kate, paul and gus

Kate, Paul and Gus were our first friends in New Zealand.  We were lucky enough to move in next door to them after weeks of looking for a place to live.  (more posts about Kate, Paul and Gus)  They taught us how to live in New Zealand and were often our cultural interpreters.  We couldn't have asked for kinder and more genuine friends.  

last day of NZ kindy

pippies

On one of our last nights in New Zealand our friend Leah took us and the Kelly family out to Orewa to dig for pippies.  When the tide was low but starting to come in we went out into the shallow tides and dug with our toes down into the sand until we felt shells.  We then dug down with our hands and pulled up little shelled animals.  The kids were thrilled to get wet and feel the water splashing around.  They were up past bed time in the late Summer sun.  It was a perfect New Zealand moment and it hurts my heart a little thinking about it.

 

The next day I cooked them up in a little sweet and sour sauce and the kids actually ate them!  They were a bit too sandy for me.  I still need to prefect my pippi cooking skills, but Max, who regularly eats sand anyways, loved them.

little kindy monkeys

Don't try telling Trent that he isn't able to do anything his brother and sister can do.  He loves going to kindy drop off and 

awhitu

We spend our Christmas vacation touring the Auckland Regional Parks.  

night market

Narrowneck

BBQ picnic

Korean BBQ at the park with our friends from China.  Jolin, Alan and Eillen Chen and baby Holly.

painting

jumping

Max and Maya love jumping on the trampoline.