Not so silent Monday?

To be fair - it's kinda like a Sunday for us today.  It's Auckland anniversary day in my little part of the woods which means a long weekend! Woo hoo. So my team and I traveled down to the beautiful Hamilton Gardens for a mini get away... and ooop, look at that:

So without further ado;

Day 28: Flowers...and lots more of our day :D

The cool thing about Hamilton Gardens is that they have themed gardens.  I took a lot of photos there but unfortunately wasn't terribly happy with many of them when I got home - boo.  I did however like the roof photos I took and I really like the one I took of Bubba's stroller while she was sleeping contemplating in the contemplation garden.

There were some other choice spots too...

 

Jake had a blast!

And so did my other favourite person...

I also loved these two photos.  The first I took covertly as Leah and I returned to the car where Mr. Man and Jake were waiting (dogs weren't allowed in the themed gardens).  The look on Jake's face in the two pics is priceless. <3

Who is this person sneaking up on me and my daddy....

Oh, mummy it's just you!  I missed you!

And this is the result I got from my two favourite people.  This one below, who slept all the way home and is now asleep in her cot...again.  And my furry son who is snoring blissfully snoozing at my feet as I write this post.

Happy Anniversary Day Aucklanders <3

 

"Sometimes the cure for restlessness is rest."

Yet another thing to cross off my 101 list.  I'm scared to see how I'm going by counting how many I've done/are left but alls I know is I'm super happy when I can cross one off. PS:  I know it's a 'silent sunday' but what I'm doing tomorrow fits perfectly into the theme so I'm being sneaky :D

I actually did this a couple of weeks ago.  It was great fun. It ties in nicely with my challenge to do something with my 'Mind, body, spirit' series stuff (which I'm getting to... slowly) as a lot of that stuff is for meditation-y, relaxation-y kinda stuff.

I actually didn't do it straight after Little Miss went to sleep as she's an early to bed, early to rise kinda girl but turns out a ride on the exercycle and 30 minutes of shorty street were conducive to some good relaxation. :D

Now, to be completely honest, I'm really not good at relaxing.  I always have to be doing something, I'm what you would call an 'active relaxer', which is fine, but I've always wanted to be one of these people that can feel completely at bliss doing nothing much at all but having 'me time'. Which is why I put #37 on the list. And you know what?  I loved it! I really think I could do it again, perhaps even make it a weekly/fortnightly/monthly/whenever I feel like it thing.

I had bubble bath, candles, bath oil, essential oils burning and a great book ('The land of painted caves' the last in the 'Earth Children's' series by Jean M Auel). It was really nice.  Something I might need now and then with going back to work next week after 6 months of maternity leave. Here's hoping I'm kind enough to myself to fit it in. <3

Things I'm loving...

I'm only one day late.  Wanted to sleep spend time with my family when I got home last night. :D

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is. 

1.  Loving having the opportunity to get my head back in work gear before I actually start back with the kids on the 1st of February. Spent Monday - Wednesday with my workmates at our annual 'retreat' where we do mostly professional development for 3 days.  Was wonderful and what a venue (see photos).  Then down to Hamilton for Thursday and Friday at the 'Learning @ school' ICT conference.  My head is exploding, I really missed my little lady but, what a week!

2.  Loving the updates I got from my wonderful husband who took the week off to look after Leah this week.  What a great husband I have and what a wonderful daddy Leah has.  Thank you hunny <3.

 Leah had lots of fun with daddy in the garage :)

3.  LOVE these two best friends who aren't ever more than a couple of steps away from one another. 

4.  Loving getting a surprise phone call on Thursday night to let me know some special news.

Remember this ad?

Little Miss WON one of the 150 prizes of $5000 in a Westpac junior and a financial adviser until the age of 18. How exciting is that? I still can't believe we won! What a great kick start for her and a little kick up the bum for us to get started with putting a little away for her each pay week. Thanks again Westpac.  You guys rock!

Silent Sunday

 

Day 27 -  From a distance;

Things I'm loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is. 

1. 1 year wedding anniversaries. And a husband that knows me very well - iTunes voucher present = one happy mumma.

2. Breakfast juice from Jerry the Juicer <3

3. Walkies at the beach....

...and how this boy loves riding in the car.

4. My lovely bubble bath experience.  Post to follow :)

5. Baby date in the spa.

"Children reinvent your world for you".

And she sure will reinvent you Rachael and Deane. <3

Happy to report....

I unfortunately couldn't attend the baby shower I had organised because I needed to attend the funeral of this lovely lady but I did organise all the games and supplied the shower with tonnes of rice bubble slice, recipe here.

Thought I would share the games and things that I organised incase anyone would like to use them or adapt them to something that you're doing.  I have it on good authority they were a blast to play :D

Advice Book
Pretty straight forward - an advice book for first time mothers. Please feel free to use the poem from the second photo if you like it - it's a mash up of a few I found on an internet hunt and my own pure genius.

Feely Bags
In each of these bags I had something that a baby might need in their first year - bootie, dummy, bottle etc.  Party guests had to guess the items in the bags.

Guess the celebrity baby
After making this and knowing which baby was which I thought this game was too easy.  Many assured me it was quite the opposite!

And the answers so you don't drive yourself mad!

Shape-O Race
Easy peasy - fastest time with the wonderful toy that is the Tupperware Shape-O.  If you don't happen to have a shape-p there are heaps of cheaper alternatives at shops like The Warehouse :)

The Return of Silent Sunday

For one reason or another Silent Sunday has fallen off the face of this blog. Today - it returns!

Day 26: Close-up

That was going to be my only photo today, then this happened...

Beautiful!

Things I'm loving...

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.

1. Loving being married for almost a year! Can't believe it was a whole 12 months ago.  I love him more every day (collective 'awww')

2. Love learning to sit up time in the pillow fortress.

3. LOVE these rolls.

4. Loving my juicer and having lost almost 6 kgs in 13 days!

5. Loving organising a baby shower for my best friend.  Even if I won't be able to attend :( boo.

Not particularly loving my husband having to go back to work this week :(