Today Grace had her first visit to the school dentist, which she has been looking forward to all week. Much to her dismay, her teeth were perfect, so it was all over in less than ten minutes.

Can't say I've ever had a dentist's appointment that lasted only ten minutes. Or that I was disappointed to leave. Or that was free!

What is the messiest, most sugar-laden treat the teller at your bank can give your almost-two year old?

And guess which pieces of this messy, delicious treat we are still pulling out of Charlie's hair, clothes, car seat, pram.....

 

Monkey see, monkey do!

After close to four weeks of daily badgering, today was FINALLY Grace's Trike-A-Thon, her Preschool's annual fundraising event. She was sponsored for entering by family and friends and proudly raised $70.00. Which she got very excited about until she realised that it wasn't actually hers to keep.... 

Thankfully, despite the very gloomy forecast, the rain held off for most of the two hour event, which began with the big ride.

Grace rode her beloved Spiderman bike, which we paid the grand sum of $15 for at the Cromwell dump-shop while we were staying at Bannockburn over Christmas. Grace entered herself in both age categories and zoomed around the course with the younger group. However, by the time her category started, she had run out of steam, so it was a much more relaxed ride that involved a drink stop and a quick cuddle from Mummy half way round. 

Then, with the riding over and done with, it was time for the jumping castle, balloon tiaras, sausage sandwiches, enough fairy floss to make a dentist swoon, pony rides, and generally as much fun as our wallets could handle.  

This afternoon we caught up with some of our favourite people, our groomsmen Chris and Aaron, their wives Praneeta and Sandra, and their gorgeous wee boys Samuel and Harley. This was special for many reasons - a new baby for Chris and Praneeta, all of us together again for the first time since our wedding almost five years ago, and seeing Aaron, Sandra and Harley safe following the Christchurch earthquake.

We all met in the beer garden at The Cook, a pub where the boys spent a great deal of time during their varsity years in Dunedin. I'm sure the venue choice seemed like a good idea at the time, but suddenly, their children surrounded by raucous versions of themselves ten years ago, it was deemed 'too rough' by the boys themselves. So it was over to the museum for coffee. How times have changed!

This afternoon Bern and Grace walked over to Moturata Island at low tide. At low tide the sand spit is exposed, allowing intrepid explorers a small window of opportunity to visit this little island just off Taieri Mouth.

 

Or, in Grace's case, even the less intrepid of explorers. Especially those who are scared the tide will suddenly come in and they will be forced to stay the night on the island. However, only the adventurous get to see beautiful seal pups. 

But even the adventurous sometimes forget the golden rule of seals and sea lions - NEVER get between them and the water. Which is exactly what happened with this fellow.

Resulting in Grace telling Mummy all about how the big seal started 'running' at her and Daddy, so Daddy picked her up, ran very fast and hid behind a rock. Hmm. Maybe not so intrepid after all.

I have spent the best part of a week baking and icing biscuits for Grace's Preschool to sell at their annual fair this coming Sunday. As a result, every spare surface in the house is covered with racks of drying iced biscuits. Just a tad tempting for little biscuit-lovers. Yesterday Charlie successfully swiped a butterfly. And look who helped herself to a ladybug for breakfast this morning. 

That biscuit took about an hour to make, bake and decorate. 

And only five minutes to demolish.

Today Grace dug up a Stegosaurus. Of sorts. Last week Bern and I found this amazing fossil kit at Toyworld and hid it away for a rainy day. Or for a day like today, where we couldn't drive Grace into Preschool because we have the flu.

As well as creating as much red dust as she possibly could, she also had to extract the 'fossilised' bones from a block of plaster, the excavation occupying our budding paleontologist (and us) for hours. Eventually, after all that digging, scraping and brushing, she had her first ever stegosaurus. Which she put on the lounge room window sill where everyone could admire it. And quickly moved to the bookcase after Charlie decided he would try and see if he could re-break its bones.

This afternoon, while Bern was in town at the rugby, the kids and I went for a walk down to see the fishing boats. Not surprisingly, given there was a Highlander rugby match on, every boat was moored at the dock. Obviously some things are more important than money. And fish. 

On the way back up the hill, we discovered an apple tree growing by the side of the road, and the kids were delighted to be able to pick a hat-full of their own apples. Which, despite their rosy-looking goodness, did not taste as Grace expected.

Looks like we'll be having apple pie instead.

Our poor Charlie boy has had a terrible time lately with the flu and a vomiting bug. 

For a while there he had us a bit worried, not eating or wanting to participate in anything. Tonight we headed up to Waihola for fish and chips, where we were unexpectedly  (but very happily!) joined for tea in the park by the McIllhattens. Buoyed by an audience of adoring fans, our old Charlie was soon back in business. And chose to go down the highest slide in the park with enthusiastic glee, almost giving his mother heart failure.

What to do when you forget that your daughter's Preschool is dressing up for St. Patrick's Day. 

1. Curse the Irish for not preferring pink.

2. Buy the only green shirt in her size at the Warehouse the evening before. 

3. Buy curly green things for her hair from the gift wrap section at the newsagent. 

4. Dress her up and take a photo.

5. Pretend you never forgot.

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The tides here are behaving rather erratically following the tsunami in Japan. This afternoon we went for a walk along the beach and found the tide was way out, much further than we've ever seen it. Grace had a fantastic time jumping in the tidal pools left behind, some of which were surprisingly deep, as well as searching for treasures.

 

As usual she balked at having a proper swim with Daddy, even though I think she really wanted to jump in with him. Why? Because there might be sharks and she was 'fwightened'. Sound familiar Aunty Katie?  

Grace and Bern spent the weekend at Nokomai with Grandma, Aunty Katherine and Uncle Donald (McDonald). Grace had a wonderful time removing a bird's nest in the coal range chimney with Bern, discovering what she is determined are 'penguin' bones (quite a phenomenon considering Nokomai is about 100km  inland for the nearest penguin colony), and getting up close and personal with this eel that 'McDonald' caught.

Bern enjoyed himself too. Even managed to squeeze in some trout fishing and try out his pride and joy, his brand new Hardy fishing rod.

He stopped enjoying himself, however, when shortly after this photo was taken, he snapped that brand new rod. That cost $400. Half price. That is one expensive fish that had better taste really, really good.

Off to the beach this afternoon for a walk while we waited to see the fishing boats when they returned home on the incoming tide. As usual, there were treasures to be collected, bird and animals tracks to follow, little brothers to chase, and sandcastles to build, decorate, renovate and demolish.

And finally, just when we were about to give up and head home for tea.......a fishing boat to wave to.

This week we received a letter from Nana and Rosco, which included photos of the first calf of the season and Dad's new horse, Jedda. 

 

This caused much excitement in the Morrison household, with Charlie mooing at the calf photo, and  Grace deciding that she would take 'her' Jedda photo in for special news at Preschool. So we filled out a special news sheet, with Grace narrating the news and signing her name.

So off to Preschool we went today, with Grace clutching her precious news. She was very reluctant to put it in the news box, however I was staying to help for the morning, so I promised her I'd keep an eye on Jedda. Which I then forgot about. So of course one of the children took a fancy to Jedda and took Grace's news out of the news box, so when it came time for Grace to have her turn...no news. And floods of tears. Thankfully, her gorgeous teachers got everyone searching, and after a great deal of hunting, it eventually turned up, and she finally got to tell everyone all about her Dodo's new horse. 

 

 

And about how Oliver threw Dodo onto the ground, and how Dodo broke some bones and didn't ride for a long time, and how Rosie might be having a foal, and all about the new calves, and the willy wag tails that nest on the washing line under the eaves, and the possum nest in the trees with baby possums in it, and the bower birds nest, and the black wallabies that eat Nana's roses.....

Once again, we have been running very low on water. So this time, we called in the big guns and had an entire tank's worth delivered rather than half a tank as before.

 

So of course it bucketed down two days later. That Murphy needs a right good kicking.

Today we met Grace's new friend Sophie, along with her mum and her little brother, at the aquarium. For a small aquarium, it had some great exhibits, such as tiny baby sharks swimming about inside egg cases back-lit by special lights, and a big cylindrical tank of seahorses.

However, after the discovery of the touch tank, which was accessible on all sides and had foot stools for the kids, they hardly even looked at anything else. 

Despite managing to slip off her footstool and fall forward into the touch tank, causing one disgruntled resident to reach out a tiny orange claw and try to give her a nip, Grace had a wonderful time exploring the pool with Sophie. Charlie probably would have enjoyed it too, except he slept through the whole thing.