OK, Hubby and I are seriously considering moving our family to Auckland from Montreal, Canada. We have three young sons (2, 6, & 8). We have about TWO years to plan this.

1) We do NOT want to live in the city. We want a nice little hobby farm with a big plot of land where I can do my gardening, run my freelance Graphic Design business and perhaps get a pony for the boys. Hubby needs to find a good paying IT job. We will obviously need a great, non-religious school for the boys. A french one would be nice but not necessary. Any recommendations on locations? I guess we could afford about $400,000 CDN for a home.

2) I heard there aren't really any daycares in New Zealand so much as nannies? Is this accurate? I would love a nanny since I do want more children. Here, our daycares are subsidized and only cost $7 per day!

3) I heard most of the water used is rain water. I also read that water from a utility supplier was like $1500 for 3 sq. meters?! WTH!? Really... that's like $200/bath? Please tell me that's wrong. LOL! My boys take a bath every day.

4) Should I sell all our furniture and buy second hand furniture once we get there?

5) With two years to plan.. where do you start? What takes the longest to do?

6) What is the best time to move with school aged kids? If my eight-year-old son is half way into Canadian Grade II in January when we move, he will be starting NZ grade IV (CDN grade III) but he will have only have HALF of his grade II done! Now how do they manage THAT?!

7) Should we cram our family into an apartment until we find a house over there? Maybe we should move in June when OUR school is finished and keep the boys out of NZ school until January so we have six months to find a house, find a school and settle in? WDYT?

So, so many things to think about! But still, very excited to get out of Montreal. Way too cold for me here!