Friends ...

We all remember our first childhood friend. The one we woke up excited to see inside the school gates. Play dates filled with adventure, confidences and laughter. 

Even now, as adults, our friends remain a hugely important part of our lives, from sharing problems, asking for advice, uncontrollable laughter and good times, sharing our life events and proudest moments, our friends help each of us define who we are.

Friends are better for us than all the self help books and protein shakes we could consume

If we want a rich, healthy, nourishing life ...

We need to go out of our way to be with our friends

That's it

That's where life happens

We've been having a lot of talks in our house recently with our children about friends and about values. 

Values and skills like respect, caring, kindness and justice. 

Recently whilst searching for something totally unrelated I came across this blog post On Friendship which was written about me ... I was humbled to read how Deb saw me as a friend and re assured as I navigate my way through parenting my children and the importance of their friendships and how to manage conflict within their friendships I was hopefully teaching through example ...

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be xxx

Once Upon A Dream

My daughter is a ballet dancer ... Tights, leotards and ballet slippers wether they be hers or mine have been a part of our world for many years. 

Last week was all about the show ... Rehearsal after rehearsal, driving little girls from one side of Auckland to another, late night after late night and then the show ... 

Mr B worked back stage doing stage props and I did the some of the girls hair and make up before the show (the show nights I wasn't back stage or watching you'd find me and my ballet Mum friends down at the local having wine ... wine and friends get you through show week)

Apparently it would seem this also makes me a ballet Mum.

My girl loves to dance, and as a dancer myself, I derive such joy in watching her do something she adores. I also love the fact she enjoys sharing her passion with others when she is on stage. There's a glow, a shimmery lightness, from her when she's in her element. 

Disclaimer: I'm not THAT kind of dance Mum, the scary kind that you see on reality television. I am a Mum whose daughter takes ballet at an amazing local studio which satisfies my daughter's passion for dance and my need for sanity and (an attempt at) a balanced life.

The Soul Is Healed By Being With Children

Completeness ... Happiness ... These words don’t even come close to describing my emotions surrounding being a Mother ... 

There truly is nothing I can say to capture what motherhood means to me, particularly given my medical history. 

Motherhood has taught me the meaning of living in the moment and being at peace. 

Children don’t think about yesterday, and they don’t think about tomorrow. 

They just exist in the moment. 

The Soul Is Healed By Being With Children - Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

My heart is absolutely breaking beyond numb at the moment as friends and family prepare to say their final farewell to their 13 year old son, an ex pupil of my childrens school.  RIP little one ... 

Hold your loved ones close ...

LOVING Unplanned Moments Of Pure Joy . . .

Think about the things which have made you really happy.  How much of it was planned?  Or how often was it something you weren't expecting?

Simple easy things:- 

Friday night Fish n Chips with friends 

Sack Races

Three Legged Races 

Lolly Scrambles

Kids and Adults 

Unplanned things which in the eyes of the children 'filled the house with happiness and fun'

Moments of pure joy which full our hearts to bursting with love and smiles.

Sparklers are simply magical no matter what your age . . .

Our grown up children (*read husbands) enjoy the fireworks more than the little children who think it's 'boring' now the sparklers are all gone.

Sitting around sharing stories of our childhoods, our parents, their parties . . . the good the bad the ugly ~
We remember and laugh

Trust me, it's the unexpected which life bestows that we will most treasure . . . 

Secret Garden Birthday Party

Miss P aka Tsunami turned 7 the day after we returned from Hong Kong/Korea

Not happy with a Disneyland birthday, she wanted to be at home with her friends to celebrate . . . I have no idea where she inherited her socialising skills from *looks away*

Keeping it simple was the order of the day for me . . . 

A very talented friend made the cake 

Rainbow, Secret Garden with the door, was requested.

Bunting and Balloons

An afternoon party with Mamas finest pretty china

Old fashioned lemonade

Ham and Cheese sandwiches

Scones, jam and cream

And lots of lovely little girls

Miss P has some amazing adorable wee friends who I am very fond of 

Lovely girls

Rainbow cake as requested . . . Everyone needs one of these at least once in their life time _right_

As I said I have no idea where she gets her socialising skills from . . . 

It takes a village to raise a child and I am blessed with some amazing fellow Mummy villagers 

Happy 7th Birthday Miss P

And That Was April

Marvelling: At home grown goodness - from garden to plate 

Knowing: I need to replant more carrot seeds and tend to my garden 

Wishing: There were more hours in the day to achieve everything I want to

Thinking: How when I was so sick last year this amazing Mama simply told me to put my kids on a plane and send them to her!  

Liking:  Being in Wellington on a Mama and me weekend.  Liking staying with bloggy friends who have become IRL friends who have become family friends.  Catching up with lovely Wellington bloggy friends.

Feeling: That this is what blogging is all about - connections.  

Wanting: to find my blogging mojo again and not to be scared to write.

Needing: To grieve - To show emotion

Deciding: Death is nothing we can expect (even when we were expecting it) or imagine (until we are experiencing it) and 'hiding/suppressing' our grief in the public eye was not the right way for me 

Buying: Coffee

Drinking : Coffee

Smoothie and morning coffee

Coffee at the gym 

Coffee at the airport

Coffee after the gym

Coffee whilst event planning

Coffee sitting outside listening to the rain

Making : my summer crochet blanket - (that I started last summer)

Reading: Text books Text books oh and Text books - Medieval Europe so much easier on the heart mind and soul than Gender Violence

Watching: Netflix . . . loving it . . . Upstairs Downstairs 

Wearing: A timing chip on my shoes for my 2nd 1/2 marathon training race

Noticing: How other peoples comments still affect my heart

Getting: Fitter and Healthier 

Looking: At paper piecing 

Pondering: Life and Death 

Hoping: I find my paper piecing knack as I have a giraffe to make 

Playing: On the swings before my Boxing Bootcamp

Giggling: Like a child

Feeling: Free ... Flying through the air

Considering: Doing this more often - it frees the mind

Enjoying: Exercise !  I love it ! 

I'm fit and healthy and I get to hang out and exercise with amazing friends all in the name of exercise.

Loving: Exercise

Waiting: for a bus .. .. .. wall sits!  honestly who's idea was that?

Wondering: Why people never commented on my weight 18 kilos ago but yet they feel compelled to now I've lost it?  hmmmmmm

And that was March

Looking: At all the lovely handmade'ness around our home

Deciding: Handmade is pretty and comforting and colourful and . . .

Wondering: if our children will take up any of our hobbies

Thinking: about the women who taught me to sew, knit, crochet, cook, bake, preserve

Buying: clothes clothes and more clothes, NOTHING fits anymore

Wearing: a size 10 again

Smelling: his aftershave

Thanking: our out of town visitor who babysat so we could enjoy a night out with out of town friends 

Loving: a girlie week, just me and my girl

Watching: her write a postcard to Grandma

Hoping: her innocence lasts forever

Marvelling: at how my Tsunami has blossomed into such a lovely wee girl

Following: the school camp blog

Feeling: proud of my boy pushing his comfort zones

Missing: my boy and man . . .

Knowing: this week spent together is oh so good for them both 

Cooking : Beautiful nourishing soul fulfilling clean food LOVE 

Drinking : Coffee always coffee - I really did try to give up

Opening: Dr Libby's cook books and book marking 

Bookmarking: Raw caramel slice OMG so good 

Giggling: with friends, friendship is so gloriously good

Playing: at the Holi Colour festival

Thinking: How wonderful it was Lara came to Auckland - Lara took BOTH my kids last year when I had glandular fever.  She took time off work and loved my kids like her own.  Blessed beyond measure.

Knowing: Friends who you can pick up with like you last saw each other yesterday are special friendships

Celebrating: Friendship

Reading: ick ick ick

Pondering: ick ick ick

Writing: ick ick ick

Wanting: this paper to be over

Getting: A+ despite my despise for the subject matter

Making : Crochet Boot Toppers 

Enjoying: Some down time crafting again

Wishing: it didn't take a slipped disc to slow me down

Loving: my physio and new PT for having me and my health at the centre of their minds

If you want a list you can get it from Pip at Meet Me At Mike's too!  

And that was February . . .

Making : Memories

Hoping: These gorgeous days of summer last

Wearing: Togs and bikinis all day every day

Smelling: BBQ dinners 

Noticing: The colours of the sunset

Enjoying: Friendships

Getting: Lost as we explore 

Eating : Fish and Chips for dinner 

Loving: Summer camping holidays with friends 

Needing: New clothes - 16kgs lost by end of February

Knowing: The weight loss has been done _properly_ and _healthily_ 

Buying: New clothes

Drinking : Champagne

Thinking: What an amazing milestone we've accomplished
Feeling: Freedom from the mortgage

Considering: Goals 

Deciding: Everyone needs to do a colour run - its so HAPPY

Giggling: !! Just giggling !! 

Feeling: Happy 

Admiring: The friendships made in 3 weeks 

Marvelling: At the growth in confidence in these two boys in the 3 weeks they spent with us

Studying: Korea - we are off on holiday 

Looking: Looking forward to seeing family I haven't seen in 7 years!

If you want a list you can get it from Pip at Meet Me At Mike's too!