School's out!

School's out in New Zealand, but not after a hectic couple of weeks.
First there was the school art show - where the kids proudly displayed their work created during the term. As usual, there was a sausage sizzle, with wine and beer for the adults, and cordial for the kids.
It was great chatting to the teachers and other parents in such a relaxed atmosphere.
During the evening, teachers displayed their own art work and there was a silent auction so parents could bid on the masterpieces.
Bidding started slowly, with just $1 and $2 bids rolling in, until naughty Husband took over and started bidding in $15 and $20 increments to get things rolling. You would never have known that he used to be an auctioneer - not!
A few of the teachers were upset not to get any bids, so we put a few sympathy bids in too...and ended up picking up a painting for $10. Bargain, don't you think?
The final week of school wound up with a concert by C's class. He proved to be a dab hand on the bongo drums, and even sang the New Zealand National Anthem (I didn't even know he knew it!) H. loved applauding her brother and their friends.
The kids are growing out of their shoes and jeans, so we took them to Otara Market on the weekend. This is seriously one of the best places in Auckland to pick up cheap clothes, shoes, and ... well, pretty much anything really.
It was a pity about the weather - cold and wet - or we would have picked up some fruit and vegies too.
On Sunday, I put the kids to work, by taking them with me to see a film I'm reviewing, Ponyo.
It's so different to any other kids movies I've seen, like a storybook come to life. The kids were mesmerised and C. declared: 'It's not normally my thing, but I liked it."
Guess it will be getting the thumbs up then!


The painting we won, by the head of the junior school

One of H's pieces

And the Little Dude with another of his (he was rather prolific)!

Otara Market, where you can get just about anything - including contact lenses ...

I've always wanted a Mumu...

Big spender

Colourful stalls

Surveying the stalls

Missy and a Fluffie (babycino)

C. chose a hot dog. An American hotdog is a frankfurt in a bun. (C. looks like he's about to shove that stick up his nose. And I don't know what's wrong with Miss Crankypants! Look at the face...)

Coconut bread

Breakfast vans ... C. is wearing my jumper because he 'doesn't feel the cold). Yeah, right.

Hangi anyone?

Do the Hokey Pokey with C...

C. learned to make a New Zealand favourite at school this week – Hokey Pokey.
Kind of like our honeycomb but crisper, Hokey Pokey is an iconic sweet beloved by generations of Kiwi kids.
That afternoon, he rushed home to show off his new skills.
It was really too sweet for Husband and I (and probably the kids, for that matter), but his enthusiasm was infectious. And messy.
When K. got home that night, he took one look at our sweet-spattered kitchen and declared Hokey Pokey Making to be banned!
Speaking of school, the kids are officially on holidays as from this afternoon. They’re looking forward to a couple of weeks of play dates, swims, vacation care, and possibly a few trips and outings. (If they’re good!)
The last day of school each term is always great fun, with discos, games, videos and in C’s case, a shared lunch. I went all out making spaghetti muffins for his class, but predictably, he and H. declared them ‘gross’! (They were actually pretty nice. Honestly).
Anyway, C. went off quite happily with a Tupperware container full of mini pies, sausage rolls and quiches instead.
The kids have a special treat in school holiday time to look forward to: A visit to the school dentist! Yes, the dental van comes to the school during the break, rather than during school time as we’re used to.
C. has already had to go to another school’s dental clinic for an x-ray and a clean in preparation for the visit, and let me just say, I hope the mobile van is a little better equipped.
This one was like something out of my childhood, with daggy, old-fashioned chairs and equipment.
After the dentist scraped away the tarter and cleaned C’s teeth with that foul-tasting toothpaste they use, she gave him a glass to rinse with. He went to spit it out, like we do at the dentist at home …Except there was no sink like we’re used to! As C. looked around wildly, the dentist said calmly: “It’s okay, just drink it.” Eww.
I guess avoiding the dentist is another reason to consider limiting the making of and eating of Hokey Pokey at home!
And I couldn't leave without mentioning the ongoing Queenstown winter festival.
The latest attraction was a race where the participants wore their undies. As you do.
Check it out at http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2557487/Eyebrows-up-blowup-dolls-down-in-Undy-500

Spotted in Grey Lynn...Are they actually selling S**t, or is the sale just crap? Hokey Pokey - reminds me a bit of the previous photo for some reason...


The Masterchef in action - with Mastereater about to pounce!

He's such a good stirrer ...

An Easter in Auckland

Our first Easter in Auckland was certainly different to those we’ve experienced back home.
For a start, there were no lunches, dinners or catch-ups with family (well apart from our own little family). But there were loads of phone calls and emails, which helped to make up for that.
We decided not to book a break out of town, mainly because we’d been warned that everyone in Auckland would have the same idea, and the traffic would be horrendous. (After being trapped in a traffic jam last Thursday, as thousands of Aucklanders tried to leave the city, I was pleased we’d taken our friends’ advice!)
Instead, we booked a stay at SKYCITY, the Skytower hotel. Our kids are obsessed with the Skytower, so we knew they would love it. We got a great deal, and the bonus was that it was just up the road. So we got a holiday without the trauma of a long drive with antsy kids. They didn’t even get the chance to ask: Are we there yet?
The quick and easy trip meant more time for swimming, movies, and eating and drinking far too much. Also, the novelty of staying in a hotel again, complete with the attractions of room service and Sky television, was certainly a hit!
We were a bit mean and didn’t tell the kids our plans. Instead, we packed a bag in secret, and then told them to grab their teddies because we were going for a long drive. (They hate long drives!)
Imagine their surprise when we turned into the Skytower, just up the road, and stopped the car. They hadn’t even twigged there was a hotel there! H. almost wet herself with excitement when she found out we were staying there!
To be honest, the hotel itself wasn’t posh (there’s another called SKYCITY Grand, which is meant to be more luxurious), but we enjoyed a break from routine, and staying somewhere different took our minds off being away from home.
A bonus was being able to watch people leap off the tower as we relaxed by the outdoor heated pool – okay that’s a lie, the kids relaxed and made instant friends, while I shivered on the deck watching them. They also loved watching orange-clad people walk along the glass edge of the Skytower above us, like so many spiders.
Back home, there has been computer time, DVD time, and a whole lot of cooking. Not to mention chocolate consumption for the kids.
Easter Tuesday meant back to work, which is always tricky when you have kids home on school holidays. I’m lucky that I have a few days organised for them with vacation care, which is where they are today.
The holiday programs are great over here. The kids get to do fun things like ride the ferry, climb mountains, explore caves, visit attractions like underwater world and the zoo, go ice-skating, disco bowling and more.
They love it, and it gives me a chance to get my work done without constant cries of:

“I’m bored”
“Can I play on your computer?”
“Muuuum, C. hurt me/changed the channel/is being mean to me!” (And vice versa).
“It’s not fair you get to play on your computer!” (Yes, that’s what I’m doing. Playing.)
“I’m hungry/thirsty.”
“Can we go to the park/pool/movies?”
“When are you going to be finished?"

Praying for a fluffie and a muffin ...oh look, it worked!

Footy fans!

The buffet breakfast - all you could eat, and C. didn't stop until he was stuffed!

Street art and a safety message. It's to warn pedestrians not to step out into traffic without looking. Believe it or not they do it all the time! In Auckland, 70 per cent of pedestrian accidents are due to this.

Hanging out at the hotel

C. loved watching Sky television from the comfort of his bed

So did H.

My water baby!

School holidays? They're a walk in the park!

Keeping kids entertained during school holidays, particularly with the excitement of Christmas looming, is always tricky.
Yesterday, I decided we'd check out another of Auckland's fabulous parks, and give the chance to burn off some of energy as well.
This time it was Western Park, in Ponsonby.
It's a gorgeous park, with loads of winding paths, trees straight out of fairytales, and soft green grass. There's also a fab (and slightly dangerous!) playground. NZ laws are obviously not as over-the-top as back home, and parks still have monkey bars, roundabouts, and some huge-arsed slippery slides as well. So kids still get to be kids, and parents get to worry and sooth the inevitably bumps and bruises later!

See why we needed to get out of the house? They're unstoppable!

C. and friend check out one of the slides

My own human monkey

The Pohutakawa or New Zealand Christmas tree. So-named, because it blossoms every Christmas. Settlers used to decorate their homes with it instead of holly. They are gorgeous and in some areas turn hills and mountains red! The flowers when they fall leave a carpet of red underneath.

A doggie dumpster. The council provides free litter bags, and a doggie bin to put the bags in later.

Look out Auckland! Here we come...

Oops!

This week, I helped out as the Grade One’s from H’s school visited Auckland Zoo.
Now the trip was to have happened a week ago, but had to be cancelled on account of horizontal rain and high winds that day. (Horizontal rain – where the wind is so strong it whips it onto you and under umbrellas, soaking your clothes and lashing your face. All too common in Auckland).
This zoo day, the skies were fine, and we piled into the bus.
And then I had a revelation.
NZ buses/schools obviously don’t have the same safety laws as we do in Australia. The bus could have been the one I rode, many years ago, on the bus run to Kingaroy. There was no air-conditioning, no seatbelts, no loos, and wind whipped in through the open windows. And the driver was a maniac! (I mean that in a nice way – just that he was speedy, there were many bumps, and kids (and I) almost ended up on the floor on a few occasions).
And then there was the noise. The kids were hyped. “That’s my Daddy’s work!” screamed H. on one occasion, as we careered around a corner. Then “ooooh” as we went under an overpass. And much cheering and giggling as we caught up with, and dragged, another bus. And did I mention the singing?
But we got there in super-quick time.
In true Auckland style, the minute we pulled up outside the zoo, it started raining. Luckily I’d packed coats, umbrellas and the like, and we spent the next few hours taking them off and putting them back on – Auckland is like that. One minute it’s burning hot, the next it’s pouring down.
I had forgotten how demanding it is to supervise loads of kids, and don’t remember much of the zoo at all. I think it involved multiple toilet visits and carrying lots of bags.
Still, there were some funny moments. Like when they saw their first animal, still outside the zoo gates.
“Look a rooster” they shrieked, rushing towards the terrified creature. Later, inside the zoo, we were gazing at the lions, when one of the kids shouted: “Dad! Why are the lions dead?” (They were sleeping).
And when we saw the lemurs, the whole class started singing: “I like to move it, move it” from Madagascar.
I’d love to go back to the zoo on another occasion, when it’s less-rushed and I only have to keep my eyes on two kids!
In other news, the kids finished school for the year yesterday. I felt quite teary saying goodbye to their teachers, who were so lovely and talented. It feels like only a few months ago that we were saying goodbye to their teachers in Brisbane, who were so lovely and talented … hang on, it WAS only a few months ago!
We’ve been so blessed to find a similar-style school here, where the teachers are all gifted, enthusiastic, and clearly love their jobs.
The best thing is that C. is finally reading at the level of his peers. That’s a huge achievement, because he has a reading and writing disability, and when we arrived here a few months ago, he was still only at a Grade 1 level. With the help of the school’s magical reading recovery teacher, he is now reading Grade 3 level and finally picking up books at home, and, er, READING them! You can’t imagine how proud I am! (Now we just have to work on the hand-writing.)
We also had Husband’s work Christmas party – a posh affair at the Auckland City Hall, and a chance for Grown Up Time while our French babysitter entertained the kids. I even wore heels and didn't fall over once!
Poor Husband still has a couple of days left of work, while the kids and I are officially on holiday.
All I can say is Auckland better watch out!

Park Life

Another week of school holidays have gone by, and somehow we've survived without too many tantrums and tears. The kids have been pretty well-behaved too!
We've spent a lot of time across at our local park, enjoyed a couple of picnics, and caught up with friends.

There was a DVD and Doona Day - coinciding with a wet and cold Auckland day - where we basically snuggled up and stayed dry. Auckland has the perfect weather for Doona Days!
And yesterday, the Little Dude enjoyed a visit to a travel museum and picnic with the city's YMCA school holiday program.
The Princess, poorly with a sore throat and tummy, elected to stay home 'with Mumma'. Keeping her quiet was a challenge, so spent most of the day baking - much to Chase's delight when he arrived home and sampled a few of our creations. I'm still cleaning up the kitchen after my little helper's assistance, but it was worth it to see her mixing and pouring to her heart's content.
Today, Chase is busy building lego creations, then we're walking up the hill to Ponsonby where he will hopefully get a haircut.
One of the downsides of our new home is that just about every night, Harmonie has a nightmare and/or night terrors. She's happy enough during the day, but I guess it's her reaction to the move and change of routine.
Anyway, her cries result in me leaping out of bed and making a midnight dash up three flights of stairs to comfort her. And invitably, she ends up at the bottom of our bed - cuddling my feet. (Yes, she's a weird child sometimes...)
Something tells me she's getting too tall for this, as usually Kyle or I - or both of us - end up getting kicked in the behind. Hence we're shopping for a double bed for her, so at least one of us can nap with her until she goes back to sleep if we need to.
And in response to the interested queries from many of you, yes, I have been sampling a few of the New Zealand wines. Here's one I enjoyed last night (I find wine o-clock comes a bit earlier on the school holidays!)

School Holiday Fun

So it's school holiday here, and apart from yelling - a lot - I've been enjoying spending time with the kids.
There have been plenty of visits to the pool, spa and park, as well as playdates with some new friends they've made.
We also enjoyed a day at the movies - lunch, shopping, trampoline-bungy - as you do - and Beverley Hills Chihauhua (It rocked too! The kids loved it and there were enough big kid jokes for me as well. Plus, I'm a sucker for dogs!).

Of course, the kids talked me into spending a few coins at those annoying electronic game zones they seem to have at every single cinema these days. Just as I was warning C. these games never let you win anything, and they're rigged ... he won a huge stuffed blue bear!
In fact, the bear was so big, it got caught in the chute. Quickly, a crowd gathered and I had to get a security guy to come to the rescue (a few shakes and the bear was out).

C. was happy, but H. was not. "I wanna stuffed toy too," she cried. C. tried hard to get her one, as did she (I wasn't allowed, because everyone knows I am challenged in that department), but no luck. By then, I'd spent all my coins and it was time for the movie to start ... so H. was inconsolable. Luckily, popcorn and coke (eventually) bought her silence.

Oh well, at least she enjoyed the trampoline!
Here's proof...