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!