Windsor is a short drive from my folks home, in North Hampshire, and a few days after landing in the UK they took us to see Windsor Castle. We didn’t have time to look around the inside of the castle, but young Alice, aged 6, was more than content. She was delighted to have a […]
We landed in London on Thursday, after three flights from Wellington, New Zealand, taking some serious flying hours! It’s just Alice and I on this trip, whilst my older two daughters are at home with their Daddy. Alice is such a happy and positive travel companion. We managed to get a good stint of sleep […]
It was such a mild Autumn that I wasn’t prepared for winter and its dark nights. I always struggle when there’s less hours of light in the day to play with. If I don’t get out for a day or two I feel like curling up in bed and not emerging till spring. It’s a […]
Dear Imagination, I see you every day in my child’s eyes, in her creative play and questions, in the songs she sings and stories she tells, straight from the heart, with natural ease. Her mind has no limits, she can travel through changing dimensions, shape shifting her body through time and space. Today, on the […]
Carlucciland never loses its appeal. We drive past it every day on the way to school and my six year old, in particular, always asks when we can fit in a game. Well, today, with hubby keeping our ten year old and her friend amused (with a lovely trip over the hill to Martinborough for […]
Dear Alice, What a celebration you have had! You woke on the morning of your 6th Birthday, stretched up with your arms and said, ‘My, I have grown!’. And yes, you really have. This past year and a half, since arriving back from our amazing experience living in California (which you still talk about with […]
The weather in Wellington this summer school holidays has so far been very kind to us and it’s been perfect for getting outdoors and exploring the copious number of regional parks, town belts walks and nature centres. Having my parents to visit, all the way from the UK, has been an extra motivator to get […]
The new ‘Meet The Locals‘ area at Wellington Zoo is a lovely space for children and families. The natural landscape has been planted with lots of native tree saplings and vegetation, with the first ‘locals’ to meet being the little blue penguins that populate Wellington’s rocky shores. There is a slide to speed through, a […]
When my youngest daughter, Alice, heard that Wellington Zoo had five new otters come to live there, she was so excited to go and visit them. As the zoo is only a short, five minute, drive from our home – and we have an annual pass – we had good reason to pop by the zoo […]
Dear Alice, Since turning five you’ve accomplished so much in your young life. Seeing you head off to school with such confidence and independence has filled me with many moments of deep pride (and a few Mummy tears!). I wasn’t sure how you would adjust to school life, having never been to any type of […]
Black and white is the theme this week on ‘The Photo Gallery’ and it is especially poignant as I struggle to let my youngest child ‘go’, and settle her into school. I feel like my wild butterfly is being closed up in a box, of sorts, and having her wings clipped. The vibrant colours of […]
There have been so many momentous changes in our family life this year so far. This week, by far, has been the biggest. I have experienced, for the first time in nearly twelve years, having all three of my daughters AT SCHOOL! I have soooo many feelings about this. My emotions are on a non-stop […]
Wellington’s coastline is a rugged one, with a mix terrain of beaches, from sandy to pebbled and everything in between. There are well known bays and others so small they have no mapped name, but are undoubtedly given names with affection by locals. This past week we’ve taken a few strolls from our home to […]
Wellington to Martinborough, in the Wairarapa, is a one and a half hour drive, skirting the beautiful Wellington harbour, continuing along the highway, through Lower and Upper Hutt, before reaching the beautiful area of Kaitoke Regional Park and then ascending the Rimutaka Hill on State Highway 2. There are a couple of beautiful places to […]
