Catching the Magic

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

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Sophie

Christmas Carols & Writing Workshop: Let’s Get Lyrical

December 2, 2010December 3, 2010 BritMumInNZ 8 Comments Alice, Sarah, Sophie, Writing

In the boxes of decorations that we unearthed from under the stairs we discovered our wonderful collection of Christmas books and Christmas music.  We have books that tell the story of the birth of Jesus and the journey Mary and Joseph had to make to Bethlehem; board books for Alice to discover the joys of […]

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1 December and up she goes!

December 1, 2010December 3, 2010 BritMumInNZ 12 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Sophie

With all three of my lovely cherubs at home with snuffly summer colds today we  took the opportunity to dig out the Christmas decorations from under the stairs. It was fun, messy and a little bit tiring… The big boxes made for some fun dens and helped to keep Alice distracted long enough for me […]

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I Am: ‘Sleep is for the Weak’ Writing Workshop

November 25, 2010November 26, 2010 BritMumInNZ 12 Comments Sarah, Sophie, Writing

I Am Alive in the moment. Engaged in the now. A body of excitement, Bathed in the sun’s glow. Traces of the sea, stay to play. As my skin drips, with jewels of spray. The taste on my tongue is salty sweet, Whilst waves of foam crash at my feet. I giggle as the surf […]

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After school Monday at the beach

November 15, 2010 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

Summer is rolling towards us like a beach ball and today we enjoyed one (of hopefully many) impromptu after school trips to the beach. The back of the car is being transformed into a shrine of beach worship with all the essential ingredients for impromptu after school visits. Buckets, spades, towels, changes of clothing, hats, […]

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The Gallery (Week 35): Before and After

November 14, 2010November 15, 2010 BritMumInNZ 18 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Dan, Garden, Our pets, Sarah, Sophie

In the past four years, since we moved into our new home, there has been much growth. The garden, once a section with nothing much than a lot of grass and a couple of trees now looks lush and inviting. A little 9 month old Sophie, that chuckled in her Daddy’s arms on the swing […]

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Loving and NOT Loving Today; from blissful naps to burnt scones

November 4, 2010November 4, 2010 BritMumInNZ 19 Comments Alice, Baking, Loving & Not Loving, Sophie

LOVING listening to my intuition. This morning I phoned my Mum in the UK on impulse and she said, ‘I was just thinking of you!’. The miles and miles between us evaporated in a moment. The strong bond between mother and daughter struck a chord of connection on the heart strings. LOVING watching baby Alice […]

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Wardrobe & Wordless (well a few!) Wednesday

November 3, 2010 BritMumInNZ 13 Comments Sarah, Sophie

My wardrobe this week has gone from one extreme to the other. From a cocktail dress in honour of the wonderful Cocktails at Naptime book (and I ended up having to change an exploding nappy whilst dressed in my finest!) to ‘Hat Friday‘ when the opportunity for a shower completely bypassed me and a nap […]

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Running in the spring sunshine

November 2, 2010November 2, 2010 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Garden, Sarah, Sophie, Writing

There’s a feeling in the air, Which tints fair skin that’s bare, Turns pretty petals to its stare, And makes children want to run without a care. The school field fills with bare footed running, On daises and clover that bows to their chanting, Potato and spoon races, high jump and long jump, Sack races […]

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Fresh eyes on new life at the Zoo

October 30, 2010October 30, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

Our local Zoo is a short ten minute drive away and with our annual passes we often pop in for a short walk. It’s not so much the animals we always come to see, but the natural setting of the Zoo. Set on a hill, overlooking Wellington city in the distance, it is a pleasant […]

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All the fun of the fair with a touch of spooks!

October 30, 2010 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

Off to the school fair we went, carrying our contribution for the cake stand… Dan was on the plate smashing… The girls had a blast (with the highlight for Charlotte being a ride on the back of the Head Teacher’s motorbike around the school field!): The crowds gathered for the food, coffee, live music and […]

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Look what happened before school & kindi today!

October 27, 2010October 27, 2010 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Baking, Charlotte, Sophie

With time to spare, and two cupcakes going begging on a plate after breakfast, the girls decided to raid the larder for icing pens and get decorating. They went off to school and kindi fully loaded today 🙂 Charlotte pausing for a moment before tasting the goods… Sophie couldn’t get enough of the icing, or […]

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Cuddly toy take-over!

October 20, 2010 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Dan, Random Musings, Sophie

After the Kindi Fair on Saturday the girls were inspired to set up their own cuddly toy raffle. They numbered over 60 toys with paper, pen and sello-tape! Then they duplicated the numbers and put them in a bowl. This was a great learning exercise for Sophie in reading bigger numbers. Dan was roped in […]

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Back to school blues

October 11, 2010October 11, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Sophie

Howling southerlies and hail do not make for a very welcome start to Term 4, not that the girls were particularly disconcerted. They chucked on their rain-coats (at my suggestion – they would have been happy to run out in bare feet!) and dashed out side to touch the hail and check on their ‘Happy […]

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Kids Click – Animals: Charlotte’s Fish

October 8, 2010October 9, 2010 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Charlotte, Garden, School hols, Sophie

The theme currently running on Kids Click, till 10 October, is ‘Animals‘. I mentioned this to the girls on a rainy day of the school holidays. Sophie said to Charlotte, ‘But you can’t enter, cause you’ll win! I won’t stand a chance!’ This is because Charlotte won once before with her ‘Green‘ entry. Charlotte has […]

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