Picnic in Auckland Domain 2014

Inspired by our recent visit to the Auckland War Memorial Museum with Bert, Chern and Torin, we returned to the Auckland Domain on Saturday with a picnic lunch. We found a shady spot before mooching around the museum for an hour or two.

"Better Park" December 2013

"Better Park" December 2013.

Adam at "Better Park," December 2013.

Albany Ward Christmas Activity December 2013

Grace, Jane and Josie took part in the live Nativity scene during our ward Christmas activity on Friday 13 December.

Happy days

Wanted to get these up...sorry it has taken me so long, Jo! Christmas in Gaythorne...

Christmas Photos

Ted the circus dog

Adam

Easter weekend - Waiake Beach

At the Gala

My first chapter book!

Guy Fawkes Misery

Poor, poor Ted! For the last few days people all around us have been letting off fireworks to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say they have been using Guy Fawkes Day as an excuse to let off lots and lots of fireworks. Fireworks can only be sold in the few days leading up to GF day, so there is a novelty factor. On Friday night Ted was frantic with all the explosions, trembling and hiding and eventually vomiting in fear. (Rich was quite surprised by this, saying personally he has vomited in surprise before, but never in fear.) Tonight Ted is calmer, but no less miserable. Let's hope things are quieter tomorrow.

Twice upon a time...

Charlie's homework last week was to incorporate his fifteen spelling words into a fairy tale. This is the result: Twice Upon A Time Twice upon a time, there were two children named Timothy and Tomothy. They were twins who looked identical except for their noses, which were very different. Tim's nose looked like a bent tree, while Tom's resembled a sick cat. They both had a birthmark on their foreheads which looked like a horse with a cloak on. Tim grew up being very nice to animals and children, while Tom grew up taunting animals and children. One day when Tim and Tom were very old,(about 33) a carriage arrived at their village. A fat man in armour came out of it and knocked on the twin's door. Tim opened it. The man said, "I'm the king, and you are sentenced to death for taunting animals and children." But before Tim could say : But I grew up being nice to animals and children and you're looking for my brother Tom, the king drew his sword and chopped his head off right on the spot. Tomothy was mocking a plant in the backyard during the king's visit, and didn't hear anything. When he returned to his house he saw the body of his sort of beloved brother. "The king has come for me." he said. "I must tell the king he has needlessly murdered my twin." When Tomothy arrived at the castle, he came to the king's throne room. The king took three looks and said "You look familiar, almost as if I have killed you before." Tom said "I am Tomothy, and I grew up taunting animals and children. You killed my brother instead of me." The king said, "Oh. That's right. Timothy had a nose like a tree. Yours is more like a sick cat." The king drew his sword and announced, "You are sentenced to death! Suddenly, in magic poof of mystical fairy dust, a fairy arrived in a chariot pulled by wolves leaving behind a trail of soggy golden fluffy stuff. The fairy came to Tom and said,"You have been a very brave boy. For that, the king will not kill you." She clapped twice and the king's head disappeared. The fairy then winked at Tom and rode away to some distant faraway land not in the kingdom anymore. With Tim gone, and the king killed by some fantasy lady, Tomothy was finally able to live happily ever after. And that's probably what he did. The end.

The duck costume

Some of these photos show the first time Josephine wore her duck costume in Utah in 2007. She has always loved it and worn it at every opportunity since then. This year she finally admitted that she could no longer squeeze into it, and passed it on to Adam. Can you tell which duck is which?

Adam

Sweet, funny, cheeky, smart, and so, so adorable...

Piano Recital

Grace and Jane performed with all the other students of their teacher, Fumiko. They did a fantastic job, and Fumiko wowed us with a piece of her own at the end.

Spring

Spring is here, and we are outside more and more. Today the girls ate breakfast on the table and then played underneath it in the evening. The days are gorgeous, though still chilly in the shade. We are all so happy the wild winds of September and October are over.

Brothers