We drove about ten minutes to Kaiteriteri Beach, which is a beautiful orangey beach full of shells. Niall, Cory and I enjoyed collecting a number of them.
Later Niall and I went swimming in the ocean (Alice had already been in for a swim first thing). It was COLD. Took me forever to get used to it, and even then, I didn't last long. 
On the ferry, a magician performed part of the time in the "family lounge" where we were. Cory got called on to come "help" for one of the parts! He was delighted. Unfortunately, I missed that part because I was up on deck getting some fresh air to help with a bit of queasiness, but Joanna took pictures and Cory got this special balloon six-legged, red-backed spider as a prize.
Niall came out on deck with me several times and enjoyed the view despite the wind.
We had a lovely Christmas morning at Joanna's. I brought some gifts, and she also had little gifts for the boys and me, and filled complete stockings for them as well! They were delighted.
Late morning, we headed around the bay to Joanna's aunt's house where we spent the afternoon visiting and eating, perched up above the harbor with beautiful gardens and views all around.
We walked down through the city center and by the waterfront, and nearly got blown over!
We also went up to Mount Victoria to see the view, but it was hard to even hold onto my camera, it was blowing so hard. Gale-force winds - amazing!
We visited Zealandia today, a bird and other wildlife sanctuary right in Wellington. Saw amazing presentations and interactive displays about New Zealand's history and the devastation of its native population of birds, animals, and plants. Zealandia provides a pest-free environment where some of these populations can (and have) be safe to blossom again.
There are two dams at Zealandia, and this is Cory checking out the binoculars in the middle of the upper dam's walkway. The wind was really whipping across the bridge!
Here's Cory, opening the gate to her house.
We spent today touring the fabulous Te Papa museum, that has lots of hands-on, interactive exhibits and features NZ history and culture of all sorts.
A famous statue that seems to lean out over the bay, just below the museum.
We're staying in a wonderful, comfortable, friendly motor lodge in Rotorua, with a soaking pool and a hot springs pool. We enjoyed trying those out in the afternoon.
We stopped in Matamata today on our way to Rotorua, intending to take the Hobb iton tour. But rain was deluging down, and the person at the front desk asked if we wanted to defer to the next day instead. She said that two of the families on the tour before the one we planned to take had left in the middle, it was so wet. 
As we sat not far from the rental car place, waiting to see if Joanna would come as she thought she might (for a court appearance in Auckland), we struck up a conversation with a couple travelling from Germany. The woman was doing a wooden solataire puzzle kind of like a mini-Chinese Checkers, and Niall was intrigued. Then she got out another kind of puzzle, like triangular dominoes, and invited Niall to play with her. They enjoyed several games before they needed to leave to shuttle to their rental car.
And just about then, Joanna arrived! Delightful to see her, and she got us started with getting a phone from Vodaphone, maps of the area, and getting some money changed to NZ dollars.
Getting checked in at the airport took much longer than expected, since we had to have an actual agent check our bags and he was busy helping out every other person who came along (getting them started with the automatic machines) until he could finally get to us.
The flight to San Francisco went quickly, and soon we were on our way in a 747 winging over the Pacific.
We've been having torrential rain the past day or so. The river next to Grandma's is so high, the walkway that goes down to the floating dock now goes UP to the floating dock. Yikes!
We celebrated "early Christmas" today, since we'll be off in NZ for the real day. I set up our mini-Christmas tree in the living room (after clearing out the couch area) and set the presents there.
The lights on our big tree nearly all died by the end of the season last year, so we'll be getting a new one. But I'm putting it off another year, since I didn't really set up Christmas this year (too busy and seemed odd to do it when we'd be gone anyway).
Cory continues with his paper-made outfits, with today's version being a knight's helmet and armor.
Dinner out tonight at Spud in Juanita - yummy fish and chips.
And then off to a party at the jumpy place in Kirkland, for Theo's 7th birthday. Niall and Cory loved it, though me not quite as much. A late outing for a Friday, and so close to the day we leave on our big trip.
It was a Skate King afternoon for Little Schoolers today, and Niall and Cory both had a grand time.
Now if their mom would just take them a bit more often, they'll probably really get the hang of it! :D
I took a few hours and headed to Pike Place Market for some quick Xmas shopping today.
The Market pig is one of my favorite sights there.
When I picked up Cory from school later, he (as usual) had a cool project to show me and posed in a dramatic way (also as usual :D) with his creation.
Dipping candles is a long-time tradition in the Woods Building at the boys' school.
Niall still sits on this little couch in the TLS library to read, even as he gets bigger and bigger.
