March Madness Marsden Style

The school gala is held every two years and is a huge undertaking!! This year I put my hand up to convene the Designer Clothing Stall and quickly got to work emailing my friends to please be on my team to help out. We started at the beginning of the term with communications, a Facebook page, and encouraging people to donate and within a few weeks were busily sorting and pricing to get ready for the big event. The Designer Clothing stall is so popular that we actually do a week of pre-sales before the gala itself. I had an AMAZING team, so thankful, as well as the help and mentoring of both Prue who has done it at Marsden for the past many galas and Celia who convenes the Karori Normal Designer Clothing. All in all we had a great time but it made for a busy month or so - and our efforts were a great success, the school raised $63,500 and our stall was the biggest earner at $16,500 (and counting, uniforms still selling).

Saniya, Trish, Celia and Sarah as we sort and receive donations in the Old Gym. We couldn't move to our actual room until the Thursday before the gala on Sunday.

Set up at last in our final home - ready for the official start of the pre-sales.

We had some amazing donations - this is an Alexander McQueen dress and the shoes are Jimmy Choos.

Pre-sale girls.

Gala day!! Prue and I even managed to dress alike. 

Part of my team at the end of the day drinking bubbles out of plastic cups. Here's to us!!

My Birthday

Aika is growing and still very cute.

They are sitting much closer to one another now.

Opening presents with the girls then night before my birthday.

I had 10 friends over for dinner - I did the meat and drinks and they did the rest, it was perfect!

Fiona, Kathryn, Alison and Katherine.

Fleur, Cathy and Linda

Me, Nicky, Lisa and Jen.

I hate this photo of me but Kathryn made me a beautiful cake.

Some of my goodies.

The girls and Dugald were awesome - they helped with cleanup and serving dessert. I am very blessed.

February begins...

 A few highlights from the month . . .

This crew fixed Grandma and Grandpa's garden path.

Ellie got to go camping in Greytown with the rest of our friends - the Moore's graciously took her with them.

One of the reasons we couldn't all camp is that Josie and Meggie were assigned buddies (new girls to Marsden) and so had to go to an orientation at school that weekend. Here is Josie with her buddy Annabel.

First Day!!! Josie Year 7, Meggie Year 11, Ellie Year 6 and Katie Year 9. 

Ellie had three friends from KNS come to Marsden - this is one of them, Lily Jane.

Some of Ellie's classmates - Tilly, Samantha and Zoe.

Ellie with another KNS friend, Amelia.

And her BESTIE from KNS, Mackenzie.

These two are still getting used to each other.

Dugald and I had a lovely breakfast with Jim and Allie Cantonis on their visit to Wellington. I was worried I wouldn't recognize them so we both cracked up when we saw them since Allie looks so much like my mom. Terrible picture lighting-wise unfortunately.

For Waitangi Day we took the girls and friends to the Mt. Vic Chippery and had dinner at the boat docks. 

Katie and Emily, Ellie and India, me and Megs.

Ellie and India running across the rooftops.

Josie started taking trumpet at school this year.

Ellie got to go on school camp - my friend Sasha went to help and sent me these photos.

Katie had a great day playing cricket with Marsden 1st XI for the Nga Tawa exchange. Marsden crushed them. Her friends Vita, Emily and Juliet played tennis.

Valentines from their Daddy and grandparents.

Dugald and I went out for a Valentines Day brunch and ran into Matthias who was here visiting from Germany - he took this photo.

Later in the week the two of them had coffee in town for a catch-up.

Matthias also stopped in to see Hugh and Margaret (and Kate) and got these lovely photos.