A little blogging break

I'm going to take a 'blogging break'. We have such a lot going on over the next couple of weeks . . . to put it mildly I am a little STRESSED!!!!!

As you know, because I told you, on 2 Feb we go to Fiji for 5 days. I wish I could close my eyes and be magicked there. Frankly speaking, what I have to do before we leave for Fiji is mammoth . . .

• Organise, buy, borrow, beg, steal and pack for one Korean homestay daughter to go to school camp the week we are in Fiji
• Organise school lunches, bus fares, clothing and meals for my Mum who is having one Korean daughter for part of the week we are in Fiji and one Korean son for the entire week we are in Fiji.
• Host pizza and movie party for one Korean daughter and her friends.
• Buy all party food, drinks and goody bags for The Princess's 5th birthday party of which I am sure 100 children are attending, the day after we return from Fiji.
• Pack for two adults to go to Fiji - easy
• Pack for one small blond child to go to Fiji including clothing, snack food, minor medical supplies, books and activities for plane and god forbid - rainy days . . .
• Buy cat food
• Post items sold on Trade Me
• Post items owing to blog friends
• Clean house . . . maybe . . .

I could manage that amongst normal everyday life of washing, cleaning, cooking, school lunches, taking children to and from school etc, except that Babes grandmother is very ill in hospital and so I am now factoring into my time a bit of tender love and care for Granddad (they live across the road from us) in the way of taking him to visit at hospital, shopping for him and the odd meal here and there . . .


We are really worried about Babes grandmother, this is her third time in hospital in two weeks. I have had two ambulance rides with her over the last two weeks. She has suffered from what they thought was unstable Angina but now looks to be something else. Her liver and pancreas are not performing, this is a much scarier than unstable Angina. Babes Grandad is 87 and Amah (Grandmother) is 81. This coming November will be their 60th wedding anniversary.

Please give Amah a little mention in your prayers.


One thing is for sure, I am having one of those pool side massages when we are in Fiji.

I'll be back posting around 10 March so until then . . . take care blogging friends

Sweet Treats Galore

I participated in Karla and Beths Sweet Treats Recipe Swap for Valentines Day. You made a Valentines Recipe card, copied it 42 times (the number of swap participants) and sent it off to Karla and Beth who sent you back a completed recipe book with the 42 different recipes.

You also made a tag and in return got a tag back.

My recipe book arrived on Valentines Day. Perfect timing! My Mum was here when I opened the parcel and we were both completely overwhelmed. As my Mum said "these books are heirlooms".

Each recipe was thoughtfully chosen by the participants and beautifully decorated.

Karla and Beth spent hours and hours making the recipe book covers using their precious supplies of vintage wallpapers, millinary flowers, lace, embellishments, hand painting etc.

They also spent hours and hours assembling the books for us.

From what I have seen, Karla and Beth also cleverly matched the recipe book covers to suit the each of us. Mine is made using all the things I love, vintage wallpaper, millinary flowers, vintage image, crowns, jewellery and a gorgeous velvet vintage rose.

I think my tag was made by Beth, again vintage wallpaper, roses and lace and sparkley rick rack.

Heartful thanks to all of you for your beautiful recipes and especially Karla and Beth for this fabulous and generous swap.

Along with my recipe book came the giveaway I won from Karla in December. I cried when I opened it. It is a caricature painted by Karla of my beautiful fairy Princess. Karla is so talented, she captured my Princess perfectly, especially around her eyes. I am looking out for a very special frame for this.

Thank you so much Karla, this is something I will always treasure.

Karla and Beth are hosting another party/swap, the "Bling Your Birdhouse Day" or "What do you love about your Birdies Home?". These parties/swaps are so much fun, click on the link to check out the details.

We have a very sweet treat coming up on the 2nd of March. We are travelling to and staying here. Babes has to go to Fiji to work for 5 days and his company are paying for The Princess and I to go with him. We come back on the 7 of March, the day before The Princess's 5th birthday.

Heaven on a stick!

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day

Lovely Mail & a Bigger Family!!!

The mail has been very kind to me recently!

I collect greeting card boxes, they are very collectable in New Zealand and sell for crazy money on Trade Me. This is the last one I bought, I paid $20 NZD for it!!! I missed out on another one, the bidding went to $35 so I backed out, couldn't justify it . . .

My dear friend Barb, who is one of the most talentest, kindest and thoughtful bloggers I know sent a lovely parcel from America recently. She sent this cute kitten house card box,

and this amazing chair card box. I love them both so much, very welcome additions to my growing collection.

Barb and the very cute Princess Maddy sent my Princess this fabulous cookbook. It is so very appropriate for The Princess. She has even taken it to her Pre-School for morning news!

Here's a look at the inside, each page is so pretty and great inspiring recipes!

My February Romantic Homes issue finally arrived. It comes directly to me from America so I get my copy weeks after everyone else in Bloglandia does! Its such a treat and worth waiting for.

Our family has grown overnight from just the three of us to being a family of five! We have Patricia our Korean daughter who lived with us for a while two years ago, back to stay with us for 5 weeks. She is 14 years old, loves The Princess and loves to argue with Babes and I!!! She is very much part of our family!

On Saturday Tom moved in. He is also from Korea, 18 years old and will be with us for a year. Its nice for Babes to have another male in the house!

Both kids go to local schools, I am now in a routine of making school lunches, making sure uniforms are clean, homework done, sports gear in school bags, notes signed and sent back to the schools etc etc. Its really busy but they are both great kids so fun to have them with us.

We took the girls to the beach last Sunday, it was overcast and windy, typical, so we only stayed long enough to eat icecream and have a walk along the beach.

I took this photo of the 'big sister' and 'little sister' walking down to the water. I think it is such a beautiful photo, its currently set as my desktop background.

I am so slack with being behind in sending stuff and my give aways at the moment. This week I will announce the winner of my January giveaway, how bad is that and show you what the February give away is!!!

Oh and I have been given some more awards and have been tagged so will do that next time as well!!!

Have a good day!