Coromandel Camping Trip

For a few days over Christmas I had the house to myself while the others were camping down in the Coromandel with some other families from church. Thought I'd share a few pics from their trip. :)

: : Bryce turned 7 on the trip so had plenty of people to celebrate with lol :) : :

: : Lots of bushwalking : :

: : Gorgeous : :

: : Dishes . . . yeah I preferred having plenty of hot water lol : :

Diana's Birthday Party || 9yrs || Part 1

So I meant to have these up *ages* ago, but left it in the hopes that the missing images would be found first. What happened was our [Mum's] memory card filled up half-way through the party and I allowed someone else to download them and clear the card. Then I'm ready to edit them and they're nowhere to be found. #nothappy Most of the images I captured of the card-making, including individual shots of each person with her card were in that first batch, along with various new background images, and {I think} more photos from Nana's visit to Auckland. (More on that in a future post.) *sigh* Fingers crossed they'll show up at some point . . . they don't seem to be in the recycle bin.

: : Plenty of outdoor play took place throughout the day. : :
Both Jarrod's homemade swings and the swing + bar/rings set were well enjoyed.

: : Since up is always better : :

: : Laura loved playing with Katie all day! : :

: : Aww... : :

: : It was so special to have Nana here for Diana's party, it had been several years since her last trip to Auckland! : :

: : Always a jam session with musicians around! : :

: : And Amelia has a turn : :

Danielle's Birthday || Ice Skating

Danielle organised to go ice skating with some of her friends and our family for her birthday this year. In fact, she sent the invitations before we knew what exactly she was planning!

: :Rachel | Happy skater : :

: : Monique : :
Do you like her dress?

: : Friends : :
Left to right: Monique, Danielle, Esther, Diana, Rachel, Lucy, and Abby 

: : And another group photo :) : :

: : Yes, I was there too : :
Why won't photos of me skating turn out well though?!

: : Rachel & Danielle : :

: : Gifts : :

: : Cake : :

Glenbrook Vintage Railway

: : Uncle Paul, Aunty Yvonne, and granddaughter Madisyn : :

One Saturday last month we went to Glenbrook Vintage Railway's "Thomas the Tank Engine Day."

I drove the car, with Mum following us in the van; she stayed close for a while, then not long after getting on the motorway I lost sight of her, but noticed a vehicle had pulled to the left. Sure enough (just as we passed the Papakura off-ramp) Dad's phone rung. She had a flat tyre and we needed to turn around. Off at Drury, back on in the opposite direction, turn around again at Manurewa, then found Mum. Not so great for getting somewhere asap, but the extra driving time looks quite nice on my driving log. haha 

: : Danielle, Abby, Megan : :

In the words of Bryce (4 years):

"We had a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine. We went to Glenbrook Vintage Railway. We had afternoon tea with the de Bruins and lunch on our own. 

I wanted to go on the tiny [train] that couldn't go anywhere - almost like Thomas the Tank Engine. We were standing up outside in the carriage and the train went back and forwards, and make noise.

: : Rita and Monique : :

In the big train where w were sitting down, there was a girl crying because she wanted to go to sleep but she didn't want to, that's why she started crying. I was sitting with Bianca one way, and with Mum and Dad and Megan on the other way (and Maria and Laura) - I think Laura.

We went to the trains shed we saw trains, and Dad took me on the train and I have got a photo of that. You [Mum] took it. And one way, there was a step thing and I got up myself and choosed a seat with Bianca. And Aunty Yvonne helped me down, she was being very kind. I got a ticket, but the man didn't clip it - he skipped me.

: : Bryce : :

I saw the Fat Controller and we took photos, but I didnt sit with him. I played on the playground, but the de Bruins had to leave. I like that day, I would like to go back again."

: : Phone box : :

: : Laura : :

Dinner out!

My cousins' family and mine have jointly owned a business since late 2007. Dad and Uncle Paul had been saying for a while that the business should fund dinner out for both our families. That became a reality on February 25th, when we drove in convoy (yes I was behind the wheel too!!! :P) to a Japanese/Chinese restaurant in the City.

The waiters and waitresses seemed very taken with all the young children!

It took a few minutes to get us all sitting around one table, but finally it was accomplished, and we proceeded to view the menu and decide on dishes. One of my favourites was the riblets we got. =) What cracked me up was how, with one of the dishes, some of my siblings and cousins energetically complained about how awfully spicy it was. However, I tried it myself and detected that there was some spice in it, but I didn't think it was over-the-top spicy!

Left to right: Diana, Aunty Yvonne, Madyson, Uncle Paul and Abby

Any lingering hopes of a quiet meal were dissolved, and dinner was consumed.

Finally it was decided that dinner had ended, and the table could be cleared. 

Much careful examination of the menu was done before ordering desserts!



before ordering desserts! I'm afraid that with such a large order, the staff had a few difficulties remembering each individual request, but eventually all was sorted, photos were taken, and the dessert was eaten. Yum!

My mocha =) Isn't it pretty?

At some point it was decided that we should leave, first though we had to gather everyone, pay, and (of course!) take a group photo. =)

Hope that wasn't too boring to read!! :P

<3 Bee

Group photo with Aunty Yvonne



Group photo with me