My Greatest blessings this year.

I am so far behind on my blog posts some of the things I have not recorded are in this video I have made below.  Well I can surely say that I am glad 2013 has ended and that we have another year now to begin a fresh.  I am feeling so much better than I did this time last year.  It has been a challenging year for me but I am slowly feeling like I am pulling myself out of the 'dark hole' that I felt like I sunk into last year.  We all have trials and last year was a rough one but I feel excited now about the future and what lies in store for us all.  I put together this little video of my past year as I wanted to look at some of the great things that happened last year for us also.  

KIWI VALLEY FARM WITH THE BICKFORDS.

A few weeks ago,  our family and The Bickfords went out to Kiwi Valley Farm for the day.  We scored 2 family passes for free so that was a bonus and we had such a fun time.  It was lovely to take all the kids and Rasivich Parker who loved his day with us all.  The kids loved feeding the animals,  holding rats,  going through mazes,  riding on tractors and Horse riding to name a few things.  It was neat to have the Daddies with us too,  Keith often works on Saturday so it was so cool to do something as a family together for once.    Afterwards we all went to BK for a feed together too.  Here are some of the photos of the fun below.

Arama and Terina holding Chicks below.

 

Terina above with the Guinea Pig and Niwa below with the Rabbit.

Terina with Cute Maimai below.

Rasivich,  Maia and Arama laughing at their Daddys on the seat together.

Tractor riding fun.  They took us up the hill on the trailer being towed by the tractor.

Silly Uncle Donovan on the way back down the hill on the Tractor,  when the drive wasn't looking.  He was teaching the kids how to 'Tractor Surf' as he called it!  He is such a hypo crazy with the kids its so funny!

Arama and Keith inside the cave.

Terina,  Keith  and Donovan all holding the rat below.  They were the only ones brave enough to hold them.  YUCK!!

TERINA'S BEYONCE DREAM COMES TRUE

LAST NIGHT WAS SUCH A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!

Terina LOVES  Beyonce and she has been asking all week if she can go to her concert.  Of course the answer has been no as we just can't afford the price of the tickets.  Anyway,  I told her all week that  we would sneak into town on Friday night and sit outside Vector Arena and see if we could hear her.  So last night we did that!  Kylee,  my niece, Terina and I went.  We got a perfect car park right across the road and we walked up to the Vector Arena.  We got right outside the doors and couldn't hear anything,  Terina looked very bummed!  There were security guards on all of the doors and they kept closing the doors.  Then one Poly Security Guard opened his door and asked if we were okay.  I said yes were were just dreaming that we might hear Beyonce from the door.  He was very warm towards us and then asked Terina if she liked Beyonce,  and she said yes she was her favourite singer.   He talked to us for a while then he said can you promise to be honest and go in for 20mins.  I couldn't believe it!  I said YES of course!  He opened the door and in we went!!! WOW!  Terina looked shocked I don't think she imagined a live concert would look and sound like this,  her mouth gapped open for about the first 5 mins,  then she started screaming and singing once she realised where she actually was and that it wasn't a dream!    As we walked in,  her favourite song, 'Love on Top' started to play and  it was just amazing.  We stayed for 4 songs and she got changed 3 times.  The lighting and effects,  smoke, and fireworks kind of effects were so so cool.  We decided that we needed to leave after about 20 mins out of respect for the guy who let us in,  we wanted to keep our word.  He was gone when we got out but we left just at the right time.  As soon as we got into the car to drive away the crowds started pouring out and we totally missed that rush.  Mate how Heavenly Father hooked my special girl up that night!  My love for the heart of Poly people increased greater than it already was.  I loved how that guy was touched by Terina's spirit and just did what he did!  Little did he know that my girl will never ever forget this moment for the rest of her life.  We were so buzzing after we just talked and talked about it all the way home.  Terina said,  "Mum do you think I will be famous one day"?  I said yes of course my darling if you want to be.  WOW this dream came true for her and I am sure many more can!  We had no camera which was a bummer Terina is worried no one will believe her.  But who cares she knows it happened and will always remember her special night!

My Surprise Birthday Dinner!!

When I finally arrived home on the Monday from Melbourne,  it was my birthday.  My plane arrived in at 6.30pm and they called me about 7.15pm to say don't come home until 7.45 as they weren't ready.  Poor Keith he had been at the hospital the night before all night with Niwa and he still went to all this trouble.  When I got home the kids were so excited to see me and they came running out to the car to ask me if I had got them a present, my goodness who taught these kids???!!!!  Anyway they were just excited that it was my birthday and that I was home and that they had organised and decorated for my surprise dinner.  They invited both Nanny Hall and Nanny Trish and made the kitchen look amazing.

They made Tacos for dinner,  here they all are digging in!

Kylee came through with the Birthday Cake as usual!  It was so yummy,  there were Pinky Bars all cut up at the top of the cake under the icing,  she knows Pinky Bars are my favourite.  See how lots of the m and m's are missing on the cake,  I think I was a little guilty of that ha ha.

Nix turned up later on,  Here is a shot of us Girls blowing out the candles.

This was the best birthday eva!  Going to Melbourne was huge enough but I was also extra spoilt when I arrived home.  I am so loved and appreciate my special husband and kids for all their care and support. 

While Mummy was away.

When I was away for the weekend in Melbourne Niwa had a little accident.  He jammed his finger in the door at church and had to go to Starship and have his finger nail sewn back on.  He had to have a General and the operation was about 45mins.  He then stayed the night in Starship.  No one told me about this.  On my way home for the Airport on Monday Nikki called me and she said,  "How is Niwa?"  I said "What?" Then she said,  "OH neva mind!"  I was thinking what the heck someone tell me what is going on.  Then she said, "Oh he just hurt himself" and then left it at that.  I was dying by now, wanting to know more but she wouldn't tell me anymore I had to wait until I got home,  only to find my little boy with this plaster cast on his arm.  Uncle Donovan called it his 'Sausage hand' and so everyone was calling it that.  Anyway he has been a 'box of birds'  you would not even know there was anything wrong with him.  These holidays he has gone to the beach, the park, lollie Pops Playland, he has zoomed down Mt Vic on cardboard boxes,  gone to Kiwi Valley Farm and the list goes on.  He is such a brave little guy and has not complained once!  He has since had the plaster off and has a new dressing.  My funny little man,  this time last year it was a broken elbow!

The Funny thing about this was that he was in exactly the same ward as Arama was in and so Keith knew most of the staff there.  When I went back there this week to get it checked,  they were all saying to me,  "I know you from somewhere",  it kinda felt like I was back home.  NOT  hopefully this is the last we see of ward 24A at Starship this year!

This photo below cracks me up as it is just like Arama's sign above his bed,  

the same Surgeon's name and everything.  

My Melbourne Escape!

A few weeks ago I  decided to escape!  To tell you the truth,  I had hit rock bottom.  I have been struggling with Depression for most of this year and I felt like I was going 'NUTS' to put it mildly!  The kids went to bed after a terrible Family night and I was had it!  I said to Keith,  I just feel like I desperately need a break!  He said "Well then go"! We talked about Melbourne as I have a few close friend there and for the first time in my life I felt peace about going.  I always feel guilty about spending money on myself but this time I knew that I needed a break and that I would be a better mother and wife for it!  I still took about 3 hours to hit the 'Purchase' button for my ticket though lol!   Anyway to cut a long story short that was on a Monday night and after work on the Wednesday,  I drove to the airport and hopped on the plane to Melbourne.   My dear friend Christine collected me from the airport and I stayed with her for the whole time.  We use to flat together in Wellington many years ago before we got married.  Her kids are both quite old now and independent so it was lovely to have her all to myself!  The first day I was there, it was horrible weather and so I stayed home while Chris went to work and I read and slept nearly all day.  I had the whole house to myself and so I had no one else to worry about,  it was so good!  I read John Kirwan's book on his depression journey which I found very helpful!  I have come home so much more rested and ready to start a fresh,  I have since put a few things in place to ensure that I don't go as low again.  It was a great time to reflect and evaluate where I am at without being interrupted by anyone.  I don't have many photos of my trip as I didn't take a camera but thanks to other's I phones,  I have a few shots.

These first photos below are of me and Baron and Janet.  (Baron is Keith's sister's Boy and Janet and him got married last year).   They are so generous and loving.  They took me to IKEA then out to dinner to this amazing Mexican restaurant which was lovely.  I really enjoy their company and hope to spoil them a little when they come here  for Christmas!

Well there you go,  the Melbourne Markets,  you can't go to Melbourne without a visit to the Markets.  Mainly for the food of course.  We pigged out and my diet was meant to start when I arrived home but so far no good!

Me with Isaac (Christine's 16 year old son) at the Market eating these amazing turkish bread filled things,  YUM AS!

Saturday afternoon,  Christine shouted me this amazing Massage for my birthday.  You sit in these huge round chairs and they totally massage your head and shoulders and then soak your  feet and wax your hands then massage them too.  It was so relaxing,  I had to wake Chris up  LOL!

Last Sunday afternoon,  Christine took me up to Arthur's Seat way out of Melbourne,  this is a very coastal place and we looked down upon some amazing places,  with Melbourne in the very far distance,  it was a spectacular view and a lovely drive catch up with my special mate.

Then we went to this beach close to Arthur's Seat.  It was such a cold windy day,  thus the jacket in all the photos.  this beach was a wild windy surf beach and there was no way I was gonna go down into the water.

Christine and I clowning around with the camera together trying to photograph ourselves.

I had a blast!  I did many other things while I was there too such as,  going to IKEA (my favourite shop eva), going on the trams and trains.  Meeting up with Baron and Janet (Keith's nephew and wife), going to church, going to DFO  (discounted Factory Outlets) and banging into a friend of mine on the tram who I used to know here in NZ a few years ago,  wow its a small world!  I loved it!
I think I might make this a regular occurrence  LOL!  I arrived home on my birthday and that blog entry is yet to come.