Conference

On Thursday night our over two’s team flew to Wellington for the 2011 Childspace Institute Peace Conference based on the slogan “Teach Peace.”

It was exactly what we needed as a team. We have grown so much closer and are gelling ten times better than we have before.

There were a few speakers at the conference who were not very interesting. However, every topic that all the speakers spoke about were interesting and relevant.

My favourite was one by Dr Stuart Shanker. He spoke about the development of Self Regulation – google this. It is amazing and has changed my views on so many things, from children sleeping to children with neurological disorders to calming children down and teaching them how to calm themselves down.

Dr Rangimarie Turuki Rose Pere gave the closing speech for the conference and she was awesome. She is all about love and loving oneself and loving every single thing in the world from the grass to the salt the salt in the sea, to the people who don’t like you. And, she is also very if you have a problem with me that is your problem, not mine.

On Friday afternoon after all the speakers and work shops, our team went and sat in on of our hotel rooms and we came up with so many planning ideas, it was the best planning session we have had since I have been at CK. We spent two hours sharing our ideas, extending on each others ideas and making plans of how to put in place all our ideas. We also discussed ideas that have been tried before and that we will try again, as just because something hasn’t worked when it has been tried before does not mean that it can not work now.

We had two days of conference and then flew home last night.

I can not wait till conference next year. It is going to be in Rotorua and be based on the slogan of “The nature of nurture.”

You Bloody Beauts!

And we won the 2011 Rugby World Cup!

Let’s just say, I am especially proud to be a Kiwi today!

Bargarra, QLD

Our trip to Australia was fantastic. Ten days was the perfect amount of time, not too little; not to long. We went to Melbourne first for four nights, and for my cousins wedding. Then we flew up to Queensland and drove up the coast from Brisbane to Bargarra: A beach side resort community, very beautiful, just outside of Bundaberg.

The soil in Bargarra was very red.

Our first day in Bargarra we drove into Bundaberg for a little drive around the city, a visit to a nature park, and a tour of the Bundaberg Rum Factory. After we headed back to Bargarra for a late lunch and a nap.

There is a train line running through the nature park.

Turtles were sunbathing on the edges of the ponds.

These funny looking birds were everywhere.

On the Tuesday we woke up super early and drove ninety minutes north to a town called, "The Town of 1770." There we went on a tour along the coast, up to one of the oldest lighthouses in the region, on a U.S. Army LARC. A boat-sort-of-thing, that can drive on land and sail in water. It was an awesome day, the weather was mint and it was fun seeing heaps of sea animals and birds. Also, we went for the first time.

Some of the view from the beginning of the journey.

The Sand dunnes we rode down.

Looking back at what we have come along…

While driving up a hill, with roads like this…

In this…

To see this Lighthouse…

And beauty like this.

We spent the Wednesday relaxing in Bargarra and on the Thursday we went to an art gallery in Bundaberg. We woke up Friday morning to take the five hour drive back down to Brisbane and fly home.

Any words I use to describe how much of an awesome trip it was would all be understatements, so just think of it as a bit of family time, a bit of partying, a bit of relaxing with some adventures thrown in.

I can not wait for the next trip!

Feeling like a stranger.

It has been so long since I have come on here to blog, or read blogs, that I feel like a stranger.

Here is an update on everything that has happened since I last blogged:

• My birthday day was very nice. I worked and then came home and had a few friends around for dinner, with my family also, which meant cuddles with Mr Tyler. 
• My birthday party was awesome! I had so much fun and partied the night away.
• Work is as amazing as it was on the first day I started. It is great working and studying at the same time. It makes it easier to put the theory into practice.
• I got a Distinction (highest grade possible) for my first assignment at university, so I am super stoked with that - hopefully I can keep the distinctions rolling in!
• On Wednesday, mum and I are going to Australia for ten days. We are going to Melbourne first for four days to attend my cousins wedding, and then we are going to Bundaberg, near Brisbane, for six days - I promise to take plenty of photos, and write a proper post about it when we get back.

Now I shall get back to catching up on all the blogs I have missed over the past month!

Twenty One

Turning Twenty One on Wednesday is slightly daunting. Age is always coming, but twenty one is the age when you are no longer a child anymore, you are now an adult. Strange how even one day can make a change, all due to a number.

Since I am leaving my twentieth year behind, I had best reflect on twenty new things I did in the past year:

1. Became an aunty
2. Went to Paihia, Russell, Keri-Keri and several other places in the Far North
3. Went to Palmerston North, my mums city of birth
4. Got my first car loan
5. Started a Nanny Course
6. Finished a Nanny Course
7. Lasted in a job three years
8. Quit my first real job
9. Enrolled in University
10. Handed in my first university assignment early
11. Started teaching Early Childhood Education (LOVE IT)
12. Learnt how to put on wiper blades
13. Climbed Rangitoto
14. I made my first piece of useable craft (coat hanger)
15. I went to a golf driving range
16. I started making a quilt (this list just reminded me about it)
17. Watched the last Harry Potter movie
18. Started a canvas craft for another person
19. Felt snow on my hand in Auckland
20. Saw Tana Mahuta

This past year has been full of many fun times. My twenty first year, I have a feeling, is going to be just as awesome, with a cherry on top!

How Far Did I Run?

I made a goal, I didn’t complete it.

I did not run one thousand kilometres in one hundred days. I did, however, run over seven hundred more kilometres over the last three months than, than I have (basically, ever). I feel good. So good! Exercise really is a grand thing. I am going to continue to exercise, more than I was previously.

On Wednesday, I walked to work for the first time. The walk was around fifteen minutes each way and was a fabulous way to start and end the day. One of my work mates is moving into my brothers old room soon, so we will be able to walk to work together on the days we start at the same times.

So, how far did I run? I am not to sure. I started losing count, when I forgot to fill out the exercise journal I had started. Before losing count I was up to near six hundred kilometres.

What I did: 15-17 July

From the evening of Friday 15th July until the evening on Sunday 17th July, I spent the weekend in Paihia with my oldest friend and her mum. We arrived in Paihia around 7.30pm on the Friday and spent the evening catching up and having some girl time in the hotel room.

On Saturday we drove to Kerikeri and went to the Stone store, and then we went to the Parrot Zoo. (please excuse the photos, I forgot to take my camera so they were all taken on my iPhone)

Where we met this guy, he was amazing in person!

 

I held a bird for the first time. He pooped on my shoulder.

At the Parrot Zoo not only did I get to hold one bird, a second one climbed onto me when we where in the caged area feeding them. I was extremely nervous, now all I can think about is how awesome it was.

Next, we drove over to the Rainbow falls and on the way to get the car ferry over to Russell we went to Hururu falls.

Rainbow Falls

Hururu Falls

The car ferry to Russell was super quick which was disappointing as the area is so beautiful I would have loved to have gotten out and taken a load of pictures. Once at Russell we drove to the Flagstaff hill, which is where the flagstaff was chopped down by Hone Heke four times in protest to British Rule (Hone Heke was also the first Maori Chief to sign the Treaty of Wiatangi). Seeing a part of my countries history and the views were highlights of a highlight filled day.

Looking out towards Paihia

More view, I really like the cloud

The fifth flagstaff

After our fun filled day we went back to Paihia. On the Sunday we started by packing our stuff and packing the car and then we headed across the road for breakfast.

View from breakfast

View from breakfast

Instead of coming directly back to Auckland, we drove across to the west coast and did a scenic detour. We stopped at the most amazing bathrooms in Kawakawa, stopped for the views from the peninsula in Omapere and went to see one of the most ancient trees in New Zealand in the Waipoua Forest.

Kawakawa Bathrooms

Kawakawa Bathrooms

Kawakawa Bathrooms

Kawakawa Bathrooms

Kawakawa Bathrooms

Kawakawa Bathrooms

Omapere - looking across to the sand dunes

Omapere

Omapere - looking out to the Tasman Sea

Omapere

Waipoua Forest

Waipoua Forest - Tane Mahuta

Waipoua Forest - Tane Mahuta

Waipoua Forest - Tane Mahuta

Following our look at New Zealands most ancient Kauri we went to the Kauri Museum in Dargaville, a very cool place to visit.

After Dargaville we headed home and eventually arrived back at around 7.30pm. It was a fun packed 48 hours and I loved every second of it.