Topsy, Tim and Turning Three.

The boys and I have just come back from a wonderful week down in Masterton with Topsy and Tim. For some reason I forgot to take many photos but here are a couple form the week...

The trip down went pretty well with three small boys. Magazines at the airport helped.

 

The plane was fun. Dora on the iPad was a big success.

Thankfully they all slept over the hill so we avoided any car sickness.

Sadly the weather in Masterton was not great so we had a lot of inside time. Thankfully Topsy and Tim have the Kidszone channel and the tennis was playing for the grown ups!

We managed a trip to Tinui to visit my old friend Luce Williams, old school buddies Nick and Bridge were there too as well as new friend Sarah. Between us we have 15 kids, 12 of them boys, and 3 more on the way!

 

We had hoped to get to Wellington to catch up with the Paytons but the weather was so bad we managed only to get to Danniverke McDonalds for a quick play in the playground! Was great to see them though! 

 

I found some old photos of me while at home and the resemblance to Rupert is quite amazing. I always did wonder where he came from!

  

Hannah and Vita are also very similar...

We had such a wonderful week in Masterton. Thank you Topsy and Tim (the icecream man) for looking after us all so well!

Don happened to come home from a few weeks away while we were gone and got stuck into some jobs around the house. I came back to these amazing bookshelves in my living room!

 

 

Monday the 13th was our sweet Charlie Bear's 3rd birthday. He had a very happy morning opening his pressies... 

 

The best one being his very own pedal bike!

 

 

We had a few of his buddies over for an afternoon party... Ninja Turtles all the way!

  

There was lots of playing in the priate ship and a pinata for fun.

Happiest of Birthdays to our special 3 year old!

 

In other news Baby Rutherford number 4 is growing nicely - a big baby like its brothers. We didn't find out the sex but are anitcipating another little boy... 

 

'Till next time. x

Grandma, Grandad and Getting Things Done.

Early in May we had our good friend Washington visit from the UK. Wash and his family were some of our best freinds in the UK so it was great to see him again for a couple of days.

And we got some chooks!

 

Our first eggy!

After consulting with the boys to find out what they wanted for the garden, I started designing the Pirate Ship Playhouse.

 

I picked up most of the timber from our local refuse centre which offers up any wood from their wood pile, for free.

My workforce.

Decks on and framing going up.

Roof on and internal cladding going on the cabin.

The sides were very hard to sort out and involved a fair amount of determination.

 

Cladding finished and the sides all cut down to size.

  

All done...! with Rupes testing out the slide.

  

  

So Grandma and Grandad arrived in time to help finish of the Pirate Ship Playhouse and also put in loads of work on our garden. This is 'the wilderness' and it is basically the previous owners rubbish dump with loads of vines, glass, tin and bamboo to add into the mix. We wanted to turn it into our vege patch.

 Grandad was in charge of cutting and laying out the garden beds and I was involved in digging holes and cleaning out the rubbish. ( I had taken out about 8 trailer loads of rubbish previously)

Work was carried out with helpers of course.

The wilderness was slowly but surely transformed.

And now it looks amazing!

 

 Grandad also built a sandpit with a lid that sldes back to form a bench seat.

Grandma dug in several flower beds and read many many books to the boys.

 

and made lots of lego.

 

Our next project is to renovate our lovely shed...

There is currently a bit of a dampness problem...

Last weekend we made it out to Bethels Beach with Baxter, the boys and some good friends of ours, Theresa, Glynn and Theo.

Alby and I looked for bears in the caves, noone else was brave enough to go inside.

We love the westcoast beaches.

 

In the meantime it is life as normal..

But we miss Grandma and Grandad. Thanks for all your help!