I'm Back

What seems like a marathon of travelling all over the North Island during this holiday break is finally over, and we have been enjoying the last couple of days, sleeping in our own beds and lazing around on our own couches.

It started with Christmas in Taupo, with Mike's family.

All kinds of yummy treats to eat.... I made some peppermint bark: recipe here.... Though I eat it all before I could even think about taking a photo..... Yum!

Yummy homemade sausages made by Mike.... love watching him link the sausages into these chains... my clever man! 

Santa delivered lots of goodies, including a remote control helicopter for Little J.... which was continually bashed into the ceiling over and over again... it didn't last long! lol

All the handmade goodies were well received and their new  christmas pjay shorts were worn throughout the holiday, I had to nab them off them when they weren't looking to give them a wash.... they actually were wearing them like everyday shorts! I never expected they would like them that much!

Boxing day we headed to Auckland to stay with Mum for a few days.... we spent that, chilling out the back in Mums beautiful garden... her Hollyhocks were HUGE this year.

And the kids enjoyed alot of this time, climbing their favourite fejoa tree

We also managed to make it to the zoo... it was forecast for rain... but we were lucky that it held out for the entire time, especially since it was Lil Misses first visit.

Its been a couple of years since we last came, and there is always something new to see.  We especially loved the new Kiwi House, we got a really good view of a couple of Kiwi's.

As a extra bonus, we got a chance to see Burma having a walk through the zoo

And of all places I never expected to bump into Cat from Catalina's Cottage.... but there she was, standing right next to me, while we looked at the Golden Lion Tamarins...lol

A few days later we packed into the car again and headed over to Pauanui to catch up with my best friend and her family for New Years.... they had come over to visit from England with their first baby.. he was such a cutie and it was lovely seeing them as  new parents.

They are so much more 'on to it' than I was  :)

 The weather however had another idea....

the sun never came out and it was torrential rain.

However despite this, we managed a quick dip in the sea, and a couple of quick walks when we thought the rain had finally run out.  And for the rest of the time, good company and a couple of board games  was enough to keep us entertained. 

As for Lil Miss she kept herself happy, hugging anyone in sight!

Is it still called being clingy, if she wants to cuddle everyone?

Now we're back home, and settling into a routine again.

The garden is a jungle that needs taming... the peas are plentiful, alot of the brocolli has gone to flowers... and the grass is knee high!

But amongst it all, my flowers are in full bloom...

I love fresh flowers in the house

2012 is a big year for us..... in only a few weeks, we move from a large 4 bedroom 1920's bungalow by the mountains, to a

2 bedroom 1970's house in need of alot of TLC and a extension ( one day ) on a 5 acre plot in Northland by the beach.!

I must admit as the weeks clock by, my nerves are getting the best of me.... there's so much to do, to plan, and to think about.... this may be a stressful couple of months.... but, deep down, I know it's for the better.
I just need to focus on looking forward to being closer to Mum and my friends....making new friends, enjoying a longer growing season 
and a big bonus, future hospital visits to Auckland will no longer be such a mission :)

Happy New Year!