Merry Christmas and another great year to come

Merry Christmas everyone!!

It is lovely to be back in Kapiti for Christmas and we are really enjoying our place again. We loved our time in Hokitika and living on the coast for sure and now we are loving watching the kids playing in our big garden here, rediscovering huts, hiding places and reconnecting with friends and neighbours. In Hokitika they were inside a lot by choice due to lack of places and spaces to play now it is the complete opposite. :) At the moment himself jnr is up the treehut saying he is a nocturnal bird while his sister has been sent to collect straw and bedding for a nest!:)

Out on the deck in the sunshine

The shift went smoothly enough with nothing very broken or lost. Liam headed straight up for work while we headed across to my mum first then up with the east coast to get the ferry across.  It was a car full with a dog, 2 kids and a chicken in tow!  Luckily the chicken is more obedient that the dog or kids so I was able to let everyone out for a run at available playgrounds along the way. So many people stopped and stared yet not one person asked me why we had a chicken at the playground.

Themselves in Kaikoura

Despite wild winds in Picton the crossing was pretty smooth....that is until we got back into the car and realised that the inside light had been left on the entire journey due to a little head knocking it on! Thankfully the staff sorted us out pretty quickly and we were able to hit rush hour traffic up to Kapiti just in time :).

Apart from a few pictures still to hang we are all sorted here and Liam has been busy making bits, adjusting other bits and attached yet more bits :)  He has also already got a great garden in with the kids so we are all looking forward to tasting the fruits of their labour.  The weather has certainly helped in the watering department so hopefully no the summer will arrive properly now and take care of the rest.

Well just a quick note before I forget the the end of the year is upon us. Hope this find you all having a wonderful Christmas with those that you love or doing what you love.Till next month.....

Arohanui
Y

Ready to up and go .....

Goodness!! Where has the time gone?  I knew I was a bit behind in the blogging front, just didn't realise that it was that long since I last blogged on here.

As some of you (who read my other blog) will know, we are moving back to the North Island.  Yes, we are moving back to our place in Kápiti next week.  As I sit here now Himself has packed the car ready for his departure tomorrow and we are sorting, clearing, cleaning and organizing ourselves for the packers to come on Monday.  Unlike our last major shift this one is much less stressful with the kids being older and himself around right up until we leave, pretty much.  I am also eating much healthier through past food changes, exercising regularly and as a consequence generally coping better, which is always a good thing ;)

In the last 6 weeks we have really been trying to make the most of our time on the West Coast.  We have loved living here!  It is truly a magical spot with its own charm and quirks :)  Here are a few highlights of our adventures.

The kids have a great time created over the last few weeks!  Below are some of their creations - clock making with the local library, creating models from plasticine, making costumes and jewellery creations

 

 

 

  

We have also been on few adventures and weekends away lately, while making the most of local attractions on wet days too - going to the kiwi centre in Hokitika and baking from library book recipes.....

  

 Visiting Okarito ......

  

  

Going to Brownies with Herself ......



 

Drawing chalk pictures for Lakshmi during Diwali.....

  

 Whitebaiting .......



Visiting Karamea.......

  

 

Visiting Christchurch friends, family and attractions .....

 



 Heading South to Wanaka to visit more family ......

  

And just some good old hanging around home!



 

Hope this finds you all enjoying life to the fullest and enjoying those around you.

Arohanui

Y

The September that was.....

Yay!!! The warm weather is finally upon us and even though I'm still a bit discombobulated (sorry love this word and just felt the need to slip it in) from day-light savings it is amazing just how much more energy I get when I can open the windows along with wandering in and out of the house without putting on a jacket and hat.

Even here on the 'Wet' Coast we have been having our fair share of sun, in fact we actually had 4 weeks without rain.  Should I mention that this was then followed by a solid week of rain??? Probably not ;) All this good weather has meant that the kids have been able to get out into the garden more and to catch up with friends at the park, which is great.  Our house is wee it has to be said, so having people here doesn't always lend itself to enough space to play. Anyway on to the month that was.



Himself and the view at Lake Mahinapua

At the beginning of September Jasmine had a 'fun day' out with her Brownies group.  It was a beautiful day, thankfully as it was 10 hours outside, down at Lake Mahinapua.  Himself was on first-aid watch and I was the kitchen maid in a marque.  The kids just loved it!! Games, bush walks, picnic lunch, campfires, toasted marshmallows and finally a torch hunt for glow up stars under the full moon.  Honestly the day couldn't have been a better one weather wise. The kids were absolutely wiped out afterwards and completely ready of for bed!

Themselves enjoying the Brownies fun-day

Another big event for Jasmine this month was the loss of her 5th tooth.  She already had a wobbly one then on her 'fun' day she bit into her sandwich crusts (yes my homemade bread!.... honestly it isn't quite as hard as it sounds) and suddenly another tooth was wobbly.  This newly wobbly tooth was really going for it in the bid to be the next out of her mouth obviously as it continued for the next 5 days getting ready and then as Jasmine bumped her chin it flew out of her mouth! The funny thing was that she was trying to listen to me talk to the electrician and was climbing up on something she shouldn't have been so she didn't even mention the tooth until the electrician had gone - some 15 mins later!

Another tooth gone!

Daniel has also had his share of events with the completion of another flat traveller journal from USA and the arrival of another from Alaska! I know they are both USA however.... Alaska is so much more exciting to us.... well, ok, me :)  The flat travellers are little laminated pictures (animals, people etc) who are sent on a holiday with a journal for the host family to fill out for 2 weeks. It is based off a story called 'Flat Stanley' and  I guess it is a glorified pen-pal system. The kids love it though especially when theirs arrive back with brochures and the occasional coin from another country.

Daniel and Jumbo the Flat traveller at Fox Glacier

Daniel also had a birthday celebration complete with Volcano cake, cheerio car tea and dolphin dessert.  He had it all planned out months ago - gee wonder who he is like :) - and made me write in down in detail so I wouldn't forget.  The cake was far from what I imagined in my head however both kids thought is was great and that is all that counts in my world of cake decorating!  It was a quite birthday with just our '4' family as the kids like to say (our odd number birthdays are the party ones) and he chose to stay at home and play with his presents rather than go out. Perfect choice on a rainy day.

The volcano cake complete with snow, lava and dinosaurs climbing up the sides.

Well that is us for the last month aside from Liam doing a marvellous job in finishing painting the inside of the house! He is a machine sometimes, honestly!  It is so nice to have the place finished now and all in time for us to enjoy the rest of Spring and Summer together.

Hope this finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying life

Arohanui
Y

Another update from Us lot

Well, would you believe it..... another month gone and finally we in the Southern Hemisphere are heading into Spring.  The days are getting warmer and longer along with the blooming of daffodils and the bounces of new born lambs in the paddocks.

Enjoying the nearly Spring air up above Waikari, ready to view the Máori Rock Art

We have had a pretty great Winter weather wise, it has to be said, and we have been making the most of it with a few trips out and about.  The first of which was down to Fox Glacier - not to be forgotten after we visited Franz Josef. It was interesting to see signs, on the road into the Glacier, pointing out where the glacier had been in certain years and especially great that one of the signs was the same year their Nan was born.  It made the facts come to life a little and it was lovely to see their faces change as they registered where the glacier was when Nan was born and where it was now.



Fox Glacier

The walk up was short and a little steep however the kids raced up, somehow running up hills is more fun and easier than walking??!!!  Unlike Franz you can get really close to Fox which was a real treat. We were able to see the different colours and the tunnels made by the melting ice before heading back into town for lunch.  The kids also went around with Liam to sell a few soaps they had made which was a huge highlight for them.  One wee girl on holiday from China bought one from each of them and then got a photo of our two and herself :)  The kids thought it was great and her family thought it very funny when our kids then produced a 'business card' for her to keep!

This past week we have been over in Hanmer Springs enjoying my birthday. It was amazing to see how much the town has grown in the 30 years since I lived there.  Even though there has been a huge influx of houses, people, cafes and shops I was really impressed with the paths around town and the greater number of native birds which can be heard.  I guess with more people coming into town and planting native plants in their gardens the birds finally have somewhere to return to.

Themselves at St James Homestead (12 kms up from Hanmer)

On the way up to Hanmer we stopped in at Maruia Springs which was just amazing.  Two natural hot pools outside, the bush and mountains as a backdrop, just us there and a wee bit of snow to make it truly magical. For the same price as Hanmer it was very different experience and one we are very glad we made the time for. The Japanese bathhouse was a real treat too followed by a yummy sushi lunch.

Us at Maruia Springs

Well that is about all from us for now.  Hope this finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying the seasonal changes in your part of the world.

Arohanui

Y

I'm late, I'm late .....

Well the month, and then some, has flown by!!  The plan was to write an update on here around the middle of the month and here it is the beginning of August with no update for July anywhere in sight ;)  So to remedy things and without any further ado here is our quick week by week update - finally!

June 16 - June 22
After recovering from her surgery, Fluffy (our stray SPCA cat), was checked over, stitches removed and taken to her new home in Christchurch! While we were over the hill we also visited the Life Learners Camp in Stavely.  It was such an amazing day - weather wise - that it made the whole weekend really. We got to meet some new people and learn some new skills which is always good.  This was also our wedding anniversary week, 11 years this year, so it was lovely to be able to get the movies while my Mum watched the kids.

A new skill - making a manu tukutuku

June 23- June 29
With Liam's birthday looming at the end of the week, the kids were full of excitement. They spent the week making, creating and planning for Daddy's Birthday.  This year Matariki and birthday's fall on the same day so it was a busy week all round :)  As if there wasn't enough going on we also slipped in attending a Scout's awards night to watch Daniel get his first Kea (Junior Scouts group) badges - Well done Mr ;)

And he calls themselves savages!! :)

June 30 - July 6
Lots more making and creating this week with Jasmine having a 'Robot Party' at Brownies (Junior Girl Guides group).  The kids made fantastic outfits for themselves! They had such a good time designing and working out how to create their ideas from the meagre items we had here.  We also had a lovely visit with some friends and a quick visit on Saturday to the local bi-annual Ag Fest (Agricultural Festival). The highlight however was Sunday as the kids and I embarked on our trip over to Nan's via the Tranz Alpine!  Despite me wondering what I had set myself up for on Sunday morning it was such a great trip and the kids were amazing on it. :)

The Robots

July 7 - July 13
A week at my Mum's knitting by the fire - what could be better!!  The kid's loved visiting their 'museums' again. These are a collection of bits and piece's they have found at Nan's such as bones, bits of metal, bird's nests and all sorts of other things ;) It was also great to watch a bit of the World Cup Soccer action -very exciting!

My bit of fireside knitting while at Mum's

July 14 - July 20
Back into routine this week. We organized Daniel's flat traveller (a kind of pen pal exchange) to be sent to USA and both kids loved getting into some sewing.  Jasmine caught the bug so much that even when a friend came to visit she talked her into sewing too ;)  On the weekend we had a visitor and with absolutely magnificent weather we headed south to Franz Josef Glacier.  Such a great way to spend a weekend - sunshine, family, friends and beautiful scenery.

Us in the sun at Franz Josef Glacier

July 21 - July 27
After a trip to the Toy Library (yes the kids still love going and make the most amazing games out of the toys they get) we had a lot of puppet shows. From 6 am till 7pm there as a variety of casts, stories and ways of presenting - including puppets on feet and hands for one show!!  Once a month the kids also get a magazine and we spend the whole day doing activities from it. Jasmine is also up at the crack of dawn (well actually long before then at the moment with it being Winter) so that she can begin all the crafts.  It is also a nice change for a day where everything is from one place - games, stories, learning activities, craft activities and cooking - and it is all of themselves choosing.

July 28 - Aug 3
This week we have been in Westport with himself. Such a beautiful view from the place we stayed at - Daniel kept saying how much he loved the place and asking me if I liked it more that home.  I think if he had the choice he would have stayed on as long as possible ;)  We were lucky enough to have an afternoon of sunshine when we arrived and a dry morning on our day of departure to hunt for treasures on the beach, walk up to the lighthouse and also to see my brother.

Sun trying its hardest to shine for us. View from our accommodation

Pheewww.... well that's all folks - for now at least.  Till we meet again, I hope this finds you well and warm.

Arohanui

Y
www.becominghealthy.co.nz

A mid-winter update from us lot

Yet another busy month here on the Coast. I can't believe that it is the middle of the year already!!  It feels like the days have just flown by and we haven't really been up to much, then I look at our photos and wonder when we managed to fit everything in :)

Since I last posted we have been away to Oamaru for the weekend which was really lovely. Herself enjoyed it so much, even in the snow flurries or maybe because of, that she wanted us to move there.  Well, I can't blame her really as I've always had a soft spot for Oamaru myself.  Liam was working down in Dunedin for the Sunday so the kids and I just explored and enjoyed.  The highlights would have to be the train ride down to the wharf , finding 2 Enid Blyton books (their current favourite author) for $1 and  the kids finding an adapted rocking horse bike.



"Horsey, horsey don't you stop"



We wandered around for quite a few hours before the kids, well ..... actually ...... maybe it was me more, had had enough.  Despite the freezing winds there was so much to see and do for them that the day went quickly. The playground behind the precinct is a must if you have little ones! The kids loved climbing up a 5 story slide with a near vertical drop at the start, needless to say I didn't venture up.  We also found a wee walk, hidden away, along the stream which the kids thought was great.  I did too until we had a near miss of us all ending up in the stream!

The stepping stones where the kids collided belly to belly.  I only just caught them and balanced us all!

We still have our Fluffy cat albeit a 3 legged version now. She went in for an amputation of her rear leg last week and is doing really well. The kids absolutely love her, as do I. Rex on the other hand is not so fussed with a hoppity, fluffy intruder in his home - aside from sneaking in for left overs where he can.  Though we have decided we are not the home for her to be able to settle in we are hoping to adopt her this week. We have been buying supplies and then the plan is to then take her to the wonderful woman who has agreed to care for her.  Thanks Mum :) 

Jasmine's story on Fluffy for the local home-schooling magazine

Both Jasmine and Daniel had a Sunday session for their Brownies and Keas the other week in aid of Arbour Day, World Oceans Day and World Environment Day. Nothing like combining events to get the most out of it!  Anyway they spent the afternoon potting up plants and then heading to the beach to plant more harakeke so that the local penguin had a sheltered spot to nest.  They both loved getting in and helping with everyone.  It is really great seeing how much they are growing in confidence and experience when working in a team like this.  I loved seeing Jasmine include others and go over to ask a new girl to work with her.  The reward for Daniel was that he got to have his picture in the local paper!  He was feeling very proud although a bit concerned that he wasn't in coloured. :)

Daniel's starring moment and his second time in the paper.

We have had a few lovely days, thankfully on the weekends, in between all our rain lately so it was good to be able to finally go to Lake Ianthe.  None of us really how to pronounce it correctly (we have heard so many variations) and ended up calling it all sorts of things however it really is a beautiful wee spot to stop at.  There isn't much there aside from the boat ramp and a wee track to a where we had a picnic yet it offers such wonderful views on a nice, clear day it is worth the time to veer in.  Armed with a picnic lunch the five of us (Rex included of course) had a lovely time there. 

Us at Lake Ianthe.  Herself is getting quite handy on the camera now.

Themselves at Lake Ianthe.

Hope this finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying the beauty and people around you.

Arohanui
Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz