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 […]
Art
My house is turning into an art gallery!
I’m going to be running out of wall space at this rate! Charlotte, in particular, is producing artwork faster than I can find a hammer and nail (and spare wall to hang them!). She’s been working away on an art exhibition at school this term, which has fired up her natural imagination and creativity to […]
What made today mean something?
I knew how it was going to end before they even began. I wished for a moment the grown up in me, lurking somewhere, would step forward and declare the activity ill-timed. But the child in me wanted to aid their spontaneous creativity; even though the adult knew we’d be forced to clean up the […]
Art for Lyrical Sunday
Now it’s your turn! Looking forward to reading your posts 🙂 If you’re new to Lyrical Sunday and would like to join in, read more about how it started here…
The Gallery: I’m Grateful For
This week a lovely lady and Mum to four, Chris (of ‘Thinly Spread‘ blog), is on an incredible journey to see the children of Mozambique. She has embarked on a journey, with Save the Children, for the ‘No Child Born to Die‘ campaign, which I blogged about recently. Chris hasn’t left her own children for […]
No Child Born to Die Campaign
In January, Save the Children UK launched its most ambitious campaign to date, No Child Born to Die. Every year 8 million children under five die from illnesses we know how to treat or prevent, such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles. Save The Children is focusing on the provision of vaccinations and healthcare workers. In […]
Things I’m Loving: Art Attack!
We’ve had ups and down with school this week, but the week has thankfully ended positively and there’s been so much wonderful creativity happening. Loving this artwork that Charlotte has done this week… Letter writing from Charlotte and Sophie to their pen-friends and to our sponsored child, Tracy, in Africa… Sisters hanging out together and […]
Things I’m Loving
Loving this gorgeous photo-canvas hanging on our wall, from Bags of Love: The photograph was taken by Dan one stunning evening at Princess Bay at the end of summer. We don’t get to spend many evenings watching the sunset together these days, but when we do it’s always unforgettable in the best possible way (so […]
Weekend Highlights: from Football to a Doll House (with a car boot sale in between!)
Got to admire him… Partying till 1am (YouDo 4th Birthday), woken at 6am by his daughters jumping on him, spends the morning delivering flyers to advertise the school car boot sale, and then attempts a game of football. Twenty minutes into the game he’s injured and hobbles off the pitch. But his support crew stay […]
Nature Tools Create Art
Charlotte came back from a school trip to the Petone Settlers Museum on Wednesday and taught us something special that she had learned… She had learned how the early settlers made brushes from Harakeke (flax), using a shell to gently scrape back the end of the flax. Charlotte taught Sophie and they spent an hour […]
After three and a half years, we are more than ready to…
Welcome Chinese Grandma & Granddad, who arrive Saturday afternoon from the UK! It’s been three and a half years since we last saw them. Chinese Granddad has never been to New Zealand. Grandma was over in 2005 for Sophie’s arrival into the world. And they have never met Alice. How exciting! The girls are very, […]
It’s snowing like you wouldn’t believe…
in England (and in parts of Australia!). Here in New Zealand we’re thinking of our northern hemisphere loved ones as we snip, decorate and paste paper snowflakes on the windows. My wonderful sister’s boyfriend, Mike Hutton, sent me this photograph of my father and sister at The Roaches, near where Claire and Mike live in […]
School’s Out for Summer!
Last day of the school year today! It was an early start – 5.30am for Sophie, Alice and I! Dan crawled in at 2.00am, after his work Christmas drinks (much merriment was enjoyed at The Cross, where they sat sheltered from the rain in the outdoor courtyard playing giant Jenga and Trivial Pursuit). I tried […]
4 Seasons: Making, Baking, Coughing & Spluttering
The nippers all have coughs and snuffles, which is surprising for the season. They are still happy loves, but a little on the tired side and having more time off school and kindi than usual (really don’t want to pass on germs just prior to Christmas!). Poor bubba isn’t sleeping well with her snuffles (which […]