Happy 2014!!

We had a fun-filled, family-oriented New Year's Eve with our neighbors and friends, the Moore family. Simon and Katherine kindly had all of us over as well as Katherine's parents who had just arrived from the U.K. that morning. It's never boring with the Moore family and this evening was no exception, after a lovely meal Katherine organized the kids into two groups and they had to make up a skit that included a prop she gave them and a line she gave them that had to be used. 

Katherine explains the rules of the skit.

Team 1

Team 2

Katie was still with Lottie so she's not pictured. Sweet Ruth made us all Christmas crackers to celebrate, so once everyone had opened theirs we had a race.

Ruth hands out the crackers.

Trying to stay warm.

Bubbles for everyone.

Here's to 2014!!

Taking selfies.

Thank you Moore family for a wonderful start to the new year.

Here are a few pictures Jen sent to me of Lottie and Katie having fun at Waitetoko:

It's Christmas Time!!

Chloe, Josie and Ellie enjoy the summer sunshine and the freedom of no school.

Meanwhile Lottie, Isabella and Katie spend a day in town renting crocodile bikes and shopping.

We woke up at home Christmas morning and Daddy read us the Christmas Story as is our tradition. After presents and a very quick breakfast we hit the road to head up to Palmerston North for Christmas lunch with Grandma and Grandpa and Hamish and Mike.

On the road.

"Please drop something for me"

 On Boxing Day I braved the mall with the girls as promised and Josie looked like this:

The girls with Uncle Hamish and Mike.

Ellie was the only one brave enough (or foolish enough) to swim in the chilly pool.

Fun new ipad game where Meggie tries to guess the word she is holding up while they give her clues.

After leaving Palmerston North we headed over to the Wairarapa to see Rob and Liz and family at Tablelands. When we arrived Liz turned on her new bubble making machine! Katie wasn't with us because in between Palmerston North and the Wairarapa we had dropped her with her friend Lottie to go to Lake Taupo with them for a week.

Ellie dancing in the bubbles.

The food was divine as always - most of it fresh from the organic garden outside!

Sunset at Tablelands.

The girls joined me for my morning workout.

Then they had a swim to cool off.

Uncle Rob took them on a crayfish hunt.

Chloe annoyed him by scaring them all away.

Farm Dogs! Gus and Chloe. Ollie was with Liz.

Here are some photos from Katie's time on Lake Taupo with Lottie: