certificate at junior assembly today

Both Ella and Joe got certificates today. 

 

Swim time in Rotorua

 

Halloween !

 Little Mr Pumpkin Head...       hoooooohhhahhhhhhahhhhahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Lucy wrapped up her bottle today, and left it in the garden for the fairy.

Lucy and her new cup, from the fairy

School holidays update

First week of the holidays we went up to the beach. Don't know who was having more fun here, me or the girls...

 Lucy and Dani at Grandma Jenny's

 Lucy at Grandma Jenny's house

 Hunting in the rock pools with Grandma Margaret

 Ella came fishing with me and Barry

 Captain Ella

 Ella had a go at holding the fishing rod

 Daddy caught this one but Ella helped wind him in...  (only little snapper out today...)

 School Holiday fun, Lucy having fun in the sand, with the Bennet family, who came and stayed in the sunny HB for a weekend.

 Island Bennet

 Abbey digging the in the river

 7 kids for dinner! fun

 how to top and tail...

 sightseeing at Napier

 Lauren and Lucy

 Ella enjoying some quiet time with a new toy

 Finn with his new Meccano set

 Nat with his new toothy smile!

Check out the fish Finn caught for his own birthday dinner... sometimes you just have to go out and get it yourself huh Finn.

celebration book

Ella got a mention in the Principal's celebration book this week. This involves getting up for a special mention in front of the whole school! Ella was dressed in Japanese theme on friday as all the kids were allowed to dress up in whatever nationality they wanted.

Looks like Mr Bain the principal went Japanese too.

As for celebration I had a little of that today, I managed to place 5th in the Taupo to Napier bike race (in the B-grade, so not with the elite boys!) Had a great time riding down, as I have always wanted to ride that bit of road, and now I have.

It took 3.30 hours to cover the 140km from the Taupo fire station to Pandora pond in Napier.  average speed 38km/hour top speed 90km/hr. Quite a good tail wind (hence the good time, it typically takes about 4 hours) Loved the long decents down into the Mohaka, and then down from the Titiokuras to Te Pohue.
see the profile...

first school ball!

 

Ella's class after the dress up ball!

 

In the class room afterwards.

Lucy at daycare.

Great weekend over in Ohakune...
snow on Friday night just the ticket for a snowman on sat morning, followed by some sled action sat afternoon.
I got a MTB ride in on sat morning, and rode for 2 hours in the mud!!!
great

bike