Wow.... has it really been that long?

I can't believe that it has been almost 7 weeks since I have posted about us on here.  I have done the biz stuff that is true just not our flexi-learning journey update.  So much to tell ...... so little space to do it in!  Long line of photos to follow ;)

Since Oct we have been white-baiting, playing on the beach, on holiday in Picton, catching up with friends and family, fishing, making crafts, down the park, riding bikes, celebrating International pirate day, Jasmine became 'Reading Star of the Month' at the local library, celebrating Jack o Lantern night, going to Art Club, selling crafts, making booklets on just about everything, exploring the West Coast, celebrating Diwali, getting ready to celebrate Hanukkah and dressing up as Smurfs. Phew!!!

The kids checking out our biggest whitebait haul and the last.

Us on a walk at Karaka Point while on holiday in Picton

The kids with their costumes ready for Halloween story-time at the library.

The Jack o Lanterns.  We tend to focus on this as it is an Irish tradition.

Us on a walk in Nelson's Creek, West Coast

Drawing Diwali pictures for Lakshmi to come bring us wealth - still have our fingers crossed for that one!

The 'Reading Star of the Month'

Trying to sell our wares before we were rained off due to unusual West Coast weather ;)

Jasmine and Himself at 'Take a kid Fishing' down at Hokitika River.  Daniel is waiting in the rocks for his turn.



Papa Smurf as face-painted by his sister!  The kids have become fascinated with my old Smurfs, some vending machine ones they got in Oz & stories Himself is telling them from a miss-spent youth watching T.V.

Liam is still loving his job, the kids are loving their freedom and I am still loving our flexi-learning journey and so glad to have this time with the kids.  Some days are just down right MENTAL though most are filled with laugher, fun and learning so that makes up for the others and convinces me we are still on the right garden path.

Hope this finds you all happy, healthy and content

Arohanui
Y
www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Highlights of the last month ...

Well hello again ;)  It has been a busy old month and while our days seem to just tick along whenever I look at photos to put on here it always amazes me all the things the kids have been up to.  In the moment sometimes things feel rushed, frantic and sometimes just out right mental!! Looking back at the photos though the moments seem calm and they remind me of all the lovely aspects. They seem so serene and happy, a fragment of time caught on film.

So I thought this month I would choose 4 highlights for us and offer our lovely photos;

Monsters Birthday - 29th August 2013
Daniel decided that his beloved Monster needed an official birthday. Once again Daniel knew exactly the 'recipe' needed (thankfully minus any cheese) and dictated it for Jasmine to write.  My job then was to decipher and assist ;)

Daniel and Monster with cake.

Jasmine decided that she needed to make a dessert for Monster's birthday.  So she created 'scrooge scruge pie' which was a pie with apple, pear and marshmallows in it.  Actually, to our surprize, it turned out very nice without any trace of the pile of marshmallows heaped in!

Jasmine with her dessert ready to go into the oven.

Cupcake Day- officially 26 August but as we were away we participated on 2 September 2013
For the second year in a row the kids have fund raised for the SPCA by making, decorating and selling cupcakes.  They love the whole process - especially counting the money at the end ;)  Liam hosts our little sale and prepares everyone ahead of time to bring coins so that the process is fairly pain free.

Themselves with their icing and sugar laden cupcakes!

This year we raised $20.10 which we then took down to the local SPCA in Hokitika so they could add it to their stash.  We try to go down weekly to pat the cats, scruffle the dogs and take any willing participants for a walk.  Daniel has recently fallen in love with a cat there who he pats and plays with happily and as usual - despite its actual sex - it is a boy ;)


White-Baiting - 8 September 2013
Being on the Coast for over a year now it seemed only fitting and about time that some White-baiting was attempted.  The kids, and himself, were very excited to get down there so with a bit of advice from a few 'in the know' and a few 'not really in the know', off they went.  Himself and the kids went down by bike along the tow path while I took the car, equipment, food and drink down to the river mouth. 

Themselves with their fishing nets trying their luck.

Most local White-baiters were leaving with comments of 'not running today' but we were there, armed and prepared so White-baiting we will go.  After around 30 mins of Liam on the scoop net and the kids with their fishing nets we had success!!! Not running indeed!  Well maybe not all of them were running but the 2, yes 2, that we caught certainly were ;)  One almost got away as the kids wanted to hold it in their hands however Jasmine was determined to have White-bait fritters for lunch so scrambled and searched through the rocks till she retrieved it! 

Our grand catch for lunch - stick not included ;)

 And so Himself and Herself junior had one white-bait each adorning some potato fritters.


Trip to Hari Hari - 15 September 2013

Today, with the sun shining and the Spring warmth to bolster us, the kids and I decided to venture South a little ways to Hari Hari.  In passing, on other trips, I had noticed a few little walks and a display about Guy Menzie crash landing there after his solo trans Tasman flight yet we had never stopped to explore properly. 

With bikes, food, kids and dog loaded up we set off.  The kids loved the long stretches of undisturbed footpath to bike on in Hari Hari and soon spotted a park to play in.  From a distance a woman was there seemingly fixing bits in the playground however once we arrived we discovered that it was a local artist who was creating an amazing mosaic feature.  She discussed her plans for covering it and creating a place which can be used all year round and for weddings as the kids raced around the labyrinth of tiles and mosaic.

Themselves following the path to the sundial and back.

As we talked and praised her 8 year, and on-going, journey of creating a unique public space she asked if we would like to add to it by painting a tile too.  Like to?  Like to?  YES PLEASE!!! The kids each worked away on their tiles in the sunshine and we talked about how they would be able to come back in the future and visit their tile (the lady had told us where they would be). 

Herself's Pukeko and Himself's Monster

Jasmine must of been giving it lots of thought afterwards as at teatime she announced that one day she was going to go back and get married in Hari Hari and see her tile ............ and you know what I don't doubt that she would ;)

Hope this finds you all revelling in your own bit of sunshine and warmth wherever you are.

Arohanui
Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Finding our feet

It has now been 3 weeks since we arrived on the coast.  It doesn't actually feel that long in some ways and then when I think about friends it feels like it has been years!

 The weather has been treating us very well, yes believe it or not, and apart from the downpours mentioned in the last post we have been able to get out and about...... without getting wet.  All the same we have invested in some wet weather trousers for the kids and a dryer. Not having had a dryer before with the kids I feel like I'm in the lap of luxury I can tell you.  Having an en suite only adds to this even though it is short lived.  Eventually we will have to find a place of our own as the viewings for this place continue to occur.

Frosty first morning in the new house.

Liam is loving his job and it is great having him home earlier and happier. He has had a bit of travel so far but in saying that we have been able to hitch a ride over to Mum's the other week and still spend time with him. The kids are so happy to have Daddy back and love being with him and all his antics. Fathers bring a whole different energy.... not one I can always be calm with but a whole other energy never the less ; )

Liam giving the boy a bike ride down the hill at home.

I don't think I have been outside in the bush so much in quite a while. It is great!!! Walking seems so effortless when you are surrounded by bird song and bush. Even the kids seem to think so and are the ones requesting more. We are just up the road from Lake Kaniere (hence the address) which supplies the town's water and we have explored around there a couple of times now. It is very picturesque as are so many places here. There are quite a few walks that are within the kids range so looking forward to exploring more in due course.

The kids at the secret beach on Lake Kaniere



We have begun with our 'homeschooling' or should I rather say we have regained our rhythm and routine to the day.  It is so nice being on our own timetable and I love having the time to be with the kids.  I really feel that I'm bonding again with Jasmine in particular as the pressure of being somewhere has gone and we have more quality time together.  Daniel loves having his big sister around too ....... I was never as much fun as her to play with.  They get up to all sorts outside now - climbing under the deck, collecting wool from the paddock fences, making mud pies and collecting weta.  We have hooked up the the homeschooling group here and they seem lovely - only 2 families but definitely no weirdo's insight ; ) Daniel and Jasmine were in their element being the centre of attention amongst the other kids who were very keen to mother Daniel.

Making wall hangings with the fleece we made from wool the kids collected.

So for now it is all falling into place and feeling like the move here wasn't so drastic or wrong.  To be fair I'm enjoying it, missing friends, but enjoying Hokitika never the less.

Hope this finds you all warm, happy and healthy.
Arohanui Y
www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Bend it, shape it

I love doing crafts with our kids, they always amaze me at how they can play for ages squashing and shaping play dough, painstakingly cutting till their hearts content or drawing over and over again.  The other week I wanted to try something a little different and found a great recipe for modelling clay.  The kids and I had a great time making little people, mice, letters and beads to bake in the oven.  Once the baking was over we all painted them and now they are presented beautifully on our shelf.  It was such a success that I'm thinking about creating Christmas presents with another batch in the form of decorations. 

Modelling Clay

1 Cup of salt
1 Cup of boiling water
2 Cup of Plain White flour

1. Slowly stir the salt into the boiling water until it dissolves.
2. Add Flour.
3. Knead on a work surface until smooth.  Add more flour if required.
4. Shape into what ever you wish.
5. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for up to 2 hours (depending on thickness) or Microwave on high for 1 or 2 minutes. 
6. Apply paint, then protect and shine with a coat of clear nail polish or varnish.

Knit one, Purl one

As you can guess by the title I've ventured to find the knitting needles and get them click, clacking away.  I confess that I actually enjoy knitting, and any other handcraft for that matter, even though it seems a bit of a Nana thing to do.  There is nothing quite so rewarding as watching an item grow from your own handy work and then see it worn by others. 

I'm definitely not the world's greatest knitter, in fact I'm no where near that, as my skills pretty much extend to 'peggy squares' and any other item that doesn't require shaping i.e. scarfs.  I remember once as a teenager knitting a jersey with the help of my mum and feeling so proud that I had completed all the pieces.  'Man this isn't as hard as it looks' I confidently stated.  My confidence soon abandoned me though as I began to sew the said pieces together.  One arm was long and loose fitting, the other short and tight.  The front with obvious missed stitches and the back, well actually the back was pretty damn perfect!!  Anyway that was the end of my knitting until 2 years ago.

My latest project is a scarf for my youngest, the eldest got one last year, and so far so good.  I have decided that after this I will actually attempt a jersey again although this time it will  be a kid's one and the most basic pattern I can find.  Being a big fan of hand crafts and with the experience of 20 plus years since my last knitting escapade I know I've got a lot more patience to see the project through till the end and with a good end at that.

Arohanui
Y
www.becominghealthy.co.nz