It gets confusing having kids offset by six months in their start dates for school. Elise just began 'year 1' as the Aussie say it. Nathan, Mikaela and Carson are in the middle of their school years, 11, 9 and 7 respectively. With the big kids having just had 2 months off, I keep thinking they are starting a new school year also. Elise is settling into "big" school nicely. She has been with the same group of kids since we arrived in Australia - there is only one class of students per grade - so they have all moved along together.
Being that it is summer, we are outdoors as much as possible. Australia Day, like the 4th of July, was Jan. 26th. We had a great time, we went with friends to watch fireworks over the Swan River and have a picnic. It was a great day - the only down side was that Todd was in France and not with us.
Nathan competed in the Australia Day Triathlon and won by a 23 second gap, the crowds couldn't contain themselves:)
Nathan has made a spot on the Western Australia State team. He will be traveling to Adelaide this year to compete in the National Championships in March. Last year he made the team we were still so new to the country that it was a bit overwhelming, this year we understand the process and are enjoying it all. Wish him luck for the big event.
During the Christmas break we drove down to Esperance. We have never seen water so clear anywhere else on earth. With the clear water and pure white sand it was interesting to note the type of fish swimming along the shallow bits of water. They were white, almost clear, fish - so you couldn't see them against the white sand bottom - you would see their shadow movement before you could see them. We really enjoyed snorkeling there. Starfish by the dozen and neat sea life in plenty.
Here is Elise holding a brightly colored starfish...
This is Sammy , a wild sea lion, he was always at the pier hoping to get a fisherman's discards.
We found one place that we enjoyed very much. It is voted Australia's most beautiful beach. There was a big rock island not too far from the beach that people swim out to and jump off and lay around on and have fun in general. I heard a man yelling in Korean, I couldn't understand a word, but couldn't mistake the tone, he was panicking and struggling to stay afloat. I alerted Todd who jumped off the rock and got to the man and swam him to the safety of the rock. The poor man was so frightened and exhausted from the experience that he couldn't move for about 30 minutes.
Nathan has made a spot on the Western Australia State team. He will be traveling to Adelaide this year to compete in the National Championships in March. Last year he made the team we were still so new to the country that it was a bit overwhelming, this year we understand the process and are enjoying it all. Wish him luck for the big event.
Carson just came home from a week touring the nation's capital, Canberra. He got to see Parliament in session. He went with the kids from middle school and learned all about Australian government and got to see the National Zoo - Carson continued on his lucky streak and got chosen to feed a white tiger some raw meat. Pictured below:Carson at Perth Domestic Airport and getting a good-bye hug from big sister - or death grip not sure...
During the Christmas break we drove down to Esperance. We have never seen water so clear anywhere else on earth. With the clear water and pure white sand it was interesting to note the type of fish swimming along the shallow bits of water. They were white, almost clear, fish - so you couldn't see them against the white sand bottom - you would see their shadow movement before you could see them. We really enjoyed snorkeling there. Starfish by the dozen and neat sea life in plenty.
Here is Elise holding a brightly colored starfish...
This is Sammy , a wild sea lion, he was always at the pier hoping to get a fisherman's discards.
We found one place that we enjoyed very much. It is voted Australia's most beautiful beach. There was a big rock island not too far from the beach that people swim out to and jump off and lay around on and have fun in general. I heard a man yelling in Korean, I couldn't understand a word, but couldn't mistake the tone, he was panicking and struggling to stay afloat. I alerted Todd who jumped off the rock and got to the man and swam him to the safety of the rock. The poor man was so frightened and exhausted from the experience that he couldn't move for about 30 minutes.
The beach near where we camped had kangaroos all around look at the following picture of the naughty kangaroo that broke into the campsite and has the remains of a soup mix all over his nose.
Wave Rock is a tourist attraction south of Perth and of course we had to take a route down to Esperance that allowed us to see Wave Rock. It is shaped, you guessed it, like a wave - a giant rock wave. Our whole family is in the picture we are the little colored bits on the bottom. I think it would be cool to take a surf board here and remove the bottom fins and stand on it, and take a photo...
With school back in, surfing has started again. The two oldest go to seminary at 6am till 6:50, I load up the rest of the family and get them from seminary and make it to Trigg beach for the 7am surfing group. See Mikaela just finishing riding a wave in...
With school back in, surfing has started again. The two oldest go to seminary at 6am till 6:50, I load up the rest of the family and get them from seminary and make it to Trigg beach for the 7am surfing group. See Mikaela just finishing riding a wave in...
Look closely we still don't know where the person is that was on the white surf board next to Carson?????
This the end of this novel - Here are the kids and a neighbor kid playing in the backyard pool - have a good day - We miss you all and hope you are well!!!!
~The 6 Woodfords (Todd, Pam, Nathan, Mikaela, Carson and little Elise)
