7.3.11

Kiwi Connection

One of my favorite fruitstands


Contrary to popular belief, our family are all alive and well. We've become Kiwis, which are rather shy birds, and we only come out at night. Night in the U.S, anyway. After a whole month of vacation we have finally arrived in Kerikeri! I like vacations a lot. I like breaking out of our regular routine, not making our beds, visiting friends and family (and Mickey Mouse). I was quite enjoying it! Then we arrived. After catching 6 or so of the hugest black crickets I've ever seen and letting them out of the window (too messy to step on and too hoppy anyway) we climbed into our beds fell asleep to the singing of a few other crickets that were too allusive to be caught. The next morning we woke up to the sound of a rooster crowing it hit me. We are no longer on vacation. We're not exactly farmers (the only stuff we're really cultivating at this point are children), but nothing here is fast or easy! I had several good cries that day and the next while we cleaned and took inventory. Then I realized that crying over the lack of a Gap in Kerikeri (or New Zealand, for that matter) and not having any good friends here would not improve our situation. Of course, it didn't help that I was having a visit from "Annie Brown", as they like to call it here in New Zealand, and that it poured for 48 hours straight! But the shock of it all is wearing off and the boys LOVE it here, so it's growing on me.
Jayson's first day of school

An average day for us starts at 2 a.m when Jay gets up for work. He goes out the dining/living room/office and works until 6 a.m then has a break to go running with me (shall I say this is an ideal example?). Now that Jayson and Aidan have started school this week, the boys get up and eat (fresh eggs from our chickens, of course) and got to school barefoot like all of the other Kiwi children. Today was Jayson's first day, actually. I was very emotional and he was not (replay of his first day of preschool). As we were preparing for today he told me that his biggest worry was that he wouldn't be able to understand what people were saying (it can be very difficult,
especially if people use slang!) so when I picked him up I asked him how that went and he said
"none of them had an accent, Mom." He's been here for one week and can't even hear the accent anymore! Also, as a side note to Tina, Jayson had so much fun with McKinnon and they are like two little peas in a pod, so when Jays made a friend with a boy who (he claims) not only looks like McKinnon but sounds like him too (I don't know yet about the accent) he was very happy and they stuck together all day. My biggest worry about the day was that he wouldn't eat anything for lunch and would be feeling sick by the end of the day and sure enough, he said that when they sat down to eat lunch he was really going to try to eat but then he started talking to all of
his classmates and "suddenly" remembered to eat but took only one bite before the bell rang. So much for that. He did eat some things in the morning, though, for mid-morning tea. No tea
served, of course. Tomorrow he will wear nothing but his togs (swim trunks) and a shirt to school, for swimming, which they have three times a week. Jay spoke to the teacher about it and
she asked him if Jayson was "shy" and Jay said that he could be sometimes and the teacher said that there is another boy who is shy so won't go in the water. Jay realized that she was referring to the water, asking if Jayson was afraid of it. Jay quickly explained that he's not at all shy (which in my opinion is true on all accounts.) Aidan will start on Wednesday at Little Legends, which I think is a silly name, but the best school we went to (out of a lot!) They even have a garden that the kids planted and pick from to cook with. And a pet goat. This would never
happen in the U.S. "He's a bit big", the teacher explaind, "so if the kids don't respect him while
he's eating he bowls them over". This is a good thing, though because it teaches the kids to
respect others.

Aidan meeting the neighbors
Playing rugby with Uncle Dean and the cousins

While Jayson is at school, I can be seen stopping at the various fruit and veg stands that are up almost every driveway in and around Kerikeri. Right now, farmers pick their passionfruit, figs, avocados, feijoas, corn, and almost every vegetable early in the morning and sell them that day. I cannot get enough of the fresh stuff here! Since the kitchen is so small and we only have a hot
plate to cook on, we are attempting to fill ourselves with all of these other things instead.
I'm also trying to keep up on the laundry since during a rainy spell you can expect to wait at least two days before the clothes are dry. I spend a lot of time rotating things from the outside clothesline to the inside clothesline and back. I've also chosen some color swatches for paint and carpet and we're in the process of shopping around for those right now. We're still driving a rental car because although fresh fruit is very easy to come by here, vehicles are not.

Charlie and Aidan are doing what little boys do best...causing havoc. They chase all of the animals and in spite of the mommy cat's best efforts, Aidan discovered the kittens the 2nd day we were here. He came out from around the corner with the tail end of a kitten tucked under one arm sort of like a football. "I found the kiddens, Mom!"

When Jays gets home from school, we are very close to the park and tennis court, and of course the ocean. We've yet to get out on the boat, because taking three little boys out on a boat in the ocean in an attempt to catch fish can have some logistical hang-ups, but I might sneak out with Jay's mum...I think the ocean fish call out to her to catch them like they do to me.


I could go on and on about the beauty of New Zealand, and the kindness of the people here. Today a man stopped us in the parking lot of the grocery store and gave Aidan a pinwheel "just for fun" (he had a whole basket of them and was giving them to all the kids. Pervert? Perhaps, but still...) but there are some things that will take some getting used to. For instance, why do men have to wear Daisy Dukes, otherwise known over here as rugby shorts? One thing that I will always hate is the separation of hot and cold water. How are my children supposed to wash their hands? Put them under scalding hot water for a second then quickly cool them off by putting them under the cold? I miss our dear friends. I miss my lovely kitchen. I miss the mall. And Wegmans. I do not miss the winter weather. Or the traffic. Or the close proximity of our neighbors.

To be continued....



7 comments:

Natalie said...

Stephanie,
It sounds like you are in for quite the adventure. Do you remember when we used to talk about going to Africa to run around in the bush? Do you remember that magazine picture you kept of that range rover type jeep sitting out in the middle of the savannah? You have always had an adventurous spirit and I know you and your family are going to do so well in New Zealand.
Can't wait to hear more about your new lifestyle! Eat some yummy fresh fruit for me, it feels like we're still dead in the middle of winter here!

Kelsey said...

I second Natalie. You'll do awesome out there Stephanie. It is pretty romantic to be raising Kiwi children. Please post pictures whenever you get the chance! xo~Kelsey

katrina hayes said...

Wow, sounds like an amazing adventure. Good luck with everything!

Crystal said...

Hang in there Stephanie! You are going to be just fine! Your comment about nothing being fast and easy made me laugh. It does take a while to get used to but you will find when you come back to the U.S. that you will miss the laid back-slow paced life there where people actually stop to talk to each other, take in the view, and relax.

It looks like the kids are having a blast! Keep posting pics.

Love you,
Crystal

Anonymous said...

Steph-

McKinnon asked on Sunday, "Mom, can we skype Jayson. I miss him. You know what? We had so much fun. He's the bestest friend I've ever had!" We need to catch you on skype some time soon. :)

-Tina

Coleen D said...

I think someday soon you'll be asking yourself why you didn't make the move sooner.
From your description NZ sounds so beautiful and peaceful. And I'm sure you'll soon have your little home cozy and perfect in no time. Wish I could be there to help
I'm so glad the boys are enjoying all the new experiences.
Look forward to new entries on your blog.
Love Mom

tecwhitram said...

I am glad to see you made it okay and are settling in! I loved reading about your adventures. Keep writing! The good friends will come--you will have tons in no time. Hang in there with the hot plate and the air dried laundry!

Shred Violinist on NY subway

Prep for Cross Country

Captain Jayson's Rocket Launch

Dutch Wonderful Rollercoaster!

The perfect vent for Aidan...

Rocket Experiment :(

I can't wait for Aidan to learn the Haka in New Zealand. Hopefully it will prove to be an effective way for him to release aggression, and he can stop throwing balls at my head.

feel like dancing?

Charlie's laugh

Jayson at Swim Camp

Swimming at the Beach

Swimming at the Beach

Charlie is multi-faceted.

Charlie, do you have something in your nose???

Happy Birthday Astronaut Jayson!

Da Bonk.

Happy Birthday Aidan!

Interview with a four year old...

Nadia CRACKS ME UP!!!

Watch this!

Our First Road Trip as a Family of Five!

Easter Message

Happy Birthday Aidan!

Aidan Learns to Walk

Jayson's usual eating antics

Aidan's Tickle Torture

Aidan Picks Up

Boo! It's Halloween!

Jayson's First Day of Pre-School!

Jayson the Pirate

Aidy the Inchworm

Jayson singing "The World is So Big"

In case you have trouble understanding...

The world is so big and oh, so round
And even God's creations are almost so found.
Brothers and sisters and trees so tall,
animals big and animals small.
The world is so big and oh, so round
And even God's creations are almost so found...
etc, etc.

The correct words are:
The world is so big and oh, so round
And in it God's creations are found.
Mountains and valleys and trees so tall,
Animals big and animals small.
The world is so big and oh, so round
God loves us all, His blessings abound

Pictures of Our New Apartment!

Jayson's Top10

  • The Beach (any pile of sand qualifies)
  • Daddy ("Daddy's just my favorite")
  • Singing (even during sacrament meeting we cannot squelch his humming!)
  • Dumbo, his everpresent Elephant
  • Robinhood (as in the Prince of Thieves. "Mommy, my name is Robinhoodin, not Jayson.")
  • Swinging, sliding, climbing, jumping at the park
  • Marshmallows
  • All guys, boys, men, grandpas, uncles, etc.
  • Doritos (spicy red chips)
  • the color yellow

Aidan's Top 10

  • Mommy
  • Babbling
  • Drooling
  • Wiggling
  • Watching the dog
  • Watching his brother
  • Sucking on anything that comes within close proximity to his mouth
  • Sucking on his two middle fingers
  • Breastfeeding
  • Eating

A Photographer in the Making

Jayson loves taking pictures! He took most of these while we were on vacation in Washington and a few at home. I love that he takes pictures of himself. He then asks me to show them to him and he giggles a little when he sees what terrific shots he's gotten.

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Merry Christmas!

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blip, bleep. I. am. a. robot. lover.

Aidan carries his tiger in his mouth so he can have both hands free

Our little beekeeper

Is it a fork or a magic wand?

Big Carseat! Happiness!











At good ol' GW's house (Mt Vernon)


Brothers

Trying out the new running shoes.

Murphy tickles Aidan with his whiskers

Jayson being tortured by his swim teacher

Scary! Look at my sun damage since we got here!

Help Me!

Our Little Smarty

Monkey on a tightrope

Jayson's best pirate face(yes, he always closes his eyes.)

"How does that music fit in that tiny box?"

Bryant, Angela, Zoey, Mia, and Brodi on the 4th of July

Making a fast getaway

Jayson's "trampoline"

Mom and Jays

Aidan kept trying to eat his mask!He'll eat anything!

First 4th of July!

Checking out the competition





My guys on the Metro

"Oh Daddy, I love food!"

Jayson's just cute!

We know where we'll be this summer!

Aidan after a hard day at the pool

Aidan bumped his lip...he first "owie"

Jayson and his bud, Lex have matching bikes!

the bike: "Rock it" Awesome!

My Man...He be Lookin' Fine!

Jayson loves Aidan

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