Alida's 7th Birthday

I'm not quite sure where the last seven years went but all of a sudden our little baby is a big toothy seven year old. 

We had school camp last week which was lots of fun, bushwalking, going on the water slide, making huts in the bush, playing in the stream and staying up giggling til all hours of the night.  It's amazing to see the skill with which the teachers manage the children (and grown-ups)

We got back on Friday pm and the next night we had six little friends for a sleepover party.  We made and then decorated gingerbread bikkies, made dinner and watched too many DVDs til the last one closed their eyes at midnight.  And at 7 am they were up again.  No rest for the wicked :-)

The Honeymoon

It might have taken us 12 years to get married but  I wasn't going to wait for another 12 for a honeymoon so when Mum and John offered to look after the kids so we could go, we jumped at the chance.  We spent one night in Auckland, dining at a gorgeous french cafe (avoiding the Il Mee Korean BBQ) and staying at a lovely hotel.  Then it was up early to catch the ferry to Great Barrier.  We had loaded up the car with french chanpagne, olives, cheeses and dips - plus all our camping gear.  The next week was spent fishing, walking, golfing, reading and drinking bubbly.  It has been a bit of a rude shock to come home and back into being a Mum trying to keep all the plates spinning on the sticks at once :-) but I have finally caught up the washing and got my diary back in order today, a week since we got back!  Hey, I'm even catching up on the blog!