Happy New Year!

I realize I'm neglecting this blog more and more,but other things take priority. :)

Like this teddybear cake for example. Keith turned 3 late December!  He really liked his cake actually all the children liked it.

 Here he is playing with one of his gifts.

 The weather has finally turned warm enough to eat outside!  Nice to have a change!  The tablecloths are being put to use a lot more now. :)

A quick pic of us in the van...or some of us.  We were up at Omana this week for a few hours.  Beautiful scenery as usual.

And yes I need to take more pictures. :)  Sorry!

The communion here is coming up shortly and I'm trying hard to have most of my main meals for the weekend ready and frozen.  I like to be prepared ahead of time and not do everything last minute.  The children are looking forward to company, well most of them are anyways!  Amelia is a bit of a chatter box in the house so she looks forward to chattering away to the guests I'm sure!  She also can't wait to start school again!  Funny how that is! The girl enjoys learning, I like that. That is the way learning should be for the most part, or at least I'd like to keep it that way for a long time. The boys I think would like to play a lot more, which seems typical of boys really, although Owen was asking for his Maths earlier this week.

Jett is on his way home from the Youth Conference in Sydney, Australia.  He reports it went very well. 

Short update I know, hopefully I'll put more effort into the next one all being well. 

Oh and by the way, Happy New Year from us in beautiful New Zealand!

Very thankful!

Just a quick note, that this morning Immigration called stating they only need my birth certificate and a few things the doctor missed on my medical.  They said my application has been lodged and therefore the police certificates aren't "expired".  This is very good news!  As it would've taken a lot of time and money to get these all sorted.  The Lord is very merciful!

Where have we gone!?

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted last!  I have thought of just getting rid of the blog if I can't keep up with it....but I guess some still read this so it would be kind of sad for them (especially family).  Anyways, we'll see how we get on.  :)  

Life is generally busy here, sometimes crazy busy!  In the past couple of months we've applied for permanent residence and are still waiting on that.  We've run into some issues with myself (haha, it is always me) and my birth certificate is not long form (oh no!) so I've had to apply for the long form from Canada and it still hasn't come in the mail.  This means my PR hasn't been lodged yet which probably means all of my documents that have expiry dates (such as the medical, and police certificates) start expiring...like my American one has last Sat! This is frustrating to say the least, because of all times, the US has to change their system just recently and now are dealing with delays which means it will take approximately 12weeks to process a new police certificate which means another certificate expires, the medical and well you get the picture.  Yes, this is a major headache and all for a birth certificate I have never seen and have never needed until now!  I even got my PR status with the US with the birth certificate that I currently have. :) I may have a *little* extra unwanted stress.  Please pray for us!

In the meantime, enjoy the following pictures our short trip to Tauranga last weekend.

Some of the kids enjoyed the tub.  It had jets and stuff which Keith promptly named "belly-buttons" so cute.

Keith & Daddy having a wee nap.

Just before bed!

Near the Mount.

On our way home we stopped in Paeroa where L&P came from.

The oldest two have simming lessons once a week maybe Owen will soon too? All of my kids enjoy the water! Here they are dressed in their togs (Kiwi for swim suits).

My, this boy is cute. He is so quick to want to "fix" things even though he has no idea how to...he thinks the chair was broken and needed fixing.  He is also quick to pull out the screw driver when he sees any handles loose on my pots. :)

Old sheets and table = hammocks or reading spaces for little boys.

This boy reeeeally liked it!

Only a couple more weeks of school and then holidays Hurrah!! :)

Update # 2 - Field trip to MOTAT

Yesterday we went to the MOTAT (Museum of Transport and Technology).  It was Jett's first time but the rest of us our second time.  It was pretty interesting, and the kids enjoyed all the hands on stuff (VERY important for my youngest two).  We also got to ride on the Tram to the second building which holds the aviation exhibits. 

Playing music... :)

This is probably the second greatest thing at MOTAT...the earthquake simulator!  A you can see they enjoyed it maybe I bit too much?  Wouldn't want to feel are real earthquake!

Thy had two cars...or half of them for littlies to climb in an pretend to drive. 

Our next car maybe? Just kidding. 

The first thing that greats you in the aviation wing is this massive bomber plane from WW2.  I think it was a Lancaster Bomber.  

Costumes to try on. Notice the *very* American bomber jacket.  :)

Look it's Amelia Earhart, no I mean Amelia Smith! Just happens to be they both were born on July 24th.  We didn't know that though, we just liked the name. 

 Captain Owen! :)

Update #1 - Clip n Climb, Piha, Sickness, Oranges and the like.

It seems like ages since I posted last or maybe it's just that I have more to post since last time?  Hmm...maybe the latter.  For one of the Campbell boys (I think it was John) a large group went to Clip n Climb for his birthday.  Daddy and Aaron went along.

Bryce, Peter, Aaron, and John

He obviously enjoyed himself very much!!

 

We went to Piha one Monday ago. Gorgeous, however it was cold, and windy.

 

 

Lion Rock in the background

A little wind swept I guess!

 Our orange tree produced a lot of fruit this year, which reminds me I need to juice some more.  Below is just a quarter of what I picked off the tree and there is still a small bag full yet to pick!

I haven't started on my lemon tree yet, it is (thankfully) smaller...and there is the mandarin tree too!  But it is so nice to be able to eat your own organic fruit!  :)

The oranges and lemons have come in handy since we've all caught some form of a flu.  All of the children have had fevers, earaches, sore throats, coughing, chills, and they are still trying to get over it.  Jett had it a week ago and is finally getting over it.   It was several days of checking temps, dispensing meds and trying to keep everybody somewhat comfortable.  Unfortunately, it happened to be the week Jett took off so yes not nice, but all a part of life.

Owen still wanted to be dressed when he was sick, but spent most of the time like this in bed!

Jett did however take some time when he wasn't feeling too poorly, to teach Aaron, and Amelia how to ride  their bikes without training wheels.  I was sceptical...but my kids always seem to surprise me.  They did really well.

 

Keith walked in one day with klompen on (probably misspelled but oh well).  They aren't for walking in so they were promptly removed, after a photo that is.He looked cute. None of the other children has tried to walk in them, so I was pleasantly surprised that he knew what they were used for.

Hurrah!  Mystery of History has arrived!  So excited to start this with the children, actually so are they!  I took a lot longer in choosing this curriculum partly because it is my favourite subject and also because I wanted something (hopefully) that would fit well with my children. 

 

Wow, this post is long and I haven't put up the MOTAT pictures...perhaps in another update. :)

School holidays and Amelia's 8th Birthday

There are days when the kids have been cooped up too much, with perhaps too much time on their hands and they end up quarreling one with another.  Sometimes it gets too much and I say,

"Thats it! We're going for a walk!"  And even though they are half crying as I put coats/jumpers and shoes on them I figure it will be worth it...and guess what?  It was...

He doesn't look unhappy at all does he?

Or this little monkey who smiled nicely for the camera...yes he just *had*to bring this flag with him.  Thats okay. :)

30 minutes of play keeps the children happy all day!  Well, maybe. 

 They certainly were much better after a good play!  Aaron here is showing his front teeth but guess what??  Mommy accidentally(oops!!!) yanked a shirt off to hard and it loosened his front teeth so bad that I had to pull one out.  Later he asked if I could pull the other because it was bothering him...he is officially front-toothless!  He was very brave and didn't cry much at all and I might add that they were already wiggly to begin with...I just ahem helped them along...oops!

 The other boy here (Keith) has a tooth that looks like it is missing which its not but rather impacted really badly (and no it wasn't my fault this time).  He has an appointment next Friday to make steps to get it out...poor boy he is only 2 and 1/2!

 We had a lovely communion season just a week ago.  Rev Rayner and Mrs Rayner stayed with us as well as Mr Dick Vermuelen (the children love having these people come to visit and stay). Below is a picture I took of the Rayners with Mrs Macpherson.  Mrs Macphersonis a very special lady that moved to Auckland from Gisborne this year and she happens to live in Conifer Grove too.

 Amelia turned 8 on the 24th...can she really be 8 already?!  Mrs Macpherson gave her these gifts which was so sweet and Amelia thought so too!  The shirt A is wearing was a gift from the Rayners.

 Daddy and Mommy bought Amelia a toy ironing board set.

 She was very pleased with this too. :)

 Amelia wanted a bunny cake for her birthday and thankfully it was easy to make!

2014 History Fair

Last year we saw our friends with their history projects and this year we decided to do a joint project for both A&A.  We've been doing Astronomy in Science so it was easy incorporating a historical figure like Neil Armstrong for the fair!

Here is A&A with Bryce (who wanted to be in the pic too lol) with their board in the back.

And here is the board....

And Keith...who likes "Eee-ah-nots" (astronauts) and lift-offs!

This was a corner of the hall that Keith and Owen played in, thankfully someone brought toys (cars) which kept my boys busy for a good long while!  Apologies about the quality of the camera, I'm not sure what it is doing. :(

Another view of the hall with people and more projects about.

Here A&A are being judged... :)

Prize giving time!

And they got 2nd place!!  I was not expecting prizes for my children, I ust told them they would be getting a chocolate bar at the end (they give them to all the kids participating) so thi was pretty nice and special! :).

We really enjoyed learning about Neil Armstrong in the last couple of months!