We watch in awe at the youngsters doing their exhausting surf life saver training at Lyall Bay beach. Knees on surf boards, bodies bent over, they paddle out, round the buoys in the distance, back to shore and out again… and again. Their energy is incredible. Watching them makes me feel old – and I’m…
Category: Charlotte
Going to regret this in the morning!
Happy New Year!!!!!! It is officially 2008 here in New Zealand. Current time is 2:03am and we’ve sunk a bottle of French champagne and a bottle of Kiwi bubbly… the children will, no doubt, wake far too early and we’ll be seriously groucho parents in the morning (oops, tis already the morning). But here’s hopping…
The Stunning Kapiti Coast
On Saturday we drove up the stunning Kapiti Coast to MacKay’s Crossing, Queen Elizabeth Park, Paekakariki for the ‘Anything Vintage Vehicles and Machinery’. It was a stunning day of sunshine and fun at the fair! With pony rides, merry-go-rounds, bouncy castles and wonderful entertainment the stage was set for a perfect day. The beautiful trams…
Daddy’s Home for the Holidays!
With New Year’s Day and the day after being public holiday’s in New Zealand, Dan has taken off the few days between Christmas and New Year (only three!) and has a good week and a half off work all up! Yah! After the rainy Christmas Day the sun returned and the reason for the lack…
Christmas Day at Chez Lee
6.30am and the day started with a rush as the girls jumped onto our beds with shouts of excitement and stockings loaded with presents. We try to insist on breakfast before opening the pressies under the tree; but Sophie ensured it wasn’t a leisurely one! She couldn’t WAIT to rip into the presents. She wasn’t…
Christmas Eve at Chez Lee
Charli and Sophie revving up for the big day…
End of Term
Charlotte finished Kindi on Friday with a delightful party. Families were invited and Dan absolutely loved the opportunity to watch Charlotte at Kindi. The teachers put together a wonderful morning of events; including songs, stories and a visit from ‘Zappo the Magician’! Each child presented their parents with a beautiful bag of Christmas delights; including…
At the Car Wash
A magic weekend of Birthday party fun, Christmas carols and fun on the Kapiti Coast!
What a magic weekend! Our good friend’s, Marrisa and Michael, organised the best Birthday Party for their daughter Bethany. It was at our favourite place, Te Papa, with a wonderful ‘under the sea’ theme. Afterwards there was a lovely Birthday lunch, balloons and cake. The Christmas trees in Te Papa’s foyer were gorgeous – three…
Princess Bay to Houghton Bay: Sisterly Happiness
This morning was an exciting one for me, personally, as a very good friend moved back to Wellington after four year’s in Australia. Wellington, New Zealand, has a magnetism to it that draws people back. This afternoon was simply wonderful: watching my two daughters at peace with one another in nature. Houghton Bay and Princess…
Tohora at Te Papa!
Wow! The new Tohora – Whales exhibition at Te Papa is FANTASTIC! We went last week with Marrisa and Bethany, and then went back at the weekend with Daddy. There are some HUGE full skeletons and great cinematography. Charlotte was happy to stay for a couple of hours, whilst Sophie went in and out for…
Summer in the City: Wellington’s full of surprises!
From November, Wellington revs up for a multitude of events: from small-scale festivals in the various suburbs to grander events in the city centre and surrounds; with the likes of the Meridian Energy Summer City and the New Zealand International Arts Festival. These continue well into March and there’s never enough time to attend all…
South Coast Wonders
The Island Bay Marine Centre had an ‘Open Day’ today and we are always so excited to visit. It’s so incredible to be able to get close to beautiful sea creatures. Learning through interaction and real-life experiences is so powerful. Charlotte and Sophie’s interest in the wonders of the sea has certainly been captured since…
The African Savannah: All Mixed Up!
The new African Savannah opened at Wellington Zoo this weekend and is such an exciting and refreshing use of the available space. Overlooking the city, the Zoo is placed on a hilly landscape well populated with trees and vegetation. Walking into the new African Savannah, we were greeted by a set straight out of Africa….