Anyas 3rd Birthday 2011

Anya First day at Kindy

Anyas First Day at Kindy on Monday. She was really brave and ran straight into kindy and tried doing everything. Renate thought she might need to hang around for a while but no Anya says bye Mummy. Anya had such an awesome day painting, swings and all the other fun stuff.

Sunday Adventures: This is where we went

Today we wanted to do something a bit different so we went on an adventure "storm chasing" what we call it or others a Sunday drive. We went to a place I know gets lots of flood water in heavy rain and makes a huge water fall I call it the Niagara of Northland or properly known as Wairua Falls off Wairua falls Road. We got there at lunch time and had some nice sandwiches while the rain showers came in.

When we got home we got the fire going and cooked some donuts on top of fire place (Daddy rigged up something fancy to cook them). Jesse informed me they were his favourites and very yummy, Anya was guarding hers because Toby was constantly after them. What a nice little Sunday treat.

What a nice cosy Sunday.

Master Chef Jesse

Jesse was really wanting to cook dinner. We found a recipe and he went for it!! 
He made three cheese macaroni bake - and he did the whole thing himself! (with some help from mummy with reading the instructions, lifting hot pots, transferring etc... ).It certainly was delicious!! 
When asked what the most difficult things were, he replied:
-cutting up the onion. They made me cry.
-stirring the sauce
-cutting up the brocolli

Then we asked what he liked doing the most:
-mixing the cheese into the hot sauce
-pushing the buttons on the food processor when we were making the breadcrumbs for the topping

And we all enjoyed eating it!!

Craig Smith - Wonky Donkey Whangarei Library

Jesse, Anya and Toby ventured out today to the local Whangarei library to see author Craig Smith perform and read out his creative kids stories.

Anya loves the Wonky Donkey and does some pretty amazing impressions.

Jesse is lapping up all the musical instruments Craig can play at once...(I bet you I can do that)

Oh thats amazing....

Thanks Craig for coming to Whangarei today and inspiring lots of children with your creative, fun stories and music.

Our Ice tradition

Most of you would know we don't get to much ice here in Whangarei. There wasn't any frost on the ground but a crust of ice formed on the boat cover. We have made it a little family adventure, checking the boat for ice when it gets cold enogh. This morning we found some ice. The kids love holding the freezing ice sheets and then throw on the ground and smash up. We had such a fun time.

Jesse lounge concert

We discovered it had gone quiet in the lounge and wondered whats going on, then we heard this lovely noise. Jesse had decided to put on a concert for his sister Anya. Can you work out what he has set up and what he used.
Great imagaination!!!!

Anzac Day 2011

Alarm goes off at 4am. Time to get the family ready to pick up Poppy (grandfather)  from the Rest Home. We finally get ready and out the door with raincoats and umbrellas , we were expecting rain today. Get to poppy's on time but he's still finishing off his breakfast of bran. We wheel him out the door and into the car. The nurse kindly helps us get Poppy into the car quickly. We arrive down at the parade and can't get close enough so I talked the guy into letting us into the closed part of the road. That's a way better place to offload Poppy and the wheel chair. Oma's already waiting for us and helps us get all the kids ready while I sort out Poppy into the wheel chair. Opa Preesman is also marching in the parade with the Brass band.

Jesse comes with Poppy and I as we rush to the front of the Parade and take our place with the WW2 veterans. We made it just in time!!!!! Then an eery silence falls over the whole parade as everyone anticipates what's about to happen then a solitary voice calls us to start marching. It's a very emotional experience marching with such men around me that fought in a war so long ago in the dark with rain threatening at any chance. After our parade from Rust Ave to Laura Hall car park we have the awesome sight of hundreds of crosses before us only just luminated (what an experience) by the park lighting. We listen to a minister who speaks very well and quoting from  Philippians 3:12-16 , we sing NZ & Aussie National anthems and listen to highschool students reading out more names of fallen soldiers. My favourite bit was the solitary cornet player playing 'the last post' from the walk bridge, it was such an amazing atmosphere.
Then Jesse breaks the silent atmosphere and asks is that Opa playing on the bridge? Towards the end the rain started to occasionally fall and I felt the ceremony speed up as if everyone was trying to beat the rain. With the ceremony finished and wreaths laid we made our way back in the parade back to the RSA. I was so proud to be able to share this experience with my son Jesse as we are so proud of Poppy and his involvement in Italy WW2.

We got Poppy back to the Rest Home of which I caught a glimpse of his smile from ear to ear. That's all I needed to know - how Poppy loved the Anzac Day experience.

After we dropped Poppy off we meet up with Oma and Opa at McDonalds for a special breakfast.

All our ANZAC 2011 PHOTOS