We have been having a lot of fun in the snow during our trip to the mountain. Not only have we been getting better at our skiing and snowboarding but we have been artistic too. There has been a snowman called Trevor (built by myself and our friend Natalie) and some linocut making in preparation for the next class art project.

I was hoping Andy’s new snowboard would result in an improvement in his snowboarding and it would appear that it has. He now fearlessly flings himself down the upper slopes of Mount Ruapehu and gets to the bottom grinning and giggling!

Andy managed to hurt his ankle on the way down to the mountain so we spent our first day away from the mountain so as not to hurt it even more. I’m not quite sure how but this resting somehow turned into a new snowboard for Andy resulting in one very excited husband who is now itching to get up the mountain tomorrow (buggered ankle and all!)

It is a very nice board and hopefully it will result in a much better snowboarding husband! Whatever happens though he will have fun testing it out, I just hope he doesn’t damage himself even more!

Here is Kelly preparing her “snow Nails”. I am worried she might get lost in an avalanche. She says it’ll be OK because she hasn’t painted her toes , so that’s OK.

I want snow nails now. I have serious snow nail envy!!

Clearly on our weekend away we have been relaxing but not talking to each other. We both wrote a blog entry about the same thing!

We decided to escape from Hamilton for the weekend because it’s our fifth wedding anniversary. Kelly found a little cabin in the middle of nowhere on the way to Raglan. It’s warm, quite fancy and has a hot tub.

We have spent the weekend lazing, reading, playing games and soaking in the tub.

We have also spent the weekend coughing, we have colds. I’m not sure if it’s the respiratory doctor surrounded by snotty patients or the primary school teacher surrounded by snotty children to blame, but one of us has brought a little too much home from work!

As it was our fifth wedding anniversary on Friday we decided it would be nice to get away from the world and spend some quality time together. We hunted for a little place we could call ours for the weekend and found Hidden Valley near Raglan that seemed to fit the bill perfectly. A cute little cabin complete with spa pool that wasn’t too far from home but far enough that it felt like a proper escape.

June is a good month for my family. It is a month of happy marriages and it is a month of long standing marriages. Mum and Dad celebrate their wedding anniversary on Tuesday and will be toasting 36 years of marriage. I can honestly say that I can’t remember them ever arguing as I grew up although I remember regularly telling them “that’s gross” when they shared a smooch in my company! As we approach our 5th anniversary it is always nice to think about other peoples successful marriages.

Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad

The woolly Viking helmet is finished. Andy is very pleased. I don’t think I need to write more as the picture speaks for itself!

An evening of web browsing led me to a pattern for a crochet Viking Helmet and the minute I showed Andy my next craft project was decided. Apparently if I make him one he will wear it to work every day!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63721773/lael-viking-hat-pdf-crochet-pattern

So pattern has been purchased and the hat is taking shape. I’m looking forward to sending him off to work in it in the very near future! Pictures will follow!