Hello! How was your April?
We had a super-fun one around here, enjoying Easter, family visits, trips down to Auckland, and of course, spending time in our favourite place (Wonderview)! It was funny in a way (not haha funny) comparing this April with last. Last April we were in level 4 lockdown for almost the whole month, and it was a weird and scary time – although the weather was exceptionally good (thank goodness). This April was quite the contrast. We were so happy to have our freedom. It’s also amazing watching friends and family in other countries get vaccinated. Hopefully by the time winter ends, we all will be as well…we’ll just see how it goes I guess!
For now, life is good. Here’s a few favourite memories from April…
1. Easter weekend
Amelie went up to my parents’ place for the Friday and Saturday of Easter weekend, then they brought her back on Sunday and stayed for lunch. They did an Easter egg hunt for her while she was there, and we did one for her back at ours on Sunday, and long story short, much chocolate was discovered and Amelie was extremely spoilt. She loved it!
2. Family hikes
Hayden’s parents came to stay with us for a few days, and we got out one day for a short hike ‘all the way to the tippy top’ of a hill above Mangawhai Heads Beach. The path goes on at the top of the hills for quite a way, and it’s such a beautiful walk! Amelie did a great job walking with us and it was super exciting to get a little glimpse of what it’s going to be like next summer when she can go for some slightly longer hikes – I’m looking forward to it already!
3. Museum visits
Tāmaki Herenga Waka (Stories of Auckland) opened at Auckland Museum in early autumn, and I was so excited to show Hayden and Amelie this amazing new suite of galleries. We had such a nice day at the Museum, going through Tāmaki Herenga Waka and interacting with all the fantastic experiences there, then quickly stopping by the Pacific galleries for a look at the ‘Moana’ boat, and the Volcanoes gallery so Amelie could see the model volcano. The volcano makes me laugh. It is so dated compared to so many other galleries, and isn’t interactive, and just generally isn’t that impressive – but that volcano has been her favourite part of the Museum since she was two! Amelie is generally just incredibly fascinated by volcanoes. Thankfully we live in the right country for that interest…
4. Bike rides with friends
We stayed with friends the weekend of the Museum visit, and the next morning we went for a bike ride/café visit in their suburb. Amelie is getting really good on her bike – on this ride she was still on her training wheels but since then she has ditched them! She is also a total speed demon, which is terrifying but we’re super proud of her. I’m excited to add family bike rides to the list of next summer’s activities.
5. Stunning sunrises
This is the view from the small deck off our bedroom. Autumn means waking up to sunrises like this, lighting up the Pacific Ocean first with a strip of silver, then revealing Little Barrier Island and the Coromandel behind it, then finally rolling up and over the farmland beneath our hill. It’s absolutely magical.
The Judd Crew 
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