Harrison has been doing athletics

 My Favourite Event

By Harrison

‘’I can do this! I can do this! ’’I repeated this to myself over and over again. Here I was in my 

favourite position on the far right side eyeing up my jump, just like a rugby fullback.

My heart was pounding, my body shook as I was getting ready to take off.The weather was miserable, the rain was bucketing down. .I wasn't worried about how slippery it was because I borrowed a pair of spikes off a friend.

  I took 6 big strides then started to sprint and took off. I was jumping 1.15 m. I sailed over the bar and landed softly on the mat. 

“I did it yay!”

I was very proud of myself. The next attempt was 1.18 metres. I gave it all I got but I didn't make it, I said to myself oh well that's still better than what I've jumped at training.

Next up was the 800m sprint. I made my way to the starting line, my heart nervously pounding. Bang! away  we went, I was currently sitting in 1st place but not for long. I knew right from the start the other kids looked a lot fitter than me. Trying to keep my pace up and hold my place one of the other kids had passed me and I had started slowing down, huffing and puffing with exhaustion not even halfway through one lap. 

Finally after what seemed ages I had done it, but I hadn't come first. I think I was in third or fourth place but I was still proud that I did it. At the end of the day I was very sore and tired.  It was a very fun day and I enjoyed it.

Ocean saw some peacocks

 

Willow has been nominated for the Nominated for a Marlborough Conservation Award

 

Watch Willow. Click here and go to 7 mins in

Check out Mark's Monster Face Art

 

Harrison has drawn a cool weta

 

Annabelle created this cool t-shirt design for MXL228 Algebra

 

Here are all the photos from Bink, Bloem, Lief and Kick's 30km walk through the Abel Tasman.

 

Bink's story about his hike

 

We were packing our bags. I had to bring my own sleeping bag with some clothes. We had to walk to the spot where we would hop in the boat and then the driver would back us into the water. Then the lady would come and drive the boat to where we were going to get dropped-off.  

We got dropped off at Torrent Bay because if we passed  Onetahuti, the waves would get choppier.

We had to walk for 2 hours and 10 minutes to get to Bark Bay Hut. When we were at Bark Bay  Hut we had to set everything up. Daddy saw a little garage with 6 beds in it, just enough for us to all sleep in.

We had to set up our sleeping bags for us to sleep in. I didn't have a good sleep that night because I had a sore leg. In the morning, I still had a sore leg but I had to walk, which was a bit of a shame. It got better once I started walking. It felt better because we'd already done that track. 

Lief went on a long hike

 

The boat was really bumpy. I felt sick on the boat because it was really choppy. I was good when the boat stopped because then we walked on the trail and we had fun on the trail. 

After a while my legs felt really sore because we had to walk to the hut. It was far away. 

We started the fire because it was really cold when we were walking. In front of the fire it was really hot but it was nicer because outside it was cold.

Check out Raz's cool video

 

Bloem went on a hike

 The Rainy Hike!

We were in the choppy water. We were on our way to Kaiteriteri to pick someone up in a water taxi boat. 

We have to go to Apple Split Rock for a tour. We were all a bit sick.

We were supposed to go to Onetahuti but the waves got bigger the further you went. So, we got off the boat at Torrent Bay. 

Then we walked 2 hours and 10 minutes to Bark Bay.

On the way we had to cross a big bridge and the water underneath it was really brown because of all of the rain. 

We were the first ones to get to the hut at Bark Bay. 

There was a room that had six beds. So, we set up our sleeping bags in there. Then we hung our clothes up because it was raining when walking. 

The next day we packed our bags and got ready to walk to the Anchorage hut.

Once we got to Torrent Bay, we had to cross the estuary.The water was a bit higher than your knees.

We were so happy to see the Anchorage hut. We dried all of our stuff above the fire.

Once we woke up the next morning,  we had to walk all the way back to Marahau, that was 12.5 km.

Once we got there, we were so happy to see  Marahau. 

I loved walking the Abel Tasman.

Maisie lost a tooth

 

We were on the sea biscuit. My cousins Imy and Eve were here. It was the last day they were here. We really wanted to go on the biscuit. 

The sea was shiny and flat as a pancake. So we played paper, scissors, rock. Whoever lost had to ask Mum if we could go on the biscuit. Pip lost. So she asked mum and came back. She said, do you want to hear the bad news or the good news? We all said the good news. 

Well, she said, “WE'RE GOING BISCUITING” and then we said the bad news? 

Pip said,  “Not now. When the tide is in.”        

“No!” we said. 

In 30 minutes, we went to the beach in the car. It took another 20 minutes because the boat motor didn't work but we got it to work. 

Pip and I were the first ones to go on the biscuit. There were bumps. I knew what was going to happen and YES it happened. MY TOOTH!!!!! It flipped up. Mum pulled it out. I tasted the blood dripping down my chin.  

Tildy and Arthur have a new puppy. His name is going to be 'South'

 

Look at Maisie and Pippa's cool poppy art

 

The last part of Willow's story, or is it?????

 I walked up to the museum. I saw this rusty anchor outside the door. Then we walked in. We went to the bottom floor which had some ship things inside it, and there was a Mouse, and every minute it zoomed across the sail. 

Then we went up a couple other floors. This is when we found something really cool, it was the top floor. There were two lions and there was a cool electricity ball. So when you put your hands on it, the electricity would come up to your hands. 

After we had a look at all the cool stuff in the museum, we went back down to the bottom floor, and left. Then we went back to our motel for a little bit.

When it was time to go to WOW (I can't remember what time we went to WOW), I got dressed into a dress and then we were walking out to the place where WOW is.

We went in, found our seats, and waited for a very long time. 

Then suddenly bright light started beaming down, the doors opened, mist poured out, there were some people coming out singing a song. It was finally starting.

There were acrobats, dancers, singers, all sorts. In fact it was hard to see what was going on because there was so much going on at once. 

There were a bunch of other scenes as well, and at the end, the winner of the show was actually one that I quite liked. 

We went out, it was 10 o’clock. We went up to the supermarket, got a little bit of juice, had a look at all the bright lights and then by the time we got back to her motel it was 10:30. By the time I got to bed, it was 11 o'clock.

In the morning, we woke up, had some breakfast, had a shower, got dressed, then we went into Wellington again. We had a look at some stuff, then it was time to leave. We said bye Auntie Fee. Then me and Mum went onto the ferry. 

After 3 hours we arrived at Picton, we got a bus and waited for Dad to pick us up. 

That was a nice trip, the end, or maybe it wasn't the end

Annabelle went to athletics

 

I woke up feeling excited and my heart was pumping fast! Today we are doing our athletics competition. I got up and put my athletic clothes on. I was shaking with nervousness and excitement! 

Now we are heading to athletics. Mum didn't know exactly where to go and we got a bit lost. When we finally got there we had to set up the tent and get all of our food and chairs up to it, it was a heavy load. We all sat down under the tent out of the rain. 

Finally it was time for my first race. Now my tummy has butterflies in it. Finally my name and the other girl's name was called up and we went to the starting line. 

The man said, “Take your marks, set, go!!” 

I pumped my arms as fast as I could! When we crossed the finish line I thought to myself wow she's fast!!! By then I was puffing my head off!! 

Bodhi's story

 

We went to shoot some rams with me and my dad. Their horns keep growing into their faces so we have to shoot them so they don't die by themselves. Tilly's lamb, Travis, was with the rams. We just left Travis with them. 

After we killed them, we put them up on top of the hill. Our pigs can eat 2 rams in a day. Our pigs eat all of the meat off the bones. Then they go into the bush and they go to sleep with their piglets. 

Ashley caught some whitebait. She let them go after looking them

 We went up to the creek when it was high tide. I caught some whitebait in a net with Hannah's help. We put them in an ice cream pot. We put some water in the ice cream pot but it was saltwater. I caught two white bait at a time thanks to Hannah's help. 

We found a big eel and we were scared so we ran away screaming. 

Anita is going to pick up her grandparents from the airport

 On the 6th of December we are going to go to Christchurch. We are going to Christchurch airport to pick up Granny and Granda who live in Ireland. We last saw Granny and Granda 3 years ago! 

We are going to be there for two full days. It takes 8 hours to get there! 

We are going to Castle Hill Station because it was where Granny's great-great Granda used to live. We are also going to go to some other really cool places but I don't know where yet. 

On the way back home we are going to buy rams. We take a trailer to carry the rams back. 

We are going to stay at Rosemary and Uncle Mon's. They are my godparents and I haven't seen them for 3 years as well!

Lucy has written about her generation doll

 I have a new doll. I saw it when we were in Greymouth but the shop was closed so I had to wait till we go to Greymouth next . 

I went on Google to see what her name was and I found out her name was Hayley. I already knew she was an Our Generation doll. because I already have an Our Generation doll.  

They are fun to play with and dress. So far I already have a unicorn onesie. It is really cute. I could go on and on about the clothes and accessories you can buy for them but it will take too long. 

I know what I really want, the scooter and the horse for the dolls. The doll I already had was Tamera and she was one of the horse riding dolls. Some shops have the dolls a little bit too pricey for Dad to get one for me. I have asked Santa for the horse and the scooter. Now it's just a waiting game to see if he's got them for me.

Bailey has been making Christmas Cards

 

I’ve been making some Christmas cards for my friends and family. I had a look in my craft box and found some Christmas things, then I had a look online to see what ideas I could find.

I found cool ideas online so I got out the paper and glue and got started. I really love snowmen so I made lots of cards with them on. I used google eyes, stickers, little gems and coloured paper to make all the different designs. 

Some of my friends and family live overseas. So I have to make the cards nice and early, to post them off so they can get there on time. I sent one in for Catriana with my work. 

My favourite one is the snowman with the top hat because his hat makes him look so cute. I think when i make him next time i’ll give him goggle eyes.  

Winter has been finding bugs in his garden

 I have been learning how to use my insect book to identify different bugs I have found. I look at the beginning of the book and find the type of insect, then find the pages it says to go to. I have found these ones all by myself so far! This one is an elephant weevil.

This one is a spotted ladybird. I found her at the stream when Willow was doing her stream testing. She was very fast and hard to catch. She likes eating aphids so when we let her go we put her on a Willow tree that had aphids under the leaves.

This one is a brown soldier bug. Dad always thought it was a bad vegetable bug, but we found out that it eats caterpillars so it's a good guy for the garden!

Winter has made round wraps for LAN Round and Round

 I made Round mini wraps with Round salami. I cut the shapes with a container and pulled them out. Then I put on some tomato relish for the salami to stick on. Yummy!

Maisie has done some cool work in ENG228 Letters to send

 

Harrison and Annabelle have been to Athletics