At last things have started to move on the building of our house. The beginnings of the foundations have been laid, today the drains etc went in and the concrete pour will be early next week. We should therefore have some weekly photos now as it starts to go up. We will try to get some photos to show our seaview too. The grass area in front of the house is a reserve and its where the boys play football on their home matches. On the rainy days we may get away with watching from the lounge!

Thank you to everyone for the boys cards and presents. Now its time to plan Jess's birthday.
Will update again soon xxx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SAM & JOE - 11 - 16TH JANUARY 2011

The boys had a great birthday on the beach. They had a few friends to body board and play in the water. They then had some afternoon tea and a game of soccer. It was lovely and no trouble to organise.

Joe topping up on the e numbers!!

We then played mini put on their actual birthday. 18 holes is a lifetime when we are constantly arguing as to  who is going first. Sam got stopped by a man from lancashire asking him about his shirt! "Rotherham United he said you dont see many of them round here!!"

Martin is tallying up the scores to tell us what we knew already - he'd won!!

And finally the birthday cake.

There should be some photos this week of the building site. The earthworks have finished and weather permitting the foundations will be laid. We have weeks and weeks of good weather and then we have  2 cyclones set to hit us over the next few days, meeting somewhere in the middle of NZ.

So we are not exactly sure when progress will be made.

Its Jess's birthday next week and she wants to have 10 friends around at home to do crafts! All good fun.

Love to you all

xxx



 Had a great day trip up to Whahi Beach. The weather was fantastic. We couldnt walk on the beach as it was so hot - apparantly its a minor summer sport here - sand hopping!! Martin went body boarding with scott and the boys.

Martin and Scott looking professional with the boards.

 

 Yes and even me scardy cat managed to have a go. Didnt make it into deep water though and hurt my knees as I scraped them along the bottom!

Jess loves the sea and is happy jumping the waves or riding them with her board.

Sam is looking very serious in their plans to build some modern architecture.

This is our friends little girl Callie trying her first coffee!! Empty cup honest.

Joe is starting to look like a professional - he is getting really brave and looking for the bigger waves. He is a good teacher though and told me I had to step out of my comfort zone and go deeper in 

 bless him.

And finally Sam on his way back after his board broke when he was body boarding!! Not sure how skinny sam managed to break a board!

I will try to post some other photos besides the beach soon, but as the weather is so lovely at the moment it seems to be the place of choice. Martin still has one more week off work so we are hoping to get out and about again.

Love to you all
xxxx

 Just a few photos of our day out at Papamoa beach. We went to vist some friends Campbell and Amanda who have now moved to Papamoa - or Pomamoa as it is known!
Here Sam is showing Campbell how to loose at swing ball!

 So Campbell got his revenge and buried Sam!

Here he is just making sure Sam is well and truly buried! Sam just lifted his arms up and climbed out.

Joe took to riding the waves on his bodyboard.

Jess having fun in the sea.

love to all

xxx

Happy New Year to everyone. We had a quiet one at home with a few drinks and friends. The kids played happily with the neighbours grandchildren trying to see who could get the wettest with the christmas water pistols.

We spent New Years Day on the beach. Martin borrowed a friends Kayaks to try before we get some. Jess enjoyed being carried by Daddy!

She then got fed up of being carried and swam back to shore. That in itself is a big achievement for Jess who was screaming at her swimming instructor 'I hate you' before we left the UK!!

Even I managed a go with Joe giving me lessons on how to turn it and how not to fall out. This picture looks like I am really being adventerous until you realise that Sam and his friend Sam are walking further out to sea!! I am not one for deep water!

Jess took to bodyboarding as well. Here she is with her friends having a race.

and i have realised that I have not posted a picture of Sam on here so here we are:

We have the kayaks for a week so I am sure we will get lots more enjoyment out of them.

Happy new year to you again.

love to you all

xxx