In photos Jan - April 2014

We have a few swings round our place

 We love chipmunks but only during school time so these two can have it all to themselves

 Great Nana and Granddad came too

Grandpa has a pond...and catch n release eels.

 Grannies sheep

The Jane Gifford...had a long trip on that...but DS saw the cement works...

 So we had to spend time there

Bubbles at the caves with Playcentre friends

Swimming lessons for DS

DD sets up a market stall

Dave sorts out a water slide

This was a part of OM...which kind of extended

 Hummm not sure about this...DS despaired with these and came back eating passion fruit

DD painting the phases of the moon

 Meanwhile DS working with a Brain Box electrical set

OM maths for Kindy

OM science and art of leaf stamping

Cat on climbing frame...is often a part of our school day

DD and DS are so proud to finally have 1 chick hatch. This is Sheldon...they want a rooster

DD working our OSCAR juicer and juicing her carrots that she grew in the garden...this is after DS spent most of the day pulling them and eating them on the spot.

DS's best friends 4th birthday party....lots of kids and a bouncy castle.

Harvest gathering...always a wonderful day where we all come together and share food which we've grown. Show our art works and have a good time.

 Some amazing work by friends which DD was really impressed with.

Maths in the Garden...love this book. DD is working out averages. How many seeds in a tomato. First guess was 10..then second was 80... finally she stuck around around 100 which was the best.

 DD insisted that she work with her chickens today

 While DD is working on tomato seed averages. DS is working on balance...was a bit scary at times but this game has gone on for about a month.

Cousins are here staying with G+G

Haemophila camp in the sand pit.

 DS with camp owner taking him on his first ride

 Waiting their turn

 Then the Dads got in on it.

 DD having a go

 Go Dave

DD wanted a chicken cake for her birthday...gulp...I've never been one for sweets baking or anything like that.

 Lovely group of kids

 Party games

 Cousins and mates

 DS best buddies

Taking the cousins through the caves

 On our way out

 Playing on the rocks having a LOT of fun

 The bush walk

15th April 2014 and the weekend

Its a rainy day.
The wind has been blowing.
The kids are all over tired with all the social activities we are doing.

We've had the lead up to DD's 8th birthday with lots of field trips and activities and visits to friends.
Now...

We've had a full on weekend after a full on week.
Finished up Circus School and watched the bigger kids do a unicycle workshop...DD was so excited to have one of the best unicyclists in our little town teaching the kids. DS finally got to do something which not everyone can do ... the spinning plates. The teacher was encouraging and has loaded DS the spinning plate over the holidays to work with. We had a little afternoon tea to break up with.

Straight afterwards some friends of Dave and myself were up for the weekend so off to the Pizza Barn. Wonderful night.

Next morning out to the beach.
We really must get DD and DS into surf school as there was a little issue with a family a little out of their depth. Mother panicked running to us for help. DD and Dave grabbed the boards and rushed to help...me yelling no to DD. All worked out fine but I can see DD has a huge dose of caring in her and will bound into situation again.
Once that was over we had friends over to play all afternoon and evening. Kids showed off their playground and property. DS had a wonderful time in the 'Cat Tunnels' which are little tunnels under the bush just down from our drive. They seem to spend all day there some times with our cat Griffin.

Next day we were off to the waterfalls for a swim. VERY cold! But DD managed to get to the top pool with Dave with an aim of going under the waterfall...not quite yet but nearly there.
Our friends set up an easter egg hunt for the kids and we all spent a long time looking.
Another long playdate after the swimming and a lovely curry to finish the day.

We had been lucky with the weather all weekend...then it started to turn.
Our next activity was to take the nephews to the caves.
The rain and the wind started.
We managed to get to the caves. Took everyone into the main cave and showed them the glow worms.
Once out we had to shoo the horses aside so we could all sit down for lunch. Kids played in the rocks all afternoon. Aunty slipped and dinged her knee. We all headed back for a long cuppa at our place.
Our kids are loving their cousins staying and are very sad that this month is speeding to a close and we'll have to say goodbye soon.

So today...is a slow day
I've got crazy dance sorted for the circle time activity but so far Shadow Lands the movie has been played through twice (Scenic movie of the south island) DS is fixated on it and all its beautiful birds and helicopter rides over the water falls and beautiful music.
We've also been catching water. DD is working on keeping a weather log (not so good at doing it every day as we've been SOOOO busy but its good so far). But DD has caught a bottle and a glass full of 'water from the sky' and then drinking it.
Oh the marble runs and the balance beams and the lego and the caterpillars' on the bench AGAIN! The fruit collection and eating straight from the garden.
The endless washing...I'm glad for a bit of rain to quiet things down.

And...we've almost finished the Famous Five...what to do after that I have no idea.
Well its 8:15 time to start the day with some dance?

Feb-March 2014

It's been a bit of an issue getting photos onto the computer. We've done heaps!

Harvest time....kids spend a lot of time outdoors.

Watching yeast grow...for once it did...they were fascinated.

Ds rolling out his 'c'

Cats and 'c'

We have a juicer named OSCAR...dd is putting her own carrots through...both kids have decided that eating them is far better.

We went on a river boat in warkworth...then kids for Kirrin castle (famous five books) and wanted to share with friends.

Field trip

The older kids explore

Dd and friend discuss how good the concrete is...not good

Class wander 

They spent a lot of time here with lots of different ideas of what it could of been

Duck feeding

Class getting in on it

Pirates...started off with the lesson from OM but once ds stared to make ears out of old t shirts...they became pirates...this game lasted a week.

I want glasses like Daddy...so we made some.

Playing with watercolour and oil...was interesting but not quite right.

Ds splattered most of my kitchen

I don't have any photos as both Dave and I where on the go keeping up with the kids...we went on the haemophilia summer campin Mangawhai. Lots of fun!

Flying fox was a GREAT hit...even little ds went down...camp owner took him down first slowly then he went on his own...he was a bit freeked out I think but went back a few times.

Rounders with heaps of other kids and dads.

Sandpit play

Scooters and bikes...eek a few crashes but that's what helmit s and jeans are for.

Cupcake decoration

Confidence course

And! The cream for dd a surf lesson! She's been wanting to do this for ages!! She was ecstatic. 3 hours with Dave having a go in the middle when she got tired.

Great sport.

Beach field trip with class and cousins from London 

Grandparents look on

Dd catches a shrimp.

Ds has been saving for ages to buy an iPad. He's had enough money for a while but when he was in hospital we let them have unlimited screen time on my iPad ...to the point after 4 days of bed rest he couldn't stand it and didn't want a computer but a parrashute and a skateboard...he kept saving then finally he decided after a few months to buy an iPad.

Making a water clock.

This was the second one we made...first one was drill a hole in a plate and time it sinking.

This project stayed about for a few weeks and even the guy who came to cut the logs up for us got in on it. Lots of discovery here and modification...lots of other kids after school tinkered too.