Western Australia - Cave Exploring

It occurred to me today that with all the excitement of the holiday season, I never posted the photos from our adventures in Western Australia. Steve posted about the Ironman race (the reason for our visit), but aside from all that fun, we still managed to do a lot of exploring. So much in fact, that we took almost 500 pictures! So, to make it easier, I'll break the recap up into a few posts over the next few days...

We spent most of our time in the south west region of Western Australia around Busselton, where the race was held. While we only touched on a very small amount of a very large state, I felt we really saw a lot of what was nearby! There were more wineries than I ever thought possible in one little space, beaches, quaint little towns and caves! Lots of caves actually, but we chose the Calgardup Cave in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park because you could explore it on your own, no guided tours. Just you, a helmet with a light and a flashlight, or torch, as the Aussies say.

Going into the cave...It was chilly the further down you went and dark! Very dark! I guess that makes sense, seeing as it was a cave...

You were told to stick to the walkways and stairs. It was really easy to get around...

...although there were some low bits that required you to duck down for awhile. Guess that's why the helmet is a good idea!

Steve loves caves. We explored a cave in Tasmania and Steve and his cousin went to one when they were in Kangaroo Island. This was one of his favorites though, because you could just take your time, explore at your own pace and just enjoy the silence. Man, there is a real silence when you're in a cave! There's nothing like it. We were the only people in the cave for most of our visit and if you turned off your lights, sat quietly, you would hear nothing but the occasional drip of water in the cave. It was a mixed feeling of complete relaxation and total spookiness!

I have to admit, caves are pretty cool! Imagine being the first person to stumble upon one? How exciting!

If you're ever in the neighborhood, I would definitely recommend you check this cave out. We really enjoyed it!

New year, new goals...

I love making lists. I constantly have a to-do-list on the go. I may or may not be the kind of person who puts "shower" on my to-do-list, just to later have the satisfaction of crossing it off the list and feeling like I've accomplished something! ;) So, it makes sense that I love the idea of making a list of goals, and what better time to do that than at the start of a new year, right? As I started writing my goals for 2011 on paper, I kind of just kept on writing...apparently, I have a lot of goals and big plans for 2011 floating around my head! It's all good though, some are big, some are small. Some I have been doing for awhile but really want to stick to in the new year. I decided that this year I would share my goals on my blog because then I feel a bit more obligated to follow through with them! So here they are, all 22 of them! :)

~ Eat well but treat myself in moderation.
~Do the 8 km fun run in May with friends. This means learning to run!
~Moisturize my face daily with an SPF moisturizer.
~Use an eye cream each day. I'm getting lines already!
~Start a new job.
~Spice up my blog.
~Trust that everything is happening the way it's meant to be.
~Be grateful. Use the gratitude journal Steve bought me for Christmas.
~Learn to forgive and forget.
~Learn to control my negative thoughts and silly worries.
~Learn to just sit and relax.
~Be kinder to myself. It's okay to make mistakes.
~Be kinder to Steve.
~Call home more often.
~Return every email I receive.
~Send cards.
~Take more photos.
~Learn to sew pajama pants.
~Take a big trip with Steve.
~Buy organic/free range eggs, chicken and pork.
~Brush Jesse more regularly.
~Continue checking off the goals I have for summer in Melbourne.

Wow! That's a lot but I'm really excited about them. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Did you make any new year goals this year? I'd love to hear them!

Photo found here.

Our very merry little Christmas...

We had a really, really nice Christmas. I think one of my most favorite moments was seeing Jesse dressed in his Christmas outfit. I don't think he felt the same. Ha! I just had to share one more photo of him wearing it. Check out the look on his face! Jesse spent Christmas at the kennel and I missed him like crazy cakes.

I spent Christmas Eve day learning to make pavlova (an Australian classic Christmas dessert) with my neighbor, baking cookies and running a few last minute errands. Christmas Eve, we headed off to our friends, Geoff and Ange's place for food, drinks and good times. There was a lot of food and Christmas crackers! I love Christmas crackers. This is one tradition that was new to me when we moved to Australia but most definitely one I will carry on.

Our lovely hosts on Christmas Eve...Ange and Geoff and their adorable little tree.

Bruce and Claire joined the fun too. It was a bit of an orphan Christmas Eve, for anyone away from family and without plans. Seriously, what would one do without friends?

Christmas Day, we went to our lovely neighbors' house for Christmas morning breakfast. I think it could quite possibly be the best breakfast I have ever eaten!! Dale cooked us an Aussie breakfast...bacon, eggs and pancakes, all cooked on the barbecue. Yum! We took the Canadian maple syrup and eggnog, which we used to make Christmas morning eggnog lattes. Double yum! Seriously, we each had two!!

From there, we jetted off to the airport and boarded a plane to Brisbane, where we used to live. Our friends, Rej and Clo hosted a delicious Christmas Day dinner...

It was nice to see all our old friends again!

And, yes, there was more food...lots of it! Seafood is an Australian tradition during the Christmas season. I wasn't complaining!

Steve-O in his new Christmas clothes.

Kate was due on Christmas Day and had Baby Gully the day we left Brisbane. She made pregnancy look fabulous!!

The weather was pretty rainy for most of the time we were in "Sunny Queensland", but we did manage to get one trip to the beach in while we were there. Baby Gabriel didn't seem to mind the cloudy skies. :)

Dan and Amy were kind enough to let us stay with them while we were there and as always, were amazing hosts. Thanks guys!

I'm surprised at how few photos I took over Christmas this year. I honestly think I was too busy eating to snap pictures! We returned to Melbourne on the 30th and then hosted a quiet but nice New Year's Eve gathering. We ate more food, drank champagne at midnight and watched the fireworks. More good times!

A big thanks to everyone who helped to make our Christmas season so special. I am so thankful for our friends!

I took our tree and decorations down today. It was sad. I truly love Christmas and everything seems so bare once all the decorations are put away. Just all the more reason to look forward to next year! Plus, I have a really good feeling about the months to come. I really believe in my heart that 2011 is going to be a great year! xoxo

Happy New Year!!

Can you believe it's 2011 already? Wow. As I was saying goodbye to 2010 and thinking about all that's happened in the last year, I couldn't help but be glad to see 2010 move on. Although, after looking at photos of all we did in the last year, I realize that there was a lot of good with the bad. Lots of ups and downs. Lots of adventures. Overall, not a bad year at all and I think I'm a happier and definitely healthier person entering 2011, thanks to everything that's happened in 2010. So, thanks 2010 and welcome 2011!

Here's a few of the highlights of 2010 in order of month...

January...

Our friends, Dan and Amy visited Melbourne and we went to the Australian Open with them. My first time going to the tennis.

February:

We went on our one and only camping trip of the year in the Grampians and had to come back early because Steve got a horrible stomach flu.

March:

A crazy storm with heavy rain and hail hit Melbourne, leaving our house flooded and our carpet ruined. Steve was away in Canada at the time for work. It was a mess!

Steve's Mom and Aunt visited us from Canada. It was nice to show them Melbourne and all the surrounding areas.

April:

Jesse ate 12 tea-light candles, including the foil holders. He also ate a tub of Vaseline, requiring Steve to cut off all his bum hair at 4:30 in the morning and 11 condoms, which he carefully removed from their wrappers in 2010. Good times.

Dan and Amy visited Melbourne again, this time staying with us for the Easter weekend. We hosted our first Easter dinner with Melbourne friends.

May:

I turned 30 and spent the day vegging out at the spa with my hubby!

We met the Purdys in Sydney before they moved back to Canada and had a great time!

Steve and I also celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary.

June:

Steve turned 33!

He also went back to Canada for work.

I was told that I have chronic fatigue syndrome and was advised by my specialist to leave work and focus on getting healthy again. I took his advice.

I visited Brisbane to meet Baby Gabriel, our friends, Rej and Clo's beautiful baby boy.

July:

I gave Jesse a serious "Mom haircut"...check out those ears!

I also fell off my bike trying to slap Steve on the butt. I still have marks on my legs where the bruises were and a buggered shoulder as a result of my cheeky ways!

I started seeing a homeopath in hopes of feeling better. It worked. Within weeks I was feeling more human than I had in over a year!

August:

Steve and I went to Yeppoon, Queensland, where he did a half Ironman race. It was held at a resort, so it really was a win win for both of us!

I had a 5 hour iron infusion, which left me the sickest I've ever been in my life. Seven days of high fever, 4 scripts of antibiotics and 3 weeks later, I was finally able to get out of bed.

September:

I visited Brisbane for my friend Amy's Hen's night.

Steve's cousin, Lisa visited us from Canada and she and Steve went to Kangaroo Island. Unfortunately, I was sick pretty much the entire time she was here!

Jesse turned 9!

October:

I visited Canada! Amazing time!

My Nanny Henley passed away. She was by far the kindest, most loving and most beautiful person I have ever known.

Steve and I got dressed up for our friend Angela's book launch. Steve looked very handsome in his suit!

November:

We went to Roller Derby for the first time.

December:

We went to Western Australia, where Steve completed his first Ironman race.

I saw Oprah at Federation Square in Melbourne.

We visited Brisbane for Christmas and it rained almost the entire time!

Ah, it was an interesting year! I'm so thankful for the time I have been able to take off work to feel better, the amazing friends I have made that have helped make Melbourne feel like home, all the traveling we have been able to do in the last year and the fact that Jesse, Steve, myself and our family are all healthy going into 2011. I feel very grateful!!

May 2011 be just as great of an adventure!

Merry Christmas!!

We tried for a nice Christmas Eve photo, but this is the best we could do!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Lots of love...

Cari, Steve and Jesse
xoxo

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I'm getting really excited for the big day! It's also starting to feel a lot like Christmas. I've decided I should be very careful what I wish for because...wishes really do come true!! I've been saying that Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas in summer and how I wish it was chilly and wintry annnnnd GUESS WHAT? Summer disappeared! It's been so cold these last two days! It's been 10 degrees during the day, cold, damp and rainy. I even had to put our wool blanket back on the bed last night and I've worn a sweater and jeans two days in a row! I'm drinking tea to help warm up! That is crazy for December weather in Australia but oh so much more Christmas like for this Canadian girl! :)

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas...

...thanks to these yummy smelling tree ornaments I made to attach to a few gifts and hang on our tree. I used a different recipe this year than the usual one I make every year. Rather than just cinnamon and apple sauce, this recipe calls for a few kinds of spices. Extra smelly goodness!

1 cup cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. allspice
1 tbsp ginger
3/4 c. applesauce

In medium bowl, combine cinnamon, cloves, allspice,
ginger & nutmeg. Add applesauce, stir to combine.
Work mixture with hands 2 to 3 minutes or until dough
is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut dough with cookie cutters.
Using straw or pencil, make small hole in top of ornament.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour.
Remove from the cookie sheet and bake on the oven
racks for another hour and a half.

Add a pretty Christmas ribbon or string and voila! :)

Original recipe found here.

Ice Skating in Australia

In an effort to make things feel a little more like Christmas, Steve and I organized an ice skating outing and invited a few friends along to join us. We went to the Icehouse, a newly built arena in Melbourne. It was so much fun, with Christmas lights, Santa, warm Canadian mittens and best of all, familiar Christmas cheer!

Can you believe that Steve and I have never gone skating together before? I skated so much as a kid, but pretty much haven't been on skates since I graduated high school. I think it's like riding a bike though and I found my skating legs quite quickly. Sadly, those same legs were a little stiff and sore for days after. Definitely not in the same shape as when I was a kid! Steve was quite impressive and skated up a storm!

A big thanks to our friends who joined us and helped make it such a fun evening!

Christmas in Australia

I love Christmas. Seriously, I love everything about it, but to be honest, since moving to Australia, Christmas really hasn't been the same. It just doesn't feel like Christmas and truly, I really think that as long as we live here, it never will. Christmas is not meant to be celebrated in summer. It goes against every Christmas song ever written. It's not bad, just very different. But, since we do live here and I do love Christmas, I try my best to keep the spirit and excitement of Christmas alive and embrace the different. This year it's been harder to do than last year, I think because we went away for Steve's race and taking a summer vacation made it feel more like, well, summer than Christmas. I also think not working at the kindergarten this year hasn't helped. Last year, I was busy doing Christmas related things with the kiddies and even if they do have to be slathered with sunscreen before going outside, they still get just as excited about Santa as kids who have to bundle up in snowsuits! Also, Steve and I have both found that the city of Melbourne doesn't do Christmas well. City of Melbourne, where are the decorations?! You'd never know it was Christmas by walking around the city!! Having said that, I've been trying to stay festive by baking Christmas cookies, listening to Christmas music, doing Christmas crafts and of course, putting up our Christmas tree. We went to the same Christmas tree farm as last year and picked this pretty little tree to bring home. The smell of pine all through our house has most definitely helped to bring a little Christmas cheer to my heart! I feel very fortunate to now live in a state where they grow Christmas trees! I also picked up some eggnog today and visited Steve at work, where he made me an eggnog latte with their fancy coffee machine and it tasted just as good as the ones I love from Starbucks at home. My to-do-list for the next few days includes EA's Christmas party, making a few homemade Christmas gifts for friends and watching a few of my favorite Christmas movies. I'm determined to enjoy the holidays, even if the temps are rising and the sun is shining brightly!

Ironman Western Australia

I can honestly say I have never worked so hard for anything in my life. So many early morning weekend rides, long evening swims and runs in between. A co-worker who did an Ironman years ago, once told me that the Ironman is the most selfish event you can ever do because of the amount of training that is involved. I now believe him, and so does Cari.

The Busselton Ironman was an extremely well organized and fun event. Busselton is located 2 hours south of Perth Australia. The whole town gets involved so the vibe is awesome.

Athelete support tents.

Lucky number 265. On Saturday I dropped off my transition bags and bike.

There I am!

Setting up in transition....

Things happen a little different in an Ironman. Usually all my run and bike gear would be set up next to my bike in transition. At an Ironman you place your run and bike gear in separate bags, as you enter the transition area you yell out your number and someone grabs and passes you your bag.

Swim start. Busselton has the longest wooden Jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. It's almost 2km long which makes it perfect for a 3.8km swim.

Lot's of people wrote messages along the run section of the race. It made for some funny reading during the run. My favorite one read, "If your spouse still loves you, you haven't trained hard enough"

Race morning! Alarm went off at 2am. I actually slept really well the night before the race. Got up, ate, even had a shower to help get my head straight. The morning of was beautiful, 15 degrees and no wind.

It's a good thing sharks don't eat long sleek black creatures that swim in the ocean.

Only minutes to go.

Ironman has a mass swim start, when the gun goes off all 1200 - 1400 people go at once. It makes for a pretty close and personal swim for the first 500 meters. I did the swim in 1hr 13min, it turned out a lot better then I expected. I've trained hard for the swim, many evenings spent in the pool doing 50 - 70 laps at a time.

Coming out of the swim they had a fresh water spray which was nice.

End of lap turn around on the bike, that's not me in the pic. It was a 3 lap course, each lap was 60km. The bike leg of the race was really good, a slight wind came up during my 2nd lap which stayed for the rest of the ride. I held back on the ride, kept my heart rate down to make sure I had something left for the run.

Game face....

Don't ask....

I did the bike leg in 6hrs and 3min. They had bike catchers to take your ride and rack it for you, that was another first for me. As soon as you dismounted someone was right there to take it away.

Off for a run. So after a 3.8km swim then a 180km bike ride you have to run a marathon (42km). The run is the biggest killer of an Ironman, and it chewed me up and spit me out. I ended up with a time of 4hrs and 54mins. I'm not happy with my run result but I learned a lot from this race and will change my run training to help bring the time down. The first 15km off the bike I felt pretty good, the last 10km of the run I actually still felt pretty good but the old legs were really starting to complain. But I finished, and at the end of the day that's all I cared about.

Finished!

At the finish you are greeted right away with a helper, they grab your arm and talk to you, making sure you're ok. Someone else drapes a Ironman finisher towel around you and then a 3rd person places a medal around your neck. The "helper" walks with you to the recovery tent and then goes back to help someone else. It was a very smooth and helpful process.

Ironman

Steve (getting a tattoo) Dickinson