Engagementiversary Date Day

Hi lovelies! As you may already know, Sunday was Jesse and my first year "Engagementiversary" and since we'll only be engaged for one of these - we decided to make a day of it. 

Instead of gifts, we took to our Date Night Jar (really date ideas jar) and we pulled out "Take a trip to a museum". 

Since we'd never been to the Australian Museum, we decided that was the place to go. Tickets were $12 per adult which is relatively cheap - so we hopped on the train and headed off on Sunday morning.

The last time I went to this museum I was 10 years old and my sister and I had convinced my Dad that we needed to go on adventures because my Mum was away on holidays (On a cruise in Asia for her 40th Birthday - her first ever holiday without us since we'd been born) and we were so upset and needed a distraction. Truth is, we were major con-artists and my Dad is a sucker - but we did get our adventures!

I remember being a little bit scared by some of the things - and when we walked into the dinosaurs exhibit - I remembered why... 

What? Are you trying to tell me you don't want to take this guy home? I can't understand why!

The museum has changed a lot in 10 years and they have some pretty cool interactive technology which is great for kids (or Jesse). Sometimes I find myself thinking "Oh, this would be so good if we had kids" or "Maybe we should take xxxx's kids here" - and then I look over and see that big kid, my fiance, doing just what all of the five year olds are doing. Who needs kids? :P 

Don't believe me? Check out this turtle.. 

When we walked into the museum's Search and Discover area, Jesse spotted the giant tortoise shells immediately - and told me he had to get a photo with one on his back. 

We waited for 15 minutes until all the kids and parents were done taking their photos and Jesse jumped right in. 

If you're not a dinosaur fan - don't worry! There's plenty of other exhibits - from Australian Animals to Indigenous Australians to Minerals to Birds and Insects to Skeletons - and a Charles' Addams American Gothic which somehow we managed to miss entirely? (read: we're directionally challenged - and were without a map).

There's also real live animals in some of the exhibits - including these lizards which let me teach Jesse a very important lesson. 

A Blue Tongue Lizard - source

All of a sudden I heard "oh gosh*! there's a snake in there" and when I looked down, I spotted a Blue Tongue Lizard poking his head out of the rock. 

*PG-ifying this statement - gosh wasn't exactly the word but two letters are right ;) 

I reminded him that he'd seen one before (though flattened on the road in the park - where he thought it was a squished snake - he thinks everything is a snake) and told him he better get used to them before one day soon he's mowing the lawn and one juts its head out from the bushes or crosses over him when he walks down the side path. 

That American boy has a lot to learn ;) 

And anyone who doesn't live in Australia - even though Blue Tongues may look a little icky and mean - they don't bite or do anything. They're just big fat lazy lizards that lay in the sun and are commonly found in parks or backyards.

In the Planet of Minerals exhibition - I got to show Jesse what I wanted for my birthday ;) 

But don't worry, I let him off easy - I told him I'd compromise and he could buy me half for my birthday and half for Christmas. In my dreams.

Museums aren't really a place you can go back to again and again unless they change often - but it was really good to walk through and look at all of the different exhibits. Plus, with Jesse being an American, I've gotta teach him about Australia - right?

I'm definitely an outdoorsy person when the weather is nice - so I was super happy when Jesse was happy for us to walk through Hyde Park and the city on what was such a gorgeous Sydney Autumn Day. 

After walking around for a bit, we tried to find a spot to sit and eat lunch which we'd brought from home (though, a detour was had when I saw rats come scampering from a garbage bin and freaked out - I'd never seen that before and it was so gross). 

After eating our lunch, we headed back on the train and walked home (Jesse must have really been trying to please me as he never likes to walk anywhere and always insists we drive - whilst I like to walk everywhere).

The afternoon was spent snuggling with popcorn, movies and our sweet little princess Chanel (who was cranky that she wasn't getting any popcorn). 

Andddd, in case you're like me and looking for a gluten free and soy free popcorn in Australia? Basco have recently released their microwave popcorn and it's pretty good!

This weekend was the first time we tried it and it was a hit. The ingredients are; Popping corn (91%), vegetable oil, salt, colour (annatto), flavour (contains milk). which aren't too shabby so it's definitely a good treat to have around. Plus, if you're like me and often eat your food by yourself, it's nice to have something you can share with others. 
I've also been getting lots of requests for affordable date ideas - so stay tuned! :) I'm planning "date days/nights" with not only Jesse - but my family too - as a way of reconnecting and enjoying the company of the ones I love. 

So tell me, when's the last time you went to a museum?

and any recent foodie finds you're loving? 

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