The Great Race

As part of one of our teacher only days we were split into teams and had to complete a "Great Race" with crazy challenges to help build our team. Loads of laughs and creativity!

Matamata Swim Meet

Classroom almost ready

Lots and lots of work done and lots to go still.
Children arrive on Monday so not long now....

Day One - College

The very first day of College (High School) is upon us - exciting and scary :-)

Alpaca Shearing

From woolly to sleek.

The "teenage" journey begins today

Happy birthday to the most amazing young lady. I'm so proud of you and I know you have such a bright future ahead of you. What an exciting year awaits us :-)

It boggles my mind that time has sped by so quickly and that in a matter of days you will be starting college (high school). Love you most in the whole Universe and beyond, forever and always and beyond that too.

Fun on the Lake

The other side of the lense

Sometimes we get caught on the other side of the lense ;-)

Along the walking tracks

Through the trees

Looking out over the Lake early in the morning.

A rouge giraffe at the Lake

When we arrived at the Lake we discovered a rare and unusual "Jamie-Giraffe"

Baby birds

Heading into "teen-age-hood"

Tian used her own money to buy her very first smart phone. She had received money for Christmas and has been working to earn more. I'm proud of how she evaluated the different types of phone and assessed how she will fund it.

Oropi Gorge Road

The river that flows at the bottom of Oropi Gorge Road makes up a large part of Tauranga's water supply. No matter what season it is this water is always very chilly and most of the time it is gorgeous and crystal clear. These pictures are just taken from my phone looking over either side of the bridge that we walk / drive over.

More from the Papamoa Junior Carnival

Natural Beauty

Today was the Papamoa Junior Surf Life Saving Carnival. It was a long but enjoyable day in the hot Bay of Plenty sun. Tomorrow we may add some more pictures from the carnival but for tonight I will just share my favourite - the young lady whom I love most in the Universe and beyond and whom I am so proud of "Tian".

Cubes

It's well known that cats are finicky and think of themselves as a cut above humans. Yesterday we once again pandered to their whims and purchased them some luxurious sleeping cubes. Unfortunately we should have only chosen purple ones as all the cats prefer that one and venture to the grey one under duress only.

Omanu Beach Sunrise

This morning the moon sunk below the Kaimai Ranges infront of us and the sun rose across the horizon of Omanu Beach behind us as we walked/ran. Gorgeous.

Wacky Wednesday

Need I say more about what Miss T has been up to ;-)
I think it's actually all to do with having ventured into town to buy her new school uniform - the very smallest skirt swamps her!

Hay Day

Today our hay was finally rowed and baled, then it was up to us to collect it and put it away.
A good job done and out of the way :-)

Home Grown

I love home grown produce - yellow beans and zucchini  have to be some of my absolute favourites!

Bridge to Bridge swim

Very first attempt at the Bridge to Bridge swim. 1500m from the Harbour Bridge to just past the slip below the Matakana Rail Bridge. Tian's time was about 11:55 which was excellent - nothing like a bit of tide assistance to speed you along. Shinae won their age group in 11:20. The fastest male time was 10:22 and women was 10:48. As you can see rinsing off in a local fountain worked a treat and created many giggles.

Visitors from afar...

Yvonne Förster and Patrick Fiechter are visiting us from Switzerland for the third time. They are an amazing young couple full of surprises and such a pleasure to have around. They have been visiting NZ now every second year and really love it here. Maybe one day we will be able to visit them :-)
Currently they are out fishing with John, Debby and Russell, fingers crossed they catch something great as last time they caught John Dory. Enjoy your stay!

Storm Brewing

We had a brief hit of wild stormy weather last night that was building while we were at the final of the Ocean Swim series races. The lightening show was spectacular and the rolls of thunder shook the house.

Tian gained a 4th and showed how much she's learned by changing where she swam to best cope with the tide. She also won a very nice $50 shoe voucher spot prize which brought about big smiles.

Feathered garden dwellers

Our garden attracts a wealth of animal life. These were a few of the visitors today before the short thunderstorm rolled through.

A Cat's Life

They say it's a cat's life - I sure could handle sleeping 17 hours a day at times :-)

Pristine morning

HT and I hit the pavement and sand this morning at the earlier time of 6am as swim training has gone back to usual hours. Whilst dragging ourselves out of been is hideous this gorgeous setting makes it all worth while.

When you've got to sleep

When a dog's gotta sleep he's just gotta sleep.
Even if it doesn't look terribly comfortable to us humans.

Sundaes in a box

One of the gorgeous gifts I received this year - it also included home made chocolate sauce. All you had to do was add ice cream.

Port of Tauranga Half Iron Man

So much inspiration at the Port of Tauranga Half Iron Man, from amazing elite athletes to visually impaired athletes, athletes dressed in superman costumes or skirts, athletes who have lost lots of weight and are still working on it and those athletes who have a good 'few' years life experience under their belts.

Results:
Mens - 1/ Cameron Brown 3:54:10, 2/ Mark Bowstead 3:56:15, 3/ Braden Currie 4:00:52
Womens - 1/ Catriona Morrison 4:11:21, 2/ Amelia Rose Watkinson 4:16:45, 3/ Candice Hammond 4:20:21

Smart Kitty