The Wonderful World of 4 year olds and ICT!

This photo story was made by a 4 year old boy at Kindergarten. Sam was able to competently take the photos with the digital camera, load the photos onto the computer and with a little help organise them into the photo story. Sam showed his self confidence by talking to his photos! I helped Sam upload this story to our Kindergarten blog. What a wonderful way of sharing his ICT skills with friends and family! I continue to be impressed and inspired by the skills of our Kindergarten children.

The net generation in the Classroom

A very inspiring teacher talking about what is happening in her classroom.

Rock you testing....

Back down to Earth with a Crash!

Well have been home 5 days and has been very busy. Fitted in staff meetings, trip to Auckland for ICT professional learning, back to work and back to my life as a taxi driver and chief organiser for Jordan & Kesia. Auckland started bad and ended bad but the ICT course and venue were fantastic. The day started at 5.15am with a phone call from Beverly to say she had had an accident on way to my house - all OK - just parked her car in a paddock for the day! Venue was Botanical Gardens in Auckland and as part of our learning got the chance to explore and take photos. Definatley a place worth going back to for a better look. The day ended with me getting a speeding ticket - i blame Scott's car - not used to driving it and it doesn't even seem like your going fast! Anyway there went $120.00. Not sure if the Ministry of Education will cover that one! Just off on the soccer run. Keep up with Scott's blog and now even Mum has started a blog! There is a link of this blog.

Last day in LA and back to NZ

Our last day in LA was spent at Santa Monica and Venice Beach. We began with brunch at IHOP - American Chain, International House of Pancakes! HUGE meals and not as nice as we'd hoped. Kesia barely looked like she'd touched her chocolate chip pancakes! All left feeling BLAH! Headed straight to the bike hire place and hired tandem bikes for. Amazing cycle ways, over 24miles along coast between beaches. Spent an hour cycling round, awesome on tandems! Checked out Venice Beach and Muscle Beach. What a sight. Lots of strong men and women parading their stuff and skills on the equipment. Jordan & Kesia tried out a tight rope and some bars. Took back our bikes then spent time at Pacific Pier where Jordan & Kesia tried out yet another roller coaster. Time for shopping on 3rd Street Promenade and Jordan & Kesia had their last wetzel pretzel! They were definately a favourite of the trip. YUM! Took a drive along coast to Malibu and Scott and Jordan gazed and googled over lots of flash cars! Headed to the Airport and had fun trying to find where we left from, luckily we had lots of time. Had our last Starbucks and spent time looking at photos on computer and supposedly loading them onto CD for me to bring home - (unfortunately when i went to put photos on home laptop the CD was empty!) Sad Goodbyes to Scott before we made our way through to wait for our plane. Long wait and plenty of time to play cards and buy lollies for the trip! Jordan & Kesia managed to sleep 8 hours on the plane so great trip for them. Arrived home exhausted and shattered but with amazing memories and stories to tell. Hoping Scott will add some photos of our last day to this blog. Let's wait and see! Once again thanks to everyone for sharing our blog and look forward to catching up with everyone soon.

Our last dinner!

Perhaps this is what our Whangarei Farmers Market will look like in 20 years! This Farmers Market started out in the 1930's and now is HUGE - more like a shopping centre but still heaps of food stalls and produce stalls. Enjoyed our last dinner together and last night in LA. Look forward to New Zealand food and lots of invitations to dinner while Scott's away - you all know how good i am at cooking!

Hollywood

Enjoyed a sunny but very hazy LA day cruising the streets of Hollywood looking at the mansions of the rich and famous in Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Mulholland Drive. Walked the Hollywood walk of fame and went to the Chinese Theatre for the hand,foot prints and messages from the stars. Saw the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars are presented. Only famous spotting for real was Stephen Spielberg in his very flash car on Rodeo Drive. Scott not quite quick enough with the camera but kind of a glimpse on film! Not great shots of the famous Hollywood on the hill because of very hazy weather. Told by the locals its something to do with the sea but we think its just smog! Enjoyed driving around all the Boulevard's we've only ever heard of -Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard. Farmer's Markets in the evening for dinner and a tram ride! Last day tomorrow - spending it at Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach, hoping to hire bikes again. Don't need to be at Airport until 6.30pm so plenty of time for final sight seeing! This will be our last blog until we are back in NZ. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon. Thanks to everyone who has made comments on our blog, we have really loved sharing it with you! We leave LA 9.30pm Sunday night which is about 4.30pm Monday afternoon NZ time. Arrive home 5.30am NZ time Tuesday. We lose Monday - hopefully will sleep heaps!

PS Manaia Kindergarten Children - I think this must be where Beverly used to live! Lots of the streets have her name on them and there is even a Beverly Hills! I wonder which house was hers. Can you see Beverly's name on a sign?

Las Vegas to LA road trip by Kesia

What a long trip! Las Vegas to LA took us about 5 hours, when we were leaving we went to a shopping Mall and bought some stuff. We bought something for everybody. When we had finished shopping we went to the food court and had lunch. I had Burger King. When we had hit the road again we went through the desert and it was hot, we saw some really weird cactus trees that you will see in the pictures, lots of sand tornadoes and long long long long straight roads that went on forever! On the way as well we saw the Worlds BIGGEST thermometer. It was 96 degrees which is about 35c. When we were in LA finally we hit the traffic, Mum said if we hadn't stopped at the shopping mall we probably would have missed the traffic. When we finally got to our Hotel i went and did some washing with Dad and found a Starbucks while we were waiting for the washing. Tammy said there is a Starbucks on every corner and she was right! Jordan and I got a hot chocolate, Mum got a chai latte and Dad got a coffee. Watching TV now and are going to dinner soon.

Jordan's Birthday Story

We started the day by catching the deuce bus, which is a shuttle bus, down to the Exalibur Hotel & Casino which looks like a castle, we had a buffet breakfast including ice cream, chocolate sauce and crunchie bits and cream! Also bacon and pancakes. Then we walked across the road to M & M World where there were 4 stories of M & M stuff. I spent some of my birthday money from The Vinsons on an M & M dispenser and i spent some other money on a bag that i could fill up with as many M & M's as i wanted for my dispenser. Next we went back to our Hotel on the deuce and had a refreshing swim because it was sooooo hot! After our swim we went to the Adventuredome and went on the roller coaster 5 times because it was so cool. Kesia made Dad come the first time because she was scared! But then she loved it and went on it 4 more times, and even sat at the front! Then we went to dinner at an Italian/Mexican place and I chose my own pizza toppings. After dinner we went to the kids casino which had heaps of games. The one in the photo is horse racing - you need to roll balls into the holes to make the horses move towards the other end. The first one to get to the end wins. I won the one in this photo and won a soft toy. We won about 7 soft toys throughout the whole kids casino. I am going to give one to Amara, Billy and Jackson and other people. Now we are in LA staying on Sunset Boulevard.

Hi Everyone

Thanks heaps for all your fantastic comments. Loving sharing our holiday pictures with you all. No internet access for next few days until we get back to LA on Friday afternoon so will be back blogging then. Jordan's birthday!!!! 11 in Las Vegas, how exciting!

Las Vegas Lights!

Your probably all wondering how I am going to get the Hummer home... still thinking of an idea myself but have been saving all my nickels to have a go! Seen a few free shows tonight - The Freemont Experience and Belaggio Fountain. Both very cool. Jordan & Kesia absolutely shattered and over walking up and down Las Vegas Boulevard. Jordan's birthday tomorrow so out for buffet breakfast and then explore Adventuredome at hotel. Las Vegas is all it's ever said to be and then some. Certainly some sights. Quite pleased i'm not a gambler!

Look who we ran into today...

You would not believe the people that you meet over here! ha ha. Luckily we managed to get half price tickets to get into Madame Tussards Wax Musuem - would have felt very ripped off otherwise!

On the Road - The Hoover Dam

Short trip of about 240 miles from Williams to Vegas Hoover Dam on the way very busy and slow traveling through there. Pretty impressive sight. We stopped and had a look around then back in the car to Vegas.

Get your kicks on Route 66!

Really enjoyed nights in Flagstaff and Williams - real cowboy and indian America! Jordan's turn to choose where to eat dinner in Williams - enjoyed the American cuisine and one man guitar singing band at the Route 66 Cafe. Huge amount of cruisers on big bikes arriving along their Route 66 journey. Amazing place. Left Williams Tuesday morning to head for Las Vegas, through the Hoover Dam... Freeways amazing long and straight, Jordan & Kesia able to read, play games and write postcards while travelling without getting car sick! Real bonus, makes travelling lots more fun, not to mention being able to cruise at 75 miles per hour!