Wolfla's in Perth

In November Mom and Dad came out for Graham's graduation. We loved having them here. It went too quickly, but I was so grateful to have my parents out to visit twice in 1 year.
During their visit we fit a lot in:

Wolfla & Buchanan family reunion (its not often we all together) Im so glad both my family and Graham's got to be together in 2013. We are spoiled. 

We celebrated Graham's Graduation.

We had Thanksgiving together.

We went on a trip to southern WA.

And we celebrated my Birthday!

It was one big party.

Mom's here!!

My Mom and Mum reunited at my house!

Secret Mom/Mums business. 

We fit everyone in at our tiny apartment for dinner (Graham and I ate on the couch). Mom & Dad, Karen & Stuart, Simon & Hannah.

Dad at his mobile ham station at his apartment in South Perth.

Two brothers.

We went to a show! We saw Crash Course at PICA in Perth's arts and culture district, James Street.

Mom and Dad at their appartment building across from the Perth Zoo in South Perth.

Mum and Son. Celebrating Graham's Graduation Day!

Graham got many beautiful gifts!

We had lots of Champaign at Mom and Dad's apartment before lunch.

We had a lovely time all together Wolfla's and Buchanan's. It went to quickly!

This is Mom making Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment in South Perth.

It took some time and 4 people, but we finally figured out how to use this oven. Here's Mom and Dad putting in some turkey for Thanksgiving.

Mom and Dad really enjoyed eating at our favourite local spot Bocelli's in South Perth. 

We went to the aquarium!! What fun!!

We spent a lot of time just hanging out.

Kit wasn't amused with this photo.  Happy Birthday to me!

Mom enjoyed all the fun and funky Australian plants and trees.

We went for mexican food on my Birthday. I had a lot of margaritas. 

My American pals joined me for my mexican birthday dinner in Fremantle. So good to have expat friends and I am thankful for these two. Sasha and April.

After my birthday dinner we found a huge fig tree decorated for Christmas!

I taught Mom how to play Words With Friends while she was here.

We went and visited my Cousin Debi and her husband Keith. This is Mom and Keith in their backyard in Bald Ivis. 

Dad made friends with little Chelsea the dog. 

Mom and Aunt Dorothy got to have a nice long visit. This is Mom's Aunt Dorothy and my Great Aunt. We are so lucky to have family in WA! A long way from Water Town South Dakota. Both Mom and Aunt Dorothy where born in Water Town.

We spent a lot of time laying by the pool at Mom and Dad's place. Graham took some naps.

We had dinner at our house for our last night together. 

Graham cooked a lamb roast. Dad's favorite!

We even managed a nice family photo with Kit Cat. 

What a wonderful time together. I am so thankful for our family. It might be small, but we have some wonderful people in it. 

Love you guys.

Trip to Denmark & Albany

We got spoiled last November and had my Mom and Dad out visiting us for 3 weeks.
During that time two of our good friends got married down in southern WA in Denmark. This made the perfect opportunity to take Mom and Dad down to see Albany and Denmark. Here are a few photos from our trip!

We arrived in Denmark and stayed a beautiful little cottage on a hill over looking a big bay. It was deep in the woods. Perfect spot for Dad to put an antenna way up in a tree so he could talk on his ham radio. This is an important part of any Wolfla family trip. Arrive at our accommodation and then put up the antenna. 

Graham helped Dad by throwing the antenna wire up into the tall Kerry Trees. It took a few tried but they finally got it.

Mom and I decided to leave the fella's at home to build a fire and continue the ham station set up. We went to the store and got some beautiful WA lamb for dinner.

Lets call these photos, 'how many people does it take to build a fire?'

The wine was good! Denmark is a wine region. Beautiful!  

A fire was achieved! Dad loved getting up and stoking the fire at night just like he did when I was a kid in our log cabin in Indiana. 

The little cabin viewed from the front. 

The next day we went over for brunch at our good friend Christine's home just outside of Denmark. She is a local GP and met Graham during his 2013 rotation in Albany. She has a beautiful home, orchard, garden, chickens, cow (one cow) and alpaca's. We had a great time hanging out at her house, meeting all the animals and seeing the property! 

Dad made friends with both of Christine's cats. (so did I) 

Dad and Graham walking in the mandarine orchard. 

Christine, Mom and Dad meeting the alpacas.

Me and Mom with a Alpaca in the background. 

After brunch with Christine we headed back to the cottage and Graham and I got ready for Will and Erin's wedding!

Some of our good friends! GEMP Class of 2013 & wifes and partners. 

Exchange of rings.

The bride and groom.

Nicki, Erin (bride) & Mary! What beautiful ladies! 

We had a great time at the wedding, it was a perfect afternoon and evening and I am so glad Will & Erin have started their lives together as husband and wife. Truly an inspiring couple. A wedding I will always remember. It was perfectly them. 

The day after the wedding we headed into Albany for some sight seeing and a after wedding BBQ. This is Graham, followed by Mom and Dad at Emu Point. 

We drove out to the Gap and watched the HUGE waves crash into the natural gap. It was an impressive sight. No photo cause a photo can't do it justice. You'll just have to go see it for yourself. Its awe inspiring. 

As we headed away from Denmark & Albany we went to the Tree Top Walk on our way to Pemberton.  We saw the gigantic Red Tingle Trees. Really impressive. More then 30 meters up in the air.

We arrived in Pemberton for the night and stayed at the Kerry Valley Resort. Its a nice place on a lake surrounded by many cabins. Perfect place for the family, lots of activities. It reminded me a lot of places in the states where you can go rent a cabin and take part in swimming, movies, fine dining and water sports. Kind of like camp for families. 

Because there was a lake Graham and I ventured out on a hike with our fishing rods.

On our hike.

We found some huge fallen Kerri Trees.

And we found a waterfall! 

We didn't find any fish.... So we headed home and out for dinner.

On way to dinner Mom and Dad got to see a huge herd of kangaroos. They are really Australian now!

We ate at one of our favourite country hotels. The Pemberton Hotel. I had the smoked trout. The local speciality.  Its so good. I can't wait to go back for more!

That wraps up our Albany, Denmark & Pemberton trip with Mom and Dad! We had a great time, and it went too quickly.

Doctor Graham

Graham's Graduation from Medical School

On November 23rd 2013 Graham graduated from medical school a the University of Western Australia.

Not only did he graduate, he graduated with honours and won 3 out of 7 of the awards being offered to students with outstanding exam results.  By the time they announced that he had won a third prize I was still in shock that he had won a second! Our families had much to be proud of that day!! 

For the graduation celebration we welcomed Graham's Mum and Dad, Karen and Stuart, his brother and his girlfriend, Simon and Hannah, as well as my parents from Indiana Hank and Pat. It was a true blessing to have our families together to celebrate such a momentous achievement. We were all so proud as punch to be there and celebrate Graham on the day. 

Class of 2013 - UWA - All new Doctors!!

Graham with his parents (in order) Pat, Karen, Graham, Stuart and Hank 

after the Graduation ceremony November 23rd 2013 UWA Campus near the reflection pool.

Shaking hands with his very proud Father in-law Hank.

Graham celebrating with one of his good mates Dr. Jason. AKA Panda

We had quite the weekend that weekend, I had been planning a graduation party for Graham all year. Together with our Como Bowls Club friends, and the help of my mothers I was able to throw Graham a fantastic graduation party on the evening of November 24th. 

My good friend Sarah was in charge of catering (which was delicious with roast beef, pork, and salads). I was so grateful to her for diving in and taking that element off my hands. Graham's Mum got a beautiful sign made (which you can see below) and also made a cake for the occasion which she carried over from Sydney fully decorated!!

My Mum in-law and my Mom did lots of salad cutting and helped me decorate the bowls club for the festivities. (My Mom had been mailing me decorations from the USA earlier in the year). Along with many other helpers from the club, who without their help I could not have had been able to through such a wonderful party.

We had a raffle at the party and raised $400 for a NSW wildlife charity supporting bushfire victims. The big item on the raffle was a raised garden bed graciously given to us from a sponsor of the Como Bowls Club. Our good friend Peter Edmonds took the garden bed home at the end of night. What a prize for only a $5.00 donation! 

We had dinner and speeches from Graham's Mum and Dad, and my Dad. I also told our guests about what living with a medical student is like. It was a great occasion to thank all of our guests at the party who have supported Graham and I over the past 4 years. We were so grateful to all who were able to come, and thought of many of our friends and family who were not able to attend but sent Graham their best wishes. 

It was a wonderful evening with a surprise performance from Latin Dance Productions in Perth, and a free dance lesson for all!

Graham's Mum's speech: She had a suitcase full of props symbolising all the jobs Graham has had over the years, as you can see he was covered in the props by the end of the speech. We auctioned off all the props for more donations at the end of her speech! What fun! 

Latin Dance Productions performing for our guests! Sharing in our celebrations! 

Dance class!!

Graham thanking everyone at the end of the night.

Our friend John at the bowls club made us a video of the party. The link is below. 

(If your wondering why there is pictures of a plastic bag at the end of the video, its the food scraps John put on the worm farm behind the bowls club at the end of the night) 

Its just that kind of place!

Graduation Party Video Here!

Im so proud of you Graham. I love you, your future is bright. 

No matter the challenges ahead I believe in you. 

You got this.

Goings On

Hey There,

Its been awhile since I posted. Its been a trying couple of months for me and Graham so we have been hovering under the radar. We entered into the world of IVF last month with no success... But we will try again. Unfortunately I would not recommend the process, its not fun, makes you feel terrible and out of control, and then when you think its bad it gets worse cause it hurts. Not just physically but emotionally as well. I hope the next year brings us some success, cause I plan on sticking with it for a little while. Lets see what the future brings.

I thought I would post a couple of picture and make this post a photo blog!

 My Aussie Mum Karen came for a visit over the 4th of July, we had a great time with her and I was so happy she could make a trip out to see us. As you can see she fit right in down at the Bowls Club.

 Celebrating 4th of July with my Mum!

 Mother and Son in Fremantle WA

 Graham always says he doesn't like Macs, but here he is looking at my work computer in the living room.

 We had a wonderful evening with our friends Sue and Peter on their property in the hills outside Perth. They treated us to a yummy dinner and log fire, in the morning we took a tour of their beautiful property. We are blessed to have such good friends.

 Graham asleep on my lap, almost as bad as the cat.

 In July we celebrated 8 years of marriage! Im so glad I found Graham all the way on the other side of the world. He is my best friend and a wonderful partner and husband. I wish every girl could have such a loving and supportive man in their lives... But I am never giving up my man. He's the best! Love you tons Grazy!

 Me and my cat child Kit. He has been enjoying time outside in the garden this winter, and chaperoned visits to the side garden. He loves to nap in the big ferns, I can hardly see him and he thinks its a wonderful hiding place. This is us having a cuddle in bed. Love my kitty!!

 This is a duck at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup where I gave my first University lecture this month on linking dance to thematic ideas in the primary (elementary) classroom. It went really well and I was tickled pink to have been asked!

 Classic winter scene at our house. Kit and I enjoying the heater. 

 Swan River sunsets in Como near my home. I walk/run along the river frequently and love to see the big pelicans and black swans down there. In the photo you can see a pelican flying. This is the Como Jetty.

 Kit and I up to our same old tricks. He loves a good head rub, and will do anything for a neck scratch. You know he is enjoying it when the slobbering begins. 

I saved this American Flag about 6 years ago when I first came to Australia. It was used in a show I was stage managing, and the production team was going to through it away. So I did the right thing and bought it for $15.00, cause thats the American way. I take it out for special holidays, but this week I hung the old flag up on our clothes line to get some fresh air. I miss America and my family and friends very much. Although I live in Australia and I am grateful for my life here, underneath I am still red, white and blue. 

So thats whats been going on. 

Hope you and yours are well!

Mary