Photos please!

I've been asked by a few people now to update our blog, but the truth is we've been so busy, working by day, seeing friends by night, that there isn't that much of interest to blog about! We did however have a great morning with our friend Jeff the other week who took us out to visit one of the national parks in east Auckland (photo below)-thanks Jeff!.

The weather is still amazing and although we have rain showers most days, it's still around 20 degrees most days-not bad for the start of winter!

Paul has his last day in the church office today and leads worship for the last time on Sunday. We then have a week left to get packed up before we say goodbye to the country we know as home. 

Gracie is doing well, she has now fully recovered from 'hand, foot and mouth' which was pretty awful and is just making us laugh we the things she does and finds funny. She has taken to kissing things that she likes, such as most pages in her books and the 'baby' on the empty bubble bath bottle! 

Jeff, Gracie and Paul on our mini hike!

Gracie having a bath with 'baby'!!!

Our little girl.

Since our return from the States, Gracie has all of a sudden changed more into a little girl! I think it's because I've started to put her hair up in bunches. It's a learning process for both of us-for Gracie to sit still, and for me not to hurt her when I pull her hair,  and to give up on the third attempt even when it's all wonky! 

While in the US, we were blessed by a family we didn't even meet, who donated bags full of second hand clothes for Gracie. We had to borrow an extra bag to fly home because of all the extra stuff! I think she looks so grown up in her new clothes.

We're back!

After a whistle stop visit to Oklahoma, we made it back to NZ yesterday morning. We had the most amazing time and met some gorgeous people there who blessed, inspired and challenged us in every way. Our week was jam-packed with meeting different people in the church, going out for meals and experiencing Oklahoma.

Our first impressions of the community at Bridgway church blew us away and it only got better as the week went on. I was somewhat disappointed though to find out that the average person doesn't wear a cowboy hat and boots on a daily basis, although we were taken to cow town so that I could see a real-life cowboy!!!

There are so any highlights that I couldn't begin to write them all, however, the one I'll mention as we have a photo, is meeting one of the contestants from American Idol who we loved when we watched it a few moths ago! He sang the national anthem at the baseball match we watched-how hysterical!!! 

We were hosted by Zak and Jessica with their gorgeous 8 week old baby, Adley, for most of the week and for our last two nights, with Lance and Stacey, with their two amazing kids, Jake and Emily. It is true what they say about Oklahomans knowing how to host! We loved our stay so much and felt so blessed to be looked after and cared for by these guys. 

Zak, Jessica and Adley.

Stacey and Lance outside church.

At the baseball game with Kyle from American Idol!

Beautiful Sunset

Last night the sunset was stunning - I got a great photo from our front porch.

Oklahoma...

Tomorrow we are flying to the USA, to spend a week with Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City. We're really excited about meeting some new people, hanging out with Lance (who we hung out with at New Wine in January) and Mike & Sally Breen who are there for 'Hub Week', and the Absaloms, who used to be at St Toms (they are on staff at Bridgeway). It should be a great week, and we're really excited about it. We'll tell you all about it in a few weeks!

A weekend away in Ohakune

We've just come back from a fantastic weekend away with our great friends Brent & Anna, and their son Noah. We stayed at Anna's Dads place which is just outside the ski town of Ohakune. The place was huge, and sits on a massive section, which the children absolutely loved running around! It was a much needed weekend of relaxation for the girls, and hunting for the boys!

The view from our bedroom, looking out towards the snow capped Mt Ruapehu

Wondering what life as a redneck would feel like!

Anna picking blackberries (we had the most delicious apple and blackberry pie made by Brent)

Brent, Anna, and Noah on a walk to feed the ponies

Feeding the sheep on the way to the ponies

Brent & Noah feeding the pony

Gracie & Noah - a match made in heaven!

Walks on the drive!

Sitting in the chairlift at the ski field (it wasn't actually running!)

Gracie playing in the rain

Hunting!!!

One of the reasons for going away with Brent & Anna was for Brent and I to get out and do some hunting... and that we did! We had a successful first trip, with Brent latching a goat with his Bow. (our plan was to eat it, although it was a boy (with the balls to prove it) and boys don't taste that good. We went rabbit shooting though, and thanks to some stellar shooting from yours truly, we took 2 bunnies home with us. We turned them into a delicious stew which we all ate for lunch the next day. We also went deer hunting one morning, but the closest we got was having one roar at us from a distance.

Rambo???

Grrrrr!!!

Our first kill

My rabbits!

Rabbit meat!

Tea Party!

We recently found a kitchen set on the side of the road, so we picked it up and washed it off for Gracie - it has become an instant hit, and here is a cute picture of Gracie and Amelie enjoying a morning tea party!

The Blowfields...

So we packed Granny & Pops onto the Overlander train on Easter Monday, and had a day to reset the guest room for the arrival of good friends Tim & Anna from Chorleywood (my home town). They are doing a tour of New Zealand, and spent 2 fantastic days with us in Auckland, and we had a great time.

On the compulsory visit to Piha!

Out for food at 'Burger Fuel'

Waitomo

We went away for a week with Granny & Pops, and the first stop on our short tour of the North Island was Waitomo, which is famous for it's Gloworm caves! Granny was the official photographer, so hopefully more photos will appear soon, but for now here's a few from a wildlife park, and the famous Angora Rabbit Shearing place!!! 

Our first touch of a lizzard! 

Gracie quite scared of miniature ponies! How could you be scared of this little fella! 

At the Rabbit shearing centre... Before! 

...And after! 

More to follow in a few weeks, once we've got some photos from Granny!

Granny & Grandpops Arrive

It was fantastic to collect my parents from the airport almost a year after their first visit. Gracie hit it off with them almost instantly, and by day 2 there was plenty of giggles from Gracie in Granny & Pops' bedroom over their morning cup of tea! 

In an attempt to beat the jet-lag, on their first full day we drove an hour north and took in some of the sights. We started at the Honey Centre, which is pretty much exactly as it sounds!!! We then visited the Farmers Market at Matakana, had lunch at the amazing Patisserie there, walked at Goat Island Marine Reserve, enjoyed a stroll and a play in the waves at Pakiri Beach, listened to mum playing the pianola in  The Historic Village of Puhoi, and stopped for dinner in Warkworth!!! What a day; Welcome Granny & Pops!  

Out for dinner in Warkworth

Gracie & Granny

Gracie in a 'buzzy bee'at the Honey Centre

The Long Summer

Well, the Auckland summer has continued on for a long time this year (although I think it's fast coming to an end. We've loved the warmth this year, and it's given us plenty of opportunities to get out and about. We recently took Gracie to Point Chevalier (where we used to live) and she thoroughly enjoyed playing in the water.

She has also had lots of fun in her fun size (laughable) paddling pool!!! 

House Guests...

This week we have the Amess family staying with us after their holiday in the South Island. It's great to see them again and Gracie is loving having Matilda and Harry around to entertain her. The children have also been excited about an uninvited guest-Mr Hedgehog! We have given our little friend milk and bread although he hasn't returned since- Very rude indeed!

A photo!

Well, Paul is at work tonight and I'm feeling a bit bored so I was looking through some photos and thought I'd blog this sweet one of Gracie with 2 of her friends Cayden and Keira from my coffee group. Aren't they just adorable! 

This weekend....

I have nothing to blog about that I can think about so I thought I'd keep everyone happy by posting what we've been up to!

This weekend Gracie was unwell so we spent time to chill out at home and watch the dvd 'In the night garden' a lot!!!

We made it out on Saturday afternoon- to starbucks! Gracie had a great time sitting in the toy box and walking up down the place!

And today I went out to buy Gracie her first pair of shoes. Gracie thought it was great to have some lady measure her feet and sat very still. However, her patience ran short as we tried about 3 different pairs on, and I tried to make my mind up which ones looked best and supported her feet the most-we came away with the pinkest shoes in the shop!!!! When we got home, Grandma and Grandpa were on skype so Gracie spent about 20 minutes walking up and down in her new shoes showing off her walking skills-what a big girl!!!

Gracie taking her dolly for a walk...

Deer Feeding!

We're leaving New Zealand...

Well this one has been on the cards for quite a while, but we wanted to wait until it was public knowledge at St Paul's before we posted it on here. 

We're going to be leaving New Zealand this May. We're really gutted to be leaving such great friends, an amazing country, and a brilliant church, but feel that it is the right decision and know that God has something great for our next move. 

As yet, we've got no idea where we'll be heading next, but we're seeking God and pushing doors. We'll keep you posted!  

Holiday in the South Island

Well we'll do this in a couple of posts, but we've just come home from 10 days in the South Island and had an amazing time (it was very last minute which added to the excitement) We spent a few days in Christchurch staying with our friends Dan & Emma before heading off on a road trip to Queenstown (Which is a flipping long way away!). I hope you enjoy the update!

We got some ridiculously cheap flights which was awesome - here is Gracie boarding the plane! 

Gracie watching the world go by!

Daddy and Gracie catching up on some reading!

Christchurch...

Christchurch is a lovely city - It's very much like an English town, and on our first day, the weather certainly felt like it... here is Laura by the river! Beautiful.... 

Outside Christchurch Cathedral, which looks remarkably like St Paul's from the outside (minus the tower). Believe me when I say it looks nothing like St Paul's on the inside!!! 

We took a trip on the Gondola to the top of the Port Hills; It was Gracie's first trip on a Gondola (Cable Car) and she loved it. From the top there are amazing views of the Canterbury plains and out to the mountains, although sadly we didn't have classic Canterbury weather, and couldn't really see anything!!!

My beautiful girls! 

We also visited a lovely resort called Hamner Springs... We spent some time in the hot pools, which aparently have amazing views of mountains when it's not raining!!! When the weather cleared, we hired a 4 wheel bike, and took Gracie for a spin!

We took Gracie for some fun at Lollipops - she LOVED it!