The Army Party

Eli wanted his party at the airforce museum. It was great. They learnt to salute, march, do PT, jump out of planes etc. Fantastic boys stuff. The person leading the party was not amused when the boys kept talking of the "army party" they were having. She kept having to say AIRFORCE!!!

He Turns Five

Yes Eli is now five. Pictures of the very cool bike that Gran and Pop gave him and the birthday cake that we made.

The school holidays

As usual the boys get up to interesting things. This school holidays it was all about pirates. They spent $2 and for that they got a gun, an eye patch and a pirate earring. Eli then discovered a wet suit in the cupboard and kept insisting that we go swimming in the sea. He gave great demo's of how he would dive into the water

My Quilting Day

Two weekends ago when Aaron was in the USA I got a chance to go on a course with two amazing ladies from Australia.

Rosalie Quinlan from Melly and Me fame and also her own designs.www.rosaliequinlandesigns.typepad.com and another lady that she works with heaps - Leanne.

These ladies are amazing. I had the most amazing day. Learnt lots, how to needleturn applique,how to balance a quilt that you are designing. Anyway it was thrilling. I will have pictures of my projects on here in the future.

But until then here are a couple

of pictures of their stuff.

Eli's school visit

Well Eli has been going to Kaiapoi North for school visits. But he will not wear his normal clothes and has to wear his uniform. Here is Mr independant - I had to deal with something for Jakob and Eli took his lunchbox off me and said"you go and deal with Jakob, I will go to my class". Off he went. When the bell went I got back to the classroom and there he was, on the mat ready to go.

Recession Busters - The big revamp

ell this month we all started with an object from home to redo or from an opshop.

Kylie had a duvet from Save Mart that she turned into a cover for her enormous floor cushions. Very canny it was too as she left the bottom with the domes to take it off and on the cushion for washing and just cut it down the other three sides. She was the first to finish - but yet again my camera went --------- and the finished article shot was corrupted. I think the card is corrupt at that point as it has happened before at the same number of photos.

Paula bought a gorgeous blind from the "free shop" took all the stitching out, washed it and turned it into a gorgeous floor cushion cover with lovely backing. As not having sewn for many many years it was great to see the finished article at the end of the night.

Steff started with a bit of left over curtain material from her bedroom and commenced her first ever Roman Blind - not something that you can finish in a night (unless you are some kind of wonder woman!!!)

Penny started with shirt/dress that she loved. Got rid of the shirt style bottom and made is straight. Made a cummerbund belt out of a different colour for the waist (looked almost japanese like) and was still doing bits as we left. So no finished photos.

I started with a table cloth I got for $3 at the local opshop and turned it into an apron in a style that I had seen last Xmas at a shop in Thames. the pocket had to be sewn on at home the next day - just pined in these photos.

I have missed one person's efforts altogether but she was knitting. We were all impressed and I will keep you in suspense until we get to see the finished article and try it ourselves.

 

recession busters - the slippers

Well a month later the slippers were either a hit or a flop. Well not literally. We all loved the slippers. Now there are small kids ones being made, ones for aunties, neices, sons, the list goes on............. Some of us are knitters and some are not but we all had a go.

Next up - watch this space for a gorgeous head warmer for girls, not quite a hat  - this was started being knitted by Kylie's mum when we were sewing this week and I am waiting with baited breath for the pattern.

the boys going to bed

I was in the middle of watching a programme on TV the other night so told the boys to get into bed and they could read a book until I came to tuck them in.

I went looking for Jakob and he was not in bed. About to get angry at him I went in to see Eli and look what I found. Now how can you get upset with that?

Gorgeous soup from the winter garden.

I love bacon, barley and bay soup. So picked all the veges from the garden and made a delicious soup. What a good haul from a garden in winter. The fejoas make a gorgeous after soup snack.

Foraging - Waikari - Northern Canterbury

While on the railway walkway in Waikari I found an apple tree and what could either be a pear or an apple - i will have to study up on what trees look like!! Often along railway lines there used to be fruit trees springing up. From passengers eating fruit and then throwing the cores out the window.

Hodgie Podgie day

2 years ago we created our own family tradition. When we set a Hodgie Podgie day we have a direction only that we go in. There is no destination set and no time set. Anyone has the right to yell "Hodgie Podgie" if there is something interesting they want to do or see or turn off to. The kids have as much right as an adult.

This has gotten us to see some amazing things in our areas and have some absolutely awesome days. Winter we always take the thermette and hot drink things and bread for toasting over the fire. Summer we always take togs etc.

We have headed to Hanmer and ended up staying a night, we have gone Akaroa way, we have headed into South and gotten as far as Ashburton, We have gone north and ended up at Gore Bay.

Today we headed towards Hawarden. We often drive pass the turn off and have never gone exploring. First Hodgie Podgie call out was Waipara as I had heard about a place that had railway carraiges to sleep in. What a find! http://www.waiparasleepers.co.nz/ . After a good look there we continued driving to the next little settlement. There we walked the old railway walk through the back of the town and then came back via the road, had an icecream and then went toward Hawarden. From there we went towards Lake Sumner but the gravel windy road that we thought would take 20 mins to half an hour was at least three times that long. So once we hit the south branch of the Hurunui we stopped for hot food. (it was meant to be lunch but it was 3pm).

We came back via a back road that came out near State Highway 7 and the Hurunui Pub and had a pub dinner $9.90 roast and came home. Excellent fun day out.