1. Celebrating NYE 13 hours before the people you are use to celebrating with is weird.  We hosted what we hope to be an annual NYE celebration at our house this year.  It was a fun evening with new friends.  We enjoyed watching the fireworks that were fired from Rottnest Island.  Thanks to the Tafts of Indianapolis for their example of hospitality and generosity.  We look forward to our party being as full and lively as yours always are.  Before the New Year rang in Shay, Reg, Maddie and one of her friend and I walked to the Monument Hill to discover a large gathering of people getting ready to count down to the New Year.  It was exciting to meet folks from the neighborhood and to ring in the New Year.

   
 2. You can go sledding in the summer.  You just need some ice blocks and a hill.  As part of our NYE celebration we bought a few ice sleds to take down the hill.  It was a great time.  I even got in on the fun. 

 3. Australia has Fairy bread. 

 It is white bread, butter and candy sprinkles.  These are in the shape of a dinosaur that was at a birthday party we all attended this week.

4. Always check the price before you purchase something. I went to buy some cough drops and breathe right strips.  They are $13.00 in the states but when the clerk gave me to total for the purchase I thought that the cough drops must be especially expensive.  Imagine my surprise to find that it was the Breath Right strips.  They were $35; almost 3x the cost in the states.  Should have looked first.  

   
5.  New friendships with great families are exciting to watch form.  We spent time with a great family watching fireworks on New Years Day.  They are quickly becoming close friends.  We are grateful to God for all the new friendships He is providing.