The best cyclone ever

We headed to Fiji under threat of a cyclone, I am so into holidaying in a cyclone!! 33 deg Celsius every day. Amazing place to stay. Got seriously caught out with the heat and Sun though. A day trip out to an island and swimming in the sea all day has left me feeling like the worst parent ever. The boys got serious sunburn on their shoulders. For the first time ever I am more than looking forward to a day of rain

Family Fun

On the weekend the boys made the biggest hut ever!! The entire lounge was gone. I got shot while I was taking these shots. Then I was informed they had a food hatch and biscuits and chips would be acceptable, 

It was hard getting photos due to being shot all the time. So I went outside and took a photo from the outside in. The boys had not thought about the winder and it was quite funny.

We all went to the Cheviot spring festival. I stayed behind as I was attending a gardening lecture. The boys went over to Gore Bay and got soaking wet and had a fab boys day. 

Making toast and drinking hot apple cider. 

Playing dodgem with the waves, the waves won!! 

Great family weekend away

Eli decided to carry the big 20kg pack

We took the Coastal Pacific train from Rangiora to Kaikoura, spent two nights and then took the train back home again. A great start to the school holidays. The train is such a smooth trip it is a shame NZ doesn't have more of a rail network.

Waiting at the train station

Aaron spent quite a big of time being sick in bed

If he wasn't in bed then he was here. Two lovely warm spa pools. The
boys spent time in the spa's but also the normal pool. Brrr 26 oC.

Rather than going walking with me the boys spent time putting
their bodies on the line

We had a gorgeous hot Saturday, rainy cold and snowy Sunday
 and cold but clear Monday

On Monday I found a walk in the Dunes by the beach.
Rugged up tight as the wind of the snow was freezing!!

Awesome family day

Today the weather was super cold but we had a lovely time after church. Got Eli's birthday present from the Mall, went out to lunch on a voucher that I won at a quizz night. (sat next to Owen Franks the Allblack). Then ended up with a punt on the Avon River. The wonderful people gave us blankets and hot water bottles to keep us warm.
These photos are a few selfies we took.

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Poo and Pine Cones - every girls dream

Well it goes a long way with me. Pine cones to start those fires that keep me warm in the winter or in the hot tub, and some cow poo that will settle down in the compost and end up in the garden growing my summer food.

Today I collected bags of both stuff.

This blog post could have been titled "the Big Clean Up" - but that is too boring a title. We all went out to my sisters farm as the big storm last week took down 20 macrocapa trees alone their fence line. And they were let off lightly compared to some. Driving past peoples blocks of trees that is their retirement fund and seeing them smashed to the ground is pretty sad.

Anyway out we went with chainsaws and gloves. There are going to be many weekends of chainsawing and wood stacking going on there. The bonus being that there is firewood now for the next 10 years (I kid you not).

Anyway a lovely day out, very satisfying seeing the area that we cleaned up. Piles of wood, the kids had fun... all in all a great Saturday.

Cosy at home on this cold day.

After a lovely cruisey morning with coffee in bed I I went and started doing the glasshouse but my hands just got too cold. So back inside and made some Olive and Pesto Flat bread and had a family game of Monopoly - as usual Aaron had the monopoly on the game from the start. I was the first person bankrupt! But a great family day indoors.

Tea for family time

Today when Aaron came home we all had tea. I really felt like an English tea but did not have the omph to get all the food done. It was later than it should have been - 5.15pm. We had Earl Grey tea and fresh pikelets (for those of you who are American this is drop scones), with three jams and whipped cream.
The boys and I had been busy outside, I finished removing the turf for my new strawberry bed and was hungry and exhausted. Aaron is away for work over the weekend. I thought tea would be good as a family catch up. It meant I could go and have a rest for an hour and now I am preparing a late dinner.

We all enjoyed it immensely.

My Pikelet recipe 
This makes quite a thick mixture which results in lovely puffy pikelets
1 C milk with 2tsp white vinegar in it to sour it

In a bowl put 2 C flour, 6 Tablespoons sugar, 2tsp Baking Powder, 1tsp Baking soda, pinch salt. Sift it. Into that put 2 eggs and the milk. Mix to a smooth batter. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and mix in. Cook on a gridle or heavy based fry pan. Spoon on and when bubbles appear flip them over. Eat warm.

Jakob cooking the Pikelets