I Told You So!!

I  don’t always buy things on Trade Me that need restoration and then leave them forever in my garage gathering dust. Occasionally I actually do restore a piece and then I am so chuffed with myself. That old chaise that I blogged about finally went to the rubbish heap as I realized it was never going to happen – while hubby stood there with that “I told you so” look on his face. But I finally tackled an old blanket box that has been in my room and I recovered it. I bought this box/seat for $5 off Trade Me and I have been longing to do something with it. Well as we are moving very soon (hang in there for another couple of weeks and I will divulge all!!) I decided that I couldn’t throw it away nor could I sell it as it was. I had the fabric I planned to use on the chaise so decided to recover it quickly. I love the result – I’m just mad at myself that I didn’t recover it sooner and get the joy out of it. It all ends well though as I got to give hubby the “I told you so” look back when I sold it on Trade Me for $50. Not bad for a quick project.

Recovering it was surprisingly easy and fairly quick – one morning’s work and hey presto!!

Ugly box before covering.

First I took the lid off by removing hinges.

 

Covered the padded seat first using tacks and hammer – so simple!!

 

Seat done.

 

All complete – got so involved with covering that I forgot to take step by step pictures as I progressed – silly me!!

Looks good don’t you think – I was quite pleased with the end result.

 

 

 

 

The Joy of Layby

I am usually not terribly organised when it comes to Christmas. In fact I will be one of those people running around on Christmas eve trying to get my last minute gifts and hating the madness of the shopping mall, not being able to get a parking and so on. Each year I vow to be more organised and somehow I never seem to  get there. Well miracles do happen and this year I am well on my way to having everything under control which is a good thing as we are shifting out of our home to housesit on Saturday.

About 2 months ago I decided to start my shopping for the kids for Christmas by buying on layby. I do not have a credit card which is marvellous so this enabled me to buy some things on special but pay them off over three months. I also like the idea of not getting the goods till they are paid off as this curbs wild spending and makes me have to budget so as to pay off some of the gifts each week. This is the way to go in my opinion. There will be no debt to face in the New Year and everyone will have great gifts as I would not have been stuck a few days before Christmas with a small budget. I have almost bought everything – just a few more things to get and all will be good.

Mostly I have enjoyed being organised as I know that I am going to just enjoy having Christmas withoout racing around last minute. I can now focus on what we will eat and do for Christmas day knowing I don’t have to share out my budget between food and presents. I am sold on this layby idea and next year hope to start doing this even earlier – in fact every time there are sales, that would be a good time as you get the item at sale price but can pay it off!!

The only problem I am having is keeping the gifts hidden from nosey little bodies!!

New Beginnings

Today is my birthday and 7 years since we first arrived in New Zealand. I feel as though we have gone through a full cycle and that jubilee is here. The last few years have been very hard for me as I have worked through disappointments,  rejection, betrayal and pain that came through our own mistakes as well as through ministry - where perceptions and expectations were  placed upon us by others. I have felt over the last couple of years as though my identity has been stripped away and as though I have had to find myself again in obscurity. The only thing that saw me through and allowed my heart to choose to remain forgiving and positive was my amazing family and husband and having to reach out to God and ask Him to wrap me in a new identity where I saw myself as loved by Him no matter what my function was.

This has taken time but I am glad that I have discovered who I am in Him – I no longer need to do for the sake of it, but I can enjoy being and as a result I want to do, but for completely different reasons now. I have decided that I am done with meaningless Christianity – please don’t get me wrong – I love Jesus passionately and His church, but if things don’t change whereby I am living meaningfully for Him and advancing and ushering in His kingdom in a real way – I don’t mean by rituals of just saying prayers or going to church hoping that things will change and people will get saved (that hasn’t worked!!) then I am wasting my time and I’m just like the guy who buried his talent – Ouch!!!

Rather I want to live out kingdom – touch the broken, love the unlovely, feed the hungry and pray for the sick seeing them get well and restored. I get a little taste of this at work as I help two kids who need encouragement, but this is only the tip of the iceberg.

So today I felt a new beginning – a rebirth and a fresh start and I am looking forward to the next season of change with anticipation and excitement. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do!!

Thankful

I am so thankful for my kids – they are truly a blessing in every area. Of course they drive me insane at times, but that is so insignificant compared to the blessing they bring to our family. They have not had it easy. We are a bit like nomads – as I mentioned in a previous post we have lived in 15 homes – M15 has lived in 12 of them, so they are used to moving around.

Well, another move is imminent for us and we are in downscale, planning mode – I shall divulge details very soon. Through this all, the children have been wonderful. This is not to say that they haven’t felt sad that we will be leaving Auckland, but they have accepted God’s plan for our lives and they have supported us. Never have they been rebellious or resentful of the changes. This can be hard, especially for teenagers, as their friends are so important to them and so I am so grateful for my children’s hearts and that they trust us so much.

I really pray that they will settle quickly and make friends easily – that is my wish!! Love you Kids!!!

Here are my beautiful girls - I took these photos on a beach walk the other day.

 

 

 

Fireworks

Last night we had dinner with good friends of ours and we had a blast – literally. After we had indulged in a good meal we  watched some fireworks with the children. It brought back memories to me of when I was growing up. Guy Fawkes was quite a celebration when we lived in a farming community. I remember the huge pile of firewood for the bonfire and the guy that was made to put on top  before it was lit. Sparklers were always a favourite of mine as a child.

The kids really had fun – all except A3 who was scared of the noises and watched from the window indoors. He was a bit skeptical about the sparklers too!! All in all a fun evening.

Here are some photos I took – I wanted to try out my night photography but somehow the settings weren’t right I think. Nevertheless they came out quite pretty anyway. I will have to read the manual!!

 

 

 

 

 

Little dreams, bunnies and more….

I couldn’t resist taking A3’s photo this morning as he was sleeping so peacefully and he looked so cute and relaxed. There is nothing more beautiful than a sleeping child!!

I had a huge chuckle the other day as we have finally put Tinkerbell and Rascal together as she is old enough to breed. We want the kids to have the experience of baby bunnies (but I think once will be enough). We watched them for awhile and the saying “breeding like rabbits”  is oh so true. The poor girl ended up running around the hutch after she had had enough. Z9 made this comment and I couldn’t help laughing – it was so funny. She said, “Rascal, I know that feels nice but you need to be considerate to your lover – she has had enough now!!”  Out of the mouth of babes… and what truth there was in it. Heee hee kids can be so funny!!!

So now we have separated them again to give her some peace and he is sulking big time. Now we wait to see if there will be any baby bunnies in a month.

We are heading to exam time in three weeks and M15 is studying hard. She is certainly more diligent than I ever was – I was a crammer just before the exams so I am glad that I don’t have to chase her – she’s a star!!

I am so pleased that I decided to be more organised this year for Christmas. Usually I am running around trying to get gifts at the last minute and with no budget. I have been laybying presents for the children and they are almost paid up so it should be stress free and plain sailing this year – hooray!!! I just can’t believe that the year is almost over – time flies as you get older.

Things about me….

Here is a list of things about me that you may or may not know:

1. I was born in the same hospital as my husband – just 11 months before him.
2. I love reading medical thrillers.
3. I was a good swimmer in high school.
4. I am a trained primary school teacher
5. I love coffee.
6. I am writing a novel.
7. Photography is my latest passion.
8. I have lived in 15 houses in 20 years of marriage.
9. My best friend is my husband.
10. My favourite colour is green.
11. I had gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
12. I have taught myself to play the keyboard (acceptably)
13. I love the country and would live there by choice.
14. I love shopping for bargains.
15. Cooking is a joy to me.
16. Usually I always experiment with a recipe when I am having guests.
17. My favourite meat would be roast lamb.
18. We lived on a farm for two years.
19. My husband made our bed himself.
20. I mow the lawn occasionally.
21. I hate hanging up washing.
22. I don’t iron!! (Only when it is vital).
23. I always cry at weddings (Except Jill and Kevin’s wedding – see you tube clip on my fresh encounters site)
24. I am not a typical female nester – I like to move around and have change (hence the many homes we’ve lived in.)
25. I like adventure and challenges in life.
26. I am developing a greater love and heart for those who are poor and needy.
27. I get very annoyed with people who spend time and money saving whales ( even though they need saving) when babies are mercilesly killed in the womb and no one cares.
28. I think being politically correct is a waste of time and hypocritical.
29. I appreciate honesty in people.
30. I enjoy my children.
31. The  best things that have happened in my life are: knowing Jesus personally, giving birth to my aewesome kids and my wedding day.
32. The thing I would like most right now is time to tell my family about Jesus love.
33. I love to worship.
34. I have plenty of freckles.
35. I love to ride rollercoasters.
36. I have never broken a bone yet and hope I never will.
37. My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage.
38. I have not slept through the night in three and a half years.
39. If I could travel anywhere in the world I would love to go to Greece, Italy and the Maldives.
40. I have travelled to Mexico, USA, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Germany.
41. I believe hospitality is more about heart than the quality of the meal you serve.
42. I have learned to be creative when times have been tight.
43. I  still love it when my husband gives me flowers.
44. I have always wanted a small tattoo.
45. I used to smoke my dad’s cigarettes when I was a teenager out of my window at night.
46. We sponsor a little girl from the Philippines.
47. I miss my family back in SA.
48. I am so grateful for the family God has blessed me with.
49. I am terrified of snakes.
50. Did I mention that I love coffee……

 

Citizenship

We have been waiting almost a year to be granted citizenship of New Zealand. When I applied for us, I wasn’t sure whether we qualified and I took a bit of a chance applying. The only reason I applied when I did, was because I felt God prompting me to do it. Well, when He prompts me I have learned to listen and it has paid off!! We are thrilled to have been notified that we have been granted citizenship and now all we have to do is wait for a ceremony to take place. I am hoping that it will be very soon and that  we can do this before the end of the year. God is so good to us.

Cornwall Park

Today was a public holiday and the weather was very mediocre but we needed to get the kids out into the fresh air. We decided to go to Cornwall Park which is about 15 minutes from our home. This is beautiful parkland with farm animals, old stone walls and amazing trees right in the middle of the city – our piece of country right here!!! The kids had great fun clambering over the walls and being with the animals, all except M15 who was rather tired as she had just returned from a two day hiking expedition. I am very proud of her as she hiked for 8 hours on the first day and for 6 hours the second day with an overnight spent in a tent on the trail. She has tender feet and a sore back from carrying her pack which contained everything.

 

I managed to get some great photos of the kids as well.

 

 

 

I  love being able to be creative with my new camera in taking shots of part things, like Z9 on thewall, without fully getting her in the shot. Makes it more interesting don’t you think?

 

 

 

I have decided to try and go for natural shots as the kids get tired of posing for me and they are more natural and fun – just harder to get of course as they move so fast.

 

 

 

 

There were many amazing birds and animals for the kids to see too. This pheasant was stunning!!

 

The sheep were cool too!! Now if only my kids would pose as nicely as this sheep did for me!!

 

 

And then there were cows as well.

All in all a great day and New Zealand at its finest.

Preschool

A3 has been longing to go to school forever. His little friends have all started kindergarten and he was feeling left out. My problem was that I work the middle hours of the day and every kindy I could find had set hours and sessions, all of which did not suit me. Finally I managed to find a preschool close to work that had flexible hours and even better – a space almost immediately for A3.

So, last week my little man began “school”. He has had a ball and loves it – no problems settling there!! His favourite thing is the very large sandpit at the school and the great jungle gyms. So for a few hours a day while I get to work, he gets to play, paint, sing and have stories and so much more. I loved kindy as a child – I hope he does too!!