Mid-Winter Camping!

We had our annual Queen's Birthday/Mid-Winter camping trip at Snowy Waters in Raetihi again this year. Such a great group of friends, it was fantastic. I was in charge of food, so I did the shopping and meal planning (with a lot of help) for the first time. It was a bit difficult to estimate how much we would need but I also really enjoyed doing it.  Our theme for Saturday night was "Mexican Night" so we went all out with food and decorations and the big girls provided great entertainment by putting together an amazing trivia quiz and dividing us into teams. My team actually won!! In between each section (geography, pop culture, etc) they had a challenge that one member of the team had to perform and they would say who it was - for example "A Mom" or "the Youngest" or whatever. I had to do a plank challenge on a very full stomach, not fun!! Ellie had to pick something up off the ground with her mouth and without using her hands. Josie and Katie had to slide a cookie down their face and into their mouths and Dugald had to eat a Weetbix as fast as he could. One of the other challenges for the younger set was to give a  speech for  as long as they could without saying "um" or "like". It was a ton of fun and afterwards we put on the Macarena and Feliz Navidad and did some dancing. The next day we went up to the Turoa ski fields and had fun in the snow. 

While most of the adults played golf we took a lovely walk with Meggie and Katie Reed.

We put Ross in charge of making the margaritas.

The loveliest friends ever.

The big girls leading the quiz.

My team!! Midge, Simon, Izzy and Pippa.

It was a perfect day to play in the snow!!

Our Active Girls. . .

Katie and her Junior B netball team with coaches Tessa and Tamara.

Josie with her hockey team after a great win!

Katie and friends dressed up for the Marsden dance - I think they were genies.

Josie and friends bowling.

Ellie participated in the Primary School Soiree - she played drums, ukulele and piano as well as singing with the choir.

Ellie at playing piano.

Ellie and friends before their cross- country race.

Ellie and Laura won the Masterchef competition at Jenny's birthday party.

Katie and her dance crew performed at a showcase, they were fantastic!

Dugald helping Ellie out with her maths homework.

No photos of Meg - she's so busy we never see her!! She has been having a lot of extra practices for choir as well as for the upcoming school production of High School Musical. Those things, along with her usual commitments for Duke of Ed, mean we don't see much of her during the week. Here is a video from school of her with her choir group practicing their waiata for competition. They did really well and were chosen to compete at Nationals in August!

Josie and Meggie were a part of the American contingent from Marsden that laid a wreath at the American Memorial Day Service at Old Saint Paul's.