Girls trip to conference

As promised from my last post I was going to share about my lovely three days with a couple of girlfriends and our trip to the big smoke for the Manifest Presence Conference. It is a once a year Christian conference at the Habourside Church in Takapuna.
I had been wanting to get to this conference for a couple of years but it just hadn't happened (baby and study). So I was keen to go this year even before I found out that my favourite gospel singer was one of the speakers. If you know me well you would know that Kim Walker-Smith has been constantly playing in my stereo for three-four years. Ever since a friend showed me this You tube clip...I have been a tad obssessed.

A friend and I had booked our tickets months ago...and a third friend was waiting on job offers but was free that week and was able to grab a ticket the day of the conference starting. Lucky I had booked a room unit with an extra spot.

We headed to Albany early for a spot of shopping. I bought I dress...only my second one in my warddrobe at present...yeah I'm more of a jeans and tee shirt kinda gal. So much fun!

The first night was the ever so wise Bill Johnson. He is the Senior Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding California. His teaching blows my mind. He explains stuff from the bible that I would never have thought of if I read it on my own.

The next day we heard from a guy called Danny Silk. He was hilarious. One of his sessions was about Daring to dream. I learnt that it was okay to have a dreams list. That dreaming of building the house of your dreams or wanting to swim with the dolphins is not a selfish thing, but that God takes delight in seeing us blessed and fulfilled in all details of our lives. It changed my thinking how we can overspiritualise everything. Everytime a dream came true, he called it a little Kiss from heaven. I thought it was amazing that in their church they had a specific person who helped all the students and team memebers of their staff, encourage them to dream their own dreams. Rather than "you belong to our church...and this is what you should be doing for us."

Kim Walker-Smith's session really challenged me. She shared a little bit about how she came to be involved in Jesus Culture music. I just love her laugh. She is such a nice young lady. Later on that night she joined the House band and led us in a couple of her songs. I love it when you listen to singers live...and they sound exactly the same in real life as they do on CD/DVD. So awesome.

For dinner we found a stylie place in Takapuna , that served $57 Wagyu beef. (Yeah I think Ill add trying that to the bucket/dream list ;). Instead I tried something Ive always wanted to try after seeing it on TV a lot, Beef Carpaccio. An italian dish , it is raw beef tenderloin sliced ultra thin. It had olive oil, mayonaise and parmasian cheese with baby cress. Was tasty but probably wont have it again. Nice to try once!

On the last night we combined with the opening night for the conference two at another larger venue. An estimated 2000 christians all in the same place. The sound of that many people singing along to Kim Walker-Smith and the band was electric. We prayed for people with terminal illness and cancer...With that much faith in the room plus God in the place...anything is possible.

Ive already got in early and bought two tickets for next year. Im hoping hubby and I can make it together. We haven't been to a conference together...ever.

In short, I feel refreshed...even though it was such a busy schedule, and I feel full of Faith.
Maybe Ill see you there next year ;)

Loving....

Its been a while since I linked up with my buddy PJ for a wrap up of things Im loving....so you might wanna grab a cuppa as I have a lot to share!

Love watching my daughter grow in confidence each year. She is now in year 3 and this is her and PJs daughter narrating a story for school assembly.

I think back to her first ever year 1 assembly, so shy she wouldn't even talk into the microphone...sing...but not talk.

Loving that while I was away this week for a conference (more on that next post ;), my darling hubby put up the bunk beds...it was supposed to be a surprise but through the grapevine I found out!

Loving new books!

I have signed up for another triwoman event in February...(anyone else wanna meet me there and do it too?) And while in my tea room at work I came across this book from the Biggest Loser Auzzie Trainer. It seemed like the all in one book I need to help be educated to be more healthy. It says how to lose the LAST 5kgs...but she doesn't need to know that I need to loose the FIRST 5kgs. It has the exercises and the training schedule and my personal favourite part the recipes for the eating plan...mmm...food...
whoops off track there for a moment...the exact reason Im in this unhealthy position...to much cake!

New books for the kids..the Roald Dahl Collection. Loved him as a kid and now my kids are enjoying him too.

Loving my first ever Amazon book purchase arrived today...Meet Mrs Smith. I read the a few pages of the preview and I am looking forward reading this. She is the wife of the amazing musician Martin Smith from Delirous. They say behind every great man is an even more amazing woman. Whoa they have SIX kids!


And lastly for a while now I have been wanting to start a Letters to Miss Joy book. I found this idea from Dee Construction. So I picked up Smiggle journal with a lock so we can share our secret letters with no boys allowed! Shes going to love it.

I wholeheartedly believe that no matter what is happening in your life, there is always something that you can be thankful for... no matter how simple it is.

bloggy meet up.

Yesterday a few of the Whangarei bloggers and I hopped in a car and toddled off to the big smoke to meet up with some other Kiwi Mummy Bloggers.
We arrived early...and a little apprehensive. As each blogger arrived we nervously greeted each other, trying to link together the face with the blog. In some cases these faces and blogs were new to me, but others I felt I knew better than friends or relatives. I read about their life struggles and triumphs, what they are baking, what their kids have been painting lately, how work is going, what books and music they are into. We all blog about such different things and lead different lives...but were united in one thing. We were all mothers. You always have something in common with another mother....the craziness that is parenting.
So it was a pleasure to meet and give each other a big squeeze. Laugh together and eat together.
I still can't believe how many new friends I have made through this blogging world, in my home town, from NZ and around the world
We had a great time. The food was great, the atmosphere was great, and the company was great.
Special thanks to Leonie for the organizing (and for letting me steal this photo!)

one proud mumma

Today was the kids school cross country run. In previous years Miss Joy has done well and been in the top three. So it is usually an exciting event. I encouraged them to do their best, aim high and go for the win.
Thankfully it was a sunny day. If you are from NZ you will know the last few days have literally been freezing. So it was a welcome relief to see the sun. The wind still had a winter crispness about it however.

In the morning while getting ready Joe had advised me that his shoes often flicked off when he ran, I reassured him it would be fine. So off they went for cross country.

Miss Joy warming up with some of her classMiss Joy and Bestie

Joe's first cross country run. He looks a little unsure.

And sure enough he starts running at the sound of the hooter and his shoe flicks off. I cringe for him as the other kids run off over the hill. He puts them on and tries to run..and they flick off again. I run to him, and tell him to take his shoes and socks off. He looks like he is going to burst into tears. I wait for the I don't want to do this tantrum and cling on. But off he runs over the hill after his little friends. We wait to see the outcome. I fully expect that he will come last...probably crying...probably going to blame me for his loss. I wait for the "I told you about those shoes!"
He comes up over the final hill. He's not crying, "Go Joe!" He runs down the chute to the sign in Marshall.
I got first place mumma! What?! And sure enough in come the rest of his little class mates after him.
I'm so proud. Not necessarily because he came first, but because he kept on going, even though he was so far behind and for actually finishing the race.

Miss Joy did well in her race too. First place all round. Well done Miss Joy and Joe!Grandma and Poppa come to support

A very creative day

Today I hosted Sock monkey making for our bloggers get together. Leonie our ubber patient tutor helped us all create our very own monkies. However as the host I was too busy to take photos so you might have to check out PJs or Leonies blogs. So all I have is miss joy loving her new very colourful Sock monkey...whom she has named "Rainbow Dash the rainforest monkey". And because I bought knee high socks I was able to try my next project on my new sewing machine...wrist warmers.
I decided to make a cheesecake. Oh yeah..this baby was delish. A butterscotch cream Baked Cheesecake. Will be making that one again!


And I tried my very best at creating a gluten free, egg free and dairy free baking item for one of our bloggers. A jam tart. Base: castor sugar, Gluten free flour, and Oliviani. Blended together and put in the fridge to harden. Then spoonfuls pressed into a mini muffin tin. Making a little dent in the top, put a little blob of jam and then bake for 10-15 minutes.

Was so cool having PJ, Leonie, Renette, Tracy and Becky around. Glad everyone had a great time. I enjoyed playing host! Missed Neetz and Sima J.

my new toy

I have no idea where the inspiration came from to get one of these (perhaps from here, here or watching too many episodes of "Project Runway") But I decided I wanted one. The long standing joke at our house is "Mum! this is ripped and the buttons fallen off". And I reply "oh well lets take it to Grandmas to get fixed". So its time for a new hobby and challenge.

I was taught sewing as a 11 and 12 year old at school. And quite frankly I sucked at it then. Cooking was more my thing...I did get the Home Economics award for all of Form Two Ill have you know. I gave it ago last year with my mother in laws tutoring to make three Christmas present sacks. And they turned out pretty cool.I bought my new sewing machine with my flybuys points along with a new double pie maker (I'll save that for another post). And tomorrow I'm having my bloggy friends around to make Sock monkeys and I don't even own any cotton! or needles and thread! But not for long...I'm going to brave Spotlight fabric department and get some supplies today...already for the girls tomorrow

And I'll probably be up late reading the manual because even getting it out of the box has me confused! I wonder if the library has a "Sewing for Dummies" book?

What the Frack are all these things for!

new do.

Thanks Everyone for the votes on Monday. The encouragement helped me take the plunge. And Im glad I did. Im loving the new colour. And because it is never going to look this good again heres the pics. Doncha hate when you go to the hairdressers and they use all their special hairdressing skills to do your hair and you never look as good again!? Maybe its just me because Im so "UnCo" with my own hair.

Hi ya'll

Hi!

That's all... I just wanted to say "hi". I'm feeling a little uninspired and wordless of late. So I thought I would just check in and say hi.
The holidays are finally over. We didn't do anything special. I didn't take many pictures. We just...well...rested. It was a long term and I think we all just needed a break. So I tried not schedule much. Little play dates and nights with Grandma and poppa.
So I sit here after having sent my kids back to school, quite relieved and thankful that my kids get to go to school. And I can sit and take a breather while Mr Zak zak has a nap. In silence.
I worked all weekend, and so today I take a breather day. I will clean the bombsite...eventually. But this morning I take a breather.

Tomorrow Im getting my first haircut in months...literally 5months! Well it was cut pretty short back in Feb..but I am way overdue for a pampering. It will be my first colour treatment in a couple of years. Ive been sticking with my natural colour for a while. Mainly because it costs a bomb but also because it was nice to have change and be just dark brown for a while.

I like this one but NOT with blue...but with RED. I like how the colour is underneath so it won't show my regrowth if I can't get my hair done for another 5months! Yay or nay? Register your votes before 9am Tuesday morning :)

It's August! Three more weeks until I get some time off to myself with a couple of days with girl friends. First to the Auckland bloggy get to together...and then to my first conference in what seems like years...this one. So looking forward to listening to my favourite gospel singer Kim Walker-Smith from Jesus Culture

And thought I might share some link love. I am loving reading this inspiring story from my fellow Whangarei Blogger- Neetz and her battle when she was a teenager with Ovarian Cancer. A miraculous story.
And also this Story of another beautiful Whangarei Friend and blogger Arna with her heart wrentching story of her premature bubba over the last month.

Guess I did have a few things to say afterall ;) Hope all is well your reality