Come out, come out whoever you are!

I see so many visitors from all sorts of interesting places - Oxford, Winnipeg, Hunua, Hamilton, Napier, Pretoria, Karlsruhe, Maketu are just a few I can remember. Come and tell me who you are :-)

Today ....

I am the mother of a teenager! Yes, my first born turned thirteen and it's scary being the mother of a teenager. We left South Africa a week after his third birthday so he has spent nearly 80% of his life here. Adriam and I celebrated with lunch at the pub today! Tonight it is blue cod and wedges for dinner and Saturday we have a party - Laser Force and then back here for pizza and cake


Thanks for all the wishes for our wedding anniversary.

Paula - the "Penguins" is Maya Road chipboard painted with MM Buttermilk paint

Fifteen years ago

at 11.30am in the morning, we said, "I do" to each other. Now we have two boys and live half-way round the world. So we celebrated by all four of us going out to breakfast this morning. We had fun although the cafe was a bit on the "juvenile" side: we asked for Buck's Fizz, no, said the waiter we don't have any of that. Adrian explained it was just orange juice and bubbly. "But then I'll have to charge you for two glasses of orange juice and two glasses bubbly", said the waiter. What?? Does he not know it's HALF a glass of each? We considered ordering one of each and mixing it ourselves but decided against it - so they lost the sale.

Anyway, I got a lovely funky pink "Stamp" watch and Adrian got a weather station

Scrapping on Saturday!

We had a great day again on Saturday - 17 ladies which is more than we've ever had before. KiwiScraps was full as there were three groups making wedding invitations and two parties so it was rather noisy too. But when 5pm came it was just us and it was bliss! Oh and then we had a short surprise visit from the fire brigade - shhhhh! Anyway, I got three l/os done and another two started. Here they are:

Dunedin - and I don't like this l/o

Hanmer Springs - love these colours

Penguins - at Oamaru and I love the chipboard and how it turned out

Both Dunedin and Penguins I have entered at SBO in their Chipboard Challenge

TA - WOW - WA

The boys' school production is on this week - titled TA - WOW - WA very loosely set around their own World Of Wearable Arts with some baddies and others thrown in for good measure. I tought that the story line was very thin and some of the lines and actions a bit risque but the kids are having fun!

Ross is the head of a chinese dragon and

Colin is a wind dancer.

Unfortunately flash cameras were banned so I didn't get very good photos - we will, however, be able to buy a DVD of the show for $20!

Final CJ entry

My final CJ entry in the circle with some ladies in the US and Canada. The title was "What a Gamble" and I used our decision to come to NZ as my topic. I will parcel it up today and on Monday or Tuesday it will wing its way north-east. I have full size photos that I will be doing a similar l/o for me

Thanks for the comments everyone - on 31st August it's our 10 year anniversary here. My l/o will be along those lines. When I arrived here with a 3 year old and a 20 month old (I flew all by myself as Adrian was already here) it was to the news that Diana died.

Another challenge

but this time it's late! It was for the Kiwi Jack Me challenge a few weeks ago (see post further down). I did get it done, but only finished the journalling last night - anyway, it's done now

ScrapPink

This is an international scrapping weekend in aid of Breast cancer. Here in NZ, there are many crops happening over the weekend of 28th - 30th September all co-ordinated by KiwiScraps. Our group, Paper, Scissors, Crop will also be taking part - leave a comment or email me if you would like to join us.

Then of course we will be having our usual monthly crops on 18th August; 20th October and our Christmas Crop on 24th November

Scrapping Challenges

It's fun to take part in a scrapping challenge but you have to remember to enter on time! Here's my entry for N0 8 Wired - the NZ Dares blog. Called "15 Minute Cleanup" whilst not strictly an every day occurence it's certainly an every cleaning day occurence! I set the timer and the boys and I clean for 15 minutes then we stop and play, surf the net etc for 15 minutes and so on until we've finished. It works really well for the boys

PS Penny - it's just something I made up one day to get my boys to help without it being too onerous and now it's stayed around. Sometimess they say we'll do 20 minutes or 30 minutes depending on how they're feeling - but it works well

PPS Thanks Trina for picking my name out for a prize

Making Memories Foam Stamps

I had a set of the Christmas ones and sold them on TradeMe - now I've realised all the wonderful things I can do with them and want them back! Anyone got a set to sell me, please?


Now Angela - if I tell then no one will ever want to sell their stamps to me :-) I thought about a Versamark stamp pad to make a background for one

I have found someone on TM who will sell me a brand new set - at full price of course!

Scrapping yesterday

We had such a great day yesterday at our monthly crop! We had Bingo (won by Marie) and Scrap Points (won by Yvonne) and I set a challenge for everyone - the current Kiwi Jack Me up! The following are photos I took of l/os done on the day and we had a lucky draw which was won by Suzanne. Two photos were very blurred so hopefull I can get them later and uplaod them here. I didn't finish mine but hopefully I can do it later today and then upload it here

Suzanne

Marie

Jacquie

Linda

Julie

Yvonne
In the afternoon, Bronwyn did a 12x12 clock class with us which was fantastic - great idea for Christmas presents - mine is at the top left and I will give it to my parents for Christmas. If it looks as theough there's something wrong with the clock - it's just a temporary clock - there weren't enough for me so I'll attach mine later

In all a fantastic day out!

Scrapping on Saturday!

It's our monthly crop at KiwiScraps on Saturday and we are having a bit of a special day. Firstly there will be a 12x12 clock class and this is such a lovely piece of art. I'm going to make mine as a Christmas present for my parents.

Then we will play some games (with prizes), have spme prize draws and a challenge! This is what I've told everyone: There is a challenge that will be ongoing all day and for this you will need a photo of someone or something (dog, cat) It could be done using a photo of more than one person too. There will be one small prize draw for everyone who takes part in this. If you want more clues as to what you’ll be doing I will accept bribes! This should be fun!

If you live anywhere near Wellington and you'd like to join us, please let me know

We're home!

On Wednesady evening the swell was really high on Ocean Beach so off we went to look at the blowhole on Moturiki Island - it's actually not an island but with the force of the waves it certainly was! We had to time our run across to miss the waves - unfortunately we mis-timed it and all got wet feet. The water was splashing really high - right where the boys had been walking a few days earlier. The sea had even come up to their log tunnel and flattened it. It was so wonderful to see again the power of the sea.


We decided to pack up on Thursday morning and head home ...and we woke to beautiful sunshine! Just our luck. We decided to leave anyway and spend time at Waikite pools. On the way out of Tauranga we thought that we'd pop in and see Whakatane - just a short detour! On the road there is a fruit and vegetable shop that also sells South African goods. We don't often indulge ourselves but on this trip we did - Cream Soda, Jelly Tots and NikNaks for the boys, Tex and Fritos for Adrian and Tab and Inside Story for me. Stopped briefly in Whakatane to look at White Island (I'm still really sorry I wasn't able to go there - another time) and then headed for Rotorua. We got to Waikite at around 4pm and were so pleased to get into the warm water. By 5.30pm we were starving as we hadn't had lunch - out we got, got dressed and ate in the cafe there. We decided that we had to get back into the water before we went - but it was sooo cold putting our cold, wet swimming things back on! We finally left around 7.30pm and headed for Taupo and the Acupulco Motel where we spent the night. This morning we went tickey-touring around Taupo - to Craters of the Moon and Huka Falls. This photo below is at Craters of the Moon and that is all geothermal steam escaping from fumaroles in the ground
Above is Huka Falls - Ross took the photo of me. We haven't been since 2002 so it was fun to see it all again. Coming through Taupo the mountains looked wonderful in the bright sunshine and "floating" behind the Lake. Maybe we could stay at the Chateau for the night because soccer was cancelled? "Yay!!" shouted the boys but there was no space for us - oh we were very disappointed. We stopped at Julie for a coffee and then headed down the Desert Road and found lots of snow and of course we were close to my Mountain too! We turned off at the Tukino skifield road and headed quite a way in to find lots of fresh snow. After a long play, we headed off to possibly find somewhere to stay at Ohakune but none of it was the Chateau. After trying to find something to eat and being very unsuccessful, we decided to head home and stop at Taihape at the Gumboot Manor for a very late meal (we do make a habit of that!). We also stopped at Tangiwai and there was still lots of evidence that a lahar went through there in March.


We got home safely at 8pm and we are all pleased to be home again

One bad thing happend to us - on the way back from Hamilton on Tuesday, as we went under a pedestrian bridge at Tauranga a stone hit the windscreen and made a nasty hole and crack. We had to go to Novus to have it repaired and they thought that we should actually replace the windscreen! However, they repaired it and it looks fine now; we'll have to wait and see

Some photos

The first creatures we saw at Hamilton Zoo were these beautiful salmon crested cockatoos - the keeper was about to feed them and gave the boys a peanut each to put through the bars to draw the birds away from the gate so she could get in

This is at the tiger enclosure - the TV screen is a closed circuit TV on top of the roof that is able to see into the enclosure so that people can track the tiger and zoom in

At the rhino enclosure and hopefully you can see the baby at the back

There is a wonderful VERY LARGE free fly aviary where we saw a number of very fat and healthy kereru (NZ wood pigeon) amongst other NZ native birds

In Hamiton Gardens at the Indian garden

At the contempory American garden - designed to look like a large swimming pool with a house at the back

This is the Persian garden - the four quarter gardens will look like a live Persian carpet in the summertime. It was such a pity that there was not much flowering when we were there - an excuse to go back in the future!

Probably my favourite - the Italian Renaissance garden - beautiful fountains and ponds all over

And finally the view from the top of the Kaimai rnages looking out over Matamata. Before the Waikato changed direction 18 million (I think) years ago, this is where it flowed. There are also a number of very extinct volcano cones here - not that you can see much in the gloomy weather!

We are going to head off tomorrow - we'll go to the Waikite pools and spend the afternoon in the warm water there before heading to Taupo for the night. Then in the morning we'll go home. Julie if you're reading this we'll probably pop-in on our way home

Three day catch up

Yes it was sunny on Sunday even though it was cold. That didn’t however, stop Colin getting into the sea – that child does not feel the cold at all. We spent the morning on the beach and the boys dug a big tunnel in the sand under a large log while Adrian and I sat reading …and I took lots of photos. We then came home to a late lunch of anti-pasto things and a glass of wine followed by coffee and chocolate! The boys all watched a movie and I sat down at Pilot Bay watching a large log ship leave, yachts and other assorted recreational boats sailing around. Adrian and I went for a long walk together and now it’s getting dark, some wine is in order!

We went to Hamilton early-ish on Monday morning and arrived at the control tower at the airport for our midday rendevouz to see what happens there. The boys got bored quite quickly but were very good none-the-less. Then we headed to Hamilton Zoo - what a lovely zoo! We spent all afternoon there and left as it was getting dark. We booked in at the Novotel and then picked up some chinese take-aways to have at the home of our friend Vaughan (another SA-can who has been here just a few months less than us). We had a lovely evening there and then had dessert in town before heading for bed.

After breakfast at the hotel, Adrian and I had a quick walk along the Waikato river front - quick because it was so cold in Hamilton this morning! Our next stop was Hamilton Gardens and again we just loved them! Five theme gardens which in summer must be stunning. At the same time we found anothe geocache. The boys then headed back to the river to find another geocache after dropping me at my friend Vicky's house. Her young Kaya is just too cute!! And I do so fel for tiny Arlo and his colic. We had a lovely chat and then it was time to head back to Tauranga. It is freezing cold here today and we're thinking of going home early - possibly on Thursday and stopping at our favourite Waikite hot pools, overnight in Taupo and then home on Friday

I'll post some photos from our Hamilton trip from Starbucks sometime

Saturday ... Geocaching day!

Not a good day again but at least it didn't rain. Colin slept very late and then we went back to Moturiki Island at high tide to see if we could see the water splashing up through the blow hole - still the waves were not strong enough.

Then we went back down to a park to find a geocache which was fun and easy.

After a quick lunch, we had a yummy icecream at Copenhagen (and we weren't the only ones eating icecream on a cold day either) we went out to Fraser Cove to find anothe geocache and pick up a travel bug which we'll take back to Wellington.



This one was a bit harder to find but Adrian found it in the end. On our way back to the car, a little fantail was flitting around our feet as we walked. I managed to get some photos but some of them were blurry. Hmmm, might just have to print those out for the challenge across at SBO!

The shopping centre at Fraser Cove was pleasant too. Now we're back at Starbucks and all online again!


I think we may head out to Whakatane tomorrow and Hamilton on Monday and stay there overnight. Thanks everyone for your lovley comments - I am so pleased that someone reads all of this!

Frozen Friday

Well, not quite, but it is very wet and miserable.


On Wednesday we headed north to KatiKati to find the museum. It was a rather interesting museum where there was a guided tour by the owners who have lived in KatiKati all their lives. We then played fun mini-golf and had a lovely roast lunch in the cafe alongside. Thanks Raewyn!

After the museum tour was over, the lady told me that my boys have a vast general knowledge. This reminds me that the lovely Raewyn commented that we have such fun holidays. That we are immigrants is the reason that we are trying to show our children as much of as our adopted country as we can. All we have yet to do is north of Tauranga. In the ten years we've been here I think we have done really well to see as much of New Zealand as we have.



Thursday the boys played down at Pilot Bay for a bit before we headed into Tauranga town to walk around the shops. I found a s/b shop called Bookem which seemed to have some nice stuff in it - it was just a pity that they weren't too friendly in there! Then I went along to Wendy's scrapping group which was great fun! I met Kerry (Nik's sister) and Wendy's mum and sister. I also saw a scrappy bag in real life and I am sooo impressed! These are really well made and very functional - I can't wait to get mine now! I even completed four l/os! Very easy and follow my standard school photo and pocket for reports format.


Today is wet and miserable and we are cooped up with wet washing! Actually we have taken some of it to the laundromat to get dry and are all sitting in Starbucks again. Our family of four, each with a latop, is getting lots of looks from the oter customers! We did walk out to Motoriki Island this morning but the waves weren't high enoughto be blowing through the blow hole

And still the rain is pouring down! Not sure what we'll do over the weekend, but I do hope that the rain stops soon! I hope you're keeping warm and scrapping. By the way, I finally found some dukkah at the Bin Inn in Maunganui road!

Tuesday in Tauranga

Monday dawned wet and miserable after a very lazy morning and late breakfast we set off to explore our surroundings. Very impressive houses and apartment and motel blocks here at the Mount. The beach is beautiful and just goes on forever. We drove down as far as Papamoa and then turned in and went to BayFair - a large shopping mall that was not too impressive. We did some grocery shopping making sure we had lots of decadent supplies and headed back to our cottage to unpack and have a late lunch. Ross decided that he was going to make up a platter for lunch and he did - antipasto, cold meat, cheese, crackers, breadrolls etc. It was so lovely! After a leisurely lunch we headed to Pilot Bay beach - across the road! Then the rain came back again and we all had to run back. The three boys then went to see Transformers and I tried to find some of my holiday treat - dukkah! No one has it here though which is rather backward, I think!

Anyway, on to Tuesday and the weather started out good. Adrian and I walked aound the Mount (about 3km) and the boys went over the top (232m high ). We were quite tired when we goy back and Colin slipped in the mud on the way down so we headed back so he could change.

After a late lunch at the Stars & Stripes (very yummy and filling) here we are all four of us on the Internet drinking coffee and "chatting" to the world! Can you see my very "girlie" pink laptop bag there?

PS How do I rotate a photo in Blogger??? Done - as Sharlene suggested! Thanks

Arrived in Tauranga

We left a bit later than I wanted, and then Adrian wanted to stop in Foxton to say hello to a friend which added a bit more time to our journey. The rain through the Desert Road was very heavy which made driving quie hard. I wanted to stop in Turangi and say hello to my friend Julie, but there really wasn't time - hopefully on the way back home. After Rotorua we were on unknown road - in the dark, rain and mist - very scary actually. But we arrived safely, settled in and ate our dinner. I have started pre-cooking a meal and bringing it along frozen and by the time we arrive it's generally defrosted and I just heat and we eat. It certainly makes things easier.





But, what I really wanted to talk about is my mountain - that beautiful one up there on the header. About 25minutes north of Taihape, the road curves around a hill on the left and there it is in front - that beautiful mountain in all its glory! I love that mountain and feel quite emotional about it - maybe it's my spiritual home. Today, even though it was covered in snow, was no different - I could feel the anticipation rising and then the tears started in my eyes. I couldn't see it, but I knew it was there and felt really calm. Am I silly?


As I said earlier, the drive through on the Desert Road was quite scary, but I knew that mountain was on my left watching over me. We saw the scar down the valley where the lahar came through in March; and the area where the boys played in the snow last year, was almost a lake there's been so much rain there.

More in the next few days about what we see and do

Weekly update

Well, Colin is better! He went to school from Wednesday, went to soccer practice and badminton on Friday night and played soccer today. Not a full game as he was really tired. His colour is back but his strength isn't. We're all so pleased as we are sick of the sickness!

Both boys brought home reports on Thursday and we are really very pleased with their effort and the work they're doing. Colin's Oral Skills are great and Ross' Mathematics is too ... in fact most areas are more than average. There are some areas to work on (Maths for Colin and Written Language for Ross) but we'll work on those - and they are by no means bad!

Only one week until the school holidays and we all need it badly!