Two Months in NZ.....

We are in a wonderful and quiet area called Ohope.  We are able to rent a house for 2.5 months and live by the BEACH!  Yippeee!  We are feeling oh so blessed by this house, the yard, the comfy beds and space!  Ellie has her own room and Meg & Luke have a view of the ocean from their room!  WOW.  This place is more than we could have hoped for!  We are excited to be here until Christmas too!  

We are not too sure about the kids being able to go to school here as the school here is so full they moved their library into the hallway!  We'll ask anyway and see!  The kids have been working hard on their school work these days- it is easy to do when the weather is rainy and staying inside is best!  We are still cold most mornings and need a little fire in the wood stove here, but once the sun comes out the laundry can dry faster than the dryer!

The other big news about this house- WE HAVE A PIANO HERE!  The family that we are renting from could not see how Ellie should go a whole 2 months without a piano- so they bought a used one and brought it here!  They have a few pianos already so they do love these instruments!  Ellie has been on the piano every day and once I get some music for Meg and Luke they will start again too!  I have enjoyed a piece or two myself!  

So we are good and comfy where we are for now!  We plan to homeschool a few days each week and go on trips to locals areas to see the sights.  We'll post photos as able!

We also found a church in Whakantane area that we enjoyed.  Feels a little like home- but I do miss my mom every time I walk along the beach and wish that she was with us!  Just like every golf course that I see I wish my dad could play on!  

Love to all at home!

More photos and NZ adventures...

Just a few more pictures from our time on the Coromandel pennisula! We had fun at Hot Water Beach, hiking Paku mountain, visiting the DCR train and various beaches. The roads were as windy as we have seen so far, but it amazing what one can get used to!

Lots to celebrate....

As I write we are coming to the end of our time in Tairua.  We have loved the library and harbour area.  The water has so many different colours, lots to look at every day!  We had quite a few rainy days here and were glad to see the sun yesterday!

Keith and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary and my 37th birthday this week.  I'm not too keen on getting a whole lot closer to 40- but I really have little to do that number!  We had fish 'n chips on the beach, dessert on the beach and went fishing on the beach- we love the beach!  Luke managed to fall in the water just before we were to go out for dinner so we ate in for our anniversary- cheaper that way- and more memorable!  

For my birthday it looks like I got a surf rod for fishing this year!  Last night I almost caught a fish!  The kids love the chasing seagulls part of fishing- they will eat the bait off the hook as you cast!  Hopefully we'll figure out how to bait our hooks better and catch some free food along the way- I hope the kids like to eat the fish....

Last weekend we spent 2 days with the Taylor family and went lots of fun places around here with them!  Luke loved having a "big brother" to hang out with and pull him on his boogie board.  Ellie and Meg enjoyed their time with the girls so much- it was like spending time with family!

We plan to leave here on Monday and go back to the "mount" for a night.  We will then go to Ohope for 2.5 months to rent a house on the beach!  We are so excited to live on the water and hear the waves!  The beach is a nice beach for the kids to play on and the area is quiet- not too busy.  Keith and Luke will be able to fish there, Ellie and Meg can collect shells and I look forward to running on the beach!  

We are missing the Canadian Thanksgiving here- no turkey this year!  Love to all at home.