Holiday At Waikanae Beach

Maddie, Amber and Cullen outside Penguin Cottage, Waikanae Beach - Queens Birthday Weekend
Making a cool sandcastle with shells and sticks to decorate it.

Playing silly - Grant showing off. Kids thought it was hilarious. Thankfully there were no accidents.

Working as a team

Finishing touches

Brushing our teeth - an exercise that took 10 minutes with two!

Grant, Maddie, Oscar and Cullen feeding the ducks in a freezing southerly. All good fun.

Wooden puzzles at Penguin Cottage kept Cullen entertained for hours.

We drove up to Waikanae on Saturday morning. The weather was due to be horrible all weekend but we took gumboots, hats and jackets and were very prepared to brave the cold weather. We settled in on the first afternoon to a very cosy cottage. The kids (Maddie and Cullen) shared a room and after setting up their beds, Grant took them to the beach for a look-see. I enjoyed 20 minutes of peace.

On Sunday we visited Gloria and Richard, Bruce and Great Grandad. It was lovely to spend some time with them and the children enjoyed playing with some of Amiee and Bruces old toys. At lunchtime, Oscar and family came up to visit. Oscar is Cullen's friend from round the corner. We had a great fish and chip picnic on the lounge floor and then rugged up and went to feed the ducks at the lagoon. The kids loved the adventure walk we went on up the river, particularly the puddles. We got caught in a rain shower - felt more like an ice shower. The adults were very brave and stuck it out as long as we could.
Monday morning meant a spot of shopping. Maddie got a new pair of pink boots for her 3rd birthday and Auntie Am got new underwear. After a nice lunch and tidy up at the cottage, we spent an hour at the beach (photos above).

Super weekend - can't wait for the next one!

End of Summer

Sitting on Auntie Deb's tractor at her home in Greytown. I got to go for a ride too.
Uncle Carl and Cullen at Waikanae beach - Feb 2009.

Life Flight Centre open day April 2009. Cullen got to go in this ambulance and sit in the drivers seat.

We also got to sit in the Life Flight transfer plane. It had beds for patients. Cullen LOVED the plane.

Watching the rescue display with Daddy. We saw a man rescue a lady from the top of a fire truck using the helicopter.

Check it out everyone! I drank the whole lot. Visiting Waikanae for the day with Carl, Debs, Daddy, Nana and Grandad.

My Auntie Debs and Uncle Carl. Just before they went back to the UK in Feb.

Checking out my mum from the deck chair. What a cute smile!

Cullen at the rugby with Dad. Very first game - Hurricane v someone. Lots of fun.

Maddie, JD, Grandma, Riley and Cullen at Grandma's house. Nov 2 2008

Having icecream with my cousins JD and Maddie - Grandma's house Nov 2 2008

Our Busy Boy

Sitting at the table that Grandad Grizz built for Cullen.
My Mummy took this of me when I was in the bath - cutie pie aren't I?!
Auntie Gem bought road a dog she was looking after - I had a lovely chat with him

March and April have been a rather busy time for the Donaldson Family. We have had a terrific Easter break and also most recently, ANZAC Day.

I have a permanent parttime job to start at the beginning of term two at Oxford Crescent School. It is a job share position which is very exciting. I will be teaching 2 days a week in room 9. Cullen is very happy with this arrangement as he gets to spend 2 full days with Nana (Grant's Mum).

Just after the Easter break, Cullen took his first steps and has never looked back. It was a special day for Cullen, Great Grandad and I. I had taken Cullen over the hill to visit and Cullen walked for the first time with Great Grandad able to see (I walked for the very first time at Great Grandad's house soem 30 odd years ago). SO, he is very mobile. Cullen loves to take walks up and down the street, and very often around the block if he so fancies. We often set of at 6.15 pm in time to meet Daddy coming down the road from the train station.

Another first happened shortly after walking - Cullen had his first sleep over at Nana's. Grant and I went out for the evening with friends, Darryn and Sue. We even tried to have a sleep in - but are so used to being up by 7 we woke early anyway. Cullen ended up spending the day with Nana while Grandad Grizz and Grant worked in the back garden fixing the fence and making a new garden. I spring cleaned.

This month we have seen good friends, Jo, Glen and Connor off to Brisbane to live, Grant has completed his Italian cooking class and I have been manic busy involved with Parents Centre and trying to set up the new classroom. Riley was christened earlier this month too and we have just celebrated Ashleigh's 5th birthday. Boy the time has flown past! Looking forward to some time at home!

Our trip to Taupo/Hamilton

Asleep in car after a coffee bun
Playing with Tim at Roanne and Roger's wedding
Checking out the ducks in Taupo

The first weekend in March saw us off on another wee holiday. Long time family friend, Roanne, married her partner Roger in Huntly on Friday 7th March. We left home on Thursday and spent the night in Taupo and continued on to Huntly the following day. The Caves all went except Geoff and we all stayed in a great farm house just out of Huntly. It was heaps of fun for the kids (JD, Maddie, Riley and Cullen) as there were lots of farm animals to watch. We took Cullen's little bike and the kids all had turns on the driveway. On Friday afternoon we drove in tandem to the wedding and enjoyed a fabulous afternoon and evening watching Roanne and Roger get married. They had really thought of the children and provided entertainment, great nibbles and little gift bags for them. Grant particularly enjoyed the magician's show. Grant and I were designated baby sitters that evening and after Kylie had tucked her three into bed we settled down to watch American Idol (our fav!). The following day we headed to Roanne's farm for lamb on the spit and then after a major meltdown from Cullen, we were back on the road to Taupo.

We had a lovely evening in Taupo on the Saturday and then on Sunday morning walked into town along the Lake Front. It was gorgeous. After a wee shop and stop at McD's for a big play in the super cool (and clean!) playground we headed back to pack up and head for home. Cullen was a dream on the way back and he slept for about 3.5 hours - almost all the way home.

Our Beach Holiday

Totally cute!
Cullen and Amber at Beach House in Waitarere
Cullen and Daddy
Ross (Grandad), Cullen and Grant enjoying morning tea.
Getting stuck in - making the biggest sandcastle ever
This hole was really deep! Cullen got covered in sand.

In February, Grant had two weeks annual leave. One of which we spent in Waitarere at a friend's beach house. It was a terrific break with some great weather. Cullen got used to the beach and really enjoyed it on our last day when there was no wind. He enjoyed getting stuck into the sand and water with Grant. Ross and Carol came up to spend the weekend with us. Ross bought the boat in the hope that there might be some fishing but the waves were too big to launch it - big disappointment. Rach and Andy also stayed two nights with us which was fun. Andy and I tackled two wasjig's. It was a mission to finish the 2nd one before we left for home. I even managed to get Grant to help me.

It was a fabulous two weeks holiday with Grant at home. In the second week, I was offered two days relieving and Grant had Cullen for two days. They had a ball. We are all looking forward to our next big holiday - probably next year!!!