Wishing you all joy and peace this Christmas time, and all the best in 2017!
Love,
–Keith, Carolyn, Aidan, and Megan.
Merry Christmas 2016
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Category Archives: Christmas
Our New Zealand Holiday so far
When we arrived on Saturday we went to our awesome house and unpacked. Then we went to Nan and Grandad’s house and we spent a lovely afternoon with them. Then on Sunday we were going to go to church, but we were too tired so we stayed at home. Then we went to Nan and Grandad’s to see Auntie Heather and Uncle Martin. We had a lot of fun playing Qwirkle, but sadly I lost. Aidan won the game and Auntie Heather came second.
On Monday we went to Mission Bay with Auntie Heather and Uncle Martin. We went swimming in the sea and Aidan and I went foraging for shells and I kept finding oyster shells. Then we also had ice cream, despite the fact it was melting extremely quickly – it still was delicious. It was really fun and I really enjoyed it.
Selfie at Fairy Falls, Waitakere Ranges
Then on Tuesday we went to the Waitakere Ranges (the NZ rainforest near Auckland). We had a lovely walk through and we saw a beautiful waterfall as well as a massive kauri tree. Then later on we went to a place in Meadowbank and we got some chicken drumsticks (they were the best chicken drumsticks I had ever had).
Us in the Waitakere Ranges (Fairy Falls track)
The Summer Gravel Snowman (wearing my new hat!)
Then on Wednesday Nan and Grandad had an appointment to go to and Daddy was going with them. So while they were gone Auntie Heather, Aidan and I did some marbling and we made 16 really pretty sheets of marbling paper (it’s so easy to make hundreds!). Then for afternoon tea we went to Dunkin Donuts where Aidan got a cinnamon donut and I got a chocolate donut.
The next day was Christmas Eve and we went to Sylvia Park shopping centre for some last-minute shopping. I got a pair of gorgeous kiwi paua shell earings and necklace. Then Aidan got a mini Maori carving that had paua shell eyes. Then for lunch Mummy and Aidan had delicious sushi. I had got my lunch from Oporto (take away fried meat shop) and got delicious chicken drumsticks and chips (Again I know!).
Friday was CHRISTMAS AT LAST!!! First we opened our stocking presents and I got my first ever pair of dangly earings. Then we went over to Nan and Grandad’s house for Christmas lunch it was delicious. Then later that day two of Daddy’s friends came over and we had a lovely walk along the beach. We also had a walk through the water and discovered it was really warm so we all walked through the water.
Then on Boxing Day we went to Meadowbank and visited my kindergarten and Aidan’s old school. Then in the afternoon we went to Panmure Basin and walked all the way around it. Then in the evening we went to Tahuna Torea (a beach) and Aidan and I went swimming in the sea (it was lots of fun). Then we went to see the lights and we also drove up to One Tree Hill.
Then on Sunday we went to church and we had a lot of fun. [I’ll tell you more about our afternoon in another post].
Today, Monday, we went to Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Centre. It was a lot of fun we saw lots and lots of penguins. Then we saw some elephant sharks wich looked very cool. Then we saw lots of fish and we also saw some sharks too which was absolutely awesome. Then after that we saw some awesome sea horses and we saw some species I had never seen before. Then we had a look at some star fish, I even got to hold one!
Mr Shark
This was AWESOME! (megalodon shark)
Just chillin’
Merry Christmas!
May the blessings of Christmas be with you now and throughout the New Year! It’s been quite a year, and although it’s a cliché it’s still true that we’re not quite sure where it’s all gone. A few of the highlights are below. Please leave a reply below to let us know you’ve been by!
Photos and more news can be found in Carolyn’s blog Ordinary Moments, and the kids’ blog Two Adventurers. (Keith also has a blog – Gurunoia – and we both have Twitter accounts: @kw217 and @viokaps).
Christmas 2013 Mince Pie
Last January Keith was just back from New Zealand. His mum’s operation went really well and it’s fantastic to see her doing all of her usual things again – and his dad freed up so much too. It was great for Keith to get a bit of sunshine while everyone else was having snow, and to get two Christmases in a row!
In the first part of the year we got to Inverness to see Carolyn’s sister and her family – a true delight!; to Dundee for a weekend break just before the hotel closed forever; to Forres for our annual weekend away with Keith’s work colleagues; to Aviemore for our annual weekend with Carolyn’s family; and several trips to catch up with friends.
Summer was just as busy – Solas Festival, Woolfest, a camping holiday in Seahouses with the bikes, camping holidays on opposite sides of the country (Port Ban and East Lothian) with friends.
This last term has included a trip for Keith to Bangkok with work, where unbelievably he happened to bump into two friends who happened to be attending different conferences there at the same time! It’s been a busy time for Keith at work – he has a new role involving a bit more travel and a lot more responsibility. He’s loving it. Carolyn has a lot more responsibility too – she is now chair of the Parents’ Association, which although voluntary has been pretty much a half-time job this term. It’s being well organised, and the recent Christmas Fayre raised a substantial sum for school development.
This school year Aidan is in P6 and Megan is in P4. Hard to believe Aidan is in his penultimate year at primary school! Aidan has continued to enjoy cycling club, and this year Megan has joined him. She went from being unable to ride to racing and joining in a cycling holiday in about two weeks! She’s still swimming, as well as showing her natural talent in ballet and jazz dance. Aidan has moved from Cubs to Scouts and is flourishing there, and in Boys Brigade his team won the Spiritual Challenge against several other companies. Megan is a representative on the Pupil Council, and Aidan is a Rotakid.
A highlight was when we went away for a night in October to see the beautiful Enchanted Forest and enjoy time away together (in a “hobbit hole“!). God’s creation is so beautiful, and this was an encouragement to really see it with fresh eyes.
It was a big birthday for Carolyn, and she celebrated in style with no less than 68 friends – thanks to so many of you for coming and being part of it! It will be hard act to follow this year when Keith hits the same milestone. In total contrast we got away (just the two of us) for a weekend break beside Loch Earn for our anniversary, celebrating in the stillness and beauty of the highlands.
It’s been a full and wonderful year for all of us. We hope your year has been the same, and we look forward to catching up with you in the New Year and sharing some of it with you.
With love and hugs,
Keith, Carolyn, Aidan, and Megan xx
Happy Christmas!
May the blessings of Christmas be with you now and throughout the New Year!
We’ve had a pretty busy year, and indeed our life is pretty busy right now – Keith’s mum is unwell and so he is flying out to New Zealand for a couple of weeks. Carolyn, Aidan, and Megan are in the midst of the usual rush of Christmas parties and preparation. It’s so good to stop and remember what it’s all about – the arrival of hope, a light in the darkness, the renewing and refreshing power that God sent into the world through Jesus.
Hopefully we’ll update this post over December/January 2012/13 with more about our year, so please check back. For now:
Aidan and Megan are now 9 and 7, and continue to amaze and delight us:
8th December 2012, at the work Christmas party.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the making of our Christmas cards:
We’ve been making a little something in the kitchen, and this shot just struck me from an architectural point of view:
This year, Carolyn has been keeping a daily blog ordinary moments of “three beautiful things”. Keith has a blog Gurunoia too, but he doesn’t update it very often. And Aidan and Megan’s blog Two Adventurers (which you’re on already) should be updated every so often with pictures and creations. We’re also on Twitter at @kw217 and @viokaps.
More soon if we can – in the meantime, we wish you all a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2013.
Cheers,
Keith, Carolyn, Aidan, and Megan xx