The year so far.....

My year started out with my oldest daughter being hospitalised because of mental health issues.

She has a diagnoses of Aspergers and ADHD. Poor Button. She has had to deal with so much in her short life.

Then my Granddad died. He was my last grandparent left. Now I'm the second oldest generation. Scary stuff.

A group of friends got together to form 'The Divine Divas' and we participated in Shave for a Cure. We shaved our hair off to raise money for the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation.

BEFORE.......

Erin, Me, Shara, Tamar

AFTER!

Erin, Tamar, Me, Shara.

My daughter Boodles also did Shave for a Cure. Isn't she just so cutey, cutey.

I have been homeschooling her for a couple of terms now. I am missing "my time".

Then about 6 weeks ago I had a terrible gall bladder attack and ended up in hospital. After some great drugs and a few days wait I had the little blighter out.

Then about 3 weeks ago I had a car accident. I wrote my car off. It was scary. Hit a bank and rolled it over and over. But God was with me and all I ended up with was some bruising.

So that's my last 6 months. I have done some crafting but not a lot. I'm hoping for a few quiet months now. hehe yeah right!

5th birthday bash

We had a beautiful girls 5th birthday party today.

It was a Princess Dora party (yep! she couldn't make up her mind)

We had it at the school so we got to use the pool.

Here is Lulu's photo board.

Lulu's cake. The bottom layer is chocolate, the middle is orange and the top was a gluten free sponge. I made it and iced it myself.

My beautiful princess.

I love this dress. It was her present from Grandma.

Happy birthday my darling.

Lulu turns 5

My beautiful island princess turned 5 today. We adorned her in lei's to celebrate her cultural origins.

Here are Lulu and Boodles with their birthday gifts. Their birthdays are only 4 days apart, but Boodles is 3 years older and got her present early.

Lulu holding up 5 fingers. She keeps asking "What did I turn today?"

What a crack up.

One of our traditions is the kids choose what they want for dinner.

Lulu chose Nacho's and cheesecake.

When I went to dish up all she wanted was the corn chips, cheese and sour cream.

No nacho mix. lol.

Happy birthday Lulu. I am so glad you are part of our lives.

New mokopuna

Our new little granddaughter Ella-Marie entered the world on January 3rd.

Now, I know what your thinking. I'm far to young to have grandkids (please tell me that's what your thinking)lol

My official title is Jojo.

Well....technically Ella and Dante are my step daughters kid-lets but since I'm married to their father, I have honorary grand parent rights.

Mr Divine is called Koro (which is the maori word for grandfather)

Here's the sweet baby girl in all her perfectness.

My daughter Boodles and her nephew (our grandson) Dante.

They look as if they could be brother and sister.

I just want to grab those sweet cheeks.

My boy peanut and Ella-Marie.

Lulu with baby girl.

Welcome to the world Ella-Marie

Holiday Boredom Busters

In New Zealand we are at the start of the summer school holidays (6 weeks long).

So, sitting on my counter I have 3 jars.

1 is for fun stuff (free to do stuff)

2 is for chores (hehe)

3 is for outings (stuff that costs)

Each day one of the kidlets chooses one out of jar no. 1 and jar no.2. Then once a week/fortnight they can choose out of jar 3.

We went to the school playground.

Our outing last week was the Franklin Zoo.

On this day it was dinner by the river. We even splashed out and got McDonalds.

Then the kids had a blast swimming in the river.

Such a fun time had by all.

We have also played board games, done arts and crafts and played with the toy kitchen.

Steel Mill Christmas Party

My hubby use to work for the Steel Mill. Even though he's left, we still belong

to the Christmas Club. Every year they put on an amazing party for the kiddies.

I am loving this Christmas photo. It's so hard to get 3 kids looking in the same direction.

Who cares that it wasn't in MY direction. hehe

Sick,sick,sick

I haven't been posting as everyone has been sick.

First Boodles got Viral Bronchitis. Which in plain english is a bad cough which meant time off school before the school holidays.

Then Peanut caught Chicken Pox. So we spent all the school holidays at home.

Then Peanut came right and Lulu had the Pox. She had them really bad.

So there goes another 10 days of my life I can't get back.

Today is the first day in about a month that all the kids are back at school or creche.

Then guess what.........? Yep! I'm sick with a tummy bug.

I really hope Im better by tomorrow as we are having a powhiri at school to welcome the new kapa haka teacher.

I'm flying Jack, Im flying

Need I say more. Think Titanic.

Boy! Does this man crack me up.

We took the kids to play on the pirate playground at Kaiaua.

Even though it was a rainy day, I didn't think I could cope with the bedlam inside. So I thought...take them outside so everyone could hear them. hehe

Kaiaua serves up the best fish and chips known to man.

This is how the locals collect drift wood. With tractors.

During a quick break in the weather we set the kids free on the beach.

The little kids slept on the way home and I think I could do the same.

2 year celebration

Two years ago today Peanut and Lulu came to live with us.

You can read about the first meeting here.

So our tradition is to go to dinner each year to celebrate.

Our daughter Boodles took this photo of us.

Here's our gorgeous Lulu (now 4yrs).

3 of our beauties.

Boodles (7), Peanut (3) and Lulu (4)

Dad's girls.

Father and son.

My gorgeous family. We all look so normal. hehe. You would never know that just before this photo Peanut did a huge burp and we said "say pardon" and he said "more" and let out another one. Yep that's my boy.

And later on Lulu was crawling around on the floor looking for her lost chicken nugget.

Happy 2 year anniversary family.