Catching the Magic

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

  • Home
  • About
  • Blasts from the past
  • Country Kids
  • Motherhood
  • Poetry
    • 2011 Poetry
    • 2012 Poetry
    • 2013 Poetry
    • 2014 Poetry
    • 2015 Poetry
    • 2016 Poetry
    • 2017-2018 Poetry
  • Travel
    • Auckland
    • Fiordland
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Cook Islands
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • NZ to UK, with our 9 month old, 2004
  • Running
  • Special Days

Author: BritMumInNZ

Finding Love

February 5, 2013February 7, 2013 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Life in action - Videos, Loving & Not Loving

Some weeks are harder than others – that’s just life. Last week, with the man of the house away on business, my children weren’t quite themselves. There was no time for me to mope about, but rather I had to ‘step-up’ and be strong for them (not that I felt very strong) – particularly for […]

Continue reading


The Gallery | Bond

January 31, 2013February 1, 2013 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Alice, photography

The youngest of my three daughters, Alice, has an incredible bond with her Grandfather. She runs to her Grandma with equal affection and words of love, but the laughter and smiles on her face, when she’s with her Granddad, are something saved just for him. When they can’t be together they chat away on ‘Skype’, […]

Continue reading


Scorching Wednesday in Wellington

January 30, 2013January 30, 2013 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment photography

It’s too hot for many words (and too hot for clothes!), so here’s a few captures from my day… The most beautiful school run, along Wellington’s south coast. With hubbie away, I’m on duty, leaving the house before 8am to make it to school on time for 8.20am. My non-schooling daughters joining their big schooling […]

Continue reading


Little Miss Explorer – Wellington’s South Coast

January 28, 2013 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Alice

Every Sunday, throughout the summer, there’s a special place in Island Bay that we often visit. Its flags flutter, in the almost certain breeze, and giant fish kites welcome passers by into the old bait house that is now a treasured centre of marine education for locals and visitors alike. Located on the shores of […]

Continue reading


Taking the blows. The love of a mother.

January 27, 2013January 28, 2013 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Charlotte, Learning & growing

This afternoon the man of the house flew to America on business for eight nights. My oldest daughter, who turns ten this year, was beside herself. She clung to his leg with all her strength, so hard that he couldn’t prise her off – and how could he – his heart was hurting too. How […]

Continue reading


Summer Saturday on Wellington’s South Coast with family

January 26, 2013January 27, 2013 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments School hols

Today was all about water. It started with a bath – when Miss 2, Alice, discovered an old Thomas Tank Engine bath toy (in much need of a scrub) and persuaded me to run a bath (and scrub the toy), which we then wallowed in for half an hour. After the bath she wondered into […]

Continue reading


Loving the last week of the school holidays

January 25, 2013January 25, 2013 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Loving & Not Loving, School hols

Miss 9 returns to school on Monday. She’s all stocked with her stationery booty and has new buttons sewn on her blazer (thanks Granddad – he’s also fixed two door handles, replaced a broken toilet seat and countless other ‘to dos’ around the house!).  She’s been setting her alarm to get in training (hope the […]

Continue reading


ADVENTURE this week for The Gallery

January 23, 2013February 20, 2025 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Blasts from the past, Holidays, photography

Our family is home after a holiday in beautiful Picton and Nelson, New Zealand. We had a blast, especially with Grandma & Granddad over from the UK. As for an adventure? Well, perhaps not so much for us oldies (given we had young children stopping us from too many extended, wild adventures), but more of […]

Continue reading


Holiday loves from Nelson

January 18, 2013 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Holidays, Loving & Not Loving, Sarah

Time has to be the biggest love of any holiday for our family. No matter where we are, no matter the weather (though sunshine for at least half the holiday is preferable), it is time that holds the highest value. Time to talk idly over coffee or dinner. Time to play. Time to amble at […]

Continue reading


Things I’m Loving: Creative loves

January 11, 2013January 11, 2013 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Art, Loving & Not Loving, School hols

Lots of creative fun in the house this week, as well as enjoying having Grandma & Granddad over from the UK. Loved painting young Alice’s face and watching her reaction to my artwork on her face! Loved the photos Grandma & Granddad took of a trip into Wellington on the bus, with Charlotte & a […]

Continue reading


Things I’m Loving this first week of 2013

January 7, 2013January 7, 2013 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Loving & Not Loving, School hols

In our little corner of the world – Wellington, New Zealand, the New Year started with a roar of strong winds on the 2nd of January, which quickly abated to give us the most glorious sunshine weekend to start the year with. I can’t remember the last time I saw Wellington’s beaches so busy. I […]

Continue reading


Super Grandparents are in the House!

January 4, 2013January 4, 2013 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment School hols

How many grandparents would step off a plane, after travelling from the UK to Wellington, New Zealand, non-stop (two looooong international flights and one domestic) and handle a full day with three energetic granddaughters – with NO nano nap?! My grandchildren have SUPER Grandparents (but – they just don’t know it… yet!). One day, in […]

Continue reading


Reflecting on 2012 & welcoming 2013

January 1, 2013January 1, 2013 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Blasts from the past, Sarah

The year started on holiday in a bach on the Kapiti Coast with Grandma and Granddad visiting from the UK and got off to an energetic start with hubbie getting a paddle board for Christmas and me taking to the surf on it at our local surf beach. It was also a year of ‘firsts’ […]

Continue reading


Things I’m Loving this Christmas Holiday Week in New Zealand

December 29, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Loving & Not Loving, Sophie, Special Days

Top of the list, of things to love, has to be having the man of the house home all week – and rolling into half of next week too! It makes such a huge difference having him home and we are having so much fun (and craziness) that comes with having three highly energetic daughters! […]

Continue reading


Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Archives

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

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (51) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (71) Country Kids (59) family (117) family time (57) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (133) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (62) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (50) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (33) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)
dazzling Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress