#anettingnewzealandadventure: The Nettings Do NZ

I had anticipated some rough points this week due to Caleb being away but I’m happy to report that we sailed through the week (maybe because we know Poppa arrives soon!!!)! Caleb was off to Perth, Australia early Wednesday morning until late Sunday night for a conference. We contemplated Kenz and I going, but with a 5-hour time difference and 8 hours of flying each way, it seemed a bit much! So we stuck around and saw friends! I actually got smacked with Kensley’s cold the day Caleb left – go figure! Caleb had Tuesday afternoon off before he left so lucky for us all, we had some fam time! That afternoon, Caleb was out for a quick haircut and I experienced my first earthquake. There was a 6.2 magnitude earthquake like 800km away on the North Island and we felt it all the way down here! Nothing too crazy but definitely enough to know that it was an earthquake. On Wednesday, we celebrated Kensley’s first Halloween! Halloween isn’t really a big deal here but it was still fun to put her in her little skeleton costume. We met Julia, Lucy, Hannah and Isabelle for gelato in the afternoon.

On Friday, we were invited to Jacqui’s house for lunch with her, Hugh and Walt. She lives in Pegasus, which is a little suburb/community about 40 minutes outside of Christchurch City Centre. It is a really impressive community with beach access, a man made lake, wet lands, great children parks and trails. Jacqui seems to be a lover of cheese like me so she took me to a local cheese producer, Karikass Cheese. They have an AMAZING vintage gouda that I’ve bought at the grocery store before and I realized very quickly (after a few samples ;)) that all of their cheeses are amazing! I picked up my fair share of cheese and we headed back to Jacqui’s for a little visit and picnic! Friday night, Mary came over for nachos and wine (of course)! On Saturday morning Kensley and I went to The Christchurch Health Living Expo which was decent and something to do. In the afternoon, Sarah came over for a few hours to hang out with Kensley. Kensley was happy to see her, which always makes me feel good! I got out for a run (my first hard run of the week since being sick) and strolled around some shops. In hindsight, I think my last long run was so rough because I was getting sick so it was nice to have a decent run again. Sunday morning was the same with Sarah coming over and me getting out for a run and some more “me time”. In the afternoon we had a little play date with Liz and Harriet at their home.

Kensley continues to grow and become more animated. She has initiated peek-a-boo a few times by putting something over her eyes, which I could play with her all day because it’s so darn cute. The biggest news of all is that Kensley survived her first night in her crib without any tears! Naps were going so well that I thought we might as well get on with the nighttime sleep and BAM! No problems this time around! There is no turning back now, the bassinet is getting packed up!

Caleb reports that Perth was a modern and clean city but really far from everywhere else. He was attending The Shoulder and Elbow Society of Australia Annual Conference. He thought it was a good review of a lot of topics. I told him that he better have enjoyed a hotel room to himself for 4 nights – ohhhhh what I would give for one night to myself in a hotel room :P…A few people have commented on Caleb’s full-on-beard…well….he’s altered it a bit and now, despite my pleas, he has a full-on-mustache! For Movember he says…..

Oh and back home, our good friends Dave and Trish got engaged this weekend!!! Woohooo!