New Zealand Part II - North Island Adventures

Ha ha! X promises me that this is not the mindset of the common Kiwi, but I thought it was too poignant not to get a picture. Only an idiot would be dumb enough to categorize a whole country like he obviously does.

We got to hang out with X's old mates. This is Glenn, X's best friend from high school (who married Kirsty, X's other best friend from high school). And here's Gareth, an old football buddy. I love hanging out with his friends because you hear a lot of "choice" and "sweet as" (some good old Kiwi vernacular) thrown around.

We visited the beaches of the Bay of Islands...gorgeous!!
We drove through beautiful rolling hills
We visited the amazing Maromaku Valley (aka Mormon Valley). It is this other-worldly place where the hills are amazingly shaped and formed and the grass is the greenest you'll ever find. I always love going there. The valley is full of Mormon farmers (about 90% of them related to X's family).

We always visit Aunty Irene (my father-in-law's sister) who owns and still runs her own dairy farm. Words can't describe Aunty Irene, but I will try: boisterous, crazy, L-O-U-D, unassuming, loving, tough as nails, weather-worn, and the smiley-est person around! I can't help but smile and just love her! I didn't get a picture of her because I was video-taping her while she was milking, but here's a picture from 2005 (not that you can see much from its bluriness). I love Aunty Irene! Her farm is messy and poopy, and all the better for it. It will be Graydon's (and every other little boys) favorite place in a couple of years.
Irene somehow got a pet sheep that just showed up on her farm one day. It was friendly, to say the least. It was interested in Graydon and it JUMPED up on me to try to get to him. Whoa. Again, all on video (I need to get a cable to connect it to my computer so I can share!).

We then went down the road to X's other Aunty, Aunty Karen, where we had the most delicious meal. We ate lamb (sorry people), but it was cured like corned beef...HEAVEN! But I felt kind of sad later when we went outside and visited their spritely young lambs. They are cheeky little things. They showed Graydon some little baby chicks and he tenderly petted them...ever so gentle (be still my heart). Again, captured on video. Here's a pic from 2005.

Those are our North Island Adventures.