We visited Disneyland and California Adventure Park at the end of November, everything was decked out for Christmas. We stayed at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and it was breathtakingly decorated for the season. We holidayed with wonderful friends; our neighbours from New Zealand flew over to join us! They landed in LA, after some 14 hours of travelling […]
christmas
Things that have made me smile this week in Santa Barbara
Love the girl that wants to give her Mamma flowers, whenever she sees an opportunity to pick them… though in many a situation I have to urge her not to pick them! Love Autumn here in Santa Barbara (though it’s the warmest, sunniest one I have ever experienced in my lifetime!). The days are definitely […]
Things I’m Loving this Christmas Holiday Week in New Zealand
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! […]
A scorching Christmas for Wellington, right out the box (along with melted chocolates!)
Not since 1934 had Wellington had one as hot and we spent Christmas dressed minimally, seeking shade and deciding a late avo dinner should be taken indoors, where it was a lot cooler! We enjoyed a relaxed morning of present opening (the children were good and resisted opening anything under the tree until 9am – […]
Loving the build up to a Sunshine Christmas
Just in case the world does end tomorrow (personally I reckon the Mayan who was writing the calendar decided to knock off for a beer and never got round to writing more dates) I thought I ought to write a quick blog post and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas from us folk in New […]
Things I’m Loving with a touch of icing sugar, paper chains & random elephants…
This was the week that started with three daughters at home. A Monday that witnessed mass paper-chain making, faces in plates of icing sugar and a Christmas elephant made out of an old milk-bottle! A Tuesday and Wednesday spent mostly at home, with two daughters (whilst Charlotte enjoyed end of term fun and shared lunches). […]
The Christmas tree(S) are up & peace has been restored.
I blame the shops for having decorations up from beginning of November. By the end of November my children are dragging the decorations from beneath the stairs in readiness for the 1st December. The first day of our Kiwi summer now coincides with ‘tree up’ day in our house. With the 1st December falling on […]
Thirty days hath September, April, June and November… FIVE sleeps till…
December countdown to Christmas Day – and thinking up some active ideas and goodies to pop in this amazing advent calendar my nine year old made on Sunday (all her own idea – the little paper cubes even have paper springs folded underneath each one – for easy pulling out from the main box). I […]
Christmas Eve sunshine thoughts from New Zealand
This Christmas Eve morning we woke to blue sky, without a cloud in sight. The sunshine is a much welcome gift after the rains of the other week caused terrible flooding and landslips in Nelson. Our hearts also go out to the people of Christchurch, who suffered a number of strong earthquakes, the day before […]
LOVING the school holidays (shame about the rain!)
So the irrigation system isn’t working and we’re waiting for a plumber, but at least we don’t have to worry about the plants – it has barely stopped raining all week! New Zealand’s native Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa, is blooming around Wellington city and brings the promise of sunshine soon – hopefully in time for […]
On the 1st of December from my kitchen window I did see!
I stood in my favourite corner of the kitchen, close to the kettle and the coffee bean grinder. The smell of freshly baked biscuits, and a Christmas scented candle, laid out on a Pohutukawa napkin, greeted me. I looked through the window, the blue sky carrying the promise of a great summer. And there, hanging […]
Taking a break
There’s end of term madness descending upon us, The next three weeks are full of fuss. Carols on the lawn, discos for juniors, prize giving ceremonies and class performances. There’s singing at a hospice and a bus to pack. There’s an outdoor swim party, dance rehearsals and touch-rugby to get Miss 8 to. A whole […]
Weekend Bliss for us in Wellington
Such a great weekend. The rain held off on Saturday for our local school to hold its fair. Dan took Charlotte, Sophie & Alice along, whilst I stayed a home to make the most of the chance to thrash the carpet with our ear piercing vacuum cleaner. The cleaning wasn’t all bad though – I […]
Lyrical Sunday: Week 1 – Christmas
CHRISTMAS Kiwiana Style by Sarah Carols in the sun, Hammocks in the garden strung. Relies gather round, In Aroha they are bound. Seasons come and go, Though stories linger so. Mary and Joseph loved God’s greatest gift, And so we give though times have shift. Sand not snow, us Kiwis know, but same the world […]