Holiday adventures
Liam summed it up really just before he returned to the USA "We've had so many outings I can't remember the first one." We decided that the first one was going to Petone to ride on the model trains one Sunday afternoon. We had three rides and played on the playground in between.
We also all went to the river at the end of our street- that is Liam , Charles, Madeline Christopher and I - I had the stroller and backpack to make the getting there easier. The older boys were pleased because they were able to use stones to get across the Wainui River - this shows how dry it has been and how low the river is. Fortunately Madeline and Christopher didn't want to follow them being content to throw stones into the river. To add to the interest a digger was working on the Hair Street Creek which joins the main river near where we were.
Liam and Charles and I went into the Zoo. We enjoyed the one- legged Kiwi as well as seeing the chimpanzees being fed and the new baby Sun Bear cub. Another day Liam Charles and I went into Wellington. The intention was to go to Te Papa and then have a ride on the cable car which we did but we went passed the vertical bungee and stopped to have a jump. Charles was keen but Liam preferred the playground. Then he decided he would like a jump so Charles had a second jump. This got us a frequent user card with only one jump to go and then a free jump. We completed these jumps the following week. Of course I forgot my camera both times.
During the first week of the holidays Liam Charles and I caught the train to Wellington from Waterloo and then took the Johnsonville train to Johnsonville. The goal was to visit Mack's Tracks. Only a couple of the layouts he has were working but he got Thomas going while we were there which of course was much more interesting. After refueling the boys at McDonald's and them enjoying a play on the playground we retraced out journey by train to Wellington and back out the Waterloo. Fortunately an incident where rocks fell on the Johnsonville line didn't occur the day we travelled.
We enjoyed three walks up the Wainuiomata River. The first was a duck feeding exercise with Madeline and Christopher. The second Liam, Madeline , Christopher and I ( Charles was unwell) did a circuit up the river (Including feeding the ducks) and then home along Hine Road. Today (ANZAC Day) Charles and Christopher and I took our lunch and walked along Hine Road and
into the bush area to eat out lunch by Nikau Stream. I hasten to add that I had the backpack for Christopher and the stroller for Madeline on these "walks". 
Liam, Charles and I also went for some bike rides and to various play grounds to try out the play equipment. Christopher also got to go for a ride on the back of the bike to the cafe.
Madeline, Christopher and I went for a walk one late afternoon ( so tea could be cooked) As they were walking we made the half block returning home through Cornel's place.
On Monday we had to say goodbye to Liam and Madeline as they returned to the USA - with many adventures not completed but on our list for next time. It was all in all a great 5 weeks and an especially good two weeks school holidays - not much work done but it felt like a real break. The work was still there waiting for me but the boys and girl are growing fast and childhood doesn't wait.
Liam summed it up really just before he returned to the USA "We've had so many outings I can't remember the first one." We decided that the first one was going to Petone to ride on the model trains one Sunday afternoon. We had three rides and played on the playground in between.
We also all went to the river at the end of our street- that is Liam , Charles, Madeline Christopher and I - I had the stroller and backpack to make the getting there easier. The older boys were pleased because they were able to use stones to get across the Wainui River - this shows how dry it has been and how low the river is. Fortunately Madeline and Christopher didn't want to follow them being content to throw stones into the river. To add to the interest a digger was working on the Hair Street Creek which joins the main river near where we were.
Liam and Charles and I went into the Zoo. We enjoyed the one- legged Kiwi as well as seeing the chimpanzees being fed and the new baby Sun Bear cub. Another day Liam Charles and I went into Wellington. The intention was to go to Te Papa and then have a ride on the cable car which we did but we went passed the vertical bungee and stopped to have a jump. Charles was keen but Liam preferred the playground. Then he decided he would like a jump so Charles had a second jump. This got us a frequent user card with only one jump to go and then a free jump. We completed these jumps the following week. Of course I forgot my camera both times.
During the first week of the holidays Liam Charles and I caught the train to Wellington from Waterloo and then took the Johnsonville train to Johnsonville. The goal was to visit Mack's Tracks. Only a couple of the layouts he has were working but he got Thomas going while we were there which of course was much more interesting. After refueling the boys at McDonald's and them enjoying a play on the playground we retraced out journey by train to Wellington and back out the Waterloo. Fortunately an incident where rocks fell on the Johnsonville line didn't occur the day we travelled.
We enjoyed three walks up the Wainuiomata River. The first was a duck feeding exercise with Madeline and Christopher. The second Liam, Madeline , Christopher and I ( Charles was unwell) did a circuit up the river (Including feeding the ducks) and then home along Hine Road. Today (ANZAC Day) Charles and Christopher and I took our lunch and walked along Hine Road and
into the bush area to eat out lunch by Nikau Stream. I hasten to add that I had the backpack for Christopher and the stroller for Madeline on these "walks". 
Liam, Charles and I also went for some bike rides and to various play grounds to try out the play equipment. Christopher also got to go for a ride on the back of the bike to the cafe.
Madeline, Christopher and I went for a walk one late afternoon ( so tea could be cooked) As they were walking we made the half block returning home through Cornel's place.
On Monday we had to say goodbye to Liam and Madeline as they returned to the USA - with many adventures not completed but on our list for next time. It was all in all a great 5 weeks and an especially good two weeks school holidays - not much work done but it felt like a real break. The work was still there waiting for me but the boys and girl are growing fast and childhood doesn't wait.
