Ted's Hut.

 A couple in our church have built a hut amongst the trees on their farm. It's only a 20 minute drive from our house but those 20 minutes transport us to a another world. 

A world without electricity, or screens or even  a flush toilet. 

The bath you can fill up and heat with the gas stove underneath.

The long drop toilet.

Our kids love going out to Ted's hut and although Marcus had never been, I'd taken the kids out there for picnics with the promise that one day when Dad came along we'd cook our dinner over the camp fire.  So that promise finally eventuated on Sunday. 

Marcus never gives up an opportunity to play Bear Grylls and light a fire with his flint.

Roasting Marshmallows

We didn't stay the night because it is winter and chilly (and despite wanting to give the kids happy memories of their childhood I'm not about to attempt a sleep out in the woods with a teething 6 month old. I know my limits.) 

We played, ate our dinner, roasted marshmallows and drank hot chocolate while watching the sun set.

Check out the cross Ted has put on the hill side. Because of this Oliver is convinced that Christ died on the hill at Ted's hut. Good luck trying to convince him otherwise. He still thinks I'm lying about Aunty Maggie and Uncle Mike living in WALES  not WHALES. 

Nathan went to sleep bundled up like the baby Jesus in the hammock to the sound of Tui's, bellbirds and Moreporks.

I walked the log bridge with the kids, extremely nervous as under that log is swamp up to our knees and I know I didn't bring enough spare clothes if one of us were to take a spill. A cooler Mum would have fallen off and turned the whole affair into a mud wrestle. I'm not that mum. 

We stayed until it got dark then headed back with our headlamps on. A line of bobbing lights to the sound of gun fire on a neighbouring farm. Marcus and I exchanged looks hoping that we didn't look like deer eyes caught in a spotlight to a hunter. Gosh wouldn't that have been a terrible way to end this post.

Butter wouldn't melt....

Posting these photos up, it all looks very Disney so I'm going to type the truth up as contraceptive if in a few years time when I'm flicking through the memories I'm tempted to have another.

• It took me 2 hours to pack to travel 20 minutes down the road.
• Oliver was so clumsy in his gumboots I couldn't relax at all every time he went near the campfire. 
• Oliver after catching his marshmallow on fire would wave his stick around- a fire hazard to all within it's reach.
• Lucy and Oliver had a huge fight over whose turn it was at darts and proceeded to throw their darts at each other.
• Nathan only slept in that hammock a mere 15 minutes until he was woken by the camp side chaos. Affirmation to me that I made the right decision in not staying the night.

Ted we will be back, in summer and maybe just Marcus and I. Thanks heaps for allowing us to use it.  Reading through the visitors book it's wonderful to see what a blessing this hut has become to many.