Flipping the Top

So you could say life is full on at the moment! a bit of stuff to catch up on....so be prepared with a cup of tea and a bikkie, you might need some energy to get through this huge post!

First of all I would like to introduce you to ....'the girls'.... Chloe and Lulu joined us the week before Easter and have settled in beautifully to their new home...they get on famously with 'the two fat ladies' Poppy and Rosie and are getting friendlier by the day...we only have to pop our heads out the back door or arrive home in the car and they are maaa-ing their greetings and making their way over to the fence in hope of a few goat pellets and a chat. They live in goat paradise with several fallen logs to climb on...plus the kids fort to play in, lots to eat including the bamboo leaves which they love.

Chloe is the lovely lady in blue who has the funny habit of pushing her ears forwards and covering her eyes and Lulu is the wee lass in pink!

So yes our menagerie is growing and its really nice to look out the window and see them contentedly munching away out there...chooks are next I think....the kids are really enjoying the animals too....'all' this livestock means the paddocks need to be fenced properly though so Jim and Pop were hard out all week digging and hammering and tensioning wire...and just plain enjoying doing stuff together I suspect!

Neat and tidy and another big job done!

Joseph turned Seven on the day before Easter....friends over on the Friday and lunch out, mini golf and a water slide on the Saturday, a pokemon cake awesome pressies.....lots of good stuff!

Over Easter Jim and I were lucky enough to escape to Wellington for a couple of nights while Gran and Pop held the fort in the North...we had a ball, the best weather, we walked so much our feet and legs came home for a well earned rest! We did Te Papa, the City and Sea Museum, several galleries along the waterfront....the waterfront itself..so much fun, Cuba Street so cool and the shops...we found Lush and spoilt ourselves on yummy soaps and bathbombs...I reveled in the hotel bath....we brunched and drank coffee and found great places to eat! our fave was Chow and we overdid it at Strawberry Fayre the dessert restaurant...well it had to be done really! We rode the cable car and enjoyed the fabulous views from the top...such a fun city, great atmosphere, loved the street art and the people watching and the sights...definately will be back for another visit one day!

umm yep that is a billboard but it had to be done cause lately I've noticed Jims profanity of choice at the moment is 'CRAP' tee hee!...layout in the making of course!

Happy Tenth Anniversary to Us!!!

Meanwhile the kids were at home having a ball!! Gran and Pop had lots of little treats and suprises up their sleeves to keep them entertained all weekend! Cowboy outfits for J and P...

and a reversible Bob the builder/Fireman Sam outfit for Samuel...if you knew how much a fan of these two characters he is then you would understand the extreme coolness of it lol!

Phew life has also been.....

a blur of playcentre and playcentre workshops...finished my course 2 yay me!

Joseph and Patrick took part in the school Duathlon and in their age group J got 2nd and P got 3rd, they were well chuffed with that...Mum and Samuel cheering madly on the sideline!

Joseph and Patrick are going great guns with their Yamaha keyboard lessons and they (and me!) are really enjoying the fun way it is taught, its not just about the notes they are learning to sing, keep rhythm, and feel the music....a world of difference from the little lady in the church hall who taught piano when I was a kid....feel like an old granny saying that lol!!

Harry is coping amazingly well with his loss of eyesight....and is still able to chase his ball which is the main thing! He has a new found friend in Pop who will throw his ball tirelessly for him!

Jim is flatstick at work, they recently built the new astro turf Hockey pitch in Kaikohe which is due for its big opening in a couple of weeks...yay him and Works!

Soccer season has begun today with the boys having the first game this weekend...Oh and Patrick informed me the other day he has signed up for the Kapa Haka group at school...heh, heh what a dude, how cool is that....

Gran and Pop have had some great weather and have been busy digging in the vege patch and generally been very helpful elves around the place!! They have spent the last two nights in the Hokianga....and its rained on them! Oh dear but a good sunny day today....will post some more pics tomorrow Celia!

Crikey thats about enough for now.....congratulations if you got this far rofl!!!