Reid and Quinn Celebrate 6

Reid and Quinn had a really great birthday. They seemed to be very happy with their presents. They have been asking for a monster cake for weeks and I tried to oblige-making it look as much like the picture in their favorite Charlie and Lola book. We had lots of family over for lunch and the party lasted late into the afternoon. We left the house before all of the guests because we wanted to get to the beach before dark.

Our New House

We have decided to move to Matakana and live on a "farm".  Here is the description from the real estate web site:  "Superb family living.  Large house with four bedrooms, great indoor/outdoor flow, north facing, warm and sunny.  Plenty of lawn for children, lovely garden, outside decks and barbecue area, private on a 1.08ha section (3 acres) with room for a pony to graze.  Great amenities in this rural area and on a quiet cul de sac.  Terrific beaches, parks, golf courses, wineries and sports facilities handy."

The kids will be going to a country school:  www.matakana.school.nz

The dream is becoming reality.

An Afternoon at the Beach

We have had really wonderful weather since we arrived.  Today is the first gloomy day.  Not bad for a New Zealand winter.  So, we've been to the beach at least 4 times.  Here are some shots of the family at Long Bay, which is near Richard's parents' house.

The Simpson Grandsons

Reid in front of MERC, the Marine Education and Resource Centre.
Quinn on his first night in New Zealand.  Cozy in his pj's and new robe (dressing gown).

Kip fulfilling a "life long" dream of having a lemonade stand.  The lemonade was made from backyard lemons and was excellent!  His profits were minimal even though he sold every last drop.

Cousin Jack being subjected to the sort of photo shoot posing that 10 week old babies tend to be subjected to.
 

We're Leaving On A Jet Plane

Waiting to board and looking at our plane.
Our Boeing 777

Plugged in to the entertainment system and very happy about having their own remote controls.  Quinn didn't understand that you have to push one button at a time and then wait before pressing the next one.  The flight crew had to reset his system 2 times until I hid his remote.
We left San Francisco on Thursday 29 May and arrived in Auckland on Saturday 31 May.  The boys were amazing on the plane.  I think they were all so excited that they didn't realise what was actually happening.  They had their own personal entertainment systems with movies, TV shows, games and music.  The best part was not so much WHAT they got to watch, but that they had total control over their OWN remote.   They also slept a fair amount.  Which meant that I actually got a few hours of sleep myself.  Makes for a less fuzzy experience with customs, immigration, baggage claim, sniffing drug dogs.  It was weird for me to arrive in New Zealand with my family who are all citizens.  Made me feel a bit second-class.

Monkeys

Reid mastered the monkey bars at the park the other day.  He was so determined to make it work; he kept trying until he made it all the way across.  I was SO proud!

Boys At The Beach

We are spending a few days with my parents in California before heading to New Zealand.  The boys loved playing on the beach.  It seems to really suit them.

Fabulous Farewell

Last Saturday, our friends John and Leslie threw us a farewell party.  It was a great time!  Or at least I think I remember it that way.  I consumed a bit too much alcohol of various kinds......  Richard and I were pleased that so many of our wonderful friends were able to come celebrate with us.  John played paparazzi and took some great photos to memorialize the event.  These are just a few.  He also took a lot of pictures of feet.  Sorry, John, the feet pics aren't making into the blog. 

Look, Ma, No Teeth

It seemed to take forever, but finally Reid's front teeth came out. They were so loose and constantly poking out between his lips (not a good look) that all of the Kindergarten teachers were encouraging me to pull them out. Which I did. But, I tried every day for two weeks and they only came out when they were ready. Reid was SO good about it. And he looks SO cute without them!

Monkeys in the Tree

Our three little monkeys tried to climb banana trees at the zoo over the weekend. It was very cute.

Harry Potter makes lunch

Hero Day

Today was Hero Day for the Kindergarten classes at Grayhawk. Reid went as Albert Einstein. Over 100 Kindergarten students assembled on stage to sing songs and take turns talking about their heroes. It was a truly awesome sight to see them up there doing exactly what they were supposed to do without any adult direction. They practiced long and hard, and according to Reid's teacher, even at the end of the day yesterday, no one thought they could pull it off. But they did. Reid was right in there with the best of them doing exactly what he was supposed to do.Einstein getting ready for school
Einstein on the playground
Einstein at the microphone (I couldn't fix his eyes in this photo...)
Einstein after the performance with his wonderful aide, Ryan.

Kip Learns to Skate

Last week, Kip and I went to a birthday party at a skating rink. It was tons of fun. At first, Kip was not too happy to be out on the ice and I had to hold him up all the way around the rink. Then we discovered Skate Aids and he took off. He looked a bit like an old man with a walker, but he had a blast and we skated for over an hour.Enrique, Kip and Varun

Kip and Mom