A snapshot of Sydney

We had a lovely trip to Sydney this week and we got to stay with our friends Little Dude and his parents and EV got to have her first stay in a hotel. On Monday we went to Taronga Zoo with Little Dude and his mama. I wasn't sure if I should admire the giraffe or their view of Sydney more.

 Little Dude gave EV a stuffed toy Koala, which has become a firm favourite already. EV often asks for her  "kowawa", and says "she's so cute".

EV waving to the seals.

EV and Little Dude played around the garden while we cooked pizzas in the wood fired oven. And EV took a photo of dada. She is becoming obsessed with taking photos. I suppose I can't bame her when I always have the thing pointed in her face.

 EV and Little Dude shared a bubble bath and after an initial stand off they got stuck into the toys.

 

The next morning I found a couple of jailbirds in the cot.

They liberated a Panda and a monster before Little Dude pretended to escape by sticking his leg through the bars (all funny until he actually got stuck!).

On Tuesday we got to spend the morning playing at a new playground with Little Dude and his mama. I can honestly say it was the best playground I have played at. The adults had as much fun as the kids.

This is the view I got when I came down the slide.
After our stay with Little Dude and his family we had a couple of nights in the city. EV was happy because we got to go on trains. We went on a harbour ferry, and it was freezing cold! 

EV loved the pool in the hotel, which had an amazing view of the Sydney Harbour bridge ( you can just see it out of the back window). EV liked to do 'tricks' in the pool (kicking her legs on the shallow ledge) and performed her 'show' for us, which went... "(clearing throat noise) Welcome to my Show!" I think the dramatic location of the pool made her come over all dramatic. It was a lovely break. Now we are home we are packing and preparing to leave for new locations.

Sydney by EV

Just got home from a wee trip to Sydney with Dada and EV. I will post our holiday photos soon, in the mean time here's a photo by EV. She was trying to photograph a train going over the harbour bridge and not the Opera House or the bridge itself.

Matariki and other business

 

Matariki is the Maori name for the group of stars also known as the Pleiades star cluster or The Seven Sisters; and what is referred to as the traditional Maori New Year. This time of year brings a wealth of interesting art projects aimed at celebrating Matariki. EV and I visited Papakura Art Gallery this week and we made a star together to add to the Matariki star mountain. Most people were weaving stars, however there was an option to make a simple star with strips if you couldn't do the weaving. Lucky for us because I'm not sure EV would be up to weaving a star just yet.

 After making our star we visited our friends who have the most amazing Thomas the Tank Engine wooden train set. John and Paula were so kind they have let EV borrow the set (well not all of it because that would require a whole new house). We have been going a little bit mad over it and last night we packed it up just to have a rest, however it came right back out first thing this morning. EV loves "Cwanky the Cwane" the most.

Made a wee detour to play at Rocket Park the other day. I love that both EV and the poodle on her tshirt are peeping out.

So far our winter has been very warm, however when it rains, it really really rains. Which makes going out an adventure of sorts. When I took EV to the library the other weekend it made me smile when she took a book and sat down to read it at the table because she had all her warm wet weather gear on. A bit over the top in the library maybe.

Karekare

EV and I had the pleasure of going to Karekare beach today to take some family photos of our dear friends who are moving back to Finland on Monday. Karekare beach is a special favourite spot for many of my friends and I was really excited to be going there with M and Co for their last visit for a while.

 Even getting from the car park to the sand dunes required a walk through a knee deep lagoon (apparently its usually a small stream), followed by mud.

 But past the mud is an amazing and beautiful landscape that takes your breath away.

EV wasn't so sure about this beach, but once she saw K and EL running around she was in to it.

Arohanui M, A, K & E.

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