What we do for love

Just sometimes it is the little and unwritten things that we do show our children how much we love them.  Even if it means getting up really early so they can catch the bus to school. 

I took this photo about 10 minutes after I got up and then got McKenzie out of bed so she is not rushing too much to get ready to leave the house in the morning.

Wordless Wednesday 8 February

Nothing like a little cooling down on a hot summers day.  I love that this photo is so full of action right down to the fact that Hayden, who has cystinosis which makes him very thirsty all the time, is capturing the water on his tongue.

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Art Journaling the Adventure

I decided this year that I would challenge my art skills somewhat and turn my hand to Art Journaling.  I thought that to help my endeavours to reflect on my life just a little more.  My journaling will be linked to my Little Word, Breathe, for this year.

I know that this technique of scrapbooking is stretching my skills a lot but I think that this something that I need to do for many reasons.

So without further ado here they are, my first Art pages.  Well I call them art.

Here is my mind in confusion and being challenged.

(Credits here)

This page is an affirmation letter to myself

(Credits here)

The next prompt was Clandestine.  I chose to share 6 things about myself.

(Credits here)

The interesting thing is that it took me absolutely ages to create these pages.  I sat at my computer looking at a blank PSE page.  It gave me a creative block.  I guess I was paralysed with fear that I could not find my ideas within this new technique I am trying.

Monday Menu 6 February

Here is the menu just in time for the full swing of the school year to hit my house.  Yes that means that I will feel like a full time taxi driver.

So here we go with DH away and me doing things solo at the moment

Monday  Cold meat and salad especially for a public holiday here in New Zealand

Tuesday  Beef Nacho

Wednesday  fried rice (easy the recipe says...I guess I will find out this week)

Thursday  falafel pita pockets

Friday  Noodly Dinner

Saturday  pesto and spaghetti

Sunday   leftovers.

I am linking this to I'm an Organising Junkie

Beginning of the school Year.

With a rush back into reality the school year has begun.  There will be no looking back, new adventures to be had, new teachers to get used to and of course and a whole new world of knowledge to explore.  Each of my children were excited about starting school.  Even Hayden who is difficult to understand or even know what he remembers or even understands at times seemed excited.  Sadly we don't know what he is doing at school and he is unable to have that discussion with us.  McKenzie happily went off to College, Andre stayed at the same school but for the first time he is at school without McKenzie there.

So here they are with the obligatory first day photo.  It was fun.  We had to take it at the end of the day because McKenzie left for school just a little early for the boys.

January's Summary In Numbers

I have thought about how I summarise each month and how to keep it easy and quick to assemble.  So I have discovered Making Notes on Paper and decided to participate in My Month in Numbers.

Here is my inaugural version of this endeavour.  Watch out because I love numbers and how they work so I am sure I will get a more interesting array of numbers to share.

1  is the number of birthdays in our family this month

Andre celebrated his eight birthday and enjoyed every moment of it with his choice of food which included dinner out.



10 is the number of people who went camping. and 6 was the number of children present.

Our really good friends and us went camping at Ohiwa Beach.  We had such a good time with them and can't wait for next year to arrive so we can do this again.

8 is the number of trailer loads of dry wood we moved ready for winter and keeping us warm.

I know we are early but summer is the right time to collect the wood so it doesn't smoke us out when we really need it.





4 is the number of days fishing that were had while we were on holiday.  Apparently the locals favourite spot.  9 was the most successful day fishing.....catch, look, release.

Wordless Wednesday 1 February

My children got to experience cockle collecting for the first time during the holidays.  This is where I discovered that Andre is a catch, look and release type of child and McKenzie was real keen to see what they tasted like when quickly cooked on the barbeque.

You can see that there are even a few barnacles attached to these shellfish that are nothing more than 3 - 4 cm wide.  The rules state that you are not allowed to collect more than 150 in one go.  Incase you are interested there is a whole lot of effort for something that tastes sandy.  Yuck.

I am linking my post to My Little Drummer Boys

The Holidays are Over

I am not sure if I am happy or sad because the long school holidays are over.  The new school year is about to begin. 

If course I am sad that all those little moments of leisure time we get to enjoy as a family will be put to the back burner a little as the business of the school year takes over.  I am sad that we will miss the time  to enjoy each others company without having to rush around (yes thats me the taxi driver).

Of course I am happy that again with the school year beginning, all my children will once more be embracing new knowledge, facing new challenges and growing a little more mature (I hope).  I am excited to see what will inspire them, how they will overcome challenges and of course how much they will enjoy life.

(My children eeling with their cousins...ok so only half of the eelers are in the photo but trust me I think that they will all remember eeling over this summer.  They all had such good fun.)

Monday Menu 30 January

This is the week when the summer holidays draw to an end and school starts up.  Of course I become a taxi driver again along with all the other things that start up again.  So I am really needing my menu planning. 

Monday  Steak, baked potato and lettuce salad

Tuesday  curry chicken pasta salad

Wednesday  beef stirfry on egg noodles

Thursday  five spice roasted chicken leg with rice and vege

Friday  vietnamese shaking beef on a vege salad

Saturday  nachos

Sunday  leftovers

 I am linking this to I'm an Organising Junkie.

Cute Conversation 3

Need-to-read-a-lytis

I had never heard of this condition but my delightful 11 year old daughter thought that it was an appropriate reason why she was not outside helping me garden.

My response to her condition was a treatment of sit-and-read-alotic.

So she promptly got to curing her condition.