Monday, February 27, 2012

30!

Happy birthday to me :-)

Seeing as my birthday fell on a Saturday and in my pregnant state I can't fit much in at night, I decided to celebrate my birthday with a buffet breakfast! On the menu was bacon and eggs, pancakes, muffins, apricot danishes, muesli, yoghurt and fruit - delish!

I forgot to charge my camera battery the night before (something I usually always check!) so I didn't manage to get many photos of everyone, but here's a few anyway. Thankfully I still had a film in my SLR camera that had been in there for over a year, so we took a few pics on that one too and so finished the film.

Paul and Ed chatting, Rod, Justin feeding Damon, Quint and Paul catching up

Bruce, Renier, Marleen, Sarah, Renee, Ingrid & Charlene (on the wall)
Oom Jaap chatting to Dad vdS and Roseanne

ze cook and brother Paul

with all my lovely sisters
(Charlene's not really that tall - she's standing on a rock!)

At night we went to Fremantle with Dad and Mum vdS (who were staying at our house - they had to see the doctor up here again) and Rose. We checked out the boats and ships at the wharf and then had fish 'n' chips for tea at South Beach.

The camping chair and straightener were from Olivia and Devon, nice serving tray and piping kit from the van der Schaaf's, a book on Hebrews and a subscription to 'Practical Parenting' from the van der Veen's, a hanging basket and plant from Andrew and Marleen, a novel from Bruce and Sarah, set of yellow lanterns from Quint and Bertha, hooks from John and Hanna and the metal heart memo clip thing from Paul and Heidi (lying down so you can't really see it)

spoilt rotten!

beautiful standing mirror from my wonderful hubby :)

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Fonty's Pool

From Thursday the 26th till Monday the 30th of January, we enjoyed a lovely long weekend away with the van der Veen side of the family to celebrate Dad and Mum's 35th anniversary, which they hope to remember on the 11th of March.

We went to a caravan park called Fonty's Pool just out of Manjimup, which is about 300km south of us. The 'pool' is actually more like a dam, its fed by a stream, so it's nice fresh water, but still quite murky. We had nice hot weather Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so we made the most of the cool pool.

Thursday...
our happy little travellers

stopping for a play at the huge playground in Donnybrook



these two got stuck into a game of uno as soon as our camper was set up

having fun with the tubes that are there to play with

Olivia practising her floating

aunty Charlene


cutie pie Damon

Friday...
everyone chillin' out by the pool

Damon and Jorden catching up


we had a pretty big thunderstorm and downpour late that afternoon
just as we were about to have dinner all together...

luckily the campers kitchen was right near our campsite, so we
parked ourselves in there for tea


Saturday...

Paul and Ingrid, us and Marcel, Charlene and Renee out tracking for the day

Renee doing a bit of advertising for grain waves

Marcel is pretty good at posing too


Marz and Paul and Ingrid coming through the dunes
on our way to the beach

we parked near the river inlet so the kids could have a swim
because the ocean itself was very rough



Sunday...
morning cuddles with Damon



some scenery shots of Fonty's Pool


me and my bump at 32 weeks

Sunday activities...

Monday...

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

School starts...

Look at our little girl all grown up on her first day of Year 1!



Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas 2011

We had a really nice day celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour last Sunday. Dad, Mum and my lovely brothers and sisters (except Paul and Ingrid and girls) came to our house after church and we enjoyed coffee, cake and a buffet lunch of assorted meats and salads together. Rod's parents were still living with us at that time (they've finally been allowed home now) so it was nice to celebrate Christmas with them too. It was also great to have Paul and Heidi, Naomi, Chanel and Jorden back with us - they have just moved back to Australia from Holland!

Paul, Heidi and Rod helping themselves to lunch

Annette with Damon, Rod, Paul, Justin (who finds it hard to be normal for photos),
Marcel and Charlene

Olivia and Naomi

my lovely brothers Paul and Marcel

Chanel (running away from the camera) and Olivia

Pop, Nanna and Devon enjoying their lunch

At night everyone came around again, Paul and Ingrid too this time, and we had a light dinner together. We also had heaps of laughs playing Pictionary and Charades :-) bit of a pity I didn't take any photos of that!

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