Mangawhai with the Cunninghams

The very day that our newest little niece baby Julie was being born, we spent up in beautiful Mangawhai with Kris, Jade, Jakson & Eva. Kris has been telling Stan to come up for the last couple of years now, so this year we decided to finally do it!! And we're so glad that we did cause it was the most gorgeous day - absolutely perfect beach weather & the kids had a blast!

Having a bite to eat just after we arrived - even though we left Auckland at 10, we got a bit of traffic up around the tunnel so we didn't end up getting to their camp ground up there till just after 12 

Then once everyone's tummies were full & we were all lotioned up we walked down to the beach (1 minute away!) & the boys had a turn on Jakson's new Christmas present :)

Or was it Kris's new Christmas present??!!! lol

The gorgeous Miss Eva x

Uncle Heng came along for the day too :)

Mac super proud of his find!

Of course then he couldn't resist trying to scare Spence & Eva...

These two are so cute & play so well together x

A little waterslide a church group had set up for all the kids

Getting ready to take the boat over to the beach on the other side

Stan having a go at paddleboarding....this was right before my turn, which was an epic fail to say the least lol. I asked Kris before we went out if you get carried out at all & he'd said no, so I went out & got up on it all fine & then next thing I know, I'm right up next to a boat that'd looked ages off shore when I was sitting on the beach!! 

So anyways, then I panicked & yelled at Stan who I'd told to take a photo of me, to forget the damn photo & come out & save me (cause I was trying to face back into the beach & steer back in, but I just kept moving sideways!!). 

Stan started swimming out to me, but when I realised he wasn't moving quick enough, with me still moving sideways, I yelled out to a boat that was close by, asking them to help me. They kinda looked at me, like what do you want us to do, so I just jumped off the board & asked if they could stay close to me while I swam back in, pulling the board along with me lol....

I must've looked & sounded like such an egg, but I lost my confidence & started thinking about how I really didn't wanna not ask for help (just because of pride) & then end up another drowning statistic on the news - so yea, looking stupid it was!! 

I managed to handle swimming in o.k & Kris & his mum swam out to meet me & Kris took the board & paddled that back into shore (the way it should be done!!) & yea, that was probably my first & last experience with a paddle board all done & dusted haha...I had to have a chat with Stan a bit later on about where he'd vanished to in his quest to save me though cause he started off well & then must've turned around or something cause after awhile he was nowhere to be seen! I was actually thinking that maybe he'd drowned while trying to save me! 

These two sat in these tubs for at least an hour just chatting to each other haha - & every 20 mins or so Jade would pour in some more hot water for them just so they wouldn't get too cold :)

Off to eat our fish & chips for dinner

Just before saying goodbye :)

Man it was such a cool day that we didn't think could get any better, but then about half an hour into our drive home we got the call to say that Aunty B had had the baby & that we now had a precious little niece called Julie Forrest Stone. She is the cutest little button & the best thing ever to start off 2015 with a bang! Super grateful to have her finally with us :D Congratulations Aunty B & Uncle Pete xoxo