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

Share Connect Create Inspire

A life changing event happened to me on September 03rd 2010 .... 

I went to bed that night heart broken.  I awoke in the morning to turn on the news to see a life changing event - a 7.1 earthquake - had happened in Christchurch.  

In the days and weeks that followed I was reading fellow Kiwi Mummy Blogs and felt huge empathy towards the children affected.

Over the following weeks and months I poured my grief into helping those in Christchurch with their grief and loss.  

Quilts for Christchurch was born. 

Between September 04th and February 21st I had co ordinated the making of approx 50 quilts.  My local LAQ quilted them at no cost and I spent many an evening binding.  

On February 21st I had the quilts sitting in my lounge searching for a way to get to Christchurch.

Que. February 22nd 2011 and a 6.3 earthquake hit and badly damaged the already broken buildings and people of Christchurch.  

Between February 22nd 2011 and June 01st 2011 another 70 quilts were added to the Quilts for Christchurch collection and were sent to various families throughout Christchurch. 

Throughout this period of time Christchurch blogger Miriam contacted me and a connection was made.  I already had plans to visit Christchurch and Miriam welcomed me into her home and arranged a get together with other Kiwi Mummy Bloggers.  

Whilst staying with Miriam I personally experienced a horrible earthquake (after shock) (insert laughter from Christchurch friends ... 2.7 had me thinking I was going to die) and I flew home literally hours before the June 04th earthquakes.

Over the last four years I have regularly caught up and visited my fellow Kiwi Mummy Bloggers on many occasions.  

Lasting 'in real life' friendships have been made.  

Whilst many bloggers stopped blogging and become Instagrammers the friendships have remained the same, if not strengthened over time.  

We laugh together, we cry together, we support each other through life changing events, because after all it was our individual life changing events that brought us together.

Blessed to be adopted into this city and given the title 'Honoury Christchurch Blogger'

In Sickness and In Health

Earlier this month my Mr B had an exploratory operation

The same weekend he was discharged from hospital

Tsunami came down with Rotavirus

A whole weekend and two days off school just hanging out with Mama and Daddy 

"I'm looking after my Daddy - look Mama" 

"Mama, Daddy needs a cuppa tea"

"Mama, Daddy and I need a nap" 

Thankful for the friends who looked after Philospher and Tsunami whilst I was in hospital with my Mr B

Thankful for the friends who brought the 'girls night out' to my house when all I wanted to do was cry

Thankful washing machines, dryers and tea tree oil!  My house has never been cleaner!

Tsunami is fully recovered

My Mr B is taking each day slowly whilst we wait for the next test and the next decision and possibly the next operation?

Handmade 2014

What seems like a lifetime ago 

I travelled to Wellington with much excitement for Handmade 2014

My good friend Juliet and I had chosen all the same classes to attend 

Oriental Bookbinding

These were relatively easy to make and would make fabulous gifts 

Rubber Stamp Making

This was probably my most fun class - so easy and enjoyable and the possibilities are endless!

I designed a mushroom !! !! 

Merino Felt Gloves

Sashiko Quilting 

As I about to embark on my first hand quilted quilt, the skills learnt in this class will be put to use.

And . . . dinner afterwards with friends

Lara

Cat

Meghan

Katie

Marie

Juliet

Kat

Adrianne

Thank you Wellington for a wonderful weekend - until next time 

Taking Stock OR What I'm Doing Right Now - The Christchurch Edition

Reading: The Story Of The Trapp Family Singers - thank you Simone for the recommendation 

Admiring: The gorgeous quilt on the bed I'm sleeping in

Wanting: to pack the quilt into my suitcase and take it home

Feeling: Relaxed and happy in this colourful home of love 

Enjoying: my time with my gorgeous friend and her family

Considering: how blessed I am to receive 'scraps' from this sewing room

Noticing: A hole in the gate/fence 

Bookmarking: Vintage inspired wrist warmers

Making : crocheting my mood blanket squares 

Drinking : wine from a magic wine glass (it 'magically' kept re filling)
Feeling: loved and looked after

Cooking: (eating) Tomato Soup and Heart shaped scones on Valentines Day
Buying: Vintage crochet cottons and scissors
Needing: More scissors, my children keep 'borrowing' mine

Wishing: the tannery buildings down the road from me were as cool as these tannery buildings
Playing: Ladies who brunch and shop 
Smelling: an array of delicious herbal teas in the Apothecary
Giggling: I may not know what he says .. .. .. but I know where he lives 

Deciding: The Christchurch earthquakes are creating a new Christchurch. While a lot of the past has been lost, it is exciting to see a new future building on heritage.

Opening: the capsules which contains my dinner 

Marvelling: at the pneumatic system which delivered the capsule

Liking: this restaurant and its magic bookshelf and pneumatic menu

Wearing: Custom made Liberty by this talented lady (seated to my right!)

Thinking: How blessed I am to call these girls friends
Getting: lots of hugs 

Looking: at what once was
Hoping: decisions are made soon
Knowing: my Christchurch will never be my children's Christchurch
Pondering: Grief 

Watching: The world go by as we sit and eat our ice creams opposite the Cathedral

Loving: CHRISTCHURCH 

Waiting: for my plane which is 90 minutes delayed
Wondering: why my plane down here and my plane home were both delayed due to engine failure !

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

Taking Stock OR What I'm Doing Right Now

Admiring: two girls playing in the pool, splashing 

Giggling: at the squeals of laughter, it's contagious

Wishing: I could jump in with them

Feeling: Hot

Wearing: Polka dots and red 

Making : a Giant Star quilt

Following: Sandra - Cherry Heart, my new blog and IG find - LOVE

Buying: Prawns!

Smelling: Prawns!

Loving: my lunch date with bloggy friends and Prawns!

Watching: my children play ever so happily outside "It's what kids do" I keep reminding them

Wondering: If this sibling love will last ~forever~ I do hope so 

Deciding: This tree hut has many more years of play ahead of it 

Looking: at my little girl shimmy up the bus stop pole .

Hoping: She doesn't fall (Mr B tells me to stop being a Mother!)

Wanting: a 'Lucky Book' book order from school, and being told they had to 'earn' the money

Marvelling: at their dedication .. .. .. running outside to mow the lawns

Feeling: proud (whilst laughing)

Enjoying: the gym

Knowing: it is good for me 

Noticing: how it has become a priority and everything slots around it 

Waiting: for the Pears and Tomatoes to ripen and the bantem to start laying 

Thinking: How blessed we are to have such a productive back yard 

Cooking : Copious amounts of Plum Jam (hello 30 jars full)
Considering: Plum Sauce for the next lot

Drinking : lots and lots of sparkling water in this heat of summer

Opening: up a bottle of malt vinegar so we can make volcanoes 

Playing: Trucks and Volcanoes 

Liking: the coolness of the evening and one on one time with my boy

Reading: My required 'reading' list for Uni

Needing: A lot of books

Getting: myself organised 
Bookmarking: The Women's Bookshop

Pondering: my week ahead 

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