A Day at the Market

I have been sitting here this whole week feeling sorry for myself believing that I had nothing to blog about (and wanting to blog) because my husband took my camera away hunting with him....BUT tonight (the last night) I discovered that he had left the SD card for me with my last lot of photos!  Bless him!  I now am so excited......

So how has your week been?   I have been husband-less for the past four nights and tonight is the last night - do I need to tell you how excited I am (and tired). I really truly take my hat off to solo-parents who have to do the parent thing 24/7 with little support.  I don't think I have even been sleeping well cos I think I have been sleeping with one ear open the whole night, half listening out for a child calling out.  Of course I have been having my midnight visitor crawling into bed with me and snuggling down into my back.

Before Jamie went away I decided that it would be nice if I did something a little special with just my girls and an invitation from my sister-on-law Tash was right on the button!  So a Budd girls trip to the Tamahere Markets was planned....Yes!  My girls were so excited, especially since they had some money that Poppa Peter gave them for their birthdays to spend....Yusssss!

God blessed us with a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L autumn day for it too! Just check out those crunchy leaves underfoot, can't you just smell the autumness.

So much to look at and so many people, holding hands was oh so important.

The girls very first purchase. They pain-stakingly each chose a wee soap. Two for a dollar, can't go wrong with that.  (Thank you to the lady who patiently served them)

Second purchase... a lolly kebab!

I could smell this vendor before I could see it!  Hmmmmm lavender!

Time for a mid-morning snack....this donut lady (I am sure she would love to be called that) had nearly sold out but the time we got to her.  

They were actually the best and biggest donuts I have ever had and next time I am buying a whole one to greedily devour myself! ( I was nibbling on my girls one)

And of course you can't go past the balloon-animal-man without buying a balloon animal!

I love balloon animals and consequently so do my girls!  and did you know that if your balloon animal pops while you are at the market he will make a replacement -free!!

Now that is cool!

It was a great day out and we were there just the right amount of time.  We were just walking out when my girls started to complain of sore legs!

I thoroughly recommend that if you have a market nearby then take the time and a friend to visit and wander around taking in the smells, sights and sounds and of course indulging in a coffee or two and an Almond Croissant!

Just Being

There is one things that I love about the school holidays and that is time just to "be".  To sit and breath and r-e-l-a-x!  Well as much as you can when you have any amount of kids running around you.  I don't have 'schooling' on my to-do-list and I don't have to be taxi-ing the kids anywhere for dancing and sports etc. (although this is about to start soon)

Yes I have the luxury of time during the school term and my kids have the luxury to do almost whatever tickles their fancy at  the time.  But sometimes nice to KNOW that you don't HAVE to be doing anything.  This has been  a particular blessing at this time since I have been in the throes of morning sickness (well in my case all day sickness).  Yes you did read right, we are expecting a precious baby around the end of November!  We are all very excited but I do need reminding of that when I can't move off the bed/couch because I feel so sick!  Remind my kids too when I am a little too grumpy with them cos I feel so crappy.  BUT feeling crappy is a good thing and that is what I keep reminding myself.

So yesterday morning I spent some time just being with the girls (the boys would of been outside playing deer hunting complete with antlers and deer calls)  while they colour in....

 

such a simply thing but it keeps them entertain for a long time.  Now which colour shall I use next??

Of course little sister has to colour too!

 

I just love chubby little hands that holds the pen to draw and colour!

What a good use for giant piles of washing waiting to be folded.  A warm snuggly place to sit in the sun!

The holiday break has been a quiet one this time, we haven't done anything or been anywhere but I don't think the kids have suffered.  They have used what they have round here to entertain themselves, including the wind and plastic bags. (simple, free and quick to tidy up Yeah!)

and carpet, blankets and cushions for a game of um.... "don't touch the sea or the giant shark will get you!"

A not so tidy and quiet game!

and lastly "lets make a hut with the couches and blankets and eat hot chips in it"

Mostly I love what my kids come up with for entertainment, I say mostly because some are just too messy and too noisy and sometime I just can't be bothered with it.  BUT for the most part I think they have amazing imaginations and I just love that.  Its all about letting them try stuff and providing with help and ideas only if they ask!  I wasn't so good at this to begin with but I am getting better! 

Anyway the holiday time is coming to the end and it will be back to our routine.

But you know what...it will be good!

All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers.
 - Orison Swett Marden

Easter Fun

So I am really digging deep to get this written today - so hopefully it turns out alright! 

Easter is a time for celebration, tradition and family. Maybe separately or together.  Its always been a pretty big deal but over the past few years its got even bigger.    In order to turn the focus away from Easter Bunny and chocolate eggs which has played a major part in the past we have really made a big focus on the most important event of all time. 

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Whether you believe it or you don't, if you celebrate Easter in one form or another you are celebrating this momentous occasion.

So kick off this Easter season as part of  'school' we (our family) reenacted Palm Sunday. If you don't know the story its found in Matthew 21. Take a look!

Since we didn't have a donkey handy or palm leaves or robes for that matter we really had to improvise. But the whole point was to bring the passage to life for the kids sake.  Everyone had a turn at being Jesus riding on the donkey (bike) and everyone had a turn at lying robes (towels) on the ground for the donkey to walk over and waving palm (tree branches).  Twas quite fun! Even if our Palm Sunday was on the Monday!

This Jesus fell off his donkey!

After six people having turns at playing Jesus I think they all know the story pretty well.

 Excuse the quality of the next picture, I took a photo of the video playing on the TV.

On Good Friday we went to Jamie's brothers house to have a Passover celebrate. The kids (on their own accord) made a video of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus.  I just love what these kids came up with when they are together.

Jesus and Simon carrying the cross.

Our passover meal was amazing. It was the second year that we have done it and this year my 14 year old niece put it together and ran the evening. She did an amazing job and every one in the family had a part to play. 

 

 Here are some pics.

Communion by candlelight

Dinner on the floor!

As part on the ceremony we watch the passover scene from the Prince of Egypt movie by candlelight. I have to say that the atmosphere felt very sacred, holy and even a little emotional.

Afterwards we 'painted' our own front door (with crepe paper)

 

The hand washing part of the ceremony.

Casey and Uncle Mike

The dinner was lovely and definitely the reflected the real meaning of Easter. Thank you to Kaysha for putting it together.

On Easter Sunday after an awesome church service we celebrated by our annual Easter Egg hunt!  Its a mission to hide all those eggs, enough for five children!

 

 

 

The thing with Easter Egg hunts is that you need to count how many eggs you are hiding and also vaguely remember where you have hidden them!  Last year Sophie found one or two a couple of weeks later while she was playing outside.

And lastly to top off the Easter celebrations,

Uncle Eon's Double Chocolate Muffins

 (Easter Muffins)

Don't you just love hand-written recipes, they hold so much history and many memories of the people and places that you love.

Easter is up there with Christmas for us. So much emphasis is place on Christmas with all the hype and what-not but we need to celebrate more. Our society as a whole can be quite shallow and void of traditions and celebrations.  We need more!  And they don't have to be all commercialised either, its all about getting together with the ones you love and sharing moments.

I would love to squeeze in some more celebrations into our calendar year.

I hope your Easter was a good one, however you celebrated!

What are some of your traditions and celebrations?

Not Feeling it....

You may or may not have noticed my lack of blogging of late.   To be truthful I haven't been feeling "it" lately. "It" being in a state of mind to be creative, to get things done, lack of inspiration, in a rut and/or any other reason you may have for not doing something.  Truthfully I can't clean properly if I ain't feeling it.  But once I feel 'it'...then look out I am on a roll!   So its been about 2 - 3 weeks of not feeling 'it' and after uploading some 178 photos (from 2-3 weeks) on to the computer from my camera I have realise I have missed out on blogging on some seriously cool stuff.

 Darn it!!!

 So I am kicking my own butt and forcing myself to feel 'it'.

So I might just give you a quick rundown in colour of our seriously cool stuff and catch up on myself.  I will however leave out our Easter Celebrations and tell you about that next blog!

Ok lets get ready to ruuuuuuumble!.........

Thomas making his very own Bivvy after watching Bear Grylls make own!

I don't know if Bear would of had a saw handy but oh well.....

Even the brothers and sisters joined in to help!

 

Finished Product!

I am quite impressed this was still standing and intact after two nights of gale force winds in which we lost a bit of our roof!

There was two days of creativeness (and sawdust throughout the dining room)...

.....with a box of kindling!

Check out all that honey!

Poppa Peter came to harvest it and we have named it Puahue Gold!

And we harvested a whopping 110 carrots!

Father and Daughter on garden clean up duty. I just love the way Kaitlyn still has 'pink flair' even whilst gardening!

Its coming to the season for amazing sunrises. I will never ever get tired of opening the curtains to vistas like this. 

Just simply beautiful!

So that's about it, very fast and very simple!  I regret not feeling "it" but oh well I am here now!

So until next time when I'll tell you all about our Easter celebrations...such a special time!

In the meantime please check out my sister in laws

 (from Budds1/see previous posts)

blog.

She has just started blogging and recording her adventures with her family of three girls (15, 12, and 10)  They are one of my most favourite families and source of inspirations!

Awake The Desert

Enjoy and see you soon!

Promise!