Principal's Award

Today the boys had the chance to spend some time on the computers and colour printers. They all had the chance to download images or text. Joshua's class had just completed a story on a train ride through the Grand Canyon and so Joshua typed up various words relating to the story and then placed them in a poster-like format. Mr Cassie gave Joshua a 'Principal's Award's sticker for his good work!

Indoor Community Sports Centre

At a cost of approximately 47 million dollars and with a construction timeline that commenced in January 2010, this weekend heralded the official opening of the new centre. Thousands of interested Wellingtonians went along to have a look on Saturday. We were not able to go on Saturday but on the off-chance we wandered down on Sunday to find a door open and only the cleaners there, so we got a fantastic self-tour and view of the 10,500 square metre 12-court facility. It is going to be tremendous for both regional and national sports of netball, basketball, mini-ball and volleyball as well as other ball sports. All the 12 courts can be divided off or kept as a large facility, there are conference facilities and a cafe. It is going to do wonders for the eastern suburbs.

We love you Granny Cranney

We went and visited Granny Cranney today at the same time as her grandson Daniel. Granny Cranney ... you are so special to us and have sincerely been with us since day 1 when Joshua came home from the hospital at 2 hours old! We love you being in our lives.

Breakfast ... yummo

Joshua decided that he would make Daddy some breakfast this morning. Sundays are usually the day when Daddy flips pancakes up to the ceiling and as it is flipping he does a 360 degree turn (no you do not want to watch!). However today was Joshua's turn. Joshua still believes that his combination of flour, egg, sugar and jaffas is still Daddy's favourite - bless.

Mustang's Final Game

Today the Mustangs played their final game for the season. Oh, what a season - it has been marred by a good number of cold and wet days which have seen many games cancelled. This season has also highlighted those boys (and girls) who have the 'fight', the grit and determination to really commit to full-on tackle rugby.

Joshua used to love ripper rugby and, in fact, was one of the better players. However, this season was a full one of tackle. Put simply, we have seen Joshua "pull back" this year and not really get into the game. There is no real 'fight in the dog' so to speak. He doesn't get involved in the tackles or the rucks and although he runs, he runs on the wing so is a fair (and safe) distance from the action! Coach Kevin has been phenomenal and has continued to encourage and include ALL players, however it is clear to see those Mustangs who are itching to get on the pitch every Friday and Saturday and those who are a little 'scared'.

For Joshua, the pull to play rugby this year was really Tomo - he wanted to play because Tomo was playing and I don't think he even gave any real thought to the game of tackle this year and how physically hard it was going to be.

2012 will be up to Joshua - he will choose if he wishes to play. But for now, we are all very pleased to hang up the rugby boots and bid farewell to the season.

It has been a huge commitment for all of us this time - Daddy as one of the 2IC coaches, Huddy as Team Mascot and Mummy as Team Manager. Josh is very happy to have us involved and, in fact, seemed very proud when Mummy got the Team Manager of the Year award at the Club - however, HE has to decide whether or not he is 'built' for full tackle.

Coach Kevin put on a Mustangs' Muster at his house after prize-giving with party food and games and did a speech to each and every Mustang. He presented them all with an individual certificate and a bag of lollies. He is an exceptional Coach and is always positively full of praise and encouraging words for all the Mustangs! In addition, Mummy had put together a team calendar - she had sorted through the hundreds of photos and chosen a 'good' photo of each player and dedicated a month and calendar page to each player (we did a 15 month calendar from November 2011 to January 2013).

So it is goodbye to yet another season. The Mustangs are a special group of boys and girls and there are some lovely little friendships that have formed over the past 4 years of playing together in the same team. We will obviously keep in touch with Tomo, Maia & Sophie and hope to bump into the others on the beach sometime over summer. Rugby 2012 is 7 months away and a lot can happen between now and then.

Well done Josh!

Josh came home today with a certificate for english comprehension. He had to read a book and then answer questions to show that he comprehended and understood the story including the inferred messages. Well done Josh !

Walking with Dinosaurs

We were invited to join our friends, Valeria & Greg and their 7 year old daughter Arabella, to go and see the Walking with Dinosaurs 3D Show at the Vector Arena in Auckland. We flew up on Saturday and had a lovely afternoon and evening with them, stayed at their house and then we all went to the matinee show on Sunday.

It is an internationally renowned show and scientists created 15 life-size dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus-Rex! What a spectacular show - to see the animated dinosaurs walk on stage, roar and even fight for survival against each other.

Bella and Josh got along famously and had many laughs playing together and soaking in their spa pool. Josh was delighted a few days later to receive a letter from Bella and although it took him a few days, he wrote one back!

Amanaki

Amanaki came over for the day today and gosh what a busy one it ended up being! I truly think that Amanaki went home both exhausted and thinking we were all a bit 'crazy' in our house.

We went scootering, played at the park, collected logs from the beach and built a fort, did a mini-jumpathon competition on the trampoline and then donned wetsuits and had a water-gun fight down at the park (afterall it is only the middle of winter!) and then came home to truly thaw out in a hot bubble bath.

However, the highlight of the afternoon had to be the water slide. At the end of the water gun fight, I took 2 large buckets of soapy water over to the school slide, Both boys very trustingly sat at the top of the slide in their wetsuits waiting for me to swish the water down and as I did so, I gave them a gentle push. Well they actually flew through the air, so much so that they were airborne at the bottom so they missed the rubber matting entirely and landed on the lawn. Let's just say that Amanaki was 'in shock' and only did it once - but Joshua, oh no, he did it 3 more times and could not stop laughing!

An innocent Spray Can

Ah-ha, that's what you think - spray can yes, innocent - no! Josh and I have discovered Uncle Bill's, a competitor to The Warehouse that sells all sorts of bits and pieces and discontinued lines for a fraction of the cost. We picked up a few cans of RED spray string
Tonight Joshua was in the shower and invited Daddy to join him .... no sooner was Daddy undressed and in the shower and suddenly he was being sprayed all over with red string. I quickly handed Daddy a can of the same and it was open warfare ... red string everywhere and you wouldn't believe where they were spraying each other and as the string 'hit' a wet body it stuck!!! Just hilarious!

Snowstorm hits Wellington!

Yes it was unbelievable! Today Wellington had a polar blast of snow and sleet which blocked roads, grounded flights, closed some schools and cut power to some suburbs. Joshua's school phoned all parents to come and pick up the boys and closed the school at 2pm wanting to ensure that all boys got home safely.

It was quite magical - when the snowflakes started falling around lunch-time, people ran outside to lift their faces to the sky and have the snowflakes tickle their faces - people laughed and almost danced, it was like a winter wonderland.

Not for one moment did Wellingtonians think that the snow would continue to fall for nearly 2 days before the winds came up and rain came down and sadly washed it all away.

Whilst Seatoun was let off relatively lightly, some of the higher suburbs had a blanket of white and roads were closed and families tucked up inside for 48 hours. Mummy is working on a building site up in Khandallah and the following photographs are taken up there - the builders even built a snowman for Josh to go and see! Quite magical!

An Energetic Sunday

We woke to a rather chilly but still and sunny day so decided to play some golf and bike the length of the Hutt River! We all piled into the car and went out to the Golf Driving Range - Josh was very keen and got a bucket of 200 balls. We were so surprised that he had the patience and focus to hit about 180 balls (he was kind enough to let Daddy have a turn every now and then!). Josh does enjoy golf and seems to have picked up a 'lovely' style, but we already juggle enough sport so I think that golf can wait!

After practising, we had a quick round of mini-golf and then headed to the Hutt River. We biked, Huddy ran, we biked some more. We ended up leaving Daddy and Huddy playing at the river whilst Josh and I had a race on our bikes from mid-Lower Hutt right up to Silverstream and back again. I have to admit that Joshua can certainly ride a bike ... and fast!. (PS Isn't it amusing when you hear your own child repeat some of your own sayings - I did smile when Joshua overtook me on his bike and over his shoulder yelled "dig it in" - I have heard that somewhere before!. We then joined up with Daddy & Huddy and played around at the river before coming home.

And what better way to end a lovely spring day than to barbeque a few sausages for dinner! There is something about barbequed sausages - they have a flavour all of their own and I also think they hint at summer being just around the corner which of course is our favourite season of the year!

School Swimming Sports

Today Scots College held their Annual Swimming Sports at Kilbirnie Pool. In years 1-3 entering the swimming sports is by choice. From year 4 upwards it is compulsory. However, we were delighted that Josh wanted to enter all three events for his year and age group - freestyle, backstroke and breastroke. The distance for each race was 25 metres (one length) with a diving start.

We had not realised that the dive start was compulsory until the day before so I must admit we were down at the pool until nearly 8pm the night before as Joshua wanted to try and perfect his dive! (PS why is it so hard to teach your own child anything?!?!?).

Well the swimming sports were certainly a lot more competitive this year ! Joshua did well - he came 4th in freestyle, 5th in breastroke and in his strongest stroke which is backstroke, he came second.

Josh & Harry at the end of the freestyle race

Harrison

We feel very lucky that Joshua has a few 'big' boy friends ... Enzo at 16 is obviously No. 1 (and I think that will always be the case), Charlie & Ben at 13 and Fraser & Harrison at 12. These are boys who Joshua really looks up, trusts explicitly and sincerely enjoys spending time with.

And just quietly, as a mother, I am very supportive of these friendships as all 5 boys are wonderful role models for Josh - they are so kind to him and seem to enjoy spending time with him.

We had the chance to 'look after' Harrison today after school and so we all went to the beach and climbed up and over the hills before the boys came home to play ... electronics. I have decided that this love of technology runs in the male genes! Harrison is Head of Technology for the Prep School this year and this is one position that I know Joshua will greatly aspire to when he is in Year 8.

Here they are racing one another on the game of CARS on the WII.