Weekend camping

A friend recommended this camp site to us and we went there for my birthday and I had one of the best birthdays I have ever had.
So last weekend we went back there. Packed up the car, picked the kids up from school on the way and headed to Ruapuke (said Rua pooky) just outside Raglan (about 1 1/2 hours from home). As we arrived Paddy was squealing with delight. We just chilled, read, played games, went in the watering hole, paddled (can't swim there too rough) and had a beach fire in the evening. It's just great there and we all love it. Here are some of the many piccies we took.


The watering hole on the camp site.






Here are some piccies taken by my uber talented daughter, she isn't even 12 yet and take some professional looking picture.

A night on the town with Gin (& no tonic)

One of my prezzies for Christmas was local singer Gin Wigmore's CD. It's FAB, so when she played in Auckland we just had to see her live and she was just great. We got to meet her at the end too.

Mum's visit highlights

Well mum has been and gone (and planning her next trip). We had a FAB time while she was over. Unfortunately we didn't do as much as we had planned seeing as I put my back out for most of her hols (hence why I didn't blog) but at least I was at home with her and she could fluff my pillow and give me a cuddle when the pain was bad - like no one can but your Mum can.
Mum, as ever, threw herself into whatever we did (bushwalking, body boarding, went in dark caves/tunnels etc etc) and we had to keep remembering that she was a 'twirly' (OAP). She caught up with friends and made new ones (including our chickens). She really loves it here and we love having her. But once again the time came for her to leave and again tears flowed.
But here are some piccies of the highlight of her stay. Till the next time Mum - love ya xxx



Mum had to go on swing bridges quite a bit - didn't help that Steve and the kids would rock them!!!




In the caves at Waitomo

Stevie jumping out at her (the cave was pitch black) and yes she did cr*p herself hee hee.

In our spa pool at home with her beautiful granddaughter



Having a barbie (they are public FREE ones) on the beach at the Mount.

Oh yes the South Pacific Ocean can be cold even in summer.

On the bodyboards - chillin


Big as ...ice creams and cookies and yes they were as nice as they looked

Happy New Year!!

Well I haven't blogged for ages (sorry) and I keep meaning to 'catch up'!! but I don't so instead I'll carry on, rather then say I'll get around to it and I don't. I will try to do a 2009 round (don't hold your breath!). So Happy New Year I hope it's a good one.

As I write I am watching the net and waiting for my mum's flight to take off, she is coming to visit us, her second visit (this time last year she was already here). So I want to record her visit here so people can see what she's up to as well as us.

Bye for now.xoxox

Ten years ago..............................

we were in Florida with my mum. I have to say that it was one of the best holidays I have ever had, a real dream come true. I wish the kids were older (especially Lou) to remember it. It was something I felt sad about coming to NZ that we would be going to Florida again.
But happy memories and it was all on video (just hope they came over with us).

busy busy busy........

well work has hit an all time peak with my colleague leaving I have gotten some of his trainees aswell as mine and some new ones - so I have now 18!!! I am suppose to only have 12 but can take 15 so gulp!! but then hopefully that gets me sorted for next year.

Also I did a cyper crop over the weekend and it was FABBY and did some cool stuff I am proud of so piccies to come of those.

And I am late with some of my assessments for one of the course I am doing (naught girl TUT TUT!!) so need to get A into G and get sorted on that as my next workshop is in about 2 weeks, my trainees think it's so funny I am behind (wish I did).

So that's why the posts have dried up a bit but I'll soon be back to normal and catch up with the prompts from Shimelle's course too (behind on that too!!!)

Right Ka kite (see you soon)

another reason why I love this country.

Tonight Key performed with the string group at his school's awards/leavers service, it was held at the Cathedral in Hamilton. Now Key has also performed at both the Cathedral in Liverpool and here lies the difference, I was never allowed to take any photos of him performing in these magnificent buildings. I have no visual record of this and as a scrapbooker to me that is a crime. The reason being is the 'stupid' law/rule whatever that you are not allowed to take photos of children in a public place. That used to wind me right up!! I know why but I hated the fact that everyone gets 'tarred with the same brush'. Anyway there wasn't even a passing thought this evening that someone would stop me taking a photo of my beloved son in a proud mummy moment, in fact the teacher was laughing that the only hassle was that Key was embarrassed that I was taking his piccy ("that's my mum" I heard him moan at one stage). So anyway I am glad that I live in a country that is sane and let's a mum be proud of her children and want to record that precious moment, OK they don't know that it will be on bazzill cardstock with the latest design from basic grey or cosmo cricket and lots of embellishments surrounding it. At least I have one photo to stand for the rest of the other ones I wasn't able to capture. Sweet as - New Zealand.
** stands off soapbox
Although we couldn't stay for the full mass and service, it was lovely to see the 'men' (these were the year 13 - 18 years olds) looking smart and seeing some of them dressed in traditional dress, some of them had lava-lava (a skirt like piece of clothing) on with their blazers and some had Leis on. They were welcomed into the Cathedral with a Maori welcome and haka too. Another reminder that I live in another part of the world.