All Of The Senses

Visiting:  Rotorua for the weekend 

Eating :  Pulled Pork and Coleslaw, picnic on the side of the road in Huntly

Drinking :  Cups of tea from the thermos 
Reading:  Listening to audio stories of Famous Five as we road trip to Rotorua
Pondering: Crazy Crazy Friday afternoon peak hour traffic 

Buying:  Gondola Rides and Luge rides x20 

Enjoying:  Watching the childrens confidence grow with each ride down the track 

Yelling: At the idiots on the chair lift in front who stood up and rocked the chairs until the luge fell off, thus freaking my wee girl to the point of no return and not continuing her rides - ggrrr  

Making :  Picnic lunches to eat lake side inbetween adventures 

Deciding: Whilst Rotorua is incredibly expensive with its tourist prices, it can be done economically 

Wanting:  To do all the things with these 3 gorgeous kids 

Admiring:  His braveness after being stung by a bee, whilst watching for any reaction 

Remembering:  My first visit here as a child and the memories of holidays in Rotorua

Wondering:  What they are getting from this ...

Smelling:  Like sulphur

Wearing:  A Smile and Mud

Needing: Absolutely nothing at this particular time, but maybe a shower after this experience

Feeling:  Absolutely petrified of heights, however, going up anyway

 Waiting:  Until dusk to experience 'tree tops' so as to get day and night without the children staying up too late 

Marvelling:  At this wonderful feat of engineering

Looking:  At the faeries once the sun set and the lights were on  

Noticing:  How she LOVES motorbikes

Watching:  Her smile and run towards the bikes

Remembering: the days before children when Mr B and I would spend every weekend on our bike

Laughing: 2 adults, 3 children, 1 weekend ... so much gear  

Hoping:  They had a good weekend full of memories

Missing:  My Mr B ... We had planned (and paid) this weekend away before we knew he was heading to America for work
Thankful:  Sara and Max were able to join us and enjoy a weekend away   

An Extra Long Weekend In Sydney

Friendship is one of life's greatest treasures. Friends that are loyal are always there to make you laugh when you are down, they are not afraid to help you avoid mistakes and they look out for your best interest. This kind of friend can be hard to find, but they offer a friendship that will last a lifetime.  

So when we received an email to say our German friends were coming to Sydney ... We didn't think twice about booking our flights and meeting them there.  

Meeting whilst staying in the same resort twelve years ago in Rarotonga ... We have managed to catch up in Germany x2, Portugal, New Zealand x2 and this weekend in Sydney.  

Toasting marriage, friendship and deciding when and where in the world we will all meet next.

  

After a morning of shopping we took in a musical at the Theatre Royal, introducing Merrin to her first ever musical/theatre.  I have promised to go to a Rugby game in return!

Walking almost a half marathon in a day of ticking off all the tourist spots and Opera House photo, it had to be done

After a busy full day previously we soaked up the chance of a two hour train trip to the Blue Mountains, taking in the magical breathtaking sights and riding the worlds steepest train.

Friends who've seen and done so much together ... Travelling through Europe: cruises n campervans (where she first met our German friends), Love, divorce, births (she was my birth partner when I had Miss P) and deaths, we've done it together.  

Life is too short for serious and when the two of us are together - serious is not even an option - my sister from another mother.

Taking Stock - January - it's all about Family n Friends

Enjoying: Time with family family family 

Liking: This bunch of people

Watching: My children with their cousins and grandparents

Feeling: Loved 

Family: Together again after a 3 month overseas holiday

Celebrating our extended German Family: Together again after ... too many years

Loving: How each time we meet it is like we were never apart

Understanding: Very little German no matter how much beer I drank 

Reading: Knitting patterns

Making : Baby Milo Vests (x4)

Wanting: Interchangeable circular knitting needles

Buying: Interchangeable circular knitting needles

Deciding: Knitting is a great way to deal with anxiety

Noticing: my garden

Listening: to my girls cackling

Waiting: on the fruit all to ripen

Eating: fresh from the garden

Cooking : BBQ's every night

Drinking : So much wine we ran out and had to do an emergency trip back into civilisation 

Loving: This bunch of friends and their children

Wishing: Her a very happy birthday

Looking: At my Mr B and laughing 

Watching: My girl and her friend and smiling

Loving: This opportunity to be 4 days away from the grid (apart from when we ran out of wine) 

Smelling: The BBQ .. .. ..

Wearing: My togs and feeling 99.9% comfortable in my skin

Needing: The coolness of the river in the heat of the day 

Getting: Wet !! !! !! 

Feeling: Neil the eel swim past my legs _eekk_

Admiring: This piece of land in the middle of nowhere

Feeling: Completely relaxed and happy

Looking: At handmade quilts/love on our camp beds

Taking Stock - December

Snuggling: Babies are just delicious

Celebrating: Surprise birthday celebrations for my Mr B

Loving: Friday Funday has become a bit of a theme around here

Friendships: Celebrating year end #friendswhotraintogether with my Boxing friends

Drinking: copious amounts 

Realising: just how much this group of humans has loved me supported me and pushed me this year

  

Cycling: Everywhere ...

Achieving: Another goal - lifting my body weight - gosh I'm 'heavy' 

Laughing: At Buddy The Elfs antics

Marvelling: We have another year of our 10 year olds belief

Giggling: at the 'naughty' antics and the innocence of children

Pondering: Am I your Aunty or your cousin or both .. .. .. 

Loving: this beautiful niece/cousin of mine

Deciding: you are never too old for face paint

 

Merry Christmas

Loving: Family

Feeling: The heat

Visiting: Swing Bridges 

Playing: water bombs

Watching: Grandparents and Grandchildren make memories

Buying: Icecream in the heat

Adventuring: In a microlight - my fearless girl

Feeling: apprehensive _but_ 

Loving: her smile

Enjoying:  My first ever 'big girl' live band concert

Listening: To Six 60 at the Riwaka Hotel

Smelling: 'Devils Lettuce' thick in the air 

Biking MORE Bridges

A weekend away, out of town ... childfree *bliss*

Before checking into our hotel a bike ride 'around' the Mountain and along the beach broad-walk, finishing with coffee at a local cafe. (because doesn't everyone take their bikes away on holiday?)

The following morning a lazy sleep in sipping on coffee brought to me in bed ... 

One simple positive thought in the morning can make such a different to the day ahead.  

There is always a reason to smile, find it early and enjoy it all day ... and that was our plan 

  ... the Hauraki Bike Path ... 

"lets do them all" he said *gasp* 

Railway Tunnel Loop ... with prescription sunglasses on and no lights on my bike ... look for the light at the end of the tunnel he said ... fek off I said laughing ~ all I can think of is the possibility of an on coming train 

Another bridge and more gorgeous scenery 

Happy Birthday Mr B ...

I'd love to come back with the kids and maybe some bike lights and torches AND I can tick off two more bridges and a tunnel ... Including a swing bridge!

The Ultimate Betrayal .. .. .. Sydney

Waking late, slowly, struggling to shed the layers of sleep ~ 3 time zones in 9 days ...

Sitting propped up in bed with the 'good' coffee my Mr B had earlier gone in search for my thoughts drifted ... 

I had wanted to run the 1/2 marathon over the Auckland Harbour Bridge so badly and had hung on so tightly that in the weeks, months leading up to us going away, I was trying my absolute best, working my hardest, but yet crying myself to sleep, or lying awake, clenching my teeth, drifting through days.  My determination focused so intensely on my goal. And then eventually, somewhere, just a bit further beyond almost insane, a voice in my head said: '_Really_ Is it such a big deal? Is it so important? Is it the be all and end all?'  ...  At which point I dug my heels in a little further, failing to acknowledge my efforts were actually totally disproportionate to what I hoped to achieve and my energy expenditure was way off balance, and actually I was neglecting the really important things, like the people who love me and the professionals who were trying to look after me: mind and body ...

Some may say (and did) I was stubborn, and resolute, and impatient, or more politely put ... determined.  

I didn't see any other options/goals around me, other opportunities for different, possibly better adventures, or even just alternative routes to the place I had been so intent on going .. .. .. 

Thankfully my Mr B (thinking with his head rather than his heart) listened to the professionals and came up with alternative goals ...  

Hello cycling around Mandurah, Alice Spring and Sydney including over the Sydney Harbour Bridge  *wow* AND *squee* a Harley Ride around Sydney also including the Harbour Bridge ~ according to my Mr B I was to commit the ultimate in motor bike betrayal by going on the back of a Harley, but he booked it anyway ...

So another valuable lesson for me, continue to learn to let go, trust, breathe, surrender,  accept life in all its rich possibility and #suckitupprincess ...

Online messages from a friend back in NZ interrupted my thought process, so soon I was wide awake and firing my inquisitive neurons again.  

Sydney needed to be explored by bicycle and Harley ...

PHOTOS: taken in Australia on our childfree holiday

It Was A Day Of Contrasts ...

In the morning I rode a camel named Wally across the Australian Outback 

I watched the sunrise up above Uluru (Ayres Rock)

In the evening I wore a black dress and heels

I attended Matilda at the Lyric in Sydney

It was a day of contrasts 

I flew from the remote vast desert to crowded busy city life

I rode on a bus, a camel, in a plane and on a train 

I had a panic attack amidst turbulence 

I was happy to helped

I was sad about an ending, and glad about a beginning.

Goals Dreams and Wishes came true

I was reminded of the last time I was in this city

I forgot to reply to a text received the previous day.

I continued to be unwell due to limited dietary choices

I missed someone who I knew would be able to assist

I was given advice 

I laughed with my friend over facebook messenger

I looked at photos of my children on facebook

I was grateful for technology

I cried over a thoughtful message

I spoke words of happiness, joy, fear, sorrow, regret and difficulties

I wished on the moon.

I thanked my lucky stars.

I lived another day of my life ...

PHOTOS: taken in Australia on our childfree holiday