Easter in Waitetoko

Term one flew by and suddenly it was Easter and the school holidays. Our original plan to spend the two weeks in Waitetoko was foiled by the need for Josie to attend the Sound of Music auditions and Katie to attend extra hip-hop rehearsals before heading to Nationals. However we did make it up for the long Easter weekend with a stop in Palmerston North on the way so we still managed a bit of family time.

Josie and Ellie in their Chapel Choir robes at the last chapel of the term.

I love Waitetoko because life slows down a bit and we have time for games and reading and walks and all the things I love with the people I love best.

And I especially love the tiny Anglican church on the marae that we've been to for the past three Easters - it's so beautiful and relaxed and happy.

We sing in Maori too - I do my best with pronunciation!

Happy Dog.

Easter dinner on the outside table that we dragged inside because the bees liked our mint sauce a little too much for the girls' comfort.

Our big adventure was taking the girls to bungee jump. Josie didn't weigh enough to do the actual bungee so she and Meggie decided to do a tandem bungee swing. Ellie was too small all around and Katie wasn't interested so it was just the two of them - and they loved it!

Wild children still on a bit of a high.

On the way home we stopped at the National Army Museum in Waiouru - we've passed it so many times and the girls have always been keen to have a look so we made sure to leave Waitetoko early enough to give us time. It was really well done and the girls enjoyed it and possibly learned a thing or two. The little two girls participated in a scavenger hunt that kept them intrigued and the big girls listened intently to Daddy as he taught them a bit of history.

There was also an interactive memorial to all the New Zealanders who had died in battle and we were able to look up Hugh's brothers Lloyd and Bobs.

More April Fun . . .

A few random photos from April . . .

I love this picture of Meggie but she doesn't! She was all dressed up to go to a birthday party, her character was a rich socialite. I thought she looked gorgeous, but I only have a full picture of her back :(.

Ellie got this crazy stuff for her birthday that turns your bath into a tub of goo, she and Josie loved it!

Just because we think they are cute and like it when they hang out together.

Katie's group from her English class performing.

Bella, Emily and Katie off to Auckland for the Hip Hop Nationals.

Ellie's 9th Birthday

Ellie's birthday actually fell on a Sunday this year so we got to have her party on her birthday!! She wanted to invite her entire class and she wanted her party to be "Hello Kitty". I recruited help in the form of Katie and Emily who once again, like last year, did a stellar job running the games portion of the afternoon. I think this might be the last party they help me with though as they said it was exhausting :).

Opening presents from family in the morning.

This cake is much bigger than it looks! Cherry-chip with buttercream icing as requested.

The "Popcorn Bar".

Tilly

Alex and Ellie

Katie and Emily

Ava, India, Tilly and Laura

Jennie, Emily, Lauren, Zoe and Aarti

Presents!

Zoe, Jennie, Ruth and Ellie

The Sound of Music

What an adventure Josie has had!! When a West End production company came to New Zealand to audition children for a part in The Sound of Music we knew she had to give it a go. It was a great experience from start to finish and we are so proud of her and amazed at how well she did. She went through three full days of auditions in Wellington and made it the entire way through while hundreds of others were cut. The South African director was amazing and worked really well with the kids, he was very patient and he also managed to bring out the best in each child. I only know this because he allowed the parents in on the last day to watch, so long as we were quiet and didn't record anything. I snuck a quick pic (which is posted at the end) but didn't make any audio or video recordings, although I really wish I had for posterity! In the end Josie just wasn't quite right height-wise for either of the two parts she auditioned for, but she handled the disappointment with grace and I breathed a secret sigh of relief that I wasn't going to have to work out how she and I could spend a month in Auckland while she performed there!

Ready to go to the registration.

Nervously handing over her information.

The end of Day 1 and she and a few of her friends had made it through. L-R Anna, Lizzie, Josie and Elspeth.

Day 3 - practicing before heading into the theater.

Lined up in groups based on the character they were auditioning for.

Sneaky photo as they warm up on stage.