Up the coast.

On Friday afternoon, Abraham finished work early and we packed up the car. We drove across the road and met up with my sis-in-law Holly, her husband Ben, Abraham's cousin Hakopa, his cousin Richard, and Richard's partner Hayley. We had formed a little convoy and headed up the coast.

The weekend had a few crazy/not so cool times: Ben swallowed a blue bottle jellyfish (fear not, he was okay), the bed we slept in had the most impossible roll-together ever (in hot Summer weather this is especially not cool), Hakopa got stung by both a bee and a jellyfish, said jellyfish made it too hard for the boys and I to go into the water, the fish and chip store closed before we got there and Otto didn't sleep well in the port-a-cort.

But, mostly, it was fantastic times. I loved: The view, the food, Hayley's beautiful birthday cake that Rich made her, the sweet bach-y decor, rock pool jumping with Aesop and Abraham, playing a game of Cranium, the road trip on the way there (and the soundtrack I made for it!), watching Aesop's wide eyes as the menfolk cut up fish and shellfish, the shrieks of delight as Otto (and his bare-bottom) ran around the house and jumped on the airbed and, most of all, spending some good time with the family.

Thanks for a great weekend, team!

A gem.

I saw the fabric of this wee folder poking out of the toy bin at the Sallies recently. I picked it up, not expecting much, and found this absolute gem.
I can't imagine how much time someone put into this. knitting the wee people, sewing each page, cutting out all of the felt etc. I also can't imagine how someone could then take it to the op shop, but I'm so very pleased they did! Thank you thrift gods!

The garden.

With all the warm and sunny weather we're been having lately, the boys and I have been spending a lot more time out in the garden. I've really been enjoying it, and they seem to have been too.
Aesop is a funny thing, always complaining if he has to do things outdoors. Often being heard saying things like 'oh maaaan, I haaaate sunny days, I wish I could just stay inside!', especially if it involves something like bike riding. I kid you not.
But the thing is, just like me and exercise, once he gets out there, and finds something fun to do, he loves it.
He's also a little bit of a, erm, sensitive soul. He's never liked to get his hands dirty, or try anything that might be deemed remotely 'scary'. Even as a baby he didn't even really like crawling on grass, and wouldn't investigate creepy crawlies etc.  But times are a changin' round these parts.
Aesop has taken a liking to slaters.
He has a book, that his Nana sent him, all about insects and animals you find in the garden. It has been such a life-changer for him. He is out in the garden every afternoon turning over logs and catching the slaters and snails he finds underneath them. He puts them in a container, or holds them in his hand, and just watches them, fascinated. They are his 'pets'. I'm so, so pleased. I really should have realised that the way to get Aesop outside was through the very thing that was keeping him inside - books! ( Just need to find one about bike riding... hmm..)
Otto, on the other hand, has been head-first into anything mucky from the moment he could move! He spends his afternoons (and mornings!) up to his elbows in soil, tipping in on himself, filling up buckets, splashing in any water he can find, and pulling all off the leaves of my poor plants. There's no stopping him now that he can walk, and I'm feeling so glad that our section is fenced 'cause he's also the running sort! Mischief!

I prefer to spend my garden arvos following in Porridge's (our cat's) footsteps.. sitting in the sun, with the occasional walk to get a snack, or to check what the boys are doing. Pretty glorious.

I'll say it again... perhaps this summer won't be so bad after all!




Oh, and a few pictures of what's growing in and around the vegie patch too, since it seems to be taking off!

Snippets.

I spent yesterday morning tidying and sorting the boys room. I like to do it about once a month, go through and take out the 'too small' clothes, chuck out the bits and pieces that accumulate (ripped pieces of magazine, scribbled on pieces of paper, random bottles tops and whatnot) and have a general tidy up. This time I also packed away all the Winter clothes and hauled the rest of the Summer gear out of the closet.

Decorating a boys room on a budget of, erm, well.. nothing, is no way near as much fun as if we had money to throw at it. I have dreams of cute wallpaper, unbroken curtains, framed prints on the walls, a big set of wooden bunks and an adorable, bright, rug on the floor. I fantasise about simple-yet-amazing Ikea style drawers, ideally filled with equally cute scandinavian designed kids clothes.

Luckily dreams are free and little boys aren't too fussy about such trivial things. Aesop would love any room with enough books, and as long as Otto has his snugglies anything goes. I wish I was so easily pleased!

List #'s 7 and 10!

In the weekend I managed to tick two more things off the list.
Abraham and I decided, nearly two years after the actual day, that maybe it was finally time to print some of our wedding photos. The girl at the shop couldn't believe I hadn't printed even a single one, she said most girls are in the next day! I guess I just didn't get round to it. We were going to have them printed 'properly' at the photo shop so I was waiting until the wedding bills were paid, and then Otto arrived.. and then it was last weekend.
I'm really stoked with our 14c Harvey Norman prints, and the cute $20 album from Farmers. Seems a lot more 'us' than the fancy pants option.

I also bought an external harddrive to back up all of our photos. My Dad was buying one, getting a good discount, and I thought 'if ever there was a time..'

Feeling very pleased with myself. Now to buy some shoes and plan a childless night...

Baby shower.

Yesterday we went to a lovely baby shower for one of my best friends from high school.
Sarah lives ages and pages away, in Eketahuna, so it was really lovely to see her and her family. She's due to have her second son next month and it's all very exciting!
I remember, when we were pregnant with Otto, everyone asking us what we needed and us telling people that we actually didn't really need much of anything this time round. Sarah has also kept everything from when she had Cheyden and didn't really need anything. I was secretly a little bit pleased about that, buying practical stuff is great, but it's so much more fun when you can just make the fun stuff!
I ended up doing a little of both. I made some little merino pants, from a top I found at the Sallies, and a little envelope neck tee with merino for the ribbing. I got the printed fabric from Spotlight when we were there last week, again with the all over print love! I also couldn't resist making the bubba a wee horse soft toy, every wee one needs his or her own cuddlies!

I was also commissioned to make this lil tee as a gift for Sarah's brother and sister-in-law to give.
All of the gifts were very well received.

I realised, at the shower, that I don't think I had ever really been to a baby shower before the weekend. I mean, when I was part of a coffee group, we would just designate one of our regular coffee meet-ups as a 'shower' if someone was having a baby, but never a specific 'hey, you're having a baby' event! It was both lovely, and a little strange. Having only been to one (very chilled out) baby shower, and never having had one for myself or anything, I'm left wondering how common they really are, and if they tend to be just relaxed get-togethers or if most people go the whole hog and have all the american-style games/decorations/huge number of presents etc. What do you think?

Patterny sewing.

Three quick, recent, additions to our Summer wardrobes. I seem to be drawn to all-over patterns at the moment, which is interesting for someone who it seriously lacking in the plain basic tops and bottoms to wear them with.

The singlet was a bit of a half-success. The back? I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and it looks wonderful. The front? A bit blah, and pretty darn unflattering. If only they made cardigans that only covered your front, I'd be set.
The skirt was cut down from an early nineties surfie style dress. Wish I could have just worn it as it was, but I'll get much more wear out of it as a skirt.
And another wee envelope neck tee for Otto. I can't get enough of these! I've had this fabric for years, made one singlet for 'Toast' and have never found a use for the remainder.
It's perfectly cheeky for a wee one that has recently turned into a real little monkey!

(Please forgive the somewhat-crappy mirror photos, and my somewhat-grubby mirror in the top one! I was planning to take better photos but the weather is so dismal today that I decided to just post these ones. )