Trifecta

 

You just can't beat this view, well its a matter of opinion I know and there is definitely so many other views that I love too but to have this one out our back door is something not to be taken for granted. We went outside this morning to play on the motorbikes, by play I mean get the sheep in but have a blat while doing so. I knew the day was perfect for spotting our marine life so had thrown the camera over my shoulder. We were not let down, standing on the edge we soon saw the whales, all mummies and bubbies. Then we noticed the dolphins in the waves and while watching them I spotted the seal on the beach. My tail started to wag ;-)

 

Off we roll, off to see a seal

 

I got plenty of photos but so as not to bore you I am being very controlled

 

The only whale that was breaching was way over by Monkey Island, such a shame but you know I was out there for nearly 3 hours, ever so patiently waiting and hoping the ones in front of me would pull off a stunt or two, but no, they were happy just mooching.

 

Off home again, best get some chores done, besides by now it was lunch time, so the gnome was a bit growly with hunger.

The Birthday Girl

So anyway Thursday finally came, which was Cheyennes actual birthday. Felt like she had week long celebrations this time round with a party on Saturday, a day off on Wednesday, my goodness I never got that much recognition with any birthday. She is worth it though :-) and to be honest I actually enjoy having folk round our place, so the more the merrier.

 

 

Got stuck in and made another cake for our birthday girl, a lemon meringue pie and tiramisu cake were on the desert menu as well. Like all birthdays in our family, they get to choose what we all eat for tea. Cheyenne wanted wraps so that was easy. (there was one year that she requested vegemite and pastry!!!) I added paua patties to the menu for those of our guests that aren't used to wraps ;-)

We had her Grandad (Shanes dad), Banny (my mum) and the Polo's ( Shanes best mate and family) join us for tea.

 

The phone rang for her the moment she walked in the door. She got calls from cousins on both sides of the family in the nth island, a long distance one from her Bandad in the States, then there were the Aunties that rang to talk to her.

In the mean time the distingushed guests arrived,

 

The two very best boys in her life, one lucky girl having these boys to grow up with I would think.

He brother is trying to kiss her.

 Both Luke and Max chose a present each for her, when asked for thank you kisses when she had opened them, she refused saying "No, Banny told me to save all my kisses for her"

 

A perfect little stash of gifts.

A very spoilt little paper bag princess x

 

Off to school as a big 7 yr old now.

Can't believe she is now 7, in 10 years she will be leaving home (if not before!!)

I hope I am blessed with another 10 years with her at least.

Riverton again

We are very blessed have my wonderful mother down for a couple of weeks. She is down in time for Cheyennes birthday and to watch the groms while I have a wedding to go photograph. Cody's usual Thursday in Riverton was changed to a Wednesday this week so that is where we spent this morning. We let Cheyenne have today off school to have the day with Banny, an early birthday treat. It was either that or have tomorrow off and just spend it at home with Banny. She chose the day out of course!

Following in Banny's footsteps along the stones at Riverton.

We woke to an awesome frost today, so the air was very cool but the sunshine on our shoulders was pleasant.

We visited the shops, thought about coffee and cake and then thought again and thought best not!

Watching the birds

Birthday girl and her Banny. I am stoked with the closeness of this relationship. Cheyenne adores her grandmother and treasures all the time she gets with her, just soaking up every little moment.

Cai has been relishing her affection too and lapping up lots of cuddles.

 (He is sitting at the table doodling on paper with her as I do this. So much for him being in bed early tonight!)

Self exercising, chasing seagulls, chucked his toys out big time when I said time to go!

Birthday Girl

We are a few days early but it is Cheyenne's first actual birthday at home in NZ this year so I let her invite 3 friends and did the party thing for her. We set up a girls space under the table with fairy lights and all my back drop material. A mirror, pillows, satin sheets on the floor, craft stuff and make up.

Cai got stuck into the make up as well. One finger went into every single colour and all rubbed onto one cheek. Looking like a mud pack there my boy ;-)

Opening her presents

Showing the girls how to do flips on the tramp. I only just taught her this two weeks ago and you should of seen the look on her face when she got it sorted. Her tail was fully wagging.

All having a bounce together, they drew all over the concrete with chalk, they took her presents out to show the horse. A couple of her friends were a little shy of the horse and stayed on the other side of the fence, was cute. I let them have the camera and now have a huge bunch of photos to sort through. There was an endless stream of giggles and secret silly girl stuff. I don't often see this side of Cheyenne, I guess having no sisters it doesn't come out at home. Pleased she gets her dose through her friends.

Her cake............ I am not the best at cakes, I have much better ideas in my head then what I can produce!! Cheyenne knew what it was sraight away though, so thats always reassuring.

The end result after 4 girls searching for the pea. Made the day for a whole flock of birds though.

This Thursday she will turn 7, I am feeling suddenly very old and made the comment to Shane this morning (after Cheyenne kindly pointing out how grey he was getting) that our kids possibly won't remember us as young.

Cheyenne, is her fathers daughter, has an answer for most everything but has him wrapped round her finger. She hates the colour pink, even though she looks pretty in it. Is not girly but can be with other girls. Can throw a punch like nothing else (watch out boys). Loves sport and is competitive (another trait of her fathers ;-)

We love her to bits and are very grateful we have a girl in our family but ever so thankful we only have one,

happy birthday our Paper Bag Princess

It's Friday

Yay it's Friday!!! Wasn't that always the statement of excitement! Now its a relief, two morning sleep ins (fingers crossed) no lunches to pack, no after school programs to be running and bustling too!! Two whole days of veging and laxing. What could be more exciting! When I think about it I can't even remember what was so exciting about the weekend back in the days, scarey to think I was soo young and carefree.

Then to think for 10 years or more there was no such thing as weekends for Shane and I, its was "yay its raining". That meant time off and sleep ins! By then we needed a sleep in, I remember working 63 days straight once!

But now that our life has a routine again, the weekends have become once more something to look forward to at the end of a week. I am carefree once again, and still young of course!

Cai trying his darndest to get his bike through the fence to go for a ride with Neigh

Just relaxing and hanging out in the afternoon sun on a Friday

Love these moments and LOVE a Friday

Have a great weekend all x

Hair

My son has a thing for hair, ever since I can remember him learning to grip. He would play with my hair breastfeeding. Then a comfort when sucking his thumb. We found we could replace my hair with "my little pony's". Which he has a stash all over the place. Theres always about 5 in his bed, we seem to have inherited them from a round abouts, various people handing them on to get rid of them. Seves a purpose for us though.

This is the next solution, so he doesn't have to have a pony, or me continously, I have taken to tying his hair up, usually just on the left side and he has a hold of hair while sucking his thumb. Works a treat, but his father will no doubt not be very impressed when he returns from Aussie :(

We'll just deal with it as it comes, lol (any suggestions????)

Riverton Run

Another sunny Thursday while Cody is at music, another run was the plan. So from the town, wayyyy down the bottom there to the lookout we ran/walked. A bit steep at times to enjoy pushing a pram so it was reduced to a walk. My arms were like jelly to be honest :(

This was the end result though, an amazing view along towards Colac bay, facing West. Our place is that way a bit further round. The last part was not so easy going with a pram at all, a very narrow climbing track with lots of tight corners. I really failed then ;) The view was right round, Stewart Island was nice and clear, Invercargill can you believe was in a heat haze, or maybe it was just sea spray :) and the Riverton harbour back round behind us. I must bring the other pair up here one day for a look.

Cai had a wander back down the track to the main lookout carpark, where he was returned to the pram for the return run back to town and classes to get Cody.

Funnies

Heres a few funnies from the last little while. Thanks to my clever witted grommies.

Today while peeling my spuds for tea, this little man sat helping me, handing me one after the other and telling me "here, here" to put them in the pot once they were peeled. Then once I had done that he would in a very gentle voice say "good boy"!!!

Last night at about 20 after 10pm, (why he was still awake goodness knows) but Cheyenne was snoring a real deep snore, really grinding some gears. Cai lay there trying to make the same noise. I had to stop from cracking up out loud but eventually he snored himself to sleep.

Cheyenne on the other hand has handed me a few jaw droppers, while getting dressed a week back, obviously she had not seen me in a thong (g string you Aussies) since before pregnant with Cai and can't remember that far back. She asked me if they were new knickers, "no" I replied to which she replied, "didn't think so because they have got too small for you". She told me the same thing the next day when walking in and catching me out in another pair, so then I told her they were meant to be like that damn it all!!!

'but whhhyyyy...."

Then theres this one, is not to be taken the wrong way but while watching the Olympics, badminton to be exact, she informed me with her broad range of knowledge why so many Asians ( that she had noticed in the audience) wore glasses (seeing glasses). Her reason as she demonstrated by pulling her eyes just about shut was because their eyes are like this!!! Some more explaining was in order!

Then theres my own taunt, today while running I realised that when swapping the arm that pushes the pram, the one that lets go makes a noise like a pebble (no maybe a bigger stone) dropping in a pond, obviously everything is flopp-a-lious, so I am apologising in advance for tomorrow girls. Because when you hear the plopping sound while we are running, its just my arm flab ;)

The joys of an aging body.

Hope you all got a super sunny day like we did today, as you can see, my gnome roamed once again.

Wakapatu

We seem to love time at the beach, even if we aren't there to get a feed. It has to be a case of if you don't use it you loose it, no thats not quite right but you never appreciate what you have til its gone. I don't understand living next to something so beautiful and not getting out to enjoy it.

This is the original play station.

 I made an executive decision today as soon as the sun appeared that we'd do something fun together. My lovely neighbour informed me that they were heading to Whakapatu, so I made another executive decision that we would join them! Somehow I knew none of my groms would complain. In fact once there, I barely saw them. And the truck somehow was stocked up on shells to come home again with.......thanks to Cody mainly!

A quick examine of a stone,

then off,

the gnome is on the roam again.

Or maybe its just follow the leader :)

Thank you Kirsty for the fun x

The running track

Ok after a very motivating chat to Mrs Vest this morning I got my butt into gear and headed out on my usual running track.

I have photographed my route for Kylie and Melissa to see :)

This is a real rough patch in the track, this is part of the farm that I run through to get to the gravel road I run up, makes hard work pushing the pram through it and Cai gets a real bumpy ride. Soon enough there will 1200 cows passing over it twice a day to the cowshed and I will not be running it as it will be too thick in crap! Make the most of it while I got it.

 Another gorgeous day, the two tanks right on the horizon of this next pic is where I like to run to when I don't have a pram to push!!! Its a good climb but I am not keen on attempting it with a pram.

This one shows the road I go on up after turning off the farm, down this hill and on up the valley. If I go to the first bridge and home it is a 7km run, the 2nd bridge is a 8km run. Today I went on up another half a km which gave me a 9km return run. Cai will last roughly 10kms and gets over it. If I go right up the valley and home again I get in 15kms. Once again only done when I can go kid free.

Coming back down the valley to the 2nd bridge and you can see one of the 3 quarry trucks coming down the road that we had to share the road with today!! They pasted us twice each!! Worked in my favor for Cai though, he enjoyed the trucks, I not so much enjoyed the dust!

This one shows the only real mental challenge I get when pushing Cai, getting to the top without stopping to a walk. Which I can do but I am sweating by the time I get there :)

The peak is just on the horizon.

We also had to share the track on the way home with some heifers.

Which stopped to say Hi to Cai

Then the last leg, down hill to home, and the best part of the view.

We hardly have any snow at all on the mountains!

So I got a few little breathers in today, with stops for photos, trucks going past & cows, but thank you Melissa for getting me off my butt and out the door today, feel much better for it xx

Home :)

      Then straight  out to say Hi to Neigh
    Home again, home again, jiggety jig