sweet strong ...and 5!

ooo mushy babe, all of 4 weeks old, and nearly outta his basket

almost 5! and growing everyday

5 arrives! and we so celebrate with all the superheros from near and far!

Micah Jack...you are so very precious to us all.  we love your curiosity, your pondering of how all things work together - your considered questions to the links of info still out of your grasp.  I love that you think before you speak, that you love to find out how things work, your compassion and slow to anger temper.  You are a lovely, lovely, lovely lad, who is super creative, making things everyday to improve some aspect of whatever thought-wave you are on.  I heart-adore the fact that despite being a busy lad, you fashion me the sweetest jewelry, thinking through the sizing and placement of jewels (this week shyly placing a tiny package in my hand during a work meeting; revealing 100 pieces of sticky-tape and wrapped; inside lay a beautiful 'diamond ring', that I have proudly worn all week).  You are loyal to your family, protective of me and my heart; your dad's buddy in all things fish/workshop/lawns/weights ...and more.  

We celebrated in style this week, inviting precious family and some of his little friends, dressing up as superheros and eating superhero style...a few games, as everyone seemed to love running and hiding and playing in the secret garden...and we all had so much fun remembering how to skip.  the very best part ...we get to hang EVERYDAY, ALL DAY; as you are now a big school boy - in MY class; so exciting! love you my treasure, to the stars and back!

some of november in photo

we are looking at the end of the term tunnel fast approaching, and I'm thinking November might be forgotten in its wake! So a wee record of some highlights for our whanau...

1-4. My pyromaniac brother and his sweet babes and wifey visited with us a while....my pyromaniac daughter was especially thrilled ~ ahem (the wild life was not so much).

5. a wee window of chillax, at the local resort style pool...nursing a very painful back

6. time spent with mr man, just the 2 of us for a lovely weekend away- restorative and so needed

7. my 3rd babe ready for a party - as the only boy invited he was indeed 'mothered' and looked after...he presented the said wee birthday princess with roses form the garden, to which a large spider promptly jumped out and horrified all 12 girls - such fun!

my fave people in the world

time goes so fast, these pics were taken in August at a special family gathering....these are precious, most beautiful gifts, and sometimes (when I'm not pulling out my hair, or threatening to poke them in the eye!), I find myself incredulous; that I over anyone else get to be their Mama....'mazing.

happy birthday to you miss noodle

This funny, sassy, crazy, sweet, compassionate, kind and very beautiful girl of mine had a happy birthday!!  This kid knows how to reach for the stars, and capture them too.
Noo, you are such a massive blessing to my heart....we are so grateful to have you in our family.
I pray your path will be straight, and you will be blessed beyond measure - that always, you carry in your heart; our love for you, and His saving grace.

bless ya sugarplum fairycake. xx

my brave beautiful girl

this photo is fuzzy....but I like it so much...this girl of mine, is a wee rockstar...she's performing here in front of hundreds of people, auditioning with her band. She had just dedicated their performance to her friend who had been killed the night before in a car accident....she is courageous, strong and sensitive, she takes her feelings, when overwhelmed and channels them into creating with music. She fights for those who need a friend and she is loyal to those she loves.  She made me a Mama.

valentine making.....

MAKING PAPER HEART VALENTINES.

 first we cut out lots of pretty paper hearts (back and front to match)...then sewed up the sides leaving a small boy finger sized gap.......

 ....then found small boys who obligingly stuffed those hearts full of smarties.....(payment promised of leftover smarties).....

then sewed up the little gap...viola, so sweet treats (and easy) ready for valentines day.  Yay!

school's in....

check out these wee sweeties...first day back for all of them at once (have been going randomly individually for a couple days tho)...how exciting and really can't believe we have such giant girls now - seriously Saye is a smidge taller than me now!-rude!!
And so our 2012 schooling adventure begins - Josaye is in year 10, Nyah started college (sob sob) and is year 7, Jose is year 1, and wee Micah (who isn't so wee, more like a small brick wall) is at kindy.

When thinking of all the age combos for the future.. I worked out tht when Micah starts year 7, my other babies will be in year 9, poss 2nd year at uni, and poss in last year of uni - sheesh, thats quite a age stretch when you look at it like that!...although its lovely to know my house will be full of children and their friends for many years to come, always a bright side hey...AND if Mr Man and I should like to pop over to Fiji or the like (in about 6 years or so I'm sayin`)...we have in- built babysitters...hooray!

romp it....

Dinosaur romp anybody???

take 8 crazy kiddies (4 not pictured) and 2 crazy mamas, 1 crazy papa...some stompin' music, a pterdactyl burger or 2..and you have yourself a dinosaur romp!!

chickens

about 11 weeks ago we brought 10 lovely brown shaver chickens....18 weeks old. Over the last little while, they have become a big part of our day...watching their funny antics, their 2 legged sprints from here to there, their dirt/dust baths, and personalities emerging. We have added 3 more to the flock, and so far, while they aren't best buds, its working out good. So, now we have around 75 eggs a week! ...thankfully lots of people love sharing with us...eggs have never been consumed so much! I am even looking for reciepes with lots of eggs. ... a blessing for sure, to have these little funny birds!

looking back...

what an awesome year you have been 2010....like a roller coaster, you had your ups and downs, but aiming to treasure the ups and learn from the downs, has given you the label - FABULOUS. (warning its long and picture heavy!)

*January*....we spent some wonderful time away with friends camping in Waiotahi, a day trip to the amazing Cathedral Cove...so stunning depsite the hike (sign says a moderate walk...HA! not if you are carrying a toddler on you back and a preschooler on your front....one chick walking past Mr Man, said, 'what a tank!"....indeed!)
We spent time with family and friends and lots of time at the beach too....Devonshire afternoon teas become commonplace as did Jammy slice and peach chilled tea....jam was made and salads homegrown...

*February*..... school was back (boohoo), but more weekend beachtime had, surfcasting and frolicking....Nyah went on school camp with dad and they had a blast at the Mt for a week...Nyah the sweetie, still ended up 'mama-sick'...Valentines day was a 'sweet' affair with heart cakes eaten and messages of love for each of us from each of us....I made the paper hearts filled with smarties for all my sunday school kids......playcentre was much more interactive and fun for an almost 2 year old Micah, and as usual Jose rocked it...and also started back at kindy 2/3 mornings a week...my dad had an op, I also worked a fair bit in support of my friend while she undertook treatment for cancer ...a juggle, but am blessed with supportive/whanua oriented staff who love having my boys on site.

March*....is one of our birthday months....starting with our baby...who turned 2 and had a horsey party, with cousins and a few friends, complete with mama made hobby horse.....followed by our sweet neice's 5th birthday which saw us travelling the nearly 3 hours to surprise her for the day...then Jose turned 4 (what the heck!) ...and we kept things simple and had a family celebration with the table turned into a race track to deliver food on....my 2nd sister celebrated her birthday and my aunt and Nan and mother....so its fair to say LOTS of cake was made AND eaten.....

*April*....was a making month....we had a lovely family Easter party, and also a choc-feast Sunday school movie night/party...we visited the Auckland museum and made the nearly 3 hour trek to visit with family....the boys in our house made Micah Jack a new little 'big boy bed' and new pew type seats to fit more bottoms around the table...I made high-waisted skirts galore, and tutus (which Pipi-long-stockings the dog is modelling for us above)...more food created and consumed....

*May*...another mass family day to celebrate Mother's day....time at the park, a firestation visit and truck ride, sports days and baking made up the month of May...as well as another sister's birthday to celebrate....falling into the rhythm of winter... winter sports started up, and of course carried on working a bit too...

*June*....a sweet neice was born to our family....and the midnight dash across the country to meet her was a wonderful adventure .... we discovered how to make crumpets and of course had to have a peach teaparty with them (several times - ahem), we spent many nights with the guitars out, and had a 'middle east night' with Nyah's girlfriends, complete with dressing up, candles, turkish food, facts and music...we also had another family birthday...

*July*...I spent 5 days in Melbourne with my brother and his family - it was just splendid, and so lovely to be the aunty...craft-it-round started and it was lots of fun to make and also to recieve treats in the mail!, Nannie celebrated 80 years with all the family comig to celebrate with her...we had some lovely winter beach picnics, and made baby spill clothes, a reversible russian doll, more skirts, aprons, and continued knitting.....and had a momentous birthday with our 2nd baby turning 10!! an awesome day spent in the city going to the movies and treats and all the cousins coming to party...

*August*.... spring started to slowly emerge...We celebrated a neice's birthday, supported my lovely friend through childbirth, was part of a vintage swap (yay!), boys went off fishing with dad, made another beanie and tonnes of winter pj pants, went on a trip with the boys to a water garden, worked, ran basketball for school, another op for dad and very sadly my Uncle passed away....

*September*.... was about pulling my family together a bit tighter after a busy month before, we celebrated winter sports wrapping up (they are fun but 2.5 terms of EVERY Sat being out in all weather...hmmm), we did a couple family art nights, had a silly and fun Junlge fever party, and met Miss Daisy brown....getting to know and train her was a fun project for us all with ALL credit going to Miss Ny for paitence and kindness...

*October*...is the other party month! with a cousins/aunty/us birthdays every couple days, so once again get the cakes crankin out!! Another trip to the family for a sleepover! We celebrated Mr Man, me, a bunch of family and friends and then at the very end of it all...our 'Saye turned 13!....a wonderful party day for her and camping trip with her girlfriends too...swimming at the beach started again YAY!, we also held a crazy superhero party for a bunch of cool kids!

*November*....calf club took up lots of our time as did Ag day- both very cool! I had a trip with Jose to the zoo...and my mum met us there! Our sweet Nannie died, that broke our hearts....we had to take lots of deep breathes after that....we caught up with friends and got swept away with life's doings, but nursed sore hearts....we learnt to use a rotory hoe and planted 60 metres of potatoes, pumpkins, courgettes and corn, we had my work's staff do, which was a hoot, and Mr Man ruptured his achellies tendon...so another adventure for us began! We learnt about kindness and patience and graciousness like never before...and hospital waiting rooms...

*December*...featured lots of FOOD, making it, planning it, trying it, reading about it....a sweet neice entered our world, so beautiful. There were plays to attend, prizgivings to gush at how fab these girls are (seriously....am so happy for them!), we had a quite wedding anniversary celebrating 14 years!, a house to pack up, Christmas, a trip to A&E with our son, fortunately his arm wasn't broken (phew), physio appointments for Mr Man, Oesto appointments for me, work, shopping for gifts, making gifts etc....and then on the 27th we moved to what feels like Paradise....it has been an upheavaly (yes thats a new word!) 8 weeks inparticular, and I just want to sit...on the beach, on the deck, on my bed, in the garden...don't care where as long as its sitting....and taking some deep breaths.

Welcome 2011, we are excited to live you!....(after breathing you for a bit)...