Fruit Kabobs and Auckland City Walk

At the end of the journey...you got to take a picture ;) Look at the beauty behind me

Birds all around

Rock monument for the Auckland City Walk

One of the many types of fauna we encountered on this walk

It started to get really dark near the end of our hike

Stream and jungle...ohhh, ahh...

I loved this tree, so I had to take a picture of it

Hiking in action

Scary but way cool statue...there is a funny story that comes right after this picture was taken. Alice told us girls that there were some falls we should look for once we finished with the statue, so we took a fork in the road and went down to hunt for these falls, but of course, we got lost for a little bit and found ourselves trying to forge across a river. I failed miserably and just took my shoes off and walked along the stream with the slippery mossy rocks, but eventually as we kept to the road there was a sign farther up ahead that lead us on the path to get to the rocks that hid the waterfall. Needless to say, the waterfall was tiny, and it wasn't worth all the time we wasted trying to find it. Oh well, it was still gorgeous in that area.

After school I went with the two other girls who go to Pomaria with Kara and I, Katie and Rebecca-to the Waitakare Ranges (their host mom, Alice, was kind enough to drive us up there) and we started on our hike. This was taken near the beginning on a swinging drawbridge :)

Doesn't it look so creative!!

This little man-Mr. Wyatt, as I like to call him, is the sweetest boy you will ever meet. He does his work, always is ready for the day to start, doesn't complain, and he was the only one in his group to make sure all the grapes were washed before he started putting his kabob together (even though all his teammates had already eaten their first one). His hard work paid off though with this yummy treat that he looks proud of.

I love this little girl. Her name is Zara and she is brilliant, but so quiet and shy. She barely acknowledges me when I smile and say hello to her, but if you look hard enough you can see a hint of a smile.

Oh cute Lathan...I love this little boy-he was so friendly to me my first day and just wanted to please me as he does know. When Lathan finishes his work or writes a good story, I am the first one to know :) I always get a great big hug from this guy at the end of the day. He just loves his kabob, and I had to take a picture of him because of his cute face and marshmellow mouth.

"We've worked hard, now it's time to eat!"

Taniya's fruit kabob! We were so proud of her!

Darling Savannah and full of life Waiora

Can I just say that I love the way Waiora is chomping down on that fruit?!!! She is so adorable! Isabella was the only one actually ready for a picture, he he

Logan-with a marshmellow arm-is enjoying his fruit kabob as is Faye-Marie

"Yum, I love fruit kabobs!"

Ben with his always ready smile :)

Great teamwork from these boys (only all-boy group)-Ian, Jaden (who is such a cutie, and I realized looks a lot like a good friend Jackson), Joseph, and David

Time to eat!!

Zara cutting banana pieces, Shawn smiling at the camera, Wiora working, and Isabella cutting apples slices.

Noble and Lathan preparing their kabobs

Another team preparing their kabobs-Logan (I work with him for my CPSE class), Brian, Faye-Marie (a spirited she bear), and Hamiora (sweet boy who tries so hard everyday to learn)

The only all-girl team making their kabobs-Lila, Julia, Rebeccah, and Paula

The first team to get started on their kabobs, so of course they got ahead and got eating. Tikenati is smiling at me, Losaline is cutting bananas, Salvanni is peeling oranges, Tane and Cheyanne are working together and talking (or should I be so bold to say, flirting) as always.

It was a wonderful, gorgeous day in Auckland! I took many pictures at school during our inquiry learning block and after when Katie, Rebecca and I went on a beautiful 45 minute hike through the Waitakere Ranges. The ranges have many hikes and parks, and we just explored one of the many, but it was a great time. Enjoy the pictures!!

The pictures at the school were doing a 30 minute block near the end of the day when Mrs. Scott gave 6 groups an instruction sheet to make fruit kabobs. The materials needed: apple, banana, plate, bowl, marshmellows, skewers, 2 mandarin oranges, and grapes. Each team had a team leader and they gave out jobs to each of their teammates and after all the jobs were done, the kabobs were made and looked just beautiful and so yummy! Overall the teams worked well together and helped each other get their jobs done before some of them started to make their kabobs and eat. Others didn't wait, but there weren't many complaints and by the end of the day Mrs. Scott and I were surrounded by happy, marshmellow stained students. Too bad I couldn't eat one...but the kids here are usually really hungry and aren't given the nourishment they need at home, so this little treat was really good for them. I don't know, some of them may not get snacks at home at all. It makes me so grateful for my loving environment at home when I was growing up. My parents are gems and I am grateful for them.

Auckland City Walk...what a beauty of a place. Words can't express how beautiful it was and of course the pictures don't give it justice. Can I just say it was like walking through a rain forest and jungle all at the same time. I expected either a monkey, jaguar, or dinosaur from Jurassic Park to come storming out at me. The lush green atmosphere of the place, and walking through at dusk when the canopy of trees blocked much of the sun was just amazing, but also creepily eerie. I loved it! Rebecca and Katie were so thoughtful to invite me and Kara (Kara didn't go because of homework and other things), but I am really glad I got to walk through the land and experience yet another New Zealand natural beauty.