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

School hols

LOVE ending a term with sunshine & a volcano!

July 3, 2010July 3, 2010 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Life in action - Videos, School hols

Term 2 finished on a high note yesterday, with sunshine… … berry smoothies and a ride on the camel at Maranui in Lyall Bay… The car was loaded up with scooter, bike and roller blades and a ‘Violent Volcano‘ (see video at end of post! Thanks Chicken Grandma & Grandad – the volcano rocks!). Looking […]

Continue reading


This week’s for keeps :)

April 15, 2010April 15, 2010 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments School hols

I wish this week would never end. It’s been full of creativity, laughter, sunshine and cosy evenings. The day’s aren’t yet cold (or windy) enough to force us inside and the darker evenings are still a novelty to cosy up and enjoy. We’ve not had to run for the school bell and pack little boxed […]

Continue reading


Swinging clip folk and clocks

April 10, 2010May 27, 2010 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Art, Charlotte, Life in action - Videos, School hols, Sophie

Charlotte has been busy creating fun swinging clip folk and clocks this week. My favourite is the robot she made for me, which I’ve pinned in the kitchen. In my dreams the robot comes to life and performs the tasks Charlotte has set for it to do: ‘Do all the housework’, ‘Make breakfast’, ‘Tidy up’ […]

Continue reading


Perfect Friday Out and About

April 9, 2010April 9, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments School hols

Today was a perfect Friday – for those of us not having to work that is. Whilst Dan was extremely busy meeting deadlines, his girls were lapping up the Autumn sunshine. He’s been cycling to and from work most days, but this morning we drove him in and enjoyed a cuppa. We’re so loving the […]

Continue reading


Masked Fun at Capital E

April 9, 2010May 27, 2010 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Art, School hols

Capital E always pulls out the stops to entertain children over the school holidays. We spent Thursday morning making masks and enjoying the wonderful ‘Commedia Dell’Arte Performance’, a form of mask theatre that evolved in Italy, influencing early clowning and ballet. We had a very fun morning of inspiration and comedy. Here’s the girls creating […]

Continue reading


Pirate’s Cove Mini-golf

April 9, 2010 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment School hols

On Easter Monday, after swimming at the wave pool, we had a great time with a friend at Pirate Cove’s mini-golf in Porirua. Charli scored a hole in one on the first hole! After that the competition was on. Dan got a hole in one and did the ‘moon walk’ to celebrate, which left Sophie […]

Continue reading


Easter weekend pool fun

April 9, 2010April 15, 2010 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Life in action - Videos, School hols

Most of the Easter weekend, aside from consuming chocolate, was spent at the swimming pool. On Friday and Saturday we visited our local pool in Kilbirnie (the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre and Spray Pool) and on Monday we went to the wave pool in Porirua. Both the girls are loving swimming and started lessons again […]

Continue reading


Bon Voyage Granddad

February 8, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments School hols

We sadly bid farewell to Granddad last night. We have enjoyed the most incredible time together and we were all a little teary saying goodbye. We have promised to take good care of Grandma and will be sure to give her lots of big cuddles. Unfortunately he has to return to work and we know […]

Continue reading


The last two day’s of our Wairarapa weekend…

February 7, 2010 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Holidays, School hols

were extremely wet! Our hopes of visiting Riversdale Beach were completely washed away when the rain set in on Sunday morning and didn’t stop till midday Monday. Thankfully, Masterton has a brilliant swimming pool, complete with hydro-slide and lazy river (and a nice spa pool for the adults) so we soaked up the water in […]

Continue reading


Legend, history, remarkable rocks & sandy beaches…

February 3, 2010February 3, 2010 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Holidays, School hols

all come together at Castlepoint, where we spent the second day of our weekend away in the Wairarapa. Only a 12 minute drive from our holiday cottage on Tinui Station we packed up the car and set off. We’ve lived in Wellington for over ten year’s but have never made it to Castlepoint. We’ve heard […]

Continue reading


Over the hill and not so far away…

February 2, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Holidays, School hols

lies the sweeping rural beauty of the Wairarapa. We left on Friday in the most glorious sunshine.  Our destination Poplar Cottage on the historic 19th Century Tinui Station, on the Castlepoint Road from Masterton. Enroute we stopped at Kaitoke Regional Park to stretch our legs, test out the swing bridge and watch numerous folk bravely […]

Continue reading


Sunshine and Fog

January 28, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments School hols

On Tuesday we headed out to the Botanical Gardens in gloriously, hot sunshine. We parked at the top of the cable car, with a plan to walk all down hill, via the playground, duck pond, Sound Shell, Rose Gardens and into the city, before riding the cable car back up. However, poor Sophie had a […]

Continue reading


Fun at the Races & Blueberry Stuffing!

January 28, 2010 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment School hols

On Monday, Wellington Anniversary Day, we headed over to Trentham Race Course for the family day. We’d never been before, but thought the girls would enjoy it and there was so much free entertainment for children. Adults cost $10, children free and all the activities were free! So they had a fabulous time on the […]

Continue reading


Bubbles, horses & fun on the farm

January 28, 2010 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment School hols

I read in the newspaper last week that when there’s lots of moisture in the air it’s perfect for making bubbles, as Alan McKay demonstrated in Wellington on Friday. On Sunday morning the girls raced out the kitchen door into the garden and delighted in bubbles sticking to plants, the walls of the house and […]

Continue reading


Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts
Search for:

Archives

  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • September 2024
  • May 2024
  • March 2024
  • August 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • July 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005
  • December 2004
  • November 2004
  • October 2004
  • September 2004
  • August 2004
  • July 2004
  • June 2004
  • May 2004
  • April 2004
  • March 2004
  • February 2004
  • January 2004
  • December 2003
  • November 2003
  • September 2003
  • August 2003
  • July 2003
  • June 2003

Meta

  • Log in
  • 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)
© Sarah A. Lee and Catching the Magic, 2003 to 2026 inclusive. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sarah A. Lee and Catching the Magic with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress