January

Fifth Jan is Lew's birthday and Ruth and Ross's Wedding Anniversary

We took Granma and Jess and Steve down to Wellington for them to head home after Masterton. We called into visit Junia's brother Craig. He showed us his Irish Orange Banner's that he got from his Granddad Fitzpatrick. We also visited Lew's childhood home, Jess was trying to have a closer look:-) 

We went for a day sightseeing to our old childhood haunts Cape Palliser, we stuck it on a beautiful day:-)

Frank and I climbed up to the Lighthouse

We did this often with mum and dad and I seem to even have a look of mum here:-)

Anne and Frank and Ruth

Oh no! Lew climbed up the rocks to have a closer look at the seals and ended up worse off after he got a little too close and slipped and fell! A broken bone in his foot didn't make him feel the happiest chap for a while!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Delicious dinners at Ruth and Anne's

Out for a day shopping to Greytown with my sisters

We called into Sharon's and she had Dahlia's the size of dinner plates!

We went up to Mt Holsworth for a Swiss experience for Friday night Pizza:-) Out in the country and the place was humming! Live dinner music to top it off:-)

On the way to and from Masterton I was impressed with the red Flax seed heads and the white Toi toi's around the mountain. 

Granma made Nikita and Savannah these cute cardigan's

We went to Eight for Lew's Birthday dinner

Kaylene and I went on a beautiful bush walk out at Piha, and then had to visit the beach to have a fun swim before heading home:-)

We went up and had a few days with Bryce and Delwyn at Opua. Delwyn Lacey and I walked around to Paihia

The Boys came to pick us up.

We went out to Delwyn's fishing spot and once again it didn't let us down:-)Fun

Lew couldn't do a whole lot sadly! So he enjoyed reading his walk with the beautiful view:-)

We went for a ride on the new cycle way from Opua

We took Granma down to David and Leverne's at Rotoiti for a visit of the old haunts:-)

 David has an amazing Noddy collection

Junia wanted to go out to Hot Water Beach and dig in the sand like they used to:-)

We went out for a lovely dinner that night:-)

YES I think I finally worked out how to get the pictures in order!!:-) Do it in 1 sitting rather than bits and pieces:-)

December

My Summer Garden was looking quite beautiful

The Hydrangea's were very vibrant this year

Once again I haven't managed to blog these in order!

We went out for a day on the boat to visit the Knowler's in the Bay of Islands

New Years Eve we were out on the boats with the Barnett Clan, Cathy and Leon and watched the fireworks at Paihia from the water

 The kids went out for Andrea's birthday

Breakfast with Heather and Russell

Andrea and Laykn

Brandon and Lew meeting Brodie

Having a stroll on the Strand Russell

Sunday Lunch at Russell with the Vickers, Mick and Adelle and Lacey

 Liz and I went to visit this Flower at the Botanic Gardens that takes 10yrs to flower and smells like rotting flesh! It was about 3m high! Most incredible.

We had some delicious dinners at Graham and Kaylene's, including Christmas Eve

Marilyn Beck was over for Conventions so she came to Visit, The Stronge Family became friends with the Becks on their trip to the US in 1966

We had some Yoga Classes at Cockle Bay, It was an awesome place to do yoga

Liz and Alton were staying while Altie recovered from his hip replacement. We had fun preparing for Christmas Lunch

It was all very delicious

 I made Liz and Altie a Personalized Calendar

We went down to Christchurch to visit Jess and Steve, We went out to Sumner 1 evening for the boys to have a surf

This was our Christmas present to ourselves that's in our en-suite:-)

November

Kaylene took us for a walk out at Piha on The Hillary Trail, it was very beautiful NZ bush walk, I loved it :-)

Polly's Farewell's

Jess and Steve came up for Christchurch Anniversary weekend:-) We had to visit our beach on such a beautiful day :-)

We took the boat out to Great Barrier Island, we struck it beautiful with weather, we had fun fishing on the way out, We had a fun weekend:-)

 Lew and Jess and Steve went boogie boarding seeing we didn't have surf boards on the boat,

Summer's on it's way

 Frank came up to help Lew dismantle Rob's Train Set, Junia took us out for a delightful dinner

It's Anne's Birthday this month, I really liked this photo she sent, Happy Birthday Anne. I've just done a Family Calendar for next year, I asked for everyone to send in some photos, 

I thought these Kliese photos were awesome also

Judy Moisy came on a cruise to NZ for her mum's 80th, We went and met her and had a ladies lunch together:-) It was really great to meet her:-)

Lunch with Eleanor and Leverne to celebrate Eleanor's special Birthday:-)