I love Farmer's Markets

Nana and I took the kids to our local Farmer's market yesterday and were totally blown away by people's enthusiasm for real, unprocessed food and natural products.

Where else can you get so many different types of products that have so much passion and love and enthusiasm injected into them. We had the most divine tasting macadamias, oranges and lettuces. It is also the place where I get the most amazing foot cream, especially after a great foot spa with Himalayan crystals.

We then went to a shopping area and had a great time in a cafe that has a secure kids playground and the best coffee I have tasted in months. The shopping area also has an organics shop that sells my favourite shampoo and conditioner. I get amazed at the wonderful country we live in, then to top it off I got to vote for who I believed would be best running our country, what a privilege. I took Z4 with me to show her what a special moment it is to be able to have a say in who runs the country and stand up and be counted for who I believe are the best people to run our beautiful country.

I am so grateful that although I go to sleep most nights listening to young hoons squealing their tires and doing burnouts, that at the end of the day they are not the majority, I have a choice to ignore their behaviour and teach my kids to respect others and themselves. We have such a responsibility to bring our children up in the way in which we want them to go. My heart aches when I hear of children killing other children in our beautiful country, it just shouldn't happen. Oh how I want to make sure it never happens again, but this is something that we all need to take responsibility for. We need to stop sending our kids mixed messages with all the good meaning in the world.

These are the values I hope to instil in my children:
Love for God
Love and Respect for themselves
Love and Respect for others
Loyalty
Honesty

Most all strength to be true to themselves and what they believe and not to be swayed by popular opinion.

Having children is one way to leave a lasting impression of all the very best parts of ourselves and to carry on who we hope we are and all we aim to be.

This morning we have a new Prime Minister, all grace and peace to his family that they may cling to the value of family and always find time to be together throughout this time of serving our nation.

The Joys of Innocence

Yesterday I looked after friends' children that are the same ages as mine (both unbelievably only days apart). Anyway, it is funny to watch them interacting and seeing how they progress, being that they are 4 and 2 year olds. The 2 year olds just got on and did their own things... One playing inside, one outside. The 4 year old girls, wanted to play together but took their time figuring out how, because one prefers being outside and the other inside.

After much deliberation, I distracted them with food, as all good child carers do and proceeded to try again getting them to play better together. It was about five minutes after this that it dawned on me that this will be a constant through their lives, learning how to get along with others. After spending the entire day together (half at our place, half at their place), the kids were so exhausted that they just crashed. All the better for us parents.

So, in honour of this I went out with a friend who also happened to be childless for a few hours. We saw a movie, had dinner and went home at the reasonable hour of 9.30pm, although she had a 2 hour car trip home that I didn't!! It seemed somehow too normal, to be out, have a good time and go home, what a relief!!!

Thank you for the laughs and normality sarahbean, you rock!

I have actually been studying today, which is what I was supposed to be doing all week but never quite got round to for an exam on Wednesday. After looking after the kids yesterday and seeing how much fun life can be not worrying about anything other that who is playing with whom, I have decided not to stress about results, just make sure I pass so as not to waste my hard-earned money!!!

I have not had a proper holiday yet (one that didn't involve sick kids or studying) but as sarahbean pointed out last night, planning for it may bring just as much relief, knowing it is coming up. So, looking forward to May/June next year, the only decision now is Vanuatu or Hawaii.....

Holidays

I have a dream.

Of being on a tropical island (never been before). But I was wondering, is it best to have the dream and keep it perfect, or go and potentially spoil it?

No matter what happens I NEED a holiday, as a family we have not had one since April last year, that would be April 2007. In which we spend a cramped week in a motorhome in the south island of NZ trying to occupy the children instead of just relaxing. We went to one of the most beautiful places on earth, Hamner Springs, and didn't get to relax for one minute!

Anyway, the tropical island sounds great and I am willing to give it a go. So, any takers for babysitting?

I know I have been quiet

I am really not impressed with this winter, we have been sick week after week after week... you get the idea. I did manage to get down to the crisp Christchurch for a couple of days and pretend to be at a conference. The Millenium Hotel in the middle of the city is amazing, for any of you contemplating it I highly recommend it. You walk everywhere and then go back to the hotel and get warm and have a night of luxurious relaxation...

Anyway, getting back to the germ spreaders, oops, children. Here are a couple of photos because I don't know what else to say...

Trampoline photo... finally...

It was going to pour with rain this afternoon, so what do you do? Any sensible mother will tell you, you send the kids outside until they complain about the rain!!!! Anyway, this gave me the perfect opportunity to photograph our new tramp...
We thought we were a bit mad getting a tramp in the middle of a very cold winter, but what is better to warm everyone up? A bit of jumping, chasing, on a trampoline....

I have heard it is good exercise, but don't tell anyone...

The pros and cons of winter

On the one hand you have the bitterly cold winds, icy mornings and treacherous driving conditions.

On the other hand you have the most amazing sunsets the night before a frost, good excuses to stay inside watch movies and cuddle up to loved ones and good chance to have a roast meal, that not only tastes good, but helps to heat the house! (for those of us in the southern hemisphere where central heating is a foreign concept).

Here is a photo taken last night from Pilot Bay looking towards the base of Mount Maunganui. We also went to the main (ocean) beach and saw the most amazing colours on the water and in the sky. The best part of this trip was that it was just me and Z4, sharing some timeout together, she really is fantastic (if I do say so myself!).

All the while, back at the house, little did I know that THIS was happening.

How could he do it to J2 when it is so cold you ask? He said that J2 ASKED to have a haircut, who is the responsible adult in this situation?! Anyway, the deed is done and J2 will now spend the next few weeks getting used to having a hat on 24 hours a day to survive the worst part of winter, the end couple of months.

Here in Godzone and the Bay of Plenty region, we hardly ever get a cold winter, but this year is turning out to be one of them. Snow falling where it hasn't done for the last 30 years etc... Whoever said there was global warming! I just wish our houses were more suited to the cold, as we have a dehumidifier and heater going ALL the time. The kids love the trampoline when it is wet though, great fun to make others fall over and get soaked.

All the best to all New Zealanders living in cold houses, I know our ancestors were pioneers, but does that mean we have to freeze?

Girly time

There is nothing more important to me in raising my beautiful daughter, than being able to take time out to do the things SHE wants to do.

So today, we visited her Nana and then she wanted to go to the beach to take photos.

We live in the most amazing place where the hills and beach are very close, so we took the 10 minute drive to the beach and took photos. Believe me, we should have been wearing snow gear it was THAT COLD!!!!! We only lasted a couple of minutes but it was fun and we kept warm by chasing each other (in other words me chasing her...). Here are photos of Pilot Bay and the Mount main beach...

The photos were taken at sunset...

My favourtist bloggers!

To my fav bloggers

Sarah and Kate, this is for you!

Sarah, your smile is infectious!



Luvs the apron Kate, it brings out your inner sparkle!

Kids...

Don't ya just luv the fun, laughter, smiles and joy...

Dressing up is so much fun!

Luv the face!