Life in the Hutton household is getting busy now that they’ve established themselves as 1850s settlers in this episode of Colonial House. Dad Ross starts his first job at the local greengrocer, while Mum Dorothy must track down the boys after discovering they’re skipping school. Ross arranges a surprise picnic at Sumner Beach for Dorothy’s birthday, but the summer heat has her questioning how strictly she can follow the rules of the era. Then the Hutton's attend a garden party celebrating Christchurch’s first four immigrant ships, with period dress, drinks, and croquet, while teen Emma receives a surprise gift of her own.