Some loves....

Playmates, hopefully growing up to be besties....

My little beauty....

World cup fever... and aunties who spoil nephews with official regalia!

We WON!! YAY!

Gifts from the UK

My little tiger.... ;-)

This roof, built by an accountant turned handyman.... what a clever man I married!

This garden, built by him & I - to tidy a messy corner....

Plants gifted from my mumma!

My cat, enjoying her favourite spot...

And after weeks of intense hard work, these are up....

It's a bit of a shame to be moving after so much hard work, but on to bigger & better things!  We are moving in December/January to look after my in-laws place while they are away for most of 2012.

Looking forward to some dreams coming true.....

Some sweet loves.....

Celebrating a special ladies' (my mum-in-law) milestone birthday - filled with LOTS of very unexpected treats & surprises (and sneaky texts between me and my father in law!) ;-)

Wooly hats and fun times with my girl (after being apart for nearly a month!)

Getting my mop chopped (after about 9 months of no cuts) - and in quite a different style to what I normally would.  I love it!  Thanks mum for minding the TWO kiddies!

Very gorgeous and hand-crafted wee pressies coming in the post, from beautiful and clever friends - check her out here

I'm also loving.....

• YUMMO meals friends are cooking us while we're busy with bub
• Some VERY encouraging words in cards from some thoughtful friends who know my loves!
• being at HOME!  it's amazing how long ago everything seems now that I'm back
• That my once "only" child has taken becoming one of two AMAZINGLY well!
• Being a family again!

Ahhh, (insert giant sigh here) life is feeling pretty good again.

Things I'm Loving

Just a wee bit of home-made gourmet....

Seeing as getting the real thing from any store here is nearly impossible...

Felafels.  Pretty cheap to make too.  And tasty (maybe not for a 2 year old)...

Garlic hummus & youghurt piled onto lebanese bread in very generous proportions...

Toppings....

Ready to roll....

Yummo!

On that note - there are some other things:

• looking forward to some kind of middle eastern trip in the very distant future - so we can taste the trueness of these delish cuisines!
• in the nearer future - perhaps paying a visit to an amazing turkish cafe in greenlane - where we shared the most scrummy food during our honeymoon.  We haven't been for over a year now.
 
• Having only 9 and a bit weeks to go in this journey called pregnancy #2.  There have been a few times in the last week I've thought I might just end up with a premmie. 

And lastly -

These two.  They are some very LOVELY friends.  (excuse the quality of the pic - I stole it)

We get the privelege of being almost neighbours.  Princess Adelaide gets the privelege of having them as a very hands on adopted aunty and uncle.  Might I say, she absolutely adores them.

They have dedicated their Thursday nights - every week for seven weeks - to us.  So we can go to a marriage course and invest in our relationship.  They come to our house, and look after our 42" tv our precious wee girl.

We are so blessed to have them in our lives.

Have a glorious weekend everyone. x

Things I'm Loving

A short post - after all my long ramblings about in-laws this week!

I am totally loving this -

These are my cousins kiddies.  Princess "Shae" (nicknamed for protection) was born this week - a natural breach birth. 

I love the story, and how beautiful it is - you just don't hear these things now-a-days because the pressure comes on to have a c-section.  I am so proud of my cousin for standing up for herself and insisting she wanted to give it a go.  They tried everything to turn baby but it just didn't happen.  Baby was born after 6 hours, safely and at home - with MINIMAL damage to mummy.  What a star!

Am totally looking forward to snuggies!  Aside from that, it makes me feel just a wee bit closer to delivering my own little one soon!

Enjoy your weekend!
x

Things I'm Loving

Today, a wee tribute to my beautiful friend.

She makes these amazing softies ^^ like Poppy here.

Princess Adelaide has had this since she was born.  She adores her.  Poppy sleeps with her every night and often gets dragged many other places.  She was around 5 months old in the above shot - I snuck into her room to check on her - to discover the above.  I know of many other kids who have one of these gorgeous creatures, and they all treat them with a similar affection.

This friend, is a wonderful wife, a devoted mother to four beautiful kids, an avid blogger and creative extroadinaire.  She is a youth pastor and does extra voluntary work for the church at least one day a week.  She is encouraging, compassionate, supportive and loving.  She has a great sense of humour and knows how to have laugh and have lots of fun.  She arranges meals for families in need and mum's with new babies.  She is always thinking of somebody else.

I often don't know where or how she finds the time to be so amazing.

You can inspired and encouraged by her here.

Things I'm Loving

#1 - the news of the month!!

Goodbye wordpress!!!!  HELLO blogger! :D

I managed to find quite an easy way to import all my old wordpress posts into here.  It's a brand new site, but if you feel the need to back track on any of my old stuff - it's all here - even under the same labels.  And your comments remain!!  (what a snazzy thing the internet is when you can be bothered investigating!!  Even if it is at 1am)

Better still - you can "follow" me!!

Wordpress is pretty boring overall, and not very useful when it comes to customising etc.  Blogger is way more user-friendly!  So I am back!

#2 - I'm also loving....

Princess Adelaide - who is somehow convinced that putting a pair of pants on your head (usually PJ pants) is a "hat" - and wearing the hat always involves dancing around.  Usually at bedtime.

Favourite song: the "move it" song from Madagascar.  Now that is a trick her daddy taught her.

She wore this particular "hat" for about 2 hours the other day.  She especially likes it when it  slides down and scrunches up her eyes.

#3 -

Lemonade scones, with jam and cream.  YUM!

#4 -

This little guy measures 30 weeks and he's supposed to be 25.  Little miss measured 5 weeks behind.  How ironic this baby growing thing is.  Here's hoping he's not going to be massive!

#5 -

The various ways a necklace can be worn.  Or stretched.

#6 -

Outfits that she's been waiting nearly 2 years to wear.  A friend gave me these tights and pink top not long after Princess Adelaide was born.  I discovered them the other day - she looks pretty cute I reckon!

Have a great weekend everyone!
x

Things I'm Loving...

Every year about this time - I really look forward with great anticipation - to these:



I dunno, maybe it's the novelty of pulling the things apart segment by segment and devouring them - but I am certainly eating a tonne while I'm pregnant!!  I will truly feel sad when the season ends!



My wee sidekick.  We sometimes fight over who gets to eat the mandarin mummy just peeled.  When I offerred her the first fruit of the season, she loudly proclaimed "NO, YUCK!!!!!"  Until she saw you could peel them apart - then she remembered how delicious they are!

To be honest, I'm feeling a tad sad that in just a few short months she won't be my one and only anymore...  (apart from the hubster - who is of course the more important one and only).  We have a lot of fun together and I totally adore her - particularly when she's not stamping her feet, screaming "NO".



This is "us".  We lovingly call each other "goose" at times like the above.  It was raining and windy so we pulled out the dress up box and got a bit entertained.  I hate it when he pulls this face for photos - which is pretty much all the time.  He is my hero.  I love our secret little world of "us" that no one else can get into or invade.  I love that he believes in me and my dreams.  With his craziness, he truly puts the "oose" in "goose".

Enjoy life everyone & have a great weekend!

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

Things I'm Loving

So I'm joining in with my beautiful friend Paisley Jade in Things I'm Loving....

Honey Oat Cookies - these remind me of this icecream my mum made when we were kids!  Recipe at bottom....

[caption id="attachment_265" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="YUM!"][/caption]

 

This amazing lady - she is my Oma.  She turns 80 next Sunday.  She is one of the most beautiful and courageous women I know.  She has so much to tell me.  I have recenlty been making an effort to see her once a week - and I am so rewarded by this special time... and she loves it.

[caption id="attachment_268" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="with her great grandbaby - my little miss"][/caption]

 

These are in my garden!!  I grew them - yes I'm amazing!! (haha)

[caption id="attachment_267" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="pretty pink hibiscus!! might paint this someday..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_266" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="sunflower remnants - the plants have one big flower, but then produce all these babies!"][/caption]

I got out my crochet hook earlier this week...... ready for winter -

[caption id="attachment_264" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The first hat I've made that actually has NO mistakes! YAY"][/caption]

And buying this - in preparation for some teeny-tiny hats for a teeny-tiny I'm expecting in August :D

[caption id="attachment_263" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="loving the warm earthy coloured wool!!"][/caption]

I'm also looking forward to a few things:

• 
  
  celebrating a special little girls 1st birthday next week


• 
  
  Young Mum's night out with my girlfriends TOMORROW!!

 

Now for the recipe:

Honey Oat Cookies - Edmonds cook book

125g butter

1/2 c sugar

2 T honey

1 C flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 c rolled oats

Method: cream butter, sugar and honey until pale.  Sift flour, cinnamon and baking powder and add to dry ingredients.  Add rolled oats and mix well.  Roll tablespoon amounts into balls and place on well greased oven tray.  Flatten with a floured fork.

Bake at 180 for 15 minutes or until golden.

YUM!!  they'd also be nice with choc chips in I reckon!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Festival of Lights

So, if you want a holiday in an amazing city - where over summer they run a 6 week long festival - with family friendly entertainment EVERY NIGHT, activities for kids, an amazing park, friendly people and nearly everything is FREE - FREE - I kid not.... I do recommend New Plymouth. 

[caption id="attachment_231" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="the girls danced to the excellent singers...."][/caption]

My brother and his family relocated there a year ago - and to sum it up - apart from being away from their family (her's are in Ireland, his are north NZ), they LOVE it!  I was told of free sausage sizzles, free entertainment, free parties for kids with face painting, the free zoo...... lots to do!

[caption id="attachment_232" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="the beautiful changing colours waterfall - amazing"][/caption]

Each summer from mid December to end of Jan, they host a 'Festival of Lights' - where the features of their main Pukekura park are lit up. 

[caption id="attachment_233" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="dragonflies on the bridge..."][/caption]

It means a late night, because it's only dark enough around 9.20pm, but it's definitely worth it.  Even miss 1 and miss 2 got a good time out of it.

[caption id="attachment_234" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="punga tree..."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_235" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="this had these pirate birds, making a heck of a noise, good times..."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_236" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="wow"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_237" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="this is the reflection in the lake of the actual feature - hanging above"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_238" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="palms and ferns..."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_239" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="and my favourite - the 3D balls and ultra violet lights"][/caption]