Another Busy Weekend in Pictures

Birds on a wire. Relaxing on a clear blue autumn morning. I just had to snap them as I raced between one activity and the next.

First up was Daddy's Birthday on Friday. Oh, you noticed I have been absent? I was busy spoiling the King of the Day. He had a crown and everything. I planned a birthday present hunt, spent ages planning rhyming clues... and getting the kids to make cute cards to attach the clues to the hidden presents...

Present Number one is this little verse:
Dad you know we love you And think you’re cool

We hope you have a great day While we’re at school

Lay back on your pillow And rest your head

Cos here comes some yummy

Breakfast in bed

Then would you know it, but the bloddy cat went AWOL.
You know, Dave? The cat who adopted us? The one we surrendered to the SPCA and then adopted back just on Wednesday? The one kids just love to pieces and now can't live without?

Yep that one. She went missing for 24 long sad hours.

Great timing, Dave.
Go missing on Daddy's birthday morning so that he is not greeted by the happy sounds of the birthday chorus, but by wails of... "Where's Dave?" and "I want Daaaaaaave!"
Daddy was not impressed at being upstaged by a cat, I can tell you.

But thankfully our story has a happy ending. Dave reappeared at dinner time during birthday cake and grape-juice toasts with the kids. Daddy was in the middle of saying, what a lovely family he has and how proud he is of his kids and isn't he blessed, when there's a shout, "Dave! There's Dave! Dave's back!!"

Once again upstaged by a cat.

Oh well. At least now the kids are smiling... and realise that Dave is an adventurer and won't be tied down.
She comes home for food and snuggles.
We'd best not get too dependant on her! She is a cat, after all.

So. Friday night was the Dinner Party, at home cos we couldn't get a babysitter. So I turned our dining room into a Chinese Restaurant... (Love those lanterns from Typo. Love Typo.)

What better than great Chinese food (eaten with chopsticks) while enjoying a laugh with good  friends in a relaxed atmosphere...?

...Drinking Spanish Sangria and eating....

...Homemade Italian Tiramisu???!!! Mmmmmm. Best ever. I'll share the recipe with you later ♥

Then up bright and early the next day for the Walk for Christchurch. Only I couldn't actually do the walk because I busted my knee on a practise walk a few days earlier (too little too late; I am so unfit). Luckily all the people who sponsored me, wrote "Simone AND Gail". Phew.

So out of guilt and a desire to support the awesome efforts of my lovely bloggy friends, I offered to take photos...

Lyns, Sammy, Meg and Gail - my lovely bloggy pals (and Miss Marvellous too)

Aren't they amazing? Over $4600 raised so far. Gail is a legend for organising it all. I actually did manage to do the walk Gail organised last year for Haiti... (honest)... so I know how hard the Isthmus walk really is - 16km over four volcanoes. Not the same as 16km on the flat. We are talking major hills here, people.



Me & Gail Last year so you know I am not a total slacker

And these girls did it in three hours. The sign estimates 4-6 hours to complete the walk, so these ladies were racing. Made me grateful for my busted knee cos there aint no way I would have been able to keep up with them!!

It's not too late to donate, ya know! Click here. Go on. Christchurch needs it and these girls worked/walked darn  hard for it!

{Gail's hilarious Walk Story here}

So also on Saturday was....

Dash's first football game of the season. A new team, a new strip (that's a uniform, for all you non-soccer types)

He had a great game. They won 7-1. Dash scored two goals. He loves his new team; there are some awesome players in there. I think it could be a great season.

Meanwhile this little guy was chatting up all the little girls. At one point there were four of them gathered around him. I was too slow with the camera, missed the shot. But this one is mighty cute dontcha think?

Then me and this little charmer (with big-girl teeth) did a spot of letter-box decorating while daddy worked on finishing off the fort.

A rusty old letterbox from the inorganic collection has been turned into a funky message centre.

But Mr G didn't get to finish off the top level. Oh no. Some people over the back fence complained. Kidless people of course. People who want to sunbathe topless and don't want kids looking over the fence at them. Eek. How sad can you get.

So rather than make trouble with the over-the-fence people Mr G removed the railing (for now) and we will be planting something that grows really tall, really quick. (Any suggestions????)

Then we'll add a railing and a ladder. In the meantime the big kids can climb up to the top level using the fence. It's a perfect place for lego games un hindered by Scragness. And Scrag gets to play pirates with Daddy using his cool-as telescope and steering wheel.

And finally.
While Mr G was mowing the lawns he collected some fallen feijoas and green lemons. He collected them rather artistically in this fallen palm frond. And asked me to take a photo... for the blog...

There's some artyness hidden in that Geordie somewhere. I must be rubbing off on him. ♥

Righto. Now any minute my peace will be shattered as hoardes of hungry kids are about to return demanding food. So i must away and prepare myself. And fold washing. And order my online shopping.

It was a great weekend full of highs and lows.
How about yours?

♥