Kaikoura - Where the mountains meet the sea.

We have just got back from a glorious weekend away in Kaikoura. A couple of hours drive north from Christchurch and a totally different landscape. We stayed in a house that we shared with the Ralph family! Close to the beach (and the railway line) but handy for all the fab things to do in and around Kaikoura.
There were different highlights for each of us. Matt and Joe headed off whale watching for the afternoon (Ben was too small to make the trip). We had all got up at 6.30 am as the trip was due to leave at 7.15. However, the fog was thick and they were re-scheduled at 1.15pm (by which time it was blazing hot with a nice calm sea - perfect.



Matt took hundreds of photos (and a little video)
of the 3 sperm whales that they encountered. As well as seeing the whales, Joe was thrilled to be given a seat next to the Captain of the boat. He spent an hour there chatting to her and even got to 'drive' the boat!

Meanwhile Ben and I headed up the coast to explore some of the other coves and bays. It really is stunning!

We saw lots of New Zealand fur seals in the colonies that live along that stretch of coast. A really special experience was seeing 3 young seals that make their way up a rocky river to a waterfall and plunge pool. They rolled around and played in the water for ages - it was gorgeous. The new pups will be born in the next couple of months and their mothers take them up to this waterfall - perhaps we shall have to go back in the new year?

We also visited limestone caves, had some lovely meals out including the locally caught crayfish (Kaikoura means 'to eat (or eating) crayfish') and had a good time catching up. As a bonus, Matt and Chris amazed Anna and I by their thorough knowledge of ABBA lyrics as we watched Mamma Mia one evening!!

On our way home we all stopped for a few hours at Gore Bay. We had a picnic, basked in the sunshine and braved the chilly water. We are sorry it's Monday tomorrow!

Arrest Shock!

Photographed as it occurred -
3 boys arrested at New Brighton Fire Service anniversary parade.
After setting off the police car sirens and stealing a policeman's hat!


And just for those that like that sort of thing.....

Halloween

Bizarre! Halloween festivities in the sunshine and 'trick or treaters' in the light! (they were all really polite too!).
Ben spent the 2 days in the run up to Halloween dressed in a frog hat - lots of laughs from passers by. It was apt on the morning of the 31st because we had a 'green day' at playgroup.

The early evening was taken up by the twilight fair at Joe's school and then home for our first daylight Halloween!
Next stop - a late night Guy Fawkes ! A light show at the pier in New Brighton, followed by fireworks, which we plan on watching from our local beach.

Dolphins

Wow- we headed to Akaroa on Labour Day. Blazing hot and beautiful calm waters and got our best views of Hector's Dolphins yet!. (the world's smallest and rarest oceanic dolphin) It was just gorgeous!!!!! Both boys had a fab time running around the boat and were excited by the wildlife spotting. Just a few pics follow XXXXXXXX

Boing and the boy is....... still here

Kindy pictures

Many thanks to Malc and Annie who sent us the pictures of Joe's Kindy 'graduation'. In all the excitement I didn't use my own camera!

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,