The Long Weekend

Our four day weekend went by in a flash, as it always does when there's lots you want to do. We spent much of the time gardening and cleaning the swimming pool, and also catching up with friends for dinner one night.  

I finished some more ornament stitching, two of the 2013 Flora McSample ornaments.

Vegetable seedlings mostly all planted, perfect timing for the rainy afternoon we had on Monday.

Planted up several pots for the deck, impatients, lobelia, petunias, all reds and apricots for this summer.

This petunia is called Cha Ching

this little sunbells petunia is called Spicy.

Our snowball trees are now covered with very white snowballs (poms poms).

I'll be back soon with some Christmas ornaments finishes xx

Easter 2014

I hope you had a lovely Easter. Our four day break just flew by and it's now back to work this week for just three days as there's a public holiday for ANZAC day this Friday. Hannah is now on school holidays for the next two weeks and she is happily spending her days at my Auntie's with the other children.

We didn't have any set plans for Easter, or for the first time in ages, have any family staying but as always, there was plenty to do.  Our break started with heavy showers and then out came the sun and then more downpours late Saturday afternoon.




Hannah had her cousins come for an Easter egg hunt on Sunday followed by morning tea. Notice Poppy getting in there too.

Glenn put the floor down in the kitchen and we're very pleased with how it turned out.

Over the past few weeks I have done a little bit of Easter stitching, and also made a gift for Kath for our annual Easter exchange so more photos to come of these tomorrow.

Birthday Surprises

Last Wednesday I celebrated my 40th birthday and what a wonderful day I had, receiving lots of gorgeous gifts from my family and friends and a few surprises too, including this gorgeous cake hand delivered by my cousin Donna.

I'd been saying for ages I wasn't going to plan a party, especially after the kitchen renovation, and I have two trips to Australia coming up later this year (more about that another time) so I was happy just to have a few glasses of bubbles and Indian takeaways for tea:) I had no idea that Glenn, Mum and Donna had been plotting for ages, organising an afternoon tea with some my friends and family. Donna had bought everything with her - the cake, decorations and all the food, she is a great party planner that girl :)

Beautiful flowers from Miss H

This lovely bunch was from my parents and in-laws

This glass was just perfect for my bubbles!

Donna had made this neat canvas for everyone to sign.

The birthday celebrations were continued on Saturday as Hannah, DH and I went out for the day, for some shopping and then DH treated us out to lunch at Off the Track. I can see this becoming our new favourite resturant. Our meals were delicious and it's in such a lovely setting, complete with a playground and trampoline for kids.

Many thanks for the comments about our new kitchen!

Family Beach Weekend

Forty minutes drive away from home is this gorgeous beach and last weekend we stayed there with my family.  It was my niece Zoe's 13th birthday on Friday, gee, that makes me feel old!

A red velvet birthday cake to celebrate complete with 13 sparkly candles! 

We stayed on my Dad's friends' farm, only a few minutes walk down to the beach.

Hannah had so much fun, making sandcastles and seaweed creations all afternoon.

Enjoying the sea air and sunshine - we were all so tired out Saturday night it was early nights for everyone!

We've already planned the next beach weekend, and booked some time out there during next summer!

Enjoy your weekend!

This Weekend

This weekend Glenn, Hannah and I had a spur of the moment trip to Wellington. We jumped in the car about 3pm in the afternoon, arriving in Wellington early Saturday evening.  We'd booked a motel room before we left home and after checking in, we had a walk around the City Centre before going to our favourite place for dinner. 

Sunday morning we were up bright and early, and had a delicious brunch along the waterfront and browsed the Harbourside Market.  

Then we jumped in the car and headed to the park at Island Bay, what a stunning view from the park.

Around a bit further around  is Owhiro Bay, another spot we like to visit when we're in Wellington.

We had a couple of hours to fill in while we waited for Glenn's Dad to be discharged from Wellington hospital, the reason for our quick trip, so we visited Te Papa Muesum, and had a walk along the waterfront to the Lambton Quay shops, just happening to find the Nespresso boutique shop.  Of course we had to stock up on a few of our favourite capsules.

Soon it was time to head home and back to our messy house, lol.

This was the state of our kitchen before the electrician came and Glenn started fitting the new joinery on Friday afternoon!

Tomorrow the bench top is being measured up and then the electrician is coming back to do the wiring for the oven later in the week.  I'll be back with some more progress pics soon!

Wedding Gift and Back to School

I have been stitching on a small design which I'm intending to give to Vanessa and Daniel, I don't know why I've only just started it, I could have during my holiday break - too many other things to do, lol.

Hannah started back at school on Monday and she was so happy, she loves school, no problems there.

I took her into her new classroom to meet her teacher for this year, she is really nice, I think Hannah will have a great year with her.

Have a fun weekend!

A Beautiful Wedding

This weekend we were excited to celebrate the wedding of my lovely cousin Vanessa to Daniel. Their wedding service took place in the garden at Oruawharo Homestead, just out of town, a beautifully restored grand house that even has its own historic church. This is where the reception was held and you can see more photos of this wonderful venue here.

The weather hadn't been the best the morning of the wedding but by the time the ceremony started the sky had cleared and there wasn't a cloud in sight.  Hannah and my niece Zoe were in the bridal party and had been so excited in the days leading up to Saturday. All the bridal party looked wonderful and Vanessa was a beautiful bride.

So now for some photos!

It was an amazing day, full of love and we all had a fabulous time.

My Uncle's 50th

On Saturday night we celebrated my uncle's 50th birthday at our house with a typical kiwi summer time barbeque, lots of family, great food and plenty of cold beer and bubbles!

My uncle and his family have lived in Melbourne for many years now but he wanted to spend his birthday with his kiwi family in his hometown. There were about 35 of our Ross family members (my Mum's side of the family) including aunties, uncles, cousins, second cousins etc, and what a blast we had.

My talented cousin Donna made the cake, it was a Tui beer bottle top, and it tasted delicious too.

The menu for the night included scallops, vension, the whopper crayfish below, lamb chops, sausages, beef patties and lots of delicious salads.

 Speech time

I had lots of fun sorting through some family albums to make up a photo board and putting together other family mementos.

Great fun catching up with my lovely cousins

My little family

Hannah had a wonderful time playing with all her kiwi and aussie cousins

 Lots of family photos were taken - some of my cousins and that's not even half of us!

 My Mum and all her brothers and sisters, two of her siblings couldn't make it

Talk about lots of laughs, some of us sat around our pool until the early hours of the morning telling stories and reminiscing, good times :)

We all get together again this coming Saturday for my cousin Vanessa's wedding - Hannah is the flower girl and she can't wait to get dressed up and have her hair done, and wear some pretty sparkly shoes.  It will be another wonderful family occasion and I can't wait!