Dead Boring

Dead Boring Bike Hike 2016

November 4, 2016 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

The end of September, our boys rode in the annual Dead Boring Bike Hike (with our homeschool group). That morning before we took off, Mr. Inventor offered to pull the smallest trailer he had built, with Mr. Imagination in it. The little fellow was THRILLED to get to go on the bike hike for the first time! Here they are ready to go!

The annual group photo. So hard to get everyone together!

They’re off! As usual, the mothers admonished the boys that it’s not a race. As usual, it was a race as soon as they were out the driveway!

I drove behind Mr. Inventor and Mr. Imagination for a few minutes, till we got through the biggest hills and I let Mr. Sweetie out to ride on the flatter land. Seth, who had an injured foot, and Little Miss rode in the van with me. I put Little Miss in the front passenger seat, and she was excited to get to see out the window! I thought I had a picture of her delighted face there, but apparently it got deleted. Mr. Inventor won the race two or three times, other years, but this year, because he was pulling his brother, he came in sixth. He figured it was about time to let someone else win the race-that-is-not-a-race!

Last Pictures From June 2016

August 9, 2016 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

We are really enjoying our kitten. He isn’t as playful as he used to be, but still gets himself into funny places. He also sleeps in very strange positions.

I got a book from the library about the Denniston Incline. One of my boys liked it so well he took pictures of most of the pages in it!

Mr. Inventor and Mr. Diligence go to the dump at the end of our road (a transfer station) every time they can. It’s only open for three hours, three days a week, one of which is Sunday and another of which is Tuesday, our day for going to Dead Boring! They go almost every Thursday, and the Tuesdays that we are home, to search for treasures. One week, they brought me this incubator! The thermostat didn’t work, so I bought one online last week, and plan to try hatching chicks. I’ve never done it before, but have wanted to.

The pot this kitten is sitting in is another dump treasure. Mr. Inventor found the skillet underneath it at the Kaikoura dump for less than a dollar. He has since cleaned it thoroughly with a wire brush and seasoned it, and I’m now using it in the kitchen. The pot is a little harder, and in worse shape, but he’s hoping to restore it as well.

Mr. Inventor made these two knives. He sold the bigger one.

The children playing at Dead Boring. There were a lot there that day!

Our Dead Boring group—even Esther was there that day!

Dead Boring Bike Hike, 2015

September 16, 2015 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

Today was the annual bike hike for our homeschool group. We start in Waikari every year, and anyone who wants to rides to the home of one of the families, just outside of Scargill. It is a total of about 22 kilometers. Every year, we remind the children that the bike hike is NOT a race. Every year, the boys make it into a race! This year, for the second time in a row, Mr. Inventor was the winner, finishing the ride in only 32 minutes. Mr. Handyman came in third. Mr. Sweetie rode for the first time; he rode nearly half the route. He was pretty happy about that. Mr. Imagination and Little Miss stayed in the van with me and were bored silly. I let Mr. Imagination eat his lunch and take a few pictures, and Little Miss chewed on a carrot stick most of the way—until she put it on her shoulder and couldn’t find it again!

Here are the boys, waiting to start out.

Mr. Sweetie, ready to go. I drove him to the end of the steeper hills before he started.

Mr. Imagination took these next two pictures.

Here, Mr. Sweetie was pedaling past a hedge that caught fire a year ago.

Another of Mr. Imagination’s pictures!

The welcoming committee at the end of the ride. I grabbed a picture quickly as I drove past to park on the roadside, so it turned out fuzzy.

After eating the lunches we took along, we spent the afternoon together enjoying each other’s company. We have such good friends!

Dead Boring Bike Hike 2011

August 31, 2011 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve put anything on here. Our keyboard has been acting up for the past two weeks, and it takes twice as long as usual to type anything. Today was special, though, so I decided to share it anyway.

We are part of a homeschool writing group called Dead Boring. Every two weeks during school terms we meet at someone’s home and the children each read a story they’ve written. We eat lunch together, and then the children play with their friends while the moms fellowship. This group has been an incredible blessing in our lives here. We also do a few fun things through the year, and today was one of those.

We met at Waikari, about 50 minute’s drive south of us, and the children and some adults biked to Scargill, approximately 20 km. My four oldest all did the entire route, but I drove James partway and then let him out to ride. I followed along behind him, and enjoyed the beautiful day. It was a perfect time to get some good pictures of our gorgeous scenery! The children all absolutely loved the day, although they are very tired tonight. James actually rode 13.5 km–I couldn’t believe he went that far on that little bike!

The scenery between the highway and Waikari was incredibly beautiful!