Our Little Life-Saver ... in training

Whilst Tennis is our chosen sport this summer, we also decided to join Worser Bay Life Saving Club and become a 'Little Nipper' - it brings back so many memories for Mummy when she was a little girl and patrolled the beaches of Hawkes Bay - such a wonderful way to spend the summer, especially through the teenage years.

'Little Nippers' meet every Sunday afternoon from 2pm to 4pm. At this stage the emphasis is on safety and fun but at the same time the Little Nippers learn some basic water respect and participate in flag, beach and water races and competitions.

It is going to be a great summer !

Legs straight, toes curled ready for a fast take-off, elbows flat on the ground, eyes up

All ready in a row

And they are off - go Josh, dive for the flag !

Josh on video

Josh participated in a 5-day Tennis Academy from 9am to midday in the September school holidays at Scots. They have since loaded a video onto their web site and guess what ... Joshua is on it!

Log onto the following link; then click once on the tennis picture (second one down on the right); turn up the volume and watch Josh's wicked backhand !

http://www.scotscollege.school.nz/sport-centre/academies/holiday-programmes

Building at the beach

We joined up with friends out at Paekakariki today and found a lovely little estuary where there were lots of washed up logs and bracken. Josh has always loved building and creating so it came as no surprise that he became the site manager and busily ordered both Mummy and Daddy around to collect wood and logs whilst he 'built' a dam. One day Josh, I am sure you are going to use those creative visual talents you have ... and I wonder what you will create.

The last day of the first year at Scots College

Today was the last day at School for 2010 and all the boys were very happy indeed. It was quite a casual day and the boys got to meet their teacher for next year. Well, we were overjoyed to find out that Mrs Bell who has been Joshua's teacher this year is moving up to teach Year 3 next year and so we have her again. I could have wept joyful tears ... Mrs Bell just seems to 'get' Josh and has been a truly wonderful teacher for him ... what a fantastic foundation for Josh to be able to have her for a second year.

2010 has been a BIG year for Joshua. He has been up on stage 6 times and there is so much to congratulate him for :

• He was the first in his class to receive his Literacy Award
• He was runner-up in the class School Athletics
• He was runner-up in the class School Swimming Champs
• He was a finalist in the Speech Competition for Years 1-3
• He won an IPOD Touch for selling the most cookbooks in the Junior School Years 1-8
• He won the 'People' category in the Photographic Competition and came third overall in Years 1-3.

Yes, it has been a huge year and Joshua has achieved so much in the classroom; he has yet to make that special connection with a 'buddy' but that will happen in time.

Josh, we are so very very proud of you.

PS When Joshua came home from school, there was a surprise waiting on his bed - a card from Mummy & Daddy recording his amazing year ... and a gift of a WII game.

Scots Prize-Giving

Gosh, what a formal affair ! All parents were invited to join their sons in the Wellington Town Hall at 10am. All boys were seated whilst the brass band piped in all the teachers who walked in pairs wearing their graduation gowns.

The prize-giving was so well organised with some astounding musical performances by some of the older boys, and of course the brass band, and then the prize-giving itself which really applied more for Years 5-8.

Mr Cassie delivered a most heartfelt speech and you could have heard a pin drop. Certainly the prize giving and the speeches were all about the boys and we left the Hall feeling so proud to be part of such a special college. Scots College ... it's about learning - for life.

It's over Spencer, our first year - let's go party !!

Scots College Photography Competition

Scots ran a Photography Competition and invited all boys aged 5 to 12 to enter. Whilst it was voluntary, Josh was keen to participate (with a 'little persuasion') and competed against boys in Years 1-3. There were 3 categories as follows:

Thing - Joshua chose to photograph a peonie flower in a vase at home.

People - He took a photo of the many spectators at the Auckland Marathon

Animal - no surprises here, Joshua photographed Hudson

Joshua took hundreds (literally!) of photographs and he found it hard to choose his final 3 - but the choices were all his, although parents were allowed to help mount the photos onto the board.

And the result ... Joshua came first in the PEOPLE division and third overall. It was a great accolade at the end of the school year. Mummy has a feeling that she may need to keep an eye on her camera as Josh is now super-keen to snap photos whenever he can !!

A Beautiful Evening

We packed up our portable barbeque and headed over to Mt Vic early evening and found a remote hill to toast a few marshmellows, cook a sausage, play hide and seek in the long grass and have running and roly-poly races down the hill as the sun set. Oh bliss ... this is what summer is all about!