell from the photos.

The USA - Part 2

                         While we were in sunny, humid California we also visited two other "theme parks".

Universal Studios was on my not to miss list and after a chat to the Concierge at our Hotel, Dale booked us a tour bus to "6 Flags" as well.

Universal Studios was lots of fun. Only two rides worth going on

"Jurassic Park" which features an 80 foot vertical drop at the end and "the Mummy" which is a roller coaster ride in the dark and backwards at some point.

Oh ,and you get soaked.

It was making me laugh watching people get on and off this ride.
I saw a man trying to wipe his soaked seat with a tissue before he sat down - good luck!
And I had a man ask me if his bag would get wet and when I told him "Yes" he spoke to his wife in Indian
(I think) and she handed him a plastic bag for their backpack.
He then asked me if WE were going to get wet and when I said "Yes, everything gets wet" he turned to his wife again, speaking to her in their native tongue, she proceeded to open out her scarf and they rested it on their heads with their children in between them!
 Needless to say the scarf was no protection for the torrent of water about to soak them to the bone.
I wish I could have taken a picture of it!

6 Flags boasts 18 roller coasters and the most extreme rides. I bowed out of participating in this park.

I was the bag holder. My neck was a bit sore and I was "theme parked out" after 3 days walking around and going on rides. Plus I think I had reached my "Brave" limit - I went on almost everything they all did at Disneyland and Universal Studios. But Dale, A-J and Jord were keen as (Deeg was in Denver) so off they went.

Goliath is the name they have given to their biggest rollercoaster.

No fast passes here (unless you want to pay an extra $140 US pp) so they waited about 70 - 80 mins to get a ride on this baby.

I'm not sure if it was worth it?
What do you think?

This Young Man

This young man...

was a surprise baby

has taught me to love like no-one else

trusts me

depends on me &

frustrates me like no-one else can.

He also came home today after 3 weeks and 2 days away from home.
And he is happy.

What a blessing!

The USA Part 1

We are home from our travels.

I am still jet lagged I think. I want to go to bed at 7:30pm and I wake up at 3:44am every morning, force myself to go back to sleep for a bit and then get up at 5am.

It must be jet lag cause if you know me well you know that getting up at 5am is just simply absurd.

We spent two days in Disneyland and California Adventure park.

we all loved it, but we all agreed that California Adventure Park was our favourite. I think maybe because it is geared more to older children / people???

I really liked what it said on this plaque.

I agree with Walt Disney.

He has indeed created a place where parents and their children can have fun together.

The highlight for me was "World of Color" (American spelling).

It is a spectacular display of laser lights, water and fire.

They project images onto the wall of water they create.
It is set to music and I would have to say is on the do not miss list.

 The photos don't do it justice.

It was truly amazing.

I think you can check it out on youtube if you want to save yourself a trip.

The Silence of the Lambs - LJ style

No, no need to be alarmed there is no Hannibal Lector or Clarice Starling here.

I just thought it was a catchy title for a post all to do with lambs.

We have some sheep on a property at Nuriootpa.

It is now the time of year when the lambs are being born and they need their tails chopped

(thanks to the great Aussie blow fly) and a tag put in their ear to indicate in which year they were born.

We went up a few weekends ago now, to round them up and do the tags and tails.

I had a dream the night before we went there would be 13 lambs.

 When we got there and rounded them up there were 14 - pretty close.

And there are always rebellious lambs who just won't  go where they are told!

And there are some who just want to stay with us and not go back to their mothers!

I think little J would have liked to take this one home!

At lunch time I took the opportunity to walk over to the dam. 

It looks its best now that we have had so much rain.

It is quiet and serene.

 I'd like to bring my book and settle in for a nice long reading session in the sun here - one day.

Birthday Bash

One of my very sweet and cute nieces celebrated her 5th birthday last weekend.

Here is Miss E, cute as a button!

We were invited for a birthday party to remember.

All things pink.

But the best thing of all was her "Sweet Shop"

Miss E declared to her Mother that she wanted a sweet shop at her party.

It was a smorgasbord of lollies that had my children (and husband I might add)

salivating at the very thought.

It was a little like being let loose in a Willy Wonka shop.

I don't know if you can see the little pink cupcakes stamped onto the lolly bags?

SOOOO CUTE!

It was the party of the year!

Happy Birthday little Miss E!

Lola is in the House!

After we made our travel plans I started looking for a camera bag that would fit more than my camera and an extra lens. I decided that I would most definitely take the big camera and capture as much as I could about our trip. I have taken it plenty of times before when we have been on holiday or at the zoo all day. Carrying it around does not really bother me.

I think it is worth it to have the pictures in the end.

Anyway...I did my research and there is really not a lot to choose from in the
"fashion camera bag" industry.

Until I had an Epiphanie.

I decided that Lola should be mine :)

Now a side note on the company "Epiphanie" I am not in anyway connected to them other than I am a customer who has purchased from them.

 I ordered my Lola and for whatever reason the shipment was delayed. Epiphanie contacted me and gave me a US$33 credit because of the inconvenience of the order being shipped late.

 I was impressed.

 They didn't have to do that, I was happy to wait and I still have my bag in time to use when I go away.

Also, when I received my email to say my bag was on its way it arrived exactly 1 week later!

Fast shipping from the US for sure.
I have been very happy with their customer service.

So yesterday a little bit of happiness arrived on my doorstep.

  Lola comes in a pretty box.

Inside the box is a pretty pink zip bag.

 

Inside the pretty pink zip bag is Lola in black.

 

The velcro dividers are really strong and you can move them around to whatever configuration you desire.

 

I am planning on having my camera with one lens attached in a larger section and the other lens in a small section. I will have the battery charger in another bag so I won't carry it around with me.

 That will leave about half the bag free for my other stuff, purse, sunnies, etc.

Like this...

(This photo was taken with my iphone) 

There is still room in the top for more "stuff" too.

I love the long shoulder strap which is padded for comfort.
(Sorry I don't think you can really see it in any of the photos)

And the two shorter handles are easy to pick up and swing onto your shoulder in one motion

 (that is my criteria for any bag that I buy - I have to be able to put it on my shoulder quickly)

(another iphone photo)

So there you have it.

Lola is in the house!