Friday, December 14, 2012

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 : :

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Advice anyone??

So I'm looking at getting a basic (read cheap lol) acoustic guitar, and I'm wondering which brand would be best: Ashton, Cort, or Aria? Does anyone on here have any ideas?? Thanks!! :D

Tuesday, December 04, 2012

#WordsofWisdom


"When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friday, November 30, 2012

Operation Christmas Child

A skirt I made to go in a box.
I almost wanted to keep it for one of my sisters!
Back in October (OCC's national collection month), my dad came with my friend Becks and me (and a few other home-schoolers) to volunteer at Operation Christmas Child for a few hours one Saturday.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, provides underprivelaged children aged 2-14yrs with a shoebox containing various gifts for Christmas. Some of the impact stories are very moving!

My boxes all packed up!
I figured since we were going to the warehouse anyway, we should take the boxes I was filling, rather than having to drop them somewhere else. So on the Friday we went from one shop to another, buying the rest of the fillers I needed; I ended up spending most of the day working on the boxes! 

Becks and me
We left home around 9am Saturday morning, so we could be at the (OCC) warehouse in Henderson by 10 o'clock. We spent the next few hours unpacking boxes, checking the contents for anything that wasn't supposed to be in them, making sure (as best we could) that there was something from each of the listed categories, removing unnecessary packaging, and filling (from stocks they have there) any that didn't have enough 'stuff' in them. 

2 o'clock came all too soon and we left since we didn't want to be home too late. We stopped in at The Coffee Club for afternoon tea before dropping Becks home. :)

Afternoon tea...
And I won't mention what the house looked like when we got back...suffice it to say my mum and siblings were in the midst of a massive cleanup/out, which involved taking everything out from under the beds in the girls room...!



Friday, November 23, 2012

Yesterday

To the Americans on here...
Happy thanksgiving for yesterday!

Some things I am thankful for:

  • blog readers ;)
  • family
  • friends (love you :))
  • computers/internet
  • pets
  • music

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Mum

Happy Birthday Mum!


Highlights from the past year:

  • Arrival of eighth child
  • Two teenaged children
  • 20th wedding anniversary