Bubbles!!! Ollie notices the boats engines makes BUBBLES!!

Sunshine, a big boat, cold beer (ginger beer in Ollies case) and relaxing in the sun - perfect way to spend an afternoon!!

And that is the end of Movember.......

I am still not sure how I felt about Vic with a moustache...... sometimes I liked it sometimes I wasn't so fussed..... you be the judge!

We are getting very excited.....

As I am going back to work in January :o) We are preparing a room for our Swedish Au Pair who arrives in December. As you can see Ollie is very excited about her arrival and also helping redecorate the spare room!

Fish and Chips on the beach - it must be Summer!

I love it when Noah comes to stay!!!!

Story time before the boys get put to bed :o)

Checking earthworks..... again.....

Ollie and me doing our routine check on the progress of Earthworks - thankfully they are now complete - YAH!!!!!! Although not without its stress!!

Riding with training wheels....?

After my neighbours pony, Chocolate, starting bucking on their little girl I offered to ride him to try and make him understand that bucking was something that was not desirable behaviour...... so far it seems to have worked. Although I look seriously silly riding him - it was seriously good fun too :o)

No interesting water toys could distract Oliver from washing his beloved little cars....!

As the weather has been terrible over the school holidays I set Oliver up at the kitchen sink with cups, water wheels and other interesting water toys. He ignored all of these - went and found his plastic cars and lovingly washed and dried them - priorities!!!! He may be taking after his late Uncle Bernard who also had an obsession with cars!!

What fun!!!

Ollie demonstrates why it is never wise to turn your back on a two year old........

Oliver has a morning conversation with Gabe........

And this was how I found out Ollie may be ready to be toilet trained....

Oliver has just started taking off his nappy and taking himself to the toilet...... he refuses to sit on the toilet, instead prefering to use his god given right as a man - his ability to pee standing up... as you can see he has gotten around the lack of height by standing on the rim of the toilet so he can get it in the bowl!! The whole toilet thing is a bit hit and miss. Fear not we are trying to find a wee set of stairs for him that will make life easier and safer for him..... seat lids can be pretty slippery if stood on in socks... as he found out this week!

Oliver explains the birds and the bees to us...

We are at the Bee Factory in Taupo...

The best looking bees I have ever seen :o)

Smile nicely for the camera.....

and now scream for the camera!!!!

Ollie gets chased by the Huka Falls Monster!!

The things you find yourself doing as parents!!

Walking the track at Huka Falls..... or stomping if you are Ollie

Some woman buy shoes and handbags..... I buy scruffy wee horses

This is Alabama (paddock name Acorn).... and I found her hiding in the back Terawhiti Station in Makara wanting a new home. The trial ride I had on her consisited of jumping on her with no helmet and riding accross a paddock filled with Motorcross bikes whizzing around, 4WD vechicles revving thier engines and a paddock full of Captain Cook pigs. She didn't flinch, get spooked or falter once. But what made me absolutely want her - was the fact that she was as cruisy as all this when she hadn't been ridden for five months, and she is only four! She impressed me even more when I went to collect her loading onto my horse float like she was twenty and had been doing it for years! And at home she continues to be an absolute cruiser - my horsey friends cannot get over how totally laid back she is - falling asleep in situations where other horses would be spooking or shaking from head to toe!

My wee unpolished diamond :o)