Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary

We bought a Zoo membership when we first arrived. It got us entry into three different zoos in the area, and since it only took three visits to justify the expense (one to each zoo), it was a no-brainer to join.

See more below!

Australian Weather patterns and predictions

Last year I started watching the weather forecasts for Melbourne before we arrived so I'd know what to expect. I thought I was getting inaccurate information because I'd see a day of 100F/40C, and then the next day was 62F/16C. I thought that couldn't possibly be correct. And if it was, I thought it wasn't likely normal.

It is.

Everywhere I've lived I've heard people say, "If you don't like the weather, just wait ten minutes."

None of these people have lived in Melbourne.

So here's the deal:

Australian butter baking hack

Karly loves to bake. And as you know, most recipes call for butter in increments of 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1 cup. In America, butter is sold in "sticks" which all equal 1/2 cup. It makes getting your ingredients correct easy. But in Australia, butter here is sold by the gram. One cup of butter equals 227 grams.

Here's the problem:

Our homemade toy collection

We made dinosaurs from toilet paper tubes. Not only that, but he actually PLAYS with them now. 

We didn't bring a lot of toys from the U.S. for space and weight reasons. And we've tried to minimize what we accumulate here because we can't take it back. We have bought things at the thrift store so Henry is not lacking for things to play with, but we've also come up with some pretty good games and toys made from things we have on hand.

My favorite Australian Accent

I know all of my friends in the States are enamored by the Australian accent I'm hearing on a regular basis. The truth is I rarely talk to people with that accent because most people where I live are from other countries. But I do LOVE the Aussie accent. Every time I drop Allen at the train station, I turn on this radio station in hopes of hearing my favorite Aussie voice. Chrissie has a great rich voice and a strong accent. Glad I can get a dose of it even when I get home. Maybe you'll enjoy listening, too. (Warning: Sometimes I don't care much for the topic of conversation. Aussies can be a little crude!)

Click on the Chrissie, Sam and Browny show. You'll love Browny, too!
https://www.novafm.com.au/shows/chrissie-sam-browny/