Wot?

Katarina has started school holidays - she has three weeks! And has a bunch of friends over to dissect the ball, look at Facebook, eat pizza, and watch a movie. Good times!
Hannah hosted her dad at her class "Soup Day" - they made soup and a soup recipe book, and have had a great term exploring this theme. Zach also entertained his dad in his class, complete with themed food and live entertainment (from Zach and another classmate). Zach had more rep trials on Sunday and we will hear this week whether he has made the team or not. It is a bit hard to know what to hope for; wonderful opportunity but lots of extra practice, training, and fund raising.
Janine has been working on her sense of humour, in fact, they all have, and often have us in fits of laughter at the table. More good times! We are so blessed. Janine is facing a number of challenges at school with friends that she is concerned for, but she mostly handles herself with maturity - except for youth group, where she just has a good time! One of the people in church prayed specifically for Janine and Katarina, giving thanks for their work, and asking for a blessing, which was great for her to hear.
I am away to Wellington this weekend for Connect, the national youth leaders conference.

Katarina's Year 12 Ball, Craighead

Katarina's Year 12 Ball, Craighead

June 21, 2010

Zach played for rep football trials Sunday afternoon and came home happy. Chris and I weren't able to watch him play as we were involved in the Parish Council Retreat Sunday afternoon and evening.
Hannah played a great game on Saturday, although the team lost 3-1; couple of lucky goals for the opposition didn't reflect possession. And we managed to make it to recorder ensemble, collected a whole bunch of music which she took home and played!
Katarina spent much of the weekend making herself a clutch purse for the ball, when she wasn't in town looking for one, or searching for the materials to make one.
Janine celebrated her birthday quietly and with a minimum of fuss, not helped by a very busy week for her parents. She's enjoyed receiving cards from the rellies - thanks, you know who you are!
We're enjoying cool, frosty weather, but not yet had a run of good hard frosts so not building up to anything yet. Still warmer than Dunedin!

Nearly the birthday

It is the eve of Janine's 15th birthday. Music vouchers and ear rings are on her list! She asked for icing sugar and purple icing to be purchased, by which I assume she is planning to make her own birthday cake. Poor darling, I think I might manage to pull something together for her.

Zach and Hannah played and lost soccer on Saturday. Zach tagged along with youth group to the Futsall demo match on Friday between Brazil and New Zealand. His soccer skills are improving just thinking about it! He also went to the rep trial pre trial training on Sunday afternoon; actual rep trials are next week.

Katarina has a ball dress. It has a yellow cummberbund and bow. We found it in the last shop we looked (funny that!) in Timaru, a place I had written off, but which in fact actually stocked the desired item in the right size. Yay for Fashion Focus. She has appropriated the shoes I bought at the end of summer sales - just needs the bling to go. A friend's sister has offered to do hair and makeup.

Football

Zach has been playing in a Footsall tournament this weekend, and his school team came runner up for their age group in New Zealand. He has the medal and plaque to prove it!

Hannah had a sleepover on Saturday night, so she has been tired so far. Queens Birthday weekend has been cold and wet for us, and the big girls are working on their history and their art.

Katarina has decided she wants to go to the ball, so we have a couple of weeks left to get her sorted; spent Friday afternoon on that task, but nothing suitable in Timaru for her. She's decided she wants to go partnerless, which is cool.

Weekend away

Chris and I spent a weekend in Christchurch with our good friends Chris and Silvia Purdie. We took Hannah up with us who spent the weekend with her cousins,which included a visit to the TVNZ studios, and being part of the "What Now" live studio audience. Hannah had a lovely time.

Mum and Dad managed to get through the floodwaters surrounding Oamaru to baby sit the rest of the family, although Dad went home again on Saturday to feed stock. Mum caught a lift home with her brother who spent Saturday night in Christchurch, and we bumped into at the Plaza hotel.

This week has been cold and frosty but sunny, which is a vast improvement on the wet, windy week we had before. Hannah and Zach were able to run their cross country on Wednesday, and we might even manage to have soccer this weekend after three weeks of cancellations.

Both Janine and Katarina have had reports in the last two weeks, and both were very postive.