This seems to be our week of lasts.... At Kate's last Pippins' meeting, they had a celebration. The pink Pippins all got their Water-for-Life badges and a whole lot more. Kate was very proud. The group gave Kate some special Kiwi badges that she can sew on her sash at home should she continue in Girl Guides.
Pippins hugging their tree...
Presentation of badges.
Then of course, April 1st was the last day of school - for the term and for our kids for their time in NZ. It was a really great experience for both Mira and Kate. I am sure Mira would say her highlights include great friends and a great camp. Kate is taking off in her reading after only 9 weeks and loves her little friends at school. Although the kids liked the ease of wearing their uniform everyday, neither one of them wanted to keep it as a souvenir so we have donated them back to the school and we donated a pile of books for their library. Thanks Leamington Primary School, you are good as....
Kate and her Year One teacher, Niki Seymour.
Mira with her Year Six teacher, Mr. Morrison.
Mira riding Roadie.
Mira had her last horseback riding lessons this week as well. She has come along wonderfully for a Yukon kid with almost no experience on a horse. She learned how to care, wash and tack up her horse and trot, canter and who knows what else. She will miss this very special NZ experience.
After our 'real estate inspection' we were told that the gardens needed weeding and the bamboo 'trimming.' Well I set to work and a few hours later, had a really formidable pile of greens to recycle. Hard to believe, but when Krista and Ray moved into this house in December, the bamboo was only inches tall, and now it is over 14 feet high. I did what I could with a pair of clippers and a step stool. Paul did the loading and drop off. I guess we need what the Kiwis call a ute - utility vehicle but we managed.
Bamboo to go.
Ute wanna be.
We also went to Kihikihi to see the cross county horse races. The horse folks make mountain biking and skiing look like very, very cheap sports. The field was full of horse floats - mac trucks with campers/horse movers, expensive horses and equipment and the list goes on. The race was good fun to watch. The riders must be really brave or slightly crazy to do what they do but do it they do...
Mira and Kate on a jump.
Out of the water hazard and over the jump.
The Easter Bunny did indeed come to Leamington. The girls had the unique opportunity to search indoors and outdoors without the worry of squirrels. Lots of eggs but none for mom and dad ;(. Oh ya, and Mira lost another tooth. I think that might be tooth number 6 or 7 since we left Yukon.
To burn off the chocolate we went to hike the Te Waihou Walkway, the headwaters of the Waikato River where the river flows clear and turquoise. There was a mystic quality to this hike.
The girls had great fun spotting fish and scurrying about.
Te Waihou Walkway
Waikato River beginnings.
Intrepid walkers...
Last of the lasts? We got our packages from Grandma for Easter... at last. Thank you Grandma for the new outfits. The girls look very springy.
We are off to the Northlands camping tomorrow for a week or so and will have a whole new adventure to share when we get back.
Cheers from New Zealand,
Sharon
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