There and back again......

I have had a busy start to the new year.  I've been to Middle Earth and back!   Just when most had Christmas packed up we had to start our shopping all over again for friends and family in New Zealand. Since we had a trip planned for January we decided to delay Christmas until we got there.  Postage is so high that we can't afford to ship very much. Instead, we pack an entire extra suitcase with just gifts.  I think everyone was pleased.

Alan had a business trip scheduled in Las Vegas for 4 days before we were to leave for New Zealand.  I decided to tag along.  Why not?  Actually, Vegas isn't my favorite place (I'm too cheap to gamble) and Alan was busy from early morning to late evening so there wasn't an opportunity to see any shows.   The hotel had decorated for Chinese New Year and it was gorgeous!  They had these mannequins all over.  Aren't they adorable?

I did manage to fit in some shopping and a trip to Hoover Dam.  The weather was wonderful and the Dam was really interesting.

Then it was off to New Zealand!  

This is the first trip that we have been able to tour the country a bit and we had such a good time.  The first week was reserved for family. Alan's dad passed a year ago and they were having the dedication of his headstone and the spreading of his ashes. Lots of family, a few tears, and much laughter.  It was a good day.

The weather was perfect the entire time we were there.  Well, it was perfect for vacationing.  Unfortunately, many parts of the country really needed rain.  It's been a very dry summer for the farmers and there were areas that were looking quite brown.  Hopefully, they will soon get the rain they need.

At the top of my wish list was a visit to Hobbiton, the movie set from The Hobbit. Turns out it was only about 45 minutes away from my mother-in-law's house.  It was everything I hoped for.  If you are a fan of the books and/or the movies, I highly recommend going.  You won't be disappointed.

We spent the rest of the time at various friends places or on our own, visiting galleries, shops, and a lot of little cafes.  It is such a beautiful country.  We did get a few days with my sister-in-law and her husband, which is always a joy.  Never enough time to talk about quilting or other projects, of course.  The last day we were in Auckland and they were getting set for a Chinese Lantern Festival that was to start the day after we left.  I didn't get to see them lit up but they were still amazing.  I couldn't believe how elaborate some of them were.

Now we are home and still suffering from jet lag, loads of laundry to do and generally trying to get back into the normal rhythm of life.  And of course, lots and lots of projects to do and I'll be posting photos of those soon!  I'll leave you with a few of my favorite photos of our trip.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Sandie