cottleston news

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Blah blah blah

When it's really wet and windy we like to go for a big walk on the beach with the local Forrest and Bird Society lady and look for dead creature to take a photo of :-)

When it's sunny we go picking mushrooms in the neighbour's paddock. Mum gets some exercise lifting the kids over the electric fence :-)

Oma and Opa John like to play tug-of-war with people much smaller and lighter than themselves, I think it helps them to feel fit and strong :-)



Ali and Lily enjoyed their haircuts. And snuggling up together in bed.


When it's raining you should always do your gardening in mismatching swimming togs!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Butterfly Time


Lily and Ali think the only reason butterflies hatch is so you can put them on your head and take photos like we did last year.



Sunday, May 23, 2010

Sad news today

Grandma Sheila passed away yesterday morning at her home in Goulburn surrounded by her family. We send all our love to Sarah, Dave, Robyn, Emily and Ron at this difficult time.
We love you and miss you Grandma
Rest in Peace

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ali's first post

Alida - the highlight of the day was going to the fire station becas all got to have a tune quing the hose. wegot to hear the sirn one. one of them was the one that went up and down the other one was the police one.the other one was the Ambulance one I lovd going to the fire station.

Mum - Ali typed this all herself. It's about the school trip that they did yesterday to the local fire station. Unfortunately there are no photos but I'm sure she will be taking pictures for her next school trip.

Rain!



At last we have had some rain, followed by some fine days, and then some more rain. The garden looks likes spring as everything perks up, dew drops shine on cobwebs, the wax eyes clean up the last of the tomatoes, and clean washing flaps on the line (it is so nice to have water to wash and fine weather to dry it as well!) We took the opportunity in the weekend to plant some peppermint scented gums and a pohutukawa that have been sitting waiting for the rain for a while.
On Fridays Ali's school has choosing day and the kids are allowed to make or do what they choose. Since we got the guinea pigs every Friday Ali comes home with some new home or playground for them. Generally the piggles seem a little non-plussed by Ali's efforts but it's hard to tell with piggles.

Ali's friend Asher and her older brother popped by in the weekend, they played happily all afternoon and the four kids demolished a whole bucketful of little feijoas and saved me having to turn them into cake :-) the feijoas, not the kids.


Sunday, May 9, 2010

Back to Blogger

It's been a busy few weeks of day to day stuff, school, laundry, groceries, kindy etc. There has still not been much rain to speak of and our kind neighbours brought up three 1000 litre tankfuls of water on the back of their tractor trailer last weekend and we all enjoyed the challenge and hilarity that ensued as we tried to pump the water into our house tank. The church in town has a sign up urging passersby to help the farmers - maybe it will work.
Ali has been doing lots of drawings of girls, butterflies and hearts lately. These ones were blutacked up in the kitchen for a week or so. If you click on the picture with the mouse it will blow up to full screen size so you can see a bit better.
Ali's hockey team got wiped out the last two games, but Ali has shown an aptitude for goal keeping and was awarded player of the day again this Saturday (This is going to cost a fortune in sweets!)
Lily's big news is that she has learned to swing herself on the swing. She is going through an extra-cute phase at the moment and I often find myself just staring at her and wondering how we got such a gorgeous little girl.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Jolly Hockey Sticks!


After completing our marketing and grocery duties yesterday we ferried Ali to her first ever hockey game. Karen and I both found ourselves cheering and laughing and enjoying watching Ali more than we initially thought we would. Lily didn't really know what all the fuss was about but she was quite content to eat chips and play with the other three year old miscreants. We thought that perhaps no one had explained the basic principles of Hockey to the Waipu "Tui's" when after the whistle blew to start the game, all the kids continued standing and chatting and ignoring the "Lions" racing with the ball toward their goal. When one girl from the Waipu team did decide to get into the spirit of things and have a hit of the ball, it was in the wrong direction, furthering the cause of the "Lions". Coach Rick had a word to the girls at half-time and they took to the field with a renewed vigour, facing the right way and everything. When Ali found herself in the opposition's goal mouth with the ball at her feet, everyone yelled at her to hit it in the goal, and so she did! From then on, Ali involved herself at every opportunity and was duely rewarded with a trophy for "Player Of The Day". Coach Rick then informed me that it is the duty of Player Of The Day's parents to provide the lollies next week.