Yes we have chores to do and some of them are getting accomplished, but on the whole we have been making the most of this long weekend to spend some good quality time together as a family. Dan and I are feeling shattered and sometimes the unstoppable energy of our children is simply exhausting to […]
family time
Running away with the circus…
‘I can’t wait to go to circus school! Only one more year till I am 8,’ Charlotte enthused to the man supporting her as she balanced on the cog wheel. We were at the Petone Winter Carnival and the Wellington Circus Trust was there giving children and adults an opportunity to run away with the […]
Daddy & Daughter Time
Charlotte & Dan enjoyed a very special Daddy & daughter time one Sunday evening at the beginning of the school holidays. I booked them on a special, guided night walk at Zealandia: The Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. It was for children aged 7 to 12, accompanied by an adult, and I thought it would be a […]
Wild beauty & time well spent
Rock pooling, rock climbing and tossing the largest rocks we could carry into the sea was a great way to spend an hour of our time this afternoon. Wellington’s south coast is wild, rugged and forever changing with the tide, weather and shadows of light from sunrise to sunset. I don’t think we’ll ever tire […]
Flowing with watercolours
Whilst the rain continues to lash down outside we have been flowing with watercolours inside. I know little of art techniques, but I do enjoy a quiet moment to draw or paint. I have fond memories, from my childhood, of whiling away hours drawing and painting, particularly on weekends away visiting extended family. Dan also […]
SkyWatch Friday: Last of the sun before the rains
This was the sky on Sunday, as we ran in the last hours of the setting sun. It’s now Thursday and we’ve been corked in with an oppressive grey sky, incessant rain and now the wind has started to throw its weight around. Few parts of the country have escaped and there is flooding in […]
Autumn sunshine
‘Let’s go for a walk,’ Charlotte said. Saturday morning and the sun was winking down on us with a nod to get outdoors and be grateful. Winter is beckoning, throwing us the occasional warning day of rain and wind, so each day of sunshine is one of grace. Time to put the baking, the board […]
Sack of potatoes: A father’s love
The magic relationship of a father and his daughters. They adore him, worship him, seek his approval and search out his praise. He is their play thing, their most loved toy. He riles them up and they passionately love it. He throws them in the air, hangs them upside down and struggles to say, ‘No,’ […]
Every day has its highs and lows…
but when the lows are met with humour and acceptance, rather than resistance and annoyance, they are much easier to deal with and quickly forgotten. I have a saying that is frequently used in our home, ‘It’s in the past, put it behind you and move on’. I use this a lot when the children […]
Swinging on a Sunday ‘avo
What better way to spend a Sunday ‘avo than flying through the air on a giant rope swing! This was how we spent Sunday afternoon down at Worser Bay in Seatoun… Here’s a fun video…
Alice at 7 weeks: Sharing the love (and the milk!)
The badge of honour – baby sick on the shoulder – is one Mummy is wearing frequently of late. Alice is seven week’s old today and looking plumptiously scrumptious. She’s feeding like a champ and has a big appetite. Mummy has been completely soaked to the skin several times due to her over-feeding (cheers Alice)! […]
Circus fun
The Wellington Circus Trust and the Kapiti Equestrian & Vaulting Centre provided a fantastic display at Waitangi Park in Wellington over the weekend. We were entranced by the displays and the girls very excited to participate. There was fair-ground fun and rides, including aqua-bubbles – which were hilarious to watch. Charli and Sophie came out […]
Wet and windy walk on the wild side at Breaker Bay
On Friday we drove over to Seatoun to do one of our favourite short walks in Wellington; the Seatoun-Breaker Bay beach walk. There was a stiff northerly blowing in as we embarked on the walk and the girls were marvellous considering the conditions. They were rugged up warm, unlike Dan and I in our shorts […]
Active Weekend – We CAN do it!
Last weekend was a whirl-wind of action and sunshine. Saturday was filled with the school fair and voting, but still left time for some fun at the local ‘Spray Pool‘. Sunday morning was full on at the Recreation Centre’s family time, with Charli adamant she would roller blade. She has the most incredible persistence, strong […]