Yesterday I drove to Palmerston North to pick up our Grandsons G2 and G4. I love having these boys to stay! You only have to look through a few of my previous blog posts and you will see photos of previous holidays and details of our adventures. I have made a few plans for these holidays but today, their first day here, it is a cold, wet and windy day. So it’s inside entertainment! G2 also has a cough cold and is probably better off staying indoors and keeping warm. So first thing was a game of minecraft on the Play Station 3, and then it was break time. The boys know that Nana Pam doesn’t like them spending too long in front of the television or a computer screen! So, out came the saucepan and a batch of playdough was made for the next form of entertainment…..and they loved it 🙂 If you haven’t made playdough before I suggest you give it a try. It is so easy!
Here is the the recipe….
Stir all together
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon of oil
2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
and food colouring (any colour)
Then cook on medium heat, stirring all the time until the dough leaves the side of the pan. Tip it out onto  tray and when it cools a little, knead it all together. And then the fun begins!
Here are some photos of the boys and their playdough creations…
Our lovely new, soft, green playdoughWho would like a slice of pizza?Shhhhh it’s a bird nest with a bird in it and her eggsG4 cutting up his playdough sausage for G2’s pizzaI can see….a snail!Our Master Chef!Preparing and planning the pizza toppings
Lots of fun to be had! Playdough play lasted for about an hour and I think that is a pretty good return for the time invested in making it. And, the best part of all is that if you store your Playdough in an airtight plastic bag or container, it will last for a month or even longer.
The sun has come out to shine this afternoon so maybe we can get out on the trampoline or the bikes! But if it’s wet again in the next few days, I am sure we will be able to get our green playdough out again….even if it’s only for another hour of play 🙂
Ever had one of THOSE weeks? Well I have just had one and barely survived! Okay a slight exageration here, but it was a tough week!
Started off on Saturday night. I came home from a very busy afternoon shift at work and ended up having a stupid discussion/argument with a person who I love very much! Yes, my halo slipped badly! I don’t know why I bothered to get involved in the discussion as I already knew we were poles apart in our opinions on the matter. Normally I would try to keep peace knowing that our relationship was way more important than ‘who was right’ at the time, but fatigue took over and I didn’t back down. Consequently, I have made a call to say sorry, and to try to get our relationship back to good standing. But I guess it may still take time. This was definitely a time when I could have done with God putting a guard on my mouth. I guess my strong self will was much bigger at the time! Hmmm a lot of self examination went on for the next few days.
On the Tuesday I decided to take my Mum and sister to the ‘Tuesday Special’ movies. We went to the movie ‘The fault in our stars’
Have you seen it? Oh my goodness…. it is not a good movie to go to when you are already feeling emotional! I cried the whole way through. Actually the whole theatre cried! One lady was even sobbing! But really, it is a movie to see. Go have a look for your self, and remember to take your tissues please 🙂
Then I had a call to let me know that church friends of ours adult daughter had had an asthma attack. And she died! She died! I still can’t believe it. She was beautiful, active and a great personality. A mum to three young lads and a devoted wife. She was also sister to two other young ladies who we know really well. What a shock to the whole family. My heart breaks for them all! Gina was farewelled on Saturday morning to a crowd of approx 650 people. Sadly I had to work so I couldn’t attend, but my thoughts have been with them all constantly.
And throughout the whole week I have been sick. It started with a sore throat, and a whole week later I am still coughing…. all day long! I worked Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon and then Monday afternoon and had several coughing fits during the time. Talk about embarassing! Nose running, tears falling and a tickly itchy throat that demanded several coughs to fix! Thankfully other than the wasted feeling after a coughing fit, I actually don’t feel too bad.
And what did I learn from my week? Below is my reading from this Saturday. As I read the first portion of the scripture I felt like it was describing my week. A week of despondency!
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:Â
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.Â
The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.Â
Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJVÂ
But the last part of the reading helped me to refocus! Yet I will rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of my salvation, and He will be my strength! No matter what is happening around me! God knows it all anyway and I can trust Him with the details 🙂 Praise God!
I have just had a wonderful eleven day holiday in Sydney compliments of Son C1 and his wife D1. Talk about being spoilt! It has been one of the best Mother’s day and birthday presents EVER!
But the extra special thing about this trip has been the opportunity of taking my 85 year old Mother with me. Mum has been wanting to come to Sydney and see family for ages and this time everything just worked out nicely.
In the eleven days I had many moments that I will treasure in my heart forever. The cuddles with our two month old little grandson, visiting eight year old grand daughter G3 at school and being shown all her school work for the year on display and being extra spoilt with gifts from amazing seventeen year old G1 (our eldest grandchild). I also had very special times with D1, and then C1 when he got home from his work trip to Florida. And in this holiday, we also had two precious evenings with Ben and Chloe. My mother/grandmother soul has been satisfied ….ahhhhhh
Mum sitting at C1’s work deskG3 showing me one of her creationsG3 showing her baby brother G6 to her School friendsG3 and meSam, G1 and C3D1 and C1C1 and his NanaBatbaby!All attention on the cutest baby boy 🙂G6 at two months old with Great Nana on the chair behind himG3, D3, C4 Mum and MeOut for tea together. D1, G1, G6, Sam and G3G3 making a Beeswax candle
I wasn’t sure how Mum was going to cope with the travelling and then all the extra activities we would do while in Sydney, but I was amazed with her. I know she got very tired at times and probably had some pain in her body, but she pushed herself and kept up all the time, determined to not be a bother and to also do everything we were doing. There were a few times that I had to remind her to get her walking stick out for safety reasons. These became cheerful reminders as Mum would say she was waiting for me to ask her where her stick was. But the last thing I wanted was to see Mum hurt herself and one fall could have been very bad!
At the St Ives ShowgroundFour GenerationsMum with her ‘STICK’ walking stick
We did have an extra special moment on our flight from Auckland to New Plymouth (home). I will never forget it! We were watching a movie on my galaxy, both sharing one set of earplugs to listen. So we had to sit pretty close and listen carefully with one ear. The movie was a real tear jerker, and when the saddest moment came in the film, here was Mum and I, both moping up our tears. Mum commented about how alike we are at being moved emotionally at movies. During the mop up time I looked very closely at Mums hands. I held her hands momenterily and looked at how crooked her little fingers had become. I felt so sad! My mother’s hands had suffered from the years of hard work. Her hands had wrapped around each of her children with love many many times. Oh what stories they could tell. But here they are now all bent and wrinkled. They have served her well but they have aged and they now cause her pain. I realise that this is definitely the winter season of Mum’s life, and also realise that I am now heading into the Autumn season. How quickly life flies by! Am I ready for what happens during this winter season? No I am not! I don’t think I will ever be ready. I love my Mum and Dad so much.
My Hand wrapped together with Mum’s handMum’s left handMum’s right hand. Look at her bent fingers, especially her index finger!
The sweetest thing I ever saw was when we arrived back at New Plymouth. Walking  to the car to go home I turn around and there is my Mum and Dad walking along each holding a handle of Mum’s carrybag. It was only 2.5kgs (I know because I weighed it), but Dad was helping her carry it. I guess he knows Mum’s crooked little fingers, and how painful they can be, way better than I do, after all they have now been married for 66 years. They are amazing!
I will keep that image locked in my brain forever. It was so sweet! This cute little old couple still showing their love for each other, sharing the load and both having wonderful smiles on their faces at the joy of being together again.
Celebrating 66 Years
Yes I got way more than I expected from these eleven days!
Over the years of being a parent I have had so many happy loving moments that they are too numerous to mention, and each moment makes the role of being a parent worth the sacrifice and commitment of being a Mum. I have loved being a Mum (and still do) and I am now enjoying the role of being a grandparent. If you look at my last few posts you will see that we have been blessed with three more lovely grandchildren this year alone….making our grandchildren seven in number. Wow…God is good 🙂
There has also been those times when parenting brings a hurt that is almost unbearable. These are the times when you try to share a desire for the very best for your child, when you give the best wisdom you can from your own life experience, or wisdom that comes from God and His word to your child, but they just choose to walk a path that is completely opposite. As a parent you wonder why? What did I do wrong? What could I have done better? And yes… I know what you the reader would be saying. ‘You can’t live your child’s life for them’, ‘They have to grow up and make choices and live by the results of those choices..and grow through them’… But there is nothing wrong with wanting the very best for your child!
Seeing your child with wounds of the heart because of their wrong choices is one of the most painful things in life. You see…you love them so much, you don’t want them to be hurt that way. Falling over and skinnng a knee can heal really quickly, painful at the time, but actually has no life long effect. Being rejected, cheated on, disrespected, used and lied to is much more damaging. These hurts can take a lifetime to be healed from, and sadly, unless attended to,  they can also affect future relationships. These wounds of the heart are that severe! Believe me I know. Those of you who know my history will know that I am talking from experience. And…because of my life, I have never wanted my children to suffer those very deep and painful wounds for themselves.
True healing can come from a relationship with God, but it can take years. It is a process. How much better it would be to never have made those wrong choices? I hope you, the reader has faith. God loves you, and His plan is perfect!
While travelling home from Sydney today I watched a movie called ‘Grace Unplugged’ It’s a great movie about a father trying to lead his child by example (hopefully we all do that), and to help her make decisions that he felt were the best for her to make (yes I could see where he was coming from), but instead the child, Grace, gathered resentment towards her father and his faith, and walked completely in the opposite direction. And sadly, both ended up with huge regrets…. the ending you can probably guess, but the movie is well worth watching to see the end for yourself. Anyway…. I could see some similarity in my life!
Once home and reading through my many emails I came across a link to a ‘You Tube’ clip from a church that I regularly watch messages from. This video/teaching is great! Well I think so anyway 🙂 And, I wonder just how many parents of young adults that are getting into boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, would like to have access to great teaching on this very subject. Below is the link. Have a listen…and maybe send the link to your young adult to have a listen to as well….then, like me…. pray pray and then do some more praying 🙂
While expecting the three new grandchildren to arrive this year, I decided to get back into some of my older craft activities. Amazingly, the Scrapbooking has been put aside until I’ve completed these baby gifts! But I will get back to it as there will be so many photos of each new grandchild to make pages with… I can’t wait!
I’ve now been sewing baby clothes, wraps and bibs and also had the knitting needles and crochet hooks out….and I’ve had fun! Nothing like a new baby to give you motivation.
So first to be born this year was G5 on the 4th of February. I made her a crotcheted blanket just like the one I had for my children when they were babies.
G5’s Blanket. I had to feature some pink!
And here is beautiful little G5 tucked up and sound asleep with her new blanket. Hopefully she will be able to keep her own ‘Nana made’ blanket for years 🙂
Doesn’t she look so peaceful
While I was making G5’s blanket I had another pink one on the go. With having two grand daughters arriving I needed/wanted to make one for each of them. The other blanket was quite different. Instead of crocheting in rounds I crocheted in rows of treble crochets.
Now…this is a much brighter pink!
I had fun making this blanket as it was in 12 ply and grew very fast. Trouble was it used heaps of wool up too and I ran out doing the edge! As it was such a bright blanket I decided to tone it down with a fancy white edging. This blanket is now in England waiting for grand baby girl to be born. And….I can’t wait to hear the news as it could be any day now 🙂
In the end I loved the white edging. It brings such a contrast and is quite lacy
Here is a close up of the lovely white lacy edge…
I think it is really pretty. I just hope her little fingers don’t get caught in it all the time.
So G5 was born in February and on the 10th of March I headed for Sydney to be there when Grandson G6 was born. I took a suitcase of wool with me to crotchet G6’s blanket with. I had 20 days! He arrived on the 18th of March, one day before his due date.
Waiting for G6’s day of birth. I’m crocheting and D1 is journalling
I started a pattern of so many rows of the blue/green wool and then two rows of white. The blanket ended up huge, as I had to complete the pattern…and I ended up having to race to ‘Spotlight’ to buy more wool. But in the end I was really happy with it…and I got it finished
It was big enough to cover the sofa! And this isn’t the finished size! I still had more rows of colour to do and also the white edge!
And because I had brought more wool I decided to use it all up and make a pillow to match…although the pattern was different as I had more white wool left than the coloured wood.
The finished blanket and pillow! I managed to make both of these in 20 days…so happy 🙂
I have a photo of G6 laying on his blanket in the previous post. Go and have a look at him…he is such a little cutie!
I enjoyed crocheting so much I have started another blanket. It’s so easy to just sit and crotchet while you are watching TV, or a movie, or even while you are talking. I feel like I’m being productive even while doing nothing.
Now isn’t that cute 🙂
I should really be using a bigger size crochet hook but I didn’t have mine with me when I started and I didn’t want to undo it and start again….so it is very tight crocheting and quite firm! I hope it’s going to be okay when it’s finished.
Now, when I was in Sydney I also finished off knitting a little blue cardy. I started it when D1 first found out she was pregnant….so it has definitely been a work in progress! Apart from sewing the buttons on, which I left for D1 to do (I didn’t have any and didn’t have time to shop for some), I got it finished! Phew!
Minus the buttons and a little bit of sewing up 🙂
So along with the knitting and crocheting, I have also been making myself a couple of dresses and some baby items as well. I forgot to take photos of the baby things apart from these two little dresses…
One for G5 and one for G7 🙂
I usually find it hard to make clothes for myself that fit okay once sewn up. I’m not very good at altering the pattern for my body shape! I usually sew it up as much as possible and then put it on inside out and pin the seams to fit better! I decided to buy a new pattern as see how it turned out by just cutting and sewing as the pattern said! This is the pattern…
This pattern is really easy to use! I was really happy with it 🙂
I purchased my material from ‘Spotlight’s’ 30% off sale. For one dress it cost $12! Now that’s a bargain. especially if you don’t count the value of my time taken to make the dress. I made it for me for free 🙂
This is the first one I made. Excuse the fact that my body has got wider through the middle as I have got older. I need to exercise more but I am too busy sitting down doing craft!
This dress has pockets at both sides. It has been cut and sewn just as the pattern said and fits me perfectly. You have no idea how happy this makes me feel. So happy that I had to make another dress!
This one I decided to make a contrast top on it like in the pattern 🙂
I just have one more dress cut out to sew up for me, and the crochet blanket to finish, and then I can spend some time creating with these beautiful fat quarter fabrics. They have been washed and are just sitting waiting for me to find some inspiration and spare time! Aren’t they fabulous!
Now what am I going to make????
I will be spending a wee bit of time on ‘Pinterest’ looking for ideas I think 🙂
I am always amazed at pregnancies and birth. It is such a miraclulous event! Â I always think of Psalm 139:1-16 when I hear of a new pregnancy. Have a look in the Bible at this scripture and see what you think?
Now I have just had the most amazing 20 days in Sydney! I arrived on the 10th of March and left again on the 30th, and in that time I became a Nana again to grandchild number 6. Master G6 arrived at 3:50 am on the 18th of March, weighing in at 8lb 11 oz, and with a thick crop of black hair!
Baby G6 surrounded by his adoring family, Dad C1, Mum D1, and sisters G1 and G3
So I spent 8 days in Sydney waiting for labour to start, and helping D1 with the last minute preparations for having a new baby in the home; and then 12 days having lots of Nana cuddles with G6 and getting to know him a little, and also spending quality time with his two big sisters, and Mum and Dad. I also had my camera out ready to capture all the memory making moments! Here’s a sample of those precious moments…
D1 is so tiny…and look how big her tummy is. This photo was taken only a few days before the birth.We thought he was going to be born on the 16th…so we were prepared!And we took another photo of the 17th Just in case!But we didn’t think D1 would last until the 18th….so we didn’t take a photo with the number 18! This one will have to do!Brand new baby G6 with his very proud Daddy 🙂And the first photo of G6 with his Nana Pam….me!!!!
And from that first day of G6’s life after his birth…we managed to take heaps of photos. C1 reckons there are already more photos of G6 than he has of himself in his whole life… haha. But really, how can you not take so many photos of a very cute baby. And….such a good baby as well.
His first change into a night time stretch and grow. His big sisters are amazed by him 🙂And getting his first hairwash and bath by his Daddy, with help from his sisters G1 and G3 🙂
Now I tried to be helpful, and not be labeled as an interferring mother-in-law (D1 and I get along really well, so I don’t really fear that label at all….but I treasure our relationship, and certainly want to make sure we remain great friends …always). So I did what I went over to Sydney to do. To be helpful and make life easier for the new Mummy, and the family as a whole. I helped with the cooking, washing and transporting and anything else that needed to be done. I also had many swims and managed to crotchet a whole blanket, and cushion cover and finish a little knitted cardigan….all for G6 🙂 I hope that I was a blessing….I know that I was blessed 🙂
The first time I hung out G6’s clothes….such an emotional moment for me. I even made sure the pegs were all blue! Doesn’t that clothes line just melt your heart!And here he is laying on his new crocheted blanket that I made for him 🙂The look of satisfaction. Tummy full and sleeping peacefully 🙂
And on the last full day of my holiday we went to get some family portraits taken. The photographer allowed me to take some photos from beside her. I imagine her photos are going to be spectacular, because even though my backgrounds aren’t perfect, the photos are amazing! I love them all!
A bare body photo of G6 at 11 days old 🙂A Beautiful family portrait 🙂A special moment between mother and son.Grand daughters G1 and G3 with me….Nana Pam. The photographer also took a photo with Luke as well, but I have to wait to see that one!
My son C1 has always been at ‘Star Wars’ fan. He has watched all the movies….many times. He has lots of Star Wars memorabilia. He has many collections of Star Wars collectors cards…and he can now say ‘Luke….I am your father’
Yes…One very happy Daddy to have a son after two beautiful daughters. His family is complete…or is it???
Yes….2014 has been a great year so far. We have two new grand children to add to the fabulous four we already had. We also have another one due to be born in April. A little girl, and she will be born in London. I am guessing that that event will be my next post! And I can’t wait to meet her and share her with my world 🙂
I love my Mum and Dad! They are 88 and 85 and still going strong. Strong in health, living and loving 🙂 What an amazing heritage we have because of them. They deserve to be honoured…and I do honour them 🙂
We have family tea together every Sunday night, missing out only occasionally. Here are some photos of our gathering last night. G2 and G4 are staying so they entertained themselves with clothes pegs….believe it or not!
me and my Mum…yes we do look alike 🙂What a lovely family group photo….love them all xxxC5 with her Nana and Grandad 🙂Me and my oldest daughter C5 who just turned 22….love her xxxMy Mum who is 85! – 86 in September. I come from good genes 🙂My Dad, he is 88 and a half!….he looks like the grandad in ‘UP’A lovely photo of G2…except for the peg..hahaG4 entertaining himself with the exercycleMy Mummy and My DaddyThe peg boys!!!
I should have taken more photos of everyone there, but I am so happy with these photos. They all show the LOVE we have for each other.
On the 4th of February beautiful little G5 joined our family. The most gorgeous little 6lb 15.8oz little baby girl. Born in Palmerston North hospital and sister to G2 andG4. Little daughter of my son C3. And we feel blessed….yes very blessed!
Have a look at this little cutie…
A beautiful moment! Daddy and daughterlook at her face! So beautiful 🙂nearly a smile hereimmediately after birthnot even an hour old 🙂Introducing baby G5 to big brother G4Just looking MumYes….she is loved!Pretty in pink 🙂The whole family!So little and loved!Introducing baby G5 to biggest brother G2 🙂He’s pretty proud of her alreadyI’m going to keep her!What little hands and fingers G5 has!
One day last week I picked G2 up after School and decided to give both him and G4 a treat. Now if you haven’t been to the Te Manawa Museum in Palmerston North, New Zealand…you MUST go! Especially if you have young children. The museum is filled with interactive displays and it is so much fun watching the children explore and learn while playing.
All the ground floor is free entry so that is also a bonus to visit there. The first area you go to is the interactive house. It has a kitchen, lounge, bedroom/reading/dressing up area, and outdoor area consisting of a clothes line and a tree hut!
But the most favourite area is the scariest. If you walk into the wardrobe and through the hanging clothes a door magically opens at the back….and you enter into a dark secret passage. The door quickly closes behind you and you are left to explore/find your way out, using all the senses minus sight! And believe me it’s a bit creepy. You hear mice scuttling and things are hanging from the ceiling…and you even have to climb a bit! If you are very brave you can feel your way to the very end and find yourself up in the tree hut. If you get a bit worried you can find the escape door and end up in the bedroom and take a rest on one of the beds…or maybe read a book…or try out the dress up clothes.
In one of the rooms you learn how to do some plumbing. If you join the pipes correctly the water will start to run through the pipes. You can also fill up a bath with water and then pull the plug…learning not to waste water!
But my favourite part is the the outdoor area where the children can construct a big wall with the soft bricks that are provided. Talk about great entertainment for boys! They love it….even if we go there every holidays…they still love it.
There are the usual museum features as well and we did explore some of those areas but the real treat is all the interactive components of the place. Have a look at the photos and see what you think…
These are not really part of the interactive area of the museum, but the boys love climbing on them. Great for photos too I think 🙂Te Manawa – G2 on WTe manawa – G4 on nA mat and block in the entrance area. These are changed to different things regularlyHere the boys are about to pull the wall apart so they can build it againThe block are loaded onto the ramp and then wound up to the top levelOr…the blocks can be loaded onto a pully and manouvered up and around to the wall areaG4 building the wall ever so carefully. You don’t want bricks falling down on you!Both boys hard at work!Nearly finished G4!G2 says ‘would you like soup or a coffee Nana Pam’? I answer ‘both please’He then brings me the cash register to pay for them!G4 looking down at me from the tree houseYou can enter through the tube that comes from the secret passageway, or by the stairs 🙂What do you find at different layers of the ground….look and see…I see bonesThese bricks aren’t heavy Nan Pam!Reaching up to the top of the wall 🙂Boys LOVE using these things…just like big men!It’s the last block in the wall! Yay…done 🙂We fill the bath and then empty it…looking at how much water we use at the different levels!tic tac toe with pillows on the floor! What a cool idea 🙂you throw the balls up on the top of the cloud, pull the wire and the balls fall from the cloud like rain! How great is that?learning about pipes!I LOOOVVVEE this cute little caravan!Yes it’s an old tractor!The Maori history part of the museum 🙂Through the wardrobe and what do you find??????
We have just arrived back home from a lovely weekend away. A weekend that has been planned for approximately six months. One of my best friend’s daughter had fallen in love with a lovely young man, and this weekend was their wedding, and we were invited. We had a little way to travel but it was worth it!
Rebecca, the bride had just finished her second year of teachers training and still has one year of study left. Roland, the groom, had just completed his training to become a youth Pastor. So as you can imagine money is tight. But, they are very much in love and could see no reason to delay a wedding…they were committed to each other for life! Just look at the love in their eyes for each other!
Now the wedding was definitely a wedding made on a tight budget, but in my opinion, it lacked nothing. It was a wedding full of meaning, joy, love and a real delight to experience. A very blessed event!
It was an open ceremony held in a local park. The setting was beautiful. A lovely arch was built as a background to the altar, and a wishing well for gifts to be deposited. Very sweet!
We were all invited to bring along a picnic and blanket for the reception. And everyone did just that. With joy and happiness and lots of laughter, we all sat around and ate our picnic tea together, with the bridal party sitting just along from us. It was perfect! The weather was warm and sunny, the surroundings picturesque, and the atmosphere delightful. You could just feel the support and love for both Rebecca and Roland. Everyone helped to make this day a delight to remember.
And we had a reason to dress up and have a weekend away! It will certainly be a weekend to remember. I feel very blessed to have shared in the whole experience.
Rebecca and Roland…I admire your decision to get married, and I also admire the fact that you didn’t waste money on lots of unnecessary trimmings. Your wedding day lacked nothing. It was a fabulous day and a very well thought out meaningful wedding ceremony. We were all able to contribute and help to make your day special, even if it was just by bringing along our own little picnic. Many people contributed one way or another and that’s the way it should be. Why get married and start the marriage with a huge debt that is caused by the wedding day. There was no alcohol, no loud music and no raised voices. The whole experience was simply lovely!
