Well, we're here guys. What should we do first?

Mom and LR meet the world's friendliest goat.

RJ and LR spend some quiet time with some recently hatched chicks.

RJ really liked the chicks. Someone needs to genetically engineer chickens that never grow up.

LR found Poppa's favorite pig, just laying around in a stall. No performing medical research on this one, Poppa!

The first ride? Teacups, of course! This ride operator made sure the kids were spun EXTRA fast.

The kids rode on the bouncing kangaroos. The ride operator refused to speed it up any further, despite RJ's many protests that they weren't bouncing high or fast enough.

While the kids waited in line, Mom wandered off to get some donuts. The shouty man insisted they were American donuts, but we honestly couldn't tell the difference. They looked pretty tasty.

But to really enjoy them, you first must make sure the kids are locked away behind bars.

RJ gets his donut!

LR gets her donut!

Time for a quick break to watch the show jumping. Mom teaches us all the inside tricks that we didn't know about.

LR and RJ carefully make their way into the boy scouts encampment.

RJ and LR explored the different mazes in the boy scouts area. Apparently, Bear Grylls was EVERYWHERE.

We stopped by the best exhibit of the show, the photography competition, where LR had two entries accepted into the show!

At the end of the day, RJ got his precious, precious glow bag, complete with 200 ways to light up the night.

Everyone enjoyed a super "healthy" dinner of showgrounds burgers, chips and pizza.

We had to arrive a bit early to get good seats, which meant there was time for some angry birds to fight some pigs.

MS huddles in with Grammy to try to keep warm.

Poppa decides the LED augmented green shutter shades are necessary to really enjoy the fireworks.

RJ starts assembling some of the essentials from the Glow Bag.

The ferris wheel is huge, but luckily the line is not too long.

PA, LR and MS cheer as the ferris wheel starts up!

MS and PA huddle together in the ferris wheel as the fireworks burst in the sky above them.

LR, PA and MS ran out of the ferris wheel to watch the last half of the show outside.

Eventually everything started going off at the same time!

The cousins had a great time... and they left a trail of mayhem and destruction behind them...

Grammy gets some sparklers lit while RJ... Hang on a minute! HEY RJ! STOP TRYING TO SET THE LAWN ON FIRE!

LR attempts to write her first and last names at the same time.

Even Poppa gets into the action.

Auntie Jess and Uncle Nick are back from London! Yaaay!

Grammy came over, bringing along her face paints and a book of great designs to try. LR and I. chose the cat faces.

LR carefully adds some details in the mirror.

Our friend J. helped RJ paint his face as a monster and laid the paint on VERY thick. He looked great, but there'd be consequences later!

LR with her facepaint complete. She is most definitely a practical, jellicle cat.

The two kitties stopped to clean their paws.

The two cats climbed the pillars in our front yard and started miaowing incessently.

After two hours of suffering, RJ was so tormented by the itching, peeling face paint that he could barely move. A quick trip to the bathroom to wash up and the monster problem was solved!

The cats were tearing it up on the dance floor.

We checked out the tour bus, but none of the band members were back in black. RJ thought it rocked anyway.

RJ takes a seat at the virtual AC-DC concert and shook them all night long.

We finished up by heading into the city for some bubble tea and TNT icecream (dynamite!) Thanks Dad!

We visited Grammy for dinner and she bought us some great books! Thanks Grammy!

After spending the night in Denham, we got up early the next morning and drove to Monkey Mia. Every day, a crowd gathers on the shore to wait for a pod of dolphins who have been fed there, every day, for years.

LR and RJ try to spot them from the jetty.

The water was incredibly still and calm... Dad had the rare chance to get some early morning photography done while waiting.

LR stands knee deep in water as the pod arrives.

One of the park rangers hands over some of the delicious booty.

The kids spent some time snorkelling and exploring the shallow waters of the bay.

LR and RJ discovered hermit crabs near the shore... There were hundreds of them!

LR heads off to collect another handful of crabs!

Mom booked us onto a boat cruise. It was a great way to get out into the bay and see some sharks, turtles, dolphins and perhaps even a dugong.

RJ and Dad rode in the net, trying to spot sharks as we cruised the reefs.

The boat stopped by a pearl oyster farm where we learned the ins and outs of farming pearls. As we watched the presentation, RJ suddenly darted forward between the speaker's legs to save this tiny crab from being stepped on.

RJ had an audience as he practiced his surf moves!

On the ride back, LR and Dad made up their own jokes to entertain themselves.

One of the wild dolphins had great fun riding the bow wave from the boat.

Once we left the reef area and returned to deeper water, the captain loaded the net behind the boat with passengers and took off -- the ultimate ocean cold-tub.

The next morning, we were off again, heading north past Carnarvon and on to Gnaraloo Station. We stopped along the way to watch the blowholes, as whales happily flopped about just off the coast. Despite the best efforts from the blowholes, with deafening roars and tremendous columns of water blasting from the rock, the kids were still way more interested in the tidal pools.

LR did her very best to break her ankle by leaping maniacally from rock to rock across the puddles, but failed miserably.

At this point, we had 80 km (50 miles) of this kind of track ahead of us. Every few hundred metres, we would encounter another massive bog which would require getting out and inspecting. We very seriously considered turning around and not continuing on.

We arrived, triumphant, but utterly nervewracked and exhausted. We took our place amongst the four wheel drives and tried to pretend it had been great fun.

At the base of the cliff in front of camp, there's a famous surfing spot. It was pretty spectactular, with great waves rolling in continuously, all day long.

Dog digging competition!!! On your mark, get set, go!

What's that, Mom? The water's a bit cold?

RJ really enjoyed snorkelling too. He spotted all kinds of fish, and thought he had made friends with two, but discovered they were just damselfish trying to scare him away from their algae farm!

At every opportunity, LR hunted for the most precious shells on the sea floor.

At low tide, we could explore the safer sections of the cliff face. There were lots of little caves and rock pools along the way.

We hiked lots of trails around Gnaraloo, climbing cliffs and exploring. It was a terrific place to watch whales happily flop and splash about, with a few showing up every ten minutes or so.

Some awful, terrible, bad parents set an awful, terrible, unsafe example for their children by jumping down into this sea cave to pick up some pretty rocks, and then frantically scrambling out before the waves came crashing into it.

RJ and his new favorite pet... A 'cuddle' fish.

Big news!!! We discovered RJ's first wiggly tooth!

These super cute bearded dragons were everywhere. They were incredibly curious and had absolutely no fear of people, but at the speeds they dart around, they have no reason to be.

Gnaraloo Bay is absolutely stunning -- some of the most spectacular coral and aquatic wildlife in the world, just a metre below the surface of a huge expanse of crystal blue water gently lapping against perfect, white, fine-grained sand, and aside from this amazingly great family that showed up, almost completely deserted.

RJ and LR gathered shells and rocks built an enormous city that spanned the beach.

These huge sand dunes were just a short hike from the campsite.

It took a while to climb to the top; they were bigger than they looked and we were weighed down by an impressive number of dead crabs.

We finally made it to the top, where we watched more whales springing about.

LR and Dad wandered off with their cameras to get some pictures of the surfers. They had to be pretty brave to attempt the entry from the reef into the crashing waves.

The kids made friends with the boys at the neighbouring camp. Ledgy, their dad, even set up a totem tennis set for them, which our kids promptly dominated.

Oh no! Camping hair!!! (and she still looks gorgeous.)

Being wintertime, we were allowed to have a campfire. RJ worked on his marshmallow chargrilling technique.

LR, to Mom's delight, worked on a careful, slow-roasting technique, producing a series of perfectly toasted marshmallows.

RJ's favorite present was this jaw from a 10ft lemon shark.

His other big present was a set of Lego PowerMiners, mostly because it comes with the largest rock monster available.

After school, it was time for RJ's "Not a party" Party in the park. Half the kids joined our train that snaked through the school toward our house.

A big part of your birthday is the birthday hat... RJ decided it was good enough to wear all day long.

LR is happy to hang out with some of RJ's friends... for a little while.

Kid pile-up at the swing!

RJ blows out the candles... Only one girlfriend this year!

Mum hands out the delicious cupcakes that Grammy made.

C and RJ peek over the edge of the slide before disappearing.

Apparently, a slide is the most fun if it has seven people on it.

Later that night, after dinner, we had another cake for RJ.

The next day, RJ invited two of his friends to go to the movies with us.

We always wave to the train drivers as they arrive at the station.

The three guys watch the world cruise by out of the window of the train.

We had fun spinning a huge stone sphere balanced on a fountain. We got it moving really fast!

One the way to the theatre, we stopped to watch a street performer do some amazing juggling tricks.

The kids enjoy the traditional 'Choc Bombs' -- chocolate covered ice cream cones. We used to get them at the movies as kids too!

Off to a cafe for breakfast, where LR tells Mi. all the latest news. Surprise of the morning: both LR and RJ like kippers!

After a great breakfast, we set off together to the Melbourne Museum. At one of the exploring tables, Pa. shows off a deinonychus claw.

LR and Mi. check out an interactive panel about velociraptors.

RJ had a great time identifying the skeletons and was amazed when he spotted the huge pterodactyl hanging at the very top of the room.

Mi, LR and RJ pop their heads up in the middle of an ant's nest!

Auntie Bron and the girls check out the deadly funnel web spiders. Luckily we don't have them where we live.

Mi. considers adopting a Venezualan Sun Tiger for a pet.

Careful LR, I think they've seen you!

Just for fun, RJ crashes an asteroid into Northern Australia.

Mi. and LR check out the near reaches of space in the 360 degree 3d movie.

Mum takes a break under a long-legged friend.

RJ sticks his entire head in the "Clever" tube.

Time for a 3d movie about African animals!

Mi. is doing great at quoits; she only missed a couple of pegs!

LR practices with the hoops, controlling them with her magic powers from across the courtyard.

RJ built himself a new robot body.

The kids line up on the concrete blocks for a quick round of statues!

Mum and Auntie Bron take a supervisory role at the museum playground.

LR loved these enhanced monkey bars -- the arch made it easy for her to practice some of her gymnastics bar routine.

RJ sat at the top of the slide declaring to anyone who approached, '' I'm managing my business. You can do whatever you like, and it wont bother me! ''

We were all ready to go when Pa. ran into a small problem... her legs disappeared! It took ages to find where they had run off to.

Ahhh, Thanksgiving. Delicious as usual!

RJ needs to test the mud at the bottom of the pond manually... despite being told not to... despite the odd stinky smell... despite the availability of sticks for poking the mud... *sigh*

You hear the frogs? Yeah... I hear the frogs... You see the frogs? Nah... I don't see them... Wait a minute! Nope... Still don't see them.

RJ decided to go tree climbing afterward... up a fairly tall tree... on branches extended over large rocks... over a huge slope that dropped away under the tree...

Rach and Mum show off their mad cooking skillz! Turkey and cherry pie? Awwww yeaaaaaaahhhhh....

Anthony prepares for total turkey devastation. Meet... the... Carvinator!

Turkey? Gone... Four different types of pie? Gone... RJ (the bottomless pit) still has room for cherries, though!

LR teaches the east-coast kids the west-coast hopscotch rules... They're WAY harder than normal rules.

LR gets silly for the camera. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Nothing like starting a birthday with a whirlwind of shrieking children wearing underpants outside their clothes and on their heads.

Mum and the kids whipped up a delicious german chocolate cake.

To minimise our greenhouse gas contribution (and avoid the nuisance of having a cake totally covered in candle wax) we do the number of years in binary.

It also makes it a lot easier to blow out the candles!

Time for TOTAL CAKE DESTRUCTION!!! RAAAAAARRGH!

The kids made LOTS of presents: cards, bracelets, necklaces, and even a container for putting stuff in. It was great!

Off to the park across the street for a play. Mum said that dad and the kids needed to get some energy out.

The kids stopped briefly for icy-poles. Dad agreed not to chase them until they were done, but changed his mind half-way through. The best thing about 'Rules Chasey' is that when you're IT, you get to make a new rule or change an old one.

Foolish Dad should have made a 'No climbing out of my reach' rule. He's going to stuck being IT for a while.

Aha! Dad can reach you here! You're in trouble now LR!!!

Dad took LR and RJ on the train into the city to look for a present for Mum's birthday.

RJ brought his pet spider along. He just loves skidding around the department store floors.

Haaaapppyyy birthday to youuuuuuuuu!

RJ and Dad worked together to build this little robot. Mum loves the screeching electronic noises it makes, as well as the fact that it responds to voice commands, but only when shouted at THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS.

LR goes for a super kick at her soccer finals!

Go the mighty Jets!!!

RJ continued bouncing and bouncing and bouncing.

RJ and his favorite trampoline coach. He made her a very special thank you card.

RJ went for his first sleep-over at a friend's place. We got a call from him at 8:30pm saying he was bored and wanted to come home now.

LR and T. spent an afternoon climbing the walls, and discovering magic seeds growing on our tree.

M., C., and RJ enjoyed some killer cupcakes at M.'s birthday party.

RJ (as Cecil the Compsognathus) and LR (as Rapunzel) dressed up as their favorite characters for book day.

Rapunzel considers letting down her hair, before heading off to her ivory tower.

RJ explains to one of his classmates how a compsognathus can escape a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

RJ and C. have taken up jedi training (martial arts) once a week.

Poppa points out some of the finer details of the Iris Award second place winner to Dad's cousin Judith. Dad didn't win, but it was a fantastic exhibition regardless.

Mum had a big surprise when she ordered a margarita for our post-exhibition dinner... It was bigger than her head!