Sunday, February 27, 2011

Keeping the boys occupied

Eli walked home from church today and arrived with an armload of twigs etc. He wanted to make a fire like Bear Griles does on "Man vs Wild".

He wanted to use a flint to start the fire. So first we built an oven. 

then we made the pikelet mix

then the fire needed to start.
Start the cooking!!! Very pleased with the result

Yum Yum

All the better for the eating.

A chook house for a chocolate cake.

the said cake
 I made a deal with my wonderful brother in law. I made a gorgeous dense chocolate cake (real chocolate, ground almonds - Kris Parkinson's recipe) and he was to help me make a chook house. In reality he made the chook house and I did labouring. The only bit I had to make and measure by myself (the door) I completely stuffed up. So much for girl power! But in four hinges and a bit of plywoods time, I will have a fantastic new house and my chooks wont know where to turn.
being clamped in with no escape!

this is where it got finished to.
Looking almost finished and gorgeous.
a lovely entrance for the chooky girls.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Mieke is with us again


Yes it has been horrendous and we did not expect to have to live through a second event like this. But the earthquake does have it's upsides. We have Jess, Stephen and Mieke living with us again. The boys are estatic and fantastic baby entertaining machines, Morris is thrilled and has managed to stop licking her every time he sees her and we are lucky to have this time with her.

The boys snuggling up together in one room. Eli having moved for Mieke.



The Eigth Birthday Party

 Yes Jakob has turned 8. Amazing. Sunday 20th February was a great day. Two days later the pool
we went to was severely damaged with fences falling on cars etc. 
Jakob was smooth and stylish

We took 6 kids out for the day. First 10 pin bowling. Spencer won with an amazing 107 points (that is more than I normally get!!) and Brooklyn who had never been bowling before came in a point behind. (But he did get two strikes). After 10 pin bowling we went to the Waltham swimming pool. A lovely outdoor pool in Christchurch and the added attraction that it has a free open hydroslide.
Eli's great moves
Jorja


Jakob

Eli

Liam and Jakob making the dash to start again

the duo - Brooklyn and Eli
Spencer the hoon

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Third family tramp

When: Feb 12 & 13th, 2011
Where: Into the first hut on the St James Walkway - Magdalen Hut.
What: our third tramp as a full family. Jakob 7 (nearly 8 as he tells everyone), Eli 5, Karen 43, Aaron 34
Why: because we can and because it has no big hills, which means my heart will stand up to it.
How: By car to Hanmer Springs on Friday night. Stayed the night at the Hanmer Springs Forest Camp in a lovely cabin with a bunk bed and a queen. Cheap at $58 for the whole family. Then on by car where we parked in the Boyle River Township. A lot of people arrange to park in the Boyle  river outdoor education centre.Then on foot to the hut (about 8km).
Across the Bridge              
About a third of the tramp done
Through the bush
Looking gorgeous

Over streams and gullies
Have some tucker
Over the grassy plain




Arrive at the hut
Cool off (it was a hot day)
Chill out and eat more food

Sleep get up and do it all again - but in reverse
Arriving back at the car. Not as fresh, tired legs but happy.

Kids Art work

When I picked the kids up from the afterschool programme on the floor was an amazing collage. Eli, Spencer and Jorja had spent the time being arty.
Eli said that it took a long time. It is a collage of a picnic area with a rock pool on the bottom tight corner. Bottom left corner is trees and the car park. The sea is inbetween. Then the blue area is the sky, the green material the sun and the shells in the sky are seagulls.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The harvest is beginning

Last night I was blanching beans to freeze. Butter bean, french beans and purple runners. Chopping mushrooms that we Jakob found in the park (he had been told off and went away to sulk. When he came back he said that he found mushrooms. While picking the mushrooms and exclaiming regarding the find, Jakob suggested that I tell him off again because it may mean that he finds more mushrooms!!). Lastly I made Annabel Langbein's Onion Jam. Great on sausages and mash and fantastic as a base for Pizza (which I will do on thursday for dinner).

 

A gorgeous break in Rarotonga

Woo hoo, A holiday with no kids for 11 days. Bliss, relaxing and warm! BTW it was an early 20th wedding anniversary present to ourselves....