Aussie Trip {Part 3} Shopping with the Girls

One of the days I was in Maclean, some of us girls headed out for a shopping trip. I decided that NZ sells things at incredibly high prices. :P Nah, some pretty decent sales were on and I got a few things at really good prices. A number of the clothing stores are the same in both countries, so sometimes it just felt like one of the shopping malls back home. I do think we need ICE over here though ;) Ultimately though it was just great to spend time with cousins I hardly see.

: : Loving that sky! : :

: : A lot of the time we were driving I kept thinking how much the plants made it look like our February, : :
and it was only September :P

: : Annoying the cousins with photos in the car :P : :

: : I feel like the purpose of this photo was flash wallpaper or something that didn't even make it in the shot in the end : :

: : Just being weird and sitting on the floor ;P : :

Updates & Ramblings

Well life's staying pretty busy; today I have work as usual, but then instead of collapsing in a heap like I usually do on Friday afternoons, o heading to bed early, I'll be attending a cousin's 21st in Wellington. I think I'll be pretty much going from the airport to dinner so it will be pretty busy. Then on Saturday hopefully meet up with friends, out with my aunty and cousin for a bit, and then fly home again! So I suspect it will be a long weekend, but not very restful :P Should be good though.

Music classes are going well.Private lessons are scheduled fairly evenly over two days, which is more manageable than one, but not all over the place like it could be if I spread them out even more. This term I've picked up a couple new private (recorder) students, and my times at school have shifted to the same day so I can work an extra afternoon at preschool. 

I discovered a new favourite comedian recently! I can't remember exactly how I came across him; he may have done a show with Tim Hawkins? Anyway, John Crist is pretty awesome. Probably his top three videos would be Christian Mingle Inspector, GET OFFENDED: The Fake Outrage App, and Christian Girl Instagram. I can't find the name of the girl in the last one? A few people have said in the comments section that she looks really familiar, and I agree, but I can't place her. I see some resemblance to Jessica Willis. Anyone else have any idea?

We had an interesting culinary experiment yesterday. The littlest bro very thoughtfully made his sis a birthday cake -- chocolate, with pink  icing. I don't know that he was given a specific measurement for the food colouring, so he just kept pouring until he achieved a colour he was happy with. I informed everyone present afterwards that red velvet cake was the ONLY instance in which it is permissible to use a whole, or nearly a whole bottle of colouring. As it turns out, raspberry essence has a much weaker colouring and much stronger flavour than pink food colouring!

Oh and who had the brilliant idea to introduce ads to Instagram?! First the update that blew up social media because the home feed wasn't going to be chronological anymore, and now wonderful ads! Reckon I'll be spending more time over here instead. ;)

During the holidays Susannah was in Auckland for a few days with her family. Coffee, shopping, kids program (the main church building where the actual conference was had free wifi! #score), talking -- the weekend flew by but it was great to catch up in person again. Besides, it's cheaper on the phone bill :P Now, to find a way to bring Auckland and Wellington closer . . .

Also met up with a couple of other friends during the holidays, spent a (minimal) amount of time relaxing at home, crossed a few things off my to do list, helped some friends get organised for their move down south (seriously, Auckland is growing simultaneously larger and smaller! :/) . . . and suddenly term three is upon us!

Lastly, be sure to check back here tomorrow! ;)

Dad's Birthday

Since Dad's harder to buy for than some, most of us ended up leaving our gift shopping until his actual birthday (oops). Easter fell on his birthday this year though, so hooray Easter sales! {haha}

: : Smiles from Maria : :

: : And Bryce . . . : :

While shopping earlier in the day, I found the shirt Bryce is wearing for $8! And it had a bow tie with it. :) It's actually his new church shirt but he couldn't wait until Sunday to wear it!

: : Boxing gloves from Bryce! : :
We discovered later that these gloves are the same brand as the boxing pads Dad already has! #score

: : Smiles from Diana : :

: : New polo from Monique : :

: : Jarrod and I went shopping together so we ended up doing a joint present: this shirt and a belt : :

: : And a certain puppy we were looking after didn't want to miss out on the fun! : :
Isn't he cute?

: : Plants for his office to combat the fumes from all the office equipment : :

: : And I won't share his age! :P : :

Wellington Adventure! || Part 2

Click here to read part 1.

On Tuesday, Aunty Melissa had to get someone a birthday present (#scoreforme) so we hit a couple of shops after dropping Nana at her friend's place, then headed to a bowling alley for some fun.

A few more shops and a grocery trip later, we headed home for a few hours. Then out to a barbecue dinner, where I met lots of new people [and didn't take any photos]. 

Aunty Melissa, Olivia, and I made for the mall on Wednesday morning for a few hours shopping. (For some reason Harry didn't think that sounded very exciting, so we left him at home with Nana.) I tried on several things, but ended up settling with just a couple of bracelets (yeah, I can be great at window shopping ;)). Oh yeah, and the coffee was good! :)

Later we picked Uncle Bill up from work and went to the Fisherman's Table for dinner. 

Group photo :)

Cousins: Olivia and Harry

After that it was straight to the airport for my short flight home. *sigh*

To these:

Preparation for Holiday in Eltham - Thursday 22 December

Written 24th December


On Thursday, 22nd December, we were supposed to pack our bags and suitcases for going away the following day. As it happened, I was still sewing the clothes that I wanted to pack! Talk about cutting it close….man! Jarrod (12) had actually packed the previous day, so I got him to make Diana (6) a new skirt (Yes she needed new clothes badly!). I attempted to get Monique to finish a skirt she had started for Diana, but it would appear that she needs some more lessons before I tell her to just make a tiered skirt with limited help!

So I alternated between sewing and transferring some files to my new laptop. Actually I was sure there were more things I was doing, but I can’t think what!

Around 3pm we left to do some last-minute shopping (actually I only went because I needed a haircut, I had heaps of split ends and I just needed to get my hair tidied up). We didn’t make it to the hairdressers, but arrived home at 4pm, and no I actually hadn’t accomplished anything so would have been far better to stay home and continue my packing!

Anyway Mum left for her midwife appointment with Monique, and Dad took the rest of us to the mall so I could get my hair cut, while he took everyone else to McDonald’s. Yes , I needed my hair tidied up, but it kind of annoys me that I can’t seem to get my hair to grow longer and still look nice! Seriously, that was only the second time this year that I’ve actually had my hair cut, and it is definitely WAY shorter now than it was at the beginning of the year! On the way out I met a friend I haven’t seen in ages, Sara, with her Mum and Dad. =)

At home, Mum made dinner, while I replied to a couple of emails, watched part of the Little House on the Prairie DVD that my siblings were watching, and did some more sewing. After a TV dinner, I continued sewing, et cetera, and later on I played on my laptop at the same time…=) lol Dad also picked up the Burtons’ 12-seater.

Well, I finally finished packing my suitcase, and Mum packed everything into the Burtons’ van. Believe it or not, I eventually I made it to bed!

Thursday

Well, on Wednesday night, Bethany and I talked to 3:45am! So of course we didn't get up until just before midday - and that was the same today!

So...after we eventually got up, we packed a picnic lunch to have at Cornwall Park,

after which we climbed to the top and took a couple more pics...

Then we walked back down, and Mum drove us up, and back down, before coming home for afternoon tea, reading =), and dinner - pancakes!

Then Bethany and I did the dishes while Mum bathed the others, after which we went grocery shopping.

We read till really late on the couch, then Mum sent us to bed lol so we got supper and read in bed for a while =)

----
Tonight we are hoping to go ice skating, and I'm not sure what we are doing this afternoon - maybe shopping.

Luv Bee

Life

Hey Everyone,

A few of my friends keep asking me not to try and post about all the things we've been doing in the last few months, but instead to post about what we're doing now. Although I won't make any promises about not still trying to post about the rest of this year, I will tell you what we're doing now.

Uncle Pete arrived home from his World Trip on the Thursday the 9th of December, and started working with Dad the next Monday.

It is 7:23pm right now, and Mum, Dad and I  will be going shopping in a few minutes for Xmas pressents for Dad's side of the family who live in Wellington.

On Friday we are intending to go to New Plymouth to spend Christmas with Dad's family, and on Monday continue down to Wellington. We are scheduled to arrive home on New Year's Eve.
One of Dad's brothers bought a 4 Square in Eltham which is just out of New Plymouth (sorry I wasn't able to make sense of Mum and Dad's description of how far); and the rest of the family will come up from Wellington so we will all be together in New Plymouth.

Anyway I think Mum and Dad are ready to go, hopefully I can post again soon =)
Cya
<3 Bee