Helping Hands

 

Boy time with Dad, I guess with Chey being away for the weekend, the two boys have really lapped up the Dad time all to themselves.

 

Don't ask me what they were doing! It was cosmetic duties on the motorbike is all I could figure out.

 

Cody loves all this sort of stuff but he also likes to fiddle with things and race into a job without hearing instructions out. So sometimes little things take longer due to the fact they have to be done again. All part of learning and growing up huh?

 

This cracks me up though, this is the term that us as parents are their idols and role models, this is Cody growing into the mold his father sets as an example. Walking in his footsteps.....

Only on a farm can an 8yr old get away with carrying a knife round like this though!!

They have gone off together now for a fish up the river. The best of bonding time for father and son.

Halloween Special ;-)

 

I figure seen as most are quite happy to dress up as gory half slaughtered victims or as mass murderers themselves for the celebration of Halloween, then the following pictures shouldn't upset anyone, right?

Its only a steer without his skin on!!

To us these pics are quite healthy and part of normal life so don't go getting all hysterical and animal lovin' on me.

Besides isn't Halloween the celebration of death and the darker side of life?

This is nothing like that, its just good tucker in the process of being processed :)

 

 

Cody helping Shane just get the last of the skin and the head off. He did a good job helping skin one side with me while Shane did the other. Made the job alot quicker.

 

Cai and Gypsy watching on. Cai full of commentary about the "moo", mainly that "moo got owies' and Gypo I am sure was just hanging round hoping for a hand out! She did eventually get thrown the tail but only the last few inch's. Shane don't waste much when it comes to food.

 

ooooh, another treasure for a boy to keep!! The bullet dug out of the steers head!

 

Job done, now hanging in the chiller to be cut up next weekend. I promise there will be no more photos as I will be flat out bagging and labeling while Shane cuts it up. Looking forward to some more mince, sausages and steaks in our freezer.

If you are wondering where Chey is in all of this, she was away on a Girl Guide camp. She'll be shattered when she gets home but I know she would of had the best time and will be chatting non stop about it.

 

A final inspection from the head gnome. Hope you all have had a fabulous weekend.

X

 

PS Bella, I am hoping that if you still haven't gone into labour, that this may very well cause it ;-)

Saturdays Freedom

 

Ok so the deal is if you can't beat the weather you join it. Not only ducks enjoy water you know. Gnomes love it too. Saying 'stay out of puddles', is a total waste of energy, to go feed the lambs there are just too many to have to avoid and little feet make lots of fun splashing. It wasn't too cold but by the time he was soaked up to his middle, he was cold. I don't mind the washing but hate the drying when you just can't hang it outside.

 

Not only Cai got out to enjoy the puddles and rain. Cody and Shane got their bikes out for a blat. Cai and I wandered out to watch them play.

 

Yep there is snow on the mountains behind Cody, more it seems then there was all winter.

 

Just showing off a little. I kept waiting for him to skid out his way down this hill and hitting that electric wire at the bottom. Behind that wire is a real big big drop, like real big. Its a bit of a grave yard in fact for those unfortunate ones that have toppled over (to their death) and those other ones that have already met an unfortunate death and got thrown over. I am talking livestock you know!

 

A mud mask, result of chasing mud spray out the back of the motorbikes. A happy exercised dog though.

between raindrops

 

Seriously its been so wet since Winter finished that I am afraid I am going to turn to rust, I have mowed the lawns only once in 3 weeks, its not that they are not growing, its that its never dry enough to get to them!! Should of brought a jet ski instead of a dang boat.

Cai and I set out this afternoon to clear up the years build up on the floor of the woodshed, we weren't to successful. The lambs wanted at my feet and Cai wanted in the wheel barrow. I only got 2 loads out before the next cold shower came through. If its not raining its blowing a gale. 

Not much fun for my lil' out doors gnome.

A Boy

 

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years doing nothing.

What!

Is it nothing to be happy?

Nothing to skip, play and run around all day long?

Never in his whole life will he be so busy again.

 

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow,

yet we forget that he is someone today.

New Family Member

 

Meet baby Jay, the first of a whole new generation in the Harvey family. He is a delightful and very placid baby boy (well so far anyways).

 

Aunty Pop is now a Great Aunty, she is sooo stoked and loved having cuddles. Precious.

 

Four generations, Pete (Shanes big brother), Rod (Shanes dad), Josh (baby Jays dad) and baby Jay

 

Cuddles with his Great Great Grandfather

 

Five generations of hands holding new life. The photo that took a 5 hour mission to get!! Long story and one I won't go into on the world wide web!

 

The look of five generations of blokes and their first borns. All carrying the same second name. Love traditions. Pretty impressive to be quite honest.

 

Then my beautiful sister inlaw, aka Nanny Laura and Aunty Stace getting more snuggles.

Haven't heard little Jay protest at all yet. And his wonderful mother who I hope to get to photograph with him shortly, was very gracious to hand him to everyone for photos and cuddles. She is amazing in my opinion, with a 4 day old NB came out to help us all celebrate Cai's birthday and meet a whole heap of Whanau she had never met before. Brave girl :-)

A Gnomes Birthday

 

Waiting ever so patiently for his party guests to arrive, well his sister was waiting and not so patiently! He was just keeping her company!

 

yay, I have Stacey Jay to play with again. And an awesome maize of legs and toes to dodge at full speed. Family were impressed with his speed and driving skills, but if they looked closer at my walls and back of the chairs they would see evidence of continuous wear and tear of this speeding gnome.

 

Ohhh, cake time, he knew what this was all about, sat singing happy birthday to himself until everyone else started because he wanted to blow his candles out. Then he had Dad relight them so he could do it again..... and again.......and again!!

 

Then Uncle Pete's 40th cake, that just wouldn't cut (I wonder why?) Of course the kids were flipping out over this. The tail was made of lollie cake so he didn't get completely ripped off.

 

Then this was all he wanted to do with his cake :-)

 

Having precious cuddles with Aunty Pop and Stace, Pop loves it when the kids give her time. Stace is good with her, just climbs on up into the wheel chair and sits on her lap. Cai climbs up the wheel onto the other side!

 

Opening presents, this was something new to him, well not new but it will be something he remembers from now on. He soon clicked on that what was in them was his. He certainly got very spoilt with plenty of boys toys that suit him completely. Diggers, motorbikes, more motorbikes, neighs, great books and cute clothes.

 

All the cussies in to help

 

Love this photo, trying on his hat from Aunty and showing Dad. We opened his pressies that night instead of on his birthday because Dad was away for the weekend wallyby hunting and didn't get to see him on his birthday.

 

On his big digdig :-)

A very spoilt boy and a great evening with lots of family, laughs and great catch ups.

X

Party time

 

Yep thats my kitchen bench!!! About 10 dishes on the go at the same time. A gnome included, he's on clean up duties, another words licking out the bowls. Its his party though I guess he has full right. I think we have it all sorted now, just do a house tidy up and beds for guests. We have all the Harvey family coming for tea and a piece of birthday cake tonight. I have lost all inspiration for the birthday cake thing and went for  very uncreative cake decorations but the cake is a yum chocolate mud cake. The dog won't be getting any left overs from that one. Have also done a surprise 40th cake for Cai's uncle, it is a real surprise!!! Its an iced piece of wood so watch out for coverage on that joke in my next blog entry, lol.

 Party at our Place tonight folks.........

A Quick Coverage

 

The last school term is under way again, not long til Christmas now!! I am already ready for the last term to end! In saying that though, I got alot more done this morning then I have all holidays, seems to be the way, gotta get up and at em early so you get so much more done. On the other hand the gnome slept in til 9am. Of course he wouldn't do that once all holidays!!

Yesterday being Sunday we got to watch 7 crazy period appropriate attired folk peddle past our place on their penny farhlings!!! I did feel for them, it was quite blustery! In fact the gentleman photographed here got just passed our place and ended up blown to the otherside of the road. There is a teapot on the front of his bike, one of those old enamel ones, he had a tube coming out of the spout which he had stuck in his mouth. I guess it was only water in there for hydration but one would never know.

 

This pic, taken Saturday afternoon, the weather has turned very sour and I am so totally over it but Laura and I got out for a run this paticular morning and spotted two deer up the road we ran. This got my husband all stir crazy when I told him. He took Cody and off they went in the afternoon to bring us home a few nice little meals of vension to fill up the freezer again.

 

This photo was taken just in time, the beautiful pregnant belly of our nephews partner. She had the little guy yesterday and they have called him Jay. Looking forward to meeting him, newborn cuddles and photographing him in the next few days.

Especially hoping to get Grandad into town to be photographed with him, a 5 generation photo. A piece of history.

 

 

Finishing off with these mad hatters as they ride through Tuatapere last night. They all changed into evening attire and had tea at this little Cafe.

Cai & Stace

 

These pair are a match made in heaven, soooo similar is so many ways, but of course they are, they are cousins. They love each other to bits, annoy the heck out of each other, boss each other and kiss each other to death. They are salt n pepper. She's a maori princess and he's a white gnome.

 

Stacey-Jay is 8 mths older then Cai, and given her parents she is always going to tower over him in height (or given Cai's parents too, mice can't breed elephants now can we??) but only time will tell who will be the boss. They both like to be right and have what the other has but they sort it out and actually play well together too. Thats family though isn't it.

 

Yesterday Stacey-Jay became an Aunty (hence the reason they are down here visiting), which makes me a great Aunty (which makes me feel old!!!). Stace loves little bubba's so she'll be the best Aunty.

I guess I had no idea how much Cai actually missed having her around since they moved, he has never forgotten her and was excited much leading up to their visit and was calling for her again today as soon as he woke this morning. It is his 2nd birthday this week and I am sure glad Stacey-Jay is here to help him celebrate. 

She is just gorgeous and we love her to bits.