Photos!

Right before I had my body lift surgery life got really busy and I didn't get a chance to post some photos that I had put together in a draft. I know we have moved onto a new year now, but I still wanted to post them because I use my blog as my own personal diary to remind me what I did in each year. These are photos from the month before my surgery and some of the funnest times I had in 2012!

MORNINGTON PENINSULA

It was my sister-in-law Connie's 30th birthday so I organised a private little family food and wine tour of the Mornington Peninsula to celebrate. It was such a fun day with lots and lots of good food and wine... and silliness of course.

The early morning bus ride to the Mornington Peninsula, maybe too early for some of us...

 

The first stop was a goat cheese farm, everyone (except me of course) was more interested in playing with the goats

Me and my two sister-in-laws at the first winery (they are the blondes)

 

AJ (left) and my brothers looking a little less enthusiatic about the picture taking

Our group enjoying lunch

Our group being photo whores out the front of a winery

 

Another winery, another tasting...

 

AJ and Juanita pretending to know about wine

 

Enjoying the scenery

 

Connie doing god knows what to that suspicious looking grass sculpture

We had drunk enough wine by this stage to play games on the bus

 

AJ at a cider tasting this time

Slamming down the cider tasting- yum!

 

Oh my god, the best strawberries ever at the strawberry farm

 

We all got an ice cream included in the tour, I think I ate mine and everyone else's too...

TASMANIA HOLIDAY

In late October AJ and I went on a long weekend break to Hobart. We had been to Tasmania last year and enjoyed it so much that we wanted to go back and explore some more. We had another lovely and relaxing trip and we are already planning the next visit!

Being the good Catholic that I am, I had to visit the oldest Catholic Church in Australia

Then the excitement continued with a look at the oldest bridge in Australia...

 

Finally the fun began when we hit some wineries

 

 

Then to our gorgous hotel to get settled for the weekend

 

AJ sitting on the patio of the hotel enjoying the wine and the scenery

 

A trip to the Salamanca markets

 

At the top of Mount Wellington

AJ climbing on rocks... as usual... the wind was so strong up there it literally knocked me over when I tried to climb up

Drinks at a cute bar called Side Car

Before having dinner at the famous Garagistes

A morning walk through the rain at Tahune Airwalk

 

AJ showing off on the air bridge...

Enough with the walking, time for some cheese tasting thank you very much

I so wish I had bought this sticker!

 

A delicious dinner at the hotel

 

Later AJ demonstrated that he has no class-- cannot take him anywhere!

A sad goodbye to our lovely hotel

 

Breakfast... probably the only thing I ate all weekend that didn't involve wine or cheese!

 

The main reason for the trip... MONA (Museum of Old and New Art)

Out the front of MONA

Sampling the wines at MONA before heading to the airport

DERBY DAY

I have only been to the races one time before and that was with work, so not much fun... Seeing as we live so close to the racecourse we decided that we had to attend one of the big races in 2012. We chose Derby Day because it is on a Saturday and it would mean we would have the Sunday to sleep off our hang overs. Plus, it is traditional to wear black and white on Derby Day and we all know that black is slimming!

Getting ready at my place where AJ was the official hair dresser/bartender

Walking into the races and our shoes were already hurting our feet

 

I don't gamble much, but I picked a winner and won $64, this was as exciting as winning a million dollars for me!

Me trying to be classy and drink champagne out of the bottle

 

Connie and Juanita (sister-in-laws) trying to undertsand how the betting works

Me and my high school BFF, Katie, laughing when we were trying to pose for the camera

 

It took about 20 photos to get all four of us in this selfie!

 

As you can see I had another 'big win' as I display my winnings (and arm flab)

 

It was a long day in the sun with a lot of champagne and I promptly fell asleep on my balcony when I got home... at least I crossed my legs...

The others partied on regardless and the boys even joined us (they didn't see the fun in dressing up and paying for drinks at the races when they can drink in their shorts at home for free. Boys...)

Later on AJ grabbed me from the couch and somehow underestimated how light (???) I was and threw me head first into the bookshelves by accident. It was baaaaad... I had to have an ice pack for the rest of the night and a bad bruise and lump for the week after! I had my body lift surgery a few days later and the nurses kept asking me what was wrong with my head.

 

The girls getting their singing on

 

We headed out to a local bar to dance and were pretty much the only people there, but it was still hilarious. AJ took this photo of us walking down the street and I love how his cigarette smoke covers the lense, how very mysterious!

 

The aftermath the next day... fascinators, vodka bottle, a high heel, hair spray, band aides, fake tan... what a night!

Catching AJ eating cold pizza in his underwear behind a tower of empty booze

 

Katie was not feeling it the next day!

 

Me, being the neat freak that I am, had to clean everything before I could even shower