Sunday Celebrations

We had much to celebrate Sunday - Hugh and Margaret drove down from Palmerston North, Hamish Howard and his girlfriend Delaney joined us for lunch, it was Delaney's birthday and we got to spend some time with Lloyd and Julie and family! 

Hugh and Margaret arrived at our house at noon, just as Dugald and the girls returned home from church. Hugh immediately retired to the "study/playroom" to read the paper and get over the heart-stopping drive. Apparently Margaret drove on the back roads - not sure if it was too curvy, too long, or what, but Mr. Morrison needed a break once he got out of the car. I sometimes feel the same way when Dugald drives. I hold my breath, as if it will help, as we whiz around the narrow streets, barely missing parked cars on the left and cars coming straight at us on the right. Dugald says my spatial reasoning is off. He's probably right since I hit the side of Karori tunnel in an effort to avoid a bus coming straight for me when we first got here. 

Poor cousin Hamish and Delaney. They were immediately attacked by four very excited girls.
Delaney even got to play with the enormous barn that takes up a good bit of our living room.
To celebrate Delaney I made a yummy Kahlua cake. I don't need much of an excuse to make one of these, they are always a huge hit and very delicious. Secret recipe, it's my one and only hat trick, thanks Ali!!
Josie got hold of Delaney's camera so there is no telling what kind of pictures she went home with. . . I KNOW there were some lovely ones of me. Never let a 5-year-old shoot you while looking up at you, not in the least bit flattering.
Beautiful Grandma. . .
After a very enjoyable lunch together we headed over to Bolton Street to visit with the Lloyd Morrisons. They have a lot of construction work going on there so we just popped in and had a look, watched Michael Phelps win his 8th medal (of course we were cheering for the USA), then headed out to the Botanic Gardens for a stroll. 

Dugald and his dad looking over the roses. Or where the roses will  be when it is time for them to bloom, right now they are all pruned back. That made me think I should probably do something with my roses at home.

Elliott Morrison catching some fish - with his hands!


Julie pointing out where the good ones are. . . the ones that light up. Oh and that's Josie with her hair in the fish pond, have to love that.
Ellie and her milkshake that's as big as she is. Amazingly she downed the whole thing!
Then came home and did this:
It was a wonderful day, we're so grateful for family. Our hope in coming here was that the girls would develop relationships with their New Zealand kin, so days like these fill our hearts with joy. 

Now I'm off to rock climbing, so until next time. . .