Friday 15th: She loves being outside too. She wanted to sweep the tramp today.
She was pleased to be allowed to let the chooks out.
They let her get really close.
Ruth decorated a cake with fondant for the Hawarden Show tomorrow. All those photos will have to go on their own post.
Thursday 21st: Netball trials today. Unfortunately Ruth did not make the A team. Apparently the other girl who had hoped to make the A team and didn't, has decided to not even play in the B team. Well done Ruth for your positive attitude. Hopefully your hard work will pay off.
Friday 22nd: Dad helping Anastasia enjoy a ride on a scooter.
Sunday 24th: Anastasia loves dancing in the kitchen. We call her "Happy Feet".
Tuesday 26th: Ruth just loves getting cuddles from Anastasia.
Thursday 28th: Anastasia loves helping me pack Asher's Pediasure onto the shelf. She started by pulling the straws off, but eventually learnt to take the lids off too.
Ruth has been creative and making some decorations for her room.
Sunday 31st: I spotted this plant and watned to show the girls (especially Ruth). It is so unique. It just has the one flower and if you touch the leaves they die. You water it by pouring water into the middle of the plant.
BELOW: Monday 1st April: Children's photo.
Wednesday 3rd: These two had so much fun dancing on the quilt on the floor today. Something different made such a fun game for them. Asher enjoys wearing Hezekiah's old cowboy hat. Very cute.
Good jumping Asher. You jumped right out of the shot. Thursday 4th: More scooter fun with Dad.
Tuesday 26th Feb: Asher had a hospital appointment this afternoon. Anastasia came with this time and enjoyed the kitchen area in the waiting room. Asher just loves the train. We know that she needs to have some time with it before she will be happy getting weighed or seeing the doctor.
Wednesday 27th: Asher had me laughing so hard today. She was dancing for us and enjoying the fact that she was making people laugh.
ABOVE: Friday 1st March: Monthly children photo.
LEFT: Tuesday 5th March: Ruth heading off on an overnight camp. Including CAVE diving. What an opportunity. Brendon and I have been attending a Introduction to Mindfullness Course on Tuesday evenings. This was week 3 of 4. Not sure what I did with the first 2 photos. It's been really interesting. Some of the ideas have come up in different discussion in varied situation.
"What I resist persists. What I allow myself to feel will let me heal."
Most people automatically think mindfullness is emptying your mind but it's the opposite. It's being more aware of your thoughts and then controlling them. When it comes to emotions, we more often than not try to ignore or suppress our emotions, and then don't allow ourselves the needed time to properly deal with whatever has happened.
Anastasia spotted some of her pants that had been washed and wanted to put them all on. She was really layered up (more than what you can see).
Wednesday 6th: Ruth home safely from her adventures this evening and enjoying a tea party with Hezekiah and Anastasia. :-)
Thursday 7th: We managed to get a 2nd hand foosball table. The children are really enjoying it.
Friday 8th: Out there again early this morning once they were ready for school.
I just love this apple tree. Not only does it look so beautiful growing in this way, it has also been grafted from 2 different apples. So the ones on the right will ripen before the ones on the left. Such a clever idea.
Asher's legs are just growing so much that we are going to have to have her buggy adjusted. We needed to take photos so that they could "see" (without having to drive all the way out to us). So I thought I would pop this photo on to show how far those long legs are off her seat already. It's the same with her car seat. So we will get both adjusted soon.
Hezekiah's class singing in assembly today.
Saturday 9th: We were thrilled to have Richard and Bernie come for a visit this weekend. We haven't seen them since our North Island trip when Hannah was a baby. What a blessed friendship, that you can pick up after so many years and just feel so at home. What a blessing.
We took them on the lookout walk. The weather wasn't great for the view, but helpful for the walk.
Sunday 10th: Enjoying time together this evening.
Monday 11th: And then time to say goodbye. We loved having them stay and so many wonderful new memories were made (this time with the children included in those special times too). We remember all the belly aching laughs from 10 years ago, and this time it was no different. Thank you for coming.
The kids had so much fun outside this afternoon. They created different shops. Hezekiah and Logan had a plan shop. :-)
Tuesday 12th: And just like that, our Tuesday dates are over. Thank you Rachel for baby sitting.
It has been wonderful to be able to get out the house and spend some time together (40 min travel time to just chat). And we have learnt a lot too.
Saturday 16th: Asher managed to get all the iPad's in the house and got the same reading game open on each one. So 18 different words to match pictures to.
Sunday 17th: This afternoon Ruth decided to make her own face mask. She is so interested in beauty products. No idea where she gets that from (definately NOT from me).
She is so into fashion too. She was sorting through some clothes and found this skirt. She insisted I try it on. She said it made me look really modern. :-)
Monday 18th: Little Anastasia hasn't been feeling great and has a fever. She enjoyed having a cool cloth on her head. She looks really happy in the photo (she does like smiling for photos) but she spent a lot of the day just lying on me and getting extra sleep. Tuesday 19th: Sister fun.
Wednesday 20th: Flower creation in full swing for the upcoming wedding on Saturday.
Rachel is making the wedding cake for a dear friend as a wedding gift. She is much braver than me. Thursday 21st: Enjoying some time outside in the shade with Asher. She is still not 100%, and didn't even want to smile for the camera today.
Rachel did the ganache coat on the cakes today. Dark and milk chocolate on the chocolate cakes, and white chocolate on the sponge cakes.
Friday 22nd: Today was butter icing day (although the proper name for it is Swiss Meringue Buttercream). They look so good. The hardest part is going to be getting them on top of each other at the venue tomorrow.
Hannah sharing at assembly with her class. What a funny face Hannah. :-)
Saturday 23rd: Wedding day. Thankfully we had a carer watch Asher and Anastasia so that they could stay home. Anastasia's fever is finally down and she is feeling much better. A rash started today though. The photo doesn't really show it. So it's obviously not that bad. More visible on her body, but still not that easy to see on a photo. I even called the medical center as I was wondering if it could be measles (and it's a notifiable disease). They were not at all worried though. The doctor felt it was just a viral infection and because she is feeling better, there is nothing more we need to be doing.
I traveled in early with Rachel to help with the cake. They all made it there safely and Rachel did a great job of getting them stacked up. It's very hard working with butter cream covered cakes. They weren't all perfectly in the middle, but I think she did wonderfully well.
And then she added all the final touches. Well done Rachel. It was beautiful.
Rachel made Asher this beautiful cat cake for her 6th birthday today. Her birthday is tomorrow (Saturday), so we decided to celebrate today instead so she could share her cake with her class.
We always try to get a photo with the birthday child behind the cake. It was a bit more of a challenge with Asher. When she sees me arrive at school she automatically thinks it's time to go home.
A nice photo with her class.
And then when they started singing - well it was just beautiful. Her face just lit up.
She always loves singing Happy Birthday at church, so we know it's a song she loves.
Taking an opportunity for more photos in the afternoon when Dad got home. And why not light the candles again. She enjoyed the singing so much in the morning we decided we would make her happy and sing again for her.
Asher enjoys wearing Hezekiah's old cowboy hat. Very cute.
Thursday 4th: More scooter fun with Dad.
Brendon and I have been attending a Introduction to Mindfullness Course on Tuesday evenings. This was week 3 of 4. Not sure what I did with the first 2 photos. It's been really interesting. Some of the ideas have come up in different discussion in varied situation.
Anastasia spotted some of her pants that had been washed and wanted to put them all on. She was really layered up (more than what you can see).
Sunday 17th: This afternoon Ruth decided to make her own face mask. She is so interested in beauty products. No idea where she gets that from (definately NOT from me).
Tuesday 19th: Sister fun.
Thursday 21st: Enjoying some time outside in the shade with Asher. She is still not 100%, and didn't even want to smile for the camera today.
What a funny face Hannah. :-)
Saturday 23rd: Wedding day. Thankfully we had a carer watch Asher and Anastasia so that they could stay home. Anastasia's fever is finally down and she is feeling much better. A rash started today though. The photo doesn't really show it. So it's obviously not that bad.
More visible on her body, but still not that easy to see on a photo. I even called the medical center as I was wondering if it could be measles (and it's a notifiable disease). They were not at all worried though. The doctor felt it was just a viral infection and because she is feeling better, there is nothing more we need to be doing.
And then when they started singing - well it was just beautiful. Her face just lit up.
