Camping Prequal

Last week the kids and I decided to try out a different type of camping and booked into the camping ground at Little Waihi. Little Waihi has a camping ground and about 30 baches lining an estary with access out to the sea and an ocean beach.
The camping ground is pretty basic with about 20 cabins that hold two beds each. I decided that being early spring the tent might be a bit cold and so booked into a cabin. Very one star - actually half a star might better describe it - but you can take your dog and we loved it.
Nothing to do except have the fun you make yourself. We walked for miles, played on the rocks, played on the beach, the kids and Latte swam, dug for pipis (and returned them), played with the little mud crabs and snails, waded to distant sand bars at low tide, flew kites, played games, had fun.
We'll be going back again as the weather warms up.

Camping

I enjoy camping and so do my children. I don't enjoy the cold as much as they do but I let myself be convinced to take the kids and a couple of their friends to our favourite camping spot for two nights.
We camp at Brann's farm. It is a working farm and forestry block out the back of Paenagroa. They have several camp sites and three huts. Running water and composting toilets. Fire pits and picnic tables. And not a lot else.
It is heaps of fun not having anything to do. There is a small river that runs through native bush. They have developed a swimming hole and provided innertubes to float down the river in. The river is freezing cold even in the middle of summer but the kids brave it anyway - I wait until the middle of summer until I dip my little toe. It is also the only way to get clean so the smell of bodies in the car on the way home gets a little eye watering.
There are plenty of walks through the bush and around the farm. We walk for an hour through the farm and bush to get to a ropes confidence course. The kids love trying out their bravery and impressing their friends.
The kids (but not me) grab the sacks and go grass sliding down the hills. Then I get to deal with the dirt, brusies, scrapes and grass rashes but they go back for more.
We look at the glow worms at night, cook on a camp fire, play games and lie awake for hours in the night listening to the Moreporks.
Great fun, very back to basics, but we have been going back for six years and will continue to do so.
Thank you Jill and Jeff Brann for opening your farm to us and many others.

Hot Chocolate

It was time to fill a jar for the hoopla stall at the upcoming Fireworks Gala at the school. I hate having to decide what to do so I did a little surfing and came up with hot chocolate.
I really enjoyed making the mix and decorating the jars. These went to the gala but I'll be making some more for gifts.

Sewing, sowing, sown

Some silly person (me) volunteered to sew the costumes for Liam's school production on top of the ones I sew to order.
School holidays and camping trips have brought this to a stand still. So I have taken action and packed the kids off to Nana's for three days so I can get them done.
Liam is an All Black in the production and his teacher has very bravely given him a line to say (I can wait to hear his line turn into a twenty minute monologue as he loves acting). Ahh the unpredictability of children with autism.
Off to sew 10 aliens and 5 spacemen.

Carrots

How I wish my carrots would grow. I sprinkle seeds, I water, the cats dig them up and who knows what happens to the rest but only a few plants make it. Then they sit there at a few centimetres tall and look at me for months on end.
I need carrots or I am going to go broke buying them.
Liam loves his rabbits, and rabbits love carrots. They need to be feed them a lot (according to Liam) and he does.
I wish my carrots would grow.