The Easter with my parents here

Hi,

What an awesome Easter.  Oddly, we had an Easter at home.  Doesn't happen that often.  But there was a special reason we were at home.  My parents are visiting.  Woot!

But, first, on Good Friday morning, Celia came over and Mike helped us get the bikes ready for a mountain biking morning.  Celia and I drove to Wainuiomata's MTB park and checked it out.  It was such a lot of fun we want to do it again in a few weeks.  Celia and I did two loops of the Wetland trail and then two of the Scout/Return Scout trail.  I loved the second one and now I want to explore more.  But happy to get my eye in.  Mountain biking is quite different from road cycling.

Riding the trails

Love knobblies on my bike

Having a break

Celia having fun on Toby's bike

Feet at Petone beach

Pie for lunch

 We bumped into people we knew from work while in the trail.  Probably a few others we might have known.  It was pretty busy and loads of families.  What fun.

We left just after midday and grabbed a pie from the bakery in Lower Hutt we like and sat on Petone beach baking in the hot sun eating them.  Mmmmmm.  And even better, Celia got a cream donut and she shared it with me.  Double Mmmmmm.

From there we went home and Celia left to catch up with her friends.  Mike and I tidied in preparation for my parents arrival.  My preparation included sleeping for ages.  Their flight got in at half past midnight so it was hard work staying up.

We met them off the plane and we drove back home.  It would have been half one by the time we all got to bed.


I took Mum and Dad to Taste for brunch.  We saw Benjamin working while we were there.  It was yummy, like usual.

Ma and Pa at Taste

After we got back, I took Ma out grocery shopping for family lunch the next day.  We had fun doing that.  And then I took my parents out to visit Sally and then Vivienne.  They had some presents for them.

Back home and a quiet night before bed, involving making lasagne for the lunch.  Ma helped me because Mike got a migraine.

Toby got me up at midnight to watch the lunar eclipse.  Given it had been a pants day with wind and low cloud I wasn't terribly enthusiastic.  But Toby was.  Lucky I listened to him.  The view was spectacular.  We even woke up Grandy and Gramps for it.  We watched for an hour until totality.  I chatted to Shona as well.

Startling footage of the lunar eclipse

Toby in the dark

Next morning I was up early to make the rest of the lunch courses.  It all went really well.  Then finally people arrived at midday.   And it all seemed to be enough, There must have been twenty people.

Getting stuck in

Chatting

Chatting

Egg hunt

Anti social phone nerds

Loads of cherry tomatoes - mmmmmm

 Everyone was pleased to catch up with my parents.  The weather was stunning so we had plenty of space for chairs on the deck.  It was so nice to hear my family and friends all chatting away to each other.  Happy.

Vivienne and John stayed for tea but eventually the call of their dogs (and son) lured them home.  I dropped them off.  My parents were so pleased to see them.  They have missed everyone a lot.

Next morning I got up to go to watch Aidan shoot some arrows.  The weather was so hot again, despite us getting rained on as we drove there.  Just like last time.

Aidan prepares for her shot

After archery, we luxed the car out with Aidan showing me how you lux like a madwoman when you only have a limited time with the lux at the petrol station.  Hahahah.  Then we drove through the car wash.

After I dropped Aidan home and took Moby for the week, I took my parents to Chocolate Fish for lunch.  It was so good.  Toby was at Te Papa with Magnus.  Then when we got home, they got ready for movies with Aunty Sally.  Fast and Furious 7.  Or something.

Chocolate Fish cafe

Mum said it was the best iced coffee she has ever had.

Yep - it was definitely up there.  Easily a 9/10.

Mt Vic in the background

I dropped Sally home and got home and fell asleep.  But not after ironing in the evening while watching Downton Abbey season 1 with Ma.  Woot!  We have got a lot to watch before she leaves on Sunday!

Had a blast this weekend.

More please!

Love,
Angela