Is It All In My Head

School Holidays :-)

Today is the first day of the school holidays, so Andrew took one for the team and took the girls to Rainbows End.  They were so excited last night that we were very nervous that the weather was going to rain on their parade, but luckily the rain held off until this evening, and they had a fantastic time.   Madeleine managed to fall over twice and come home with massive plasters on each knee, so Andrew learned his way to the first aid room, and Lucia came home with her face pink with candy floss.

Lucia rode the Pirate Ship 11 times, so obviously doesn’t take after me in the motion-sickness stakes, but decided she is not old enough for the Roller Coaster, so must have got some sensible genes from somewhere.  Madeleine did ride the Roller Coaster once but given the chance to do it again, decided she’d had enough.  They stayed til closing time and had a ball.  Now we’ll just have to weather all the requests for a return visit, til the next school holiday!  More photos after the jump.

Read more of this post

Lucia’s Assembly

Lucia’s class hosted the junior school assembly on Friday and each girl got a turn to speak in front of the school. Lucia had the responsibility
of saying a prayer for pets. She read very confidently, and sounded kind of grown up to me! Andrew was there to capture it for posterity – enjoy!

Lucia also got a special award on the following Monday for playing the violin and singing to the class…see below!

Cornwall Park September 2011

I know I’ve banged on about this before, but I really love Cornwall Park.  Only 10 minutes drive from our house, it’s a huge park in central Auckland that has given the girls many hours of entertainment.  We visited at the weekend, and were a little early for most of the cherry blossoms, but the girls had a great time playing anyway.  The buds are out and turning green at their tips, so we’ll be back soon.

Girls at Cornwall Park

Read more of this post

RWC Opening Night

On Friday 9 September the Rugby World Cup opened in Auckland.  There was a huge public party down at the waterfront, and we decided to jump on a train and join in.  In all honesty, the less said about this experience the better.  The organisers totally underestimated the number of people who would go into the city – and so did we.  So at the first opportunity we escaped and were lucky enough to be able to visit a friend in Parnell to watch the spectacular fireworks display that so many in the city had been looking forward to.

It was fantastic and we were really relieved that we managed to salvage something from the evening.  Actually the girls overall had a good time, partly because they got to go to bed so very very late.   They were allowed to stay up and watch the whole opening game, faithfully chanting “All Blacks All Blacks” to the very end, and are now overnight rugby fanatics. For the next six weeks anyway.  Photos are in reverse order – because the best bit was the last bit.

RWC Opening Night - Fireworks from Parnell

Read more of this post

Spring at Herne Bay

This morning I ventured down a little path to the beach at Herne Bay and found a gorgeous wee bay that I didn’t even know existed.  It was an amazing spring day, warm and sunny and still, and I spent over an hour just sitting in the sun reading my book.  I think I should make it my mission, on days when I’m fit and well, to find new places I’ve never been.  Should be easy, Auckland’s a big city.

Herne Bay morning sun

Read more of this post

Polar Plunge at Mission Bay

Last weekend some mad people decided to run into the sea at Mission Bay, all for a free pie as far as I can see, and a bit of fun (I guess), and co-incidentally we happened to be there at the time.  There was a bit of entertainment (magician making balloon toys, pies for sale etc) so the girls had a good time watching the polar plungers, making a sandcastle, and so on.  Another stunning Auckland day – cold but beautiful.

Sandcastles at Mission Bay

Maddy with balloon snake at Mission Bay

Girls watching Polar Plunge at Mission Bay

Wynyard Quarter – At last, Auckland has a waterfront!

Recently Auckland opened the wonderfully revamped Wynyard Quarter, an area next to the more adult-focussed Viaduct, that was previously not open to the public.  I think its a waterfront that finally does justice to Auckland, the City of Sails.

It has a fantastic playground, complete with paddling pool, basketball area, huge sandpit, loads of places to eat and a big bridge that opens to allow boats to pass through to the Viaduct marina.  The girls have been twice now – once with Andrew on the opening day (this was cold, so they are wearing coats on their ride on the tram), and the second time on a beautifully sunny day with the whole family.

Girls on the tram at Wynyard Quarter

Climbing frame at Wynyard Quarter

More pictures after the jump. Read more of this post

BBQ at the Beach

On Sunday, the last day of the school holidays, we were lucky enough to have a beautiful day in Auckland, although it was freezing. We headed down to Okahu Bay for an early dinner, cooking snarlers and kebabs on one of the free gas BBQs that are dotted around Auckland.  The girls collected shells and “lava rocks” from Rangitoto (last erupted 500 years ago), which you can see in the distance.  We finished with a play at the park across the road, and then home.

Okahu Beach

►

Bewigged

I’ll soon be wearing a wig, but today it was dress-up time for the girls, trying on my new wig for me.  I think it looks pretty good on me, but it gave me a laugh seeing it on the girls, so it might give you a laugh too.

Whiritoa July 2011

We are lucky enough to be staying at our wonderful friend’s bach at Whiritoa again these holidays.  We last came here in Easter 2010 and had a lovely time.  Its definitely not warm enough to swim in the lagoon this year, but there is still plenty to do.   Read more of this post