Today I am grateful for:

• I am grateful that the heaters worked this morning. It didn’t seem to go above 18 degrees last night or tonight, but thankfully at 14 degrees in the morning, the heaters turned on ok…..**phewww**
• I am grateful for people with open and generous hearts. I met Rachelle who blogs at ahipara girl today. She and her friend Olivia have started “The Great Sock Monkey Challenge”. Their goal is to get a sock monkey to every child in hospital who has a critical or long term illness. They have started with Wellington Hospital and Starship hospital, but hope to expand it so there are groups making sock monkeys for all the hospitals in New Zealand. I have got all my bits and pieces and I’m ready to go! Wish me luck. (Olivia’s son has just returned to school after extensive treatments for leukaemia. My son (who is in his class) has a soft spot for him, so I’m so grateful that I can get on board with this fantastic project!)
• I am grateful for technology that allows you to speak and text across oceans and continents. There was a time when family members would farewell each other, knowing that the ship ride or the fare would prevent them from seeing each other again. Can you imagine waiting for a letter to hear news from a loved one? Now we can just skype for free! What a blessing.
• I am grateful for lasting friendships. Today my daughter had a playdate with her best friend from Playcentre. It has been about 4 months since my daughter left Playcentre for school, but their friendship is still very tight.
• I am grateful for having a night out at hubby’s cousin’s house. Always great food and excellent company.
• I am grateful that I got to have a boogie at zumba today, then later on had a boogie with my kids before they went to bed.

Lessons learned:

• I tend to like to play things safe, because if you play it safe, then you will not be uncomfortable and you will not fail and be disappointed. BUT, if I don’t ever risk anything, if I never move out of my comfort zone because of the limitations I have put on myself, I will never progress. I will miss out on opportunities to grow and to draw closer to what truly fulfils me. So I have started to move forward and try new things. If it doesn’t work out, that is ok, I can learn from it, or it may bring me closer to something better. It has taken a bit of effort to silence my internal nay-sayers, it kind of feels like when you are flying though the thick clouds in an aeroplane. You could get disoriented if you aren’t careful and all the cons can make you forget why you wanted to do the thing in the first place. BUT as you rise above all the chatter, and you break through the clouds,  you see blue skies and the sun beats upon you face, and you know the effort has been worthwhile.

Today I am grateful for:

• I am grateful that even though our vacuum decided to die a little while ago, I was able to replace it with a new vacuum that has a powerful suction. If anyone else has a vacuum that decides to blow its motor, I totally recommend our new one! It has fab reviews and the price tag is really reasonable. Miele S5211. (I am such a homemaker geek, I get excited about sunny weather because of my laundry, and I just love our house when it has just been vacuumed!)
• I am grateful that I was able to share one of my childhood stories with my kids today. We snuggled up in bed and watched Heidi together. All the girls wept!
• I am grateful that the kids and I had a great night together and they went to sleep really good.
• I am grateful for delicious homemade chocolates and a nice visit from my visiting teacher.

Lessons learned:

• I need to write everything down in my calendar, and I need to check it before I commit to anything. Unfortunately, you sometimes need to forget something really important before you start creating better scheduling habits.
• My Great-Uncle emailed me something today that I wanted to share with you. It really gave me something to think about. Enjoy.

Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:

ach morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use. However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.

The first set of rules would be:

 Everything that you didn’t spend during each day would be taken away from you.

 You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

You may only spend it.

Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day.

The second set of rules:

The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, it’s over, the game is over! It can close the account and you will not receive a new one. What would you personally do?

 You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right? Even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?

ACTUALLY This GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can’t seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

 What we haven’t lived up that day is forever lost. Yesterday is forever gone.Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time . . . WITHOUT WARNING. SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds? Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Think about that, and always think of this: Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think. So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and enjoy life! Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day.

Start spending.

Today I am grateful for:

• I am grateful for my hard working hubby.
• I am grateful for my first Monday without a sick child at home in 2 weeks.
• I am grateful that I was able to go to zumba today (and that I didn’t collapse, after not going in a while…phew!)
• I am grateful for another sunny (but chilly) day for laundry (After folding a couple of baskets of laundry, I will be all caught up! woohoo!)
• I am grateful for Vogel toast! Yummy and Quick.
• I am grateful for ocean views.
• I am grateful I was able to sit down and have my lunch. I literally put my feet up!
• I am grateful for all the prep I was able to do to make a busy day go a bit more smoothly.
• I am grateful that my daughter and I have our own special game we play (monopoly deal), and that she is a fantastic opponent.
• I am grateful that as each day passes, I find it easier to do what the quote says, and not dwell on the past. Thank you for this gift.

Lessons Learned:

• I have started to prioritise the needs of our family, instead of being influenced by other outside factors. I am starting tune into the rhythm of our family and it is really helping me to know how we should be spending our time and being ok with saying no to things or saying not right now.

Just for some random fun: What movie is this line from? “Maniacal Laugh, Maniacal Laugh, Maniacal Laugh!!!!”

I hope you enjoy all the wonderful food inspiration I have come across this week. I can’t wait to try them!

xo Mika

(I thought I would revive 5 Great Finds after some sweet feedback from Meghan at MNM’s)

Freezer Meal Ideas

Source: heatovento350.blogspot.com

Green Smoothie Ideas (look in the comment section)

Source: 71toes.com

Mini Hamburger Cookies

Source: sixsistersstuff.com

Chocolate Dipped Cupcakes (oh my!)

Things I am grateful for today:

• I am grateful that I was able to meet up with a friend today, even though it looked like we were going to have to postpone it.
• I am grateful for the really, really delicious hot chocolate I had at Verve today.
• I am grateful that we got to enjoy stage challenge last night. (I am grateful my daughter’s school was second to perform, and they did AMAZINGLY!)
• I am grateful for heaters, warm jerseys and warm socks on a cold day.
• I am grateful I get to hang out with a bunch of my Playcentre buddies tonight.

Lessons learned:

• Don’t leave things until the last minute. I could get sick, my child could get sick, or something could come up that requires my time and energy. I could handle these unexpected bumps in the road, if I avoid painting myself in a corner by procrastination.
• There seems to come a time (for me, it seems to be at the end of the day or just before I pick up the kids from school or at the start of a hectic day), when my mind wonders and settles upon the list of some of the things I have not been able to accomplish (jobs, errands, chores etc). It just makes me feel yuck. What I have noticed since this experiment, is that I don’t let those negative thoughts linger or find a place in my mind. I think about the things that I did do instead. I think about how it has benefited my family, and I start to feel good and feel grateful that I was able to accomplish those things. Yes, the things that I have left undone are still there, but I have noticed that I now say to myself, “there’s always tomorrow” and I do not allow the undone chore to make me feel bad any more. Having a grateful heart helps me to feel hopeful, instead of hopeless. Thank you for this gift.

Today I am grateful for:

• I am grateful for my 11 year old daughter who has really blossomed into an independent, responsible young lady. This morning the stage challenge (inter-school dance/drama contest) participants had to be at school around 7.30am for the bus to take them into town. I woke up early to support her with whatever she needed to get out of the door on time. She was already ready by 6.30am! Lunch packed, bag packed and all dressed (and full of excitement!)
• I am grateful for the wonderful feeling an early start to the day brings.
• I am grateful for the weather we have been having. We have been blessed with another sunny day today. Thank you.
• I am grateful that my mum is able to babysit the younger kids so that we can watch my daughter’s performance tonight.
• I am grateful that I was able to get out and do a few errands today.

Lessons learned:

• I have found that as I have been de-cluttering my head by keeping positive and grateful, I have started to feel the creative juices returning.
• Last night I went to bed early, but I couldn’t get to sleep. I want to spend some time winding down before I hop into bed.
• I need to save myself some $$$ by putting the due date for library books in my calendar…doh! **must not rely on my memory, must not rely on my memory**

Today I am grateful for:

• I am grateful that I was able to do my grocery shopping online today, so I could keep my sick wee boy indoors and have my pantry refilled again.
• I am grateful for our washing machine (our first big purchase once we were married!) and some nice blue skies to hang the washing out in.
• I am grateful that my hubby has a job and for pay day!
• I am grateful that we had a nice calm morning, even though some of us (me) slept in (whoops!).
• I am grateful that the new recipe I tried for dinner went down well. I couldn’t make the meal I planned, and then I remembered coming across this Crockpot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken recipe from Six Sisters’ Stuff today. So I adapted it and served it with rice and a huge salad.
• I am grateful that I had plenty of time to do my meal planning this morning. I’m trying a 2 week meal plan and grocery shop. I loved putting away all the food. I just hope that some of that food will be left over towards the end of the 2 weeks
• I am grateful for the positive feeling I’ve been having since I started this experiment. I noticed that in the evening I was soaking in all the good things of the day, instead of finding things that didn’t go right.

Lessons learned:

• I need to set my posts to publish automatically in the evening. Last night, I thought I would quickly hop on the computer to edit my post with the plan to have an early night. 30 mins later, I was still fluffing around (you know that you are doing some serious fluffing around when you end up on youtube!) In the end I went to bed around 11:30pm Needless to say, I paid for it in the morning!
• You can’t beat a hot cup of miso soup on a chilly day.
• It is best to tackle the icky jobs first, instead of having it hang over your head as you procrastinate all day…hehehe. My icky job for today: dishes. (And of course, it didn’t even take that long!)

About the Gratitude Experiment

Things I am grateful for:

• I am grateful for the big cuddle my son gave me. He came up to me, wrapped his blanket around me and gave me a lovely snuggle.
• I am grateful that I can stay home with my sick son (I loved seeing all the creative things he did with paper.)
• I am grateful for the sunshine, and that I was able to hang out our bedding.
• I am grateful that the General Conference talks are available online, so I can revisit some of my favourite ones, while folding the laundry.
• I am grateful that we made hubby feel loved and appreciated by lots of little things the family did for him when he returned from work.

Lessons learned:

• It is amazing how wonderful it is to have the sun shine on you. I want to take advantage of sunny days and get outside more.
• Hubby ran out of deodorant this morning and we ran out of dishwashing powder. I need to bulk up our home storage so that we have spares of everything. I also want a clear way of knowing exactly what we have in our home storage.
• I came across an article titled: The Top 10 Things Children Really Want Their Parents To Do With Them [via Hands Free Mama]. Lots of great ideas to make our children feel loved…..and they are so simple!
  

  1. Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
  2. Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
  3. Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.
  4. Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
  5. At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
  6. At night talk to me about anything; love, school, family etc.
  7. Let me play outside a lot.
  8. Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
  9. Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
  10. Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

Read about why I started the The Gratitude Experiment

From sherbetblossom.com

I seem to do this weird thing, where I only get a few things “under control” at a time.

The laundry might be totally up to date, but the kitchen is a mess.

I spend time with each child doing their homework each day, but I forget to pick up toilet paper and milk!

We manage to fit in lots of family and individual time with the kids, but there is still lots of squabbling.

So what has this got to do with gratitude??

Life seems easier to handle when the sun is shining, but winter is upon us in New Zealand and I don’t want the following combination to get me down:

• the feeling that I am dropping the ball in so many areas
• not being able to get out of the house as much because of the weather
• dreary grey skies, instead of bright sunny skies to greet me each morning

I was thinking that having an attitude of gratitude could really help me fight off any winter blues.

I know there is a lot to be grateful for and I want to dwell on that.

I also know that it does not benefit anyone if I am hard on myself.

So the gratitude experiment is an opportunity for me to notice the great things that happen every day.

It is also an opportunity for me to write. Blogging is so great, because it helps me to reflect on my day in its entirety, and helps me to relive the special moments again.

I  also plan to write down “lessons learned” to help me remember to repeat the things that worked well, and avoid the things that didn’t.

I already have something that I am super grateful for: My son came up to me and gave me a cuddle. Priceless!

Hubby:  “[insert: new stuff that happened at work] and then [insert: possible new employment opportunity] and then [insert: something else that was exciting]

Me: “Wow…cool….”

Hubby: “How’s your day going?”

Me: “Well, I’m still in my pajamas.”

It was way past lunchtime….

Yup…I rocked my PJs all day today. We just vegged at home and watched the DVDs we got from the library yesterday.

The school holidays have just flown past. The kids had their grandma come down, then our family went on an overnight tramp (backpacking), and then my brother and his family came down. We’ve had some fun outings and some delicious family dinners. Now we are (read: I am) just kicking back and relaxing…hence the pajamas.

I’ll leave you with some photos from our overnight tramp.

We went with another family on a hike in the Rimutaka Forest Park. We stayed overnight at Huarangi Hut. It was about a 7 km bush walk to the hut, then a 7km walk out again.

We were toasty warm all night with the wood heater.

The kids were AMAZING! They were fantastic walkers and none of them complained (although my 5 year old would remember how tired she was when she wasn’t walking with her best friend.)

The kids came away with amazing memories. Walking through streams, the composting toilet that they had to walk down a path to get to from the hut, oh, and who can forget roasting marshmallows over the campfire.

I was in awe of the beautiful bush during the day, and the amazing sky at night -  it seemed like it had millions of diamonds scattered across it.

I thought that we would be the only family tramping with young kids, but I was so wrong. We came across a lot of families. Families with older children, families larger than ours, families with children younger than ours (some with babies). And in the bush, everyone says “hi” as you walk past. It was like we were acknowledging that we were all out here enjoying being close to nature.

I have been feeling so gratefull!

I am loving how people get to have time off work during Easter. Even shops are ordered to close for a couple of days. It is like time stands still during this special time of the year.

I am loving sleep ins.

I am loving how we were expecting yucky weather, but we have been blessed with beautiful blue skies.

I am loving the extra chocolate that is floating around.

But mostly….I am loving the event we are celebrating. I am loving our Heavenly Father, and His plan so we are able to live with him again. I am loving our Saviour, Jesus Christ, for being willing to sacrifice His life (and for soooo many other things that can’t be conveyed in a few sentences). Woohoo for the knowledge that He lives!!

Happy Easter everyone!!

I’m linking up with PaisleyJade today

My friend and I had another opportunity to go out and take photographs today.

I thought this was a cute shot.

It has been fun to choose photos and to put some words together that reflect where I am at, at the moment.

Enjoy! xo

Hi, I’m Mika. My husband and I are raising 4 children in beautiful New Zealand.

Every day is never the same. Sometimes I am a nurse, a teacher, budget advisor, artist, chef, driver etc etc. The roles I treasure the most, are my roles as a wife and a mother.

Currently, I am trying to master the art of slowing down, so I can embrace and treasure the blessings in my life. (It is a work in progress!)

I am grateful for the perspective I have gained on life and motherhood over the years of raising 4 children.

Some things I know for sure:

• There is a time and a season. The difficult times in our lives often feel like they are never going to end, but they do eventually pass. Often it is through going through the tough times, that we gain the talent of recognising and supporting those who face a similar trial.
• Never compare. Often we compare our weakness to another’s strength – which is so unreasonable. We have to understand that what we are seeing, is never the full picture. Be the very best you We are all made so differently. It would be like comparing apples with oranges!
• Pace yourself. We always seem to want to do it all now, and perfectly. But perhaps it may be better for us to pace ourselves and thoughtfully take on new commitments at the right time, rather than piling more and more things onto an already overflowing plate. When our plate is too full, things will either drop off accidentally, or the plate will break!
• Never loose perspective. If our goal is to have a happy and loving family, we need to be making changes in our lives to make that happen. We should be aiming to align our hopes and dreams with our actions. Tricky…but oh, so worth it!
• Try, try again! As parents and as humans, we are going to trip up and make blunders (sometimes HUGE blunders), but we have to just pick ourselves up and try again!

I certainly do not feel like I have everything figured out, that’s for sure! Some days, I crawl in bed at the end of the day and I have no clue why things just all fell apart all around me. Other days, when I am at the beach with the kids, when I hear a genuine heartfelt child’s prayer, when I see a brother cheer on his sister, when I feel a child has understood something I have taught them, when I watch my kids laugh uncontrollably (they each have a unique giggle, which I just love!)…those days, those moments, tell me that maybe I’m not messing things up too much.

So, sit back and relax, and see how chaos unfolds in a family of six enjoying life in New Zealand.

xo Mika

Sarah at Clover Lane, and read: “I don’t know how she does it: The real truth”

and

Cheri at I Am Momma – Hear Me Roar, and read:“The grass is pretty green right here”

You won’t be disappointed….trust me

hugs xo

Mika

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, we often associate it with roses and chocolate. Well, I was lucky enough to spend the morning photographing roses with my friend at Wellington Botanic Gardens….oh and we did manage to fit in a delicious hot chocolate as well
It had been raining heavily that morning and I wasn’t sure if we would have to postpone our outing again. (My oldest daughter fractured her arm last week…poor girl).

You would think that going out in overcast conditions, with a high chance of rain would be insane, but actually, it was perfect! No harsh light from the sun and rain drops on the flowers! Amazing!!
Here is my favourite shot of the day. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

Unpredictable: Your baby can either wake up wide awake at 3am OR 10am!

Full on: Your toddler wakes up early and rearing to go (no matter what time you put them to bed!) They are hungry, and they want a playmate.

Risky: Your young child can occupy themselves, they can even pour their own milk BUT they may occupy themselves by making it snow over their lego….using flour! They can pour their own milk, but only half of it actually makes it into the bowl, the other half ends up on the bench. Therefore, you need to think long and hard whether having a sleep-in, is worth it.

Easier: Your child wakes up and gets so involved in playing, reading or watching TV, that they completely forget about eating breakfast. When they do remember, they quickly fix themselves some cereal and return to playing.

You get somewhat of a sleep-in (between all the visits for cuddles, questions, and requests for arbitration). You happily take what you can get, even if do get greeted by cereal boxes, milk cartons and dirty bowls on the kitchen bench when you get up.

Busy: Forget about a sleep-in, there are water bottles to be filled, snacks to be packed, sports uniforms to be found and birthday presents to wrap. Even if there was a slight chance of a sleep-in that morning, you know that you were lying there, wide awake, trying to figure out how to get everyone to their destinations on time!

Not the same: You have an opportunity to go away with your husband….overnight!! You joke with your husband that it will be great to sleep-in, and not have to worry about anything!! In reality, you spend your “sleep-in” missing the kids, and wondering what they are up to…awwwww

Oh, and I thought I would share this: (click on it to read the words! too cute!!)

I wish I could take the credit, but the reality is, her friend started school today!

As my daughter has been transitioning to school, it has been a bit of a transition for me too.

I was expecting to feel really productive….after all, with all this free time, there was a list of projects I wanted to tackle – decluttering being numero uno!

The first few days of being home alone, I kind of felt a little aimless. Thank goodness I had lunch plans on the first day of the school drop off, otherwise, I think I might have gone home and wandered around the house.

Just as my daughter has eased into school life, I am feeling like myself again now. Ideas are flowing and I just need to figure out which order to do them in.

I know that everyone is different, but here is what I found with my transition to being at home…alone!

• It is really helpful to take a moment to mourn your youngest going to school before the big day arrives. (Great advice from Widge at My guide to surviving and enjoying life’s mundane. This meant that on the day, when someone asked me “How are you doing?” or when there was a potentially emotional part of the day, I could handle it.)

• Make plans on the first day of school to have lunch with a friend or have a good DVD to come home to.

• If you don’t have plans to go straight into paid employment, you will find there will be many opportunities that can fill up your day. Pick and choose carefully, or do nothing while you decide. (I am choosing, not to commit myself to anything at this stage. For me, that is a HUGE step, to flex those muscles of saying “no” to things. I wrote about this in my posts “Taming the “Yes Beast” and “The serial volunteer”.)

• Be aware that general housework can easily eat a big chunk into your day, or can expand to take up the whole time the kids are at school!

• The first few days after dropping off your youngest to school….you may find moments in the day where you just feel sad.

• Watching DVDs (that aren’t aimed at kids) during the day is fun! (Even if you are folding the laundry during it.)

• Going out for lunch with family and friends is even more fun!

• You actually get a chance to do things that you haven’t tried before. You are only limited by your imagination! (So far, I’ve gone to zumba classes during the day, and made a family newsletter.)

I have not blogged much, I have used the excuses mentioned in the post, about not having enough time, lost inspiration, and basically getting busy with “real” life.

I also have kept this blog a place where I primarily share things that are uplifting, and hopefully useful.

Does anyone really want to read about how busy life has been?

Life has started slowing down a bit now. I am on Day Two of life without a preschooler at home.

That’s right, my youngest started school yesterday.

When I picked her up from school, she said she had a “great day”!! Which is music to a mother’s ears. She is sad about being dropped off, but I know that it will work itself out, just like it did with her siblings who didn’t know a soul in their new entrants class.

Speaking of siblings, my oldest daughter left primary school last year, and is now a uniform-wearing intermediate student. She has blossomed into a beautiful and capable young girl. This was the same girl who hated me leaving, when she first started school. Now she gives everything a go and is just amazing.

I think that one of the greatest gifts that the past years of motherhood has given me, is the understanding that there are many seasons in motherhood and life. That you rarely stay in one season forever, and that it is always changing. And as you pass through a particularly hard season, you then become better equipped to help others pass through theirs. It’s beautiful…

As a blogger, I respect the readers time, and I try to write in a way that does not waste your time…..but perhaps that expectation that I have put on myself, has meant that I have left out, or neglected the other voices that want to be written. So I know that as I write, I will be having a little tug of war within myself as I fight against my expectations. So, here it goes…I am purposely posting a post WITHOUT a photo, just to stick it to my old expectation and to prove to myself, that I can do things differently, and the world won’t fall apart!

**hugs & kisses to you all**

If you aren’t fast enough and efficient enough, I don’t have time for you, “thank you very much.”

A computer that takes forever to make a blog entry, and doesn’t want to download my photos from my camera?…see you later.

A camera that has a short battery life, and a lens that often decides that the photo would look better overexposed?…so long.

How did my patience become so short?

But isn’t a new year all about stretching oneself and working on one’s weaknesses?

So the camera came out with us on an outing today and I decided I was going to blog about it.

Like all weaknesses you work on, you often get a chance (read: chances) to test oneself

I try to remind myself that the good things, take effort…and time.

I am grateful that I decided to pick up the camera again.

I love capturing their gorgeous smiles.

I also love photos that remind me of the story behind it.

Like this one:

My oldest daughter gently helped my youngest daughter all the way to the top, and then took her time, and guided her all the way back down again. They repeated this many times while we were there. Love it.

Or this one:

My son persevered on a piece of equipment that we thought was broken. He worked out how to use it, and got the tricky piece of equipment moving.

Or this one:

My heart was in my mouth, when my son decided that he was going to balance himself at the top of the very high rope frame. That is so him! I was half proud, and half terrified!

I think 2012 is going to be about celebrating the everyday triumphs…like patience, perseverance, stretching oneself, and not giving up until you get to the end (or the very top!)

2-3 weeks until school starts!! (start date differs with each school)

At the moment, the sun is shining, and I want to make the most of the summer.

Here are a list of fun activities for children (and a couple for the adults!)

What are your plans for the rest of the school holidays? Do share!

Home-grown Family Trail

Take the kids on an ‘I spy’ tour through the Home-grown section of Slice of Heaven (that’s the grassy bit) and help them discover the past. Grab a free family trail from Inspiration Station and you’re away!

Date: All Day, until Tue 31 Jan 2012

Time: 10.00am – 6.00pm (late night 9pm Thursdays)

Location: Te Papa, 55 Cable Street, Wellington

Cost: Free

Cinders, Scrooge & Peter Pan

Bring the children into The Dowse these holidays for storytelling classics and ballet stories from our friends at Hutt City Libraries.

Date: Tue 17 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am

Location: The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt

Cost: Free – no booking required

Push Play backyard games

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Date: Tue 17 Jan 2012

Time: 11.30am – 1.30pm

Location: Carrara Park, Regent St, Newtown

Cost: Free – no booking required

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Engineer an erupting volcano

Date: Wed 18 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am – 12.00pm

Location: Inspiration Station, Level 4, Te Papa, 55 Cable St, Wellington

Cost: $3

Push Play fun – featuring Ki o Rahi (a skilful, traditional Māori game for all ages)

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Date: Wed 18 Jan 2012

Time: 3.00pm – 5.00pm

Location: Karori Park, Karori

Cost: Free – no booking required

Kev the Wandering Kiwi

Join Kev the Wandering Kiwi to explore the Gums Loop Track. Enjoy free coffee courtesy of Caffe L’affare. Suitable for buggies. Dog friendly.

Date: Thu 19 Jan 2012

Time: 10.30am

Location: Wainuiomata Recreation Area, Witcher Grove, Wainuiomata

Cost: Free

Head south down Wainuiomata Coast Road, turn left onto Moores Valley Road, right into Whitcher Grove, go straight ahead to Reservoir Road and the main gates to meet the park ranger. Duration: 1 hr 30 mins.

Cinders, Scrooge & Peter Pan

Bring the children into The Dowse these holidays for storytelling classics and ballet stories from our friends at Hutt City Libraries.

Date: Thu 19 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am

Location: The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt

Cost: Free – no booking required

Push Play fun – featuring Ki o Rahi (a skilful, traditional Māori game for all ages)

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Date: Thu 19 Jan 2012

Time: 1.00pm – 3.00pm

Location: Linden West Park, Main Rd, Linden

Cost: Free – no booking required

Construct a catapult

Date: Sat 21 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am – 12.00pm

Location: Inspiration Station, Level 4, Te Papa, 55 Cable St, Wellington

Cost: $3

Wellington Anniversary Day Fun

Competition to find the craziest and most creative costumes to jump off the wharf; and a chance to try BMX water jumping. An entertaining day with a range of fun and family-friendly activities and music stages.

There will also be food stalls in Frank Kitts Park and at the food court beside Odlins Plaza.

Date: Mon 23 Jan 2012

Time: 10.00am – 5.00pm

Location: Frank Kitts Park, Taranaki Street Wharf and Te Papa Promenade (stall charges apply)

Cost: Free

Te Papa Promenade

• NZ Crafts Market
• Singer Songwriter Stage

Frank Kitts Park

• Family Stage, 12 noon – 4.00pm
• Youth Stage, 12 noon – 5.00pm
• Kids’ rides and activities
• General market

Taranaki Street Wharf

• 350 display and information stalls
• BMX Jump Ramp, 11.00am – 4.00pm
• Birdman, 12 noon – 3.00pm

Cinders, Scrooge & Peter Pan

Bring the children into The Dowse these holidays for storytelling classics and ballet stories from our friends at Hutt City Libraries.

Date: Tue 24 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am

Location: The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt

Cost: Free – no booking required

Push Play backyard games

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Date: Tue 24 Jan 2012

Time: 11.30am – 1.30pm

Location: Carrara Park, Regent St, Newtown

Cost: Free – no booking required

Push Play fun – featuring Zumba

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Date: Wed 25 Jan 2012

Time: 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Location: Karori Park, Karori

Wheelie Kev

Bring your Wheels (but no motors) and join Kev for some play time on the Avalon Park bike training course before going for a walk/ride on the stopbank. Spot prizes available. Buggy Friendly.

Date: Thu 26 Jan 2012

Time: 10.30am – 12.00pm

Location: Avalon Park, Hutt River Trail

Cost: Free

Cost: Free – no booking required

Cinders, Scrooge & Peter Pan

Bring the children into The Dowse these holidays for storytelling classics and ballet stories from our friends at Hutt City Libraries.

Date: Thu 26 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am

Location: The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Road, Lower Hutt

Cost: Free – no booking required

Push Play fun – featuring Ki o Rahi (a skilful, traditional Māori game for all ages)

There are activities for all ages including T-ball, soccer, badminton, volleyball and unihoc.

Date: Thu 26 Jan 2012

Time: 1.00pm – 3.00pm

Location: Linden West Park, Main Rd, Linden

Cost: Free – no booking required

Summer Sampler – Belmont Regional Park

Want to explore the lower end of Belmont Regional Park? Join the ranger for an evening stroll up the Korokoro Stream to Baked Beans bend and beyond. Be in to win a spot prize from Dwights Outdoors.

Date: Thu 26 Jan 2012

Time: 6.30pm

Location: Belmont Regional Park, Cornish St entrance

Cost: Free

From Ngauranga, turn left from SH2 at Cornish St, or if coming from the north, follow the signs to Korokoro, then turn left into Pito-One Rd.

Films by Starlight: Labyrinth

Enjoy four outdoor film nights in the Botanic Garden this summer.

Date: Thu 26 Jan 2012

Time: 8.00pm

Location: The Dell, Botanic Garden

Cost: Free

1hr 41 mins. Weather cancellations are made by 2.00pm each day.

Sand Sculptures

Enjoy the Petone foreshore with some creative guidance from our talented education team.

Date: Thu 26 & Fri 27 Jan 2012

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm

Location: On the beach in front of the Petone Settlers Museum

Cost: Free – no booking required

Summer Sampler – Kaitoke Regional Park

Starting in famous Rivendell, this is an easy guided walk exploring some of the park’s natural and engineering marvels.  Suitable for the whole family.  Be in to win a spot prize from Dwights Outdoors.

Date: Sat 28 Jan 2012

Time: 10.00am – 11.15am

Location: Kaitoke Regional Park, Waterworks Rd entrace

Cost: Free – no booking required

Follow SH2 and turn off at Waterworks Rd 12km north of Upper Hutt. Meet at Pakuratahi Forks carpark.

Build a breathtaking balloon racer

These awesome toy cars are pushed along by the power of your breath escaping from an inflated balloon.

Date: Sat 28 Jan 2012

Time: 11.00am – 12.00pm

Location: NatureSpace, Level 2, Te Papa, 55 Cable St, Wellington

Cost: $3

Summer Sampler – Hutt River Trail

Join the ranger on this short section of the River Trail includes fish passages, plantings and a walk next to the beautiful Hutt River.  Dog friendly.  Be in to win a spot prize from Dwights Outdoors.

Date: Wed 1 Feb 2012

Time: 6.30pm – 8.00pm

Location: Hutt River Trail, Silverstream to Stokes Valley

Cost: Free – no booking required

Cross the Silverstream bridge, turn right at the round about, turn right into the carpark by the bridge to meet the ranger.

Salsa @ Sunset

Try out salsa for free in a stunning outdoor setting. No need to bring a partner or experience. Led by Rafael Ferrer, Salsa @ Sunset explores dance styles including salsa, cha cha chá and reggaetón.

Date: 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 February (Wednesdays)

Time: 6.00pm – 7.30pm

Where: Band Rotunda rooftop, Oriental Parade

Cost: Free

In case of bad weather, check the CubanFusion website for cancellations. Decisions are made at 4.00pm on the day.

Hutt News Petone Rotary Fair

The Petone Rotary Fair an established annual fair in the centre of Jackson Street Petone, with over 300 stalls, arts & crafts, plants, music, ethnic foods, amusements.

Date: Sat 18 Feb 2012

Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Jackson Street, Petone

Cost: Free (stalls, amusements, food charges apply)