Final Fay Update for 2015

Well it is the last day of 2015!! It is hard to believe that we have now been back up in the North Island for over a year.  We have had a wonderful, adventurous and eventful 2015 that is for sure.  December seems to mark the biggest changes of all to the house though.... nothing like the new year coming to make you realise you need to finish those goals from the current year!

So hopefully in order here are the main highlights of our December:

After having a wiggly tooth for months and then discovering that his new tooth was actually growing up on angle behind Daniel was given a time limit to wiggle his loose tooth out. The Dental Nurse (who he doesn't really like) told him that if he didn't have it out by the 1st Dec that she would have to pull it out.  Well the 1st Dec came and still that little baby tooth was determined to hang in there.  I let him know that I'd have to ring and make an appointment - which I did - when he very quietly came to me and asked 'guess what?'........  It seems that he really didn't like the dental nurse and the thought of going was so daunting that he 'accidentally' knocked a rock (one of many that he collects) off his window still and into his face making his tooth get knocked out!!

Finally his second tooth has fallen out.  Goodness knows when the rest are coming!

December was also the month of rain here, well at least it felt that way.  It began on the 1st and didn't really clear up until Christmas Eve! Just in time for us going camping though thankfully.  We headed away on Christmas Day (after present opening at 0030 hours by excited kids who thought it was morning and then more at 0630) over to the Wairarapa with the mice, kids and dog in tow.  It was a full car I can tell you :)  We camped at Putangirua Pinnacles Campsite which allows dogs and we were lucky enough to arrive to a fairly empty campsite.  It meant we had a primo spot with early morning sun to warm us up, all day shade (to keep the mice cool) and sun in the evening to warm us up again as the night arrived.  It was a full moon too so the the fact that we had completely forgotten things like torches didn't matter too much :) The kids loved swimming in the lagoon as did the dog and we enjoyed using our family sized tent for the first time and having space! The weather couldn't have been better - calm, clear and hot!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Swimming in the lagoon

Daniel enjoying his camping breakfast

Walking up to see the Pinnacles

Liam has also been making lots of changes around the house and he's been busy every weekend bang whacking something.  So far we have our new front door in place (this is my favourite even though it isn't functional yet as before everyone was searching for where to enter or knocking on my reflexology room door),  enclosed the porch downstairs, put a new floor on downstairs, insulated downstairs and begun to clear out the side of our property to make room for car-parking space.  It is all starting to come together now after years of wishing and dreaming.

Our new front door in place

Liam downstairs. It used to be a wood porch, now it has a proper floor, insulation and door.

 
This month we also finally booked to go and visit Kápiti Island.  It did take us a while to get there though after our initial 5th December booking as they cancelled due to bad weather twice then we had to change dates due to the kids being unwell!  Finally, fourth time lucky,  we got there just after Christmas and enjoyed a bright and sunny day to explore. The view from the top was awsome with the South Island and Taranaki visible.  We were seranaded by Hihi (stitchbirds), Korimako (Bellbirds), Tieke (Saddlebacks), Túí and Kokako all the way walking up to the top along with some noisy Kaka.  The kids even managed to see 2 of the 4 Takahe on the island.  So worth the wait :)

Up on the top of Kapiti Island

Hope this finds you all happy, healthy and warm, rearing to get into the new year

Arohanui

Y

November Update from the Fay Family

Here we are again at the end of another month and yet again I feel like it has sneaked up on me!! This month feels like it has been all about renovations and work.  However we have actually managed to get out and about, in and around Kàpiti to view a few things. So because there weren't many events outside of home-educating and daily routines I thought I'd just post a few photos :)

Themselves at Otaki Beach enjoying the waves and sun.

The view of the South Island I get every Monday while giving a home reflexology session.

Exploring the Paraparaumu Heritage trail. Themselves at 'Mary'.

Themselves making the most of a bit of sunshine out in the Cul-de-sac

Front of our place ready for work to begin.

We have a hole!

A step further towards getting our Front door.

Finally a Front door that visitors will be able to find!

From the inside.  Needed a bit of re-arranging but a good chance to de-clutter and so good having the door.

Hope this finds you all well and ready for the Silly season to begin. Until next month.


Arohanui
Y

October Update from the Fays

Well yet another busy month here in Kapiti.  The days just seem to fly past, they really do.... and yes I know I say that all the time :)

Jasmine is still on the go with fund-raising for her big trip south to the Girl Guide Jamboree.  So far she has raised half the money with a raffle and a sausage sizzle.  She is very willing it is just her parents that are trying to find the time and energy to keep up the fundraising efforts with her :)  The sausage sizzle we held on the first weekend of October went so well and so fast that I forgot to take photos so sorry you'll just have to imagine Liam serving up sausages and herself in her little pink Brownies top sorting out the change.

Our local Mitre 10 (hardware shop) had a great free workshop for the kids on the day after our sausage sizzle.  The kids loved making a birdhouse which they could bring home.  They now have them mounted in the garden and we are all watching the comings and goings of birds.  So far it looks like some starlings have nested in Jasmine's as we saw them taking things in and out while over at Daniel's it has been a half-way home for visiting sparrows and starlings :)  It has peaked Jasmine's interest to find out more about birds so we are waiting for a contact from the local ornithologist society.

Themselves building the birdhouses.

The weather was actually pretty kind to us in October (unlike it has been for these few days of November) and we have really enjoyed getting out and about along with BBQ's with friends.  Themselves all had a go at white-baiting and, despite others collecting 120 pounds of the stuff, managed to get 3.  No, not 3 pounds that is 3 actual white-bait :)  The kids love the experience of going down with Liam even though they don't help much in the catching stakes once there.

Themselves out trying their luck

This month also saw us finally get into Wellington for some rock climbing for Jasmine.  She has been hooked on it since she had a go on a friend's wall 3 years ago.  I have to say too that she seems a bit of a natural at it and loves the challenge of finding holds and working out a path to the top.  While in Wellington she scaled a climb that even adults were struggling with!  The look on her face when she got to the top and we (the adults that couldn't make it up and me) all cheered was priceless.

Jasmine just about to push up to another hold.

Finally our month of October ended with a fantastic Halloween BBQ and fire-pit party.  Not being ones for Trick or Treating we chose to celebrate the Jack o Lantern side of it and invited the neighbours and the kids invited one friend (plus family) each so that we could toast a few marshmallows along with carving a few pumpkins.  The people who rented this place from us created an awesome space down in the wilderness with a wee fire-pit and seats around.  It has taken us a year to use it however it was well worth the wait and such a great evening for it!

Count Daniel Dracula - who saves lives :)

Well that is about it for now.  Hope this finds you all enjoying the change of season and rhythm - albeit inconsistent in NZ.

Arohanui

Y

Where did the month go???

Well here we are in October already and I'm just realising that I still need to do my September update!  Man that month went by fast :)

Themselves and Me on the train up to Auckland

We started September with a long weekend up to Auckland.  It was fantastic getting to go up and back by train, long as it was, and the kids were great.  I think a large supply of food, games and activities helped.  Daniel was still on crutches, however that didn't stop us getting into town to see family and the Sky Tower. We decided to make the most of our Sky Tower trip though, as he wasn't really up to mile of walking, staying up there 2 hours so we could see look all over Auckland from a height.

Making the most of our time in the Sky Tower

The day before we left for Auckland we did have a bit of sad news as we found out that one of herself's mice had cancer.  It made leaving a little hard for the kids, harder still for our lovely neighbour who was feeding them, as they were so worried Fern would die while we were gone.  Thankfully Fern was still in the land of the living when we arrived home and for another week.  She passed away having snuggles with the kids and we said good-bye to another loved pet -giving her a memorial plant over top of her burial site.  It has be interesting seeing the way the kids are dealing with their pets dying and with each passing there is a new level of grieving and questioning about the whole life / death process.

Fern in better days doing 'tricks' with Jasmine

From the low of saying goodbye to Fern the mouse we went to the highs of Daniel turning 7.  After much talk of parties he decided to have a fun day with just the family - relaxing at home with his presents in the morning followed by lunch out, chipmunks (indoor play area) and tea out.  In the end he actually felt too unwell for tea out (may have been the getting up at 4.44am to open presents!) so we postponed our meal out until Friday.  He had a great week though and I think he actually liked having his birthday 'treats' spread over a few days. :)

Birthday breakfast smoothies with twisty straws

Spring has definitely sprung here and we have had some glorious days to get out and about.  Liam has also got into the garden with the kids and planted all our veggies ready for Summer as well as raiding our grapefruit and orange trees for making marmalade.  We have also used some of this fruit for Jasmine's fundraising to go to Jamboree next January and it has been very popular - nothing like fruit straight from the tree to tempt people :)

Themselves exploring the estuary creatures while the tide is out after riding along Cambourne Walkway.

Well I'll leave it there otherwise it will be time to begin writing the Oct update!!

Hope this finds you all happy and healthy.

Arohanui'
Y

August update Already!!

Almost Spring and here is another update from us. It has been a very eventful month filled with renovations, birthdays, badges, crafts and hospital visits.

After 2 months of hard work and Liam working every weekend, or close to it, our upstairs bathroom/laundry is complete!! It is so nice having everything upstairs.  Daniel was his task-master on this job and kept reminding Liam that he had said the job would be completed by my birthday at the end of August.  Great to have someone else doing that job and great to have no showers in a different climate downstairs.  Now he is downstairs tidying things up so that we can have that as a wee self contained flat and dreaming of building retaining walls!

Only the floor to go in our fully functioning bathroom/laundry

After Daniel hurt his knee in late July we have had a full month of pain and many days of not walking.  It seems that when he breaks bones our boy doesn't do the usual line of bruising and swelling.  After a reluctance by the Dr to x-ray we finally got some and found that he has in fact fractured his growth plate (or very close to it).  A cast was put on only to be removed a week later to investigate the pain in Daniel's heel.  Once off it was clear what the pain was as his foot was all blistered!! Poor wee thing has had a hell of a month!

Getting a cast on finally! This enabled him to walk without the pain.

Waiting for more x-rays after the cast has come off.

In between not walking and pain though he and Jasmine managed to work on some Kea and Brownie badges.  They are both loving the groups, especially when all their efforts are rewards with badges to sew on.  Daniel finished his Healthy Kea badge and Jasmine completed her Animal Fun and Creative Arts Fun.  Jasmine is also fundraising at the moment for her Jamboree camp down in Christchurch next year.  She has created a raffle - with first prize kindly donated by a resident reflexologist :) - and made soap, bath bombs and hard lotion bars as 2nd prize. She has sold a few and next month we will try the sitting in front of the shops trick - fingers crossed for good weather :)

Daniel being supported - literally - while talking about his Healthy Kea with sore leg up.

Creating a path for us to follow as part of her badge work

We have also been going along to 'Yarn time' at the local library once a month.  The kids are loving it just as much as I am, though it has to be said probably more for the biscuits and adoring attention they get from the other older ladies :)  So nice to have at least one time in the month were I can craft in the daylight hours with others.  Jasmine has really taking a shine to crochet lately and has crafted her own slippers which she loves.  So nice to see her being creative and making things.  Daniel has gone for the French knitting reel instead and has made a collection of coasters (sewn in a round), necklaces and scarves :)

Jasmine's green slipper she made while I made a blue one for her.

Jasmine's self designed slippers

Well I'll sign off there for now and leave you for another month.  Hope all is well with you lot as it is with us.

Arohanui
Y

What a fabulous month we've had!

It really has been a great month, made even more so by now having a fully functioning (if not completely finished) bathroom and laundry upstairs.  We have been busy with so many different things with Matariki, School Holidays and Wellington's 150th anniversary all falling in this month. So without further ado I'll fill you in from the beginning to now.

First week of July:

This was also the first week of the school holidays and the local libraries as well as a local Art Gallery seems to go all out with activities for Matatriki.  The kids got to listen to an amazing local artist play a variety of Taonga Puoro (traditional Máori instruments) and well as get to make their own uku-tangi (Clay flute).  Even I got to have a go making one and play it!

Making pinch pots to create our ukutangi

This is also the week that the electrician was here for 2 days rewiring and wiring up our house.  OMG!!! The state of some of our cables were shocking and I think we narrowly averted having a major fire.  We knew it needed doing just not that it was so dodgy, complicated and old.  Thank goodness it is sorted now and finally after 5 years of owning our home we have a central light in our dining area and in Jasmine's bedroom.  No more 'in the mood' 'candle-lit' dinners for us!

Second week of July:

The kids were very excited to be able to go to the 'Farm School' at a local Vaulting and Equestrian Club this week.  The highlight being that they got to ride their ponies down to the dairy to get some lollies.  Unfortunately after a full day Daniel fell just as I was arriving to pick them up and hurt his knee.  No breaks - thank goodness - just strained muscles and ligaments we (meaning the doctors we visited 3 times) think.  It was sore enough that he won't weight bear or walk because of the pain and so we ended up reading a lot, watching a lot of Magic School Bus and Camp Google.  By the weekend he managed to be walking again though running hurt.  More times than not he would forget all about the fact it hurt only to stop suddenly or collapse after jumping up or running off!

Daniel's legs give out after starting on his adventure track in Queen Elizabeth Park

Third week of July:

With the school holidays over the kids were really glad to get back into their Brownies, Keas and swimming.  We don't always take the same holidays as the schools however all our activities do so the 'holiday' times always have a different rhythm.  In between more trips back to the doctor when Daniel's leg made sore again from swimming we began a new venture - art venture classes that is.  They are really great little follow along online lessons which we can stop and start as we choose.  The kids decided on an Egyptian Mummy to draw which then sparked a whole week of learning about Egypt, ancient Egyptians and, as it happened to be in this same week, Eid. It was great to see them eager and engaged. This is one of the awesome things about home-educating.

Jasmine's 'Mummy' which inspired Daniel's map of Egypt and a whole week of learning.

At the end of this week was a the weekend of the 150th Wellington anniversary celebrations.  Liam took a day off from house renovations, which was his first in 2 months, and we all headed in to have a look around.  Most things were open and free so we managed to go to the Reserve Bank, Government House, Kate Sheppard's birthplace, Te Papa (always free but always a highlight for us), the Beehive and the National Library all before the rain began. :) The favourite part for me was watching a short 'play' called Page turners where 5 actors became 5 iconic Wellington figures of Te Rauparaha, Robin Hyde, Nancy Wake, James K Baxter and Carmen.  It was a great performance and so interesting!

Enjoying being with Daddy and run off from me!!

The final week of July:

Well the highlight of this week was getting our bathroom fully functioning mid week!! After 5 years of traversing up and down stairs to get ready in the mornings we can finally shower and get ready in the same room!! Funny thing was that for the first couple of days I kept forgetting :) Liam is still working on all the finishing bits however everything - washing machine, bath, sink, dryer, shower and toilet are all going. Jasmine was the most excited I think as she was really missing having a bath after 2 months of showers.

Looking into our new bathroom.  Laundry area in the left corner and bath opposite.

Well that is about it from a rainy and mild Kapiti Coast. Hope this all finds you happy, healthy and warm.

Arohanui
Y

A slightly late June update.

Let's pretend it's still June shall we?  I'm only slightly late after all and the intention has been there for the last few days.... just the coughs, colds and sore throats have somewhat slowed down the whole process.

Even now the procrastination is knocking very loudly at the door so I'll make this a photo shot one I think :)

Jasmine got into some cake decorating after requesting a cat cake for her Brownies bring along a friend. Each week the kids have been baking and making up recipes .... with varying degrees of success :)

Daniel had a Kea's walk out at Whareroa Farm a the beginning of the month.  Grandad Liam was here and come along which was great.  Here he is doing the Kea yell.

Grandad Liam with a few of the grand-kids.

Daniel finally lost his first tooth!! It wasn't wobbly that long before he got it out.  I told him how I had knocked Jasmine's out with the facecloth one time so he went over and proceeded to 'wipe' it out using the same method!

For most of the month of June we have been tending to a mangy hedgehog.  We had to get his weight up over 700gm and clear the mange before we could release him.  Kids loved it... I was a bit over it by the end of the first week I have to say.  Who knew hedgehogs were such messy, cheeky things???!!  Not me when I agreed to take it in that is for sure.

Renovations are underway and still going.  Liam chose the weekend his dad arrived to rip out the bathroom and so we haven't had running water (aside from the toilet) in there since.  Almost there though with connections so fingers crossed it won't be long till be can actually wash hands and brush teeth in the bathroom again.

The kids and I have been going to a craft morning once a month and really loving it.  We are the youngest  by about 40 years and the kids revel in all the attention they get for their sewing, crochet and knitting.  Since the kids are enjoying it so much we have begun to have one at home on the 'off'' weeks. This week Jasmine created some togs for her Polly dolly from an old pair of her togs.

Each week, term time,  we have swimming lessons at the local pool.  It is will the home-schooling group so really nice to connect with others.  Daniel also has a Water Safety Kea badge that he wants to complete so here he is showing the instructor what he can do.  This is the boy who just a year ago won't let go of me or put his head under the water.

Jasmine had her first ever Brownie sleepover in Otaki at the end of this month.  She was very determined to go without me or Liam attending and had a great time.  So nice that she has made friends in the group and enjoys being with them.

Finally for the month of June, after all the rains and floods, we had a beautiful birthday weekend for Liam.  As Jasmine's camp was on the same weekend we headed out to Otaki and stopped at Te Horo beach from some banana birthday cake and a walk before heading home for a fish and chip lunch.

Hope this finds you all enjoying life and warmth - the sun kind or fireside kind.

Arohanui Y

May Update from the Fays

Well I thought I would be good and get in a bit earlier this month :)  Otherwise the days race away and before I know it another month has gone by!  This month has been a real mixture weather wise on the Kapiti Coast with flooding the other week and then glorious days lately which have meant some great bike riding along the river.

Themselves enjoying my old Muppet Show record on a rainy day.

Jasmine's Techno-fun badge inventor poster

In order of occurrence here are our main May highlights :) The kids have both been working hard towards earning badges at Keas and Brownies and this month they have both earned at least two. Herself finished her Techo-fun badge and got an Anzac Badge while himself completed a Caring Kea badge, a Helpful Kea badge and an Anzac badge. So proud of the effort they put in to get them and so great to see them loving the groups so much :)

Daniel's Caring Kea badge poster

After talking about it for forever we have finally begun work on bringing our laundry and shower upstairs!! Himself got busy on Mother's day weekend ripping down ceilings in our now bathroom and taking down walls.  Luckily for me I had a course on Mother's day so could enjoy my lovely hand-picked bunch of flowers from the kids and then high-tail it out of the demolition zone!

Himself hard at work.

 The following week was very exciting here with me getting attacked by a stray kitten we were catching for the SPCA, flooding, wiggly teeth and a zoo sleepover.  I know so much in just 7 days!! The kitten attack on Tuesday night meant that I had one thumb out of action due to the kitten biting right through the nail and the other wrist bandaged due to scratches and puncture wounds.  Lots of shots, lots of antibiotics, lots of help and lots of sleep I can tell you.  I was actually glad that the rain began and flooded us in on Thursday as I really needed himself's help that week.  We didn't suffer any flood damage thankfully and just had the middle of the street flooded for a day.

The Waikanae River as captured by Daniel the day after the floods

Patted Lizard's at the Zoo sleepover.

That weekend Daniel woke with a wiggly tooth which was super exciting for him especially as it was the same day that he was heading away for Kea's sleepover at Wellington zoo. The boy's headed out after tea to their zoo adventure while herself and I snuggled up by the fire with hot chocolates, cashews and a Muppet movie :)

This week with its mixture of brilliant days, wind and a bit of rain we have just been busy doing the usual things with a bit of extra catching up with friends, swimming and bike riding thrown in.  However we did have a medical emergency at the start of the week with herself's Moonlight mouse. Stop reading here if you are squeamish!!

Herself went to get her out for a snuggle only to coming in screaming, mouse in hand, a few seconds later.  It took me a while to work out what was wrong and to see that Moonlight's eye was all 'popped' out.  Herself was quite understandably traumatised and even more so when minutes later, as I was on the phone making an appointment with the vet, Moonlight neatly groomed her eye right out!!  An hour later the vet confirmed that we now had one blind mouse, happy and content I must say but blind never the less.  The eye has now fallen off completely so it just looks like she is asleep from one side which herself can cope with and which we have all decided makes Moonlight Mouse all the more special! :)

Well that is our May so far everyone.  Hope this finds you all well and we'll be back next month.

Arohanui
Y