Little reminder.....

Four

Our darling little Rouge turned four this week.
FOUR!
Oh my the years are flying fast!

We started your day with presents, which is really what the whole day is about when your four! Then it was onto a breakfast of croissants and warm milo (as requested) and then a wonderful time was had by all when you requested a day at the movies!

Some would say this was enough, but not you. Not our Rouge!
Next was cake in the park with a few special cousins then home for your favourite dinner of macaroni cheese and Chinese salad! (who knew they were the favourites?)

We are so so proud of you darling girl. Hope your year of being four is as amazing as you are.
We love you xx

Treasure hunt fun

"You want morning tea? Your going to have to hunt for it" we told you.
"Awesommmmme" you all replied.

First clue was handed over and the rest was up to you.
You stuck together, you worked as a team and you had a ball.
"Can we do this everyday" you all pleaded

Here we go again...

I can't get over how fast the year has already gone by.
I have had so many best intentions to write more posts, fill you in on what we've been up to, and share our adventures, but somewhere along the way time has got away from me.
2014 is going to be a quick one. I feel it already!

With two off at school, and one happy watching 'Tinkerbell', only now am I able to download all the pics we've taken over the holidays (promise to share more soon) and desperately wishing our carefree days by the sea were still an option. Given we are week 2 into school routine and normality, I think I'll have to simply enjoy the photos and reminisce.

 

 

 

Have you downloaded your pics yet? What were your favourites?

Barefoot Holidays

For my little tribe, summer holidays are all about shoes off. Nothing says 'laid back relaxing mode' like bare feet on the grass, on the sand, in the house, absolutely everywhere really.

We thought it might be nice to make ourselves a little pair of 'barefoot' sandals to jazz ourselves up every now and then.....you know like when your heading out to your friends for a play!

All you'll need to make your own pair is some beads and some string! (Just make sure the bead whole is large enough to fit two pieces of string at the same time)

Here's how......
Choose your beads and lay them out in the pattern you would like them seen in. This should measure the same as your toe to ankle length.
Cut a length of string about 80cm long, fold it in half and tie off a small loop at the bottom (this should be small enough to place over your second toe)

Next you simply thread your beads onto both string ends and tie another knot to make sure they don't fall off.

And that's it!
They can be as easy or as tricky as you like. By googling 'barefoot sandals' you'll see what I mean!

Anyway, we're off to get some sun on our toes.....happy holidays x

2014 Family Word

Keeping with tradition, our family has picked a word that we want to carry us through the following year. Last year because of our exciting move across the ditch, our word was 'adventure' and whilst we will still be keeping that word alive in 2014, we wanted a different word that when we think about it, will help carry us through. 

Our word this year is TRY. 

Try and do our best at everything we do. Try and think of others before ourselves. Try and be more aware of our surroundings and the impact we have in them. Try to listen better and be more patient.  Try and hug more, laugh more and love more. Try, try, try......you get the gist!

So as we begin another fun year here in Auckland, we wish you all a fabulous 2014 just as I know we will. 

Do you have a word this year? 

Pomander time

 So you remember those things you used to make at Christmas time at home with your mum that had an orange and a whole pile of cloves......well it turns out there called Pomanders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Pomander, noun, a ball or perforated container of aromatic substances, placed in a cupboard or room to perfume the air or (formerly) carried as a supposed protection against infection.

A piece of fruit, typically an orange, studded with cloves and hung in a wardrobe"

They are super easy to make and simply make the house smell amazing.

We made ours last week as gifts for the teachers and whilst I intended to get a photo of our finished products, they were whisked off to school before I had a chance! Sorry!

But here's what we did......

1. Tie ribbon around your orange to create quarters. Leaving enough ribbon to create a loop in which to hang.

2. Secure ribbon underneath with a pin so it doesn't slip off.

3. Poke holes in the orange using a skewer (less orange spray gets your eyes then!)

4. Push a whole clove into your hole

You can make them as intricate or simple as you like. We kept our simple, as in I handed the kids a skewer and said Go!

You can make the design as intricate or as simple as you like. We made ours simple (as in I gave them all an orange, a skewer and said go!)

There's definitely a Christmassy smell these 'pomander balls' bring to the house, you should definitely give them a go........think I'll have to make one myself for the house now!