Unconditional

We officially went unconditional on the house today.
Of course now they want the deposit! Oh well off to the bank we go.

Gettign to Know You Meme

Found this meme on one of the blogs I follow:

Four jobs I've had:
1. Party Organiser at McDonalds
2. Shelf stacker in grocery store
3. Nurse
4. I haven't had any other jobs

Four places I lived:
1. Kuwait
2. Jordan
3. Ohio, USA
4. France

Four movies I've watched over and over:
1. Steel Magnolias
2. Doc Hollywood
3. Little Mermaid
4. Sound of Music

Four shows I watch:
1. Brothers and Sisters
2. Greys Anatomy
3. CSI
4. Doc Martin (British Show)

Four places I've been:
1. Gold Coast, Australia
2. Disney World
3. Athens
4. Hong Kong

Four favorite thing to eat:
1. Steak and chips
2. Sushi (only chicken though)
3. Chocolate Mousse
4. Chinese

Four places I'd rather be:
1. At the beach
2. At Grandma and Granddad's in Dubai
3. On a cruise in the Med
4. Disney World

Four things I look forward to this new year:
1. Redoing the kitchen in our new house
2. Going to Dubai to visit Grandma and Granddad (my parents) in September
3. Spending more time with my baby brother now he lives in NZ with his family
4. Starting my new job

What are your 4 answers to all these?

House Market

What has happened to the New Zealand Housing Market??

Last year we sold our house in Auckland, I think we were very lucky to sell it.

We held 4 open homes and had a grand total of about 8 people through it in all that time. Now ok I know it only takes 1 person to buy, but still people just weren't looking. So when I look back I realise just how lucky we were.

Some friends down the road from us in Auckland placed their house on the market in October 07 and it is still for sale! Now ok there are a few different factors between our house and theirs. We had more land and didn't sit right on a major junction on a busy road, but still they are having hardly anyone through the open homes!

This morning I was out for an early morning walk and noticed a few houses still for sale here in Hamilton. Now these are houses that I had noticed for sale when we first moved here in October! We are talking different standards of house as well, so nothing is moving very quickly. Yes it is the main summer season at present but just because the kids are on main summer holidays doesn't stop people obtaining houses.

It makes me realise that we were probably never going to have any competition in buying the house we just have purchased, because there is no one out there buying houses.
The lady we have just brought from is probably so happy to have succeeded in selling her house with the way the market is at present.

How is it in the country you live in? Are houses selling or has the market gone very quiet?

Sneeky Peek

Here is a sneeky peek at the kitchen and dining room in our new house.

We are replacing the kitchen prior to moving in.

Alex and the Ball

Once upon a time, Alex had a ball.

Alex lost the ball in the bush so got the rake to try and hook it out!

No luck so Alex went in after the ball.

Sums it up

As several of you will know, back in October I posted a large post about Marriage.
I still stand by what I said and still feel the same way.
Anyway, I was ready a magazing the other day and one of the stories there had it worded just right for how I feel.

"For Bella, 32, who has it all - her man Justin, 31, two children and a successful career - the only thing that could make life more complete was marriage. This is the final step. It formalises it all and signifies our union. It cements things"
Taken from Woman's Day, NZ Jan 28 08

I want to cement things.

Mischievous Monster

This sums up Alex in a nut shell, if anything has happened this week it has happened to him.

Ok he has instigated everything, but it has all been Alex.

After the little visit from the police, the next day Alex was at it again, although this time it was first thing in the morning.

I was getting ready for a meeting, Steve and Ben were eating breakfast and Alex had gone out into the garden.

When I came out of the study I thought it was too quiet, and we all know what that spells, so I went into the garden and it was still and quiet, no 2 year old.

The shed door was open and I thought he was in there getting the gardening toys out, so in my pyjamas I went over and it was empty.

As I turned back to the house I noticed the gate was open.....

So I raced back inside, opened the front door and looked out into the street and sure enought there was Alex sat on the pavement outside the neighbours house watching the digger!!

Plus he had a rake in his hand???

Turns out this little hudini had opened the shed, got out the rake and then used this to knock the lock on the gate so it would open. Thus allowing him free access to the outside world!

How does he know how to do this? Where did he learn this from?

I don't remember it being in any story book we have been reading him?

How do we keep him in the garden if he can get out of there? What do I have to do....tie him to the clothes line??

Shopping

So I have a small suspicious feeling that Steve is happy with the house even though we haven't had the LIM report from the council. Think he was happy with the Builders Inspection because he let me go out and buy this.....

this

and this

and I don't think he would have if we weren't getting the house.

Man how I love doing up a new kitchen, ok it has it's moments but gives a girl something to do, and this is just my sort of thing designing and planning.

Alex, Diggers and the Police

And I mean the real Police this time with sirens and ticket books!

Yet again they are digging in our street, well more like finishing off what they started a while ago. Anyway, when we got home from taking Steve to work this morning the boys where playing and I answered the telephone, so I am checking out something on the computer for the person who called and suddenly there is a lady walking down the drive way next to the house saying "maybe mummy is in here" So of course I jump up and run into the garden to find her bringing Alex back into the garden.
She had found him 3 doors down sat on the pavement watching the diggers!
So we walk her back out to the street to see the diggers and Alex promptly runs back to where he was sat and sits down again.
I bring him home and tell him all that was wrong with what he did etc.

About 4 hours later Ben is helping me do something and suddenly he comes back yelling for Alex, I have a quick look round and know exactly where he is, so off down the street I run to find him again, straight past a Police man talking to a kid on a bike!
So I pick up Alex, again tell him not to run off and come back home.
5 minutes later the Policeman is knocking on the door asking if I have lost a baby in a green t-shirt?!
Seems he saw Alex sat on the pavement and this kid on the bike, so he reprimanded the kid first and then dealt with the child in the street, which of course I had rescued, so he gave Alex a little talking to about going off down the street and then left.

So here we are spending the day in the house because up till now, when it has suddenly got very hot and sticky and must be at least 30 deg, it has been raining or at least attempting to rain, and we manage to get the local cops talking to our 2 year old about going off down the street!

The Police

OMG, I just had the wonderful experience of a Police Concert with 30,000 other people on a warm Auckland evening.

I got Steve tickets to the show for his birthday in December and this past weekend we drove to Auckland, left the kids with a friend and spent the night in a motel.

Some good friends of ours joined us and we had a wonderful weekend of eating dinner out and also having breakfast out on Sunday morning, just what every parent needs the oppotunity to do once in a while.

The concert was amazing, we even had Fergie as an opening act, so it was almost like 2 concerts in 1.

Now I will be the first to admit that the Police are not exactly my most out there favorite band, but I know a lot of their songs, but having said that Fergie is kinda new to me as well.

BUT at the end of the day the concert was fab and I am amazed at how much I enjoy it.

Funny thing is I paid all that money to see my cousin as well, because she was there so we caught up with each other, rather expensive way to meet and say hi, but hey family is family.

Job and House

Job - I got a job at Braemar Hospital. They called today and said that they would be happy to have me on board.
So things are getting finalised next week, so by February I should be back at work.

House - The Building Inspection was performed yesterday and from what they have told me all was good, so as long as the LIM from the council doesn't hold anything we are not expecting then looks like we have the house.
So back to the drawing board on designing the kitchen. Yes I will put up before and after shots so you can see how things come along, but then I will do that with lots of the house as we decorate and tidy it, so there is something I can post about whilst reaching my 366 posts.

200th Post

This is my 200th post, it only seems like yesterday that I was writing about my 100th, and it seemed to take forever to get to 100 but such a short time to get to 200.

So here is to the next 100 which if my new year resolution goes to plan will be this year some time soon

Enchanted

I have seen the movie 'Enchanted'

I am such a soft romantic that this was just my type of movie, but what surprised me the most is Steve wanted to come with me!

So at 6pm last Wednesday I excitedly rush to the neighbour and asked her to sit the boys, or more to the point come and watch tv in our house as the boys would be passed out in bed.

So we went to the 9pm showing and it was great.

So as I write this I can sadly admit that I am listening to the soundtrack, which will drive Steve mental with the 'Happy Working Song' If you don't know this song then watch the Youtube clip below, typical disney cleaning song, very catchy but lovely.

House Update

As of 7pm Tuesday night we are conditional on the house we have fallen in love with, well I have fallen in love with, Steve is still on the fence about it.

Anyway we need a Building Inspection and a LIM Report from the local council.

So we have until Thursday 31st January to get both reports and if all is AOK then we will own a house in Hamilton.

I am not worried about the LIM, the only thing to show on that will be that there is no permit for the garage or the veranda, highly unlikely.

It is the building inspection that we are worried about, not that it will show anything, but if anything will halt the buying it will be this.

Building Inspection is on Thursday at 8.30am, we should have the report by Friday morning.

Fingers crossed for us x x

House

We have been casually looking at houses in the surrounding areas. Not so much as to purchase one, more to get a feel for what is there, what people are asking for them and what they eventually sell for.
Stands us in good stead when we do come to buy we will have an idea on the prices in the area etc.

Unfortunately all good laid plans sometimes don't come together and then next thing we are actually placing an offer on a house.

So at this moment in time we are waiting for the vendor to come back on our counter offer that we signed against what she originally signed against our first offer.

One word of advice to anyone in NZ buying a house....Never buy in January over the summer holidays, everyone is away or planning days away etc.
The lady has seen our 2nd offer, and has actually gone to the beach for a day or so, ok she does want to discuss the price with her partner but the Real Estate guy will have to chase her at the beach, 35mins drive away, tomorrow.

In the mean time we can just sit and hope that it goes our way?
And what do we do while we wait, read magazines on new kitchens and designs etc because the house needs a new kitchen put in before we move in.

The joys of buying a house.

Job Interview

I have heard nothing so far, but they did say they would get back to me about Wednesday, so not there yet.
The meeting with them went well and I feel positive.
I am hoping that these few days are what they are using to do reference checks etc.
When I know I will let you know.

Sir Edmund Hillary

It is with much regret today that New Zealand announced the passing of one of their greatest legends Sir Edmund Hillary.

He was the first man to conquer Everest back in 1953, a major feat in itself today yet alone 50 odd years ago.

New Zealand is in mourning for a great icon (legend) who died at the great age of 88.

He was the first person in New Zealand to ever get his face on a bank note whilst still alive.

He will be sadly missed.

The 6pm news tonight was 40 minutes about Sir Ed, 12 minutes on the sport and the last 8 minutes on weather, he was that important to control the whole evening. To New Zealand there was no other news worthy of knowing about.

Me, him and varnish

Today was one of the days that Alex spends at Daycare and so Ben and I have the day together.

Ok that may all change in a little while as I had a job interview today with a Private Hospital in town called Braemar.

For those of you that don't know I am a Theatre Nurse, or a Surgical Nurse for those in the US. Anyway, this is what I have specialised in since I qualified almost 13 years ago. OMG, 13 years! Were does the time go?

So if all goes well from today I may have a part time job again soon, so Ben will join Alex at Daycare.

Well I thought I looked really nice today, I felt good to plus it was a beautiful day so all things were on my side, but there was only Ben to take a picture of me, and seeing as I am usually the one taking the picture then there is never very many of me.

So here is one...

I also repainted my toe nails, because with it being summer your toes have to look good in sandels and I of course had a little helper and also someone who wanted to join in on the action.

So all 20 toes in the house at the time got painted!

Even now as I write this at 9pm his father is still bothered by the fact Ben has cinammon on his toes! Me I think it looks so cute, matches mummy!

Reason, Season or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.


When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real!
But, only for a season.


LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life.

The New Granny

Cute poem I found about how all new mother's think things have changed since their mother's had children!

Now your kids are parents,

There's something you should know,

Their lives are planned out perfectly,

They know the way to go,

They won't need much help from Granny,

She's much too out of date!

Please don't be hurt at this remark -

Just sit back and wait!

Babies are quite different now

Than they were for you and me,

I'm puzzled how we managed

To bring up two or three.

Without the help of all the books

Our children have to read,

We fed and bathed and changed our babies,

And coped with every need.

Reality will set in

When the baby won't conform

To all the rules they've read about

And think should be the norm!

About six weeks of sleepless nights

Should put them to the test,

And you may find them at your door,

Begging for a rest!

Give freely of your help now,

And answer every call;

The time has come for them to see

They need you after all!

Alex

Steve got up at 3am this morning to return Ben back to his own bed and what did he find on route to their bedroom?
Alex asleep in the hallway??!!

We have placed a fan in their room tonight incase it is because he is too hot in there?
Who knows?

Kent & Leisy

Due to a change in the year, then all the old posts are now hidden.
So Kent and Leisy, this one is for you.
Check this out

Sleeping Again

Turns out that lately Alex has decided that he does still want an afternoon sleep but then he also doesn't. So we have some days where it is obvious to tell and we put him down and other days where we just let him run through and we know bedtime will be a doddle.

Only thing is Alex has taken to sleeping in odd places, remember this, well for several nights now we keep finding him, when we go to check on them before we go to bed, in the hallway.

And yesterday he was playing with the pillows with Ben and at about 5pm all was quiet and there was Alex, face down on the carpet sound a sleep.

Maybe it is the carpet in this place, because it seems to be where he likes to sleep!

Early or Late...you decide

The house we are renting is wonderful. It has a seperate living room to dining room and kitchen. So the boys etc can be in the living room and I can cook in peace etc in the other room.

Only thing is the peace, have noticed lately that it would be great to have some music playing or something. We do have a small tv in the dining room but I don't always want to watch it, plus there is usually nothing on anyway.

So I treated myself to a little present. Whether this is an early / late Birthday or Christmas present well that can be decided later, although I think it is a present I have brought myself 'just because' and I am sure we are all worthy of those types at some stage or other.

So here is my simple cheap unit, cost me all of NZ$69 from The Warehouse.

Hey I only want it to play CD's and the radio, probably turn out to last us for years and be the best thing we ever brought!

Christmas and New Year

Christmas this year started on the 23rd when we went and stayed with the grandparents in Rotorua.

Alex found this amusing as grandad likes to sleep, so he had a companion to sleep with.

We went over to my brother's house on Christmas eve and had a pleasant evening there getting sorted for the big day with 4 kids, 3 being under 4 yrs old!

Grandma had already declared she was cooking the dinner on the day so about 5pm we all sat down to a full cooked dinner.

This was significant as this was the first time in about 15 years that my brother, myself and our parents had had Christmas together, and now we had some extra hanger ons to add to the equation. Claire, Iain's wife and their 2 boys and of course Steve and our 2 boys. So 10 of us for dinner was lovely.

My cousin's came, with some of their families and gatecrashed at about 6pm and we all had a fab time gossiping and playing cricket. The wine was flowing and a great time was had by all.

Considering the weather was on our side and it was gloriously sunny outside then it was a great Christmas.

We decided for New Year that we would actually come home and have a quiet time here with some friends. So we spent the weekend prior over in Rotorua with Grandma and Grandad so the boys got some more time with them before they fly out this weekend back to Dubai.

It was lovely to see the boys interact with their grandparents. We went for walks so the boys could show off their new bikes. We played at the park and looked at the lake and we wandered around the Government Gardens.

Rotorua is known for its sulpher and geothermal adventures, hot air coming up out of the ground. One part of the Government gardens takes you down to the lake where the water is cloudy. Looks like someone has emptied powder into the water. Really crazy to look at especially as the water running into the lake is clear!

So the new year has begun, life seems a little boring now and I really must get those decorations down as they really look out of place now, although I know the house will look bare for a short while afterwards, but hey, there is always next year, only 350 odd days to go!

New Hats

Ben and Alex both needed new hats, as the other ones had got too small in that they didn't shade them from the sun at all.

So our priority on New Years Day was to obtain hats for them.

With a 50% sale on, apart from the colours it was relatively simple.

So we walked away with 4 hats, always good to have some spare ones in this house and 2 very happy little munchkins with new hats.

Although we did let them choose their own hats and this is what Alex wanted, so that is what we let him have. Not our fault that it is PINK!

If they are going to wear them then they can be purple with yellow dots for all I care.

Swimming Pools

Everyone in NZ wants a pool in their garden, well there are those that don't, like us.

Now when we get good weather we get it, but some years it can't be relied upon, it will be nice and warm but not to the extent that I would have a pool.

So to have a neighbour who has installed a temporary pool is fun. I am actually warming to the idea of a pool, one you put up and then take down when the season is over, nothing permanent.

Well the weather has been fabulous this Christmas, we haven't had it this hot since 2002 at this time of year, up there in the 30's.

Today was no different, so at about 4pm I convinced the family to head over to the neighbour's house and dunk in her pool.

Absolute bliss, sun shining, warm water and just devine

The boys loved it, it was a great way to kill an hour when it was too hot!

Happy New Year

Welcome to you all to 2008.

I am not one to make new year resolutions, mainly because they tend to fall by the way side throughout the year, probably much like everyone else's. But this year I have set myself a blogger goal of trying to get 366 blogs posted.

I was thinking of trying for 1 a day, but I am realistic and know there will be days when I just won't get that done. Life will take over, I will be away (no laptop or wireless) it just won't happen, so I decided to go for 366 (Leap year by the way) that way I can do more than 1 a day if something comes up and it doesn't matter if I miss a few days.

So here is to the 1st post of 2008.

May 2008 bring you all that you want, may your hopes and dreams get closer or achieved.

May you have a wonderful year with your friends and family