Camel Cup 2012

Gran and Grump got to be here for the silliness that is the Camel Cup.  Don't they look like they're having fun?

Gavin LOVES the camera

Jamie having a blast.

Braden had too much fun.

Really, Mama, this is comfortable.

The "Honeymoon" Race:  the racers run the camels halfway around the track, stop and pick up their "bride."  Fortunately, this happened right in front of us.

The "brides" waiting.

The brides trying to get on their camels.

Some are off...

The last one heads off...

Kakadu and Darwin (no kids)

One of the perks of having Gran and Grump coming to visit for a couple of weeks is Ian and I get to escape for a few days.  This time we drove (yes drove) over 1500km (950mi) to Kakadu and then an additional 200km (125mi) to Darwin.  The drive itself was fairly easy.  We left on Sunday evening and drove the first 4 hours to Tennant Creek.  We had borrowed a friend's Corolla so as to save on fuel, but we decided when we nearly hit a couple of horses that driving a small car at night on these roads was not such a good plan.  We considered ourselves very lucky to have not damaged our friend's car, so we were shocked the next morning when we came across a group of Wedgies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedge-tailed_Eagle) in the road lunching on a roo that they didn't move.  When the last one finally decided to get out of the way, it was a tad late.  His wing broke one of the headlights, but he flew off just fine.

We arrived at Kakadu National Park and our luxury accommodations just in time for a nap before our evening crocodile cruise.

Our Suite

The dining room

Trying my hand at spear-throwing

Ian trying to play the didgeridoo

My turn

Those are termite hills!!!!!  Everything is bigger here.

Sunset on Mindil Beach in Darwin.

Alice Springs Show Day 2012

The day after Gran & Grump arrived was a holiday for the town, so everyone could have the day off to visit the Alice Springs Show (kind of like a county fair).  We got to see and do so many fun things like watch racing and diving pigs.

Gran and Gavin

Grump and the boys!

4th of July/Territory Day Celebrations

Once again the facility Recreation Association sponsored a fabulous picnic to celebrate the 4th of July and Territory Day the weekend before my parents arrived.  Here a few pictures of the boys from the day.