Earlier this year I started Joshua rock climbing at the YMCA. He is a born natural, and now I can't wait until he is old enough and heavy enough to belay me.
It is a long way to the top, but he made it with style.
This was a family trip to Steam Scene. We spent the morning riding the cute little trains. You get 12 rides for $10. It is a wonderful to way to spend a warm morning (very strange weather for the middle of winter) without spending too much money.
In the July school holidays we took the boys up to Porters Pass for a play in the snow. There is a great spot just before Lake Lyndon with a steep slope for fast sliding, and a long run off so you don't end up on the road. We had 4 fantastic hours of running up the slope to come down in a couple of seconds flat. Joshua and Nicholas discovered that Mum and Dad are big kids too! I discovered that as adults we don't bounce as well as we used to. Thankfully there isn't a photo of my little accident. (Three weeks later and my tail bone is still sore!!!)
Nicholas had his first memorable experience with snow this year.
This is one of Josh's great photos. This is the result of the snow that slid down the boys slide.
This is Nicholas and Joshua in a cave at Sumner after a day driving around looking at the snow. The boys didn't believe us at first when we showed them and told them about Lyttelton being on the rim of an extinct volcano. They were also a little afraid of climbing through a small hole into a pitch black cave after me. I had to keep taking photos with the flash to convince them that it was ok.
Joshua, Nicholas and Poppa showing off Kiwi Ingenuity. The spouting is to keep water out of the foundation area for their new extension.
Joshua took most of the photos the day we poured the concrete in the boxing. I think he has quite an eye for photography. This is my favourite.
Julia waiting for her first load of heavy cement. I finished the day with arms that were a few inches longer!!
James and I poured the concrete, while Poppa Bruce did his thing with the trowel, and Nanna Jan had the pleasure of taking Josh to his swimming lesson and keeping two intrigued boys out of the wet cement and mud.
After taking 3 hours to upload a handful of photos to my blog spot I could be convinced that Dial-up has it's limitations! I am sure I will be converted to Broadband one day... when the price is right!