Sunday in Melbourne - Hillsong, French Restaurant & Garmin Vivo Fit Jr.

We go to church on Sundays at Hillsong, Melbourne. We take a tram about 20 minutes to go to church. Worshipping at Hillsong Church has been amazing and life changing. It is nothing like we've ever experienced. The energy is amazing, singing is fantastic, and the speakers are dynamic with amazing messages. Every week we can't wait to go to church. Even the kids. They LOVE going too. Hillsong meets in a theater. I have been challenged in my faith and grown in my faith and love of Jesus by attending this church. 

The message of the new year seems to be "What are you expectant for Jesus to do in your life this year?"

After church we usually stay in the city and go out to lunch and do an activity. This week we decided to try a French restaurant. It was located in a Laneway with fun ambiance.

Matt and the kids playing tag in the Laneways while we wait for our table.

We found a French restaurant that serves GF food. It was so fun to try crepes (strawberries and ice cream) along with a couple gallats. The food was yummy and the atmosphere was so cool. The restaurant was in a Laneway, which was all fixed up with fake grass and outdoor seating. The inside of the restaurant had 4 small 2-top tables. 

menu

The kids enjoyed watching the chef make their crepes.

The crepes were delicious. Bummer that Derek's eyes were closed.

Delicious gallat with chicken, pesto, avocado and tomatoes.

Prosciutto and goat cheese Gallat

Some funny poses from the kids in the Laneway by the restaurant.

 We went to Target in downtown Melbourne for a few things. It was in Chinatown.

We bought the kids each their own Garmin Vivo Fit Jr. This way they can track the amount of time they are active each day and how many steps they take each day as well. We walk EVERYWHERE here in Australia, so its super fun and motivating for the kids to see all the steps they are taking and how many hours they are active. The Garmin also has a way to give the kids coins for the chores they do, it has an alarm for waking them up in the morning, as well as tracking their sleep. It is very popular over here in Australia and many of the kids Derek and Rylie run into have these devices. 

The kids LOVE their Garmins. 

Rylie did her pony tail all by herself today for the first time!!!!

Healesville Sanctuary

The Healesville Sanctuary specializes in native Australian animals. It is located in rural Victoria, Australia and even breeds native animals. We spent over 5 hours at the sanctuary. It was so amazing to get to see up close the native Australian animals. We learned a lot. 

I just love Koalas. They look so cuddly. It is amazing to watch them sleep. They can balance themselves in the eucalyptus trees and sleep sitting upright. 

 

Emu is a very fast bird with specialized leg muscles to run fast and 3 toes. 

Kind of looks like an ostrich.

We heard that the platypus wild animals show was amazing. So we waited in line to see it and we weren't disappointed. The platypus is such a unique animal and only found in Australia.

There were a couple neat playgrounds at the sanctuary. This was one of them with these climbing wires.

The echidna, another animal I had never seen in the while.

The Healesville Sanctuary has a wildlife hospital on site where you can watch up close what veterinarians do to help save animals. One of Derek and Rylie's favorite activities was playing in the Future Vet imaginative play area. It was amazing. They had different native Australian animals the kids could check out and help out. There was dress up and real vet-like tools. 

Rylie was helping a dingo and Derek was taking care of a wombat

Derek changed his outfit 3 different times. This time he is checking out a platypus.

Rylie is x-raying her dingo.

Right before leaving the hospital, Derek noticed that a baby kangaroo had been brought in. How amazing!! Its not everyday you see a kangaroo at a vet clinic. It had an injured foot.

I can't believe that I got this picture! I had asked the kids to stand NEAR the Australian pelicans so I could take a picture to see how large the bird was, but the bird decided to go after the kids. They quickly got out of the way, unharmed. But we all got a good laugh at it.

We finally got to see a dingo. Rylie just loved these animals. We learned that the dingos are more like a wolf than like a dog.

We had a great day at the Healesville Sanctuary. We stopped at local brew pub for dinner on our way home. Matt loved the beer glass, but they don't seem to sell glasses here in Australia. So, I grabbed the glass and put it in my purse and we gave the waitress a pretty nice tip.

Mt Oberon

This hike was highly recommended to us for the amazing 360 degree view at the top. We eagerly climbed this mountain not knowing how amazing the view was that awaited us. There were several switchbacks and curves in the trail and the kids wanted to count the switchbacks. Here they are looking at Matt's phone to see where we are on the trail and how much farther we have to hike. 

Hiking is so fun with these kids. They are very well trained for hiking, living in AZ, and especially with all the walking we've been doing since coming to Australia. Along the trail we tell stories, sing, talk, tell jokes, play games, and make memories. I LOVE hiking with my family and the memories we've made. Rylie really loves to hold hands when she hikes and Derek would prefer to hike by himself, sometimes dragging a walking stick along. 

What a hike to remember!

Almost to the top...just around the corner!

The view at the top was absolutely stunning!

It was a 360 degree view. We were able to see the hike we had done the previous day out to the lookout point and then to Squeaky Beach. We ate lunch at the top of the mountain since we had worked up quite an appetite from hiking.

Here we are on the way down the mountain. You can see how Derek has a stick and Rylie is holding Matt and my hand! This is very characteristic of how they like to hike