Day 46  The boys and I headed to Orana Wildlife Park today to catch up with some relatively close neighbours of the furry kind!  It was another promised school holidays outing, and even though the weather wasn't even close to summer weather, it was a great day to see so many of the animals out and closer than you often get to see them.  The lions were only a couple of metres away through the fence - such beautiful animals - and to name a few, we saw the zebras wandering, meerkats, monkeys, lemurs and tiger and gibbons, who were being incredibly loud as usual (which Austin thought was incredibly funny.)  And we fed the giraffes!  A large calf escaped at the Farm Yard, which made for an interesting time there (Hayden definitely won't ever be a farmer, lol!)  We were also lucky enough to see the two new incredibly cute cheetah cubs!

After a play at the playground and a picnic lunch, the boys ran around for a bit.  I decided to try and grab a few photos of them as neither of them had been in the mood for any photos up until this point and all I had gotten was grumpy faces!  I don't think they were ever going to be in the mood for photos today - until they forgot about the camera and started being the typical boys they are!  Austin spent most of the time either trying to stand or sit just like his big brother (facial expressions included) - or he was jumping on him!  Great fun!

Day 45  One of the things that I love about this project is that with my camera pretty much sitting out all of the time at the moment, there are many opportunities to capture an understated glimpse of daily life, the every day 'stuff' that often you wouldn't bother going and getting your camera out for - or that by the time you find your camera, the moment is gone! 

I love looking back on photos from special occasions and fun times, but at the same time, I love looking back on those photos that don't really need much of an explanation.  They show life as it is, and as a parent, they often speak a thousand words about your children.  And that's what today's photo is for me.

The boys both love to watch "Peppa Pig" in the mornings.  It is Austin's absolute favourite at the moment, and even Hayden at nearly 7, doesn't complain and lines up to watch it!   I was in the middle of cleaning up breakfast this morning, but couldn't help but sneak a photo of them sitting there watching, perfectly placed between the couches, and completely oblivious to the fact that I had my camera in my hands.  Even Peppa Pig played game and jumped in a muddy puddle for us at the same time!

Day 44  Summer Soccer started back again today after the holiday break.  Hayden is now in his third season of playing, and although it's been quite a step up to the 7-9 year old grade this season, he's really enjoying the game and always puts in a huge effort every week.  He scored a great goal today too, so a fantastic start to the year!

I didn't take my camera to the game, as even though I would have loved to, it is hard enough trying to keep Austin off the pitch (that is off any of the 7 pitches!) and out of all the nets, even without a camera in my hand!  So, instead, we decided to take some photos before we headed off to the game.  The plan was to take some photos of Hayden kicking the ball around the back yard - which I did - but then sometimes there's a completely unplanned photo that comes from nowhere and you immediately fall in love with it!  And that's what has happened today.  Hayden simply came along, sat down on the ball right in front of me, and then proceeded to get the giggles.  I just love his smile when he laughs!

Day 43  We have had a wonderful, busy day today!  This morning the boys and I went to one of our old favourites, Willowbank.  I can't even tell you the number of times we've been here over the years, and we've had an annual pass now for many years.  The boys both love going here, and love feeding the eels, deer, wallabies, horse, donkeys and sheep - giving the poor old goats and pigs a bit of a miss!  I don't really blame them giving the huge kunekune pigs a wide berth though!  We also saw the lemurs, gibbons, turtles, tortoises, takahe and kiwis (amongst many others), making for a very successful visit!  A highlight for Hayden today was to pat and feed the very tame wallaby with the joey in her pouch.  Austin was pretty impressed with the "baby in pocket" too!

The rest of the day was spent squeezing in some grocery shopping on the way home, strawberries and ice cream for afternoon tea (Hayden's request), and then a good old kiwi BBQ for dinner, sitting outside to eat and enjoying the beautiful warm evening with no wind for a change!  I'm not sure if I want the holidays to end any time soon!

Day 42  Every Monday afternoon is Karate.  It's usually a mad dash to get from school to his class on time, so it's quite a relief not to have to rush to get there in the holidays!  Hayden has been going for over a year now, and last year was very excited to graduate to his Junior Yellow Belt.  Now he's slowly earning more 'tips' again. 

Hayden duely reminded me today that last Monday I promised that this week would be 'Karate photo day', so here he is practicing before he went to his class today - all very serious stuff!

Day 41  A day at home today, with housework and jobs for the big ones (that's me and Steve!) and just hanging out for the boys.  The day started out warm and overcast, and before the rain arrived this afternoon, the boys spent some time out on the trampoline - as they do most days.  I had hoped to get a photo of both boys in action, but that is always easier said than done, and Austin had other ideas.  And if you know Austin, you know that when he decides he is - or isn't - going to do something, that is it!  So that just left Hayden and I to have a play.  It's great having a 'big' boy this year to help me out with my photos!

Day 40  After a day out for me selling ice creams at the International Buskers' Festival in Hagley Park today fundraising for Hayden's school, it only seemed fitting that today's photo should be of Hayden having a special Saturday night ice cream treat!

Day 39  Guess who the Tooth Fairy visited last night??

This tooth seems to have been wiggly forever!  It was wiggly before school ended; it was still wiggly at Christmas; it has continued to sit there and be wiggly for nearly all of January; it has been wiggled by Hayden and wiggled by me.  The Tooth Fairy bear has been on holiday with us twice now - just in case!  But finally, yesterday afternoon, just as we were leaving for the park, the tooth came out!

I was going to take a photo of Hayden yesterday (after all this waiting, a photo was definitely deserved!), but he told me I could take one today instead.  So we had a little play in the studio this morning and I took a pile of photos of my spiky haired, tooth missing, quickly growing big boy.  But I really couldn't go past sharing this one!  (Although I did have trouble deciding whether to share the colour or Black and White version!)

Day 38  As soon as Hayden's friend arrived yesterday afternoon, they went and got out the boxes of all Hayden's old Thomas the Tank Engine trains and tracks.  I was surprised on two accounts: the first being that both boys had talked on the phone earlier and discussed playing 'Spies' when they got together (their favourite game that they usually play at school); and the second and main reason being that at 6, nearly 7, Hayden rarely plays with the trains anymore, and often clearly states that he's too old for them now!

Well, yesterday the boys played with them for the entire afternoon, creating scenarios and 'train families' between them.  And with the tracks still out, the theme has continued today.  Austin thinks it is all fantastic of course (a definitely bonus of having an older brother who collected everything 'Thomas' for years!) and it was the first thing he did when he got up this morning.  Hayden has been happily joining in throughout the day as well.  And it's interesting watching how he plays with them now, which is so different from a couple of years ago when he was a mad 'Thomas' fan!

I love watching Austin discover the trains, how he doesn't really care what two carriages, trains or otherwise he has joined together to pull around.  And I love even more how childhood innocence still allows Hayden to forget for a while that he's too big to play with 'little kids toys' and he can lose himself back in the world of Sodor - for a day or two at least.  

I guess I'll be playing Thomas for a few more years to come yet!

Day 37  Hayden had one of his best friends coming over to play this afternoon, so to honour the occasion the boys and I decided to bake some biscuits for afternoon tea.  The holidays have been flying by and with Steve only going back to work this week, this is the first play date Hayden has had.  To say he was excited, is probably somewhat of an understatement! 

Thankfully the biscuits were a huge success and the boys had a fantastic afternoon playing!

Day 36  Austin loves to do puzzles, and most days find us sitting on the floor of his bedroom, doing all of his puzzles one-by-one.  So with rain outside this morning, puzzles were always going to be on the list of things to do! 

Day 35  After a long weekend away, it was definitely time to hit the supermarket this morning!  I was incredibly impressed with myself that we managed to get out the door and in the car by 7.45am, but not so impressed when I realised that the shelves - fruit and veggie in particular - are pretty much empty first thing on a Monday morning!  I guess it made for a relatively cheap grocery shop though.

It is always such a struggle to get Austin to sit in the trolley these days, and when I do finally manage to get him in there about half way around, he's usually looking for the first opportunity to escape again!  And while I'm on the subject, I really wish someone would invent child-proof trolley seat-belts!!

Just for the record, we were home by 9.00am!

Day 34  It was an absolutely gorgeous Christchurch summer's day today (one of the few we've had so far this summer!), so with Mum and Dad still here, we decided to head into the centre of the city and take the boys on the Trams.  Strangely enough I had bought a Tram pass about three weeks before the February 2011 Earthquake.  Of course, following the Earthquakes the Trams were no longer running, so all passes were put 'on hold' until the Trams started again.  So my 'Annual Pass' now lasts until November 2014! 

This was the first time I had been into the city since the entire Red Zone has been opened up so it was the first time I had been back into Cathedral Square.  I took some photos of the boys in front of the Cathedral, as it now stands.  Not to do a 'tourist' thing, but because of the historical value of it.  The Cathedral won't always be there, so this being the boys' home town, I thought it may be something that they can look back on in year's to come. Although I have photos of Hayden in Catherdral Square prior to the Earthquakes, I don't really have any of him with the Cathedral in full view behind, ie: the classic tourist shot!

Now, after saying all that, I have chosen a different shot of the boys to share today, as it's simply an image that I love of them!  Both had been completely uncooperative about any photos at the Tram stop at all, and even at this point, Austin is not too impressed about Hayden's 'hug'!  But it's so just them!

Day 33  It was our last morning in Hanmer Springs this morning, and Hayden chose Mini-Golf as what he wanted to do before we headed home this afternoon, and so Mini-Golf it was (and more Mini-Golf photos!)  After what has been a cool couple of days away, the sun finally came out and it was a gorgeous morning for a little round of golf.  You would think after all the practice we've had these holidays that I'd be getting better at the game, but I think today was my worst round of the holidays yet, lol!  Just as well the photos are of Hayden then and not me!

Days 31 & 32  It's my birthday!  (And yes, it's a 'big' one, but sshh!!)   This year we have come up to the gorgeous Hanmer Springs for a birthday 'weekend' to celebrate.  Last year we came to Hanmer Springs for the first time for literally half a day.  We said at the time that we would be back and that next time we would definitely stay for longer, so here we are!  My parents have also joined us for our little mini-holiday, so it's great to have all my family together for my birthday this year, the first time in a very long time!

I've decided to blog the last couple of days together since we have basically spent most of the time since we arrived yesterday at the Thermal Pools!  The boys have been having an absolutely incredible time, and both have amazed us with their growing confidence in the water.  Both will jump off the side of the pool into the water - Hayden only into close arms (but even this is a huge step!), and Austin will just throw himself in no matter what and is not at all phased by going completely under, always popping up with the hugest grin on his face! 

After two days here, and even with most of my time spent in the pools - not with a camera in my hand - I still have so many fun shots of the boys playing (and even a family one!), so I thought I'd made a big storyboard of some of my favourites to share. 

Day 30  Another day at home today!  It's been one of those weeks really, but sometimes I think that the boys also just enjoy hanging out and relaxing at home, doing what they want to do with nowhere to go and nowhere we need to be - the sort of thing holidays are all about really! 

And the boys really have had one of those days, wandering from inside to outside, drawing, watching TV, playing with their toys.  At one point this afternoon, Austin picked out his Buzzy Bee from the toy box and started pulling it along, as he sometimes does.  Then he discovered that both the kitchen and living room doors to outside were open, so he started going out the kitchen door, across the concrete, and back into the living room - around and around and around - and around!  He thought it was great fun!  And for some reason, I just love the site of a little child pulling a buzzy bee!  I took lots of photos of Austin doing his little circuit, but there's just something that appeals to me about this one.  Maybe it's the little grin that's saying he thinks he's pretty clever for working this cool game out!

Day 29  Yesterday I wrote about how Austin loves to follow Hayden around and play with him.  Well, another great thing about having a big brother is that you get to play with all their old toys too!

Over the past few days, I've been having a sort out in the boy's wardrobes; moving things to Austin's room that Hayden has outgrown, getting out some of Hayden's old toys that were put away a while ago, finding space for new Christmas toys, and boxing up some things that neither of the boys use anymore all ready to go to a new home somewhere.  If you know me, you know how much I hate clutter and unused things and how I LOVE to organise, so I guess you could say I've been in my element, lol!

Austin thinks that it is great opening his wardrobe, seeing a different box in there and opening it up to see what new puzzle or activity he has found!  Sometimes Hayden has been playing with him and helping him and it's so funny hearing him say, "Oh, this used to be my favourite game!", like he did with this one today.

Day 28  I think it is safe to say that the boys have a pretty typical brother to brother relationship.  One minute they can be sitting quietly together, the next they are running around the room chasing and and jumping on each other, and then the next minute it all gets too rough and the fun is all over!   However, more and more Austin is getting to an age where he and Hayden can play alongside together.  With nearly 4 and a half years' difference between them, Hayden often likes to go off and play what he likes to play, but of course Austin thinks his big brother is the best thing ever, and will follow him around the house so he doesn't miss out on anything Hayden is doing!

So, after lunch today, this is what I found.  I was a little worried it had gotten too quiet up the hallway (which usually isn't a good sign!), but the boys were both happily reading books on Hayden's bed.  Austin loves to look at Hayden's dinosaur books, and it's probably a good thing that Hayden is now moving out of his dinosaur 'phase' as he doesn't mind Austin looking at them - and it means that he can look at his "Star Wars" books in relative peace!

Day 27  When asked what he would like to do today, Hayden's reply was to go to the swimming pool.  To a parent with a child who has a huge fear of swimming, this is a huge thing!  So we weren't going to miss the opportunity and it was off to the pool we went.  Hayden still has a long way to go, but he will now go in a swimming pool if he knows he can touch the bottom, he will move around the pool on his own fairly confidently, and he is even starting to put his head under the water because he knows he can do it!

After our morning swimming, it was a quiet afternoon at home, with Steve staining the front deck, and some 'new' friends coming to visit.  Hayden decided he wanted to get out his new Meccano set to make something, and happily read the instructions and started to build his robot by himself.  He did a great job, pretty much getting all the way to the last two instructions without any help!  He was very proud of his first attempt at Meccano!

Day 26  It was a busy day today; Austin had a birthday party this morning, and then this afternoon I had my first shoot of the New Year, a gorgeous Naming Ceremony with the most adorable wee girl.  It was a perfect day for both!

With a busy day ahead, I decided that I should probably take my photo for the day earlier rather than later!  And so here are the two boys, still in their pyjamas and watching TV - a pretty typical Saturday morning really!

Day 25  Wow, half way there!  It was yet another afternoon in the garden for me, finishing clipping the hedge and then spraying weeds!  Making progress though and I think the big tidying up is pretty much done for now.  Always a list of things to do still though! 

When we're out in the garden on a gorgeous days like this with the sun shining and the doors wide open, the boys spend their time going between playing inside and outside, sometimes playing together or off doing their own independent things.  Sometimes they discover something really fun to do and play for ages - like today!  The boys have worked out that if they turn the outside taps on around the back of the house, they can make a great big puddle right down the length of the concrete, which makes for a fantastic track to run up and down through - and you get really wet! 

Now unfortunately I can't share my absolute favourite photo from today.  Instead I will share a 'safe' photo of the boys - before Austin decided to run up and down with no clothes on (think cute little bare bottom running away from me).  I'll just have to save those ones for his 21st ;)

Day 24  It has been another day in the garden today for me, this time trimming back all the hedges! Once I start doing a large job like this, I don't tend to stop - even to take photos!  However, Austin and I did do the much needed huge grocery shop this morning as the cupboards were looking incredibly bare after our trip away!  It is always a mission with Austin in tow, as he would much rather 'help' get items off the shelves and put them in the trolley rather than sit in the trolley these days, much like his big brother was at the same age!  He was just as keen to help me put the groceries away when we got home too, for a little while at least.  I just wish that I could get this excited about putting away groceries!  (For the record, he doesn't even eat ham, and he was doing this with every item he pulled out!)   

Day 23  It's been an 'outside jobs' day today after being away on holiday for a couple of weeks.  The day was mainly spent pulling out weeds and cutting back plants and trees.  I can never work out why the garden always seems to grow so much more when you are away for two weeks than when you are at home for the same amount of time!  On the good side of that though, we did get to pick lots of ripe strawberries and baby carrots from our veggie garden!

Admittedly, the boys did spend most of their day playing, but I did put them to work this morning helping me wash the car ;)  I'm not sure how clean the car really got (even though I was pretty wet!), but at least it was cleaner than it was before!

(I don't often play too much with different styles when I'm editing photos, but I did try something a little different with this photo.  Sometimes I don't necessarily like an image in saturated colour, and I was going to share this one in black and white, but ended up with this first!)

Day 22  After a long drive today, we're home and all unpacked - well nearly!

Day 21  Packing, packing, packing today!  Our holiday away is quickly coming to an end.  We did squeeze in one last trip to the swimming pool though this afternoon!  I think the boys will miss that the most of all when we head home.

One of the photos that I've wanted to take these holidays is a photo of Austin in the shower.  However, by shower time at night I've usually got my photo for the day.  So since it's our last night tonight, I had to 'save' my photo today for shower time!  There is no bath at the crib, so it's showers for everyone.  Austin loves his showers, and as soon as you say it's shower time, he's running off to try and turn it on.  Getting him out is another story!!

Day 20  It was morning of mini golf and and afternoon of swimming again today.  We are getting in lots of practice of both these holidays, but more than anything it is great to see the boys' confidence in the water grow!  Hayden is slowly putting his fear of swimming behind him, and will even put his head nearly completely under the water from time to time.  He's not overly relaxed in the water yet though.  On the other hand, Austin is definitely our little water baby, and jumps, splashes and swims around.  He isn't phased at all!

But now onto our photo for today!  Next to the swimming pool there is a skateboard park, and everyday after we've been swimming the boys have headed over to watch other kids (big and small!) on their scooters, bikes and skateboards.  So today we took Hayden's scooter in with us and after our swim he gave it a go too.  It's the first time he's ever been on a skateboard park, so he started off slowly, but by the end he was flying around.  I can definitely see this being added to our list of things to do again!

Day 19  Another bike photo today!  This morning we rode into Alexandra to the swimming pool again, this time taking The Millenium Trail.  It's always been a favourite easy Mountain Bike trail that Steve and I have ridden for years, but this is the first time we've taken Hayden and Austin on it.  Hayden did really well on his new bike, even though we still need to work on getting him to change gears going up hills!  He was pretty impressed that he'd ridden 16km today, his longest bike ride yet.  And I think we all deserved the swim at the end! : ) 

Day 18  I had literally just finished saying that I hadn't taken my photo for the day today when I looked up and this is what I saw : )  The boys had just gotten ready to go to the swimming pool (hence they're in their togs), and Dea was sitting down the back of the section under the trees waiting for us all.  When Hayden came out and spotted him, he ran down the back to sit with him, and then as soon as Austin saw what was happening there was no way he was going to miss out and ran down to join them.  So, all that was left for me to do was to grab my camera, run down the back too, and get a photo before the boys decided it was time to take off again (which was all of one photo as far as Austin was concerned)!  I love it when you get to capture special moments like these!

Day 17  It was a cool start to the day again today (where has our summer weather gone?) and a morning around home.  But after lunch we headed over to Cromwell for another afternoon of mini golf (Hayden's choice) and then swimming (one of Austin's favourites). 

It was absolutely blowing a gale (and cold!) when we arrived at mini golf, but there was no way Hayden wanted to postpone.  He has improved heaps since this time last year and actually looks like he's playing golf now rather than hockey!  And Austin loves trying to get the ball in the holes too, although he just skips straight to the hole each time.  He definitely has the excited "Hole!" 'dance' going on though :-) 

As we walked back to the car the boys ran over to the famous Cromwell icon, so we did the 'tourist' thing, and took the boys' photo under the big fruit.  You don't usually do these sorts of cliche photos when it's something you see all the time - and you're not on an overseas holiday - but you never know, it might be one of those photos that they boys can recreate in 20 years time, lol!

Day 16  Happy New Year!  2014 is here!  It was a very quiet start to the New Year for us, with a day around home.  Luckily the rain showers this morning cleared to a relatively sunny and warm afternoon and we could head outdoors and get some fresh air.  It's pretty much impossible to keep Austin inside at the moment anyway; he'd be outside rain, hail or shine!

Backyard cricket was the choice for today.  Apart from one stop for rain, we spent most of the afternoon playing.  I think we've played cricket down here in nearly every season now and all kinds of weather, with the bat and wickets getting dragged out every time we stay!  Hayden has become quite the captain, arranging the field and deciding who is playing in the different positions.  And, in true backyard cricket style, hitting the fence is a 4, and over the fence is out!  Although with the way that Hayden is now hitting the ball, we might have to start taking our games to the park across the road soon!