Catching the Magic

Two Brits in Aotearoa bringing up three NZ born daughters. Our children: Our future. Haere Mai!

  • 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 in 7 days – June 2010
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Long haul travel, New Zealand to England, with our 9 month old
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • Fiordland
    • Japan
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
  • Photo Gallery
  • Running
  • Special Days

climbing

Weekend Bliss for us in Wellington

November 14, 2011November 14, 2011 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Life in action - Videos, Special Days

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 […]

Continue reading


Silent Sunday: hanging around!

November 13, 2011November 14, 2011 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Sarah, Silent Sunday

Just hanging around after the Wellington Christmas Parade! Have a great week & hope your weekend was a good’un x

Continue reading


Something Blue

August 21, 2011 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

It’s been a weekend of blue, in a very happy, sunshine kind of a way! This was our Saturday afternoon… We made the most of the sunshine at wonderful Scorching Bay, where we rocked climbed, dug in the sand, tossed a frisbee around and drank coffee at Scorch-O-Rama (whilst feeling a little ‘star struck’ at […]

Continue reading


Mission impossible – not!

December 2, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Charlotte, Life in action - Videos

Charli and Sophie love to climb. After ballet on Saturday morning we headed down the waterfront for a bit of adventure. Sophie gave it her best but found the stretches a little too much for her legs – though she’s so determined to give it a go every time we visit the wall! Charli was […]

Continue reading


Is this when we start turning grey?

October 13, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Sophie

Be afraid, be very afraid… this petite 2 and 3/4 year old isn’t scared of heights (or much else!). Term 3 started today for Charli. Dan started work late to help with the school run and dropped one happy girl off at class. Afterwards we drove Dan into the city and stopped by Waitangi Park […]

Continue reading


Maxing it out on a Sunday – and the rest!

July 18, 2008August 24, 2008 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

Last Sunday was a ‘beaut! The temperatures reached 19 degrees and this is the middle of winter! Days like this are sent to us in Welly to keep us sane in the midst of frequent southerly blasts from the Antarctic. Within a day we managed horse riding, vertical bungy (see earlier posts – here and […]

Continue reading


Scorching Bay: Still as Magic as Ever

February 18, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Charlotte, Sophie

It’s been months since we visited Scorching Bay. The Chocolate Fish is no more, but Scorching Bay still holds its own special magic. Thankfully, there’s a little operation selling the essentials: ice-cream and coffee – what more could a parent wish for! The bay has also been given a smarten up by the City Council, […]

Continue reading


Welcome Back Good Friends!

January 21, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

Our dear friends, Avril (left) and Lucy (right), have both recently returned to Aotearoa after a few year’s working in Australia. We have missed them so much and having them back is the best news. We spent Sunday afternoon catching up and enjoying the stunning sunshine and blissful warmth. After a mammoth BBQ we walked […]

Continue reading


Surf girls in the making? Can we keep up?!

January 3, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

We watch in awe at the youngsters doing their exhausting surf life saver training at Lyall Bay beach. Knees on surf boards, bodies bent over, they paddle out, round the buoys in the distance, back to shore and out again… and again. Their energy is incredible. Watching them makes me feel old – and I’m […]

Continue reading


Charlotte takes on the climbing wall!

November 10, 2007November 28, 2009 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Charlotte

It’s a first for Charlotte! She has mastered most of the climbing frames in Wellington and I knew she was ready for a climbing wall: so we headed to Fergs Kayaks on the waterfront. She was SO excited and a complete natural. She needed little instruction apart from a gentle reminder to not hold onto […]

Continue reading


Charli the Climber and Nature Lover

March 31, 2007November 28, 2009 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Charlotte

Charlotte says: The weather is still beautiful and I am enjoy reaching new heights at climbing. I can’t wait to show Aunty Claire my favourite climbing spots, when she visits me later in the year. Here I am at Princess Bay (a 15 minute walk from my house) and hugging Blacky. The last photograph is […]

Continue reading


Visitors from the UK!

February 18, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I met my Great Aunty Ellen and Great Uncle John for the first time and had lots of cuddles.

Continue reading


Archives

Recent Posts

  • Celebrating a Birthday with a Meerkat Encounter! March 30, 2023
  • Summer holiday in Rotorua & Taupo March 29, 2023
  • Christmas and a Birthday in Wellington January 12, 2023
  • Summer highlights from the Wairarapa January 8, 2023
  • A long weekend with friends near Goat Island Marine Reserve January 6, 2023
  • It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – southern hemisphere style! December 23, 2022
  • Wellington Lantern Festival – in the spring rain December 18, 2022
  • Toast Martinborough – Wine and Food Festival December 16, 2022
  • Spring running highlights on Wellington’s trails December 14, 2022
  • Trail goodness in the southern Remutaka Ranges October 25, 2022
  • Family, hills & roller-coasters! October 22, 2022
  • Summer visit to London in July; seeing friends, West End Shows, National Art Gallery, Women’s Euro 2022 & corgis! October 14, 2022

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (50) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (70) Country Kids (59) family (115) family time (56) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (130) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (56) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (49) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (30) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)

Poetry

Follow Sarah's board Poetry by Sarah Lee on Pinterest.
20 Of The Best Expat Blogs To Follow In 2017

dazzling Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress