Spring holidays

What a busy fortnight!

We packed in a multitude of activities and I think Joe was glad to go back to school for a rest!
We visited the Antarctic Centre when it ran special days for Christchurch residents. The boys (including Matt) love the Hagglund ride and we saw the cute blue penguins of course. In addition Joe and Ben were fascinated by chainsawing artists creating ice sculptures. We were also able to explore 3 Antarctic heading aircraft, 2 US and One NZ Air Force - Kiwis DO fly!


We took a boat trip out to Quail Island and had a picnic on the beach there. A game of Frisbee and lots of climbing before the boat came to take us back. The harbour was like a millpond!

The children and I took a bus trip into town and visited the museum. We went into the Paua house which has been rebuilt inside the museum, but the highlight for the kids were the dinosaurs and the hands on children's area.
We went swimming on a couple of occasions and took Joe's friend Josh too. He also came with us to Orana Park - along with Ben's friends Josh (little) and Quin (and their Mums of course).What an exhausting day! I was tired - but the boys must have run about 3 times the distance!

We saw Hi-5 'Circus' at the Westpac Arena - 9 of us in total! The kids loved it! Unfortunately they had an interval - not the best idea in an arena full of small people! There was also lots of tacky marketing and we were lucky to escape with our purses intact!

Our other days were filled with a birthday party, catching up with the cousins, a barbecue at friends and outings to the beach. Luckily the weather was wonderful (apart from the afternoon of our Antarctic Centre trip when the howling southerlies were very appropriate).


Back now to the routine of school etc. Joe was excited about going back and has picked up with friends straight away. We have our first playdate with a school friend this week.
Ben is still emotional about going to preschool. He cries as we pull into the car park and has to be held by a carer as I wave goodbye. When I pick him up he is all smiles and takes me around to show me what he has done! He says he has had a lovely time!
He is chatting non-stop now although his pronunciation is not so clear. Joe was in hysterics this evening when he called the barbeque 'bird poo'! He is as active as his brother and they spend a lot of time leaping around. Ben loves his Jumping Bean classes and has now moved up into the 'runner beans'. The pictures show some of the things he was up to this morning,