Our Book of Life

did this work?? I am trying to find a way we can put in music from itunes and get some movies on here....HELP!!

Yesterday we arranged an outing for everyone. We have been contending with the rain a little this week, and a change of scenery was what everyone needed. We headed out to our old stomping grounds. South Auckland. We took all our washing and blankets and hit the laundromat, then the yummy cheap bakeries then the free heated pools where the kids had a great time and we had super long hot showers.... Such a good day!!

The rabbit LOVED my cauli this year in my garden, so I was so happy to find these at the vege store on Tuesday. They were only 1.90 too so I was sold. I bought about 4 of each and blanched them and put them in my freezer for when I have no vege's..... Look at the size of them, my hand is not exactly 'petite' either.  YUM!

We are loving having family (whanau) over for the holidays. Aunty Jacque invited us over for Monday night to have FHE. It was great to see cousins working together on assignments and enjoying the evening together. Truth and Ratauhinga conducted This is most of the cousins Kawea conducted the music. Rakai loving sitting on his "bigger" cousin Tawhaio Emeka and Arama watching from behind, making sure all is well. Arama and Jazz Gave a great lesson on service and looking after those that need our help. Well done you two! Inspiration was from this months New Era. Then game time. In the pond out the pond is a family favorite for generations! Still a favorite. Just more competitive. We had a couple of ponds. A big pond for the big ones, a little one for the little ones. Truth and Tawhaio taught us how to play Pukana too. That was a great game, then there was a train game where you sit in a circle and hold hands. Then you squeeze hands  around to a...

I have been keeping to a menu for our meals lately, and with feeding our big family this week (10 kids) I started baking again. I needed garlic bread for our bolognaise one night but couldn't get to the shop. I planned to make Elissa's herb rolls but can you find the recipe when you need it the most? Yeah right!! So, I dove into my Edmonds cook book and tried this recipe, It was for white bread but I amended it a little by 1. adding crushed garlic and 2. rolling them into buns not bread. If I had realized how good they were going to be I would have made 3 batches instead of 1. They were amazing!! You have to try these. Recipe 5 cups High grade flour 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons surebake Yeast (or any yeast) 3/4 cup cold water 2 tablespoos oil 3/4 cup boiling water oil Egg wash - 1 egg yolk   and 1 tablespoon water Method. Combine 2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bow, add cold water and oil, immediately followed by bo...

My darling was kind to say, he was used to seeing gardens that are clean. In other words politely he was telling me he was not too happy that my garden had more grass and weeds in it than growing plants!!! I read somewhere it can be good for the garden to let it grow abit. Well that was my justification. Anyway, I have been busy finding materials around the property from the previous owners, there is tonnes of stuff. I have been able to make some new planter boxes and prepare for my long awaited strawberry plants. In the end we have changed around some of the garden. I ended up transplanting my veges to a new  rested garden patch. My broad beans have to stay where they are because they are growing fantastically!! So here is a picture of my new garden patch, I intend to split my big garden into 2 so I can have 3 plots each at different stages, so that I can have crops all year round. And have my seedlings going on in the greenhouse.  The boxes I have made. On the right,...

I must say I was looking forward to school holidays this time around. I love that the kids can sleep in, stay up late and routine goes out the window. I feel sad for my darling who has to still go to work, while we enjoy time together.  Here is a run down of our first week of holidays. There is always the leave them where they lie attitude, so if they fall asleep in a place that is 'resonable' other than their bed, that is where they stay. Although they know they have to clean up in the morning. There is the wrestling matches in pajamas. All good till someone gets hurt. I have found a little treasure cove, A recycle shop. It is poison I tell you...... You can find so much good stuff there. and for next to nothing. I am glad it is only open Friday and Saturdays, and I don't go into town often. Here is my latest find. A mini tramp for $10 - now the kids don't jump on my bed anymore.  They LOVE it! We had to clean out the play house as we could not see the fl...

I love how little things can entertain. This box was what the nappies for Rakaipaka came in. The company had avery smart idea of having a template and parifirated edges for a boat out of the box, complete with motor and anchor. We made it up for Rakai and he LOVES it!! So cute.... and as usual he has the sound effects to go with it...

At the end of Sports seasons, it is a cmmon thing to have a break up.  Rangikawea's Rugby team certainly know how to do this with country style. Kawea's 2 coaches are Rex and Kelvin. We had a mid year activity at Kelvin's farm - which was fantastic by the way... so it was Rex's turn to host.. It was awesome!! We arrived to find kids and adults alike hooning around on quad bikes, motor bikes and whatever else rolled around. It was so cool!! We don't have bikes for our family...yet, so it was very humbling and impressive that they shared their bikes with us. Great people. For those not riding, there was a homemade sleigh pulled along by a quad to enjoy. Kawea on someone's quad Nauvoo getting her adrenalin fix Hikawera straight away found his mate from school and they were inseperable. This was not all, there was a horizontal bungy, which was hillarious to watch. It was hooked on the bull bars of someones ute. A tarpoulin wasplaed in front al...