Hijinks with hogs

We have had an exciting week or so.... On monday the inhabitant's of our circle were gratified to see a swarm of bees had taken up residence in the trees by the playground. I called the council and some apiarists raced out that evening to shake the swarm from the willow tree and pop them into a hive. Many gathered around marvelling at the event. I was at Zumba. On tuesday I went for a brisk one hour walk. I was sweating like a hog by the time I staggered back home. On wednesday I managed to purchase a GIANT tub of polydrons in time for a friend to bring them back from the UK to NZ. I went to a playcentre workshop on 2 year old play options. It was very interesting. On thursday I made my painful way through the streets of Glen Eden posting flyers for the Playcentre Gala. On friday we headed out to Kiwivalley as part of the Playcentre trip. The boys loved it. They dashed about feeding sheep and alpacas and donkeys and cows and chasing peacocks and chickens and then we reached the ring where the little Shetlands shuffled gamely around the ring with children perched atop their backs..we arrived and none of the children wanted to get on the ponies...until my eldest pushed to the front clamouring for a pony ride. He wound up getting 2 seperate rides. I asked Cameron if he wanted a ride and received "NO! Am eating!" as my answer. 30 seconds later he shoved a biscuit in his mouth, dashed to the front, grabbed a helmet, held it out to the pony escorts and demanded "Horsie please". He rode all the way around by himself and had a blast. Afterwards we retired to the barn for kisses and snacks. On saturday we had free tickets to the Ronald McDonald panto. Thank god it was free because it was DIRE!! Then that afternoon I took the boys to playcentre so I could help set up for the gala, then headed home at 3. On sunday I took the boys off to Playcentre and we hung out there and bought some cool extremely cheap stuff for their xmas stockings. Headed home for lunch then whicked K back there at 3:30 to help tidy up afterwards. I was knackered.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person with a blog should update it frequently....oops!

Ok, so it has been a LOOOOONG time since my last post on Guy Fawkes/aka the abortive burning of Glen Eden. I will try and fill you in with what's happening - at least, as well as I can remember.

 

Let's start with me :)

Studywise I finished the last of the 3 exams on the 8th November. I then finished identifying papers for next year, and enrolled. My 2013 year will be a bit of a mare with 3.5 papers in semester 1, and 2.5 (internal, meaning I have to attend classes at Massey) in semester 2. I have also requested all known textbooks from the library so I can do some prereading. I am also being a session leader for Monday playcentre sessions and volunteering for Mainly Music - this will help my PG Primary enrolment. I am finishing up running the Plunket coffee group at the end of this year too - which should free up some time in semester one. I am also planning on doing course 2 at Playcentre in the first term - again to strengthen my application. I have 2 contact courses in Palmerston North in semester 1 - so Chris will have special daddy/son time....in excess even :) I put on plenty of weight sitting around studying at every opportunity, so am now trying to shift it :) I am still doing Zumba, which I really enjoy.

Now for the boys. They are flourishing. Sometimes I think they could flourish a little less. Cameron is still loving kindy and I am trying to increase his hours there (esp with next years workload). Kieran yearns for Cameron to attend kindy with him, but as he starts school next year this is highly unlikely to happen. He is however very excited by his 3 pre school visits which start next monday. He constantly begs to go to school - and who wouldn't want to lol. Cameron is going great - counting, alphabet, problem solving skills are all fab - and he has turned into an assertive young lad (or thug, on a bad day haha). They are both really looking forward to the Aussie visit too. Tickets have been booked for this, cattery booked and I will book the supershuttle next payday. I can't believe it's only 3 weeks away. Kieran and I also took part in the Glen Eden Santa Parade. He rode in one of the hot rodder cars and perfected his royal wave. He had a blast!
I suppose Chris needs a mention too. He had his neurological visit last week and has been cleared of any potential stroke experience - just a migraine. This is a huge relief.
Bandit is in fine form, unknowing of the torments awaiting him otherwise known as the cattery stay while we are in Aussie.
We will need to spend 1k on the car to get the next WOF - new windscreen, 2 new tyres and getting rust cut out above the rear windscreen. I have begun to hate the car for all the costly repairs. That money could have been spent on me after all lol. In better news my IPAD, which Kieran dropped face down on the tiles by accident, has cost us $200 rather than $500. We went through our insurance, paid the $200 excess and got a brand new IPAD. In a massive trip to Henderson I went to AMI, went to KMART, took boys to the dragon playground, got a call from AMI asking for the IPAD, walked to OMNITech, got IPAD, walked back to AMI, dropped it off and raced for the train - all before noon. Poor Cameron fell asleep in the stroller, and missed lunch before I took him up to kindy. I have been reading some excellent books recently - I feel really spoilt for choice lol. Some memorable titles are Unspoken, Team Human, Lord Vorpatril's alliance and a truckload of others :) I love this time of year when I actually get to read again.

Remember, remember…..

Remember, remember, the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot

Cause gunpowder and treason

Should never be forgot

I shall add extra details on Thursday afternoon, after my final exam – at the moment every spare moment is devoted to studying