Associations with Space

2011-09-26T16:48:00.000-07:00

Dusted

2011-08-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

The hills around Wellington were dusted with snow when we got up this morning, by about 10am the sun was out and it all looked very picturesque, this is from out deck.

The Pirate princess

2011-07-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Landed

2010-08-03T17:28:00.003-07:00

We spent most of June sorting, packing and cleaning as we moved out of the house in Salem.

The last few days of June were spent in some Disneyland fun, and now we are sorting and unpacking back in the Wellington house.

We've been in since july 19 and it feels quite like home now, I'm getting on top of the school run over to St Marks, where Liam and Madeline spend their days.

swimming lessons

2010-06-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

Izabel and Madeline (left and second left) splash the instructors when their groups joined together for some fun at swimming lessons this week.

Bike ride?

2010-06-06T19:20:00.004-07:00

We went for a bike ride at Minto-Brown Park yesterday.

It's by the Willamette river. We've had quite a lot of rain the last few weeks so the rivers up a bit ...

It turns out it rained again today. I'm hopeful summer will turn up before we have to leave.

Redwoods

2010-03-04T09:09:00.004-08:00

One of our recent ventures involved us driving south to see the Redwoods in California. We had three days so headed to Medford in Southern Oregon for Friday night, about six hours from Salem. Saturday morning we drove along 199 and stopped at a grove of Redwood's for lunch, thats where this pictures taken. There was a short loop track which we did. We continued on to Crescent city, where we got our junior ranger programs and park maps to visit some more parts of the National Park.Crescent city had been devastated by a tsunami in the 60's and guide books don't give it a great write up, but perhaps thats compared to the other more cute fisher village, California, Oregon coast type places. We thought it had a great playground, very similar to QE2 playground in Masterton, and its on the sea, but probably due to the tsunami, it doesn't have many/any older buildings and the sixties weren't great for pretty architecture, it has a functional feel to it. There was a large storm system somewhere in the Pacific which meant the waves were huge and really pounding in and crashing over the breakwater.

We drove further down the coast fo

r another part of the park, Liam and Richard did a couple of short loop walks one on the cliffs above the coast which was to some fake farm buildings which was a ww2 radar station.

The next day was spent walking, on the beach then in another part of the Redwoods park.

Winter Entertainment

2009-12-06T13:46:00.006-08:00

Yesterday promised to be a somewhat sunny day so we thought we’d have a go at the Oregon Skiing. We’d done a very unscientific survey (Christine had asked a few people) of ski fields, there are a couple within approx 2 hr drive but settled on Hoodoo, a mountain in the cascades up highway 22 from Salem.

We did a little research the night before and learned that the neighboring mountain looks like what we (with some experience of the southwest) would call a Mesa. Hoodoo is a pointy mountain and apparently the names were swapped on a map because the neighboring mountain is called ‘hayrick’.

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

We got up early and left here by about 6:30am and got there in plenty of time to park virtually next to the lodge. We signed the elder kids and Richard up for lessons and rented (tried to ‘hire’ it, they thought I was talking about ‘hiking’) the required equipment.

Richard, Liam and Madeline all spend the morning learning to ski, Madeline for the first time. Student to teacher ratio was very low; some had more than one instructor. Lucky we didn’t pay for private lessons!

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

The weather wasn’t great, cold with light snow but we had plenty of gear to keep warm. Lunch was provided as part of the lessons for the kids and Izabel borrowed some ski boots to have play in the snow at lunch time (even the smallest boots were about twice too big).

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

The afternoon was spent with more skiing while Christine and Izabel enjoyed the après ski facilities in the ski lodge. Lessons stopped at 3, Madeline was stuffed, Liam and Richard did one run before he was done too, and Richard appeared to all but have the mountain alone.

From Skiing at Hoodoo OR

We came home a slightly different route but found it much longer, still it appears we’ve proven that it’s fairly easy to go skiing for the day from here and we hope to do it again after our annual migration to the south.

Going back

2009-10-20T10:50:00.003-07:00

We spent Canadian thanksgiving weekend in Victoria with some good friends and the kids visited the school and caught up with teachers and friends from last year. Madeline seemed to be working on the if I say it enough it will happen option of I want to stay in Canada, though we're pretty sure that it actually has to be James Bay.

one is 'doo and four is five.

2009-10-20T10:38:00.003-07:00

We've had a couple of birthdays since the beginning of the month. Madeline has been very pleased to receive parcels in the post. Izabel has torn wrap off parcels and been excited about there being things inside.

We all went to the Aquarium on Sunday which was a big hit. The kids enjoyed the glass blowing video in the oddwater area of the aquarium. Liam liked the sharks and Madeline liked the dolphins, which we think is the concrete one's in the play area.

Thou it might be the seals who were very active.

Settling

2009-09-10T08:19:00.001-07:00

We have returned from the east ( some time ago now) and are in our new house. We have three bed rooms and a lovely yard with a playhouse and swing.
Liam started school yesterday and seems happy with it. We have Madeline's preschool lined up, but she doesn't start till the 21st they are also signed up for swimming and after today dance as well. We have a piano in the house do there might be some lessons on that too although Liam is keen to do guitar, so we'll see. We expect our stuff from Santa fe this week which will probably contain some surprises.

National sea shore

2009-08-05T13:56:00.001-07:00

We've made our way south and are on the cape. We spent last night camping here. The kids have another junior ranger badge each and are loving playing in the sand. I can see the attraction of a summer cottage on the cape, although one on mount desert island woulde be pretty good too. The beach we're at today is really shallow and the tide is going out so there is miles of beach. Yesterday we were on the outer side and there is surf and the sea is eroding the cliff. We visited some cultural sites in the park one I'd which was the macroni wireless site, interesting since both Richard and I have read thunderstruck.

Ice cream

2009-08-03T13:43:00.001-07:00

We can recommend Beal's icecream in Portland Maine, exit 9 off the I 295 and it's straight though the Washington st intersection. We also enjoyed Tubby's in Wyne, also in Maine.

Seals and lobster

2009-07-28T16:46:00.002-07:00

Mostly we hung out at Sarah's today, but in the afternoon we drove to Boothbay and went on a Lobster and seal boat trip, we saw seals and harbor dolphins and there were lobster in the trap they pulled up. Liam enjoyed the lobster part the most, he also enjoyed dissecting the lobster Richard and I ate at dinner, he was NOT interested in eating any, but he doesn't like crab or shrimp either so I wasn't very surprised, Izabel was quite keen on it.

At the other coast

2009-07-28T10:10:00.003-07:00

Yeasterday we went to Coast with Sarah and Ethan, Pemaquid Lighthouse, in fog and lobster dinner, in the rain. It did clear in between and we had a look around Pemaquid point.

There are new pic's in the sidebar, click on it to view them.

Into the field

2009-07-26T18:12:00.002-07:00

It took us a while to get up and Going from Paul's place, but we got to the shops by about midday. We've brought our tent, mats and sleeping bags with us, so we needed a stove, cooking and eating equipment and food!
We left by route three and drove past Lake Winnepesaukee to the White mountains. We found a covered bridge on our way . The weather was cloudy but not raining, we camped in Campton NH, tested out the cooking equipment with pad Thai, most successfully. Another slow start but we packed up and drove through some back roads to Woodsville
and had lunch by a hydro electric power station, and did a factory tour of Cabot creamery (a cheese factory) we'd hate you to think we weren't giving our children the right sort of exposure
Via a covered rail bridge we camped in Vermont at Smugglers Notch State Park
The next morning we went for a hike in the park before heading into Stowe and having lunch at Trapp Family Lodge, bakery. The family which sound of music is based on. We followed this up with a visit to the cider factory and after another covered bridge, Emily's bridge and collecting of more provisions we searched out a camp. Have tried to write more four times now, will post this and start again!

Rain drops keep falling on my head

2009-07-21T15:50:00.001-07:00

We've made it to the East coast, saw the sea out the airplane window as we touched down in Boston this morning -EARLY! well it felt it on pacific time it was 4am, but actually 7am EDT.
We have collected our rental car and spent most of today at a collegue of Richard's, We walked in his neighbouhood, looked at a beaver dam and how industriously they dam the culverts. It's raining so were working on getting a firmer plan for the next three weeks together but we drove into Lexington and Concord and looked at and read about the battle sites. We're all pretty tired so it's worked out well and we'll get our camping gear sorted and try it out tomorrow.

Not the witch town

2009-07-05T11:16:00.005-07:00

So here we are in another Marroitt room, not such a fabulous view but still a comfortable spot. We drove down the Washington and Oregon Coasts as far as SH22 then cut across inland to Salem. This is our destination for the rest of the year, we have a vacation to the East coast planned for a couple of weeks from now, we'll find a house over the next two weeks (hopefully) then move in.

Richard and Liam are off unpacking the UHAUL into a storage locker since we'll be either in the hotel or away for about five weeks.

Salem looks pretty so far, but I've only driven through it once. We'll get out for a play and look around later on when its cooled off a bit. It's warm here ~35 Celsius when we drove in yesterday, and its no cooler today.

We stopped in a couple of really prety places to camp in Washington, the first was a long sandy beach with a forested campground and the second on a narrow peninsula of land, the campground was on top of the hill part and overlooked the beach where lots of people were letting of early 4th of July fireworks.

Just as well there's lots needs doing, every now and then the kids come up with someone they want to see or something they want to do which is somewhere else.

Madeline is convinced we're either going back to Canada in a week or so or on our way to "Charles Island"

On the move

2009-06-30T08:50:00.002-07:00

I'm sitting in a room on the eleventh floor over looking Victoria. We have a few last bits to pack into the uhaul and the cleaning is happening today. Tomorrow is Canada Day so we'll hangout with friends and watch the fireworks before we get onto the COHO ferry to Port Angeles on the Mainland, in the US. We have a couple of days to get to Oregon so we plan to look around the Wasington Coast, snail fashion with our trailer follwing along.

Everyone is sad to be leaving Victoria, thou Izabel doesn't realise it yet. Liam had a hard time on the last day of school, his teachers this year have been a great fit for him and the school as a whole is a warm friendly welcoming place for us all.

the hockey song

2009-06-07T18:54:00.001-07:00

I mentioned this event a few posts ago, today I found this on good ol' you tube, Mr B on guitar is Liam's teacher, you won't recognise anyone else :)

Show business

2009-06-07T13:32:00.004-07:00

"So Madeline and I are in show business aren't we mummy?"

Liam and Madeline appeared in Liam's end of year ballet with Boston Dance Collective's show, Madeline's not technically with this school but Liam's ballet teacher created a part for her which she was delighted about.

Liam also managed to appear in three things for the scholl talent show, a comedy routine

with a classmate, a tap dance by himself and a group dance item with the junior dancers.

Friday and last night Liam's school choir performed with the Arbutus Singers Liam was very popular with the crowd. Last night there were treats afterwards and lots of people talked to the kids who'd stayed up for them.

The preceeding week we had final classes for tap (Liam and Madeline) and Ballet

(Madeline) as well.

Pole

2009-05-18T22:07:00.000-07:00

During our trip to Tofino with visiting family in July they erected this pole. It was a fun thing, they dug a deep hole and put up a really tall pole.
We visited Tofino again this weekend and called in on the same beach, we were impressed to see the same pole in the same location, if slightly tilted. I really hadn't expect to see it still there.

lastest achievement

2009-05-07T15:14:00.004-07:00

Culture

2009-03-29T18:42:00.002-07:00

Liam's working on getting all aspects of Canadian culture in his time here. After school on fridays now you'll find us in the playground watching and playing street hockey. One of the other mum's from school has done the organising and there's a dad whose been a hockey coach who does the on court control, with which ever other dads are around. Last week there as a huge turn out. Liam had a great time and wanted his own stick (and so Madeline wanted one too). We purchased a hockey set which has two goals and two sticks and a ball. So now thats set up in the basement and I can hear Richard and Liam down there now.

Spring break

2009-03-22T17:54:00.003-07:00

Today is the last day of Spring Break, we didn't do anything specifically this break but both kids played at friends and had friends over here.

We did go to Swan Lake Nature House where they had a CSI activity discovering who had killed the duck in the truck, Liam really enjoyed this it was a little old for Madeline but she enjoyed some of it. They tested a sbstance on the body, which they had to collect, they interviewed the neighbour, reviewed possible suspects and took their case to the judge. There were also bins with compost and various bones which you exposed and identified.

So tomorrow its back to school. We got report cards before Spring break, there were no surprises, Liam is popular not great at focussing, could improve his writting, but otherwise is at grade level.

Wellington

2009-03-22T17:29:00.003-07:00

Richard wanted some pictures of Wellington since people ask so I finally put this together.

pictures

2009-02-11T19:48:00.000-08:00

2009 02 10

In Wellington

2009-02-04T13:44:00.005-08:00

It feels like the time here in NZ is fast coming to an end, this week has been interesting because I've done lots of visiting people who I didn't see last time. Richard is sanding the flakey paint on our house and so has been in the neighbourhood. I wandered around the yard and looked at the growth of all our tree's chatted to neighbours as they walked past on the street and popped over and had a cuppa with some.
Our wee niece arrived on saturday so friday night was long and full of timing contractions, doing accupressure, passing drinks and povitive affirmations. It's the first birth I've been to that was planned as a hospital birth, the birthing units are OK, they move into the new hospital next week so I guess they have been better, but they don't stand the comparison to Liam's time in Denver Children's Hospital, and the ward is definately an experience I'm pleased to have missed. The new mother seems to be going well, today the men folk including Liam are helping shift them to their new abode.
My league experience is coming in handy, but I am aware that I haven't done calls for a while. I went to a LLL meeting here too which was a lovely huggy feeling with lots of people I've meet before and leaders I enjoy seeing.

Today we're off to the park with the small and middle one's and a bit of shopping think we'll try to take the bus.

Back Down Under

2009-01-13T22:53:00.003-08:00

The kids and I flew to NZ on Friday last week, without Richard who has some work to complete before he's allowed to join us. The prospect of flying with three children by myself was stressful, but the actuallity of it was mostly unevently. Our friendly airline concierge introduced herself to us at Vancouver Airport and helped us onto the plane. Mostly the older two were entertained by the onboard service, but I had enough other colouring books and things to fill the time. Most of the flight all the children slept, myself not as much but Izabel was on me as she's a lap traveler still and with nine infants on the plane, didn't manage to get a bassenet. Getting off the plane I did manage to leave the passports in the seat pocket but again my handy concierge was able to retreve tem for me and we were still out (through some extras special lanes) to the bags before they were on the carosel. Murray met us in Auckland which made the trasit easier, we had breakfast then continued to Wellington where we were met again and driven to Wainuiomata. The kids were excitted to see all the welcoming partys, Madeline had fallen asleep traveling to Wellington so she was still sleeping in the backpack to get of the plane.
So far since we've been here I've mostly collected the things we needed, undies, pj's togs, that weren't worth bringing and the kids have constructed and adventured around the Wainui yards.
I have joined the evening walk that mum and Ruth do, my knees don't think it's that great an idea but the rest of me feels better for it.

Today was the first venture out and the kids and I saw Cathie before a trip to some Wellington Parks and a Cable car trip for them and a Cafe lunch with Mere's antenatal group for Iza and me.

Seasons Greeting

2009-01-02T16:05:00.002-08:00

Winter break is almost over but as we were winding up for Christmas the kids dance all had watching days.

These are from the tap class that Liam and Madeline were in together.

The last week had the school Christmas concert, Liam's ballet watching day and lots of snow (by Victoria standards anyway).

richard (with a small amount of assistance) made a snow fort in the front yard so he and the kids had hot chocolates and buttered toast in it.

Liam and Richard went to a Salmon Kings game and the girls and I went to a friends Yule party and it snowed about 10cm while they were at the game. The roof of the fort colasped from the weight by the morning.

The kids and I had a couple of days to finish christmas preparations including the annual Santa photo, Izabel wasn't keen on the big man so I'm in this years pic too.

We had trouble getting children to sleep on Christmas eve rather than anyone waking up to early so the day started in a fairly civilied manner with stockings at about 8.30. We followed that with Eggs benidict,

home made hollindaise and all. Then presents, present construction and "lunch" at about 4.30.

From 2008 12 25

All of us have had colds over the break and Izabel still has a nasty cough so there haven't been a lot of outings but we have managed a couple of sledding sessions at Beacon Hill park and some bike rides.

Today Richard, Liam and Madeline saw a movie and I did some sewing.

Life in a snow globe

2008-12-15T16:26:00.001-08:00

snowglobe home.JPG
Originally uploaded by XyV

We have snow!

Yesterday was grey and overcast still but today was really sunny and windy, so the snow blowing of the roof and whirling around in the sunshine gives a very christmassy feel. It's -5 with a wind chill making it feel like -18
I'm glad we brought the snow gear with us from Santa Fe, thou Madeline's is getting a bit on the small size.

starting to feel a lot like Xmas?

2008-11-18T11:04:00.002-08:00

The days are shorter the weather is cooler, I've just mixed up the fruit and booze for a Christmas cake so the house smells a lot like Chritmas anyway. Im trying to make and send cards but so far I haven't completed any, so don't hold you breath for one.

In fact my calander is completely stuff up, it feels like Christmas but then I expect it to be summer and I can never remember what month it is 'cause the weather clues are wrong.

Princesses at two o'clock

2008-11-09T18:58:00.003-08:00

We're into the clean up and wash the dishes now but this afternoon our house full of princesses, and a couple of princes.
We have finally had Madeline's birthday party and she and all her friends seemed to have a good time. We started with a castle construction with the superfort, then made tiara's and followed that up with pizza, fruit and cake. Madeline got some presents and was pleased with them.

From Madeline's 4th Party

last night

2008-11-01T12:18:00.001-07:00

2008-10-26T11:23:00.002-07:00

So as you can see from the pictures in the last post we had a party with cake for the 1st birthday. Thrifty's the grocery store here does a free cake for first birthdays. They have quite a good bakery so it wasn't a bad cake.
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, the kids enjoyed having friends to play and there weren't too many people so it din't feel overwelming for Izabel either. she got some presents too, which was unexpected especially since I planned the party between wednesday and friday, and most people didn't get invited till friday.

one

2008-10-19T19:05:00.002-07:00

2008-10-11T15:33:00.003-07:00

Today was the Breastfeeding challenge again. Last year it was outside and very cold. Today is a lovely warm day, but the challenge was set up at a movie theatre, I think it worked well as a venue. The unfortunate thing was that the microphone wasn't working. I don't know how many people were there but the theatre was full. The girls and I went and I/we got two prizes, one for how long I've been breastfeeding and one for how old my eldest nurser is. We saw lots of people we know from all sorts of places so it was a fun morning.

Liam's off at a birthday party for two of the children from his class. cake and bouncy castle, not sure how he'll be when he returns!
He's settled into school really well and has made lots of friends both in his class and generally in the playground (I know you're all really surprised by that). I feel like I've meet lots of new people too.

Madeline's enjoying preschool and its going well. She turned four last week and is concerned that her friends haven't come for a party. We took cupcakes to strong start (a preschool thing that Izabel and I go to too) and the kids iced them and sang happy birthday, she was pleased with that but wants a party with cake and goodie bags. I'm planning to do something but I haven't figured it out yet. We also have Izabel's birthday next week and we need to do something for that too.

Aunty Meg has been to visit which we all enjoyed. Madeline doesn't really think people should get to leave again, or if anyone's going on a plane she should get to go too. She's feeling a bit disappointed this weekend, no party, no plane, Liam has a goodie bag and she doesn't. Still she's had several presents she really likes.

Izabel is trying to stand up and she manages it for several seconds she walks around the furniture very successfully.

The weather is cooling down quite quickly and the days are very much shorter, these last two weeks I have had to convince the children that it is time to get up and moving even thou Madeline is convinced its not morning.

It's thanksgiving weekend here this weekend and I am thankful to still be here, in this house and not moving house or country this month. I am not doing a turkey. I do see the appeal of thanksgiving as a holiday thou, it all about friends family and food without the trouble of gifts.

The same but different

2008-09-08T09:41:00.003-07:00

It's a little deja'vu feeling to be back in the same house we moved into a year ago, in fact we moved back in on the same day. The house looks much as it did but we have more stuff so it's taking longer to put things in places.
This time of course I have an almost one year old crawling around the place, pulling up on things. She finds the front loading washer fascinating. Pulls up on the door and watches it going around.

Liam is going to the local school this year. He's in a composite grade 1/2 class with Mr Borich so far (day 5) he likes it. Mr B as they all call him plays the guitar and this seems to be the main feature of school so far. That and he likes coming home with his agenda book and instructions for us. We walk down and back and so far I've only picked him up in the car twice, once Madeline's dance starts tomorrow we'll need to pick up in the car on tuesdays, the timing could be better, I have to get across town in 15min, which will be tight.

Madeline will start Preschool tomorrow and unlike any of my other school choices I have done no research into their style in fact its run by ECE's and they have no parent participants, but she'll go two mornings a week and it's conveniently in the same building as Liam's class.

Madeline, Izabel and I went to a creative play morning last week at the James Bay Project. Madeline enjoyed it more than Izabel, thou she had a nice sleep and enjoyed the songs at the end. Izabel and I might go to a toddler drop in tomorrow, which will be quite a novelty.

Victoria is having a long balmy summer this year, I'm sure it was colder last year, thou the nights and mornings are getting cooler I find that halfway to school the extra layer I put on is no longer necessary.

We had a good trip around northern BC at the beginning of August. We took the ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert then drove to Jasper National Park, along the Icefields Parkway and back. We spent a lot of time in the car which the kids got a bit sick of. I'll put some pictures up one I download the camera.

This week has included...

2008-06-18T11:47:00.003-07:00

Summer in Victoria

Friday was sportball for Liam, they were doing soccer then it was medal day at gym, there are still two more gym sessions but only one more sportball each (Madeline's is thursday) everything is winding up for summer, there's a teacher who is at gym and she was commenting on all the work doing the assessment and sorting out for the end of year, and how much easier Christmas break was when classes weren't changing as well as all the assessment. She thought she'd keep what she was doing when I said the NZ did end of year AT Christmas!

We walked over to the park on Monday and had a great time, next time I need to remember to either take, a change of clothes or dress the kids in swimsuits. Even Liam got wet, which is not his usual style. We had a picnic and hung out.

Liam and Madeline had their last swimming lesson on Tuesday. Liam's got much more enthusiastic about going underwater, and is gliding, side gliding and spending most of the lesson underwater. The pictures are on my ph. and I haven't figured out how to get them from there to here yet. They'll doing some more swimming in age group classes over summer.
Liam's doing some sailing, and music too if I get organised and take in the paperwork.

There are new pic's in Izabel's album too, she's trying to get onto her hands and knees, with some success, though not sustained yet, she might get a whole lot less popular when she can move!

a geography aid

2008-06-17T16:46:00.003-07:00

My score was pretty rubbish.

can we have candy for lunch?

2008-06-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

In the Pond

2008-06-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

iN TH

happening

2008-05-29T10:12:00.003-07:00

I keep thinking I'll post once I get the photo's off the camera, I don't seem to be managing that so I thought I should write something anyway.
Liam's birthday has been and gone now, he chose to go to Boston Pizza for dinner and has spent lots of time on the lego he received in the post. Hi s biggest excitement seems to be the loose tooth he has currently 'I'm only eating hard food today'. It's been bugging him that none of his teeth were falling out and he was almost seven. I just hope the next set have all their enamel.

I've been out to dinner twice this week, I think that might double the amount of resturants I've been to in Victoria.

Izabel is doing lots of pushing on her arms and sometimes starts to get the middle section off the ground. She is very keen on broccoli, bananas, pumpkin yams (kumara), squash and chicken.

Madeline has toilet trained it was very quick once we started with her, and now she's not in nappies at all, even at night.

We have a big weekend coming up this weekend, Liam and Madeline are both in Thumbelina, their Dance schools production. Today they have the tech rehearsal and saturday afternoon is the performance. They both seem enthusiastic, but not nervous - so far.

Friday afternoon we go to see Cirque de Soleil I got the tickets as a birthday treat for Liam, when I told him about them he was very unenthusiastic, "I've been to the circus", still he's pretty keen now.

There's a definate summer hint in the air, some days are glorious other s are a little cloudy, apparently it rained yesterday, but that must have been while I was sleeping.

Delightful

2008-05-04T11:35:00.001-07:00

2008-04-06T14:57:00.002-07:00

It's Sunday and Friday came last week and the Canadians let Richard in this time.
So he doesn't have current plans to leave in a hurry.

Liam is recovering, we've done a second lot of ultrasound images as the first set didn't show an AV fistula, which they thought they'd seen on the CT scan, neither does the second set. I think this is a good thing, but I'm sure the surgeon would rather have his diagnosis confirmed and move on with solving the problem.

So we've had a quiet weekend around the house,Liam and Richard are building a model farmyard, and those other kiwis are coming over for dinner.

Days you can do without.

2008-04-01T18:02:00.004-07:00

We (Christine, Liam,Madeline and Izabel) took a trip to Denver. We left Victoria on Good Friday and meet Richard at the Denver airport, where he had flown to from Texas. Saturday was a good day, set up things for Sunday, when Liam and Richard had skiing lessons. We went to Loveland which is about an hour out of Denver. They both enjoyed their lessons, Liam was worn out after his full day of skiing.

Monday we went to the downtown aquarium and the children's museum with friends from Santa Fe who have moved to Denver. Both places were great and the kids all enjoyed playing together at the park in between too. It was nice to catch up with their move and set up in Denver.

Tuesday morning was fine really, we did some shopping, got some activities to do in the hotel room the problems started with the scissors, Liam wanted to cut the game pieces out for one of the ladybug games, he is not clear about how, but the sicssors went into his right leg,behind his knee,so I think he was standing and sat down on the chair with the sicssors in his hand and sat on the sicssors. After he screamed in a more screamy way than normal I put Izabel down ( she was feeding) and walked around the couch to see Liam's trousers colouring with blood,I pulled them down and the blood was pumping from his leg, I automatically got him lying doiwn and put my thumb over the hole,too hard according to Liam, but I stopped the bleeding, then needed a phone. I couldn't reach the room phone but my cell was on top of the stroller next to me so I called 911 and spoke to the operator who put me onto the ambulance operator and dispatched some paramedics. Once they arrived I called Richard, he met Liam and the team downstairs once they had decide where to take Liam. Which changed from what they discussedwith me so they went to Littelton Adventist Hospital. Richard went in the ambulanceand I stayed with Madeline and Izabel planning to follow for the pick up once we knew where and when. The surgeon at Littelton decided that it needed the specialists at Childrens hospital, as it was now rush hour it was decided to take Liam in a chopper, Liam really enjoyed this, he wasin pretty good spirits most of the time.
The surgeon at Childrens called in a Specialist Vascular surgeon from University Hospital and they operated on Liam's leg at about 10pm, it took until midnight and they sutured his artery. Richard stayed with Liam, the hospital is really well designed for parents to stay with children. There was a foldout couch bed in the room and shower facilities and toiletries in the hospital, there is also accomodation for families to be able to stay,but out of the patient rooms.
Madeline, Izabel and I went up to the hospital the next day. Izabel wasn't allowed in PICU, (Pediatric Intesive Care Unit) where Liam was so Richard and I swapped who was with Izabel or Liam. Madeline missed Liam alot, she woke up in the night worried about where Liam was, so once she was in his room and they were drawing or watching tv together she was happy, she didn't really want to go back to the hotel that night. Liam spent two nights in PICU, but the second was because they were short of space on the regular floor. He keep the nurses entertained, they all thought he was delightful, especially as they are used to much sicker children. Thursday afternoon he moved to the sixth floor where his room even had its own full bathroom and xbox system. Each of the regular floors have an activity room with all sorts of games and toys and craft activites. We had visited the one on the eightth floor earlier in the day. Richard and Liam tried to play baseball on the Wii which was amusing. Liam's physio had given him a walker, like a mini zimmer frame and a leg brace. Thursday night Richard stayed again and friday morning we returned again and the kids played in the activity room on the sixth floor until about mid morning when they said we could take Liam home, mostly they were organising follow up care in Victoria.

The rest of the time in Denver was good, we visited with people and went for a drive and looked around Denver and its surrounds. Monday we got up at 4AM!!! to get to the plane for a 7am take off. They had to deice the plane which Liam found amusing. Then he, Madeline and Izabel all slept till about the last 30min before we arrived in Seattle. We had little cart meet up off the plane so we got to our connecting gate really easily and were on out flight to Victoria at 10am The local Ice hockey team, The Salmon Kings were returning after playing Frezno and were on our plane. Liam didn't realise until we were all leaving customs and hestarted asking about what was in the big bags (hockey sticks) then he was asking then all kinds of questions about sticks and asking everyone if they were a Salmon King, most of the team said hi to him I think.

So today is tuesday again and I called the pediatric surgeon who we'd been referred to,since they hadn't called yesterday, and those were my instructions. She saw us today, 11.30 was the appointment at 12.30ish we saw her and she was concerned about the strength of the pulses in Liams foot, Sooo we went to Victoria General for a CT scan, and the vascular surgeon. He was not pleased with the results, there appears to be a connection bewteen the vein and artery, so tomorrow we go for ultrasound to confirm that finding then we see him again to decide how to proceed.

This clever girl

2008-03-13T20:56:00.002-07:00

Izabel's first attempt at sitting in a high chair occured on monday when we visited the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

We decided to catch the Clipper over to Seattle on Sunday afternoon for a couple of days and see Richard, since he could come to us and it was looking like at least ten days before he'd be able to get the documents sorted to enter Canada. As an extra hoop to just through I needed a letter from Richard to say I could travel with the children without him. but we managed it, and had a nice visit to Seattle area. Tuesday the kids and I went by bus, the monorail to The Children's museum in the Seattle Centre. which occupied us for most of the day.

We're back home now having been allowed into Canada with not much in the way of trouble. It's very hard to travel with three children and not have too much hand luggage.

2008-03-08T20:08:00.003-08:00

Last weekend Victoria Tourism had a 'Tourist in your hometown' promotion, it started on wednesday and ended sunday, so thursday the kids and I visited the undersea garden and the wax works museum, saturday, Richard and Liam went to the Maritime museum and Madeline and I went on a bus tour and to the Miniture world. I found the undersea gardens a bit dated, the glass area was like small submarine windows, thou the anemones were huge. Richard was off to the US for work on sunday afternoon so we took him to the airport. Never a favourite activity with us, the kids like to take him, but don't really want him to get on the plane and go. Several times this week when Madeline saw seaplanes over the harbour she thought dad was on it.
The usual round of dance, gym and sportball happened. Liam's doing gym twice a week as we have some makeup classes from when we were away, he's enjoying that and it's at an earlier time, so I think his concentration is a bit better. Liam and I went for a walk on Ross Bay Beach while Madeline had Sportball and we all had a spring nature walk and play in Beacon Hill Park. The kids enjoy telling me what they want pictures of, this trip it was all spring flowers.

Last night we collected Richard from the airport, thou Canadian Immigration wanted to see him again this morning as they weren't happy with his paperwork, so he walked down to see them at the wharf and was denied entry. So today we went to the airport again to put him on a plane back to Seattle. We're still figuring out where it's best for 'us' (me and the kids) to be. Really depends how long it's going to take for Richard's ducks to line up.

Educational Information

2008-02-20T18:48:00.001-08:00

Tonight is a total eclipse , It's a lunar eclipse. It will be like this for us. And the sky is clear so we can see it.

Mostly some pictures

2008-02-10T18:45:00.000-08:00

Well the trip is well and truly over now, it feels like a long time since we left for Bristol at the begining of December.
I enjoyed it while we were away but I have thought since it was rather an undertaking, it never felt like we couldn't manage but we didn't get much in the way of time to stop and think about it.
Since we've been back in Victoria we've got back into all the normal activities, dance, gym, sportball, and LLL for me. I lead my first series meeting for my new group on friday and everyone seemed to think it when well. There was a good numberof mum's especially since there's not been a meeting since November.

This weekend we visited the BC ferries open day on their new ferry there were long ques, longer than the organisers expected. I thought it was OK, we got to see the bridge and some staff areas, but mostly it was just showing everyone what the new ships looked like.

Today we watched the Chinese Communities celebration of Chinese New Year with the Lion dance.
Here's a collection of Pic's I've just put up they cover a range of stuff, there must be more on Richard's machine which I'll have to find.

January 2008

Friends and Food

2007-12-27T11:25:00.000-08:00

We joined with a collection of friends for a post xmas picnic at Kaitoke Regional park. It's a lovely bush set picnic and camping spot just north of Wellington, on a good day swimming is an option in the river. We had a day that couldn't decide what it was doing. It was mostly a sunny, slightly windy day with spits of rain.

the picnic

Xmas Present

2007-12-27T11:16:00.000-08:00

We had second great Christmas celebration. The plan was for presents and a BBQ, which all occurred. The weather was not favouring us so the sitting outside was not pleasant, and so abandonned, and the backyard cricket was cut short, many rain delays. Still everyone seemed to have a good time and we enjoyed being with everyone.

Christmas in Wainuiomata

So click the picture and you'll see what I managed to capture.

Here we are

2007-12-25T00:10:00.000-08:00

It's the tail end of what has been a fun Christmas day at Foxton Beach. The weather though not frightful has not been the balmy backyard summer day weather that I imagine from a southern hemisphere Christmas. We've have opened presents and eaten, and eaten and eaten as expected. The children don't seem sure on their time zone, but having been awake since 7.30am they are looking tired. they've had heaps of fun digging up Grandad's yard and playing with their toys and each other. Madeline was worried when the cousins left, but was reasured she'll see them again tomorrow.

Foxton for Christmas

Two days ago we were in the snow in Santa Fe and the cloudy skies outside keep me thinking of the snowy weather. It is a huge contrast being back by the sea in green New Zealand. We manouvered our collection of baggage through Alberquerque San Francisco and Auckland to leave a couple of items on the plane in Wellington nothing major thou and we'll collect them from the airport after Boxing day. Izabel has caused some entertainment on the trip, we have to fill in different potions of the forms for our Canadian, and the gate staff at SFO insited on seeing her outbound itinerary before she could board the flight. But we're all here and are looking forward to a few less airline meals over the next couple of weeks.

So Merry Christmas to you all!! We have several more Christmas events to come, hopefully we'll get some NZ summer in the next couple of weeks.

Where are we??

2007-12-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

You might have noticed that my brestfeeding and typing skills are not up to scratch and I haven't been very good at practicing.
We've started our world tour. We left Victoria tuesday 4 December for Heathrow headed for Bristol for two nights and Oxford for one. We attended the exor Chritmas party and award dinner, Richard got an award, everyone admired Izabel who hada pretty dress for the event.
Now we're in Sanat Fe for a couple of weeks and it's snowing!!! So the kids are pleased.
We head to NZ leaving here on the 22nd Dec for a month. So you can all use your powers to make sure that the airports we need (Albuquerque, maybe Denver, San Franscico) are not closed by the weather at that point.

Back in the Water

2007-11-04T20:46:00.000-08:00

Izabel had her first bath with her siblings tonight. They were very pleased for her to join them. She seemed to enjoy it mostly thou didn't like it when Madeline dropped water on her face.

Izabel

Fish

2007-11-04T20:44:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we got out of Victoria and found the Salmon Run was happening on a nearby River. So we stopped and had a look.

Salmon Run,

All the little ghosts and goblins

2007-11-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

One of the features of North Amreican for Liam and Madeline is Halloween. Luckily their wardrobes contain enough fancy clothes so it didn't matter that we'd not created or purchased any special outfits for this year. Lots of houses in the neighbourhood had decorations some quite spectaular. Izabel and I stayed home and answered the door to many trick or treaters, lots of whom were delighted to see such a small baby.

Local fare

2007-11-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

If I manage to retain my 40 week size this will be one of the culprits. Not that I've made it myself, but thrifty at the end of the road always has some. It's best when the chocolate on top is about 2mm thick, the yellow layers is soft and creamy and the base is well pressed, so it's not to crumbly.

A web presence - finally

2007-10-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

It's taken a while but here are some pic of Izabel's birth. She arrived at 9.58am PDT October 18 and was 8 pound 6 oz - unlike what I emailed some people.
Everyone's very pleased with her, Liam and Madeline both want to hold her all the time. She's waking up again so more later.

2007-10-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

Liam spotted this guy (actually I think girl) on our lounge window. Which lead to much photography and a seach of the internet to identify it as a Cross spider (harmless), Liam still wants to get rid of it.

The parcel arrived - Thank you

2007-10-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

This was followed by the creating several paper pirate hats do Madeline, Richard and I all had some too. Pirates had soup for lunch.

Three

2007-10-06T11:56:00.000-07:00

World? Breastfeeding Week

2007-10-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I was in Santa Fe for World Breastfeeding week in August and I know thats when it was in NZ, but It's World Breastfeeding Week here this week
There was a Breastfeeding Challenge on saturday morning which Madeline and I took part in. I had a email today saying that our 124 children nursing was 5th in North America. Here are some photos that were taken on the day, Madeline and I are in there and we're at the back of one of the group shots. There were prizes for all sorts of things, like oldest (~3 1/2), most concurrent(2), youngest(10 days), and donating to the milk bank. The event was outside in Centennial Square and it was cold, one of the things mentioned was that none of the Shopping Malls were prepared to host it. Otherwise it was a nice event, I met some more of the local LLL Leaders, there were snacks provided for the participants and we got a collection of vouchers and things to read.
Some high school students who were helping read this out. I'm sure I was going to write somewthing else but the children have called me away and I've lost my train of thought so you can have this lot.

The current state

2007-09-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

This is 37 weeks and 3 days. (Yesterday)

2007-09-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

So I've shopped now and the I have list has grown
Now I also have:
1 dozen cloth prefold diapers - I'd normally call them cotton flats
20 blue disposable underpads - only 20 not the 24 thew midwifes list calls for
9 receiving blankets
a set of sheets
4 towels
oral thermometer
hydrogen peroxide (for clean up )
a plastic container (well 2 actually as that was the size the packet was and they don't do conveniently sized ice cream containers, and 2 litres of ice cream might be a challenge at the moment, not having any stomach space left)
1 hot water bottles
ice cube trays - thou not yet in the freezer

and we also had:
tea, juice, herbal teas for the beverages, but I did get a couple of bottles of gaterade as I remember having lucozade previously.
touches and extra batteries, which thanks to Josh's efforts while in Santa Fe I know are all good.
Large pot - the house came with one of those
plastic sheet or cloth, we have either a tarp or a 2 plastic table clothes so I think thats covered too.

The one thing on the list from the midwife that I don't have is "hospital bag packed" I haven't done one in the past either so I'm feeling almost superstitious about it. I never needed one before.
I do know where to find nighties, undies, diapers, toothbrush and car seat

Am I ready?

2007-09-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

So I have:
pads for me
birth pool
spare sheets
six cotton fitted nappies
six hemp fitted nappies
six covers (free so hence the fitted nappies rather than more pockets)
one maya wrap sling
one packet of disposables
cotton singlets ("onesies")
woolen singlets
nightes
booties
hat
car seat
flannels
camera battery is charged
energy drinks

still need:
hot water bottle
old towels ( think this will be cheap towels or our camping towels)
large plastic sheet (think I'll get a cheap plastic shower curtain)
blue mats
ice cube trays
oral thermometer
receiving blankets

Madeline was here by now, Liam still had 27 days before he turned up.

Technology for Treasure hunting

2007-09-08T20:12:00.000-07:00

Today Liam and Richard went on an adventure. They downloaded some geocache sites into the GPS and went off to find them. The sites were all within about 1/2 a km of our place, near the boat pond and beach at the end of the road. They came back having found two of the three they set out looking for. One of the favorite instructions was to watch out for muggles (ordinary folk, not looking for geocaches) and not disclose the cache to them.

Out and about

2007-09-07T17:56:00.001-07:00

We had our first Victoria gymnastics today. It's quite different from the ones in Santa Fe with lots more kids on Liam's age group. I think it will be better for him as he has a group of boys to do gym with rather than mostly girls. They have several male coaches too, which Liam has one of. Liam didn't seem to get so much attention when he was being distracting which was good.
Madeline found it a bit strange having me doing the assisting her bit. She had also not had a sleep so wasn't focusing very well either. She was asleep on the way home.
Earlier in the day we ventured out and found a Safeway which was definitely a cheaper grocery option than the Thrifty at the end of the street. The milk company is having a promotion of chocolate milk, as a healthy alternative to soda, and similar to juice, both kids got hats, which are quite nice. The product lines in the supermarket are much more like New Zealand than Santa Fe, less variety in tortillas and chilli and more french breads, ciabatta and the like.

Around and about

2007-09-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Today was Grey and overcast till late afternoon, but at that point the kids and I went out for a walk in the neighborhood. We found a playground about a block from here which I'm sure we'll visit again.
The people in the horse and carriage rides which go past our window had blankets on their knees today. Yesterday they had little canopies, they might have had those this morning too but there aren't so many in the mornings.
I've arranged gym and dance for Liam and Madeline. Madeline hasn't done dance before but she's been very keen. Her Gym will be the biggest challenge as its a parent assist class, still I remember helping Liam with Madeline in a backpack. First class is on friday.

We made it

2007-09-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

We are in Victoria, the house is nice, big enough but not too big, clean and not too many things for the kids to break. We couldn't get more downtown. Yesterday we took a bit of a drive around Victoria it's very green and holds tightly to it's English heritage, lots of Street names which are familiar, pubs, tea shops, fish and chips, and even pies - with meat in them!
Madeline is enjoying having her room.
She was rather upset by us taking the beds down in Santa Fe and has spent much of the trip here asking to go home. Thou she also wanted to camp again last night. She's a rather well traveled two and a bit, She is heading for her third birthday in her third country.
Liam enjoyed having his Junior Ranger hat in the car with us and wore it to receive several of the badges he gained on the trip.
After we left Denver which seemed to take a while (we stopped at REI and got Richard a GPS for his birthday, had lunch, ...) we headed into Rocky Mountain NP our first night camping, from there we went to a State Park in Wyoming, there were heaps of bugs and we couldn't find the bug spray! Not on the way but South Dakota was our next stop, we visited Wind Cave and Liam got his first badge for the trip, camping gas was hard to find in South Dakota, but we did and then camped in the Black hills before visiting Mt Rushmore NP, Minuteman Missle NM, and Badlands NP. We had thought of camping there but decided we'd better get back on track and so headed west planning to camp near Devils Tower. It was raining thou so we stayed in a motel in Sundance.
We visited Devils Tower NM the next day and had lunch there before driving on to Yellowstone NP we camped in Norris Campground here for two nights then moved to the John D Rockerfeller Jr. Parkway where we camped two more nights. We had a look around both Yellowstone and Grand Teton NP's but I think the kids enjoyed the hot pools by the river in the Parkway area almost as much.
Time for another hotel night to get some washing done, we stayed in Grand Falls, Montana then headed to Glacier NP. We couldn't drive through the Going to the sun road with the trailer but camped on the East side and drove over and back in the afternoon and took a boat trip on St Mary's lake in the morning. Before driving around the south side of the park and ending up driving into Canada that afternoon.
Richard pleased to get the Boarder crossing over with since his situation is a little strange, he was here till this morning and is now back in Santa Fe for the week. But he'll be working here and his work visa is not sorted out. Still we had no problems and spent the night in a Hotel in Grand Forks BC since we knew we had lots of driving to cover.
Liam was disappointed that this motel had no pool. His swimming is getting very confident with the pools in the last two hotels. Still we got to Vancouver and stayed in a hotel with a pool and they swum that afternoon and in the morning. It was a long weekend this weekend so the BCferries were fairly busy so we had an hour or two waiting for the ferry but we were in Victoria by three.
So yesterday we sorted stuff out and did our drive before having fish and chips for dinner and this morning we put Richard on the plane back to the Southwest again! It's a holiday today so tomorrow we'll figure out gym and dance etc

We're off again

2007-08-19T10:29:00.001-07:00

We packed and cleaned and now we're on the road. These pictures are in Denver with a collegue of Richards's.
Liam and Miles are having a great time and Madeline loves all the attention, she and Fern took Patch for a walk.
Everything we're taking to Victoria is in the UHAUL, so Liam has been counting the UHAULS on the road, 32 between Santa Fe and Denver.

Catch up

2007-08-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

Today we farewelled what I can fairly confidently say are our last visitors in Santa Fe. Merewyn and Josh have spent the last couple of weeks camping in our playroom and joined us last weekend for a trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Signs around the park warn of 140 degree F sand temperatures, we had more trouble with rain and thunder storms. It's a lovely park and we had a good weekend. Liam, Richard, Merewyn and Josh climbed to the top of the Dunes while Madeline and I slept.
Madeline and Liam both completed their Junior Ranger badges.
There were bear boxes to keep your food in at the campground which Liam and Madeline thought made great hiding places.
We have 16 more days in Santa Fe of packing and sorting before we head northward to Victoria in BC (yes Canada) for a few months, so having found a midwife I like in Santa Fe I've now also found a Midwife I hope I like in Victoria. We haven't found a house yet but I'm working on it. I'm undecided about what we'll do for schooling for Liam. hummm

Our last trip was to Aztec Ruins and Durango, Aztec was our last New Mexican Park, Durango was for the bakery which makes great bread.

Our next trip is the two weeks we plan to take driving from here to Victoria, hitting as many of the sights as we can handle.

Concentration

2007-07-07T15:44:00.002-07:00

From Madelines fir...

Madeline had her first gymnastics class on Thursday. She was keen to go back as soon as we left.

Miss M

2007-07-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

This girl's just had her first visit to a hairdresser. Charles (as favored by Liam) trimmed the ends and cut her bangs. He also hot curled the back. Thou she looked very serious to start with I think she was getting into it by the end.

Off with a bang!

2007-07-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Santa Fe along with the rest of the country celebrated 4th of July with a fireworks display. otherwise we spent the day tidying the house and rebuilding the computers. There was rain earlier in the evening and we wondered if the fireworks would be rained off, but it all cleared up before the event started.

2007-06-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Madeline had a day at La Casita this Thursday, she had a lovely time from all reports. I had a haircut and brought some sandals. I could have done so much more. I'd forgotten how much you can get done by yourself! But it was strange not to have at least one little companion with me.

We had a La Leche League Leaders meeting at my place on Friday, so Liam stayed home to play with some friends, we had twelve children here, and they had a great time and required very little supervision. Ages from 15 years - 18mths. We even managed to talk about some LLL stuff in between all the catching up and other important stuff.

Richard returned from his trip on Friday night so Saturday we packed a picnic and headed back to Peco's National Monument. We went here on one of our first weekends in New Mexico but we hadn't really looked around the ruins of the pueblo.
Sunday we went to a Greek festival, they had food, music and dancing Madeline really enjoyed the dancing.

the other weekends that I haven't mentioned

2007-06-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

We have been away every weekend since memorial day, I mentioned the Villanueva trip on memorial weekend, the weekend after we left Santa Fe on friday night and headed for Elephant Butte Lake, like heading to Taupo really, large lake in the middle of the state. Lots of people were there camping and preparing for fishing/waterskiing type activities.

We drove in about 8.30pm and left early next morning - it was hot here and exposed. We were heading west to Gila National Monument, it was about another two or three hours drive from here. It's an old mining area and there are little towns which still have one or two shops operating, thou mostly as cafes now.

The National Monument is within a National forest so there's heaps of camping around about. The monument is based on some cliff dwellings from the Mogollon culture. Naturally we completed the Junior ranger program, but this place is different, they have a junior, junior ranger program, so Madeline did that and got a badge too.
The campground was nice and there was a fifteen minute walk to another cliff dwelling just behind it so we did that in the morning after we'd packed up. We had quite a drive to get home but we broke it up with a stop at a campground which Liam was able to find some bouldering to do so the kids got a good leg stretch after several hours in the car and with several more to come. We drove through the very large array and took some pictures and read the signs but didn't go to the visitor centre. We stopped in Socorro and got chocolate and ice creams, for some time Madeline had been asking for chocolate but otherwise was bored and pretty well behaved. Liam was asleep. Our trip was something like this.

Last weekend we camped much closer to home in the Hyde State Park about 20min drive towards the ski basin from Santa Fe. We went with friends from school and so had a collection of kids who played in the river near where we camped they built a dam (naturally) and floated various things from the bridge upstream down to the dam. We walked up to a waterfall nearby which was pretty and had water in it which is not always the case in these parts. In the evening we had a spectacular thunder and hail storm, but the state parks in NM have these really nice shelters so we were able to watch and stay dry.
We'd noticed a blocked inlet and an outlet pipe into the area we'd put our tents up and in the morning when I found a map we discovered we'd camped in the ice skating pond!

Big and small

2007-06-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have this email that comes to me once a week and reminds me that I'm pregnant (they think they're telling me about each week but...) somedays I have these oh thats right I am pregnant moments. So apparently they caculate me to be twenty four weeks and the baby is 21cm long. I'm feeling lots of wriggling from in there but mostly people don't pick that
I'm pregnant but none of my clothes fit, and I have let out the adjustment on my preggy jeans severl times now.
This weekend, husbandless, the rest of the family went to a picnic that my midwife hosts at a park once a year. Liam and Madeline played really hard for three hours with the other kids and I got to talk to some adults some of whom had very small babies. We had a nice picnic and I collected some maternity tops and newborn clothing from the swap pile. I had nothing to contribute having already passed anything we are not using or expecting to need next winter.
I do now feel like there are a couple of options on what to dress this baby in when it arrives. I'm glad I collected up woolen things when we were in NZ 'cause there don't seem to be the same sorts of things here.

Sunday needed an activity, the day always proceeds smoother with a bit of a plan or direction. Liam was keen to visit 'Stan' and although initailly reluctant to drive to Alberquerque again (we took Richard to the airport yesterday) it wasn't a bad choice of activity. Madeline was also into a dino-saur visit and we had some dynatheatre passes we could use to see one of their films. So we loaded up and headed down to Alberquerque, we had lunch at the museum cafe, bith kids demolished their pizza which weren't small and I had a delicious chicken and green chille baked potato with guacamole, it had cheese it it and whipped butter yum! Then it was on to see 'Stan' in his central position in the museum atrium. We continued though the walk through time backwards, then forwards and finished up with a trip down the Nile river in Mystery of the Nile in the dynatheatre. We emberged into a very warm afternoon with the car saying it was 103 F but I think it reads a little high. The water I had left in the car would have made an acceptably temperatured cup of tea. Santa Fe wasa much more pleasant 90 F when we returned. Were forecast 90 F (about 32 C) for most of this week.

Another canyon

2007-05-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

We arrived in New Mexico a year ago on the 18th so we've had two memorial days here now. We had the school picnic on Saturday this weekend at which we drew the raffles school has been using for fund raising. I now need a child minder so I can have the haircut and go out for dinner. I have some lovely new red glass earrings and a voucher for $100 worth of cosmetics.

We then left town Sunday morning and headed to Villanueva State park, not to far away but a nice canyon with a very full Pecos River running through it.

It was good to get our camping gear all together again and remember what it is we always forget (pillows again). The park had ramada's at each site which are built to look Spanish colonial, so they were more substantial than the usual roof on four poles which was nice when it rained and thundered for a bit in the afternoon. I didn't find the mats as comfortable as usual but my pelvis is not in as gooder shape as it has been.

We walked up to the canyon rim and along getting views over the Pecos Valley. This area is very fertile and well irrigated (thanks to the river) and a lot of the produce for the Santa Fe Farmers Market comes from around here. It's also very popular with fishers but with the level being very high and the water quite muddy the few we spoke to hadn't had a lot of bites.

We think we might manage a 10 day trip soonish but we're trying to decide where. Maybe Texas? or Utah?

The other project seems to be coming along, I can feel lots of movement and I met with my midwife on Friday and heard the heartbeat for the first time. Madeline was a bit unsure about the noise coming from my tummy, but told the midwife there was a baby in her tummy too.

Now I'll be clever for ever and ever

2007-05-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

So Liam is six.
He's had rather an eventful time in the last week or two. It's then end of year for everything, so we've had a gymnastics display and a dance performance, a pizza party for his class and a school picnic for everyone. So slipped in there last Sunday was Liam's party. Saturday was his birthday but with the dance recital in the evening we thought he'd enjoy both more if the party was the next day.
I've had several people tell me me stole the show at the dance recital He and his class (four in total) were butterflies and their piece was called 'improvisations'. Much as you'd expect from creative dance for 5-6 year olds they leaped and danced around the stage together and apart. Liam's costume has black tights and t shirt with butterfly wings of cream satin with black wing markings and scarves tied around his body and over his face (this one was see though orange) but part way though the scarves around his middle started to slip and slid down to his feet, so he (at the back of the stage) wriggled back into them, this and his status as the only boy in the school made him quite memorable.

His party the following afternoon was at home, a collection of about 12 children had fruit salad and juice (Liam's picks) and mini hot dogs and cake, shaped like a sun, to go with the yellow and orange cups, plates and table cloth.

In the swim

2007-05-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday the kids and I set out to Albuquerque with some shopping tasks to complete. Liam need ed new sandals and I needed some cooler maternity tops, and a swimsuit.

We headed first for Kohl's where we've had success on shoes for Liam before. He found some sandals he likes and that fit, we found some tops for me and as an extra some sun dresses for Madeline. These are a complete hit and she won't wear anything else. She changes from one to another mid day. Several of them have bandanna/headscarf's with them, and these must be worn with the correct dress.
The swimsuit shopping was a success as well and the price was a pleasant surprise after my memory of a similar purchase in NZ being about $100.

Now that I have a swimsuit Liam decided it would be nice for us to go swimming on mothers day, so I could use my new togs. It was easier before they could head in opposite directions in the pool.

For the birds

2007-05-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

La Casita had a field trip last time it was our turn to participate. We went to a cafe in the rural area around Sante Fe which had wonderful cinamon rolls and LOTS of birds, which is what Liam's class is looking at at the moment. This emu was especially keen on grapes.

Spring snow?

2007-05-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

Friday was spent baking up a storm as Saturday was the school yard sale and Cinco de Mayo Feista. I forgot (again) that it's a bad idea to bake spongy type cakes. Still the Lime sponge loaves tasted OK, they were just concave on top. The millionaires slice worked a treat and my muffins worked well too.
Saturday was FREEEZING! We had rain and wind and snow. Still there was a steady stream of people and the sale made ~$700
Richard was jetting off too so we spent the afternoon in Albuquerque before his plane. I got to go to some scrapbooking shops I was curious about and Richard visited the model shop.
We arrived back in Santa Fe to more snow, which was quite steady for about 2 hours. Today there are some large clouds around but the sun is shining.

Lemon

2007-05-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today we made Lemonade.
It was supposed to happen on Tuesday, we went out and brought our lemons and got them home before realizing that a citrus juicer hasn't featured on the needed utensil list till now.
So we headed to the shop which I could get the coffee cups we needed from, thinking they'd have a lemon juicer too.
I successfully purchased the coffee cups, but we could ream lemons or have fancy press things, but no ordinary juicer, the man was very helpful and knew what I was after and that they normally had stainless steel ones. But had none for me.
So today we headed back to the supermarket where I'd get the lemons from and brought a Lemon juicer.
The rest of the lemonade making was quite straight forward, I made the sugar syrup and Liam and Madeline juiced Lemons.
Very tasty result.

Off we go again

2007-04-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

We head back to Santa Fe today, having not been sure when we would leave suddenly on friday it was all go and we fly tonight! ( Monday)
So we're all packed up again and ready to fly. It's been a nice visit but it will be good to get Liam back into school and all our other activities.
Besides it's starting to get cold here now so we need to get into summer.

Adaptation

2007-04-16T22:19:00.000-07:00

Well we've been in Wellington for a while now it feels. I'm discovering I've adapted to some things American more than I thought. I keep trying to pay for my petrol at the pump before I pump, and I get a fright from the number! I expect to be able to swipe my eftpos card before they have finished scanning the items.

I go to the wrong side of the car to get in, but have been fine once driving. Light switches are fine for me now thou.

People seem to think Liam has some American acent, but he's already swapped back to a zed from a zee.

I think the Southwest will look dry and barren again when we return the view as I drive over the Wainuiomata hill is rather more lush than we've been seeing.

I'm seventeen weeks pregant so I guess these more adapting still to come and some American experiences I hadn't expected.

Planes and hurricanes

2007-03-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

We have survived two of our three plane flights with all our baggage intact!
Walking onto the air new zealand plane and hearing all those Kiwi accents was strange, I've never been aware of kiwi's sounding different before, but they understood me, and my children without repeating myself!
Liam was wearing his Hurricances shirt and it was commented on straight away.
The flight was uneventful and the children watched movies and slept most of the way. Generally I think the shorter flights are harder for us, two hours from Alberquerque to San Franscico was tiresome for Madeline who'd not had quite enough sleep in the afternoon.
We arrived in NZ at almost exactly time change time so everything fell back an hour, we only spring forward last week! It changed the line up of international to domestic flights but we've been able to move up to the earlier plane so don't have to wa it an extra hour in Auckland, Though now we're in the koru lounge and the boys are watching the Hurricanes v Sharks, they probably won't want to get on the plane 'cause the rubgy's not finished!

IT's happening

2007-03-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted our return tickets to NZ to Air New Zealand in LA for them to reissue. The young lady travelling with us means we have to have paper tickets not e-tickets. So we'll be leaving Albuquerque on Friday the 16 March and Arriving in Wellington on Sunday the 18th.

Argh what do I have to do here before then? I have a week and I'm substitute teaching one day and partipating one day.

That hour we loose to daylight saving this weekend might be critical!

Catch up

2007-03-07T09:16:00.000-08:00

So Since we got home, in the snow, we have had snow delays for school but no snow days and today as I type we're expecting 60 F - Last week we had 40 highs.

We have maintained our weekend trips and have visited Petroglyph NM near, almost in Alberquerque, Fort Union NM just north of Las Vegas (New Mexico) and White sands and Carlsbad Caverns our furthest venture south.
White Sands was amazing, but not in its usual sense. A guide book we had said White sands was great for people who like the beach but not the water. There has been ALOT of snow all over New Mexico and ths has resulted in Lakes all over White Sands, like the one Liam is paddling in. So those people better not go to White Sands at the moment.

We had warm days but frosty nights while we camped we drove through a little town called Cloudcliff which has one of the only outdoor ice skating rinks in New Mexico.

Calsbad Caverns were impressive, the scale is so different from any other caves I've been to. We walked in through the natural entrance it very developed with paved walkways and rail all the way, but then there is an elevator too. The amount of carparking around suggested it can get very busy there in high season. We ment the only kiwi Park Ranger, which was interesting he's been working for the Park's service here for about 10 years.

The last few weekends have been in Santa Fe doing ordinary things like garden maintance and school activites.

Looks like our next venture might be a bit further afield involvoing several plane flights and a huge time zone change. Richard is mid ticket organisation and its looks like we could turn up on a Southern hemisphere door step soon rather than later. We intend to be there over Spring break (here) the Easter holidays (there)

2007-03-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

San Diego Zoo was day two it's a large zoo and we had a great day, Californians were experiencing there week of winter and so both Seaworld and the zoo were very quite by their normal standards, lucky us this continued through for Disneyland as well. I think a lot of the animals were enjoying the cooler weather, but then others were huddling under their heat lamps. Cheetahs seem to have an eye for my children both these ones and the ones in Wellington get this look of interest in their eyes and start pacing trying to figure out how they could get them to fall into the enclosure.

We look around the historic San Diego plaza area and had a get Mexican lunch their before heading up the coast to LA, or more accurately Anaheim.

We had three days in Disneyland and went on every ride we cared to, there were hardly any ques so in some cases we went twice. Liam and Charles got trained as Jedi and Madeline got sound advice from Cinderella about not losing your shoe, as she tied her lace. Everyone was shattered by the end of day three.
Many tears were shed as we said good bye to the NZ based component of our party.
Our return trip took us back to Indio, where we did get the date shake this time and past the

Salton sea, more time below sea level to Organ Pipes National Monument. We had our first border check point on the way there. You would think we'd left the country the way they do the border checks just after you leave the national monument, they thought we should be carrying our passports but they didn't make us unpack our stuff to check for drugs and illegals.

We headed on to Tuscon and stayed in a nice campground near the city, visited Saguaro National Park and saw LOTS of the big cactus, and lots of other types of cactus too, Liam's becoming quite a cactus expert having done both these Junior ranger programmes.

One day to drive home for work the next day. We took a more direct route drove though a mountain pass rather than up the 'I' which would have been fine had Tuscon not received a snowfall, not common in the south of Arizona.

While we say a few sprinkles it wasn't till north of Globe that things got serious. We slowed for the conditions and traffic was OK. Thinks got worse and we followed a snow plow for a while. We saw several people unaccustomed or unable to drive in the snow, highlights being a rear wheel coupe seen 90 degrees to the centre line at times, and a Police SUV being towed out of a ditch by a passer by.

We passed many cars simply stopped going the other way but we crept on, now in very slow traffic. Our unconventional route took us away from the traffic and fortunately a drier road until we got to the familiar I40 just before the New Mexico boarder. A short stop for food brought darkness and more snow. Driving at night, in snow, on the interstate is not fun. It's not obvious where the road is but the other traffic seems to fly past at times.

That said we saw stranded Truck in the middle of the road and two cars on their roofs before we got home. A very long day in the car (14 hours) but we were safely home.

Tyres

2007-03-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

So we had had some tyre excitement prior to entering Joshua Tree, I've never hear a tyre actually burst before. In fact the tyre "issues" started with a flat tyre in Williams, in the motel carpark. The local tire (sic) guy wasn't that keen to repair it becuase it was so worn, but did, so we left the brand new spare in it's place (tyre 1). Then on the way into Las Vegas a different tyre delaminated and made a strange thuking noise. So one new tyre in Las Vegas (tyre 2). At Indio, after Joshua tree we purchasing two more tyres(tyres 3 and 4). The intention was to replace the exploded tyre and the very worn spare but the final tyre on the car showed very serious cracks on the inside wall, the same area of failure of it's partner the exploded tyre. Tyre prices seem to get considereably cheaper the closer to the coast you are, these ones were $20 less per tyre than the one in Vegas, which we'd thought was a good price.

So we left Indio, Date capital without the requiste date shake, but with four shiny new tyres on the car, and the bodgy patched tyre from Williams still as a spare.

We were in the swing of camping after the past few nights so found a site near the Anza Borrego Sate Park, a camp fire and cards, the usual evenings entertainment. This campground was a step up from the others it had showers! We were glad of this with a hotel in San Diego being the destination for the next night.

So Bright lights and big city beconed and we headed down the 'I' to San Diego, took a look at the water and checked into the hotel. Apprently the coldest weather for some time.

We had tour guides for the next day, our itinerary featured Seaworld. We had a behind the scenes look, featuring flamingo, Manatees and the hospital area. We petted dolphins and saw the Shamu show. favourites were the manatees, especially feeding them, commersons dolphins which are really little and the beluga whales. I went on my first roller coaster here, Journey to Atlantis, I think it had the longest drop of all the rides we were to do over the next few days.

Deserts

2007-02-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Liam and Charles had an enormous sandpit in the dunes at Death valley. They climbed the sides of mosaic canyon.
We camped under a tree in Death Valley, in summer this would be essential I imagine, the tree had very long bent over branches which created lovely tunnels big enough for tents. Liam and Charles had a great time playing under there own tree as a secret fort.

We left Death Valley and stayed the nigh t in the Mojave Preserve. Heading for Joshua Tree National park. We camped at Jumbo Rocks where the boys again scaled the boulders.

More of the vacation meander

2007-02-05T15:01:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Moab, Merewyn and Josh's climbing sparked a theme for Liam and Charles which continued most of the trip. Arches National Park was spectacular and Junior Ranger badges were completed. While the weather was clear there was dfineately ice in the wind when we went for a short walk to view some of the arches. Mostly we looked from the warmth of the car.
We visited one of the areas of Canyonlands NP and viewed the canyon created by the Green River the climbing the day before was on the Colorado River, I've found this on the web which is of geological interest.
Many National Parks have campgounds and they are mostly in very scenic locations, Canyonlands one was nice, we had lunch there, in the snow.

Our initial plan was to camp in Valley of the Gods, but we revised this plan and found a motel in Bluff (mentioned in a book by Tony Hilleman I discovered in when I read that far in Tucson on the way home.) We used their hot tub and noticed that when the water splashed on the ground, as it does with small boys in a full hot tub, it froze.

We drove though Valley of the Gods the next day awand also saw Goosenecks state park and Monument Valley, another lunch picnic in snow provided the boys with a sledding oportunity on a found mirror. It was funny picnicing in snow in the campground which we had needed our mats because the ground was so hot.

Big drive to Williams foor Grand Canyon, we decided to walk down one of the paths into the Canyon, Cedar Ridge,which was excellent, and gave quite a different perspective. Liam walked all the way there and back, doing math squences with Aunty Mere on the way up.

Spent another night in Williams and went driving around back roads before managing our firsts night camping. We had a campfire and enormous steaks for dinner,then Josh managed two enthisiastic boys and prickly pear roasting, Madeline was very keen on eating the results, hard to describe really, kinda slimey not much flavour.

Next morning involved dropping Merewyn and Josh off for their return trip to the north. Madeline was not impressed about loosing her travelling companions, but slept most of the way to Las Vegas, waking at the Hoover dam.

We stayed on 'the strip' in Las Vegas and had two nights in the city before heading for Beatty on our way into Death Valley. our first stop in Death Valley was Scotty's Castle where the boys played in the spring and Liam managed to fall in!

Off on the Adventure

2007-01-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

It sort feels like cheating to be writting this having arrived back in Santa Fe, but anyway on the 27 of December our troup set off for an adventure. Our first destiation was Durango and a steam train ride to return Santa to the north pole. We sang carols, had hot chocolate and nougat chocolates on the train and santa gave all the children a bell. There was plenty of snow on the ground in Durango but it was the next day, after finding a wonderful french bakery, an indestructable coffee pot and some hiking boots, that we encountered our first snow storm. We were driving down the hill from Mesa Verde where we'd had a picnic lunch (discovered just how good that bakery was) and visited the Spruce Treehouse for a Ranger talk when the snow hit, and the sunset, a slow drive down the hill. We were heading for Moab Utah that night so assumed we'd be later than we thought but we out drove the storm and found our house in Moab without any trouble.

So this was how Xmas happened

2007-01-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

I know, its the end of January and Im finally writting about Christmas ! It was buzy! We had all our travellers arrive from their far flung residences with various amounts of complication. It seemed simplier to arrive from NZ rather than Canada.
Christmas Eve involved baking cookies at a friends place, and icing them which the children had a lot of fun with. Pierre created a feast involving Teriyaki pork and chicken after which we all went to Canyon Road for the Farolitto walk. We had hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows on a bonfire one of the places had. We returned home and some of us went to the neighbourhood party, a bonfire down the road.
Christmas day dawned with stockings for the kids, we had Breakfast then presents as we had others coming to join us fo lunch. The menu was prawn cocktails, raspberry glazed ham, stuffed turkey breast, passole and beans followed by christmas pudding. Passole is a New Mexican dish, a special type of corn is boiled with pork and green chilli is added, its very tasty.

A thigh

2006-12-26T11:59:00.000-08:00

Madeline and Charles compare themselves to a Brontasauanrus leg, probably more than we need for dinner. At New Mexico Museum of natural history.

Working on the Christmas feeling

2006-12-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

It's very strange you know this winter Christmas thing. My normal resistances to snowflake decorations are gone. Santa Fe definately does Christmas, lights and decorations all over the place. Liam and I have made snowflakes from beads, and 3-d paper snowflakes. But I don't get Cuisine magazine here so I haven't been thinking about the food, till yesterday when I finally thought I really should. So now I have fruit soaking for the cake and a recipe for the pudding, but I haven't make a ham or turkey decision. I am also aware that I don't have a 26cm cake tin or a pudding bowl. I think we have enough plates for 10 for Christmas but I know I broke another wine glass, three doesn't seem like enough of those.

Gone now

2006-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

These icicles were on the spout at the front of our house. Liam and I were watching them grow. We discussed stalactites But today was warmer so now our icicles are tiny stubs again.

Snow Day

2006-11-30T20:27:00.000-08:00

Today the schools were closed for a snowday so we went with friends sleding at a park in Santa Fe, it was crisp and clear and COLD but the sleding was a blast. Madeline's interest was limited by her feeling cold. So we headed foor hot chocolate after which was enjoyed by all.
I felt not crashing the car was one of my biggest achievements for the day especially consideering how often the ABS felt the need to come on. It was fine, everyone was driving in slow motion on the iced snowy roads. Corners were when I had to remember to turn slow aand wide.

2006-11-29T10:50:00.000-08:00

We woke up to this today. So encouraging getting dressed and coats on wasn't as hard as it can be some days.
The whole town is transformed from a brown dusty desert to a lumionously clean puffy white place. There's no wind so snow balances on the wires and sits on the tops of the abode buildings like icing.

Once of the activities at school was dye droppers into roasting pans of snow.

It's snowing on and off and as Madeline and I walked out of school she was bothered by the snowflakes on her eyelashes.