Highlights of NZ

New Zealand is the land of sheep and kiwis...and a few dinosaurs mixed in!

Happy New Year Greetings from New Zealand

Arrived in Auckland, New Zealand at 6:00a.m. today and then spent the day out and about the town of 1.5 million people! We are staying at a hotel overlooking the harbour - can see ferries, yacht boats and the harbour bridge from our room! Had lunch in the highest building in the South Pacific - the Orbit revolving restaurant. Walked over the glass floor - amazing sensation! Tonight we are walking around the harbourfront and having a New Year's dinner at the Soul Bar & Bistro. Midnight it is a fireworks show. Wish you all were here! -K & R

Christmas Blessings

Hi everyone!

At this special time of year, we want to stop and thank you all for your love, support and best wishes as we continue to count down to our Australian Adventure Down Under. We in turn want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas with your family and loved ones.

Alas, we have no Christmas tree or lights adorning our house this year, but if we did, this is what we would wish to display. It's called "Christmas Light Show - Amazing Grace Techno". Paste the URL into your Internet browser, sit back and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTbpuQzMnxA&feature=related

Wishing you peace and joy,
Rick and Karin

10 Days and Packing

Hi Everyone! As you can see, we are still smiling! School is over for Karin, Rick only has three shows left, and the packing has begun in earnest!

In case you are wondering how to post a comment, it is really quite easy once you know the route. Here are the steps:
1. Click on comments at the end of the blog
2. Write your thoughts in the given post box
3. Click post comments button
4. Select profile... NAME/URL You only need to type in your name (no URL is necessary)
5. Press continue
6. Press post comment . Preview box appears.
7. Complete word verification
8. Press post comment again. When this is done, it states "Your comment will be visible after approval". This then sends the message to our email, and we publish it if authentic. Hope to hear from you all! - K. & R.

11 Days and Counting

Hi everyone!

I am so excited to get this blog site operational! I am going to add a new post today with a picture, just to see if it actually works!

School teaching is done for the term, orchestra is over for the term, and now preparations get ready in earnest for our departure!

For all your inquiries, here is our projected itinerary as we have it thus far:

Departure Date: December 29 ( Air New Zealand via Calgary and Los Angeles)
December 31: Arrival on New Year's Eve in Auckland, New Zealand
January 1 - 16: Tour of both New Zealand islands
January 16 p.m. : Arrival in Melbourne, Australia
January 21 & 22 : Orientation for the Victoria School Division
January 26 : Men's Semi-finals at the Melbourne Open Tennis Tournament

January 26: Our first visitor comes to see us - from Korea
January 27 - 29: Orientation and In-service days at Malvern Primary School

January 31: Our second visitor comes to see us -from Canada
February 1: TEACHING ACTUALLY BEGINS!!

For those of you who check this site before Christmas, Rick and I want to wish you a wonderful relaxing holiday and see you all in person again in 2011! Until then, as the Irish Blessing sings so beautifully, here is our Christmas wish for you:

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again -
Until we meet again -
May the God who loves us all-
May the God who loves us all -
May the God who loves us all
Hold you in the palm of His hand
In the palm of His hand -
In His hand.

God bless,
Karin and Rick

Count Down Is On!

Hai Linh Truong @ creativecommons.org

We are twelve days (the 12 days of Christmas!!!) before our departure to Australia.

Much to do, too little time!