B-B-Bird, Bird, Bird...Bird is the Word!

Brookie and I decided to learn birds one day! She is just adorable in more ways than one. We first watched some videos of Birds making their nests and little birds hatching on YouTube. We learned what birds use to put in their nests and then decided to make our own bird's nest. We went on little bush walk and collected a bunch of rocks, sticks, leaves and twigs. During the walk Brookie and I had a deep deep discussion about trolls and fairies. It had just rained and so the rain on the leaves were just sparkling. I told her anytime she saw a sparkle in the bushes it was a fairy smiling.:)  Her imagination just went wild. It was quite the adventure. After we gathered our supplies she colored some very round rocks we found then assembled all of our findings together with string. Then...VOILA! We created our own little bird's nest and placed it in a tree. Brookie was SO proud of it and we learned a lot along the way as well. :)

New Zealand is Beautiful!

So I haven't said much about actual New Zealand! It is absolutely beautiful here and so green!! A lot different from the Rocky Mountain Desert back home. The birds are amazing...they are so tropical! I found these lovely love birds sitting outside my window yesterday....

Pretty cool aye? 

I have been really into running lately and have absolutely loved the scenery as I am shuffling along the roads of New Zealand. It was the first day of spring September 1st and Keri and I went and celebrated and ran a good fat 6.5 mile run at Cornwall park in Auckland. Here are some pictures...It was the ultimate New Zealand park with all of the Green rolling hills and the sheep and baby lambs walking along side of you. So adorable. :) 

Beautiful Daffodil Pathway!

Happy Spring :) 

 Please ignore the red-faced, hardly smiling, sweaty Kenzie ;) Look at those hills!

I'm loving it here! Just learning so much about myself and pretty much just everything!! :) Thanks everyone who has been keeping in touch and updating me on your lives. It means a lot! 

Detective Clueless Needs Your Help!!

This has been one of my favorite things we have done with the kids yet! They got so into it and it was a blast.    We read a book called The Mysterious Case of the Missing Honey. In the middle of the book I placed this letter inside and it fell out as I turned the page.

We got in our detective gear and found the three clues to solve this mysterious case of the missing honey! 

Clue #1: 

A big stuffed Bear...

Clue #2:

...A bed...

Clue #3

...Honey!

We went back with all of our clues and Anika came up with the solution that maybe the Bear was eating his own honey in his sleep. We talked about all the possibilities and then finished the book. These smart little cookies were right! ;) So much fun!

Cute little Detectives :) 

This Day Could be Special! :)

 I've developed a new motto in life: this day could be special! Here is a little excerpt from the talk it came from by President Monson that I thought I'd share cuz I loved it so much. :) the talk is called "In Search of Treasure". 

"I recently read the account of a man who, just after the passing of his wife, opened her dresser drawer and found there an item of clothing she had purchased when they visited the eastern part of the United States nine years earlier. She had not worn it but was saving it for a special occasion. Now, of course, that occasion would never come.

In relating the experience to a friend, the husband said, “Don’t save something only for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion.”

That friend later said those words changed her life. They helped her to cease putting off the things most important to her. Said she: “Now I spend more time with my family. I use crystal glasses every day. I’ll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket if I feel like it. The words ‘someday’ and ‘one day’ are fading from my vocabulary. Now I take the time to call my relatives and closest friends. I’ve called old friends to make peace over past quarrels. I tell my family members how much I love them. I try not to delay or postpone anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives. And each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day. Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.”

You can't help but have a good day when you think about it because after all...it's a special occasion! :) 

My First Date in New Zealand!

Yep you heard right everyone! I had my first date in New Zealand. It was so so good. I think there will definitely be a second maybe even a 100 more. It was so so sweet and I really didn't want it to end. *sigh* Here is a picture...
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Homemade Date scones are the best things ever! Yes...I mean the fruit. ;)

Pool Jump!

Just in case I haven't mentioned this to anyone but....IT IS SO COLD! I went to over 100 degree weather in Hurricane to really cold degrees Celsius here. Today was actually a decent day in weather. I wouldn't say it was warm but a good enough day that we went on an amazing run on Milford beach to Takapuna Beach. So wonderful!! After our run we are sitting in the kitchen and i look outside and say "Keri, I just had this huge urge to jump in that swimming pool." "Let's do it!" she says. So we just jumped right in with our running clothes and it was pretty dang cold you could say. Very memorable but definitely a once in a lifetime thing. Here is the video! And don't be fooled by the sunshiney blue skies! haha so fun. I love this girl!

Waterbuddies!

Water buddies! Every kids favorite drink here in good ol' NZ. These guys are one of the sponsors for the Polkadot National tour and so in return they will be doing some advertising for the Water buddies during the tour and Pamela, with her amazing sewing skills, made a costume of one of the water buddies' characters, Carter. They went to present the costume to the business and I was the lucky one who got to dress up as Carter. haha The character Carter was based off of the business owners' son and he was there and hid underneath the chair when he saw me. His Dad said that was his way of saying he loved it. haha I believe him. So here is my lovely Carter Costume experience...you never know what the day brings here at the Reid household.