October School Holidays and WOW

This year for her birthday we gave Margaret tickets to see WOW - the World of Wearable Art show - in Wellington. Thankfully Kate was able to look after Hugh so that Margaret could come down and we had a wonderful time. Andrew and Debs were also able to join us from Sydney and Hettie and Liz were in town and went with us as well. Josie got to go last year and Katie wasn't terribly interested so Ellie and Meggie got to join us and see it for the first time, lucky girls!

Andrew and Ellie opening the Little Shop collectables Margaret has been saving from New World.

Ready to go inside!

Debs, Margaret and Andrew

Hettie, Meggie, Ellie and Liz.

A sneaky picture I took at the beginning of the show.

The girls were off school for two weeks in October so we got to have a lovely long weekend in Waitetoko - one of our favorite places to go! The weather was great - we managed to swim in the lake and sled on the mountain.

Chilling by the fire.

Katie and Josie call this the "Twerking Tree".

Meggie led them in some morning yoga.

Chloe loves to swim no matter how cold.

Ellie is a little more hesitant.

Josie warming up in the sun.

So Ellie borrowed her wetsuit.

Cards, cards, cards.

Heading up to Mount Ruapehu.

Snow!

Meggie and Ellie bundled up.

First time on a ski lift.

Ready to try the sleds.

Family dinner.

Girls taking a selfie on the way to the lake because Ellie wants to skinny dip. At night. In the cold.

Brrrrr.

Mission accomplished.

She slept well that night.

Heading home after another great holiday in Waitetoko. We love it there.

And now what the others have been up to . . .

Since the last post was all about Meggie, here is an update on what the other three got up to in September.

Katie:

Katie and her crew winning silver.

Katie, Claudia and Emily

These two dressed up for  a night out.

Katie and her team at the national finals for Jr. Certificate Grade debating - they got to debate at Parliament.

They came 2nd - they lost by .5 a point to Queen Margaret.

Josie:

Amy, Sashi and Josie dressed in their KidsCan bandanas - a fundraiser for kids with cancer.

Josie and the girls were invited to dinner and a movie with the boys for a birthday. The mom sent me this.

The girls all dressed up for the Wellesley Dance. Josie, Sashi, Amy, Caitlin and Maddie.

Jo and her basketball team with coach Josh (and he's American!) after the last game of the season.

At the local pub celebrating after the game.

Ellie:

Ellie and her buddy Laura were a team at a Master Chef themed birthday party - and their dish won!!

Ellie and her basketball team at the last game.

Meggie's Semi-Formal

Meggie had a great time with her friends at her first semi-formal dance. To start the day she got out of school early to get her hair done then headed into town to her friend Milly's where some of the older girls came and helped them out with makeup. Dugald and I were invited to Milly's for the pre-dance drinks and we got to see a lot of the girls all dressed up and meet their dates and some of the other parents, it was lovely. John Marsh was there with his camera and got some great photos, but there was also a photographer at the dance, so this post is very photo laden. Enjoy!

Pre-dance photos at Milly's:

The group that went together- minus Katie Reed who was still playing hockey at this point.

Meggie, Sariya and Lucy

Meggie and her date Jack.

Harriett, Caroline and Meggie

At the dance:

The boys

The whole group - with Katie

Grace, Meggie, Katie and Sophie

Meggie and Bria

Meggie and Milly

Meggie and Brianna

Meggie and Hannah

The gang

The Winter Project girls - thus the shivering pose.

Meggie and Laura