Halloween NZ Style and November is here!

New Zealand does do Halloween, not to the same extent as the US, but we were able to go trick-or-treating.  We joined some friends and walked around.  The differences are: every 4th (or so) house gives out candy, the weather is warm, and it doesn't get dark early.  The kids didn't seem to notice the difference and to be honest, we have been incredibly spoiled by going to the north end of Capitol Hill in Seattle with our good friends.  

I TRIED to make Archie a costume again but it was short lived.  There were some design flaws so he swapped it out to Picachu.  Sylvie was snoopy again (3rd time!).

Archie had a very specific lego character that he wanted to be.  At least it was scary!

Campbell ran a 12k in the Auckland marathon.  He did great and I think I may join him next year!

 The kids were very into making decorations for halloween as well as Thanksgiving.  They love making scary monsters.  We taped quite a few in the windows so that trick or treaters could see them.

Archie has a best buddy.  He is such a sweet boy and they have a great time at playdates.

Our good friends here (whom Campbell has known for like 20 years), have an International Dinner and Drinking Club.  They have a dinner every 3 months and it is themed.  They kindly asked us to join and we happily did. This dinner they themed American/Canadian Thanksgiving.  There are 2 American couples, 1 Canadian couples, and 2 kiwi couples.  So we had fried turkey and other thanksgiving themed meals and family traditions.  It was a really fun night!

 And I made a pumpkin pie.  I am back to baking and cooking.  It has been really nice to actually have time to do this.  Sylvie has been helping me a lot and really enjoys it.

The dinner spread!

 Rob, the Canadian if you couldn't tell, frying the turkey.  It was delicious.

 And in other news, we have readers in our house!  The kids have turned a corner in their reading and now are reading chapter books and even on their own, unprompted!  Archie has really surprised us how much he loves it and I am always on the look out for different books he might enjoy,

And Sylvie was award a citizenship award at school.  This is a very special award that the school gives only 1 time a term (4 times in a year) and 1 per class picked by the teacher.  Sylvie received this for her class in term 4.  The school really places importance on their values of being kind and respectful.  They head master does a very nice speech and lets the kids know that achievement comes second to being a kind and good student.  We are so very proud of Sylvie for this award.

And the kids are learning the Maori language in school.  And this is Sylvie singing the Hokey Pokey in Maori.  There are some beautiful songs that the kids sing as well as their national anthem.  

Another playdate with Archie's buddy!

And then we had a lovely visit from the Dalley's.  I don't have many photos but they joined us for a day on a way home from a trip up north.  

Sylvie, Greta, and Paul enjoying the swing

Enjoying some sun in the garden.

And then I enjoyed my first birthday in NZ.  We had a really nice day together.  We had lunch, visited friends, and then ended the day with dinner, cake, and rose at CC and Alans'. It was a really nice day.  I am very thankful for our life her in New Zealand.  We have a good quality of life and slower pace.  Although Campbell travels a lot, we have a happy home.  And as I keep telling him, happy wife=happy life.  I think he agrees! :)