Sleeping beauties

Reuben and the masked avenger get some shut eye...

Well guys, here we are at Los Angeles, half way round the world.  Only lost one bag so far (and that's the airlines fault not ours) and hopefully it will be joining us here via a later flight.  As you can see, Reuben and Tilly did some sleeping last night.  Harriet didn't do too badly either and now we're in the Air NZ lounge grabbing a cup of tea and a shower before part two.  Children are being great even though we're all pretty tired.  Next stage will be the toughest leg of the trip as we're all starting tired, so wish us luck!

The year according to Reuben

Reuben came home with his summary of the school year today.  I think this speaks for itself!

Getting ready for Christmas

Time is rushing away towards Christmas and our trip to the UK.  Taxi booked, accommodation sorted for all the nights of our stay, car hire organised, Christmas presents bought - time to relax a bit before we tackle the packing.  Auckland weather has been fabulous recently, blue skies and temperatures in the high 20s, so we headed down to the beach on Sunday afternoon with the kayak.

Tilly asked for first ride and headed off with Dave.

All I want for Christmas is...

…well, to quote the song, two front teeth wouldn't go amiss for Reuben!  He is still minding the gap.  But what he and Tilly really want, as dictated to us while they were in the bath yesterday, is as follows and we're posting it here in case anyone is looking for inspiration for Christmas presents:

We are the champions!

Like father, like daughter… Cycle king Dave and Playball queen Tilly

We've been very busy covering ourselves in glory recently.

Trickle trickle

It was Hallowe'en last week and while the light evenings don't provide much of a spooky atmosphere, that didn't seem to diminish Reuben and Tilly's excitement - probably because they were very keen to go trick or treating for the first time and sweets are still sweets whatever the time of year.

Tilly ghost, 2nd left; Reuben vampire bat, 3rd from right

More please!

Our Harriet is growing up fast.  She was checked by the nurse at the end of October and weighed in at 7.45kg, which puts her just above the 50th centile, although her head circumference and her length are above the 90th centiles (Semple head and Burdekin height genes maybe?) She passed the 6 month mark on Saturday (how did that happen so quickly?) and has had her first week of eating solid food.  We did what the books tell you to do, and started her on baby rice.

Mind the gap!

You could drive a bus through there!

Evolution? Shhh, it's a secret

Keep it to yourself, but apparently there's this thing called evolution...

Tilly tells it like it is part 3

When being a normal mummy got on top of her, she sat and dreamed of one day becoming an architect 

More bon mots from the straight-talking Miss Tilly.

Tilly doesn't see the point in monogamy

I'm having a chat with Tilly this morning about what she wants to do when she grows up.

Bonking in New Zealand: a slight difference of language

Dave went to a conference recently and met someone who convinced him to take part in the Taupo Cycle Challenge.  'A little ride around a lake', he thought.  'Should be nice and level'.  Ummmm, Dave - Lake Taupo is not exactly small.  And after agreeing to the idea, he discovered that the perimeter is not exactly level either.  And the race route is 160km.  Oh well, at least it's an excuse to buy more kit - viz, a road bike and new bike shoes.

Then last week, Dave came home from work with a bike magazine that a colleague had lent to him and there on the cover was this perplexing offer:

Superstar Reuben

We've written before about Reuben and his vivid imagination, so we thought you'd be interested in proof of this other than complicated plots and plans involving his teacher, whoopee cushions and robot snakes.

Why we are currently not welcoming vampires

Do you know what 1 kilo of garlic looks like?

Flying high

Tilly in charge of steering, Reuben offering helpful advice

We had some gorgeous winter weather one weekend recently (we've also had lots of rain this winter in case you're feeling too jealous) so went down to our local beach with the children in the afternoon and took the kites with us.

What we have been eating recently 1

You know me folks, I'm really into my cooking (and eating the fruits of my labours), so I thought it would be good to post occasionally about what's been happening in the kitchen here in Auckland and share some of the triumphs and disasters.  My original plan was to take you on a tour of Kiwi specialities, but I haven't got round to testing anything yet, so here's something from - of all places - Austria instead.

Grab one quick, these don't last long!

Little messages

We've had some mysterious messages appear round the house recently.  Given the focus on bodily functions, we suspect a certain 6 year old might have had something to do with this...

Semple Burdekins - book your seats now!

Well folks, we thought we'd give you an advance opportunity to book front row seats to an exclusive interactive performance coming this Christmas.  That's right, not one, not two, not even three or four, but five, yes five moving, breathing, talking (well maybe not the youngest) Semple Burdekins will be appearing in England for a limited time over three weeks in December and January.

Reuben is inventive

Reuben has become very enthusiastic about drawing over the past couple of months.  Our house is awash with pictures, mostly showing monsters of various kinds, but the other day he came home from school with something a bit different, involving his teacher, Ms Cochrane.

Looking groovy

It was mothers' day here in NZ the weekend before last and I was given this amazing card by Reuben.

Tilly Tells It Like It Is Part 2

Tilly's one true love

Last time I wrote about Tilly's straight-talking, takes no prisoners approach, I had been on the receiving end.  Today it was Dave's turn.

Harriet Lily Semple Burdekin Arrives...

...in the bath of all places!

About 24 minutes old, out of the bath and tucked up in bed for a snuggle

Yay! Reuben is 6!

There was cake (raspberry and white chocolate - yum!)...

The Burdekin Venus

Look familiar?  Yep, it's that vision of palaeolithic womanly loveliness commonly known as the Willendorf Venus.  Whether she was a fertility symbol or was just carved to keep someone occupied during long dark winter evenings in Austria about 30,000 years ago, she clearly had curves in all the right places.

Reuben and Tilly were busy with the playdough yesterday morning.  Reuben had said he was making a snowman but clearly digressed part way through.

R: 'Look Hannah, I've made you without your big belly but with your big boobies'.
H: 'What's that, you've made me with my big belly?'
R: 'No, without your big belly.'

Also look familiar?

Oh.  So this is the slim version of me.  I like the big boobies though!

Yay!  I am a fertility goddess captured in green playdough!