Good times

Just some of my favorite "good time" photos...

Making paper crowns with our new friends/neighbors. They live just up the hill from us and we met them at the kids' kindie. Amelia is in Calvin's class and Lily Jean is in MaeMae's class and there's a 3rd daughter, Sophia, who is Caroline's age. It's great to have playmates the same age and in our neighborhood. Tanya (mum) is from the UK (as are many NZ'ers I'm finding out) and is great. We've been carpooling now that we have a 2nd car. They all get along so well!

Yum-O! Spaghetti! Good thing bathtime is right after suppertime.

Opening the big package from Grandma and Grandpa. Everything was neatly taken out as you can see. :) Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!!

Grandpa sent Calvin a remote control police car. You'd think he'd never had one before he was so excited!

Trying to keep up with big bro and big sis on the patio.

Caroline was so proud of herself sitting in a big chair next to her big sister.

Caroline likes to read her daddy's surgical books in her spare time. :)

Jumping on the tramp with the big girls at another new friend's home (and neighbor).

Theo is in Calvin's class as well and has an older brother. Anna and her hubby Finley are wonderful and it's been so nice to walk down, have a play and a coffee with them.

Anna is another new friend (and neighbor) and MaeMae's had fun with her.

Picking up Calvin at kindie after lunch. Starting Oct. 11, we won't be picking him up til 3:20pm. Oh, my how fast are these kids growing!

Messing around and having fun!

Not too sure about the play-doh. This is a lovely playtime at Pop in & Play at St. Alban's church in Eastbourne on Fridays (during school term) from 9:30am-11am. They have different "stations" for the kids which include a play-doh table, paint easel, kiddie slide, kitchen and house play, puzzles & books, arts & crafts table and even a great train table. The church ladies lovingly serve nibbles of cakes, cheese and fruit as well as hot coffee and tea. It's really a wonderful time for the kids to play, meet new friends and for the mums to have a coffee and chat themselves.

Every playdate or playtime we've attended, whether at someone's house or at the church, we've enjoyed a coffee and either biscuits (cookies) or other snack. I think I've drank more coffee and tea in NZ than I have in the last year. :)

Reading a book at the bus stop while waiting on our last bus ride to school.

Playing on the hill behind the bus stop.

This girl loves her some Ramen noodles! Ramen noodles, mac n cheese, frankfurters, ham, (well any pork product), bananas, apples and strawberries top MaeMae's list of favorite cuisine.

Having fun with dad.

Well, not so fun...Caroline had her 15 month shots and received 3 total. At her checkup she checked out just fine and weighed a whopping 10 kgs. They don't do a 1-year checkup and they don't do all the "once-overs" pediatricians do in the States. Basically, we went in, got her weighed, the pediatrician asked me a few basic questions (is she eating well, poop well, etc...) and that was about it. They are just that laid-back and relaxed in this country. Caroline is such a healthy, strong little girl so I didn't have any concerns or other questions. She is in the 90+ percentile for height and I've still got to figure out her weight in pounds. But, it's really useless at this point b/c they use the metric system so nappies (diapers), etc... is all in kg's. Hmmm...maybe I should weigh myself in kg's...I'd weigh much less...I like the thought of that!:)

Fluffies is a big kid's drink at the cafe's. It's pretty much milk froth with chocolate powder on top and a sweet marshmallow on the side. Fun!

At the library, enjoying toddler time and bubbles. I don't usually dress Caroline in boys clothes but this morning, while dropping Calvin off at school, she managed to slip on over to the paint easel and proceed to get green paint all over her white sweater. Luckily, I had a change of clothes in the kids' backpacks for school and put her in MaeMae's t-shirt and Calvin's vest (to try and stay warm). She did pull it off quite well, I have to say.