Monday, November 09, 2009
Guy Fawkes 2009 (a.k.a by me as burning man in Breaker Bay NZ)
Our Guy Fawkes celebration at Breaker Bay was last Friday. If you do not remember from last year this is a neighborhood event/competition where we make and bring a guy/gal to burn.. People get pretty creative. Since I do not really understand Guy Fawkes, I have deemed it our own wee NZ burning man. This year our family made the evil flowering weed..
later we were entertained by fire dancers.. It was a beautiful calm warm night.. and heaps of fun!
Here are some of the the other Guys...
Here we are burning them..
later we were entertained by fire dancers.. It was a beautiful calm warm night.. and heaps of fun!
Halloween 2009
Halloween night we were invited to a really great pre-trick or treat dinner at Justine, Nick, Wiley and Piper's house. We brought a couple salads and our other friend Sarah and her family brought the games.. We fed the kids and then the kids went out "guising".. When they returned they played some traditional North American Halloween games.. It was really fun.This year Athea was a purple cat (the same one Haidyn was when she was four) and Haidyn was a bat once again..
the "build a bear" cheetah was her side-kick dressed up as a cat.
the "build a bear" cheetah was her side-kick dressed up as a cat.Girls get away to Christchurch
During the last school holidays at the beginning of October the girls and I went on a trip down to Christchurch for a few days with our Friends Alison, Fiona and Eve...
We went to the Antarctic Centre - http://www.iceberg.co.nz/
and to an animal park..
and to an animal park..
Mostly we just had a great time hanging out together in the Christchurch sun..
October 10 - Eric's Birthday!
Cupcakes and love for Eric on his birthday!
The girls bought Eric some Hot Wheels track and they had fun playing with gravity.
Not birthday related... but we are finally finishing up the tile behind the stove...
Not birthday related... but we are finally finishing up the tile behind the stove...Random Kid Art..
Horse Back Riding Lessons
Haidyn and her good mate Fiona are taking horse riding lessons. (English riding not western.. not sure if they even offer western here in NZ?? :) 
They have learnt (that is how they spell learned in NZ) how to Cantor, trot, walking, stopping and how to sit properly on the saddle. Haidyn wants to take Grandma Jo out riding when she comes out to visit in February..
Athea the Big School Girl
Athea's teacher lets her sit on her lap in the mornings that she needs a bit of extra love. (starting school is a big deal) In NZ the kids start school the day after their 5th birthday, so they start in an established class...
Big school girl 
posing in front of the school sign
eager to do homework even though she did not actually have any.... (wonder how long that will last)
going to school with her big sister! They are both in the Kupe house.. (similar to Harry Potter Houses) Their house colours are blue.. 