Look what I found!!!

I was looking through Keith's I phone photos tonight and found these photos of his favourite member of our family.  It is so funny as he was the one who was totally against getting a cat and now he is the biggest softy of all.  Get this ...... in our lounge there is a little mini blue chair which Kina, our cat loves to sleep in as she fits so perfectly in there.    Tonight she was sitting in it over by the window and I saw Keith lift it all the way across the other side of the room with her still in it and he put it in front of the fire,  then he started stroking her  it was so so hillarious to watch from afar,  then he caught me watching him and he got a bit of mocking from me.  So cute!

OUR 2 NEW FAMILY MEMBERS!!!!

We have debated over whether to get a kitten/cat now for years.  Arama has begged us for years and years.  Last year we nearly did it but then thought, no we can’t afford it etc.  But this year we just knew it was the right time.  Our lovely neighbours, Shirley and Michelle foster cats and kittens for the SPCA and they are such ‘cat lovers’ they treat them better than I would treat my own kids which isn’t hard some days!  LOL!  So all holidays the kids had been going down to their place to play with the kittens etc.  Arama got very attached to one of them and so begged his Dad about getting it.  Keith was bought up by a mother who hates animals and thinks they are very unhygienic etc so as a consequence he is like that too.  Anyway we managed to convince him of the benefits of having an animal especially the positives for children.   The day we had to go and get the kitten from the SPCA I was on a professional development course for work and so he went with all the kids by himself.    They went all the way out there and Keith of all people, felt sorry for the mother and decided to bring her back too.  So from not wanting a cat/kitten at all to already feeling empathy so much so that he bought the two of them home, totally cracked me up and one of the coolest things that I am enjoying is seeing how quickly Keith is becoming attached to them.  He loves the experience and I love seeing the transformation in him!  LOL.  So here are some photos below of our two new family Members!  Mum is called PIPI and Baby is called KINA.

Above:  The poor cats on the way home from the SPCA in the car.

Niwa looks cute here but he is a bit of a 'Rat Bag' with the cats, as soon as they see him coming they take off.  I have heard a few sharp cries from them when I am in another room then I hear him giggling the poor things!  (notice the little blanket he has put on Mother cat below and she has tolerated it.  LOL.

          

A few photos below of Keith and his new found mates.  I think he likes them so much because they like and appreciate his mirimiri and cuddles and they don't talk back like most of the other family members do in this house.

The kitten likes Keith's  Puku as a nice padded resting place he he!

Niwa below scheming his next plan of attack.  Poor cats!

Some cute shots of KINA below.

WE BURY DADS ASHES

 On Wednesday the 9^th of Jan 2013 we went up to Snapper Rock as a family and buried dads ashes.  It was just Mum,  Aaron and Sharis and Ethan,  Me, Keith, Arama, Terina and Niwa and Terry (Dads best friend and Business partner). The only ones missing were Aunty Colleen, Uncle Ken,  Sarah and the rest of the family.

It was the most amazing weather and we had a lovely day.  

We got 10 Helium balloons, one for each of us and when we had finished Burying the ashes,  we all cut one balloon each and said something as we released it into the sky.  It was so impromptu and special.  We all said something and it was quite emotional and spiritual.  We got this all on video which I would like to edit and  put on my blog at a later time.  I Liked what Terry said “I will cut the string but will never cut the ties”,  Ethan said,  “I hope you are enjoying playing bowls in Heaven Poppa”,  Terina said “I love how you gave me money every Wednesday for Mini Muchie Markets at school Poppa”,  I said,  “Because of you Dad,  I will always try to ‘Reach for the Stars’,  Mum said "I think of you all the time Roddy",  Keith said “We will see you again someday Rod”,  I can’t remember everything everyone said but these are some of the words I remembered.

It was kind of cool how we just sat around informally chatting about our special Hero.

My special Arama contemplating.

Below:  These are Dads Cherry Tomatoes that have just turned red.

Mum Buried some with his box of ashes.  She also took some roses from

the garden that grew outside their bedroom window.

Below:  Arama wiping away his tears. My Darling 

Arama was so close to My Dad but Arama tells me

he isn't sad because he truely believes in the Plan that 

Familes can be together forever. 

Thank you Arama for being my strength!

I don't know where I would be without you!

I love you so much. xxx

Above:  Terry with Diesel his best friend who goes everywhere with him.

Below the kids with their new Surrogate Poppa.

Not that there will ever be another one that could ever measure 

up to my Greatest Hero Dad eva!

We all also had a turn at shoveling in some dirt on top of the ashes.   

The next few photos are of us all having a turn with the shovel.

 NIWA

 TERINA

 ARAMA

 MUM

ETHAN

 AARON

 ME

 TERRY

SHARIS

 KEITH

We truly loved our Dad and Poppa and Companion  (in mum’s case).   

I have had a special dream since dad has passed to let me know that he

is not too far away at all,  this has been very sacred and comforting for me.

However....  on this day I missed him dearly.  I got home and I just

cried and cried and cried.  Some days I just can't believe he has passed!

I miss you so much my dear Daddy,  I know you are not far away but that

doesn't stop me from missing you.

Please be patient while I grieve for you.

You are my inspiration and will always be a good reason for me

to try harder each day and to get up and keep going when I feel discouraged and low.

You always were one not to muck around and to just 'get the job done'  

so I won't waste too much

time crying but a little here and there won't hurt.

 YOU ARE FOREVER IN MY HEART!

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER  xxxx

OUR KELLY TARLTONS FAMILY TRIP

Last week our family went on a Holiday trip to Kelly Tarltons.  Here are some photos of us all there.  Terina and Niwa had never been there before and they were fascinated by all that they saw.  We haven’t done  many family things lately as Keith works many Saturdays and is always working in the Holidays,  he took the first two days of these holidays off so we had a chance to do a few things together which was really nice.

When Keith gets a camera,  he goes crazy,  so crazy in fact that he doesn't seem to realise that there are any people or family members around him,  you know men, they find it hard to multi-task,  well you put an artist in with the male mix and he is so zoned out also by the amazing colours and creative scenes everywhere around him.  But to tell you the truth some of the sea life here was amazing!  Here are some of Keiths shots below.  We long for a cool camera,  these are i pad photos!