Catching the Magic

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

  • 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
    • Fiordland
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Cook Islands
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • NZ to UK, with our 9 month old, 2004
  • Running
  • Special Days

swimming

Active Weekend – We CAN do it!

November 14, 2008November 29, 2008 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

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 […]

Continue reading


Days like these remind me why I heart Wellington

October 31, 2008September 11, 2010 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

There are always ups and downs and I have them aplenty. It wouldn’t matter where I lived, I’d still have them. Sometimes, it’s easier to blame where I am for the downs and not ‘where I’m at’ personally. Often, it’s ‘me’ that’s the problem and not the surrounds. Though when a cold southerly batters our […]

Continue reading


Top Family Time and an All Black’s Victory!

August 4, 2008August 24, 2008 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Charlotte

Settling into school life is not without emotion at Chez Lee and this weekend couldn’t have come fast enough. Charli was so tired and weepy on Friday pick-up; but she’s definitely enjoying 85% of school-life and on the whole she’s thriving. Nevertheless, I take the rough bits to heart and my health is suffering with […]

Continue reading


Little steps in a big, new environment!

July 30, 2008August 24, 2008 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Charlotte

Charli is well into her third week of school. She’s loving the school, her teacher and the environment. However, she’s extremely tired and quite emotional in the late afternoon. I’ve been really open with many parents and am reassured to hear that this is all very normal. I’ve heard stories of children taking a year […]

Continue reading


One Happy School Girl!

July 21, 2008August 24, 2008 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Charlotte, Sophie

The week before term-break didn’t really feel like Charli’s first week at school. It felt more like a ‘taster’ before a two-week break of reflection and wondering about the future. I had so many vivid dreams of my childhood and schooling, as well as a few strange ones of being within Charli’s body in her […]

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


Chilling out at The Bach

November 22, 2007November 28, 2009 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Sophie

This morning Sophie and I met up with good friend Marrisa and her beautiful daughter, Bethany. It was a tad windy at Island Bay playground and us ladies were keen for a coffee. We drove round to The Bach. This cafe, from the outside, is just like a traditional Kiwi bach – a simple, wooden, […]

Continue reading


Family Time

April 29, 2007November 28, 2009 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

Weekends are so precious. This weekend started out with atrocious weather on Saturday morning, but didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves. It was great to tuck up and enjoy music and puzzles together. Dan had a game of soccer to ‘look forward to’ (!) at midday, but beforehand we had some fun at ‘Junglerama’. After […]

Continue reading


Water Play With “Ma Ma”

August 29, 2006May 27, 2010 Sophie Leave a comment Sophie

I am beginning to enjoy the delights of water play and try to say, ‘Good’ whenever I see that magical liquid.

Continue reading


Life’s a Beach!

January 29, 2006May 27, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

We’re been sunning it up and paddling in the sea, life’s a beach in January!

Continue reading


Splish, splash, splosh

June 20, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I’m a little tadpole! I’ve started swimming lessons again and love it 🙂

Continue reading


Ladies who lunch…

June 6, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I love to lunch with my Mummy and Daddy and take high-chairs for walkies!

Continue reading


I can say ‘Da, Da’

February 21, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I’ve learnt to say Da,Da – now he’s really wrapped round my little finger!

Continue reading


I’ve been swimming

February 6, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I’ve now been swimming twice and I love it lots. Both my Mummy and Daddy have had turns taking me.

Continue reading


Posts navigation

Newer posts
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Archives

Recent Posts

  • WAI2K 50km trail adventure, November 2024! February 20, 2025
  • Visits back to the UK aren’t always a holiday – when those you love aren’t well. February 6, 2025
  • Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a long weekend on the Gold Coast – June 2024 January 6, 2025
  • ‘Last time’ moments on a spring visit to the UK, May 2024 January 2, 2025
  • Race Tekapo 50km September 29, 2024
  • Running the stunning Motatapu Trail Marathon May 30, 2024
  • 50km for 50 years! How I saw in the first day of my fifties running the 50km Faultline Ultra! May 21, 2024
  • Six month catch up! March 9, 2024
  • Ten blissful days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. August 8, 2023
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration August 7, 2023
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon! May 10, 2023
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles! April 4, 2023

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (51) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (71) Country Kids (59) family (117) family time (57) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (133) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (62) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (50) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (33) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)
dazzling Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress