New Zealand- Here We Come!

Good Bye, New Zealand!!!

2010-06-23T00:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is our last day in New Zealand and what an amazing time we have had!

We are sad to go and wish New Zealand was closer to Oregon. I never thought I would ever live in another country and have it feel like "home." Well, New Zealand stole our hearts.

Dunedin is a beautiful city and I will truly missing walking around town. I think I will even miss the hills!

Sophia is going to miss her friends, and her fantastic teacher, Mr. Roche. She absolutely adores him, and he is one of the best teachers I have ever encountered! (I did say one of the best)

Leah has settled into Kiwi life quite nicely and has found a nice group of friends. She has loved playing netball, and thinks it is the best sport in the world.

The girls have also enjoyed many play dates, and one of their favorite places to visit our friends, the Cotters. Charlotte, Hamish, Lucy and Grace was very friendly towards the girls and they spent hours together running around.

Stas has had some great experiences at the "Uni"- with his Kiwi colleague, Jim. He has been able to do some top quality research, in addition to advising the Willamette students.

We had a great time with the Willamette students, with several of them coming and going through our house at some time or another. They were great to have around, and they have really become part of our family!

I was able to just enjoy this experience. I have met some kind and wonderful people here, and I hope I will see them again some day. I spent hours in museums learning about New Zealand, and enjoyed reading book after book from the library. I experienced new foods (most of them great) and did some experimenting in my own kitchen! Most of my experiments were actually edible!

We have already had tears from Sophia, and Leah has already said she wants to stay until November (she still has netball and camp to come). That tells me this was a positive, enjoyable and memorable experience- which is the best outcome!

Fun with Good Friends and Puppies

2010-06-15T03:54:00.000-07:00

The girls have loved playing out at Roka and Kerry's house- there are horses, puppies, and lots of land for running around.

Kerry was a brave man, and took 5 dogs (3 puppies and two other dogs) and both girls out for digging for cockles. We call cockles- clams, and the clams they gathered were used in a chowder less than 1/2 hour later.

Whew! A very busy weekend!

2010-06-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

It has been a very business weekend around here, as we are winding down our visit to New Zealand.

Friday we were invited to drinks at one of the neighbor's house. We had a delightful time, and they also have a 2 year old dog named, Millie- which have a the girls a great "friend" to play with!

A couple of Stas' students came up for an impromptu dinner, and ended up having a sleepover at our house! Shaffer then joined the girls and I for clamming early Saturday morning, and Elena watch the World Cup for most of the night!

After clamming we heading to our friends, Roka and Kerry's house, for a traditional Maori meal. Indian fry bread, clams, seafood chowder and a taste of mutton bird were enojoyed by us all. Roka, Kerry and their family have become dear friends, and we so appreciate their kindness, hospitality, and good company.

Saturday night we went to a comedy play called 39 steps which was quite lovely. The girls has another one of Stas' students as a babysitter- and of course played lots of games with Victoria.

Leslie, the last of the students here in Dunedin, was feeling a bit left out of the sleepovers, so after the play she stayed Saturday night at our house (along with Elena who is living here during soccer!).

Sunday we were invited to another neighbor's house, the Wyatt's. They have been so nice to us and we have enjoyed their company. In the States we have wonderful, dear neighbors who are like family to us. It was so nice for the girls to have neighbors here that reminded us so much of home. And, of course, we could not leave out Mrs. Wyatt's shortbread!

We climbed out way into bed early last night, to begin our new week!

Maori Learning Center

2010-06-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to be able to spend a weekend at at Maori Learning Center, a few weeks ago.

Kerry, Roka and their family are some of the kindest, warmest and giving people we have encountered here in New Zealand. We spent the weekend learning about their story of being Maori, their language and beliefs. We ate together and spoke of politics, raising of children and of Mother Earth. We learned how to weave, while watching children run around playing.

The girls ran around the country with other kids, played with puppies, ate mutton bird and were lucky enough to ride horses. Leah got to ride one of the horses on the road home!

Ricky, who is Roka & Kerry's son, has taken over running the center and is also a jack of all trades. He is an artist, the main cook, hunter, and keeps the place running. Ricky and his daughters were very gracious to arrange to time for the girls to go and ride the horses. Ricky is telling Sophia how to greet and talk to the horse before climbing on for a ride.

Birds

2010-06-06T14:20:00.000-07:00

We have had a wonderful time enjoying all the different birds in New Zealand. The local birds that do not fly north (yes north, no south) for the winter rely on city bird feeders to keep them fed.

We have had Tuiis, bell birds, silver-eyed birds, black birds, sparrows and starlings at our bird feeder. There are goldfinches that eat the from the lavender bushes in the front yard. We also see wood pigeons (Kereru) in the nearby trees. Wood pigeons are one of New Zealand's pigeons that look like a pigeon on steroids. They are HUGE!

Netball

2010-06-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Leah has signed up for netball and she is loving it. What is netball? Well, we are still trying to figure it out. I will at least give you some of the differences between netball and basketball. There is no dribbling in netball, there is no contact (really, no contact), only certain people are allowed in certain areas of the court, there is no backboard, and you can only shoot in a designated area. Oh! They also play in skirts.

Leah has made several baskets and has had a great time. She also has NOT dribbled during the game, which we consider a success!

Leah and I were also lucky enough to go see the professional netball players about a week ago.

Here is a small video of her- one bad pass followed by a good pass that ended up with a basket. I think this is her first assist!

The time is ticking down

2010-05-30T17:17:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that we have less than a month before we head back for home. There are mixed feelings about leaving.

As winter, and the cold approaching, I am looking forward to the end of our visit. The weather has kept us inside more, and we are doing less traveling.

However, I adore Dunedin and I will miss it. This is a great walking town, and I will miss the 10 minute walk to downtown. I will miss the great old houses, the stained glass windows, and the many birds we see out our windows. The view from our conservatory is amazing, and it will be hard to leave. We have met some wonderful people here, and hope to come back again soon!

I am excited to go back and start "working" again. I have bought a few treasures here, that will be packed (very carefully!) in my suitcase so I can take them home. My etsy shop is calling my name, and hopefully someone will love the laboratory glassware I found!

Cadbury, here we come!

2010-05-24T16:53:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad took us to the Cadbury Chocolate Factory for a tour. I have to admit I had been to Cadbury before Mom and Dad's visit (okay, I had been there several times), but a person can never go to Cadbury too many times.

Shell Heaven!

2010-05-24T16:44:00.000-07:00

This beach had amazing shells! Tons of them! Big ones, little ones, and clams that were still alive!

Unfortunately, we forgot out bags and plastic tubs. However, Mom still had an extra clean hankie to use!

The birds are everywhere. Here are pictures of a blue heron, shags (cormorants) and an oyster catcher.

Sand Head Beach

2010-05-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Another lovely day and drive out exploring with Mom, Dad and Stas. This is about 20 minutes away from our house. The tides were out, and the water was calm.

Movie Set of Narnia

2010-05-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

Just outside Oamaru, there are some huge rocks in the middle of nowhere. Actually, they are in the middle a some farmers' fields. The are called the Elephant Rocks. Apparently, if you look just right at them (or not quite at them) they look like elephants. This was also where some of Narnia was filmed, which got the girls all excited!

"What's in the bag?"

2010-05-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

What's in the bag? Nothing. Let me see it. Nope. Are they hidden behind my back? Yes? Okay then, smile for the picture. There is NOTHING behind my back. I am NOT collecting shells. Sure, Mom......

Yellow-Eyed Penguin

2010-05-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

We finally got to see penguins! I realize the pictures are horrible, BUT it is proof that we saw penguins.

Cheeses, Cheeses and more Cheeses!

2010-05-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

This was another cheese store we stopped at on the way to Oamaru. Sophia REALLY thought we should buy the big round piece- no worries that is was 1 food in diameter!

In Omaru, we went to a third cheese shop, and actually got to peek in the windows to see some of the cheese being stored.

We are going to miss this view

2010-05-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some early morning sunrise photos taken by Stas.

Happy 7th Birthday Sophia!

2010-05-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

Sophia was lucky enough to celebrate her 7th birthday here and even had Poppa and Gramma here, too!

Her birthday came a day earlier than in the States, so that also made her pleased.

Of course Poppa and Gramma brought the best present of all- a tiara. It was hand-carried in Gramma's carry on so it would not get broken. The tiara was worn to school and admired by all!

Autumn has arrived in Dunedin and so did the $541 electric bill!

2010-05-20T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing for months how cold winters are here in Dunedin. They are miserable. However, Kiwis could never tell me why they are so bad. Do they get lots of snow? No. How about ice? Not really, just some frost. Large amounts of rain? No, it is quite mild. So what is the problem?? The cost of electricity is the problem!

We just received our electricity bill and it was $541. Ouch! Why was it so high? Well, first I should explain about the building codes here. There is not any insulation in the houses here, and the windows are single paned. In addition, the houses do not have central heating. Finally, there are several windows which are louver glass and never quite close! So, from the get go houses are drafty, damp and a bit chilly.

However, our rental house has 7 free standing heaters that can be used to heat up the rooms. Last month when it was a wee bit chilly, we plugged them in. Hence the problem.

Apparently, those heaters are really expensive to run, thus the $541.00 charge. Kiwis usually only use one heater, used in the room they spend most of their time. They do not heat the bedroom or any other room. Instead they put on more clothing layers!

Now I finally get why winters are so miserably cold in New Zealand.

Tomorrow I will going to buy some wool long johns!

Orokonui Ecosanctuary

2010-05-20T14:02:00.001-07:00

Late Autumn has come to southern New Zealand and with it has come the birds. We have a marvelous book that we received from our neighbors that has many of the birds that can be seen around the city.

At last count, we have seen 30 different birds!

While Mom and Dad were here, we went to a sanctuary to see some of native birds. We decided we saw more birds each morning on our back deck! It was nice to seen the native plants and trees (said Mom).

Taiaroa Head & Albatross Center

2010-05-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

The pictures are dates a wee bit mixed up, as there are pictures on both Stas' and my computers. So, we shall travel back in time and see more pictures from earlier adventures!

This is at the Tairaroa Head, which is where the is a large albatross colony. There are also many shags here, we call them cormorants.

There is huge amounts of seaweed in New Zealand, and I love to see it dance with the waves. It reminds me of a mermaid's hair flowing in the water.

Wanaka

2010-05-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

We stayed two nights in Wanaka, and had a super fun time. We spent several hours in the toy and transportation museum- where there were four huge buildings that hold part of one man's collection of stuff. There were 3000 cars, barbies, antique pedal cars, airplanes, star wars and much more!

Next we headed to Puzzling World, which the girls had been looking forward to for a long time. There was a huge maze which you could walk through and get lost for hours. The maze is 1/1 kilometres long, but most people walk for 3-5 kilometres trying to find the exit! Let me tell you, we were all tired that night!

And finally, someone knows how to spell Poppa right!

GOLD!!! We found Gold!

2010-05-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Yes we did pan for gold, and did actually come home with a few flakes. The man who taught us was very nice and was a lot of fun! He gave Leah a hard time, and she ate it all up!

The girls also became friends with the horse while visiting. The horse followed them around the paths. There was also a deaf dog named, Pip, they wanted to adopt- but she had to stay at the mining center.

Cheese, Cheese, and more Cheese, please

2010-05-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

My Mom loves cheese, in fact, she proudly states she has never eaten a cheese she did not like. Sophia loves cheeses, too- and the older and stronger the better.

Sophia could not wait for Gramma to arrive so they could do some cheese tasting. This was the first of three "cheesery" shops we stopped at while my parents were visiting.

Leah took several polite bits, but left the majority of the cheese eating to the experts!

The blue of the water

2010-05-12T13:45:00.000-07:00

The color of the water coming off of the glacier was the most beautiful blue. It was the blue of light topaz, almost like a powdery blue.

I was able to catch a few photos which were a very close representation of the blue in the rivers.

The Chasm

2010-05-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

On the way back from Milford Sound we did a little sight seeing and hiking (tramping). The Chasm was amazing, and the gigantic rocks which have been rounded and sculpted over thousands of years were spectacular. The piece of wood is actually a large fallen tree.

In the parking lot there was a Kea bird, who was quite friendly. It is recommended to stay several feet away, because the Kea's beak can tear through leather boots!

Milford Sound

2010-05-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the mountains and a ship, so you can see how steep and tall the mountains are here.

A 2 hour cruise through Milford Sound

2010-05-12T13:26:00.000-07:00

After reaching Milford Sound, we took a two hour cruise. There were waterfalls, and huge, steep mountains.

Milford Sound

2010-05-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

Third time was a charm. The first time we attempted Milford Sound, there was a storm in the middle of the night, which closed the road for 4 days. The second time I attempted Milford, there was the biggest storm in 20 years and the roads were flooded and closed for days.

Here are a few pictures on the way to Milford Sound.

"Sheep, Mom!"

2010-05-12T13:07:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of sheep in New Zealand, and I have taken it on as part of my responsibility to show each sheep to Mom when we head out on one of our adventures.

We were lucky enough to see sheep being corralled on our way up to Milford Sound. These sheep were a little confused and kept running this way and that way. It was quite humorous, and there was a lot "Sheep, Mom!" coming from me!

Te Anau, the glow worms, and finally Milford Sound

2010-05-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Off the whole family went to Te Anau, and hopefully to continue onto Milford Sound.

Te Anau was beautiful, and it was sunny! Finally, the third time was a charm. The first two times I headed of to the Fiordlands, the roads ended up closing from the rains and/or slides.

Mom says I have to give credit to Stas for some of the pictures, since he is now taking some of the photos. It is so nice have assistance in writing the blog. And, Mom says, he always takes the best landscape pictures.

I have also included some pictures of the remainders of the flooding left from the week before (when Carolyn, Monica and I attempted the Milford Sound adventure). Notice the picnic bench that was still under water.

More photos from our scenic beach trip

2010-05-12T01:48:00.000-07:00

We did some hiking to see some beautiful falls. Dad had to celebrate once he made the top of the falls!

Petrified Forest and Mom finds a surprise

2010-05-12T01:39:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad had a great time at the petrified forest. The tide was low, so we were able to do a lot of walking on the rocks.

Mom even found a leaf fossil, but we had to leave it. She has to be happy with just a picture!

Scenic Beach Drive and Sight Seeing

2010-05-12T01:28:00.000-07:00

Mom, Dad and I spent a day touring the southeastern part of the south island. At our first stop we were lucky enough to see two sea lions. Luckily, we saw they were a foot away from the trail, prior to us taking a walk down that path!

"When have I eaten shrimp?" says Dad

2010-05-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

Dad and I love shrimp, and we always have. We have eaten shrimp together for years, and in several different places. Louisiana was a great place for shrimp, and now we have moved onto Dunedin.

After a day of sight seeing, Mom, Dad and I headed to downtown Dunedin for dinner before heading home. We were hungry. We settled on a restaurant called, The Reef, and as the name implies, it is mostly seafood.

I have to admit I first suggested the food choice, BUT Dad agreed wholeheartedly. The dinner we chose...... Shrimp for 2- 1 kilo of shrimp, chips, and loaf of garlic bread and salad. One kilo of shrimp is 2.2 pounds. That was 2.2 yummy pounds of shrimp, for my Dad and me! It was amazing.

For Dad's birthday, we ordered from The Reef. This time we ordered the 1 Kilo of Shrimp AND the Fisherman's Platter for two. The Fisherman's platter had: marinated muscles, calamari, scallops, shrimp, garlic bread, dipping sauces, and salad. A little bit of heaven!

As Dad has been supervising my posts, "When have I eaten shrimp?" was his question to my first blog post.

He has now added his two cents to this post- the fisherman's platter also had fish, and make sure I write that 6 people ate those huge platters, not just the two of us. Now Dad says that is better. He would have made a great editor.

Welcome to our home away from home!

2010-05-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad arrived after a very looooooog plane trip. We began with a trip downtown, and Mom got her first taste of the Dunedin hills.

Dad, on the other hand, decided he preferred bird-watching, stoking the fire, and eating shrimp.

The girls were quite excited to see Poppa and Gramma, and greeted them with hugs and kisses.

Good-byes and more visitors

2010-05-12T00:56:00.001-07:00

Carolyn and Monica headed out 6pm, and Mom and Dad arrived the next morning at 9 am. We had just enough time to wash the sheets and the towels!

Mom and Dad were greeted with a Tui bird that was standing out on our deck! Wait.... then they turned their heads and saw a New Zealand pigeon.

More fun with Monica

2010-05-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Another wet day on the beach, for poor Monica and Carolyn. However, we were still troopers and headed out on more adventures. Thank goodness we had a dryer and fireplace at home!

That is a lot of water!!

2010-05-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

We headed over to Te Anau in hopes of seeing the glow worms and Milford sound. As we headed out, it began to rain.

After 4 hours, we arrived in Te Anau, it was raining a lot harder! The glow worm caves were closed and the sound was closed, too. We spent the night, and it rained all night long.

Did I mention it was raining?

The next morning, we headed back home, as the weather was not clearing up. Farms that were once fields were lakes. The rivers were overflowing, and the ditches were filled and spilling onto the roadway.

Our scariest point, was when the road was down to one car going at a time across a flooded highway. There were workers on either side making sure cars could make it across. As we were in the middle, Carolyn was telling us how much the water was moving our car. There was a sign once we passed that said, "Dry your brakes." We had to ask the man how to do that!

Once we safely made it home to Dunedin, we saw on the news that section of road which was later closed, because a car had been washed off the road.

Here are some photos from our little adventure!

PS- We did find out this was the worst flooding the area has had in over 20 years!

Yeah! A great surprise for us!

2010-05-11T20:30:00.001-07:00

Carolyn and Monica came down for a week's vacation and traveling to Dunedin! Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for their visit. I think they went back to Oregon, where it was drier!

Monica had a great time a the Otago Settler's Museum, and we even went back for another visit.

Carolyn enjoyed just spending time with me! hahaha!

It's a song about Callum & P, Easter Bunny & Cadbury

2010-04-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a small bit of the song that the Arthur Street school wrote and sung on the radio that helped them win an Easter Egg Hunt from Cadbury. I recorded this the day the radio station came out and gave the kids their chocolate!

More pictures from our Tramp

2010-04-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Family Outing for a Flagstaff Tramp

2010-04-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we headed out for a small tramp. A tramp in Kiwi is hike. After several u-turns and some distance being driven on a gravel road, we arrived.

Stas had led us all the believe, we would be able to get out of the car, and have a choice of either going tramping, or just enjoying the view. Well, that didn't really turn out to be very accurate. He promised it was only be about 15 minutes, and that was a wee bit incorrect, too.

However, after quite a hike, we did get to enjoy some great views. Climbing up one side of the hill (or small mountain) the view showed all of Mosgiel, a city near Dunedin. We continued our climb up and around the hill/mountain (that Sophia compared to Mt. Everest) and we could see all of Dunedin. We enjoyed a snack and began our hike back to the car. Leah did compare the hike to being equivalent to walking the highest street in the world (one of earlier family outing excursions). I think perhaps she was a little dramatic.

All in all we had a very nice 2 1/2 hour hike, and Sophia went home and took a long nap!

Easter Break- Week 2

2010-04-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Stas is back from his week touring with the students around New Zealand, and we now have one more week of Easter break.

Leah is off to art camp, and Sophia stayed home to do some cooking.

I am a bit behind on the blog, so it is time for me to begin adding more postings!

I have some new postings around April 1- but since they were in draft mode, they did not come to the top of the blog when I finished them.

Triathlon Completed!!

2010-04-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I have been training for a triathlon since we came to New Zealand. The triathlon is April 19 in Christchurch. After added the costs of registration, motel, rental of bike and bike rack and the 8 hours of driving..... I decided it was too much. Instead, I decided I could to the triathlon in the gym

Today I completed my 300m swim, 10km bike (on the stationary bike) and 3km run (on the treadmill). It was not pretty, but I did it!

I now have my base time, and will do it again on April 19- but it saves our family a lot of time and money!

Easter Fall Break Day 4

2010-04-07T00:45:00.000-07:00

Art Camp! Sophia and Leah headed to Art Camp today and they had a fabulous time, and can't wait to return tomorrow.

Leah, our tactile child, LOVES the pottery wheel. She came with clay every where, including on the hood of her sweatshirt! She has started a wooden sculpture, that will take her a few days to make. Today she was using the saw and tomorrow she will work with a chisel.

Sophia, our totally not tactile child, tried to pottery wheel, again. She thought if she tried it again, perhaps she might like it. This, of course, was not the case! She was our child who REFUSED to play with finger paints as a child! She decided it was not for her and moved onto working with a chisel and rubber mallet. Currently, she is making a wooden boat.

This evening we headed to the pool for some fun. Sophia has been addicted to the hydro-tubes and went down them almost 20 times! She will sleep well tonight. Leah enjoyed watching the swimmers and the water polo players!

Easter Fall Break Day 3

2010-04-05T22:53:00.000-07:00

After a lazy yesterday of walking downtown to the grocery store and back, a nap and a late movie, today started out full of excitement!

The girls invited their first guests over for a brunch. Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt were invited for brunch at our house. The girls had done the invitations and did most of the cooking. There were a couple of mishaps with eggs falling down the drain and 1 tablespoon being added instead of a teaspoon, but all and all things went of quite well. The cookies with 1 tablespoon did not survive, and were happily thrown into the trash.

Thank goodness our guests arrived on time, or I think the girls would have raced over and grabbed them! Sophia was to greet them at the front door, but she was so excited when she saw them coming she opened the door and was bouncing back into the living room before they even reached the top of the doorstep!

Leah then promptly took over and asked if they would like something to drink, as they crossed over the threshold. Well, we are at least efficient!

The menu included tea, sausage, eggs, cheese and apples, carrots and hummus, and cookies (biscuits they are called here). We ate in the conservatory and a fine time was had by all.

The girls spent their afternoon taking a class at a local museum. They even came home with two potted plants.

Tonight we will be going to bed a wee bit early, since tomorrow is Art Camp!!

Easter Break Blog-

2010-04-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

Easter Break started out with a bang, when we headed to the circus last Thursday night. The circus was great, and the girls loved their first circus experience.

Leah says, They were very flexible and they scared my Mom so badly, she covered her face upon occasion. The best part, I would have to say, was the large steel squirrel cages, where there was a man in each cage walking around. One even walked on the outside of the cage blindfolded.

Sophia- My favorite part about the circus was the clown act. They were really funny and talked with whistles in their mouths. There was a girl who stood on her hands, on chairs that were stacked 6 tall!

Friday we went the Cadbury Chocolate Factory for a tour and a little shopping.

Leah- We watched a video at the beginning of the tour about the history of chocolate and Cadbury's. We also walked up 57 stairs of the inside of a silo and at the top, they dumped 1 ton of chocolate. It looked like a waterfall! They dump the same chocolate over and over for all the visitors.

Sophia- In the middle the tour was got to have a snack. They gave us a cup of pure liquid chocolate. I had seconds! There is a gift shop, and my Dad gave me $10 to spend. I got a pen, a bouncy ball and a water bottle.

Friday night all the Willamette students came over for dinner, and we played cribbage and bananagrams!

Saturday we headed down the the Farmers Market to do some shopping. We did a lot of sampling. Leah had a lamb kebob, a strawberry, three raspberries, a chocolate boysenberry brownie and a glass of homemade lemonade. Sophia had a lamb kebob, white chocolate bewyberry muffin and a wonderful bowl of vegetarian cumin curry soup. Mom had a bit of everyone's treats!

Next we all went for haircuts. Leah got a trim, Sophia got a trim on the ends and Mom got a haircut. We all look much nicer.

Saturday evening we went to the movie theater to see How to Train Your Dragon in 3-D. A great movie and a fun time was had by all.

Sunday is Easter and after a family sleepover (last night) we had a lazy morning. Once we finally got moving we went to the swimming pool. The girls went on the hydro tubes, the lazy river, inner tubes, and diving boards! After 3 hours we headed home!

I did see at the pool the clock was an hour earlier than mine. Hmmm... Finally, I asked someone, and apparently it was Day Light Savings Time last night. Good thing we did not have anything scheduled or we were have been late!

Tomorrow is Monday and we will be off for more adventures. We are without the camera for bit, so it will only be our stories to read about!

TeAnau- home of the glow worms

2010-04-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

TeAnau is a great city, with amazing scenery. The hotel we stayed in was just feet from the water, and the view was to die for!

The glow worm caves are in TeAnau, which was one of the reasons we headed over to this part of New Zealand. The caves were rediscovered in the 1940s, and are breathtaking. In order to get into the caves, you have to bend over, and walk through this rock tunnel. The caves are filled with rushing water, limestone, and glow worms. Glow worms (which are actually a maggot) are worms that make web patterns to catch their food. The worms butts glow, to help attract the insects.

After walking deep into the caves, admiring the water and huge pieces of limestone, the cave gets pitch black. We were then loaded onto a boat, and then all we had to to is look up. It looked like thousands of LED lights lighting up the sky. It was quite a wonderful sight!

Nugget Point and Seals

2010-04-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

If you look closely, you can see seals playing in the water below.

Nugget Point

2010-04-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Lake Manapouri

2010-04-02T10:59:00.001-07:00

This area is on the west side of the southern island. This is truly an absolutely beautiful place!

Gore- Country Music Capital & Brown Trout Fishing

2010-04-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Country music!! My favorite!

The Catlins

2010-04-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Cows, Deer and Sheep

2010-04-02T10:51:00.001-07:00

Have I mentioned this country is filled with sheep? Well, add deer and cows to that list, too!

Curio Bay Petrified Forest

2010-04-02T10:47:00.001-07:00

Here are pictures of the petrified forest, located in the Catlins.

Arthur Street School enters a Radio Contest!

2010-03-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

The girls have been buzzing about being on the radio for about a week now. Apparently, there was a radio competition that Arthur Street School decided to enter.

The radio station is a local one here in Dunedin, 89.4 FM, Classic Hits. Schools had to write a song including words, which in part included: Cadbury, Easter, and Callum & P. Students and the music teacher, Mrs. Tyson, wrote the song and then the whole school got together to practice. The song was then recorded and played on the radio yesterday, along with other school that entered.

At that point, I got to help. For the next 24 hours the public was to text and phone into the radio station to vote for their favorite school. I called, I texted, and called some more. I was even on the radio casting my vote, because we were visiting from the USA!

This morning there was 1 hour left. We were calling, we were texting, and we were listening to the radio. Stas headed out for work, and I don't think anyone told him goodbye. The girls tag teamed up, one would make lunches and the other would call the radio station. One would brush her teeth, while the other listened on the radio for the results. It was stressful and intense, but they were focused. They pushed redial over and over and over again. Sophia had the advantage, as she has the accent down, and said "Arthur Street School" with the correct pronunciation.

Finally, 8:30am came, and the winner was announced....

ARTHUR STREET SCHOOL WON! The principal was on the radio, as he was notified the school won. Tomorrow, the radio station will be hiding hundreds of chocolate (Cadbury, of course) Easter eggs all around the school grounds.

I have never seen to girls so excited, screaming, and thrilled! They even called Grandma and Papa in the States to tell them the great news!

Hopefully, I can take photos tomorrow of the Easter hunt!

Cattle Drive per Sophia's Request

2010-03-29T00:35:00.000-07:00

On the first day of our journey, a cattle ranger was trying to get his cows across the road. He very thoughtfully waived us by, before beginning to move his herd. Well, Miss Sophia Jo, was quite disappointed and really had hoped she could see the cattle crossing the road.

As luck would have it, a day later we stumbled across another farmer who was herding his cows. Now I am not sure where the cows were going to, because they headed across the road, then some would come back over again, and some even headed straight down the road next to us. Obviously, these cows were still learning how to properly and safely cross the roadway. I think this why they kept going back and forth! It was so nice of the farmer to let us drive next to the cows, and gently encourage them on their way. Sophia was thrilled and considered this her lucky day!

I don't know if our driver Jesse felt the same way....

Lily's Potty Break that led to Bordland Road that let to the largest landslide ever that led to another need for a potty break!

2010-03-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

On our way someplace (not sure where, since I have no sense of direction), sweet Lily said from the back seat she needed a bathroom. Our helpful men in the front, began diligently looking for a restroom sign- or a toilet as it is called in Kiwi Land. Soon, they spotted a sign, and a right turn we took.

After 8 kilometers on gravel road we finally found a recreational center. As we pulled in, the director came out to greet us and pointed us to the toilets. She also told us that down the road there was the biggest landslide in all that had ever happened in New Zealand. Wow! So off we headed down the gravel road...

Several kilometers later we had seen several waters falls, beautiful trees, some birds- but no landslide (that occurred 12,000 years ago).

Several more kilometers later, dusty dirt seeped into the van from the gravel road, people became wiggling in their seats, and then there were questions coming from the back rows of the van. When will we be there? What does the slide look like? How much longer? All of which were very good and legitimate questions, if I may say so myself.

A few more kilometers later, we stopped to admire a waterfall, took some photos and pondered our next step. At this point, we were at least 20 kilometers past the toilet, and remember it took us 8 kilometers to get there. Should we go back, or keep driving forward. Well, we were out of an adventure, so forward we headed!!!

Finally, we arrived! What an amazing 12,ooo year old landslide! We were actually standing on the slide, so there was really nothing to see or take a picture of! We took some photos, and there was a wonderful forest filled with moss dripping from the trees. There was a rainbow and a beautiful landscape. Was it worth the drive- that would be debated by some of the passengers.

PS- Once we finally headed back to the main road (back through the gravel road, past the rec center, then onto the highway over an hour and a half later) literally 20 feet past where we took our turn off the main road for out potty adventure-on the main highway there was a toilet sign!! Apparently, we had taken the wrong turn- it finally made sense why the recreation director greeted us! She was not used to strangers coming to use her toilets!!

Parakaunui Falls

2010-03-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

As part of our three day road trip trip with our friends, 8 people piled into a van, and we headed out to visit to southern part of the south island. Here are pictures from out trip- but a bit out of order!

We went a small hike in order to see these falls. The falls were not very big, but the rock formation was very different. The rocks were square in shape- as if they were man-made.

"This is DEFINITELY going on the blog!"

2010-03-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

As we headed out onto the roadway leaving the boulders behind, Jess asked if it was illegal to drink (Diet Coke) while driving. I was wondering why he would ask this question, when I turned and saw a police car behind us. Soon, it was discovered the police car was in fact wanting to chat with our driver, Jesse.

Apparently, in the land of Kiwis they give tickets to drivers going 120 km in a 100 km zone. Jess did tell the officer that he did not think he was going that fast, but the officer politely told Jesse, that he was in fact going over the speed limit. Now, I really think Jesse should have been let off the hook, because as just about anyone knows, most Californians drive like bats out of hell. I can confirm this personally, having driven in California several times. In California, you would probably get a ticket for driving too slowly, if you were only going 20 mph over the speed limit.

Jess asked the officer if we could take his picture, since Jesse now had a $125.0o fine, so it would be worth his while! The officer said yes, and Jess even posed on the roof of the car like he was being arrested. Smiles and laughs were had by all, and I am sure the officer had a story to tell about the crazy Californians!

Certainly this experience was "blog worthy!"

More Pictures from the Boulders

2010-03-24T00:48:00.000-07:00

Moeraki Boulders

2010-03-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

The Moeraki Boulders were incredible!! First, there were shells everywhere- and the kids went crazy finding tons of shells.

Maori Welcoming Ceremony

2010-03-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to be invited to a Maori (New Zealand's indigenous people) welcoming ceremony.

Roacco and her husband were incredibly kind and the Willamette students stayed two days and one night at the Maori Learning Center.

The Maori traditionally greet each other by touching noses. This represents the first breath between the two people (and all of their ancestry).

The plants are what are used to make their baskets and weavings.

Taking a Break!

2010-03-23T15:04:00.001-07:00

At one of the stops, the girls had to climb a tree. Climbing trees has become one of Leah's and Sophia's favorites pastimes since we have come to Kiwi Land!

Lily has taken up this hobby, too with great enthusiasm.

Pictures from our Train Trip

2010-03-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sophia had a wonderful time looking out the train window.

Taieri Gorge Railway

2010-03-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

Last week both families headed out for train ride, through the Taieri Gorge. As we left Dunedin for our 3 hour trip, the landscape slowly changed from lush and green to rocky and dry. Along the way we saw where the gold rush had hit New Zealand, and rugged boulders and rocks.

The train station itself is an amazing piece of art. The tiles on the floor were done made by Royal Doulton. There are stained glass pictures, and the outside is beautiful. The train cars themselves were vintage, and full of character. The girls enjoyed spending a lot of their trip hanging onto their Dad standing outside the train car.

Scenery while traveling through the countryside

2010-03-20T01:17:00.001-07:00

Sheep! They are everywhere!

Allan's Beach

2010-03-20T01:10:00.001-07:00

Allan's beach is the home to penguins, sea lions and other sea creatures. We went in hopes of finding penguins, but instead we saw a huge sea lions and some birds. For the safety of the sea lions and people, it is recommended to stay at least 30 feet away.

Otago Museum and Butterfly Exhibit

2010-03-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

Next on the schedule was a local museum. The Otago Museum is wonderful, and many parts are free! There were rooms filled with artifacts from the indigenous people of the area and the surrounding islands.

They also have a wonderful butterfly exhibit that was very enjoyable. There were many species of butterflies, and also turtles, koi and some small birds.

Another visit to the Botanical Gardens

2010-03-20T00:40:00.000-07:00

We took another stroll through the botanical gardens this week to see what was growing. The dahlias, roses, and snapdragons were all in full bloom.

Back to Larnach Castle

2010-03-19T21:17:00.000-07:00

Our friends, Jess and Melissa are now visiting with their two daughters, Jackie age 3 and Lily age 7. Last week we headed back to the castle for them to discover the gardens and tour the castle. We did not know when we visited it, there is an Alice and Wonderland theme throughout the gardens. We found the Queen and King of Hearts statutes, Alice, and the Chesire cat sitting in a tree.

Cooking Day with Leah & Sophia

2010-03-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were getting for our friends to arrive from California, so we did not do much traveling outside the city.

We did, however, do a lot of cooking. Sophia made spaghetti sauce and applesauce, and Leah made banana bread. All three were a great success, but Sophia was not very fond of peeling the tomatoes!

More Kiwi language!

2010-03-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

trolley- shopping cart
wagging- skipping school
plaster- band-aid
see you later- literally, see you later (and someone will ask you what time!)
mate- friend
mobile- cell phone
tea- could be tea, could be a full meal

Yummm, what I love about New Zealand

2010-03-08T15:46:00.000-08:00

Fish & Chips from the takeaway shop
Egg and Ham sandwiches
Crunchie Candy Bar made by Cadbury (basically it a seafoam candy bar)
Hokie Pokie Ice Cream (a vanilla ice cream with chunks of soft toffee)
Fresh Strawberries from the farmers' market
Large bag of basil made into tomato salads
Turkish Bread (a great light white bread with sesame seeds)
Lemon Cordial (lemonade)
Shortbread made by Mrs. Wyatt

Art Studio for the kids

2010-03-08T15:41:00.000-08:00

Sophia and Leah were in heaven on Saturday. We discovered a kid's art studio over the weekend. The girls did some sketching, molded some clay, and worked a pottery wheel! This studio is within walking distance of our house, and allows kids to try whatever they want! There is painting, clay, masks, dollhouses, and more.

Sophia has started taking a class each week, and over the Easter break we will all be spending a lot of time there!

Pretty pictures of the beach

2010-02-27T01:01:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of the beach, looking down the beach, from the left and the right.

What did we do at the beach?

2010-02-27T00:52:00.001-08:00

We played in the water, the sand and admired the ocean!

THE BEACH!!!!

2010-02-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

Today we packed up for another adventure!

Leah packed a bag of books, word searches and things to keep her busy in the car ride. Sophia wanted to take her blanket, but I said I did not think the car ride would be that long. I had looked on the map, very briefly, and it looked like we were only going to be driving for about an inch! That would not be long at all.

We arrived at a park about 7 minutes and only 1 u-turn later! I think next time Leah will leave her bag of busy books at home! The girls played on the playground and Stas went exploring. We realized right over the hill was the beach!

The beach looks exactly like an Oregon beach, and let me tell you the water is about the same temperature! Brrrrr.. There is strong undertow like the Oregon coast, too.

Thank goodness the water was cold, because after watching Shark Week on Discovery Channel this Fall, Sophia had told us there were sharks off the coast of New Zealand. She would NOT be swimming in the water.

The girls jumps through little waves, dug holes, had a picnic and had a great time! Stas did some playing in the water, took a little snooze and buried both girls.

It was another lovely day in Dunedin.

Leah gets to skype with Mr. J's 3rd Grade class

2010-02-26T18:10:00.000-08:00

Our Saturday started out a bit early, as Leah skyped her 3rd grade class back in Salem, Oregon. Mr. Johnston's had the kids ask Leah some questions, and Leah told them a few things about New Zealand.

It was a lot of fun, and Leah was so happy to see Mr. J and her classmates!

Have I said how much I love our view?

2010-02-25T21:52:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more pictures taken from our deck. There were taken first thing in the morning. I love the pink clouds.

Baldwin Street the Word's Steepest Street

2010-02-25T21:36:00.000-08:00

It is Friday night here in New Zealand, so we headed out for an adventure. Stas was confident he could stay on the left side of the road (the wrong side), so we took a vote and decided he could drive us.

We headed over to the steepest street in the world, which was written up in Guinness Book of World Records in 1998 (page 187) if you would like to check it out!

We walked, and walked and walked all the way to the top! There is an amazing view from the top, and thank goodness there was also a water fountain.

Here are some photos!

New Traditions we are enjoying thanks to Kiwis!

2010-02-25T21:25:00.000-08:00

I discovered that it is a Kiwi tradition to have take away (take out) fish and chips on Friday nights. Apparently, this is usually Mom's night off in the kitchen, so this was an easy solution for families!

We decided we had to try out this tradition, and we have voted it a success. We had regular cod, but next time I will get the famous blue cod. It is super moist and tasty!

The girls have also found another Kiwi tradition. Kids here love egg and ham sandwiches for their lunches. Basically, it is hard boiled eggs cut up and mixed with mayonnaise and then a piece of ham is added between two pieces of bread. This has replaced the staple of peanut butter and jelly!

Shortbread Take III

2010-02-23T15:04:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we were invited to go to morning tea at one of our neighbors' house. Mrs. Wyatt made the most fantastic shortbread, and was kind enough to give me a copy of her mother's recipe. She did mention I was going to have to do a lot of stirring, since I did not have a mixer.

First, I would have to buy a pan and the needed ingredients, so off I went to the store to buy a pan, rice flour, butter and sugar icing (I think this is powered sugar.)

TAKE I- The first time I made the shortbread I mixed and stirred and mixed some more- trying to make sure it was creamy. In the end it turned out okay. It was a bit flat, and we thought it was because I only had a larger cooking pan. The good news was it was edible, but as Sophia said, it was not as good as Mrs. Wyatt's shortbread.

After waiting a couple of days for my arms and hands to rest from all the stirring, I tried again.

TAKE II- The second time I made the shortbread, I made sure I mixed, and stirred, and whipped (took a small break) and mixed and stirred some more. I doubled the batch, thinking this would make it thicker, since I still only have one cooking pan. Well, this batch turned out horrible. It was flat and full of butter. I thought perhaps I would have to have a mixer to make this recipe. Then I had a light bulb moment..... I forgot to double the flour. Ugh!!

My arms and hands needed a break so I pondered for a couple of days what I needed to do next. I decided I needed a mixer. We bought the cheaper hand mixer for $29- the rest were $45.00!

TAKE III- I put the butter in the large bowl with the sugar and turn the hand mixer on low. That mixer TOOK OFF!!!! I grabbed it with all of my might trying to keep it in the bowl. I thought perhaps the buttons were opposite (like everything else here) and switched to a different level, NOPE, now it was going even quicker. There was butter flying out of the bowl, and there was a haze of powered sugar all over the counter. I felt like one of those people who tries to control a big waxing machine while going across the floors!

Next I added the flour, gently mixing it in by hand first, and close my eyes as I turn on the mixer again. Off it flies, and I wondered if there was any way I could get both hands on the tiny mixer to try and gain some kind of control. I ducked and a piece of dough flew over my shoulder and landed on a cabinet. I looked down, and the floor was covered in a light powdery substance. It was hard to say if it was sugar or flour.

Finally, I have regained control, and put the dough into the pan- and off it goes into the oven.

It smelled good, but so did both the others. It looked good in the oven, but so did the others. Finally, it came time to pull out the shortbread. And...... I think there might be success!!

Yummmmm!

To the LEFT!!!!!

2010-02-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

This weekend we took our second car ride. Stas (of course) was behind the wheel, I was in front, and the girls were in the back.

A side note, for some of you who don't know: 1. I do not have the greatest sense of direction 2. I can't read a map and 3. I get carsick. Therefore, Stas was in charge of driving, and figuring out where we were heading. He, upon occasion, forgets my aversion to maps, so when it was handed to me- I politely passed it back without looking at it.

As we headed to the Botanical Gardens, Stas took a wrong turn down a dead end street. I think perhaps he was pulling over to look at the map, but the girls from the back were very helpful and told him they did not think these were the gardens. At this time, another car comes down the dead end (did I mention it was a very tiny one lane street) and apparently was trying to get into the driveway we are blocking, all the while Stas was still looking at the map. Now some of you might wonder why I wasn't helping, since I we were stopped- but please read #2 above and that will explain it all to you.

The girls politely asked several questions in the back such as: Are we lost? What is Dad doing? Is he going to turn around? What is that car doing, Mom? These questions were very pertinent and we thought how happy we are to have such inquisitive children.

Finally, Stas turned to car around, as the woman patiently waited to turn into her driveway. It's so nice that the Kiwis are such polite people. We were stopped ready to continue our journey to the gardens. The girls were chatting in the back, and I am sure I was giving Stas some helpful or supportive advice.

The coast was clear and Stas made a right turn to continue on our way. We had traveled about two blocks, and were beginning to make a sharp right around a turn, when all of a sudden Stas turned sharply to the LEFT lane. The lane we were SUPPOSED to be in! Whew! Luckily we did not hit something or someone.

Of course this jarring was quite sudden and got the girls and my attention! We of course, suggested in the future that Stas should stay on the right (actually the left) side of the road.

Stas is truly blessed to have so many ladies in the car to help him drive and give suggestions!

I wonder when we will be going on another car ride?

View from the other side

2010-02-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

After sitting in the sun for a little bit, we heading across a bridge and up a little hill. There were benches to sit on, and you could see and hear the music. There was also a great view of houses from here.

Feeding the Ducks

2010-02-20T20:39:00.000-08:00

The Gardens also gives out duck food to feed the ducks. The girls had a very nice time with this!

Here are more pictures from the gardens

2010-02-20T20:31:00.000-08:00

Lavender, my Mom's favorite! The herb garden had a sign that said to feel free and pick a sample. I ready to get enough for dinner, when I read the rest of the sign that said that you can smell while touring the gardens. Sigh.

Botanical Gardens and Jazz Music in Dunedin

2010-02-20T20:22:00.000-08:00

Today we headed over to the Botanical Gardens to see the plants and to listen to some music. We did not make it through all the gardens, but we had a great time. The weather was beautiful, the music was very nice, and the gardens were wonderful. I have decided I need my herb garden to look like theirs!

Here are some pictures for you to see.

View of some of the city of Dunedin

2010-02-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

On the way home from the town, I took some pictures of the city so everyone could see what it looks like.

Just a little hill and pictures of Dunedin

2010-02-19T20:19:00.000-08:00

Dunedin has lots of hills, and in order to get back from town, we always have to go up a few hills to get home.

This set of hills is actually the ones I take each day back from the market. As you can see from one picture, the girls are thrilled to be walking up another hill!

The picture with the kids and Stas shows how much longer we have to go on the hill, the the other picture shows how far we had already traveled up the hill!

Here are more pictures of the bagpipes

2010-02-19T20:12:00.000-08:00

Each of the bands had matching kilts and uniforms.

Scottish Bagpipes

2010-02-19T20:00:00.000-08:00

It was a lovely day today in Dunedin, with the sun shining and the winds lightly blowing. As I was walking home from the market this morning, I came across several bagpipes groups. I soon discovered it was a bagpipe competition. I called Stas and the girls at home, and told them to meet me at the octagon (which is in middle of town).

We watched band after band of bagpipe players marching down the street and each finished in the octagon. Once they had all met in the middle, there was a short break and then they each played again and were judged.

They girls enjoyed themselves and thought it was great!

My Mom has always loved the bagpipes, so this video clip was taken for her!

It is Oregon, or is it New Zealand?

2010-02-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

Today is wet, wet, wet. I have to say this is not the first day that it has been wet, but this is the first time I have taken pictures.

In one picture, you will see our lovely conservatory, where my clothes are hanging over the chairs. I needed a complete change of clothes after walking the girls to school. On the to do list is to buy some umbrellas, asap. I might even start driving if this weather continues!

I was even told by Leah's teacher I looked like a fisherman! Unfortunately, no one was at home, so I could not take a picture of me in my "fishing" outfit.

Wet, wet, wet.

Yummm- Vietnamese and Thai food in New Zealand

2010-02-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

Today my husband took me for a tour of the University of Otago and then treated me to some lunch. He actually lost a bet, which is why we went out for lunch! He has been trying to get a faculty ID for the past week, and every time he goes there is something that keeps him from getting it. First the paperwork had not arrived, then they needed his passport, next they spelled his name wrong, etc. etc.

Lucky for me, I bet that he still would not have his id at the end of today! Good for me, bad for Stas.

Back to lunch..... I had an iced lemon drink, also know as a lemon cordial. In the States we call it a lemonade. If you ask for a lemonade here, you will get a Sprite! Stas has a Thai dish, which basically looked like fried rice wrapped up in a fried egg. It was quite good! I has a Vietnamese meat soup that was wonderful. However, it was a bit spicy. Thank goodness I had a cup of water, that I would soak my lips in every 2 minutes. Soaking your lips is when you pretend to be drinking the water, but really just let that cold water sit and cool off the spice!

We will have new pictures soon, and the camera is now fully charged and ready for use!

I'll pick my garden, you pick yours

2010-02-13T19:21:00.000-08:00

Now, as most people know Stas and I can differ on any kind of decor- this includes the house, the yard, or the garden.

Of course, I saw the gardens and thought of the different colors, textures, flowers, etc. Stas saw the gardens and saw green grass, nicely trimmed bushes and straight lines.

Sigh...

Larnach Castle only castle in New Zealand

2010-02-13T19:16:00.000-08:00

Here are some more photos taken from Larnach Castle.

Otago Peninsula

2010-02-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

Today we spent our day exploring the Otago Peninsula. It was a beautiful day, and I was able to take a few pictures before the batteries died. This gives us an excuse to go back and visit and take more photos.

We went to Larnach Castle, which is the only castle in New Zealand. It is a Scottish castle, and quite magnificent. It has amazing gardens, and a variety of different paths that lead to different groups of plants and gazebos with lookouts.

We can see the peninsula from our house, and it was fun to look at our house from the side of the peninsula.

Dunedin Thieves Festival

2010-02-12T23:19:00.000-08:00

It was a busy Saturday for us, and the weather was nasty! It was raining sideways, and the winds were blowing. It looked like a blustery day at the Oregon coast.

First we invited to morning tea by our next door neighbors. Mrs. Wyatt makes an amazing shortbread, and a tasty lemon cordial. A lemon cordial is what we call a lemonade. If you ask for a lemonade here, you will get a Sprite or 7-Up. It was lovely chatting with them, and the girls had a great time with their dog, Tammy.

In the early afternoon we headed out to the Dunedin Thieves Festival. There were craft booths, food, and some music. Unfortunately, the rain and wind put quite a damper on the festival.

We ate donuts, a Belgium waffle, and the girls each had an ice cream.

Leah decided to get her face painted!

Shall we have a play-over?

2010-02-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

A play-over is what we called a play-date. Leah has become quite fond of play-overs. She has had two this week, and has one scheduled for next week.

This is Leah's friend Josie. She is 10 years old and is in Leah's class. She is a wonderful little girl, and a pleasure to have around! The girls spend this play-over digging in the backyard for treasures. They found broken pieces of pottery, a couple of bells, and some glass beads. WOW!

They are planning on selling their treasures. Watch out New Zealand!

New Zealand through Sophia's Eyes

2010-02-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

I went to my neighbor's house today for morning tea. They have a dog and her name is Tammy. I had lemon cordial (it is lemonade) and some shortbread. Mrs. Wyatt, the owner of Tammy, gave us some shortbread to take home!

Yesterday I gave out valentines and candies to all of my classmates. They do not celebrate Valentine's Day like we do, it is only for adults. They kids thought the candies were good and only one person had ever had candy hearts before!

Today it is raining, wet and windy. It looks like a lot like Salem, Oregon.

I can't wait to skype my class!

The view from our house!

2010-02-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures taken from our back deck. The third is a picture of the Otago Peninsula, the second is a picture of our backyard, and the first is our conservatory.

The conservatory is wonderful, and it is where we eat our dinners each night. These were originally designed so that when the sun was shinning it would heat up that room. Then there are doors that open from the conservatory to the house. Once these doors are open, it nicely heats up the house!

I would not recommend spending much time in one during the middle of the day, they are super hot!