Catching the Magic

Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!

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Month: October 2008

Days like these remind me why I heart Wellington

October 31, 2008September 11, 2010 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

There are always ups and downs and I have them aplenty. It wouldn’t matter where I lived, I’d still have them. Sometimes, it’s easier to blame where I am for the downs and not ‘where I’m at’ personally. Often, it’s ‘me’ that’s the problem and not the surrounds. Though when a cold southerly batters our […]

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A little planting between the partying

October 29, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

Well it wasn’t all play on Labour Weekend, there was a little work too – though planting seedlings in the garden hardly felt like real ‘work’ – more like therapy. Dan took the girls out again on Sunday ‘avo (after a morning together of Pirate Ship mini-golf and swimming at the wave pool in Porirua). […]

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Labour Weekend: Party Time!

October 28, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Sarah

Labour Weekend in Wellington brought typical Spring weather with four seasons in a day, from wind and rain to glorious sunshine and fun in the garden. The origins of Labour Day in New Zealand can be traced back to the eight-hour working day movement that arose in the newly founded Wellington colony in 1840, primarily […]

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Proud of my home-town

October 22, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Blasts from the past, Sarah

I was so fortunate to grow up in a lovely area of Hampshire, England, with rural villages aplenty. From an early age we felt safe to take off on our bicycles with friends along the country lanes and along the Basingstoke Canal. My father would take my sister and I on 16 mile bike rides […]

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Being Strong

October 21, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Sarah

When my children are upset I don’t always find it easy to stay strong. This morning my oldest was extremely anxious about school swim class. She’s only been at school a term and this was to be her second swim lesson. She normally loves the water and we visit the local pool at least once […]

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Look! No Stabilisers!

October 19, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Charlotte, Life in action - Videos

Well done Charli! You cracked it in under a week! After a few days of pushing off with your feet, and gliding around the house, you decided the recreation centre was the place to really go for it. You calmly turned to Daddy and said, ‘Just hold the saddle whilst I get my feet up […]

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Free

October 18, 2008October 18, 2008 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Charlotte, Sarah

I wanted to be free today, to wander aimlessly and have random conversations. To sit in a bar on my own and talk to strangers. To be a tourist in my own city – Wellington – I can do that. So, after a lovely morning of ballet and family fun at Waitangi Park, Dan headed […]

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Look-alike Meter

October 17, 2008October 17, 2008 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

MyHeritage: Family tree – Genealogy – Celeb – Collage – Morph MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter – Genalogy – Family tree diagram The results have an element of truth. Charli is so like me – sensitive, creative, likes to eat Marmite, cheese and tomato sauce. She also has overcrowded teeth along the bottom and will definitely need […]

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Term 3 – we’ve arrived!

October 16, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

We’re into the sunshine term of hat wearing and late evenings. Early bedtimes for the girls are harder to achieve with sunlight streaming through the curtains. The garden is such a wonderful temptation and hard for them to resist. I’m having to work extra hard to ensure a proper ‘wind down’ at the end of […]

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Wordle

October 14, 2008October 14, 2008 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Sarah

Get your own ‘Wordle‘! Another delightful time waster! 🙂 Explore and have fun!

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Is this when we start turning grey?

October 13, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Sophie

Be afraid, be very afraid… this petite 2 and 3/4 year old isn’t scared of heights (or much else!). Term 3 started today for Charli. Dan started work late to help with the school run and dropped one happy girl off at class. Afterwards we drove Dan into the city and stopped by Waitangi Park […]

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Road trip – The End!

October 12, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Holidays

Are you bored yet?! Hopefully the girls will appreciate all my efforts one day when they’re old enough to read! Here’s the final part of our holiday… phew it really was a whistle stop tour. When we arrived in Napier we were ready to chill out. As we drove into the Hawkes Bay we felt […]

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A week on the road – Part two

October 10, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Holidays

We arrived in Taupo on day three of our holiday, after an energetic morning on the ski slopes, and as we drove up to the Anchorage we were filled with memories of our amazing January holiday with ‘Chicken’ Grandma and Grandad. They were in our thoughts every day and the wonderful memories made us feel […]

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A week on the road and detoxing: Part one

October 10, 2008June 10, 2010 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Holidays

The detox is now over (from booze, blogging and other unmentionables!). The flu is behind us. We had a fabulous week on the road in this beautiful country. Wellington is a great city and we often don’t feel like we need a holiday; but when we get on the road we realize how much we […]

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Recent Posts

  • WAI2K 50km trail adventure, November 2024! February 20, 2025
  • Visits back to the UK aren’t always a holiday – when those you love aren’t well. February 6, 2025
  • Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a long weekend on the Gold Coast – June 2024 January 6, 2025
  • ‘Last time’ moments on a spring visit to the UK, May 2024 January 2, 2025
  • Race Tekapo 50km September 29, 2024
  • Running the stunning Motatapu Trail Marathon May 30, 2024
  • 50km for 50 years! How I saw in the first day of my fifties running the 50km Faultline Ultra! May 21, 2024
  • Six month catch up! March 9, 2024
  • Ten blissful days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. August 8, 2023
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration August 7, 2023
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon! May 10, 2023
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles! April 4, 2023

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