Touch Rugby 2007/08 Season

The Dragon's Touch Rugby Team. In Year 2 Josh was lucky enough to have Mr A (Simon Adkins) as his teacher. His dedication, energy and enthusiasm puts me to shame. In his spare time he coached two touch teams (as all of the children wanted to take part) and spent many of his lunch hours playing "scrag" with the children (rugby without rules from what Josh described). The photo above is after a game in 40+ deg heat. Below shows that even the best can loose control of our little darlings. The opportunity to take a group photo lasted about 10 seconds, if that.

Ferrymead Historic Park

Caught!! Nicholas fiddling again.

Nicholas with Nana and Grandad from Nelson.

Joshua, Nicholas and James had a lovely day with Nana and Grandad at Ferrymead Historic Park in the Term 1 school holidays (April/May 2008). Joshua was excited to have the opportunity to show Nana and Grandad everything that he had learnt about the "olden days" from a field trip earlier in the term.

Our Proud Moment

In March (2008) Nicholas had his training wheels taken off his bike. He rode it first time without any help. Our clever wee monkey was only 3 years and 3 months old!!! He has had some amazing spills off his bike since then (speed demon), and each time he gets back on without a "melt down". In April we started to take him on the mountain bike track through Burwood Plantation. The first time he managed to spin out on the gravel; hit every tree and tree stump possible (scary thought in a plantation!!); and career off the track at the top of a hill. He was quite apprehensive about going into the forest again, but the second time he applied everything he learnt and is a born natural.

Some of the Latest - January 08 to April 08

Joshua and Nicholas having a great time with our slot car set. The lounge suit was sent away to be recovered during the Term 1 school holidays (Nicholas managed to accidentally knock the iron onto the couch and burn it) so we had heaps of floor space to occupy. We were surprised at how well Nick managed. He is a true petrol head and certainly gave Josh a run for his money.


We had a lovely day at Sumner/Scarbourgh. The boys had great fun going through the cave of The Rock, and poking the sea life in the surrounding rock pools. Above, Josh shows his true seven year old colours. I don't know what it is that makes children this age stick their tongues out for photos.



During the Summer holidays we spent the day with The Miller's at the Airforce Museum. We all had a great day. The adults showed their true competitive sides when it came to the very cool flight simulators. (I even ended up with motion sickness ... how lame!)



James, Joshua and Nicholas standing in the engine of a new 777 at an open day put on by Air New Zealand.



Joshua and Nicholas all set up to help paint the planks the boys have on their play gym/swing set. Nicholas got a little bored and started to paint himself from head to toe in brown paint. It took quite some work to get it off him and his clothing (yep... he had it so thick it soaked through the overalls).

Entertainment After A Storm

The joys of living in a subdivision that floods when there is more than one days worth of rain at a time... The boys had cabin fever after two days of rain in the April/May school holidays so we blew up my old boat (it is about 25 years old) and pulled the boys up and down the flooded creek at the end of our street. It was great fun for them. The two in the boat together is enough to pull your arm out of its socket, but it was a great way to spend a freezing cold afternoon. The heavens opened yet again just as we were packing up and heading for home.

Nicholas At Queenspark Kindy

Nicholas started Kindy at the end of March this year (at 3 years, 4 months). He seems to be enjoying it, and already the speech development has started to progress. In the above photo he is enjoying playing with rice flour. By the time I came back to collect him at 3pm he was covered from head to toe in the stuff. It was all gunky in his eyes, in his ears, up his nose, and mixed with a dash of green paint. I am just disappointed that I didn't have my camera on hand for the end result. Josh would pat his head with great delight as a large flour cloud would arise. Only Nicholas could manage to create such a mess.

James' New Specs

James declared that he couldn't read the time on our microwave clock from our dining room table (only a distance of about 4 meters) So I sent him off for an eye examination. Unfortunately he now requires nice and expensive glasses to wear all of the time. "Graduated lenses" just doesn't have the same ring as "bi-focals" when describing a blind bat. Here's hoping they will help him see all of the little things that need doing around the house... just kidding.