Ruakaka day two and 3. We had another full few days here. Spent yesterday tricking out the van. We took the back 4 seats out and went to the hardware store. However, this wasn't your typical lumber/hardwood store. This store was called the demoltion wharehouse and contained everything from kitchen cabinets, to bathroom accessories, tubs, showers, cabinets, doors, windows and then of course plain lumber. They have full sheets of lumber such as 2x4s, 2x2s, plywood etc.. but then they also have.. and here is the best part... they also sell misc. sized lumber.. like half sheets of plywood for a discounted price. That's how we were able to trick out our van and only spend like 50 US dollars. I wish we had stores like that in the States! We got 2 sheets of plywood and some odds and end of 2x4s and 2x2s. It all ended out working perfectly. We now have a "mezanene floor and a cargo hatch in the back of our new van! Magen even helped.. I know.. slightly shocking.. but she was right in there sawing and measuring and helping hold this and get that. She is now quite the little carpenter. :) We wern't quite able to finish do to daylight... so we cleaned everything up and headed for bed.

Today we got up and finished off the van. We cut the last few pieces and then covered all the plywood with berber carpet. It even matches the interior of the car. No suprise seeing as Magen picked it out. Also another good buy from the Demolition Wharehouse... a small chunk of carpet only $20US... just enough to cover the whole mezzanine floor. Then it was time to move in. WOW! What a difference it makes to have everything organized and in it's place. We are still figuring out the best place to put each item.. but at least "home" is looking a little more put together.

We finished the van just in time to get a quick kiting session... yep that's right.. 1st Kite session in New Zealand. The wind was pretty light, but it was still fun to splash around in the water. And guess what Dad... the water is still wet and salty. Ha Ha The wind is supposed to be stronger tomorrow. Keep our fingers crossed!

So now onto a more personal note... food. It has been quite the culinary expierence down here. Nothing tastes like it does in the States. New Zealanders are particuarly healthier all the way around. Their food is sweetened with natural cane sugar... which we really like. No High fructose corn syrup Mom. :) Their beef is all grass fed so it's super red meet, very tender and almost Kobe beef like.. even has a sllightly sweet flavor. It's just plain good. Also, we have learned that when they write "natural" or "unslated" on things it really does mean no extra ingrediants are in this food and no salt either. Unlike back in the states where unsalted means we just didn't pile on the salt but there is still salt on these corn chips or natural means it's mostly natural.. but we added a few extra preservatives and flavorings... but don't worry they are natural flavorings. We now realize how much a joke that really is. Needless to say our peanut butter tasted just like I'd ground up some peanuts and spread it on my bananna.. even better than Adams! Although, there is a down sidde and Magen has decided that some things are just too risky to try. You never know when you bite into somthing if it's going to taste like you think it should. Take a mince meat pie for example.. should be ground beef... think again.. more like a sloppy joe. Nick was pretty stoked to find out it wasn't some frutiy herb. The language here is a bit different... like ketchup... nope.. tomato sauce... chips.. nope frys, ground beef... nope mince meat... just to name a few. Oh and the language doesn't end with food. Swim suites are called togs. Who would have guessed.

We are starting to feel a bit more combobulated.. opposed to feeling constantly out of sorts. Hopefully there will be more kiting tomorrow and each day will bring more fun and a feeling of being settled.