Kindy Christmas

Today has been Kindy Christmas Party Day....Yay!!!

We've had a busy morning, to say the least. Ella got up early and dressed in her concert costume. Faith did her typical 'sleepy dog' routine. She's very very good at it!

Once we got out the door (after Ella whacked my car with a hammer...argh!!!) we headed up to Summerland to drop off Faith then on to Stars Kindy for Ella's Christmas Concert. I thought she had to be there at 9:15, but it turns out she didn't have to be there till 10 so we didn't need to rush afterall. Oops. Oh well, I left her there to have morning tea with her friends and  wouldn't you know it, Geoff's Emporium is straight across the road. So me and Seffy went for a wander over there....yeeyah, it had been about 2 weeks since I'd had my emporium fix!

Anyways, the show was cute. Ella's only there 2 days a week so she didn't get a main part in the nativity unfortunately, but she did very well being a 'child of the world' (lil maori girl).

She loved the costume but was so boggly about it that she kept running away when I tried to take a photo

Breakfast....dry cornies

The show about to start

Seffy was great in the audience. He sucked in my top the whole time

Parents squished in like sardines to see all the little ones. The turnout was incredible

No photos of Ella in the show cause she was behind some taller kids. But as soon as Santa came out with the presents, she barged forwards

So much nice food for the shared lunch (dunkin donuts, cake, sausie rolls etc). All my girl wanted was fruit, rice crackers and chips. She even broke down when I said she'd had enough rice crackers and should try something else....go figure!

Seffy making himself at home on the baby sofa

All tuckered out from the festivities.

Then after that party was over, we gapped it to Summerland Kindy for their Christmas Carol's Concert. Faith had been chosen to welcome everyone, by saying 'welcome to our concert' to all the parents. She did so well....proud Mummy moment!!!

Not sure why she's got a grumps face. She was just about to do the welcome. Ella and the little girl on the right are both little kindy sisters. They were so funny yahooing around during the songs.

For the last 2 weeks there's been a child having their 5 celebration every day. I suppose they pick a day for kids who are turning 5 during the break and not coming back. They do 2 songs that involve choosing 5 friends to sing with them. Some kids cry when they're not chosen and it's real funny to watch them meltdown about it. Faith's always ok about it, but she had a smile a mile wide today when she was finally chosen

She gets little love notes on her lunch bags every day now

Yesterday Faith came to Spotlight with me before we picked up Ella from Kindy at 5pm. She was tired and was whinging at me to put her in the trolley. I kept saying no and then a lady who worked there came past and said 'you look like a big BOY, you don't need to go in the trolley with the lady'.....haha. I walked away giggling. When Faith asked me what was so funny I said the lady said something that made me laugh. It was only then that she clicked and called out 'I'm not a boy!!!!'

Had to get photo evidence of my girl doing the monkey bars all by herself....a momentous day

So chuffed with her accomplishment

Seffy's 1st day of pears & they went down very, very nicely

I'm so excited that the girls are growing up and getting involved in things. Going to their little events is really fun and I suppose there'll only be more and more as time goes on...cool!

Visiting Teaching

This year my goal of goals has been to read the Book of Mormon every day.....and I've done it (so far....there's still 15 or so days to go, well a lifetime really aye?!?!)

Anyways, I've known for a while what my major goal for next year will be. The big VT....100%!!!!
I really want to capture of the spirit of visiting teaching, not only so I can say I've done it 100%, but so I can meet with other sisters and families, make new friends, show the girls that their Mum values this programme of the church.

Yesterday my lovely visiting teachers came over (Bishop's Mum - Silvana Talamaivao, and Lincoln Ward Bishop's Mum - Julie Ngawaka). I thoroughly enjoyed their visit and it confirmed to me that I want to do it properly next year. Both of these sisters are about Mum's age so it was nice to have them here since my Mummy's not :( I find that I enjoy being around sisters that remind me of Mum in some way, or are just good women. Definitely and inspired choice for me to have them I feel :)

Ella was all coy and boggly having visitors over and Seffy was spoilt with little pressies just for him!

They were so sweet to bring over presents for Seth and goodies for the rest of us

Seffy got a new top and a baby's 1st Christmas bib

That reminds me, I must finish Daddy Joe's hometeaching gifts so they can go out tomorrow night.

Mel's Makana

Yesterday I saw a Makana style recipe on Pinterest. Me being me, I couldn't get it off my mind. So today while I was doing my grocery shopping, I added crackers, choc chips and cashews so I could give it a try.

Not quite Makana but it's pretty darn good.

Now I've got this sitting on my bench. Who's going to eat it all?

My helpers

 Last week for FHE we discussed how in our home we all have jobs to do. There's adults jobbies, and kids jobbies.

Faith helped me sort them as follows:

Adults = Cooking dinner, hanging out the washing, mowing the lawn, vacuuming (If only these were all the jobs I had to do!)

Kids = making beds, putting folded washing into rooms, helping to put away groceries, watering the garden

Yesterday I went out to check on Faith playing with the baby bath and hose on the driveway.
Not surprisingly she was nowhere to be seen....she'd gapped it to Charlie's place.

When I came back in the front door Ella was doing a job that we hadn't put on the list.....
feed the baby :)

Both seemed to be quite happy with the arrangement

Should have put a bib on him afterall!

EQ Hangi + a few other things

 On Saturday night we had the annual Elder's Quorum Hangi for our ward. As with most activities, it seemed to last a week, with buying veges, digging the hole, visiting people to let them know it was on. I only turned up with Seffy for the actual thing, and it was really fun. Not only was there a hangi, but also a river for the kids to swim in, a waterslide down the hill, a flying fox, and even horse rides.

We really are blessed to be in the same ward as the Christy's!!! They're so good to open their home and land for everyone to enjoy.

Prez

Checking out Nate's 4 Wheeler

Starting to take the dirt off the top....I hope it's cooked!

Ella entertained herself playing with the trucks with Gabriel Barbosa

The Bryer's brought up their Karaoke gear and speakers to add a bit of entertainment

Here it is....pork, corned brisket, bacon hocks and beef

Not so sure about it :}

Hhhhhmmmmm....what do you think?

Miss Heke ran wild the whole day

Picnic style hangi....yummy Heidi bread

Effies, up close and personal with a Maori Hangi

Seffy was too tired to care

Pete enjoyed some very scary cuts of meat from the pig's face (he literally pulled the meat out of the head)

Highlight of the night, Aunty Mel's Oreo Cheesecake

And a few other pics from the weekend

Seffy eats rusks now 

His hand-eye coordination isn't great so more often than not he feeds his mouth & nose!

I was going to make a nail board for the girls, but they saw me starting to put the nails in and wanted to do it themselves, so now it's just a board for them to hammer nails into


Seffy's in a big bed now....no longer in the baby bassinet :(
I held off for a while as per usual with him cause I'm sad he's growing up, but i had to do it cause he was getting pretty massive in the bassinet. Despite this sad, sad picture, he's actually doing well in the big cot

Seffy's 1st day of wearing shoes, and incidently this is the first time he's had his nappy changed at the in the mall parent's room

If he's upset, Aunty BZ's salty finger always turns his frown upside down :)

Spinach, chicken and mushroom pie which turned out to be silverbeet cause I've got much more of that than spinach in my garden right now. Just had to show evidence that I am using my home grown veges!