Friday 18 April 2014

Fridays Fabulous 5 #54



Another week of links.  So lets get started.

There you have it for this week.

Did I really live there?

It is hard to believe that from 2000 until 2006 we lived in Brunei.  This is not a postcard. 




This photo was taken by us, looking out from The Empire Hotel, Brunei.  A 5 star (could be 6 star but does not serve alcohol) resort sitting on the shore of the South East China Sea.  Every  Sunday we would visit the water park here with our friends the Allcocks and spend the day.  Sometimes we would dress up and go out for a very posh dinner.  This sure was a western style treat in Brunei.  We loved every moment of our time there.  Sometimes I just have to pinch myself to help me remember that this was our reality back then. 

 (credits here)

Memories like this deserve to be part of an album.  So I thought I would slowly try and work my way through the photos I have and finally get this done.



Wednesday 16 April 2014

Wordless Wednesday 16 April.

Today I felt like having a play with my Photoshop filters so here is the product of playing. 

This is just a small selection of colouring in things that Hayden likes to keep in a box.  It is just a pity he is not always in the right 'space' to pick them all up after he has tipped them all out.



I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

Mondays Menu 14 April

The last week of the school term.  Quick and easy is the key for this week.

Monday......stir fry chicken

Tuesday  spaghetti bolognaise

Wednesday  sausage with gravy, potato and salad

Thursday wraps homemade style.

Friday  Japanese chicken on rice

Saturday  Homemade Hamburgers

Sunday  leftovers

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


Reflecting on Happiness

I have been working hard to finish projects I start.  So naturally I Was very excitedwhen another of my notebooks arrived back from the printers.  It gives me a tangible something to reflect on and move on from.  Teamed up with some great music and I will have moments of relection....empowerment too I hope.

Here my book is in a prime spot in house, resting on a book stand I bought when we lived in Brunei.





 Now just to sit on that comfy chair with my book.

Friday 11 April 2014

Fridays Fabulous 5 # 53

Here we are at Friday again.  So here are my links for the week.

  • If you play hockey then you will understand this post of facts that only hockey players (or their mums) will understand.
  • If you are looking at some parenting thoughts then the straight speaking Nigel Latta is the man for the job.  Here is his blog Goldfish Wisdom 
  • We have been trying to get rid of paint smell from a freshly painted room.  So here are some home remedy ideas worth a try.  I use the candle and onion.   Not sure but the room was ok to sleep in the next day.


Have a great weekend.

Thursday 10 April 2014

When we all get just a little touchy.

With the end of the long 12 week term just 5 school days away  we, in my house are getting a little touchy with each other.  It is only natural that this will happen when we are all really tired.  So in an effort to lighten up the moment I thought a little fun was needed.  So I introduced some happy faces into the house.

Andre needed a smile or two while doing his homework....really hard fractions.


 Hayden and DH decided to try and make Andre laugh.



It was a fun moment just before dinner.

Now to find another week of little happy moments to play with so that the touchy moments due to being tired.

Wednesday 9 April 2014

Wordless Wednesday 9 April

We have one of these in our house......


...it still works really well and we use for cleaning up after I have been plastering the walls in my house.

EDIT....it is vaccumm cleaner from my really old Aunt.  

I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys.

This taxi driver



This taxi driver, me,  is getting tired.  The end of the term is just over a week away and gone will be the rushing around.


Roll on the school holidays.

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Monday Menu 7 April

My menu is up.  We are heading in the last two weeks before the end of term one of the school year.  Needless to say we are getting a little tired. So  easy meals are in stall for us this week.

Monday  a meal from the freezer.

Tuesday  crockpot beef 

Wednesday  Easy fried rice.

Thursday  oven baked herbed chicken and green salad

Friday   homemade pizza with roasted vege on top

Saturday   homemade pasta sauce with spaghetti

Sunday   Leftovers

I am linking this to I'm an Organising Junkie




Friday 4 April 2014

Fridays Fabulous 5 #52

 (image source)

Here we are Friday already. Two weeks until the rigours of the school term will be on holiday.

  • what about these fun tags made with clay
  • what about tackk for school presentations.
  • If you love inspirational quotes then you really need to visit Wellington, New Zealand's Writers walk. 
  • A thought provoking post form The Art of Simple
  • I am endeavouring to make my own recipe book this year.  So here is a pinterest link I love.
I hope that there is something for you to enjoy.  Link me up if you have a link you think I might like.

Wednesday 2 April 2014

Wordless Wednesday 2 April

Even though we are having wonderfully warm and sunny Autumn weather there is still evidence that winter is on the way.

My yard celebrates Autumns arrival.


I am linking this post to My Little Drummer Boys

Tuesday 1 April 2014

Winter sport is here

Here we are in the middle of a very warm Autumn and winter sport teams have been selected with first practice for Andres hockey team tonight.  With the balmy evening temperature of 23 Celsius it is reasonable to say that things could be worse, especially the weather in the middle of the season.

For me though, as for all hockey, rugby, soccer, netball mums and dads it is just the beginning of a schedule that includes both mornings and evening practises.  On the road by 5.45 am twice a week and not home until 8pm once a week. Games on the evenings of school days twice and Saturday morning.  That does not include anything else in the schedule such as music, speech and drama, or the logistics of organising baby sitters for when my husband is away. 

Needless to say I think I officially classify as a taxi driver whose car knows its way around the Auckland without my help, whose car is sometimes a place to catch a few moments of sleep.  Then there are the moments where the car is the place where breakfast is eaten occasionally and dinner on other occasions.

It is exhausting for us all but ultimately I love that my children love playing their hockey.  I love that they get a sense of achievement from the game, they learn life skills from both being in the winning team and loosing team.

So well done all you mum (and dads).  I hope your children love their sport as much as mine do.

Roll on winter I say.