ANZAC DAWN Parade

A 4.30am start, warm clothes and off to the dawn parade to commemorate the ANZAC fores. It was a huge turn out for a small provincial town, Lots of Army, Navy, Air force, Police, Scouts and Cubs, Rugby teams and schools marched to the local memorial. Iroquois fly over to start the services as dawn crept over the Hutt Valley hills, a gorgeous clear sky, pink and orange as the sun rose. Josh marched with the cubs and go a special 2009 ANZAC scout badge for his camp blanket.

Zoo trip again....

The great thing about Wellington Zoo, everytime you visit something else has been updated or added. Today the Dingo's had arrived, a new river hide by the Giraffe's and a new path and look out by the Cheetah enclosure. The kids had fun, lunch out and treats at the Zoo shop. The girls have new fluffy pet guinea pigs - stuffed (BBQ ready!!) and josh got a plastic snake. Back home for the $1 DVD rentals and Josh off to his first Netball practice and Karate.

Hurricaines 34 Stormers 11

For a huge sum of $24 all five of us went to watch the Hurricanes, what a great night out. The kids had fun, saffron complaining when the music stopped - too busy dancing to watch the Rugby! The atmosphere was great and fun was had by all.

A hole in one

More Holiday adventures, the Southward Car museum - the biggest hit were the circus mirrors!!! Then lunch out, a play in the park at Raumati South and a round of golf - of the mini pirate kind. Saffron won the most holes and India scored a hole in one. Off to the Rugby today, yellow and black t-shirts at the ready.

Battle Hill and Bucket Racing - no spades involved!

Easter Sunday we went to the local bucket races at Kaitoke kart track, mmmm the lovely smell of 2-stroke in the morning! The fav was the scooteratzi Madass bike - very funny looking but looked fun to throw around the track.
After fun watching the bikes we headed home for lunch before discovering Battle hill park. Very much like Belmont Domain, bare hills and no bush cover and shade. Steep hills, and nice views and a great excuse to earn some chocolate. We even managed to shrink the kids - one at a time.
We came home via the beach for a bit of rock pooling - India would love to have kept all those baby hermit crabs - they tickled when they walked across her palm.

Good Friday Tramp

Good Friday and Easter Monday are still covered by a great law in NZ which means no shops apart from small dairy's are allowed to Open - I think its great. I means that no one has to work, even the shop assistants and no one can spend the day shopping. It promotes a family day - spent with family and friends and really enjoyed. I recall UK shop assistants having to work, getting no time off and every one spending the day shopping rather than good family fun.

This year we went to Sharon and Matt's for lunch, a quick Easter egg hunt first for the kids, a light lunch and then a 3km tramp round the coast from Pukerua bay. It was great fun and although Eostre - the festival of spring works for the Northern Hemisphere, down here in the southern Hemisphere, it is Autumn and today we had snow on the Tararuas and the volcano's of central and Western North Island. Brghh get the heaters on!!!

Wiggly fun

An early birthday present for Saffron, a trip to see the Wiggles LIVE! Lots of fun by 4 grown men who were having a great time themselves, lots of fun for the girls and plenty of humor for the parents. A great number of dads were there - not sure if they were hoping for a guest appearance from their latest collaboration or not - but no Kylie after all!. Just Dorothy the dinosaur, wags the dog, henry the octopus, Captain feather sword.
We striked lucky - we got to go in a separate door with no merchandising! Heaven sent!

Macdonalds treat for lunch and all were happy.



Josh and Andy had enjoyed a trip to Pink Panther 2 the week before, having won free tickets in a competition. After which Josh went to spend his money, after selling old toys he no longer wanted on trade me he save $100 to buy some star wars lego - Rebal Tank. He is impressed!4 more days till the end of term and 2 weeks of Easter Holiday fun... lots of trips I think, including a cinema, passport photos trip! The weather her is a real India summer, with Autumn being very mild and warm, just as we remember it 2 years ago this weekend for our first visit. Have remembered though nothing is open good friday!