cuzzie bro's

the last three days have been a non-stop party with Auntie Mim and her granddaughter who's our second cousin (got that?) Rosie and my cousin Nik and her daughter (also our second cousin) Zoë.

i have so many cool childhood memories of winters and summers skiing and boating with my cousins, going to the beach together, walking up and down Kitenui Avenue, eating a billion figs up Uncle Lew's tree (i hate fresh figs to this day), walking down to the shops for iceblocks and burning out feet on the hot prickly pavement, and eating Auntie Kaye's roast dinners (i think that's where my *kate can eat ten roast potatoes* fame originated), and it was so very wonderful to have the Big Meet Up and make some more memories with our own kiddos.

here's the Big Whanau Photofest:

M6 and Rosie are looking for buzzy bees

Rosie shows us her moves, these two bounced day and night

M6 and Rosie playing beside the sea

our fave berry icecreams

Woozie aka R14 used to spend a lot of time with Rosie when Rosie was teeny - they've still got a great girl-cuzzie thang going.

sweetie Zoë making music

Nik and Zoë try out the bouncey-bouncey

Zoë usually sucks her fingers and holds onto Nik's ear, very cutesy

S10 is a natural with babies, he has an instant connection and loved hangin' out with Zoë, feeding her and helping her walk

me'n'my cuzz

Auntie Mim and Rosie take a break, that car is a teapot, all set up for fairy parties at dusk

S10 went walking and talking with Auntie

me'n'my Auntie

cuzziebro's

we are all so happy that you made the trek to our place, loved the cool times we've had and the wonderful memories we made. happy sleeping everybody... we all need a few catch-up zzzzz's lol X

with a wave of a magic wand…

your troubles will soon be gone…
with a flick of the wrist…
and just a flash…
you'll be loving
that backyard splash...

yep, today our *mystery monday* included a DIY miracle in the garage and the long awaited Putting Up Of The Pool, and a few ice creams (for the kids only), cos there's a very welcome heatwave in The Sunny Bay.

strawberry fields forever

so, what do you do when there's two extra kids come to stay for the weekend??? firstly you play *squash* at The Very Convenient Bus Stop until the bus arrives
and then you all get on The Very Convenient Bus and go off on PROJECT MINTY HIPPO, aka Kidnap D18's eftpos card and Buy a Big Fat Christmas Pressie For Mum And Dad.

then you play all manner ot outside water-throwing games and spend hours skating and biking and watch a movie or two and eat everything in the fridge, and then Mum and Dad load you all into The Sardine Tin and take you out for afternoon tea

aka STRAWBERRY PICKING where you all spread out into The Wide Open Spaces and begin The Quest For The Perfect Strawberry.of course The One you're searching for is huge and bright red and hot and ripe and full of sunshine and tastes like The Divine Sweetness of a Very Hot Summer's Day.

and then you all get in the car and ride (groaning with full tummies) home again where Five And A Half Kilos of berries are unearthed from their plastic bags and Mum wonders WHO ON EARTH WAS ON *QUALITY CONTROL* ??? BECAUSE ELEVEN CUPS OF SAID BERRIES NEED TO BE MADE INTO STRAWBERRY JAM!!!!! but that doesn't matter one bit because now we can enjoy the memory of this weekend on toast for the next several weeks of breakfasts. well, everyone except Mum can enjoy the memory of this weekend on toast for the next several weeks of breakfasts, because Mum is still swearing off carbs...

Super Hero Study Habits

firstly, find the coolest room in the house aka The Laundry and perch self and study notes on the washing machine.
secondly, wear The Lawn Mowing Ear Muffs, and play your cell phone ringer to drown out outside noise.
it's true, there's even an article about it in our local newspaper, a copy of which is winging its way to ya, Mum and Dad, with said Super Hero featured in it....

J12's perfect day

you're *totally* twelve!!!a new board

perfect waves

perfect ride

perfect birthday celebration

let the good times roll

S10 and Timmy had a flippin' good time


on the Bouncy Castle today...

i had a nightmare i was a brunette

it's me.
it really is.
i just got the new 'do.
woozie's is the same but wa-a-a-y shorter.
we tried disguising our blondeness, but we ain't never gonna pass for true brunettes.

little voices in my head

i'm hesitant to write this cos i have such a short attention span and i don’t wanna jinx it, but for the last week and a half i’ve had NO rice, potatoes, bread or pasta.
yep, i'm just eating fresh fruit and veggies and protein.
it’s the Katie Version of this, cos Mum is looking so fabulous, yes you are.
and i’m *feeling* FABULOUS.
i'm having NO carb-cravings!!!
cos they’re NO LONGER my addictions.
inches and inches are falling off my waistine.
and i’m feeling FABULOUS.

i know my general pattern is to get hungry around 11am and 4pm, and that’s when i tend to have *a treat or two or TEN for Katie* but now (for THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS at least. cos in four weeks, it’s Hubby’s Big Day. The Big Friday. Well actually Saturday is his birthday, but i know the celebrations will start on Friday.) i have The Plan:

Breakfast: Spirulina powder, juice, banana, apple all in a quick'n'easy smoothie
Lunch: little tin of tuna and handful mesclun greens, maybe a big spoonful of cottage cheese, mmmmm (not) or little handful of natural almonds.
(if i get *starving* between meals, some veggie sticks or a blade of grass while i'm watering and weeding The Garden pfffft)
Dinner: half my usual portion of whatever everyone else is eating, moins les carbs, would you like a huge salad with that?

and NO rice, potatoes, bread or pasta.
cos they’re NO LONGER my addictions.
and i’m feeling fabulous.
inches and inches are falling off my waistline.
i'm off to do my pilates.
i’m feeling fabulous.
bwahahahahahahaha X

water babies

hydro slide

high tide

surf ride

skatey katie

swish, swish... swish, swish, swish, swish... swish, swish... swish, swish, swish, swish...
swish, swish... swish, swish, swish, swish... swish, swish... swish, swish, swish, swish...
that is the sound of the shrieking eels.
nope.
that is the sound of the air, *whooshing* past the camera, *whooshing* past my ears, *whooshing* past my ever-decreasing waistline... and you could hear it too if the camera recorded audio as well as video...

yeah, just *look* at how fast the ground is moving beneath my feet.
a whole *hour* of air *whooshing*, while the lads had a happy soccer lesson today.
it's gonna be my new Friday obsession.
and soon i'm gonna fit my bikini.
so that we can do that thing we do on fridays,
all summer long.

On Ya Bike

S10 and J11 have found themselves a couple of half-price bikes on sale,
so there's a whole lotta testosterone
and a wee bit of oestrogen whizzing around
as they're being assembled.

i think it's a classic case of: when all else fails, read the instruction manual.

and that's kiwi ingenuity.

finding the *sparkle* in every day

i am in pieces today.
yes, rather a soul-revealing phrase, considering i have an average of 45 visitors to kate5kiwis every day (yep, sitemeter is stalking you lol. go on, come out of the closet, leave me a wee comment, or just a little wave...)

and what does katie do when she goes to pieces?
she makes soup-and-muffins, and eats the lot. nope, katie is swearing off carbs until her muffin-top fits back inside her jeans. katie tries looking outside herself and makes sparkly little things, threading pieces onto string, like sparkly little days.

behold *candy floss bracelets*
made from little pink seed beads and freshwater pearls and lead crystal faceted beads, arranged in fives, for four-chicks-and-moi, the Pink Chicks i've walked through this year with (in real life!!), hanging out once a month over coffees and crème brûlées and sharing our hearts and souls and hopes and dreams.

and a heart for Michelle,
your fave colour arranged in *twos* cos you and Liam have a special place in our hearts, even though i didn't find my muse until months after your birthday. thank you for your generosity and love, you inspire me.

i'm still in pieces, i know in my heart that a momma raises her children to find their own way, to fly out of the nest, but it's taking me quite a while to piece that together in my own reality.

"Good On Ya, Boy!!"

is what Dad yelled out loudly from the audience as you received your award, bien fait!!!

the word CITROEN is etched on the cup but sadly, the sponsors didn't also send you la voiture...

Last Day on The Way

D18, it was five years ago that I fed M6 under this tree and The Gang decided to move to The Sunny Bay, nearly five years ago that you first walked up this path, The Way, to your first day at school. This afternoon was the School Leavers' Final Assembly, and tomorrow is Senior Prizegiving, where you're getting your first prize, for français, we think (btw Granny says she got her first school prize in her last year of school, for français too)

last day at school

students form a guard of honour
Rite of Passage - first Rob
then Chris
ooo, spotted ya along The Way
last high fives

last words

last smiles

lasting friendships
last words, thoughts, wisdom, best wishes.
*tears stinging my eyelashes*
looking forward to the next chapter in your life
we're so proud of you, our firstborn son.