NOVEMBER CATCH-UP 4: ****Best Friends****

***Teachers******Schools ***
***and Holidays***

***

(This may seem a little strange, our family know what it's all about!!!)

WE HELP MOMMY

A3 has been asking quite persistently over the past couple of weeks if she could copy the girl in one of her favourite books........a little golden book which I think was actually Aunty T's book.

(I did rotate this pic before loading it but it persisted in being in portrait position!)

I remembered the promise made to make something 'special' for Daddy the other day when we were making a meal for someone. E11 and A3 were left to themselves with the leftover pastry and they came up with this little star pie with a D for Daddy on top.

I think the best part was sharing it with her Star!

ONTO THE BOP - HANGI ON THE FARM!

Christmas Day was spent with the P's and the C's in Tauranga. I think it was the most relaxed time we've had together at Christmas, ever! Thanks, P and L, for letting us invade, we loved being with you for more than the usual quick stopover on the way to 'somewhere' and you were SO relaxed!!!! Thanks, A, for giving up your room for us, the bed was definitely more comfortable than the airbed in the tent!!! Thank you also for giving S7 a taste of being connected with the drum sticks........something we may come to regret in the future!!! We enjoyed our Christmas morning with you all, especially the experience of Rhoda's lottery!!

Thanks, C's, for making Christmas an 'experience'. Thanks for having J, E and S to stay, they ALWAYS love being with the cousies, young and old! And Anna, thanks for taking A2 under your wing.......the way she and Nath sat at the table having an in-depth conversation about the icecream and then sampling it, was so cute! Loved the 'Where's Wally' entertainment, Lani! The hangi idea was a great one, thanks Nika and Anne for allowing us to be part of your Maori heritage. You worked so hard, as did others, to bring it all to fruition and it was a great learning experience for us all. J12 especially enjoyed having a 'hands-on' part to play. Thanks, everyone, for making it a fun time.

Here are some pics (quite a few!):

CHRISTMAS IN AUCKLAND

It's almost a month ago now but I couldn't leave out pics of the wonderful family times we had at Christmas.

We celebrated with our Auckland family just before the 25th. We had a wonderful afternoon/night together........talking, laughing, playing games, eating scrummy food and just enjoying being together. Mum was able to come up the day before, the first time since the beginning of the year so the children just loved having 'Gran' around. She was able to meet Daisy for the first time, see our house a different colour and as usual, she made us end up in fits of laughter!! Here are a few pics......... (i include the pohutukawa just to remind myself of the last minute dash, up the tree, in the midst of trying to decide whether or not to shift the table inside because of threatening downpours!!!!)

ANDREW COMES TO VISIT

Andrew came to visit us yesterday. He'd just packed up his flat and was on his way to band practise (The Septembers)......much later on.

We loved having you and catching up on all the comings and goings in your life. We are privileged to have such a great nephew and cousin. You are a wonderful role model for our boys. It has been great having you part of our lives this year........meals shared, cars repaired (again!!), wisdom shared, babysitting, 21sts, soccer. You have matured along the way.......you need not be so nervous when you are sharing the reasons behind the vegetarianism!!!!! Hope you have a great summer down in the BOP and we look forward to getting together again in 2008.

*****S K Y F A W K E S*****

We had a fun night up at Snells Beach last night. We picked up the boys at Warkworth after they had spent a day helping Poppa on a building project up at Kaiwaka. We then shared a meal with the Rikiriki's and Julia in Snells Beach and wandered down to the park at the end of their street to wait, in anticipation, for SKYFAWKES........an annual event put on by Lifeway.

Thanks, Julia, for telling us about the fireworks setting on our camera!

Lots of fun was had by everyone listening to local (and not so local) talent perform, chatting, eating and enjoying the company of family. And THEN watching a fantastic Fireworks display - thanks Lifeway! It must be the one time in the year when there is a traffic jam in Snells Beach!!!

Oh, and I almost forgot.......the story of Anna (big cousin Anna, not our small bear!) running along to the Fire Station to raise the alarm for the fire which we could see burning in the distance and, can

you believe it, being told that she had to ring 111!!!!!!!!!

Our small bear, A2, decided to hide under her 'Pooh' blanket after the 'pretty sparkles' started to become 'very loud' sparkles!!

Thanks for inviting us ......we had a fantastic time. There is always something special about getting together with family, something I think we all realise is very precious.