The Longs Down Under

Rangitoto Island

2009-04-12T22:36:00.005+12:00

This last Saturday, Mark, Greg, the girls, and I took a ferry over to Rangitoto Island and hiked to the summit. Rangitoto is an iconic dormant volcano in the Waitamata Harbour (Auckland's harbor). It is 5 1/2 kilometers wide and 850 ft high. It erupted about 600 to 700 years ago. It is now a reserve. It rained on us most of the way up, but cleared once we got to the top. We saw some beautiful panoramas of the harbor and the city. Kohimarama is seen in the distance of the picture with our backs turned. On the way over on the ferry, we had a little show from a naked guy who had climbed to the top of a beacon. Disgusting!

Mama and Sarah

2009-04-09T13:30:00.003+12:00

An account of our time Down Under would not be complete without a mention of the bond between Mama and Sarah. The two of them have been inseparable. It has been a great fit because both Mama and Sarah love to have company more than anyone I know. Sarah follows Mama around everywhere. Mama always asks, "Where is my shadow?" They read stories, play games and go for an almost daily walk with Pa to St. Heliers to get the mail. Getting the mail inevitably turns into climbing 1000 trees, playing at the playground for hours, and having lunch and a coffee/fluffy. A fluffy is a sophisticated little drink for a 4-year-old. It is warm milk frothed up like a cappuccino with chocolate drizzled on top. It is usually accompanied by a little marshmellow. Sarah knows all the best places in Auckland to get a fluffy. Everyone in St. Heliers knows her and teases her. Mama and Pa love having her with them, and I think there will be a big hole in everyone's heart when they are oceans away from each other.

70.3 and Still Alive

2009-03-29T22:54:00.006+13:00

For those of you that don't know, I have been spending my spare time training for a half Ironman. The race was this Saturday. I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that I was almost last. The good news is that I had my personal best time ever on the swim and the bike. My time was 7:13:32. This is about an hour faster than I expected to finish, so I'm really pleased. My swim was 45:35 for 1.2 miles. My bike was 4:07:32 for 56 miles. My run was 2:20:25 for 13.1 miles. On the race website is a video of the race http://www.endurancesport.co.nz/aucklandhalf/ . I feature in it at about 4:09. Notice how slowly I am going. You can also see the full results from the race on the website. The weather was fantastic and the course was incredibly beautiful. It was a great experience, but I have no intention of ever doing it again.

Bay of Islands and Waipoua Forest

2009-03-22T22:23:00.005+13:00

After leaving Teal Bay, we went further north to the Bay of Islands. This is a beautiful area of New Zealand and a popular tourist area. It is best seen by yacht, but we were not that fortunate. It is also the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. This is a treaty signed by England and most of the Maori chiefs at the time. It addressed issues such as protection and the sale of land. Many Maori today look back on it and feel like they got ripped off. When you sell a property for a couple of guns, some flour, two horses, and a shirt, you can see why they got the short end of the stick. The other side is the treaty set them up to have a part in the new country. It is certainly better than other natives fared. Race relations have always been very good here, but in recent years, some discontent and tensions have started to creep in.

We left the Bay of Islands and headed back to Auckland down the West side of the country. We passed some massive sand dunes in Opononi, then we traveled through the Waipoua Forest. This is a beautiful forest full of big old Kauri trees. The biggest one is called Tane Mahuta and supposedly 2000 years old.

Teal Bay

2009-03-22T22:07:00.002+13:00

We spent the weekend at a quiet batch on a lovely sheltered bay called Teal Bay. We had a wonderful and relaxing time. The kids played on the beach for hours, we played cricket all afternoon, and we learned how to play petanque from our batch neighbors. We also took a walk to see a nesting area for the endangered Brown Teal duck. There are less than 1000 remaining. We counted about 40.

Mangawhai and Waipu Cove

2009-03-22T21:54:00.002+13:00

This last weekend we took our last trip out of Auckland. We drove north to a friend's batch in Teal Bay. On the way there we stopped at a couple of surf beaches. The first is Mangawhai Heads. The next is Waipu Cove. It has a neat little estuary with trees hanging all over it. We have pictures of the kids playing here four years ago. These are beaches near Whangarei, where Mark's dad grew up.

Round the Bays

2009-03-16T20:04:00.003+13:00

On Sunday, our family took part in a huge annual event in Auckland. It is a gigantic fun run called Round the Bays. The race is an 8 1/2 kilometer run along the Auckland waterfront from downtown Auckland to St. Heliers Bay, which is just past Kohimarama (where we live). This run is HUGE. There are about 40,000 registered runners and an estimated 70,000 participants (which included us). It is so crowded that you can hardly run, even 5 kilometers into the race. Mark, Emma, and Hannah finished the race, but Esther, Sarah and I stopped a kilometer early when we got to Kohimarama. Sarah started to protest half-way through. She said her legs were tired. I told her she had to keep going because those legs were her way home. She hung in there and made it. I was really proud of all the kids. They did great.

Goat Island

2009-03-10T22:41:00.003+13:00

On Monday, Mark and I had the best day ever. He takes Mondays off because it's Sunday in the States and the US markets are closed. The kids are in school and Sarah is at preschool on Mondays, so we are really free on Mondays. We went an hour-and-a-half north to a Marine reserve, called Goat Island. We rented some snorkeling gear and went snorkeling. The water was pretty clear and we saw lots of fish. New Zealand isn't tropical, so you don't get the beautiful colored fish you would find in Australia, but we saw lots of cool fish anyway. The best thing we saw was a big Snapper about 3 ft long. It's a little unnerving being out of your own environment, but the rewards are great.

Rugby

2009-03-10T22:08:00.003+13:00

Saturday night we took Emma, Hannah, and Esther to their first rugby match. Rugby is the most popular sport in New Zealand. The national team, The All Blacks, are a legend in rugby. Like football, it is a winter sport, so we are only here for the beginning of the season. There are 3 main competitions within the rugby season. The first, which has just begun, is the Super 14. The competition consists of 14 regional teams from New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. The Auckland team is The Blues. We saw them play Natal, a South African team, and they got beat. Mark's brother came along with us to the game. It's been great to do things like that with him.

The second competition (and the best) consists of the Test matches. This is where the national teams square off against each other with national pride on the line. It's like all-star games crossed with the passions of the biggest NCAA rivalries.

Mark is a rugby fan and it has rubbed off on me. I really love it. The athletes are amazing. They are big, fast, and strong. Not only that, they have great endurance and technical passing, catching, and kicking skills. They make very well-rounded, impressive athletes.

Whangamata

2009-03-02T14:13:00.003+13:00

This weekend we went to Whangamata, a popular get-away for Aucklanders. We stayed in a house belonging to some of Mark's parents' close friends. Just after arriving, we were greeted with severe winds and about 24 hours of torrential rain. (I am posting a picture of the Whangamata golf course after the rain). We had no TV and were all cooped-up in the house together. Instead of a bummer, it was a real blessing getting to spend good family time together. Sunday was a nice day and we were able to enjoy the beach before coming home that afternoon.

On Friday, the school had a certificate assembly. Esther's teacher honored her with a certificate. She acted embarrassed by the attention, but I know deep down she was quite pleased.

Emma's Birthday

2009-02-18T22:25:00.001+13:00

Emma turned 9 on Sunday. We had a little family party after church. She misses celebrating with all her friends from home.

Waitomo Caves

2009-02-18T22:05:00.003+13:00

To celebrate Esther's and Emma's birthdays, we visited the Waitomo Caves. They are some amazing caves a few hours south of Auckland. The caves have millions of glow worms. It looks like lots of little green stars. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take pictures inside. On the way back we noticed someone supporting the Lone Star State. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

Here is also a picture of Hannah at a school certificate assembly.

Esther's 6th birthday

2009-02-14T23:08:00.005+13:00

Esther turned 6 on February 12th. Unfortunately, she still had to go to school that day, but it's a blessing in disguise. You get lots of attention at school when it is your birthday. Her teacher let me bring in cupcakes for the class. I enjoyed getting to know some of her classmates. That night we had a little family party and then all watched Dr. Who together!

Pa's surgery

2009-02-14T22:59:00.002+13:00

Mark's dad had shoulder surgery Monday. He's been putting it off for a long time and finally had to do something about it. Once he came home from the hospital, he was smothered in nurses. He had one feeding him, one putting a damp cloth on his forehead, one combing his hair, and (my favorite) Sarah combing the hair on his legs. It will be a long recovery and lots of work, but he seems to be doing pretty well so far.

Back to School

2009-02-14T22:40:00.003+13:00

The girls started back to school Wednesday, February 4th. Esther is in Year 2, Hannah is coincidentally next-door to her in Year 3, and Emma is in Year 5. I think they are happy to be back in school, but I'm not sure I could get them to admit it. The week was a short one, though, because Friday was Waitangi Day. It celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the beginning of New Zealand as a nation. We spent that Saturday going to a surf beach about an hour away, called Muriwai. We took the kids on a little hike to some cliffs overlooking the beach. After that, we went down the road to see a gannet colony. Then we went for a swim and some boogie boarding at Muriwai.

Napier, Taupo, and Rotorua

2009-02-09T22:47:00.003+13:00

On Monday, we caught the ferry back across to the North Island and traveled north along the eastern coast to Napier and Hastings. These are kind of cool art deco towns. (The Eketahuna picture is for Jonathan!).

The next day we headed back to Auckland and stopped off at Lake Taupo. This can be an absolutely beautiful place, but we were there on a not very nice day. The kids are mad in the picture because we dropped them off on one end of town, and told them to walk down the sidewalk to the other end of town, where Mark and I were enjoying a cup of coffee in peace. They got over it, though.

After Taupo, we went on to Rotorua. Rotorua is kind of a tourist trap area with geysers and boiling mud. It's pretty cool, but reeks of sulfur.

That night we made it back to Auckland safe and sound with lots of experiences and memories to cherish. We had to get to bed early, though, because the new school year was starting the next morning.

Kaikoura

2009-02-09T22:25:00.002+13:00

On Sunday, we continued our drive up the east coast, and stopped in a beautiful little town called Kaikoura. It is a place famous for whale watching. We tried to go out on a boat but they had canceled all tours because of rough seas. This was a bit of a bummer because it was one of the main things we were looking forward to doing. Nevertheless, we continued on to the north of the south island where we stayed on a farm. It was in the Marlborough Sounds on a flat area between two of the sounds.

Christchurch

2009-02-09T22:09:00.003+13:00

On Saturday, we left Dunedin and drove north along the eastern coast of the South Island to Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island. On the way there we stopped off at Shag Point. I know what you're thinking, but it is a bird sanctuary. Further down the road we saw the Moeraki Boulders. They are the freakiest things - perfectly round natural boulders just sitting on the beach.

The Shotover Jet

2009-02-04T22:45:00.004+13:00

On Friday we did the Shotover Jet. We've always heard of the Shotover Jet, but never done it. They take these jet boats and drive you down canyons at 50mph in water a foot or so deep. Then they pass jagged boulders within a yard (it looked more like a foot) and do 360s. It was so terrifying that it almost wasn't fun for Mark and me. The girls loved it. It just shows how naive and trusting (and dumb) they are!

After that, we left Queenstown and headed for Dunedin. It is the main University town in NZ. On the way there, the kids were killing us so we let them out in some farmer's paddock and they ran around herding sheep and burning off some energy.

Queenstown

2009-02-04T22:18:00.003+13:00

Thursday, we left Wanaka for Queenstown. On the way, we stopped off at Puzzling World. Apparantly, it is the origin of the modern-styled great maze. It was a surprisingly great thing to do as a family. Also on the way, we stopped off at AJ Hackett's Bungy Jump. This is the place that invented the bungy jump. You can choose whether your jump will allow you to dip into the water or finish just above it. That is one time I wouldn't want to lie about my weight. We decided it was more fun to just watch other people do it.

When we arrived in Queenstown, we took a gondola ride to the top of a steep mountain for a spetacular panorama. Then we took a ski lift up higher and did the luge. Queenstown is a ski town in winter, but in summer it is the "adventure capitol of the world." I used to scoff at this marketing, but after reflecting on it, I can't think of any place else with such an adrenalin rush choice. It is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see. Unfortunately, we were there on a cloudy day and it wasn't Queenstown in all its glory. Nevertheless, it was still spectacular.

Franz Joseph Glacier

2009-02-04T22:03:00.003+13:00

Wednesday morning we went to the foot of Franz Joseph Glacier. People walk on it and land planes on the top of it but we just hiked to the foot of it, looked at it, took a picture, and left. We continued driving down the West Coast as far as you can go, then turned inland across Haast Pass. We passed Lake Hawea (pictured) and ended the day in a beautiful town called Wanaka. In the winter, it is a ski town, but is also really nice in summer. It is near Queenstown, which gets all the fame, but many people prefer Wanaka for its more subtle style.

The West Coast

2009-01-30T10:19:00.004+13:00

We started Tuesday morning with a walk along the Heaphy Track. This is one of the most unbelievable places I have ever seen. It is a coastal walk along steep mountains covered in palms, ferns, and dense forest. You can walk on it for 5 days or so, but we only spent an hour. The only downside is the sandflies. After walking the Heaphy, we headed south down the West Coast. It is listed as one of the best drives in the world. I can see why. There are hours and hours of dramatic scenery. It reminds me a little of Hwy 1 in California, but much more remote. We finished the day at Franz Joseph Village at the foot of Franz Joseph Glacier.

Trip to the South Island

2009-01-27T22:19:00.010+13:00

My dad always says the difference between a vacation and a trip is the kids come with you on a trip. The day after we returned from our "vacation", we picked up the kids from Mama and Pa and set off for a family "trip" to the South Island. We drove down to Wellington, the capital, slept in the car, and caught the ferry to the South Island. Going through the Marlborough Sounds into Picton is gorgeous - lush, steep mountains plunging into the sea. We drove from Picton to Riwaka, where Mark's family first settled in NZ. We came across an old cemetery and found some family names. We went on from there to one of New Zealand's "Great Walks", the Abel Tasman. It is along some beautiful beaches. Then we had a long drive and spent the night in a really remote part of New Zealand called Karamea, which borders my favorite place in New Zealand, the Heaphy Track.

The Australian Open

2009-01-24T19:32:00.003+13:00

Mark and I have spent the last few days in Melbourne, Australia at the Australian Open with Mark's brother, Greg, who generously gave this to us as a Christmas present. We went to the US Open together a few years ago, and it is turning into a little tradition for us. We have seen some phenomenal tennis. I am so impressed with the talent and athleticism at the top levels of tennis. It's a great experience to sit in the stands with Greg and Mark. They give me a much greater insight to the nuances within the game that an average person, like me, would miss.

Auckland Half Ironman

2009-01-19T11:23:00.004+13:00

Many of you may not know I have signed up to do a half ironman at the end of March before we come home. Several people have asked me how the training has been going. This distance will be a real challenge for me because it is a lot more than I know I can do. The swim is 1.2 miles, the bike is 56 miles, and the run is 13.1 miles. As soon as we got here I bought a bike on Trade Me (an ebay equivalent). I started out riding on the roads, but after a few days of riding on treacherous, narrow, busy roads, I borrowed a bike trainer from one of Mark's friends. It is mind-numbing when you ride it for 3 hours, but it is a lot safer, and it makes Mark happy. My plan is to go out to the race course once a week when the kids get back in school. I have come across a few people that are eager to get out there and show it to me, so I will probably take advantage of that. I started the swimming at Christmas. The water was too cold for me before that. There is a cold current that comes through here, so to be honest, it is still too cold for my Texas warm blood, but I do it anyway. The beach where I swim couldn't be more convenient. The truth is, I will probably miss this most when I am gone. I have been trying to get in twice the distance of the race each week in different combinations. It works out to about 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours per day. It is a lot more exercise than I am used to, but I think it is good for me and I am driven because I know I will never finish the race if I don't put in the hours. The early morning 5:30 jet lagged workouts are long gone, I'm sorry to say, but I have had amazing support from Mark and Mark's parents in taking care of the kids when I am selfishly out on my own running or something. Good luck to all those out there doing the Austin Marathon in a few weeks. It's almost time to start tapering. I'm thinking of you.

Sarah's first day of "Kindy"

2009-01-19T11:06:00.003+13:00

Sarah started her first day of Kindergarten today. It is actually preschool, but they call it Kindy. She has been sooooo excited. She is going to a place called Small World. Kids in NZ start Year 0 as soon as they turn 5. It is a real school year where kids feed in at their birthday, then they all start Year 1 the following February together. Sarah will just miss out in taking part of Year 0 because she doesn't turn 5 until July. She was feeling a bit left out. I'm happy for her to be able to make some friends of her own and feel like she is having this experience, too.

Auckland War Memorial Museum

2009-01-18T13:47:00.003+13:00

This past week was the Heineken Professional Men's tennis tournament. We spent most of this week either going to that, or watching it on TV. We saw some really good players and an American, Sam Querry, made the final. It has just whet the appetite for the Aussie Open next week.

On Friday, Mark and I took the kids to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. It has some excellent exhibits on Polynesian culture and Maori (native New Zealanders) culture. They migrated here from Tahiti about 700-800 years ago. I am including a picture of a Maori with traditional facial tattooing. They also have a war dance, called a haka. The national rugby team, the All Blacks, have adopted the haka as a little pre-game pick-me-up. See for yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRiOmg3ZhJU&feature=related .

Pakiri

2009-01-12T23:07:00.005+13:00

Today Mark took the day off work and we went to Pakiri. Pakiri is a surf beach about an hour north of Auckland. This beach is on the east side of the country and Piha is on the west side. One of the beauties of surf beaches near Auckland is that you can usually find good conditions on either the east coast or the west coast and they are both easily accessible. The beaches on the east coast are lovely, clear, and white sand beaches vs. the rugged black sand found on the west coast.

Russian Women

2009-01-11T19:36:00.002+13:00

Yesterday, I went with my father-in-law to the women's tennis final. It was between Elena Dementieva and Elena Vesnina, both Russian. What I want to know is-how have the Russians become so good at tennis, especially when their summer is about 1 week long? They were amazing, both phenomenal athletes.

Sky Tower

2009-01-11T17:53:00.003+13:00

Friday, Mark took Hannah to the tennis tournament. The rest of us went to Sky Tower. You get some amazing views from the tower. They say a trained eye can see 48 volcanoes. I could only see about 12. We got to see someone bungy jump from the top of it. I guess that's one way to get down. We also got to see someone do a Sky Walk. I thought it seemed like a good place to get my run in. It would only be 100 laps or so. I wonder if you have to pay by the lap or by the hour.

Piha

2009-01-08T22:17:00.004+13:00

This morning Mark took Emma to the professional women's tennis tournament that is going on in Auckland now. They got to see Elena Dementieva play (#4 world ranking).

After that, we went to one of Mark's favorite places on earth. That honor belongs to Piha, a rugged surf beach on the West Coast of Auckland. It is about an hour away, but totally worth it. It is right on the edge of a mountain range with steep, lush hills surrounding it. The beach is covered with fine, black sand. It has big surf and ferocious rips. It is a fantastic place. Julie and Buster went with us and Buzzy was tearing it up on the boogie board. It was another great day.

Kohimarama Beach

2009-01-04T21:06:00.002+13:00

After church today, we spent the afternoon on Kohimarama Beach. This is the beach across the road from our house. The tide was in, the sun was out, and the water was calm. It was one of the best days we have had at the beach. Conventional wisdom here says the weather gets really nice after Christmas. I have to agree because today has been great! The volcanic island in the distance is Rangitoto. When the tide is out we like to visit some rocks to collect mussels, pipis (clams), hermit crabs, and periwinkles. Esther and Sarah then want to take them home as pets. When the tide is in, the scenery is more beautiful and we like to go for a swim. I have become a "tide-watcher" so I can swim at the optimal times. I am training for a triathlon at the end of March and swim 2 kilometers twice a week. I'm not breaking any world records, though.

Kelly Tarlton's and Auckland Zoo

2009-01-03T22:29:00.004+13:00

Mark's mom made the most of a rainy day and took all the kids to Kelly Tarlton's, which is a nice aquarium in Auckland. The next day she and I made the most of a sunny day and took the kids to the Auckland Zoo. I got a good picture of the monkey exhibit. We now know everything we need to know about all the living creatures around.

One of Mark and Greg's friends has allowed us to use his tennis court and pool while he is away on holiday. Mark and Greg have had a few good hits on the court. It's been fun to watch them, because they get a little competitive (as only brothers can) and they are on a very similar level.

Today we went to see the qualifying rounds for the professional women's Auckland Tennis Tournament. It's a pretty big tournament leading up to the Australian Open. We went because the qualifying rounds were free and that's the way we like to do things. Mark ran into a number of old tennis people there. It's good to see him in his element.

The Bryans

2008-12-29T18:10:00.003+13:00

We were blessed Friday and Saturday by the arrival of our friends, Blair and Karen Bryan. They have been travelling to Australia and New Zealand with their four children: Austin, Elizabeth, Alexandra, and Coleton. Austin and Elizabeth are in college at Harding, Alexandra is 17, and Coleton is 13. They were stopping through Auckland for 2 days, and we had the opportunity to show them around a little bit and spend some time with them. They are a wonderful family and we love them dearly. They are one of the things we miss most about Charlotte. It has been a highlight for us to see them again.

Christmas Day

2008-12-29T17:51:00.002+13:00

Christmas Day was a beautiful day. After opening presents in the morning, we had a nice lunch with Pam and Kevin's friends Kevin and Karen Woolcott. Then we went over to the school grounds and played basketball, soccer, and had obstacle course races. Buster creamed us all at the obstacle course, even Mark.

Santa meets the Tooth Fairy

2008-12-25T09:07:00.005+13:00

I know this is getting to be a bit of a theme, but every time I turn around, Hannah loses another tooth. She lost the latest one Christmas Eve, which meant the Tooth Fairy and Santa both visited our house last night. It actually was a reunion for them because they both visited our house last year, too, in honor of one of Emma's lost teeth.

Traditions here are slightly different. Santa usually brings the children's toys in a Santa Sack and leaves them at the foot of each child's bed. We use a less official version in the form of a pillowcase. They are given strict instructions to not look in their bags until everyone is awake and they all bring them in to Mom and Dad's bed and open them all together. Esther arrived in our room this morning around 3 AM. Fortunately she was coaxed back to sleep until her sisters came in around 6:30.

Later in the day we will all open our gifts from each other and have a picnic if the weather cooperates.

Pam and Kevin's 50th Wedding Anniversary

2008-12-21T20:35:00.003+13:00

December 20th was the 50th wedding anniversary for Mark's parents. This was the primary reason for our family coming to New Zealand this year. We celebrated it at Remuera Golf Club with about 70 of his parents' closest friends and family. Mark's brother, Greg, was the emcee. It is really nice to have a brother that is comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. Mark's sister, Julie, put together a slide show and also performed an eye and head dance. I've never seen anything like it before, but it was pretty cool. The girls were really good...in the beginning. They took it upon themselves to greet everyone as they came in and give them a little curtsey. Once the music started, they got a little out of control with their dancing. I wasn't sure whether I should have been embarrassed or entertained by them. It was a pretty late night and I know they were exhausted by the end of it all. At one point, they were all introduced one by one and when they got to Esther, no one could find her (which isn't unusual for Esther). It turns out, she had worn herself out dancing and curled up under a table and gone to sleep. It was a very memorable event and we are very glad we could be here for it.

Julie and Buzz and the Tooth Fairy Strikes Back

2008-12-20T17:37:00.002+13:00

Julie and Buster arrived late last night. It's been great to see them. Buzzy is just a bigger version of what he was the last time we saw him. He has been smothered with little girls since he got here.

The tooth fairy also came last night. We had a double tooth fairy delivery with Emma and Hannah both losing a tooth on the same day.

North Head

2008-12-14T11:56:00.003+13:00

After going to Devonport, we went to North Head. On the way there, we stopped at a park and watched a little cricket. North Head was beautiful and it was a beautiful day. We found a steep hill on North Head and had some cardboard rides down it. Our shorts will never be the same.

Devonport

2008-12-14T11:27:00.004+13:00

We spent Saturday exploring Devonport and North Head. These are two dormant volcanoes on the North Shore of Auckland at the entrance to the Auckland Harbour. You can see them in the distance in the first picture. You get fantastic panoramas of the Auckland Harbour and city of Auckland from these points. The two mountains have old military fortifications loaded with tunnels and cannons to protect the city. They are no longer used for this purpose and it is open to the public to explore the fortresses. The island in the background is Rangitoto. It is a dormant volcano that dominates the landscape of the Auckland Harbour. The middle beach in the picture with the girls is Kohimarama, where we live. The city of Auckland has 1.3 million people. Sky Tower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere is in the center of the city. You can bungee jump off the top of it or take a Sky Walk, which is a walk on a little sidewalk around the top of it. It is completely open and you are harnessed in so you don't fall. There once was a day that these things would have intersted me, but I am a mother now.

Esther's School Beach day

2008-12-14T11:12:00.004+13:00

Friday, Esther's class spent the day at the beach. They played games and had fish and chips. Hannah's wondering why her class hasn't had a day at the beach. Tough luck, Hannah.

Later that day, we made a sand sculpture. In case you can't tell what it is, it is a turtle.

The Walking Bus

2008-12-11T09:38:00.003+13:00

Yesterday, Emma's class went to the beach for a field trip. They started with a beach clean-up and finished with games and swimming. Mark, Mama, and Sarah came over and joined us for lunch.

We went to school on the walking bus. Basically, it is a supervised group of kids walking to school together. There are no school busses here. The kids all walk or are dropped off. The older kids can take city busses to school. It is pretty safe for them because everyone looks out for them. Starting next term, I will take a turn one day a week leading the walking bus. It is good exercise and it has provided us an opportunity to meet some more families that live close to us. I don't think much learning is getting done this time of year, but the girls and I are making friends, which is probably more important right now anyway.

Mama and Pa are home

2008-12-06T13:30:00.003+13:00

Mama and Pa arrived home from Australia last night. They have been in Sydney taking care of our 12-year-old nephew/cousin Buster. We are very excited about seeing Buster and Aunt Julie (Mark's sister) in a few weeks. Aunt Julie is a dancer/choreographer in Contemporary Performance in Sydney. Buster is crazy about Basketball and is quite a salty guard from what I hear.

Mama took the girls out for an adventure at the beach this morning. Then they went to the library and then topped it off with a stop by the Dairy for an ice cream. They are sooooo glad to see their grandparents. We are really glad too.

Athletics Day

2008-12-05T12:06:00.003+13:00

Since we are coming in at the end of the year, the girls are getting to do all the fun things that happen at the end of school. Yesterday was Athletics Day. Everyone dressed in their special sports clothing that is color coded according to their house. Their house is called Colenso and they are yellow. It was sort of like Field Day, but a little more competitive. They got to have different kinds of races and do high jump and long jump. Shoes are optional. Guess which option my kids took.

Don't Do That Again

2008-12-04T09:28:00.000+13:00

I came outside when I heard one of my children say to her sisters, "Look, I can touch the power line." I found Esther 30 feet up in a tree near some power lines. She insisted that she knew they were dangerous and she wasn't going to touch them. The kids have been banished from the tree. The neighbor was watching from her deck, which was about the same height. She has lived there since Mark was a little boy. She asked me if it was Mark up in the tree. Now I know wher Esther gets it from!

I met an American lady up at the school. She had met Emma earlier and asked her where she was from. Emma told her "Lago Vista." That wasn't helpful to the lady, so she asked her where Lago Vista was near. Emma told her "Jonestown." That wasn't helpful either, considering Jonestown is smaller than Lago Vista. Eventually she got that it was near Austin. That was more helpful.

Here is a picture of Mark's parents' house. It is where we are staying while we are here. One of the pictures is taken from the deck, looking out to the Auckland harbor. The beach is just on the other side of the big tree. It's a pretty good beach for the kids.

The Lost Tooth

2008-12-03T12:31:00.000+13:00

We are settled in and our internal clocks have adjusted. The best thing about being here is the daylight. It is light enough to be outside at 5:30 in the morning. The jet lag has helped us be early risers. Mark and I have been getting up early to do our exercise. This is a really good place to swim, cycle, and run. We are right on a 10K trail and road that goes along the Auckland waterfront. People here are outdoor exercise crazy. You see them everywhere, all the time. You wouldn't believe how many runners and cyclists I saw out at 5:30 this morning. The swimmers all came out about lunchtime, which is high tide.

The girls have adjusted to school. The kids love their accents. They are more popular here than they are used to being. We'll see how long that lasts. They have been assigned to a house, which is a four-way division of the whole school. Families are kept together in the same house. They use it for intraschool competition. The other day, when I gave all the girls their uniforms, Hannah wanted hers to smell nice so she started to go spray it with some body spray that she had stashed away somewhere. I told her she didn't need to do that. Then the next thing I heard was a spraying sound from the bathroom. It was Esther spraying her uniform with Glade so she would smell nice. Well, she has smelled like Glade for days. The girls only have one uniform, so they have to wear them a few days before they get cleaned.

Speaking of laundry, I'm doing it today. No one here dries their clothes in a dryer. Everyone, even the most expensive homes, have a clothes line in the back for drying their clothes. I really like it because I'm a little greenie at heart. I'm nothing compared to the Kiwis. The regular garbage container is tiny. On the other hand, the recycling container is twice the size of the regular container. They have figured out how to get people to recycle. I'm giving Emma the recycling job. She's a natural.

Last night Hannah lost a tooth. What do you know? The tooth fairy comes to New Zealand too. She brings a $2 NZ coin, which is about the same value right now as the US $1 coin. Let's just hope that the US $1 coin keeps gaining on the NZ $2 coin for a few more months.

First Day of School

2008-12-02T09:37:00.001+13:00

Monday was the first day of school for Emma, Hannah, and Esther. They are coming in at the very end of the school year. The New Zealand school year starts in February and ends in December, so it is kind of like the kids are starting school the first week in May at home. Since Emma and Esther have February birthdays, they essentially move up a 1/2 grade. Emma is finishing Year 4, which is like finishing 3rd grade. Esther is finishing Year 1, which is like finishing Kindergarten. Since Hannah's birthday is in August, she is essentially moving back a 1/2 grade. She is finishing Year 2, which is like finishing 1st Grade. This is all very confusing, but I feel like I finally have my head around it. In a nutshell, Hannah is one of the youngest kids in her grade in the States, but in the middle of her class here. Emma and Esther are in the middle of their grades in the States, but one of the youngest in their classes here.

They go to the local Primary School called Kohi. It is a 10 minute walk from where we live, and they are expected to walk to school. They have to wear a special uniform with sandals and a cap. It is mandatory for the kids to wear their cap when they go outside. (The ozone hole is right over New Zealand and as a result, there is a high incidence of skin cancer. Everyone is very consciencious about covering up when they go outside). All the kids bring their lunch to school. There is no cafeteria. Everyone has their lunch outside on the grounds at the same time. Then they go play until lunch is over. When the kids go out to play sports or other things, they all take off their shoes and run around barefoot. I know our girls will love that. Mark said he didn't wear shoes until he was about 12. I'm not sure if he exaggerating or not.

When they got to school, they were each assigned a buddy that took them around and showed them the school. Esther was the first to be dropped off and had a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face when I left her. I peeked in after I left, and she was running around with a smile on her face, playing with her buddy. You wouldn't believe it, but there is another Esther in her class. Hannah and Emma both seemed to do well when I left them. I know they had to be tired, but they all did really well and had a great attitude about everything.

We made it

2008-12-01T11:00:00.000+13:00

We got on the flight in LA about 8PM. Sarah had just fallen asleep and had to be carried. Just as we were boarding, a guy near us got sick. We have never moved so fast in all our lives trying to get away from him. I felt a little bit like the bad guy in the story of the Good Samaritan. Once we got on the plane the kids went right to sleep. They have an uncanny ability to sleep soundly in the most contorted positions. The rest of the trip went well, I was even able to get my hot pepper spray through customs. We arrived in Auckland just before 6AM. Uncle Greg was at the airport to meet us, and he is sporting a great big mustache in honor of Movember, where the guys are all growing mustaches as a fund raiser of some sort. Emma had a few comments about it. We came to Mark's parents' house (They are away in Sydney until Friday), unpacked, and went to The Warehouse to get the girls some Roman Sandals for their school uniform. We did our best to stay awake as late as we could, but the kids were all in bed and asleep by 6:30. Mark and I didn't last much longer.

The Trip Down

2008-11-29T13:06:00.000+13:00

We arrived at the Austin airport this morning with plenty of time. Our family took up 1/3 of the ticket counter line. We were fortunate enough to check most of our bags through to Auckland. Yeah! People have been really nice.

We have an 8 hour layover in LA. We splurged on a membership to the Admiral's Club where the kids have watched 2 hours straight of Spongebob. It was the only channel available in the kids' area. We eventually had to turn off the TV because we couldn't take any more.

Thanksgiving Day

2008-11-28T04:11:00.000+13:00

Instead of Turkey and Football, our Thanksgiving Day has been filled with packing and cleaning. All in all, I think we have 16 bags. 12 of them are carry-on. Just imagine us boarding the plane. We are leaving our house Thursday afternoon to spend the night in Horseshoe Bay with my parents. Our flight is Friday morning. It will take about 24 hours to get to Auckland. We will arrive early Sunday morning (after crossing the International Date Line and losing a day), then the girls will start school bright and early Monday morning, jet-lag and all. Maybe if we don't tell them they are supposed to be tired, they won't notice.