Day 44  |  The books are covered, labels on, pens and pencils named, all ready for the new school bag along with a new school uniform!  I guess you could say that we are now all ready for school on Monday! 

Day 43  |  It kind of felt like the last day of the holidays today (even though we still have the weekend ahead), so I decided to take the boys out for an end of holidays treat to the movies.  It was particularly special for Austin as he had never been to the movies before - and I have to admit I did wonder if he would sit still for long enough!  But it was also the first time I have been to the movies with Hayden.  He has been before with his Dad and Grandparents, but I've always been a home looking after Austin!

So this morning we headed into town and we went to see "Paddington".  I think I was looking forward to seeing the movie as much as the boys, partly because it has been years since I've been to the movies, but mainly because "Paddington Bear" was an absolute favourite of mine as a child.  In fact, on the way into the city this morning, I was telling the boys how I visited Paddington Station in London when I lived there, and bought my very own Paddington Bear soft toy : )

The boys did great, and the movie was fantastic - for children and adults alike!  (Hayden is already asking for the DVD.)  Next time we might make it the whole family!

I did have to pop my camera in my bag (with my 50mm lens) and grab a photo of the boys waiting for the movie.  Unfortunately the "Paddington" poster was way up high hanging from the roof, so my idea of getting their photo standing 'next to' Paddington Bear didn't quite eventuate, so it was a quick snap sitting in a chair (to contain their excitement) instead!

Day 42  |  It's pretty good when you've got a big brother to read you bedtime stories!  Over the summer holidays, Hayden has become a firm part of Austin's nightly bedtime story routine.  We all take our turn reading to Austin, but I do love listening to Hayden read to him, and especially the goodnight conversations that follow.  I love capturing images like this.  Something special <3

Day 41  |  I had to actually stop then and double check that I had counted the number of days in the holidays correctly!  But, yes, only 4 more days until school goes back.  I bought Hayden's new uniform today, and the stationery order arrived days ago, ready to be covered and named (and still sitting on the bench!). So, slowly getting back into 'school' mode!

This afternoon though was the first day back for Summer Soccer after the holiday break.  It's Hayden's fourth season of playing, and each summer he's always ready to head back for another season.  Rugby boy in the winter; soccer boy in the summer!  Today we squeezed in a quick photo all ready to go before we headed out the door!

Day 40  |  We dropped Hayden off for a play date at a friend's house this afternoon, so Austin had me lined up to play a long list of games with him!  First on the list was the Marbles.  I think he is going to miss his big brother next week when he goes back to school!

Day 39  |  Only one week today til school goes back!  So this time next week, we'll be doing this walk everyday again.  This morning though it was just Austin going off to preschool.  I love how we live close enough to school to be able to walk everyday, and although the boys don't enjoy 'walking' as such, they do love riding their bikes and scooters! It's just me who has to keep up!

Day 38  |  We did some family Sunday morning exercise with a bike ride out at McLeans Island this morning!  I am always so amazed though by how much it has changed there since the big winds of 2013.  What used to be nearly all forest tracks, is now so different with the majority of the trees gone.  It is good to see some new ones starting to grow more now too though, and we are just so lucky to have this great outdoor space only 10 minutes drive from home!  And we rode the full 17.5km of tracks today, so lots of fun and very proud of Hayden for riding the whole way too!

I managed to convince Steve to carry my camera and 70-200mm lens with him (I can't as I have Austin on the back of my bike), so that I could get some more 'action' shots today.  Although I only stopped twice for some very quick photos so we could just keep riding, I did get some great fun photos of Hayden riding, and I actually had trouble deciding which one to share.  In the end, I chose this one, partly because I like that we are in the trees, and just because I like it ;)

Day 37  |  I spent the day selling ice creams for the school again today, so with leaving home this morning and not getting back til after 6pm, there wasn't too much time to take my photo for today.

I decided to try and take a photo of the boys in the shower tonight when I got home, which turned out to be harder than it sounds!  Austin wasn't too keen on a shower at all tonight and for a start Hayden refused to have his photo taken, so there nearly was no photo at all!  But with the quick photo I did manage to take, we kind of got there!

Day 36  |  It was off to one of the old favourites today, Willowbank.  We've had an annual pass there nearly every year since Hayden was one!  It's such a great place to go, especially for the younger children.  The boys definitely know their way around and know which animal comes next! 

Not too much changes from visit to visit, but there were lots of 'firsts' for Austin today: he fed the eels and let the deer feed off his hand (as opposed to throwing the food at them!).  And, he went on his first donkey ride, which he loved!

I'm sure that I have hundreds of photos of the boys at Willowbank, and I don't usually take my camera there now very often.  However, since it's Photo-A-Day time, I had to take a few photos today!

Day 35  |  A few days ago, the boys got the Thomas the Tank Engine tracks out, and have been playing with them on and off since, especially Austin.  Hayden was a huge Thomas the Thank Engine fan when he was Austin's age, and hence many a birthday or Christmas present consisted of something 'Thomas'!  So by default, Austin now has a great collection of Thomas trains and tracks, even though he's not the biggest fan!

Today Hayden and I built a new track, with Austin helping by handing us pieces of track.  When I was putting up this photo I realised how few trains you can see on the track (there was a huge pile just out of sight!), but this was taken just after we finished the new track.  Hayden refused to be in the photo as he didn't want a photo of him playing with Thomas the Tank Engine on Facebook :-)

Day 34  |  Today we went to catch up with a good friend of ours in town that I've known for nearly 8 years now.  Jannaya and I met when Hayden and Harrison were only a few weeks old at the start of our Plunket Mums' Group.  Hayden and Harrison were the only boys in our group so they were bound to become friends!  Although we don't see them as much as we used to, we still keep in touch, and it's nice to be able to catch up in the holidays.

It's been about six months since the boys had seen each other, but you'd never guess!  And boys being boys, they had water fights, sword fights, and generally made a lot of noise!  But Hayden definitely had a great time today and didn't want to leave to come home! 

I had to take my camera along of course for an updated photo of the boys.  Which led us to think about some of the earlier photos we had of them.  Jannaya and I then convinced them to recreate a photo from a few years ago - 6 in fact!  I'm not sure if we'll be able to talk them into it in another 6 years though!

Thank you for the catch up Jannaya and Harrison (and Cooper!)  Will see you next holidays!

Day 33  |  A while ago, Hayden was asking about crystals and how they are made.  So when I saw this little crystal "Magic Tree" while we were away on holidays, I thought Hayden might enjoy it.  Since we were having a 'home day' today, we decided to give it a go. 

We didn't have to do too much other than just set it up, but Hayden (and I!) really enjoyed watching it 'grow' during the day, especially seeing how much it had changed when we were out for an hour or so at the park this afternoon. 

I'm not sure that we've learned any more about crystals, but it was a little fun activity anyway and something different to do!

Day 32  |  Austin had his first day back at preschool today, and Hayden and I were off to sell ice creams at the World Buskers' Festival in Hagley Park.  This is a huge fundraiser each year for Hayden's school, with thanks to Tip Top Ice Creams.  And thankfully it was another gorgeous hot day - the perfect day for an ice cream!

This is the third time I've been involved with this fundraiser, but it was the first time that Hayden has come along with me to help.  There were two other boys there with their Mums as well (similar age to Hayden), and the three of them were pretty much running the sales themselves by the end of our shift, each with their own 'task' to do.  Hayden was the 'money man', so was in charge of working out the cost of the sale and giving the change.  If you know Hayden, you'll know that he was in his element!  And I have to say that all three boys did a great job there today! 

So today's photo is none other than Hayden in the ice cream caravan.  Ice cream anyone??

Day 31  |  Homeward bound after a fantastic birthday weekend away!  It was time to pack up this morning and make our way back to Christchurch in the heat, but not before one last wander up the street and a yummy brunch. 

And so, our family holidays have come to an end for another year.  Steve is back at work tomorrow, and Austin is back to preschool.  Incredibly it's only another two weeks before school goes back!  Just hoping that this gorgeous weather we have had this summer continues just a little longer!

Another photo of the boys in Hanmer today : )

Day 30  |  We woke up to a beautiful, hot day today - the perfect day for a birthday ;)  This morning we wandered up town before heading to the incredibly busy pools for the rest of the day! 

For the first time, Hayden decided he was keen to have a go on the water slides.  This is a pretty big thing for a boy who up until this time last year wouldn't even put his head under the water!  And he loved them, spending most of the day going down them (when he wasn't queuing up!)  Eventually the big kid in me took over, and I had to have a go too! 

No photos of the water slides unfortunately, but a photo of the boys down town this morning playing on the rocks instead :-)

Day 28  |  This is what you call letting Mum and Dad have a rare little holiday lie in, taken at 6.30am before sneaking back to bed ;)

Day 27  |  Well our plans of a picnic and bike ride had to be abandoned today when we woke up to unexpected rain this morning, and rain that lasted most of the day.  It is so desperately needed around here though so we can't complain too much.  With a wet day ahead, that led us to another of our summer favourites, and it was off to the swimming pool for the morning!

The rain finally cleared late this afternoon, so after dinner tonight the boys got to head outdoors and burn off some energy!  (What is is with boys and pent up energy?!)  So the trampoline it was and a very quick photo for the day!

Day 26  |  Brothers <3

Day 25  |  After being away for nearly three weeks, the lawns are long and the garden looks like it hasn't been weeded in months!  I'm sure that the weeds grow more when we're not here!  So, today was a tidy-up outside day!  Steve and I were pretty much busy all day with lawns and gardens, and the boys had a pretty relaxing day just hanging out at home.  They also enjoyed being back on the trampoline again, and Austin tested out the tyre swing to make sure it was still working!

Day 24  |  And just like that, we are home!  We had an amazing 'summer' holiday.  I have to add 'summer' in there, because the weather was the best we have had for probably as long as I can remember.  We spent so much of our time at the swimming pool cooling off, having picnics at the park and spending time outdoors, biking, playing and just hanging out.  It was one of those holidays where we seemed to manage the perfect balance between doing lots of things and keeping the kids happy with not feeling 'busy' and it being relaxing at the same time!

But I guess holidays do have to come to and end, and today was the 'big' trip home.  It takes us about 6 hours, with a stop for lunch.  And I have to say that technology makes the long trips so much easier for the boys!  With the portable DVD players and headphones, even Steve and I get to listen to 'our' music at the same time.  And we've done the trip enough times now that the boys know it's a long way, and generally settle down into the jouney really well, with not too many "How much longer?"s!

As for today's photo, this was a quick snap this morning while we were getting organised to leave.  The boys haven't watched much TV while we've been away, but when he got up this morning, Austin was very excited to discover his favourite programme "Andy's Dinosaur Adventures" was back on TV!  So with a cuddle from Dea, they sat down to watch it together!  Special times X

Day 23  |  Half way through the holidays, and the last day of our Clyde holiday!  We spent a quiet morning at home packing getting things organised ready to head home tomorrow.  Then the afternoon was a holiday favourite, the swimming pool, followed by another favourite, backyard cricket!  When I saw the boys going out to play, I suddenly realised that I hadn't taken any 'cricket' photos these holidays.  So, cricket it is!

Day 22  |  Wow, another amazing 33 degree day!  It definitely feels like the type of summer I remember as a kid in Central! 

Hayden was given the choice of what he'd like to do today.  He decided on a bike ride, picnic and then the swimming pool.  So, it was pretty much a repeat of yesterday with a bike along The Millennium Trail in Alexandra, a picnic at the park (a different one from yesterday), and then off to the swimming pool to cool off.  And did we need that swim - feeling very hot and dusty!

I grabbed a quick photo of the boys at the park today for something different.  Plus we were trying to beat our best time for the bike ride, so no photo stops - bar a quick iPhone photo as Austin wanted a photo in our photo 'spot' from yesterday again : )

Day 21  |  Today was yet another gorgeous summer's day!  We decided to do one of our favourite mountain bike trails - The Millenium Trail from Clyde to Alexandra.  It is a great 13km trail following the river, a narrow pathway up and down hills going mostly through the trees and across lots of little bridges along the way. 

Of course, we had to have a little photo stop along the way.  We even found a sign that we could pop the camera on and do some self-timer shots!  I do try and get at least one family photo a year and it's pretty much been a year since the last one.  So here you go, a very rare family photo! 

Day 20  |  Today was a pretty special day for a very excited little boy in our house - we went on a "Dinosaur Adventure"!  And if you know Austin at all, you'll probably already know that he is completely dinosaur crazy, and is definitely the biggest dinosaur fan that I know!

We headed off after lunch to the Highlands Motorsport Park, just out of Cromwell, which at first may seem like a strange place for a Dinosaur Adventure.  But along with a Race Car Museum, Go-Kart Racing and various other activities, there is also a Safari Adventure!

So, as well as watching a Lamborghini and Porsche race around the track, and getting to stand next to one of Michael Schumacher's early F1 Race Cars, we got to go and see the dinosaurs! 

If you are in the Central Otago area, the Highlands Motorsport Park is definitely worth a visit!

Way too many photos today to share just one!

Day 19  |  Queenstown, one of the most beautiful spots in the South Island, an amazing town that completely buzzes in the middle of summer, closely followed by the ski season in winter.&nbsp; It is a town that I have visited many summers - and winters too.&nbsp; And it's where Steve and I managed a night away (without children!) for a slightly belated 10th Wedding Anniversary celebration!&nbsp; So this morning we had to do the 'tourist' thing and get a photo of us together down by the water front (a very rare thing!)

Day 18  |  Steve and I were heading away today for our first (ever!) night away from both the boys, so I thought I'd take a quick photo on the old wooden seat that has become a bit of an annual photo spot for us before we headed away.  However, it's often amazing how hard it can be to take one photo of my two boys sitting still!  There were quite a few 'outtakes' for this one as my little cheeky monkey was not going to sit in one spot without wriggling, hugging, blowing raspberries, jumping off the seat, and pretty much anything else you can imagine.  But we did get there in the end, and who can argue with looking up to your big brother like he is the best thing ever!

Day 15  |  Well today didn't turn out quite as we had planned!  We decided that we would go to an old favourite picnic spot from many years ago, so that the boys could play in the stream there, dig in the stones, and basically have some fun.  So we got a picnic lunch ready, packed the cars, and headed off.

At first we thought the only problem was the grey clouds and few spits of rain on the way through the gorge.  However, we were to be proved wrong!  When we arrived, we found that our picnic spot didn't quite look the same, and had definitely changed since the last visit!  There was a picnic table there, but add to that a few thistles too.  And the little stoney stream with its ankle deep water and stoney 'beaches' around it has now turned into a very narrow little fast flowing, deep stream, with thick big trees almost covering it!

If you are reading this I am sure you are starting to wonder how many actual  years ago we last visited!  Well I should have probably stated in the first paragraph that this was a favourite picnic spot from when I was a kid, and we actually spent a lot of our time there gold panning!  From memory, I'm guessing I was about 12 when we were last there!  So, it really shouldn't have been too much of a shock that things had 'changed'!

So, after driving around for about another 30 minutes trying to find a 'replacement' stoney stream and having no luck, the kids had had enough, so we decided to head back to Cromwell to a park the boys had spotted earlier and have our picnic there!  They boys had heaps of fun anyway, but just with a flying fox, and tunnels, along with the usual swings and slides.  And then, just so we did get our feet wet afterall, it was off to the swimming pool once again!

You've probably guessed by now that I'm not always good at sharing just one photo ;)

Firstly, flying fox fun!

Day 14  |  Happy New Year!  We had a beautiful day for the start of the New Year, so we decided to bike on the first part of the Central Otago Rail Trail from Clyde into Alexandra.  We used to do a lot mountain bike riding on holidays before we had children, and it's great now as Hayden can join us on easy short rides (which is about where my fitness is these days anyway!), and Austin sits on the back of my bike chatting away. 

Once we got to Alexandra, we headed to the park and then had a picnic lunch, then followed by a swim at the pool.  You couldn't really ask for a better start to the year!