Sweet As Long Weekend

It's been an absolute scorcher here in Auckland since Thursday last week. so hot that I decided to take today off to make the most of it and have a four-day weekend (and just quietly a chance to have a swim and enjoy the outdoor area without freaking out that the kids were going to jump in the bloody pool!)

We spent most of the weekend playing outside and having a couple of bb'q's with friends. Sunday, Roe and Justin, friends of ours from the anti-natal class, came around with their two kids Sabine and Piper, both kids similar ages to Soph and Max - they had a blast as they destroyed the house inside playing, while the adults stayed out by the pool eating...and of course drinking

It's really is a great feeling not having to think of places to take the kids during the weekend now to avoid cabin fever, they really love it here....and so do we!

Got sent this on face book - Freaknipple - photo taken 1997 - check out the cool guy hanging off the power line with his hand in his pocket...!

Max getting stuck into the barrier cream - he thought it was sun-block and caked himself head to toe...charming

Baking...you think Soph was licking the bowl afterwards?

Cheeky...

Just plain cute here

Soph and Daddy enjoying the pool in October!

Pool's rock

Sophie's new dress...picked it herself and proud as punch!

Brad

Metallica Rocked!

Ingrid and I were greedy and went to Metallica both nights...and man, it was good.

Camera a bit dodgy but video here and here

We've moved in!

It's been a long time between posts  (I seem to be saying that every time I update this thing now), but truth be told - we've had some drama's with broadband and getting the bloody computer set up,  but it's all sweet now.

The new house is great and the kids seem to be really enjoying it. They both absolutely LOVE playing outside in the pool area, but it's a tad scary seeing Max out there, all he wants to do is jump in the bloody thing! Soph's a little more cautious and knows to stay well away from the edges, she also loves helping her daddy out with scooping up all the leaves and winding back the pool cover.

Both of them are playing and getting on well together and Max is certainly talking and understanding a lot - his favourite word at the moment...you guessed it "NO" - and boy he says it with some conviction when he doesn't wanted something..."Max time for bed now "NO!!!!"...ouch.

So much to write about, but I thought it's best to chuck a few pics on first and slap something more substantial up later in the week - so talk more soon.

The pool at night - sweet

Going for a long walk - Soph got tired and jumped in the stroller - Max loved it!

Happy kids! 

 The park no less than 4 houses down the street

 Everyday they want to go along and play

 ...everyday...

 Sophie the little actor - bringing all her dolls out and putting on a performance for them all

 We've had a couple of stunning weekends and I've even been for a few swims already.

 Fun times at the mall

Brad

Soph bringing in the rubbish for the last time at the old place

We've finally moved into the new house! I thought it would be a lot easier this time, given half our stuff was still packed in boxes from our last move, but it's still a massive undertaking (yes even after moving house 5 times in the past 10 years!).  It would have been harder still, if mum hadn't come up and treated the kids to a weekend of fun and games while the two of us packed and started taking things over to the new house.

Monday the movers came...or should I say cowboys came...they turned up with a truck far to small to carry our furniture, and then spent half a day trying to work out how it would all fit into the truck...which it didn't... so 4 hours and two trips later...we were in.  We manged to assemble the kids beds along with our own, set up the tv  - then it was time to grab the kids from daycare!  I had to go back to work Tuesday and Ingrid was working the rest of the week - so the place still looks a bit of a site - (especially the basement that resembles something closer to downtown Baghdad now!

The kids really seem to dig the place now though - there's a playground/park no-less than 4 houses down the road that they absolutely love! - The only scary thing is the pool - I took the cover off today to clean and vacuum it, but I but spent more time trying to stop Max from leaping in...I doubt there will be much lazing around the pool this summertime!y

I'm taking Mon/Tue off this week to get a few things done around the place while the kids are at daycare  - hopefully might even sneak in a lazy swim!

Max loves the Ladies

We've been told that Max is a bit of a hit with the ladies...so I asked him what his secret was.

"Well daddy - you start by puckering up your lips and looking all sweet and innocent"

."..then you do the old - 'I'm gonna pretend to bite your head off trick...'

"Then, you shut your eyes and plant a big one right on the lips"

"then you reveal in your awesomeness..."

Soph loving the camera

"I'm not cheeky at all..."

Soph's great camera skills..not bad

Chillin' outside on a lazy Sunday afternoon (one of my favourite photo's)

Daddy has taught her well

The New House!

After looking for more than a year - we finally found our new home!

The place came on the market last Saturday and we were the proud owners the following day...(it paid to wait as we got a great deal on the house).  You could tell it was well priced and very popular considering more than thirty people went along to the first open home on an absolute shitter of a day.

It's as solid as buggery (we checked out buliders report and lim in deatil)  - it's a 3 Bedroom (with additional room in basement) on a quite cul-da-sac street with a little park at the end of the road, perfect for kids, good zoning and not sure if you noticed...but it comes fully equipped with a very stylish heated pool too...

We move in Sept 17 - you ripper.