Daddy making his son a model spitfire for the nursery...

Early New Year!!-30th November 2008

Last night we visited Elephant Hill Winery again to have an early New Year Celebration. Helen starts work New Years Eve at midnight, so we decided to get together a day earlier! Jon's mum and dad are over here visiting for the next month, so it was great to meet them and have a good catch up on their recent trip to South Island. The food was gorgeous... and a good night was had by all.

Clive River

About 5 minutes away from where we live there is a lovely river where people often fish, kayak and picnic. Graham and Jon are going out kayaking and fishing there on Friday. We sat by the river and Baby Holland had his first paddle! Whilst we were there the 'Waka' carved Maori boat went past with about 40 tourists on...so we grabbed a piccy for you!

Clive Beach

We went for a walk on the beach where we live yesterday, it was the first day in a while that it was forecast 'dull' so we thought we would venture out...but as you can see the sun was shining!!

Christmas Day

We went to our friend Gavin's house for a christmas bbq. His sister and husband had travelled down from Auckland and his mum and dad were there. We lounged on the decking and in the gardem, and played a few games later on in the afternoon.

One of Gavin's daughters is good at gymnastic...and not to be outdone Graham showed his skills!!!!

Christmas Morning-2008

Baby Holland prezzies.....from Nannies....

'Daddy in Training' T shirt

Thanks mum and Egan, love the shirt...

Thanks mum and Gav...love the shades!

Shoes glorious shoes....Thanks Linda and Steve!

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

'At Last...Ive arrived' T shirt

Baby Holland's pile!

Hi all...Happy Christmas!!!!

We got up fairly early this morning and opened our cards and gifts..Santa had visited!!! Santa had visited Baby Holland aswell, he had quite a few presents under the tree!!

Thanks to all those that sent cards, much appreciated and a big thanks to those that sent prezzies over...Mum, Gav, Rio, Lee, Nanna Yvonne, Mum, Egan, Sophie, Carlie Bear, Cath, Brian and Gillian, Linda and Steve and Grant...you are truly wonderful...it means a lot and proves you haven't forgotten about us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wish we were there to see you all at Christmas time xxx

Posted some pics...we are off to a bbq this afternoon, so probably more pics to follow......

Palmerston North

You can just make out 2 ducks in the pond in the road!

Visited Palmy last weekend, which is about 2 hours south from Hawkes Bay. The lack of photo's probably explains a great deal about the experience! It rain, rain, rained....it was that wet that there were ducks in the road...which you can kind of see on photo-Graham insisted I put it on!!

We took one pic of me near some number sculpture!

In summary...dull, dull, dull..and we were glad to get back to sunny Hawkes Bay.

Grahams Leaded Light.....

Hi all,

A couple of months ago an elderly lady named Irma stumbled across an interview I completed for a local church magazine through work. In it I commented on our immigration journey and the fact that Graham can make leaded lights. Irma rang my mobile, and to cut a very long story short...wanted a leaded light made in her husbands memory. The whole journey was rather challenging, as Irma wanted so many things featured in the window ( including a dove, 'Nicks Head'- particular landscape in Gisbourne, a tree of life, fish, water, blossoms and the sky) and the size of the window was small...anyhow, after lots of meetings, phone calls, drawings..etc...Graham created a wonderful leaded light, which encompassed all of the features that Irma wanted. Graham fitted it last week, and she is absolutely elated and describes it as 'mighty'...he has done a wonderful job and so I wanted to show it off to you all!!!...You will be impressed!!!!

Irma had the window blessed last weekend by the local minister with 25 people present... and we are going out to celebrate on her late husbands birthday on the 7th January 2009.