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Harriet

annual Santa Parade pic

Billy

has only a few weeks till he finishes primary school

I'm in no way ready

Arlo

all the teeth gaps

Otis

Mummy made pants

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Harriet, Billy & Arlo

with the lovely wee Miriama

who we got to see this weekend

Otis

likes to walk to school and back these days

Noho marae ki Kawhia

last week Te Whānau Awahou

were lucky enough to be invited to stay at 

Maketu Marae in Kawhia

for our noho marae

auau kite rangi

we have been fundraising for 2 yrs to go

there were 46 tamariki and their parents

plus our 3 lovely kaiako

 

first stop on the bus trip to Kawhia was Waterworld in Te Rapa

like previous noho I worked in the kitchen

which makes for early starts but beautiful sunrises

there were a series of waananga for the tamariki 

over the 2 full days we were there

waiata, poi toa, mau rākau and whakaataata

 the wee girl in the pink adores Billy

and followed him everywhere

holding his hand, sitting on his knee, doing karakia with him

Arlo's - don't take my picture smile

swimming in Kawhia harbour at high tide

low tide exploring

 which roopu get to have kai first?

 acting waananga

 and show performances on the last night
the boys roopu won first place

lining up for lemonade

 our last morning we climbed the hill above the marae

the stones at the bottom mark the final resting place of the Tainui canoe

best friends

ngā mihi nui ki te whānau Whitora mō t

ōu manaakitanga