Sunday, May 29, 2016

The merry month of May - with photos this time!!

Sorry ... accidentally hit publish instead of save so let's try that again with photos!

Yes ..... believe it or not I am here writing this before the next month arrives!!  I figure that while the fire is going, the kids are happily creating Lego world (the 2nd) and I'm busy procrastinating over doing assignments I should at least do something productive :)

Fishing with Dad down at Paekakariki Beach

I began our month of May by being away on reflexology assessments so themselves had to find a bit of fun here - well the kids probably had more fun that Liam who has been busy (yes, it is an ongoing mission) organising our porch and stairs for the front door :).  I have been doing a bit of an 'upgrade/sidegrade' to get my NZ reflexology qualifications as the Reflexology professional body here doesn't accept what I have completed through the UK.  Thankfully I have an awesome tutor who has cross credited loads so I'm not forking out that much money just a lot of time to complete assessments, case studies (to get up to the number of hours they require here) and study.  I am really enjoying it though, despite the rush, as I'm love learning and I'm loving reflexology.  To think I actively avoided it for so long!!

The new porch for our new front door which is actually at the front of the house!

The following weekend Liam had a weekend 'off'.  Well it was a weekend off from this place at least as he headed up with his brother to do some work on a place they have at Raetihi.  It is a great wee place though so Liam enjoyed it albeit working :0. The kids and I on the other hand had a fabulous time checking out 2 house-buses, visiting Nanny Beth (Liam's mum), going out for tea on Sat followed by sleep-ins and Devonshire teas on Sunday (Mother's day).  The kids were awesome the whole weekend I have to say (well who won't be when you are venturing around, visiting and eating out) and very sweet in using their own money to shout me the Devonshire tea on Mother's day down at our local boat club :) Didn't think I'd be having that treat for a while yet!

Themselves at Fisherman's Table

We did have a bit of medical excitement after that when Daniel fell and smashed his leg into his father's over-engineered shoe rack........ you can guess who came off second best :).  No breaks thankfully just a lot of pain and tenderness for the week or so which meant we had a rather 'quite' middle of the month.  We did manage to see our monarch butterfly emerge though (remember our cocoon from a couple of months ago) and also to get down to the beach one afternoon for themselves to have a go at surf casting and catching some seaweed and sticks :)

Yay.... our butterfly hatched before the storms set in.

Then in this last week the weather has definitely changed and in the midst of storms the kids have been busy making movies.  It has been a while since we did these (last winter I think) so the first ones were a bit of a re-learning curve.  They have come a long way though as they now plan, create and photograph everything themselves.  I find it so interesting to see how they work out what changes to make and how to get what they have in their head out into the world.  Very grateful to be able to the opportunity to be a home so they can follow their interests and very grateful to amazing software (both free online and purchased) that allows us to create their movies in  the comfort of home :)  We are still in production however if you want to check them out and other movies themselves have made then they are on You Tube here

Jasmine's clay dinosaurs for her movie .... still in production.


Well that is it from us lot for now. See you again next month

Arohanui
Y

The Merry Month of May

Yes ..... believe it or not I am here writing this before the next month arrives!!  I figure that while the fire is going, the kids are happily creating Lego world (the 2nd) and I'm busy procrastinating over doing assignments I should at least do something productive :)

I began our month of May by being away on reflexology assessments so themselves had to find a bit of fun here - well the kids probably had more fun that Liam who has been busy (yes, it is an ongoing mission) organising our porch and stairs for the front door :).  I have been doing a bit of an 'upgrade/sidegrade' to get my NZ reflexology qualifications as the Reflexology professional body here doesn't accept what I have completed through the UK.  Thankfully I have an awesome tutor who has cross credited loads so I'm not forking out that much money just a lot of time to complete assessments, case studies (to get up to the number of hours they require here) and study.  I am really enjoying it though, despite the rush, as I'm love learning and I'm loving reflexology.  To think I actively avoided it for so long!!



The following weekend Liam had a weekend 'off'.  Well it was a weekend off from this place at least as he headed up with his brother to do some work on a place they have at Raetihi.  It is a great wee place though so Liam enjoyed it albeit working :0. The kids and I on the other hand had a fabulous time checking out 2 house-buses, visiting Nanny Beth (Liam's mum), going out for tea on Sat followed by sleep-ins and Devonshire teas on Sunday (Mother's day).  The kids were awesome the whole weekend I have to say (well who won't be when you are venturing around, visiting and eating out) and very sweet in using their own money to shout me the Devonshire tea down at our local boat club :) Didn't think I'd be having that treat for a while yet!

We did have a bit of medical excitement after that when Daniel fell and smashed his leg into his father's over-engineered shoe rack........ you can guess who came off second best :).  No breaks thankfully just a lot of pain and tenderness for the week or so which meant we had a rather 'quite' middle of the month.  We did manage to see our monarch butterfly emerge though (remember our cocoon from a couple of months ago) and also to get down to the beach one afternoon for themselves to have a go at surf casting and catching some seaweed and sticks :)

Then in this last week the weather has definitely changed and in the midst of storms the kids have been busy making movies.  It has been a while since we did these (last winter I think) so the first ones were a bit of a re-learning curve.  They have come a long way though as they now plan, create and photograph everything themselves.  I find it so interesting to see how they work out what changes to make and how to get what they have in their head out into the world.  Very grateful to be able to the opportunity to be a home so they can follow their interests and very grateful to amazing software (both free online and purchased) that allows us to create their movies in  the comfort of home :)

Well that is it from us lot for now. See you again next month

Arohanui
Y

Friday, May 6, 2016

April Update from the Fays

Well aiming to get this to you at in the first week of May at least :)  Seems time keeps on slipping away from me lately what with our renovations, work, outings and study.  So while I procrastinate over doing an assignment I will actually get in and do this!  Decided to work backwards this month as our biggest excitement was actually at the end........

We finally got new carpet!!  We inherited three different carpets in this place with the oldest being in our room probably from 1953 when the place was built, then a some laid in 1990 (could date that thanks to newspaper underlay, as you do) and then the newest in Daniel's room from sometime this century.  So I think it was high time that we had one matching floor covering through out don't you?  It has made such a difference to the warmth and feel of the place however it does show up the paintwork that needs doing?! :)  Ah well all in good time..... Liam?

Yay! New carpet
Taken from my treatment room

The weekend before the new carpet was the long weekend of Anzac Day and we were treated to an awesome dawn service at Petone followed by a ride on the Passchendaele Express Steam train into Wellington.  We were up with the dawn and it was well worth it.  Jasmine then exceeded her call to duty by attending a second service with her Brownie group in Waikanae.


Heading to the dawn service
Jasmine with her Brownie group

Earlier in the month we had a chance to test out Liam's bus park down the side of our house when a family we met came to park up for a night. They are a family of five working with the Motor-home Association to show how it is possible to live sustainably in a house-bus for a year.  Took a bit of manoeuvring but their 11 m bus made it!  Now to actually get ourselves one :)

The Loop Crew Bus and their electric car 'Little Miss Sunshine'

Liam has also been busy on the house every weekend getting things a bit more sorted. It feels like it is really starting to come together now!! We have new opening windows in the downstairs flat, a porch and stairs leading up to it now.

Half way through the porch creation.... we done have it with the other window in.

And finally.... our month started with creating of a different kind as we ventured up to Levin  a few times to make the most of their Lego 'display'.  It was 120,000 pieces of white Lego for people to create, recreate, construction and de-construct with!  Such an amazing thing and the kids loved it.... we ended up staying 2.5hrs the first time we were there and then 2hrs  the second time.  Some of the structures built (by adults and children alike) were amazing.  If it ever comes near you I would recommend it whole heartedly!

First visit

Final touches to their newly created pieces... Daniel's cafe and Jasmine's pyramids behind.

Hope this finds you all happy, healthy and enjoying life.

Arohanui
Y