It's a Boy!!!!

Yahoo - my sister had her scan today (20 weeks I think??) and because she hates surprises as much as I do they found out!!! Gosh, am SO excited, off shopping tomorrow now that I know what 'colour scheme' I am shopping for!! Roll on September!!!

This is very cute and I don't even like country music!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5zlf2cxj98

Favourite childhood character...........

We have been invited to a party where you have to go dressed as your favourite childhood character...... I must admit I really had to sit down and think about this one as I couldn't honestly say right off what my favourite was. Barbie, Fleur, My Little Pony all featured among numerous others or 'phase' while I was growing up!! I was never really loyal to any particular one to be honest, even now kids are constantly inundated with the latest toys all the time, and that is one thing that hasn't changed from when I was a kid!!

So after talking with my hubby and talking to Mum (who told me that I used to love the muppets but could only manage 'mummets' lol!!) I remembered that there was a toy I did LOVE for a while and it was STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!!!!! Gosh I used to love the smell of her and Blueberry her wee friend I also had, Mum said I was pretty possessive of both of them as well!!!! I googled Strawberry Shortcake dressup and found the site Wear it Out which has some pretty amazing costumes - apparently they are really busy with the Wellington 7's when they are on each year!!!! And here's the outfit.............. Unfortunately I don't look like the model lol but the lady assured me that the dress with a petticoat underneath will not be that short!! Anyway I can always pull the stockings up!!!

Aaron didn't take 5 minutes to decide at all, his heroes from when he was a small lad has never changed, the fact that the costume was so simple to wear also helped I think!

I can't wait for the photos from the party as I think this is a definite layout for my Book of Me!!! Feel free to leave a comment with who your favourite childhood character!!!

End of an era .......

So long time no blog - the last couple of weeks have been so very sad and I make no apology for the sad post that is to follow, I need to get some things down and out of my head and my blog seems a great place to do that..............

My grandad, who I was privileged to have in my life for 32 years passed away on the 20th April 2009. I wish I could say his last days were happy, but they weren't really, I think he finally gave up - heartbreaking to see and frustrating not to be able to stop him. He had a stroke at the beginning of January and up until 10 days before he died, seemed to be making good progress, enough that a rest home was found for him and arrangements made to leave the rehab unit at the hospital. And that's where it all kind of went downhill.................

He only spent 5 nights there before collapsing and being taken to hospital on the Wednesday evening before he died on the Sunday, we were told Thursday that any family members who needed to travel to see him should get home asap and on Friday, they turned off the fluids and antibugs. He had a mass on his chest, the biopsy to determine what it was, would kill him so we simply had to wait and hope. Friday saw the arrival of all our family from everywhere it seemed, overseas and here in New Zealand, and what followed was a bizarre combination of laughter, tears and silent moments.

I truly think the nurses at the hospital thought we had all shifted in as we were all there constantly in some sort of strange roster that evolved without us arranging it so Grandad wasn't ever alone.
He was permanently on oxygen by then and while he slept alot he was also awake a lot and even in his final hours, his memory of days gone by was as true as ever. Saturday is the day I remember most vividly, the doctors had told us he was on the home stretch, and we all crowded into his room for the best of the day and it was the most amazing thing to listen to my mother, two aunties and uncle (Grandad's children) talk about their childhoods with Grandad, living on the farm as they did and then beyond childhood - I learnt more about my immediate family in those 8 hours than I have in years and I think it was the fact we were there that kept Grandad going, although he did ask several times "when this show going to get on the road"!!!!!! I also laughed alot at some of the stories (My mother was quite resourceful in her younger years let me tell you!! lol) The hardest part was the one time he cried, I think my heart quite literally broke and he knew he was dying but had a strange calm about him none the less..............

My sister and I were the last ones to see him, we offered to do the 10pm to 2.00am shift, I fed him some icecream which he enjoyed immensley and then the nurses gave him some sleeping drops which eventually worked about 1am. Amber and I decided to leave early as he was sleeping so peacefully for the first time in days so we cancelled the 'night shift' who were coming to relieve us........
Getting to sleep when I got home was near impossible but must have eventually dropped off as I was woken by my cellphone ringing at 7.10am, it was Mum and it was the saddest news, Grandad passed sometime between 6-7am on Sunday morning. Both Amber and I felt terrible about leaving him but the lovely nurse who had been looking after him told us that often people wait until they are on their own to leave us, whether that's true or not I don't know but knowing Grandad as I did, I think she is probably not far wrong.

I went to the hospital to say goodbye and it was amazing how peaceful Grandad looked, and I felt relief for him but immense sadness as well. We all spent time with him and then I came home and slept for a few hours but then all the planning begins for his funeral so you summon up the energy and help where you can.

We held his funeral on the Thursday, and without bias can honestly say it was an amazing tribute to an amazing life, something that many of the people there expressed as well. The RSA were involved with Grandad being a returned serviceman and I cannot express how much their involvement added to the whole day- the respect paid to Grandad by both the RSA servicement who conducted their part of the ceremony and the ex-servicemen who placed a poppy on the casket was extremely moving as was the last post which was played - Grandad was completely deserving of all the fuss although I know he would have been embarassed by all the attention.

My sister spoke (how she managed it I will never know) and then the slide show of Grandad's life set to some of his favourite music really upset me but in a good way if that makes sense???? So here we are, over a week since he passed and it doesn't feel like it happened, almost like I read a book or watched it on TV and that's how I know about it, strange really. I have no idea when it will 'hit' me that he is really no longer here, that the kids no longer can see Grandad Ian and there will be no more 'Grandpoppa" for me, gosh losing a loved one leaves a massive hole in your life.

The one thing I have taken from the experience is how much Grandad was loved and respected, his funeral was very large which is humbling as so many of his friends have passed on before him - he would have been 89 in July this year and had enjoyed such good health prior to the stroke. I think giving up was an easy decision in some ways for him, he missed Nana so much and she passed in 1997 so I think he will be so pleased they are back together.

Miss you forever Grandpoppa.............

Friday is the day..........

Big reveal over at SBO - not sure what or why but stay tuned by visiting them here.................... Not sure about you but I love suprises so will be interesting to see what unfolds!

Expecting.......................

A niece or nephew in September - sooo excited and thrilled for both my sister and her fiance Hayden!!!! I'm going to be an Aunty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Weekend In Wanaka.........

We spent last weekend in Wanaka - the annual A&P show (second biggest in the South Island so hubby tells me!!) The weather was AMAZING and not having spent alot of time in Wanaka, really enjoyed the place. It was insanely busy as the 2 day show was on plus the Icebreaker Mototapu Mountainbike/Run Race was on (runs through Shania Twains big property) so plenty of people around!!

The kids had a great time at the show (as did Mum who was very impressed with all the different clothes and homeware tents lol) and there was so much to see! Max loved watching the horse jumping as he is currently in a 'horse' phase and these are his fav toys to play with and lines them all up in a row here at home!!

A few photos from the weekend.........

Paige on the vertical bungy!

Millie loved the vertical bungy, even wee Paige had a go but her legs just didn't have enough jump in them and the lady had to keep bouncing here lol!!

Max LOVED being in the fire engine with dad!! Needless to say he did NOT want to get out.

Boo - I see you Mum he was saying on the big dinosaur slide at the park.

Millie was determined to give me a heart attack climbing this rope tower - eeek!!!

Picnic on the waterfront - yummo!!!

Mrs Frizz - this photo is for you, damn things wouldn't go away lol!!

The entrance to the toilets at Puzzle World, a mural depicting Roman toilets, and then they had

replica ones, they apparently used a toilet brush looking thing instead of toilet paper according to the sign inside the door - gross!!!

Inside the illusion room, one side is smaller than the other, kids loved it!!

Looking through the illusion room!

Max in the off balance room, really hard to walk in as you can see from Max!! This room really plays havoc with your sense of balance and I actually felt like being sick.

Millie 'holding up' the clock tower at Puzzle World which is on even more of a lean than the Leaning Tower of Pisa apparently, the clock in the top goes backwards!