Woops just realised we missed your birthday Leigh, so a Happy late birthday to you, we hope your day was filled with specialness.  Well we have been up to the hospital to visit Jamie and her new baby tonight and he is so lovely, just like a brand new kitten heehee.  Korie thinks Jayden-Rei is awsome and loves to hold him and stare at him.  Rory you and Sam must be a bit excited for when your little brother arrives!  It was funny this morning at school, when Kories mates heard that he was an uncle they were patting him on the back and calling him Uncle Korie, it was like they were congratulating him!  Well I hope you are all keeping well and enjoying being back at school, the last few days have been crazy busy and I much crawl into bed, goodnight Gardeners xox from the Morrisons

Hi Leigh, Sean, Sam, Rory and The Bump,
Hope all is going well and the boys are settled back at school. I clearly remember the feeling of first days back after a term break but then I should after all those years teaching and it was only 5 years ago since stopping to enter into my life in HELL.
Rebecca and I had a great win on The Edge radio competition finding Emma who was "Lost in a Box" for three weeks. Rebacca is visiting her friend in Perth as a 21st present from us so she now can have a spend up and I will put my half away and visit Sarah (our 25 year old) in London and my sister in France next year.
Pop in and see us when you have a chance to collect a bag of money,
Keeping you in our thoughts,
The Blackburns.

Hi Sam
Heard you came 2nd in Taranaki cross country,well done for doing that. My birthday is coming up and I was wondering if you could fly up here for it on the 30th of October.I won our school cross country,4th in northern wairoa and 12th in northland.Hope your having a great holiday,I look forward to hearing from you.
From Conor

Kiaora Whanau
Gees it's been a while since i last said anything on this and i have had to play catch-up. First of all Happy belated birthday Lee B and thank you for the txtyou gave to me yesterday that was so awesome!!!. Secondly way to go boys for the way you's are looking after your mum, it is so cool to hear rory that you have made friends and sounds like yous are all doing well now that the winter blues have gone. I see Lee B you are still looking stunning with your puku.Everything in the Waipoua is still the same and yesterday for my birthday i just stayed home to relax but ended up with visitor after visitor, the last lot left at 9.30pm last night. I got given a lovely choclate Geateau cake, a box of Roses chocolate, some lotto tickets and scratchies and a flood of phone calls. Will keep in touch
Ma te aroha kia koutou mo ake tonui
Heni

Hi! Hope the holidays are going well for you all.  Now Leigh I have just realised that I missed your BIRTHDAY!!!!  So Happy Belated Birthday to you for the 25th!  Hope you had a fabulous day!  Lots of Love from the Johnstons! xxxxxxx
A message from Kody.  I sent you a parcel I hope you got it. Are you having good holidays?  Kody

Kia Ora Guys,Have got myself up to date with your blog, and very impressed with what you all have been achieving lately, well done!!! The boys have taken up squash, and really enjoying it, they have improved heaps from that first fling of the bat!! Freya has been to some casual coaching also and doing well, Greg is delighted to have his kids follow him onto the court!!We have had some real equinox weather here,which has brought out the spring-cleaner in me (well, a glimpse of a cleaner), but more importantly the gardener, and the beds are being turned, fertilised, and seeds sown, the blossom in the orchard is lovely. This will interest you guys...all the pines up at the lakes have been felled,which has changed the landscape considerably,and Greg has the contract to replant the campgrounds and all the revegetation up there, a huge job, but very pleasing,watch this space!!!a few years will make a big difference, let alone a decade or two!!
Love to you all, the Newman-Horne whanau

Hey there everyone,  fantastic effort in the cross country Sam what an awesome result!  Korie got 10th in his cross country which qualified him to go to Northern Wairoa!  He was very excited, however found the run extremely hard with a rather steep hill climb, he came in 26th and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  Nice to hear that you are looking after mum so well boys, she'll be a hard one to slow down!  Korie has to deliver his speech tomorrow and has chosen to write about nana and grandads new farm.  Jamie has had 2 hospital stays recently due to concerns that the midwife has had however all is well and she is still in one piece!  The countdown is on and her due date is about 4 weeks away.  Well we are about done with all the wind and cold and would happily embrace some sunshine and warmth, we thought our roof might blow off the other night it was wild outside but luckily we only suffered a twisted gate.  Our friends trampoline was thrown into the next paddock and broken into pieces!  That was Liams tramp Rory they put pictures on facebook it was crazy!  Well it's nearly my bedtime so until next time hugs to you all, take care and god bless xox

congratulations on the soccer ball belly (Leigh) and passing the test (Rory)
Willow just turned 8 so we are recovering from the sleepover birthday party!
love to you all 

Hi!  Nice update. Its amazing to see Rorys Story is still reaching people! 
Good luck with the Job!  Lovely to hear the boys are looking out for you and willing to fetch and carry for you! 
We had an interesting day at Nana and Poppas yesterday.  we went out for afternoon tea for Poppas Birthday (which is on Tuesday 21st)  Kody and Ben made a bee line for the dirt pile which they drive cars around in ride bikes in and over and on this day dug and raked it.  As I casually looked out at them playing in the wind,  I nearly choked on my cuppa!!! they were swinging the tools around pounding them into the dirt and flinging it  all over the lawn.  It looked very dangerous, so I told them to pick up all the clumps off Poppas lawn and to stop swinging the tolls around.  About 10 minutes later two forlorn little boys came to the door....one with Blood!!!!!!!  Yes Ben had copped the rake Kody was swinging in the head!!! eeekkk (Obviously that put a stop to my cup of tea!) He has a mean looking puncture wound right in the middle of his forhead.  I thought it needed a doctors opinion but was out voted and made up some steri strips to hold it together.  Kody felt really bad about it.  Unfortunatly accidents happen.  I told Ben perhaps it was the fairys getting him for peeing off the trampoline earlier in the day into his SISTERS SHOES!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow Sam going to the big game!  That would have been pretty exciting, and getting on TV too!  Cool. 
Well its time for homework and dinner prep now so keep warm and out of the wind.  love to you all from Us xxxxx
 

Well After using nearly a box if kleenwipes and six hours of time i should have been spring cleaning. I have read your website every word, looked at every picture and read every message. I think you and your family have been put on this earth to bring out the best in people. The wonderful messages and beautifully written updates have touched me in a way I do not remember having felt this way before. I have laughed and cried, I feel like I know you all so well and your friends with their funny stories be it school updates or the antics of lambs and little boys so full of life.
Wonderful progress and maturing of little ones coping with things most adults could not handle.
Thank you for making me so happy to be alive and thank ful there are people like you all in NZ. I will keep monitoring this wonderful site and Rory (wonderful name) here are some wonderful warm Ozzie wishes coming your way.