A Walk to Feed the Ducks with Dad

On Sunday afternoon everyone except me headed out for a walk (I was left at home with the roast dinner cooking!) Lani and Emily took their dad out to feed the ducks and Elle and co went out to walk the Taunton Trail. It turned out that Taunton was actually having a bit of a Christmas festival. The town christmas lights were being 'turned on' and there was music and activities going on everywhere! (I think the Taunton Trail got canned!) The girls love to get out of the house and their dad loves to take them too!

We are really going to miss being so close to everything when we go home. We can walk to most places and the car only comes out for long trips or special events!!!! Taunton is a lovely town and I don't think I could have picked a better spot myself to spend the year!

{Taunton Bridge}

A couple more pictures of 'our church' as the girls call it! Every time we see it as we are heading home after a weekend away the girls shout out - 'there's our church!' (You can see it as you first drive into Taunton!) Leilani is getting very good at counting the chimes now too and will often announce what time it is!!

Taunton's High street - all this was going on and we didn't even know about it! We live up a small lane which comes right out onto the high street just here (but high buildings block our view of the actual street).

I guess you could call this our driveway.... it's the thin lane we drive/walk up to get into our carpark. The trees along here have changed so much over the past 11 months. During the summer we couldn't really see over the fence, but as winter is settling in houses and building start appearing that you didn't even know were there!!! Some of the trees are meant to be WHIRLIGIG'S - hence the name of our lane - but we are yet to see any! (Whirligigs are other wise known as helicopters - those split seed things that fall and twirl through the sky!)

{The lane from the other end}

We're going to miss this place!

'Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he can not enter into the Kingdom of God' John 3:5

On Sunday 15th November, Taunton ward had their Primary presentation in Sacrament meeting. Leilani is the youngest by quite a few years but was very brave and sat up the front with everyone else. It was her first primary presentation so we felt quite excited about it (and a little nervous!) She had been practicing her scripture all week, but never said it all completely through without help - until Sunday morning when she was practicing with Aunty Elle. This is what happened...

Leilani: 'Elle, I am just going to practice my scripture in my head for a minute'

Elle: 'Well you can do it out loud if you want?'

Leilani: 'Okay.... Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God... Elle - I just did it all without any help!'

Elle: 'Well done Lani, that's excellent'

Leilani: 'Mum, Mum something exciting has just happened!'

Me: 'What's happened?'

Leilani: 'I just said my scripture all by my self without any help!'

Me: 'That's great Lani, well done!'

Leilani: 'Dad, Dad something exciting has just happened...' (etc)

So it was a very entertaining morning! We then went to church (we have Sacrament meeting last) and I'm told that during practice time in Primary Leilani told her teacher she didn't need any help and went and said her scripture perfectly!!!!

The presentation was excellent and the kids all did a wonderful job. Leilani was quite entertaining (for us anyway) as she was having trouble sitting still - I think she was getting nervous! She is normally the quietest in primary - but today she was the wriggliest, most distracting little girl, laughing and smiling at everyone!!! She had to hold up some pictures during the presentation and was standing on her very tip-toes trying to be as tall as she could! When it was her turn to go up to the microphone, Janet - her teacher took her and held her (because she couldn't reach the mic!) Janet had to help her get started, but then she was fine and said it all really well. We were very proud of her and so glad that she was brave enough to do it! It was fun watching Lani up there with all the big kids - trying to sing the songs and keep quiet!