I do I do.........

this amazing talented woman sang out on Sunday night to us.........that is Gin Wigmore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps85tH5cK_E

with another great kiwi singer Dave Dobbyn. Loved this concert.........just as good or maybe even better than Fleetwood Mac the week before.

Now gotta get my tickets for the wine tour!

so where did xmas go? it was a great day in the sun + fun to be with kev's family. I took hardly any pics........typical me!

but this one says it all + what a clever santa getting her the perfect gift!!

and now this mama wants some too!! And btw thats not kev in the background thats my fil........its scarey they look so much alike!!

I hope you all had a lovely xmas + heres to (insert clink clink of glasses) new year + great things to come!!

home alone!

this guy........yes my baby turned 5 on the 5th of this mth.

and he went to school on Monday.


so I am home alone!!..........a mum of no preschoolers!!
so how do I feel?

a little sad that baby is a school boy + how quickly he has grown + changed + ready to learn more. I miss him hanging out with me in the morning before kindy + in the arvo.

But I DONT MISS driving into town for kindy.

He did this on Tuesday............and written all over his face was "I'm a big now riding the bus to school"

so he will get a week + a half before the summer hols........just a taste of whats to come!

And to my surprise my week has being rather busy.

Today I helped Ruby's class make these. I first saw them on here but had to adapt them to what we had here locally. fun!

mine

and Ruby's

and did you see the lastest ezine out at SBO ? a great read + some awesome inspo.
I was lucky again to have Andrea ask me..............here's my creations using the BG nook + pantry range with a bit of Cosmo nutmeg thrown in there.........I found they worked well together.

this is my fav LO out of the 4.

I wasn't so keen on this one but I have grown to like it..........working in such straight lines + that boxed look isn't really me.

my version from Trina's sketch.

and 42 pumpkins

hopefully I'll be back a sooner than later but i have had some health issues to deal with but things are looking good now + I feel normal again!!

and i have got lots of xmas decorating to do..............I so love love love this time of year!!
and hey I have signed up to do this too........can't wait!!

the time is flying by!!!

and look at that its over a mth since i last blogged!!

I've being crazy busy here + there is still more of it to come.

we had a wonderful break at labour weekend + stayed in a fantastic beach house in Oakura (which is 15km sth of New Plymouth).........and Kev had a great weekend windsurfing + paddle boarding + he even won a $800 custom made wetsuit!!

And then it was heads down + getting ready for our first halloween party!! I spent hrs on the invites.......infact I spent far too much time on the invites .............next time I will start early + not pour my heart + soul into them.

It was the best party. 17 kids came + they all had a blast. We played bob the apples.

eat jelly of the plate .......no hands!!

toasted marshmellows (which i got NO photos as I was getting the eats ready!) + to end the night we had a big lolly scramble. I also took NO photos of Finn, Ruby + Taidhg dressed up!! I plan to get them to have another dress up session + pose. Finn went as Micheal Jackson, Ruby a Zombie ballerina + Taidhg started off as Ben 10 but he wanted his face painted like a lion.......so he became a Lioning Ben 10!! And i was the only adult that dressed up + I went a Desperate Housewife!! For our first halloween party it was a hit + we will be doing it again next year!!

We finally planted out vegetable garden last week.............you always plant later than labour weekend in Stratty as there is always a late frost...........and do you know what........we had a small sneaky frost hit us + it killed our baby toms, cumbers + courgettes.......bummer!! But the corn + carrots are apparently already poking through the soil. Got to plant out the beans + peas yet.

not alot of scrapping has being happening but got some things to share in a few weeks using the lovely nook + pantry BG!! But I did make this cute little card for a friends BD last week.

its seems to be the season for BD's atm around here..........kids have got 5 parties happening + my baby turns 5 on the 5th of Dec.............eeck where did that time go!!

and and and I just had to share this photo............I just love it!!............come fly with me!

OK gotta run my most fav movie is on..................Dan in Real Life..............its soooooooooo funny + I just LOVE the music + I wish we had a house by the lake like that!!.............well i guess a tent by the sea is good enough atm eh!!..............lol

NITS!!

are so damn expensive........would you know!!

we are on our third round of these little buggers for Ruby + first for Taidhg (thats what you get for letting your boy wear his hair longer)!!

Finn ended his hols on a high note.............he came 4th in his golf tournament yesterday..........pretty cool huh!! But poor old Ruby ended up coming head to head with a cow yesterday.

check her out. photo from yesterday (same one on FB) but today it looks worse!!

she did make me laugh this morning with her comment "i've lost all my prettyness"!! But when i dropped her off at school this morning she loved all of the attention of course!!

I was happy yesterday too as I completed 5 loads of washing!! whites, darks, towels, woollens + a clothes wash!! It felt good to catch up!!

well my next few weeks are going to be filled crazy craft making.........how painful ;). School has got its Mission/pets day + you know when they make those sand saucer things + vegetable ppl...........but when they move further up the school their craft making extends.
So guess who put their hand up but as well gave ideas..........and as well we are having a very exciting party here in the next weeks + I've got to make all the goodies for that too!!

leaving with you the last 2 LO's I did for the SBO GOK challenge.

Almost blue!

the sky was almost most filled with nothing but blueness (such a word)..................it was welcomed with open arms at our house + the kids were quickly put outdoors!!..........lol........well it didn't quite happen like that but I did suggest it + they agreed!!

We saw the mountain for the first time in what seems like weeks.......... and it had snow down to the bottom but when i took this photo just before a lot of the snow has melted over the day!

Yep just a tad cool in the Naki atm!!

I don't really like talking about the weather but man!!........its just effected us so much these holidays + done my head in like nothing + all the mums I saw at the supermarket feel all the same. I know there is a light at the end of this tunnel!!........lol

So yeah day 9 + all is looking well. T at daycare .........giving F + R a breather. Haircuts done!!

Food supply brought in!! Body + lungs being excercised on almost blue day!! Mother enjoying quiet coffee!! :) ...........and planning on read my reserved book from the library - Tony Parsons - 'Starting Over'.

Day 7

today we woke up early to go to New Plymouth to cheer this guy on!

Kev competed in the New Plymouth 1/2 marathon + did it in 1hr + 23mins!! Only trained for 4 weeks!! I'm so green jelly how naturally fit he is + wished I had this ability. He puts my 10 weeks of going to the gym to shame!!............but hey baby steps for the very unfit!! :)

day 4.

all is going well so far apart from the rain but I know I'm not alone in this wet patch!! We have done hoilday programme, friends sleepover + going to friends.

Today was filled with lots of tenting making (inside), stories read in the tents, breaking tents + making your sister squeal or should I say scream!! Jumping on the old couch + doing handstands on the new couch!! Running outside when the rain stopped for 5mins, making art + a spot of telly. Did i mention I only had 2 kids ...........easy!!

Tomorrow ...........not sure what that will bring but I'm thinking some baking needs to be done as I have some very turned bananas!! A spot of tiding + sorting + lets not forget the washing.........ick mines piling up due to this flippen rain!

But I'm looking forward to the weekend as Kev is having it off + its looking busy too + YAY to daylight savings!!

So for the second time I played the GOK comp over at SBO. They have had some great challenges going on over there. Wish I could of got some more done but the last 2 weeks of term were crazy here.

So I quickly squeezed one out last night just before week 4's challenge closed.

I combined 2 of the challenges - 'white' space + a $5 LO. How simple was that for me!!........but it still took me like 2hrs.

So Turf Dogging...........its windsurfing on land. Its like a HUGE skateboard + Kev can lock in his sails he uses for actual windsurfing into the board. Its great for those days he can't get to the beach ........... but the wind has to be right.

so hoping for a spot of sunshine tomorrow!

NINE!

yesterday we celebrated Finn turning 9!


Yesterday we had a fun time with Finn + his 3 buddies. We took them to Chipmunks..........great place for them to run, shout, yehaa + burn some of that 9yr old energy!! Then we headed down town to "LoneStar" + I can't rave enough what a fantastic place to take kids to eat..........its another place that can handle loud talk, giggling + goofing around. And lets not forget the price ppl...........$10 for a meal, desert + a drink for each kid!! And great food for the adults too!! Then we headed back to Stratty for some birthday cake, hallway soccer, guitar playing + a bit of All Black watching.............then home!!


I was the one that did the driving around of the boys. They cracked me up with their theories of the world + life in general. Also it was good to see Finn with his friends + just be himself. Finn's not a very open book + i'm learning to respect this.............its hard as I'm so the opposite. Also listening to him talk made it even more real that he's his own person with his own thoughts, opinions + feelings. I did know this but yesterday just confirmed it a little bit more + that he's not my little boy anymore. Ohhh its hard letting them go!!


And hey here we are the proud parents of a wonderful 9yr old!!




So I'm looking forward to school finishing on Friday + less running around! Its being a super crazy term with spring happening on the farm, kids after school activities + me at the gym........I'm one tired mama!! And let me add my tail bone still hurts..............esp when I sneeze!!.........LOL

so yeah rollon Friday + bring some good holiday fun!! Lots of hanging out + going to some school holiday fun programmes + I think the kids have got their eye on some movies that are coming out too. Also daylight savings is coming.......yeah!!

and check this out............... This was for SBO's comp challenge 2...........had to use a label.
I love how this came out! I used one of the KR's kits. Love those kits!

I'm avoiding this..............

to go + do this................

but I will leave you with this...........

Rach

when cool becomes uncool.........

so when did I become uncool too my nearly 9yr old!!?

I guess when I pose for photos like this in a public place + then make a LO out of it!!

I have used the super YUMMY June kit from Kenner Road for this LO.

So spring is here on the farm with lots of little mouths wanting to be fed their milk........infact I just saw from my window my new babies for this season go by on the back of the tractor to their new home down the track from me.......so tomorrow I will be back to gumboot + leggings wear!!

but WOW to this amazing weather but what a tease..........please not let it end..........as I have enjoyed building up my vit.D intake!!...............I'm over cold mornings + the dust created from the fire!! And I'm over being sick...........just me no one else in the house............bring on true spring weather in another 3 weeks!!

rach

I wish I could dazzle you.........

but its been a funny old mth + life has just happened!
I know its mid winter but June is one of my fav mths
1. kev's not milking
2. we get a long weekend
3. we get to yell at our in kids public.......but nothing but pure encouragement as they play their winter sport.
4. its nearly the school hols
5. and of course the most important.........its my birthday!!

so with a sad heart I ask if you have any spare prayers or positive thoughts that you send them via a family from our school + kindy who lost their beauitful 6yr old son, Andre in a crash this week.
And maybe one for me to help heal my broken tail bone.............it truly is becoming a right royal pain in the butt!!

Rach

NZ is not a small country but a large village.............Peter Jackson

(OK WARNING.....................HUGE blog entry + very photo heavy............you have been warned!)
this is how I feel.(referring to peter j's quote) I have done a lot of travelling since mid April + caught up with lots of friends + family. It was good, there was lots of laughing, crying, OMG's + talking.............yes lots of talking!! I spent one weekend in Akld with some amazing friends from school........that weekend was the best + I did a lot healing about my mum while I was with these girls (they probably don't even know it)..........but I guess these wonderful woman were part of me during my high school + teacher college years + we did a lot of growing during these years. So they knew my mum.........I felt like was going home when I caught up with them.

And it took me about a week to recover from that HUGH weekend.............not that I went on a bender but I had some crazy roomies who partied hard!!.........................

So then a few weeks later we travelled to Taupo to the Autumn Retreat. What a fantastic weekend.

I had a great time catching up with some wonderful woman again. I had a great roomie Trina (who I sat with also) + 2 other wonderful gals Rachel T + Kate M.

So yeah no point me repeating what you have already read around other blogs!!

Great weekend, fab location, lovely rooms, very well run retreat + I can't rave enough about Kim's Archers classes I LOVED the one class I did of hers + I even made history for the first time..........I completed all 3 LO's we did in her class!!! Yet to scan these fantastic babies!!

Ok so yeah no photos so far.............thats cause I didn't take my camera to Akld............too big to take dancing + then when we went to Taupo I gave the camera to Kev to get some shots of the kids while they had a wee holiday in Taupo too!!.............but nah he took none!

Lucky I have super cool friends who take the most delicious photos of me!!...........+ can't wait to show me!!..............LOL............yeah like the Rotoura photos ...........eh Rachel!!!

Oh yeah I needed another week to recover from that weekend too.............more due to the air con in these places............dried every wet cell in my body out!!

So then on the 15th of May my baby girl turned 7. How dare she!...........she never asked me if she could grow up this fast. Talk about excited!!

She scored herself a very nice electric guitar!! (this what she wanted) Check this girl out!!

and OK showing off here ................as I thought I was the best birthday present buyer ever. I found her at a local vintage shop this most gorgeous lamp for her room............1. she has wanted a lamp forever so she can read in bed + 2. OMG ...........wait for it.............it's base had a mother horse + her foal!!! Now for a little girl that LOVES horses as much as mine she died + went to a horsie heaven!!

This photo needs to be shared so you get the idea!!

We ran out of time on her birthday to do the candles + cake.......we got super busy!!.........so bad?..............no not really she is clever + knew that her birthday would go on longer!!

Our road was closed that day due to a car rally. This happens to us about twice a year.

We had planned to have her party this day too but her friend got in her first + got her invites out .............but it was OK we had the next weekend + YES wow her birthday would extend for another week!! And speaking of invites I made Ruby's again...........I thought I would go simple + even use the help of a crafters workshop small template............LOL...........hmmm yeah right.
But hey I loved them, Ruby loved them + her friends loved them too.

And look I even used ChatterBox pp that I have had since Taidhg was a baby!! Love using up older supplies............like it almost gives you the right to buy some new ones!!

On the 17th Finn + Ruby made their first communion. That has being a busy time with having to go to lessons after church for 12 weeks. As well as the stress to find a white outfit for Ruby!!.........we did it!! I was super proud of them + wished that mum could of being there.

And on the 19th we went to Wgtn. On the 20th it was year since my mum had passed.
yeah wow a whole year!! So we spent the day with my family + took my mum's ashes up to the local cemetery + had her ashes buried with her parents. It was special + it was nice to be with my dad + my mum's sisters + brother.

We stayed on + spent some time with dad. And I had promised the kids a ride on the train. OK they have done it before but hey a train ride is a train ride when you don't get to have one in the Naki. So trains here we come + headed into town (unfortunately Finn was sick + couldn't come). I planned to walk the kids up Lambton quay + back to the station.

Waiting.

It was strange to stand with my kids + share this part of my life............that seemed so huge back then. Catching the train into town to go to T.Coll or go out with the girls.

I loved seeing how excited they were + lots of questions. When you do something like this everyday its boring + more than anything the waiting for the train + the ride was like a time waster for me.............but this time was different. I loved the conversations + how exciting to see a station named the same as our babysitter Ava!!

I didn't realise how much I have taken it for granted that my kids haven't really been to the city!! We have been to Wgtn so many times with them but we never seem to leave the Hutt Valley.
So to see their wee faces look up in awe at the cranes in the sky made me realise!!............bad mama bad mama!! We don't get cranes in Stratford!!

We found a yummy cafe + I'm so thankful for kids that like the cafe cultural like their ma + pa!!

Then we walked Lambton Quay............this did make me giggle as Taidhg was a nitemare walking amongst the suits + of course why should he stick to the left when there is a huge sidewalk to follow!! Would love to be 4 again somedays.............I think making my own rules up sounds like fun + tough to the adults that don't it!!

The only shops we went into were shoes shops + music. Um ok shoes shops were quickly ruled out as Mr T decided that it would be a fantatis idea to try on a pair if red heels!!

But how they loved the music shop.

It was the first time since Mum got sick that I really enjoyed Wgtn again. Also helped seeing these gorgeous girls. We laughed + talked so much that the guy behind the bar asked Kev if he was OK with us 4!!

Taidhg wanted to take some photos of us with Poppa before we left to come home.

its a beauty!!

Home again + then the party + was even over it before it has started!!

OK here is the cake it was meant to look like a rabbit but somehow its ears make it look like a cat. Shocking photo too.............forget that winter nights aren't the best!

so yeah here I am..............planning on going no where + just chilling. Anyway its freezing who wants to go out in this weather!! kev drove around the mountain today to go windsurfing around the coast ...............total madness I tell ya!!.............and he struck sleet on one of the top roads..................infact it snowed in Stratford while we were away in Wgtn!!

Thanks goodness for woodburners + warm hubbies!!

oh I did complete a LO today...........will share soon.

nite

rach

ps a HIGH 5 to you if you stuck around this long!

autumn..........you gotta love it!

this is why I love this season so much...........

1. you get to see one of your kids live a dream

2. they play the part right + wear their recent purchase from a local op shop! (tassled waistcoat)
btw I have unleashed a beast in Ruby when it comes to op shopping now!!

3. having our own pumpkin patch + there is still more..........



4. nothing but blue sky's


5. playing + having a picnic in the park on Sunday arvo.




6. celebrating Kev's birthday on the last day of March.

8. and lastly cooler days + nights to be creative. And these were for the lastest Ezine for SBO .
I was kindly asked by Andrea to create some LO's using the new range of BG Marrakech.

I had some fun!!

and just a reminder a new dare will be up on the dare site tomorrow night. It's a goodie + we would love you join in + play. :)

Also congrats to Rachel + Kate for making the creative team for the Autumn Retreat.

OK I need to link you gals up!!

take care

Rach