Things I'm Loving....

Just a few pics from some of my most recent ventures....  (a few from a couple of weeks ago).

I'm still recovering, so most of these are things I can do at home...

Home-made finger paints, feathers, glue and beads..... as well as leaves and herbs for brushes...



The finished product....



 Washing up with warm bubbles and towels (we almost had more fun with the water)



Turning balls of wool into this.....



which included the first ever booties I've made -

and - these -



 latex gloves... confession is - I've been a bit freakish since being sick - so I have used these for some things (like eliminating my house from 5 bunches of old flowers from hospital)....

windy, cheeky and rugged fun -



ps. it was a warm sunny day when we did this

x

I ♥ autumn....

First I must apologise for the some weeks in between my last post and this...

I have been deeply overwhelmed with compassion by the devastating earthquake in our Nation, that I haven't been able to think of much to say.

My life seems all a little trivial when faced with such a catastrophe.

I encourage you all to pray for Christchurch, and give however you can - lets not forget in the wake of more recent news pouring in - because those people are still broken and hurting.

Thank God that He alone can put them back together.



I am really LOVING this cooler weather we are having.  I secretly love the cool mornings and evenings - and I love them even more while pregnant.  I have even been getting into exercise again now that it is not scorching in the middle of the day!

The thing I love the most about autumn though - is the beauty.  The streets around our neighbourhood are lined with maple trees.  In autumn, they are magnificent.



It is not too cold that you can still get outside, breathe the fresh, crisp air, and take in the wonder of this amazing world.  The colours of the trees, their fallen leaves crunching under your feet.  The warm sun, just right.

Hope you find a little bit of time in your busy life to do - well, just that!



And I love scarfs, hats, warm jackets and slippers!  And dressing my little lady in them!

Enjoy... x

Holiday adventures....

We went away for a week recently, for a wedding and to catch up with family who live far away. 

[caption id="attachment_220" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="practising for her big day ;-)"][/caption]

Here are some highlights (haha) for all you mums out there......

It was a typical family holiday.... it rained with the remnants of cyclone Wilma the first weekend.  The wedding day it just poured, so it was quickly changed from a beach wedding to indoors.  There was flooding and slips and major roadworks along the road on our way to Hamilton then New Plmouth.  Lily vomited all over herself, her blankey and her carseat.  It was a beautiful day the next day, and she was sick... ALL DAY.  She was better the following day - it RAINED all day.  We left for home on Friday, got stuck in rush hour traffic which took 2 hours to get from South Auckland to Albany.  We left for Whangarei, another cyclone was making its presence well known, so we turned back.  We turned back again on Saturday morning, when thousands of others were trying to make the same trip north and the main part of State Highway 1 north was closed.  We finally got home at 9pm that night after a long detoured drive north.

Thankfully, our animals were all alive and well fed.   Our house was intact and tidy (thanks to my epic cleaning spree the day before we left) and our car made the trip!

We really did have a good time.  A sense of humour on holiday meant that we found most of the above chaotic things funny.  Here are some real highlights....

I got to play/dance/read-to and hang out with this princess....

[caption id="attachment_221" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="my beautiful niece"][/caption]

 

I met for the first time, and got cuddles and loads of grins from this handsome little man...

[caption id="attachment_223" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="gorgeous nephew!"][/caption]

watching cousins play...

[caption id="attachment_222" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="People actually thought they were both mine.... and that I was crazy! (they're 8 months apart)"][/caption]

we killed some time on Saturday at Auckland Zoo...

[caption id="attachment_224" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="the zoo! oh, the Harris' - at the zoo"][/caption]

 

We got a visual treat at New Plymouth's festival of lights...

[caption id="attachment_225" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="waterfall - it changed colours...."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_226" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="ultra-violet lights and 3D balls!"][/caption]

 

That's all for now... stay tuned for highlights of the zoo and the lights over the next couple of days - got some awesome pics!

Hope you're all good out there!

Weekend in the City!

oh the life of a mum!  I've been exhausted lately, no exercise being done here this week.  Miss 1 is running a fever today.

At the moment, I'm surrounded by people with desperate needs - and my heart of compassion longs to reach out and touch them all.  If only I was a super-woman.

On the weekend, we had a much needed trip away - and saw some beautiful things.  Highlights....

[caption id="attachment_175" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My husband's client built, and owns this marina"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_176" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="a beautiful day for a child-less meander..."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_177" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I snapped this of the city from a moving vehicle..."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_179" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="a beautiful wedding...."][/caption]

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="the simplicity, was breath-taking"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_178" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Istanbul street pizza... Turkey in Auckland City"][/caption]

 

 this very available, handsome man, is my brother! (in law)

[caption id="attachment_181" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I found these people.... hitch hikers....?? hehe"][/caption]

 

Summary, YUM food, great company, special family, high-rise hotel, adventures - just the two of us... good times.

[caption id="attachment_190" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="he hates it when I snap pics... I do it a lot"][/caption]

She leaves me speechless......

 

"WOW! ducks! Let's go feed them...." - mummy

"Look mummy!! quack quack quack qua..." - Lily

[caption id="attachment_68" align="alignnone" width="300" caption=""mmmmm, fooooooood....." - ducks"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_69" align="alignnone" width="300" caption=""YAYYYYYYYYYY! fun!!!" - Lily"][/caption]

Spring time....

So I've been pretty sick this last week.  Lousy when you have a 1 year old who loves to sit down, be tidy and quietly play indoors wreak havoc, destruct anything within sight and be outside all waking hours.

We did get outside one evening to kill some time before bed since daddy was out.... we found some pretty cool stuff

[caption id="attachment_19" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="a whole tree, just like this"][/caption]

If you asked my hubby - he'd tell you that he "wouldn't like to be a plant in my garden when I've got loppers and secateurs in hand".  Well, I recently did a bit of  a huge cut back pruning in my beloved garden.

After finally getting some well deserved sun - the worse for wear plants are looking amazing!  

[caption id="attachment_20" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="my aloe vera plant.... flowering!?"][/caption]

anticipating late summer harvest..... if we don't sell by then.

[caption id="attachment_21" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="feijoas! YUM!"][/caption]

the little explorer



[caption id="attachment_23" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="hibiscus....."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_24" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Our "pet" birds... busy nesting... and fighting of mynas"][/caption]

And this face........

[caption id="attachment_25" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="my cheeky girl"][/caption]

She certainly makes a dull week full of life!