Ethan doesn’t often want to go to the movies, he has ten trillion better things to do but he wanted to see this movie.  Dave was away for the day on a fishing charter and I was the pre-req first trimester exhausted so a movie sounded just fine.  We met some friends at the mall and only then did I begin to think that maybe a 3D movie and morning sickness might not go so well together. Oh the trials…….

Anywho, I was a 3D  virgin and LOVED it!  So did Ethan who surprisingly kept his glasses on the entire time and sat transfixed every now and then reaching his hand out to try and grab whatever it was that seemed to be flying past his nose.  The story was cute and endearing, and refreshing because it was a genuine period piece.  Set in the time of vikings there were no modern references peppered throughout as is usual in animated films these days.  Ethan is 5 and was transfixed, there was nothing particularly scary or offensively loud which often puts him off movies.  Best of all the 3D didn’t give me motion sickness!

So a great movie, one we will def be watching again when it’s out on DVD.

Tara Hamster-Hunter & her Search for the Robotic Hamster

Ahhh well, who want’s a toxic hamster anyway?

We had an awesome Halloween this year, pumpkin carving on Friday afternoon, followed by Trick or Treating at Nana & Grandads and an awesome Halloween Party at Abby’s house on Saturday afternoon. Luckily Ethan’s costume was a no brainer. He hates dressing up but if it involves wearing his Cheetah Leotard that his Great-Grandmother made for him he is all over it!

Our drive back home from Whatawhiwhi took us 13hrs, but we had a great day.  Ethan was so tired he fell asleep in the car – which he never does!

First stop, the awesome Coopers Beach.  We had only been driving 35 minutes but we already missed the beach!

 JAN 818 JAN 820 JAN 821 JAN 829 JAN 831

Next we stopped in Kaeo for lunch and then headed to inner Northland for a quick visit with Aunty Florie and Uncle Stuart in Okaihau. Pics below are from Opononi – check out the huge sand dunes in the distance;

JAN 833 JAN 835 JAN 837 JAN 840 JAN 843

JAN 845

This is one of my most favourite pics ever!

JAN 848 JAN 850 JAN 861 JAN 862 JAN 872 JAN 878 JAN 882 JAN 883 JAN 892 JAN 894 JAN 895 JAN 897 JAN 902 JAN 903 JAN 906 JAN 908 JAN 911 JAN 915 JAN 918

The giant kauri forest was amazing, it was so worth the stop.  The size of these trees just blows your mind, you try and spot them before you get to them but the forest is so dense they just appear right in front of you.

Map picture

Typical, but we discovered the BEST, most deserted beach on our last day.  Karikari Beach North is accessed by a dodgy gravel DOC road and I had never even noticed the sign for it before.  It was stunning. We had another fantastic day with cold snapper wraps for lunch and a lazy afternoon sunning and playing in the waves.

JAN 747JAN 748JAN 750JAN 752JAN 791JAN 739 JAN 746JAN 756 JAN 758 JAN 766 JAN 771 JAN 786  JAN 795

JAN 800 JAN 803 JAN 804   JAN 807 JAN 808 JAN 812

The Top Ten Holiday Park and camp ground where we stayed was awesome, so much better than the camp in Paihia.  One of the great services they offered was daily recycling.  This became one of the best parts of the day for Ethan and our neighbours Bradley and Aaron.  The recycling man Tony was quite happy for the little boys to ride along with him in the back of his truck and ‘help’ with the daily rubbish and recycling collection.  This is pretty much the most boyish activity I can even imagine.  Digging around for others discarded treasures, climbing off and on the truck, getting filthy and hanging out with a guy that seemed to love their company.  They would be gone for almost an hour each morning and were paid for their time and assistance with fresh watermelon.  Ethan thought he was in heaven!

JAN 745JAN 725 JAN 727 JAN 730 JAN 732 JAN 738 JAN 740 JAN 741 JAN 744 JAN 705JAN 700JAN 724JAN 698

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes
© 2010 The Best Nest Suffusion WordPress theme by Sayontan Sinha