It’s been just over a week since Grandma & Granddad flew into Wellington to join in our crazy family life for six weeks. We are so loving them being here and extremely grateful to them for making the long journey and being so ‘hands on’ with their grandchildren and the mess, noise and chaos that…
Author: BritMumInNZ
Our Boxing Day girl turns 6!
Our live-wire Sophie turned 6 on Boxing Day and we celebrated in sunshine with Grandma and Granddad. She waited patiently for all the house to wake, before opening her presents. She waited an hour and a half. Impressive! She was bestowed with lovely gifts including Lego, a fairy field-book and Barbie dolls. A cake was…
A Christmas to remember 2011
This was a Christmas Day to remember. Sunshine, blue sky and family. Good health and a feast just right for a summer’s day, where appetite’s call for something light. A play at the playground mid-afternoon for Sophie & Alice with their Mummy, whilst the rest of the family is paddle boarding at the beach. In…
Christmas Eve sunshine thoughts from New Zealand
This Christmas Eve morning we woke to blue sky, without a cloud in sight. The sunshine is a much welcome gift after the rains of the other week caused terrible flooding and landslips in Nelson. Our hearts also go out to the people of Christchurch, who suffered a number of strong earthquakes, the day before…
Farewell cous from Aotearoa x
The day after Sophie’s crazy 6th Birthday party, my dear cousin Jane bid us and New Zealand farewell, travelling on to Australia for three week’s (and to be reunited with her fiance) before journeying home to England. It was so wonderful to see her after eight (or so) years and so lovely that she stopped…
Two hours of crazy party fun!
Our daughter Sophie will turn six on Boxing Day and we held a party on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate. Sophie insisted on having a traditional ‘party at home’ and was preparing and planning with her older sister, Charlotte, for the week building up to the party. It was going to be a very special party…
At arrivals…. Grandma & Granddad touch down in New Zealand!
Such an exciting week! Tuesday morning we woke to sunshine and blue sky. Perfect weather to welcome my dear Mum and Dad to New Zealand. Their three little granddaughters were so excited and wanted to dress in their best clothes straight away (even though the flight wasn’t due in until 2pm!). I headed out with…
A piece of my heart is about to be freed
I keep a small part of my heart cocooned from my day to day life. It is something I do sub-consciously. I’ve noticed, over the years of living as an expat, so very far away from my country of birth, that I do this. Today I felt like a caterpillar, preparing to transform into a…
LOVING the school holidays (shame about the rain!)
So the irrigation system isn’t working and we’re waiting for a plumber, but at least we don’t have to worry about the plants – it has barely stopped raining all week! New Zealand’s native Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa, is blooming around Wellington city and brings the promise of sunshine soon – hopefully in time for…
LOVING that school’s out for summer!
The long summer break is before us with hopefully lots of beach days and sunshine. We’ve had a busy last week or so, what with Charlotte’s wonderful dance show taking up all last weekend, a carol service and a prize giving evening at the Town Hall on Thursday evening. There have been Birthday parties galore…
A wet summer Sunday walk
It was perfect walking weather – mild, a slight refreshing breeze, a touch of rain and plenty of cloud cover to shelter from the strong sun. And with a tired family (Charlotte was performing in a dance show the night before) and a bit too much morning television on waking up, we were getting that…
Feet: Inspiration Weekly
I hope my children’s feet will always love the feel of mud, To never stop walking on dewy grass – and on a sandy beach. To kick off their smart shoes and go bare-foot – whenever they have the chance. To feel the connection to the earth – through every flex, step and joint. To…
Things I’m Loving in between the anxiety
It’s been a tough week seeing my Sophie suffering so much with anxiety at going to school. Tears before bed. Sobbing as I help her into her uniform and into the car. She’s only been two days this week. She does have a good day, when she’s there, but has great difficulty leaving the comfort…
On the 1st of December from my kitchen window I did see!
I stood in my favourite corner of the kitchen, close to the kettle and the coffee bean grinder. The smell of freshly baked biscuits, and a Christmas scented candle, laid out on a Pohutukawa napkin, greeted me. I looked through the window, the blue sky carrying the promise of a great summer. And there, hanging…