ZORBING

ZORBING on Vimeo

Rotorua Scenes

Cool Slideshows

Dancing Stickman

Stickman on Vimeo

OUR SKIING TRIP

On the first day of our school trip to Mt Ruapehu we drove up to the Mountain Heights Lodge in a minibus. We left at 9 am and got to the lodge at 1 pm. We had 3 rooms, one for each family. When we got there we did some archery. After that we did some quad bike riding. There were 6 of us so we got 3 quads. They had a little track set out with old tires. It was really fun.

On the second day we got up early and had breakfast at the loge. We left the lodge at about 7.30 am and got to the mountain at 8 am. The side of the mountain that we were on was called Whakapapa. We went there because it has a really good slope for beginners. The beginner’s slope is called Happy Valley. We went down to Happy Valley and hired out some skiing pants and jacket then we went to get our skis and poles that we had hired. We had a lesson at 10.30 but that was still an hour and half away so Mum showed us how to ski because she already knew. By the time we had the lesson Aaron, Alan, Luke and I could ski down Happy Valley quite fast and without falling over. So the lesson was pretty boring. At the end of the day Mum, Aaron, Alan, Luke, Luke’s Dad and I wanted to go up to the next slope. It’s called the Rock Garden. We were lining up by the chair lift and Alan had already gone when the lady who checked our lift passes stopped Aaron Luke and I because we only had passes for Happy Valley. But Mum and Luke’s Dad were allowed cause they had the right passes. Mum asked the lady if we could go up once because Alan had already gone. We were just allowed on. When we were at the top of the lift we started to ski down. We were going down a steep bit then I crashed. One of my skis came off and I was on the steep slope so I was having some trouble putting it back on. I kept falling over but then a person came on a snow board and helped me get my skis back on. At the end of the day we packed up and drove to Tokaanu natural hot pools. It was really nice after a days skiing. The photo’s are of Happy Valley.

On the third day we went to the mountain for half a day. Mum, Aaron, Alan, Luke, Luke’s Dad and I got lift passes for the whole of Whakapapa skiing slopes. Cameron and Victoria stayed in Happy Valley because they weren’t good enough for any other slopes. Where we were skiing up the top there were all these different jumps that you could go on. There was one that we would always go on. This is it and I am going over it. Sometimes I crash but most times I managed to land it, and if you did crash it didn’t hurt because the snow was soft. In the background you can see some T bar lifts that we went on also. They are harder than the chair lifts. At about 2.30pm when we were coming all the way back down to Happy Valley to go home the snow was pretty slushy so it was lots harder to ski but I had lots of fun on the whole trip.

Speech Day

On Wednesday we had Speech Day at Makahu and then in the afternoon the firemen from Toko came. They told us what to do if there is a kitchen fire and they showed us all around the fire truck and what they would do in a fire. Then they got out one of the hoses and let us hold it while water was coming out. We also got to look inside the fire truck. It was a fun day and I learnt lots from it.

My Mousetrap

This is my mousetrap. We had to make one for schoolwork so I made mine out of an old cone and an ice-cream container. The mouse goes though the cone to get the bait but he can’t get back out. So far I haven’t caught anything in it yet.

Dilemma

One day I had a dilemma. This happened when I came up to the school to play. When I got there there was a group of girls wanting to play a game of netball but they were one player short. So they came and asked me.
“I don’t know” I said “ Mum asked me if I wanted to go to town with her and I was just going to play up here until she came so she could pick me up”.
“ So when will your mum be here?” asked one of the girls.
“About an hour or so” I answered.
“ Then why don’t you play with us until your mum comes and then go with her” the girl said.
So I did.

Our Cat Eli

This is our cat Eli. He is black all over with a white spot on his chest. When they were doing the 1080 drop out here he ate some and came home all sick. Alex looked after him and now he is all better. We all thought he was going to die but we were wrong. He survived and is living happily now.

Our Pig Cedric

This is our pig. He is a Large Black. Dad got him up in Auckland for free because he was really wild and he doesn’t like humans. Now that he down here in the quiet and with other pigs around him he isn’t so bad but we still don’t trust him. When Dad got Cedric he stopped at the vet to cut off his tusks and put some rings in his nose so that he won’t root up the ground. When they put him to sleep they put enough anesthetic in him to put 5 horses to sleep. His tusks were about 5 cm long. Now his tusks are growing back and they are about the same length as then we got him. Cedric has charged at me one time but I got over the fence in time. I felt relieved.

Kiwi Release

Kiw Release on Vimeo

Calculator

A calculator is good for working out maths problems.
It has the numbers up to 9 and = + - / and on/c. It has a screen at the top so you press the buttons you want to get the answer to a maths question. It is solar powered.
You have to push the buttons you want like 5+3= and then the answer will come on the screen.
Most times a calculator is used for maths and science to get the answer to maths questions.
I think it is okay but sometimes it gives you too many numbers like 37.9999999.

Mount Tarawera Eruption

My name is Alice Mansell and I live at Te Wairoa. My mum and dad own the Rotomahana Hotel. I go to the native school and in my spare time I help mum and dad in the hotel. The 10th of June was a normal day but in the night I was lying in my bed asleep when BANG ! Something fell off my shelf and on to the floor. I was woken right away and knew that there was an earthquake. Suddenly Mum came into the room and helped me to dress. Before going downstairs I snatched up a blanket so that I wouldn’t get cold. The time was 1:00 am. When I got downstairs I saw that everyone was going into the men’s smoking room. Dad was checking that everyone was here,

The earthquake was making it hard to walk around. So everyone sat on the floor or on chairs. Some people wanted to go outside because they saw something up Mt Tarawera. I begged Mum to let me go with them and to my surprise Mum came too. The lightning was like fireworks. Very fast Listen to the kiwis someone said. The kiwis were calling like they didn’t know what to do. Just then a shot of smoke came up from the second peak. Ruawahia , followed by a tremendous roar and shake which threw us all to the ground.

Then we decided to go back to the hotel. I looked out the window but I couldn’t see much because the window was on the wrong side. I started to talk to a girl that was staying at the hotel. After awhile we heard clattering on the roof and thought it was hail. But when I looked outside it was rocks being fired by Mt Tarawera,. First little ones and then bigger ones and the mud, it was firing mud with the rocks. Suddenly a big orange fireball came through the air. I looked and up and saw lots of fireballs.

Half an hour later Dad came in and told us the kitchen had fallen in and that we would all have to move to Sophia’s house. Sophia’s a guide and she shows tourists to the pink and white terraces. Her house was just built but it was about 50 metres away. Dad had seen alight from her house and it was still there. Mum wrapped a blanket around my head so it wouldn’t hurt so much from the rocks hitting me.

I walked in between Mum and Dad and each step I put that was knee deep. Rocks were hitting me everywhere. It took us about 15 minutes. Some people were not here and I see them again unless they found some sort of shelter. I was so tired I fell asleep as soon as I sat down in Sophia’s house.

When I woke up I saw that some others had come in when I was asleep. Outside thick ash was falling and I couldn’t see anything. All we could do was wait for everything to clear up.

Hours later it had cleared up a lot and people were going out to look for survivors leaving the kids in the house. I decided to go outside but when I got out I started to cry. Mud was on the ground. Knee deep everywhere. All the trees were bare. All the houses had fallen in from the rocks and mud. The school that I had gone to had burnt down. A fireball had set it alight and now it was just hot embers. People had died and animals were killed. Everything was destroyed, Everything would be different.

Saturday Night In 1900

Today is Saturday night and we all have to take a bath for church in the morning. Right now my Mother is washing my little brother. First Mother gets out her biggest pot, fills it with water and puts it on the wood stove to get it warm. When it is warm she tips it into the tub and she does this until the tub has got enough water in it for a bath. Right now my brother is having a bath and Mother is washing him. When my little brother has had a bath I have a bath and then my two older brothers and my older sister have one. Then Mother and Father have a bath when we have gone to bed.

The Walkway

Yesterday Mr Barnes, Dad, Victoria, Aaron, Alan and I did the Walkway on our bikes. In the morning we loaded up all the bikes onto the truck and went.
When we got to the Walkway we were at the Aquatic Center. I thought it was the best when we riding right next to sea. We biked down to the Motor Camp and stopped there because the walkway then turned in to gravel. Then we biked back to the Aquatic Center. We had lunch at the playground.
After lunch we biked down the other end of the walkway and back. There was lots of older people walking it. I think they should keep extending.
After we did the walkway we went to the Aquatic Center. We were allowed to go on in the outside pools but not on the slides because you had to book it when it is not the holidays.

Drug Squad

On Tuesday a helicopter and a whole lot of police with cars came and landed on our paddock in front of the school. They unloaded heaps and heaps of marijuana and put all of it in a trailer. We got to see them fill up the helicopter with fuel and we also got to sit in it.
My dog Midge got to sit in the helicopter as well. Mr Barnes took a photo of me holding a piece of marijuana.

In the Holidays

Now I am back at school with 3 other people. In the holidays my family and I went on a tramp around Lake Waikaremoana. There was lots of really good views and it was really fun. The day after we got home my dog Midge had 6 puppies. Two weeks later Midge got milk fever and we had to take her in to the vet. The vet said she would have died if we didn’t bring her in. Now I have to feed 3 of the puppies. At night I put them back to Midge and then the next day I take away the other 3.

Soccer Tournament

Last Tuesday there was a Soccer Tournament in Stratford. There were 7 teams, and we played 6 games. We won 2 and all the other games we lost by 1 point. We had to borrow a girl called Anja because we only had 6 people in our school. In the end I really enjoyed the day.

Pets Day

Yesterday we had Pets Day. We led our calves and lambs around a course. There were only 3 lambs and 3 calves. I had a calf and a lamb, I got first with both of them. Alan was the only junior. We also did some cooking, I cooked a pizza, a pie and a giant biscuit. I think that they were all very nice. Victoria and I did a stall called Nail driving and Lollies in a jar. We got lots of customers. I enjoyed Pets Day a lot.

In the Holidays

In the holidays we did docking with the McLean’s. Only 2 lambs got away and I think Jay got one and Luke got the other one. We have 100 and something ewes and we got 200 and something lambs. Docking was very fun. I liked to lift the lamb to get them drenched, scratchied, to get them ear tagged and to burn their tail off. We stayed home for all the holidays.




GOALS FOR THIS TERM
I want to improve in maths and spelling.

My Calf

This is a photo of my calf Alex's calf and Aaron's calf. Alex's calf is on the left Aaron's calf is in the middle and my calf is on the right, with the blue halter on.

My dog

My dog bounces beside me
up and down she goes.
Then she runs very fast
on her toes
in little circles.
When she settles down
she finds a tastey bone
and starts tochew on it.
Thats my dog.

I Am

I am all I hear.
I can hear the art corner tables creak angrily as the kids sit on them.
I can hear the foot steps walk very softly as the teacher goes though the room.

I am all I see.
I see the cats play in the morning sun.
I see the blue sky looking down at us in a gentle way.
I see the plants sit in their dirt waiting for Spring.

I am all I remember.
I can remember how Mum and Dad walk down the hall way when they are angry.
I can remember how it is to be annoyed by my four brothers.
I can remember Midges loud bark as she waits to be let out.

I am all I am.
I am a good runner.
I am a farmers daughter.
I am a netball player.
I am 11 years old.
I am a dog owner.

By Alice

The Church In The Flood

DSC03315
Originally uploaded by Matau.

When the river was still high the church looked like it was on an island. It was the same on the hall. I put my donkey in the woolshed but I left the gate open that it can go in and out.

Flood

DSC03319
Originally uploaded by Matau.

On the first day of school it had rained all night and in the morning the rivers were very high. Our familly are the only poeple at school.

Sports Day

DSC03171
Originally uploaded by Matau.

On sports day it was my 11th birthday. The cousins came and joined in with the events. They are sitting having lunch together.

Swimming Sports

DSC03071
Originally uploaded by Matau.

This is Alex, Aaron, Mason and I. We won the relay, it was the first time since 1963. We won the Bertrand Shield.

Wooden House

DSC03069
Originally uploaded by Matau.

This is a little house that Victoria and I built. We slept in it on Saturday night.

KAYAKS

Yesterday our school went to Waitara to do some kayaking in the lake. We played some games on the kayaks. The lady put a lolly on the back of a kayak and they had 5 seconds to get away. Then the other people had to get it off. We played a different game as well. We had to all line up in a row and hold onto the other kayaks next to us Then we had a race across the kayaks. Mason fell in the lake. Then we had hath an hour to do anything. I went in the lake with just my life jacket on. I also went out on a kayak. Then I went out and we helped put the kayaks on the trailer.

We were on Cobra kayaks.
Cobra paddles are high grade, lightweight and multipurpose with the weight starting from 1000g. Blades are made from glass filled polypropelene. They are among the lightest available. Your choice of red, white, yellow, lime and mango. Blades come in 3 sizes 160mm, 180mm and 200mm and alone with paddle lenghts, are available in different sizes to suit paddler size and activity. All paddles have a limited lifetime warranty to give you and your family many happy and hassle free years of paddling.

Everyone On

DSC02963
Originally uploaded by Matau.

We got the whole school and my Mum on the double kayak.

Rafting Up

DSC02955
Originally uploaded by Matau.

This is me racing Mason across the kayaks. Mason has already fallen in.

ALICE1

ALICE1
Originally uploaded by Matau.

THE HOLIDAYS

The Holidays

At Christmas I got a watch, a little bag, a game boy, a brush, some lollies and a few other things as well. We opened our presents on Christmas Eve. Our Grandma from Switzerland came just after Christmas.

We went up to Coromandel and up there we went to the hot water beach, to some other beaches and at one beach we saw some sharks. We also went on two tramps and our friend took us out on his boat. When we were in Auckland we went to Rainbows End for the whole day then we drove home.

Now we are back at school and I like it when Mr Barnes takes us for a swim at lunch time. I am year 7 and I have to go to manual on Friday.

OUR NEW DOG

On Friday we are going to get a Fox Terrier from Steven Smith. It is going to be mainly mine and I am going to call her Midge. Midge is a girl and a girl Fox Terrier is called a bitch. We are going to use her to catch rabbits and a lot of other things to.

REX

One day Dad came home from town. He had two little Fox terriers with him.. I asked him who they were for. He said that one was for him and one was for me he also told me that they were bred for hunting rabbits and possums. I called my dog Rex . Rex was all ready a year old and someone had already trained him. The next day at 9 o clock I packed a lunch and put it into a bag. I was going to go out on the deer farm and try to get some rabbits with Rex . Mum said that I had to be back at 3 o clock. I started to go with Rex at last. I was walking up the hill to the pines when I saw a rabbit on the school farm. I got Rex by the collar and snuck a little way up the hill.
Sic em I said to Rex. He looked around and saw the rabbit and ran after it. But by this time the rabbit had ran a little way up the hill. I decided it wasn’t worth Rex wasting all his energy so I called he back to me he came straight away. I walked on the road until I came to paddock 1. I went in and snuck up to the fence line, I held Rex by the collar and looked for rabbits I saw one on the other side of the fence and if I would move the rabbit would run away. But then it did run away. I looked at the time it was already 11 o clock. I walked over to paddock 2. I saw something white. I walked over to it. It was a big deer button. I picked it up and put it into my bag. I walked all the way to the bush paddock. I saw a rabbit in the bush paddock. Sic em I said to Rex and he run after the rabbit. The rabbit ran into a rabbit hole but Rex ran into the rabbit hole as well because he is such a little dog. About 1 minute latter Rex came out with a rabbit in his mouth. I ran to him to see if he had killed the rabbit, he had so I put it into a plastic bag then into my bag. I looked at the time, it was 12 o clock so I had lunch. I gave Rex a few dog biscuits. When I finished my lunch I went back to paddock 1. I went to the fence line again and looked for rabbits. I saw one, a big one. I wanted to get this one. Sic em I said to Rex and he ran after the rabbit. The rabbits tail went up and down, Rex ran down the hill to the rabbit but the rabbit ran into a rabbit hole and so did Rex. I ran down to the rabbit hole and watched it. I heard barking down the rabbit hole. About 1 minute latter Rex came out with two rabbits in his mouth and he had killed them as well. I looked at the time , it was just about 3 o clock so I rushed home. When I got home it was 3 o clock. I put Rex in his kennel and went to Mum.



THE END

Alice

My name is Alice Mansell and I live in Matau in Taranaki, New Zealand. We have two farms and on them we have deer,sheep,cattle, and pigs. We bought three donkeys and me and my two younger brothers look after them. We live close to the school and I walk to school. There is nine people at the school. I have four brothers and one sister. My oldest brother and sister are in high school. They board and come home in the weekends.