Chrissy arrived up with the boys and we had a quick last cuppa.
She took off with her own boys to pick Russell and go home.
I took some photos before they left.

Nathan being a scarecrow - or a zombie or whatever!


Joel, Asher, Azzan, Yari & Nathan in John's new garden.

We have all had such a great fortnight together that parting was such sweet sorrow.

After they left I took a few big breaths and took 5.
Then it was nearly 6pm and I had to take Katherine home and pick up Mahalia.

It was such a beautiful night that we decided to go to the beach.
We got fish and chips and met Seb & Zoe at Tahunanui playground.
We chatted while the kids played.
Then they left to go run the dog on the back beach and so we finally ate - accompanied by noisy, stupid, invading seagulls.


Then we went over the dunes to the beach.
Because of the full moon the tide was way way out - the expanse of beach was an inviting paradise.






There were really cool patterns in the sand and the shells.




I found Azzan drawing around himself,

then he made butterflies in the sand.


We decided to go back to the car and move around the beach further.



A final play in the playground before we moved.

I am so tired tonight I can barely think straight to remember what we did today.
But here goes - I will just give the ole brain matter a crank up and see what thoughts and remembrances I can scrape up.

Shanni & Nathan had sewing lessons at 10am.
We managed to get to them on time with a few minutes up our sleeve to pop into the Info Centre so Nathan could grab a map to work out his route to Taekwondo this arvo.
I am trying to allow him and the girls where feasible to find their own ways around so they get to know the city better.
It is too easy just to follow Mum and not think where they are are or where they have been etc.

I was planning on going to visit Heather in Tahunanui while they were sewing.
We called into the shoe repair place as my shoe needed a stud to hold it together.
While he was fixing it we browsed Briscoes.
I found the most gorgeous crockery on a sale - it was so cheap I just had to get some plates to add to our kitchen.
I so want to get more but better behave myself!

Then just as I was about to head to Tahunanui Nathan text me to say he had left his taekwondo stuff at the house.
Bother

So we zipped back to Atawhai to pick it up and then drove straight to Tahunanui before anything else could get in the way.
I had a lovely time with Heather while Mahalia and Azzan socialised with her children.
Who ever said that socialisation was a problem for home educated children certainly had their wires totally crossed!!
Everywhere we go these days Azzan heads straight to the piano and plays his rendition.
And if there is none he has to know why they don't have one!!

The children had a quick bite to eat for lunch before we left to go pick up the others.
They were still hard at it so I had to wait a while.
They both made cushion covers learning many basic techniques and terms and also how to insert a zip.
They are both very proud of their efforts.


It was such a beautiful day we were all very ready to go swimming.
To make the getting in less painful I decided to jump in the deep end - aren't I just the bravest one now


Melissa took this pic of Chrissy and I doing the 1950's look - aren't we gorgeous??


When the children opened the back door of the Safari the sewing machine fell out and hit the concrete.
So after swimming I took it straight to the shop to get it checked out.
Miraculously, once Carl and put all the casing back the way it should be, all that was broken was the light bulb.
I had been having visions of yet another insurance claim whereas it just cost me $4 for a new bulb.

We were going to take the kids to the beach but didn't have enough time before Nathan had to be at Taekwondo so decided just to go out to Richmond Mall for a coffee.
Nathan, using his map, walked up to his lesson while we released the rest of the children into Toyworld under Yari's watchful eye while the two of us sat in  the afternoon sun and enjoyed a drink and chat at Ambrosia.

The children totaly chrmed the shop attendants and by the time we got there Yari was extremely pleased to be relieved of his duties and made a beeline for the van!!
We dutifully oohed and aahed over the toys and Sylvanian with the kids for a while and then herded them all toward the vehicles.
It was 6pm so Chrissy and crew went off home and I got some sushi etc to keep the kids going till after we picked up Nathan.
We popped around to visit Kathy while we ate our food.
It was lovely to catch up with her and hear about her Melbourne holiday.
She had talked with Jesika and brought home a big hug from her for us

At 7:30pm we picked up Nathan.
Then it was decided that it was to late and the wind to cold to go to the beach for tea as planned.
So I popped into Countdown and got some food to cook at home.
Nathan & Shanni had a quick explore of The Warehouse as they have money burning holes in their pockets.
The two wee ones sat in the car and watched a ballet performance on the dvd player.
They were both so weary it was better than traising the aisles.

Back to the house and we cooked up a real healthy meal of mini hash browns baked beans, eggs and left overs.
Of course Azzan had to have his salad filled wrap as well.
He is rather hooked on them at the moment.

I quickly got them all off to bed and did the dishes with Nathan's help.
He has also gone to bed and I am about to follow.
Tomorrow is our last official swimming day so we need lots of energy to give it our best shot!!