Our Reccent Vacation, part 2

 So we spent a lot of time just hanging out at the beach.  The kids loved going down with Daddy in the morning while Edith was napping and then she would join them with Mommy before lunch and another nap.  Eleanor got some gardening tools from MarMar and JonJon for her birthday last year and they make great sand digging tools too!

Perfect castle spot

Mine will be next door

Eleanor built her's all by herself.

Happy supervisor!

The rake and hoe also made great sand writing tools.

Big brother love!!

Daddy went to find some shells to decorate the castles.  Marshall laid these out himself.

Eleanor wanted to collect her own.

Just a cute photo.

Daddy also went for a walk and collected some mussels off the rock and even got a paua.  Earlier in the morning we had all gone to collect pipis (cockels) but it turned into a bit of a disaster...
Anyway, we steamed opened the mussels and cockels and made a fresh seafood chowder for dinner and minced up the paua into fritters.  The kids were just so-so about the chowder, but Marshall gobbled up the fritters.  In fact, he ate Eleanor's as well.  (Gotta be fast, I tell ya!)

Part of the haul and Andrew working on the paua

Paua out of the shell

Chopped up mussels and pipis for chowder

While we were there Dunedin was celebrating the Cadbury Chocolate Festival and Sunday was Peninsula Day.  We tried going to the aquarium as it was going to be super cheap for everyone, but it was closed.  So we ended up going to the Royal Albatross Center where we got to see not only albatross chicks, but also old barracks from the 1880's.  It was very breezy and proved to be a fun day.  A special treat that night was having a friend from Centre College who lives in Dunedin with her kiwi husband come by for dinner!

Marshall checking out the big "disappearing" gun

Love the pose!!

Marshall trying to climb up to the top

Eleanor aiming the gun

The best effort at a group shot.  Any tips?!  Its like herding cats...At least Edith is looking.

Eleanor asked to have her picture taken with bubbie.  She is getting so big!

Eleanor took this of Edith

Daddy-daughter shot

After nap time Daddy would take the big kids down to the "pay-gown" (Marshall-ism)  When we first arrived there were workmen there putting in a new see-saw with horses.  Then it had to set and then it sit gated up all weekend just tempting the kids before they could use it.  We left on a Tuesday and so first thing Monday morning the kids went down to see if they could "go on a horsey ride" unfortunately, they had to wait until the afternoon.  When we got Marshall up from his nap I told him he was going to get to go on a horse ride that afternoon and he said, "boo one.  Eleno go on red."  I had no idea what he was talking about it, but it got him out the door quick!

"Eleno" on the red one

Marshall on the "boo" one

Eleanor took Daddy on a ride

Marshall picked up me and Edith

They had trouble reaching the ground with their feet and Daddy was helping them rock.  (And because I take a ton of pictures in an attempt to get a "good" one when you look at all of them together you get a movie effect.  pretty cool)

After the playground you had to walk home on the beach.

On Tuesday we had to say goodbye to the beach and on the way home we took a ride on the Taieri Gorge Railway.  It leaves from the Dunedin Railway Station.  Then we stayed with Mary and Neville (Andrew's aunt and uncle) before heading home on Wednesday.

Checking out the tracks from a crossover bridge.

Eleanor took this inside the railway station.

Eleanor performed a ballet dance for us while we are waiting.

"Is that the paparazzi?  Please no pictures!  Bodyguard Marshall get on that!"

On the train with her ticket

On the train with her snack.  Don't take that away or not give it back!

Marshall with his ticket

It was a four hour return trip and Eleanor was tired so she made her seat a bed and took a nap.  (If you think she actually slept you have never met Eleanor...:))

Checking out the view.  (OK we were going through a tunnel, but it was the best one and they really though the tunnels were cool.)

See there was breathtaking scenery...:)

And that was what we got up too over the school holidays. 

Our Recent Vacation, part 1

Over the school holidays Andrew had two weeks off and we took off for about a week and half of it. It was awesome to just get away and hang out as a family.  Here's out it all went down...

The first night away we stayed with friends in Bannockburn.  They live in an awesome house in the middle of wine country.  In fact, Kevin manages the grounds of a vineyard.  After the kids went to bed we pretended to be wine reviewers, but really we just tasted a lot of yummy, local pinot noir. 

The morning vista.  (It was -9 Celsius)

Marshall (Richard Nixon impression?)

"no photos please"

 

 

 

The kids got to help feed the pigs.  It was about -8.  (I stayed inside with Edith.  Good choice I think...:))

After a lazy morning we hopped in the car and headed to Wanaka where we spent the next two days in a little motel unit over looking the lake and across the street from the playground  It was the perfect place for a base.

Eleanor going down the dinosaur slide.  (It was so cool, you walked up the tail and went down the neck.)

Once the kids saw the lake they immediately left the playground and asked Daddy to take them in the boats.  Boat rental for a 1/2 hour included life jackets and sunglasses.

"Excuse me ladies..."

Marshall thought this round-a-round thingy was pretty fun.

And Eleanor liked this one.  She told me, "Mommy, I'm learning about my body and what it can do."  This kid is smart!

While in Wanaka the "pay-gown" as Marshall calls it was the most asked for, but we did head to Puzzling World one day.  It has a large maze and lots of optical illusions.  The kids had a great time in the maze, especially running away from us underneath the partitions...)  The "Roman Bath and toilets" illusion was also a huge hit.  They loved playing hide and seek in the "potty".

Could he be any cuter?!

Where's Eleanor?

In the optical illusion room.  The level behind my head was the only "level" surface in the room.

We tried to get a picture of Eleanor "holding" up the building.  Should have done it first thing because by the time it was time to go it was a bit much to get right.

 After two days of enjoying cold, but beautiful sunny days and clear blue skies we headed east to Warrington Beach and Dunedin.  We stopped at Subway for lunch. 

Eleanor was very excited about her sandwich!

Marshall was WORN OUT!!  He fell asleep mid bite I think. :)

While driving we encountered a hoar frost.  It was long, but of course it was where Eleanor needed to have a pit stop!  It was a quick one!

 
 We arrived in Warrington and stayed at an awesome beach house.  And just relaxed.  The first day we traveled up the road about 15-20 to enjoy the views of Karitane and Seacliff.

Eleanor was not wanting to be photographed.

Edith showing off the cliffs.

Gorgeous sea shot

Mommy walking with the kids

After our short walk we had a picnic on the beach and built a sandcastle.

The "supervisor" and chief shoveler were the only ones available for a finishing shot.

Marshall was busy throwing rocks and shells and sand into the ocean.

Edith and Daddy caught up with Eleanor who was searching for shells and found a conch shell that hadn't been finished yet.

Eleanor thought it was really cool.

The ocean "got" Marshall and it was time to head home.  How cute does he look wrapped up in Daddy's coat?!

Stayed tuned for more parts...