Tomorrow morning the alarm will wake us all up. Our seven and a half weeks of living free of the bell come to a close. There is generally a feeling of excitement and positivity at starting a new school year, mixed with a dash of anticipation. Farewell to long, cuddly lie ins with this furry […]
After an amazing fortnight in Singapore we flew back to New Zealand last Sunday, bracing ourselves for the cold. We had an overnight stay in the comfortable Novetel Hotel at Auckland International Airport, before flying down to Wellington on Monday afternoon (just in time for the northerly to turn to a howling southerly and give us […]
Day one, term two in New Zealand. And, after several months of sunshine, no wind and little rain, it was an absolute shocker of a morning for school drop offs. Thankfully, I didn’t have to battle the weather (hubbie kindly dropped our school goer off – Miss 9, Charlotte – before catching a plane up […]
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 […]
Smartly dressed in her school uniform, my eldest daughter appeared in the kitchen, ready to start the new school term. She had an enthusiastic smile and look of eagerness. Dan and I looked at her with pride and soft hearts of love and admiration. She sat up to have breakfast next to her father, talking […]
A new term has started. We’re half way through the academic year here in New Zealand. The alarm clock was set for 7am on Monday morning. The petrol tank in the car was filled. The name labels ironed, stitched and stuck on boxes, shoes, bags and clothes. The mileage on the clock has already increased. […]
The first week of a new term is never without a hitch. We only had a two week school holiday to enjoy together, after a long, 11-week, first term. We were just getting into our stride, and really enjoying ourselves, when the end of the holidays hit us with a bang. It felt premature that […]
On the surface, her child is smiling, but a mother knows, there’s something hiding. A child may be sat – Straight backed, on the mat. But those focused eyes, aren’t alive, like a cats. She sees the tension, the torment within. The waning of a flame, as her child is tamed. Her child glazes over, […]
This week has been one of immense change. On Thursday the long, summer holidays came to an end. Charlotte and Sophie walked up to school (for Sophie the first day of her school life!) with school bags in hand. They were both full of first day excitement and both happy to be there. Sophie was […]
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 […]
I sat at Oriental Parade enjoying the warm Autumn sunshine with Alice snuggled up in the sling fast asleep thinking, ‘It’s way too quiet, I want my big girls here with me!’. They went back to school and kindy this morning and I really did miss them. They were both happy to be back, but […]