Sunday, June 28, 2009

Ok, so you're probably wondering what have we been up to the last couple of months?! Well, here's a picture post to give you some idea :-)

We've been to Albany for Mike and Kathryn's engagement party... (May 9)

Rod catching up with his cousins Ashley and Jeremy

Heidi, Rose with (Sienna) and Kaffa (not sure why she's pulling that face!)

We also witnessed the baptism of "Sienna Lee", daughter of Darryl and Kara (Rod's oldest brother); they also have two sons - Ethan and Noah

This is the view I had on Monday morning from our bed! Nothing beats CWA cottages for accomodation

Olivia helping Nanna butter sandwiches for lunch

Annette coloured my hair...not that it turned out that special, but hey, we had fun :-)Doing something constructive while waiting for it to set

before we put the streaks in...should've just left it like this I reckon - I want
to go darker...


We've planted a new veggie garden...


We've been to the zoo! First time for Olivia and she loved every minute.

We took the train and the ferry there which was fun and lots of walking!

Saw Trisha the elephant go for her daily walk

YAY! Orangutans! Olivia couldn't wait to see them! She had been talking about orangutans for a while even before we thought about going to the zoo (not sure where she saw them), and well, I think they lived up to her expectations because she thought they were hilarious. They were doing roley poleys in a hesian bag and all sorts of cool tricks which was pretty funny to see. Well, Olivia couldn't stop talking about them when we got home - she would tell anyone who listened long enough all about the orangutans.

"Hilarious" - her latest saying


We've celebrated Elisa's 1st birthday
my cute little niece Anya

Courtney and Olivia enjoying the party


And of course I've been taking lots of photos of Devon and Olivia




Thursday, June 18, 2009

Here's a little video clip of Devon 'talking' to Olivia - so cute :-)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Tribute to the ute

Mmm, my efforts to keep this blog up to date have been a bit poor...It's not that I've been extra busy really. When I am on the computer, I spend all my time checking out other people's blogs and facebook thingies that I don't get around to my own :-)

Anyway, we've been in mourning here for the last week.

Reason? We sold the ute last Friday night :-(

I mean we are talking about the ute here. It had a lot of sentimental value to us. We spent a lot of time together in that ute, driving, parking, talking, kissing, cuddling etc. I remember the first time I went for a drive in it with Rod. It was in Albany and we weren't going out yet. A whole heap of us had come back late from a day out 4WD at the beach, and my car wasn't at the place where we all had met, so Rod offered to bring me to my car. Anyway, he ended up just taking me for a bit of a drive first with 'Kryptonite' playing at a million decibels. It was the start of many more drives and many more great memories.

So, after owning it for 10 years (pretty much to the date) it was time to let it go. We don't all fit in it anymore so it's really no good to us for when we go down to Albany or on holidays. We could've kept it and then have the patrol wagon as 'my' car, but it really isn't much fun driving a car like that around town for shopping and the like. So, as hard as it was, it was time to sell it.

Mud bashing, camping and 4WD with the ute

And this is our new rig and Rod's new toy, a Patrol wagon!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

April Events...

So April is over already! Where does time go? Devon is already 6 weeks old and growing by the day. He's doing really good - feeds every 4 hours, sleeps well and best of all, he's starting to respond with smiles and coos! Olivia dotes on him whenever she can. She loves to show him all his new toys (which he's not interested in) and get his dummy if he's crying and drag him around in his rocker (which he does like) and of course give him lots of hugs and kisses.

Pity it's not in focus, but this is what we're seeing more of these days - smiles!

waaahh!!! Why do you try these things out when I'm tired Mum?!

Just to show how long his hair is and how much it sticks up!

Olivia keeping her brother occupied

Late Sunday arvo swing

1 month old


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Easter Long Weekend
Saturday of the weekend we spent at the beach with Ali & Rita Kleyn, Ed & Evette Bruning and Horse & Sylvia van Duyn. Ali took the boat along so all the guys got to wake board and the kids had a go on the biscuits and kneeboard. Unforunately when I went on the boat I didn't have my camera with me, so I got no action shots of the guys wakeboarding.

my little Arab

Brooklyn and Olivia keeping themselves entertained

Ali doing a jump.
I got this one from the beach as they were skiing past...a few minutes later the water police pulled them over and said they weren't allowed to ski so close to the beach!


Monday of the long weekend we had a get together at Burswood Park with some of the de Jagers to celebrate Dad and Oom Jaap's birthdays which are only a few days apartRod, Dad, Coen van Dijk and Oom Michael

If it has pockets, Olivia's hands will be in them; even her new winter pj's have pockets much to her delight!Aunty Renee babysitting the kids :-)

The de Jager ladies - Jacolien, Bertha (telling big stories as usual), Ellen and Yvonne, talking to a friend. oh, and Jan - if you look closely you can see his horrible looking moustache. He told Bertha he'd be keeping it like that for the wedding (photos of that to come), much to her disgust.

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Baptism 5 April 2009

all dressed up and ready for church



Proud Opa and Oma


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Saturday night 4 April - fish 'n' chips for tea down at the beach with Mike, Kaffa, Rose, Glenn and Leonie and kids. Ali happened to be there with his kids (Rita was at Bertha's hen's night), so they joined us too.
cheesy smiley Olivia

Monday, March 30, 2009

Just some more photos...

I'm always amazed at how many different faces a baby can pull!

"get that camera out my face!"

wearing his outfit from Tante Tinny ;-)

Father and son...aawww

Friday, March 27, 2009

Devon

Just a few pics of our newest, most cutest and cuddliest addition :-) Will post more soon...hopefullyWith Hanna Bruning who also had a baby boy the Saturday morning after Devon was born.
We'd be meaning to catch up with them for a long time and it never worked out...who would've thought we'd see each other in the maternity ward :-) a very proud big sister

The 23rd was Renee's birthday so we went to Dad and Mum's for dinner. Proud Opa showing off his grandson to Oom Klaas and Tante Fenna

The birthday girl...no comment

At the Park...

Here's some photos I took of Olivia playing at the park down the road the other day.







It's Monday
It's raining - YAY!!!
Olivia is sleeping - YAY to that too
I chopped all my hair off on Saturday...eeek!
Daylight saving is finished! It was dark at 7pm last night; weird!
It's wintry...I love it, I might head for my bed too. Olivia was awake at 5 this morning, snoozed for a bit till 6, didn't take her Dad's advice on going back to sleep, so got to go in bed with Mum till it was a sane time to get up (only b/c her Mum was sick of listening to her whinge and whine). So I'm feeling a bit sleepy...
Anyway, here's some pics from Saturday night. The van der Veen tribe had a BBQ at Paul and Heidi's place for Renee's b'day. (They might be put on one per day b/c the connection is soooo slow.)

The boys looking at Dad and Mum's Melbourne photos

the Girly Whirlys -- Heidi, Charlene, me, Annette, Renee and Ingrid

checking out some funny video clips

Akaroa

Akaroa
This is the awesome view you get as you drive down into Akaroa, a little town about 1.5 hous from Christchurch

On the beach at Long Bay, Akaroa

A shop with character

Morning tea in Timaru

Christchurch

Christchurch
Our 'Kozy Kiwi' - accomodation while in Christchurch

Rod, Kathryn and Rose on the cool blow up trampoline thing

Sunday night BBQ at the caravan park where we all stayed: Darryl, Rose, Rod and Glenn

Travelling...

Travelling...
more beautiful scenery

Mt Cook - NZ's highest mountain


river near Lake Wanaka

Cadbury's Chocolate Factory!!!

Aren't I strong!

Christchurch Botanical Gardens

all a bit bleary eyed at 5am @ the airport

sunrise above the clouds - beautiful!

Zachary

mmm, Olivia gets to lick the beater!

Tastes good Mum!


my little gardener

A busy bee