Happy 9th Birthday

Master B today you are 9!

I feel like I blinked and now you are another year older

Your love of lego has increased ten fold (and yes we brought you more for your birthday)

You are so determined and stubborn which I'm sure will pay off when you need a job

The moments when you play so well with Master W make me smile

You love any playground we visit 

I think you would be in the water every second of every day if you could be

You have finally made the transition away from needing your moose 

but I'm happy he can now can live on Mum and Dad's bed

Your glasses are doing a great job to help with your reading and writing

I think they make you look so grown up

You love to read and quietly come and listen when ever anyone is reading aloud

You always want to give something a go even if you are not too sure

You play a great game of chess

I love the funny photos I find on the camera

our family photos always make me laugh

Happy 9th Birthday Master B

We love you to the moon in back in a mystery machine xxx

you can see the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th birthday posts here.

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where I am right now - February 22nd 2016

Making : a Polaroid quilt for a friend 

Cooking : delicious dinners from Chelsea Winter's cook books

Drinking : water

Reading: the magic faraway tree to the boys each night

Wanting: the summer evening glow all year round

Looking: forward to friends coming to stay

Playing: in the water at the Margaret Mahy playground 

Deciding: on where to store our growing cicada collection

Wishing: we could be at the beach every day

Enjoying: ice cream with Mr B on 30 degree days

Waiting: for the next date night with Mr B

Liking: my new pergola and festoon lights

Wondering: what to grow up the new pergola

Loving: quality time with the family

Pondering: the power of the earthquakes 

Considering: a haircut 

Watching: people enjoy the fun spaces in the city

Hoping: to get more peaches off our trees before the bugs and birds get them

Marvelling: at how much the boys have grown in the past 5 years

Needing: to finish hand quilting the quilt

Smelling: gladioli from my garden

Wearing: jandals

Following: geonet 

Noticing: how fast my garden has grown

Knowing: we have been through so many earthquakes and still relatively sane

Thinking: about how to Project Life this year

Feeling: glad we have so many photos of our family

Admiring: how well the boys play together

Buying: all things star wars

Getting: excited Master B will be 9 in 5 days

Bookmarking: recipes for tomatoes 

Opening: the fridge a zillion times a day for cold water

Giggling: at the word cliff - as the boys were saying it as clift for a while

Feeling: thankful we can remember

You can find the list here

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Art makes me

Art has power

in the way we think, wonder, create or dream

it has the power to inspire 

or the ability to transport you past memories to a specific place or time.

When I finally visited the Christchurch Art Gallery after its very long awaited opening (five years later) with Mr B

I was filled with so much joy

the power of the familiar made me grin from ear to ear

the thought of so much change around me but in this space there ware all these moments captured in time.

It took me back to all the times I visited when life was simpler (a life before the earthquakes)

when the boys were so much younger.

It was just wonderful to see all the art and my favourite pieces

I just wanted to stand and absorb the power and the feeling of joy in my soul and plan my next visit.

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where I am right now -January

I feel like I blinked and December vanished!  Its January already!

Making : Blackcurrant Jam

Cooking : From my new stack of recipe books

Drinking : Nespresso

Reading: Mollie makes  magazines

Wanting: It to rain so I can test out the spouting and barrel I just installed.

Looking: At school bag options for the boys

Playing: with watercolours

Deciding: what chocolate to eat from our large selection we have been gifted over Christmas

Wishing: To go back to the Christchurch Art Gallery 

Enjoying: Trips to the park with the boys

Waiting: for my gladioli to flower

Liking: My simple loom creations 

Wondering: why our potato yield was so bad this year

Loving: Days spent alone with Mr B

Pondering: the view of the city

Considering: planting more plants

Watching: the boys grow

Hoping:  there is no more painting for us in the near future

Marvelling: At the new functional space we have 

Needing: more patience

Smelling: the garden

Wearing: a smile

Following: the boys around the new playground in the city

Noticing: All the birds in the garden

Knowing: that we are creating memories together

Thinking: abut how fast the past year went

Feeling: Thankful all the painting is done!

Admiring: All our storage solutions

Buying: Lunch boxes and drink bottles

Getting: Excited for Master B's 9th Birthday next month

Bookmarking: great playgrounds around the city

Opening: post

Giggling: at all the awesome photos I find on the camera

Feeling: very thankful for grandparents

You can find the list here

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