A kiwi dinner

 Can there be anything more kiwi than a Sunday evening eating fish and chips at the beach.

This was Zak Zak's first fish and chip dinner at the beach. He ate 3 chips and then found it was much more fun to run around instead. Little monkey! The toddler stage drives me nuts!
Hope you had a great weekend.

Labour weekend

The weekend started nice and early for me with a 7am Saturday morning shift. I had a good day at work and then hurriedly  made it home to quickly get ready for a 45minute country drive to a friends 30th birthday. She is a lovely friend I did my nursing training with and we have managed to stay connected having children of similar ages. I love how we can pick up where we left off. Just a treasured friend that I don't get to see so often now the kids are at school etc. I love her extended family too! Great people.

While I'm at work hubby has made ginger NINGA bread men. Yes Ninga! He bought these funny cookie cutters on his recent trip to Aussie! And dare I say it they tasted fabulous! He meticulously followed the recipe. This would be the second thing I have ever seen him bake! EVER! Yep we have now designated him the official ninga bread baker.

Sunday morning I awoke to the smell of my favourite takeaway mochaccino. My hubby gets up early and goes for ride on his bike then picks up two mochas to takeaway and then somehow carefully rides the coffees home. Clever man.

 All day I dread that I will have to be at work for the Big game. Had I thought about when the RWC final would be theres no way I would have scheduled myself to work Sunday afternoon shift. But I made the best of it. On Sunday afternoon I stopped at the shops and picked up some chips and dip and lemonade. I arrived at work and set about inviting as many of the ward patients into the day room as possible. A few opted to stay in bed and listen on radio, or had TVs in their room. I worked hard to get all my work done before 9pm...kick off. 
I managed to watch most of it. Between me and my colleagues taking turns to check buzzers etc. We had a room full, all cheering the boys on. And it was great! I would have loved to have been home enjoying the game, but I will always remember where I was the day the AB's made history. At work!

And what a game!

Monday Morning. It was my turn for a ride on my bike. It was my first ride since April 9th! I managed to only get part way down the road before my bike chain fell off. Not knowing what to do about it I walked it home for Les to fix. Oops better figure out how to fix it myself! It was a flat 5km ride and my legs hurt today! I'm aiming for 17km for the triathlon in February. Arrrgggghhhh! What was I thinking signing up to that!
Hubby was on a roll with his cooking and made me some French toast. An appropriate breakfast I thought! And they tasted delicious too. I think I may have to let him in my kitchen more often!
Off to work again for an afternoon shift. Home at midnight.

What a weekend. I'm pooped! Lucky its back to school day!

things Im loving

 Things I'm Loving 

Before

Loving bubbas new haircut. 

It was looking pretty boofy! Kinda looks like a wig in this shot.

It was his first real haircut and he was pretty wriggly. So much so, the poor hairdresser cut her self. Whoops!

after

 Loving finding random photos like this on the camera dadda took while I was at work.

Loving watching the bubba find fun in the simplest of places. Not loving having to tidy it back up again!

Loving the amazing Lego creations that keep the kids occupied QUIETLY for ages in their room. 

Loving taking a picture of my super healthy food! Don't tell anyone I had three chocolate bickies to balance out the healthiness!

Chicken Tikka Masala kebabs with Bulgar wheat salad

Loving the latest addition to my Mr Vintage tee shirt collection. Loving being a NZer. Loving the Rugby World cup. Loving NZ in the final. 

Suck that I have to work on the night of the final though! But I'm going to gather as many as my patients into the Day room which has a plasma, get a little dressed up and try and enjoy it with them anyway. As long as none of them get too excited and have chest pain..it will be a good night.

GO THE ABS!

Linking in with Paisley Jades Things Im loving

trip to the big smoke

Hows your school holidays going? I don't know about you but ours have half gone and we have barely done anything. I had loads of ideas to do but the baby hasn't been well and the weather has been crappy. BUT I was determine to take a visit to Auckland, the hub of the Rugby World Cup. I  needed to see what all the fuss was about "the cloud"; "plastic waka" all down at the waterfront.

So I gathered the kidlets and we took the 2 hour journey south to the big smoke.

After seeing Megs post about the French Deli...I was reminded that STILL haven't tried a Macaron...so that was on the culinary to do list. I accidentally found these in the "Cakeshop" in Takapuna. I had to try one of each flavour...well I did share with the kids..next time I'm having one all to my self! They were as good as people go on about. Those French and their genius culinary ideas!

Finding live crabs was on the to do list too as I haven't  had any crab curry in ages. So I decided to hit the "Fish Market" Down at the waterfront. Seriously, I'm usually the navigator when we go to Auckland, so having to navigate and drive was a bit hit and miss. And with all the changes going on around Auckland at the moment...I may have gotten my self a bit lost once or twice!
This is where I stumbled across the Wynyard Wharf. I found parking right outside the fish market, where someone was fixing the ticket gate and ended up getting free parking in the end, score! Turns out they didn't have any crabs :(

At the Wynyard Wharf the kids had great fun on the playground. There is also a tram that runs around that part of the wharf.

The foot traffic down there was amazing. It was great people watching. Obviously a lot of international visitors sight seeing after a great semifinal the night before.

We headed to the "Plastic Waka". It was in the headlines because a) It cost a lot of money for a temporary structure and b) It wasn't completed before the RWC began. So with all the talk of how much tax payer money went into it...I went to get my part of it. And it was great! If I didn't have a restless toddler in a push chair I would have spent more time reading all about the NZ Maori Rugby players. We stood in line and went in the back part which had a 3D movie. The kids thought it was a hoot! The 6 minute movie is about the LEGEND of Maui and NZ
 

We continued walking along to the Cloud, by then the kids were complaining about sore legs...blah blah blah. So we pretty much walked there and then turned to walk all the way back to the car. But at least we got to see something.

We left the city before peak rush hour to Papakura to surprise my Sister in Law for her birthday. The kids excitedly decorated the house with streamers and balloons all ready to yell "surprise" when she walked in after work.

We all went out for dinner to Denny's. My first time! And probably my last ;) There's something about a place that has "Home Improvement" on TV in the dining room that was a tad weird for me! Its all just mostly fried food anyway. Classic American Dining.

On the way home I caught up with some family and then stopped in on the Shore to check out my next Triathlon venue Narrow neck. 

I also managed to catch up with the Lovely Mon from Delissimon. Whoops I'm all chins in this pic...but Mon looks great... so its in. My kids had a great time playing with her youngest two while we had a chat over coffee and some of her yummy chocolate fudge cake.  Lucky me.

 I'm starting to really like that part of the city. Takapuna and Devonport is a lovely place.

On my journey I saw so many cars with flags...but this one took the cake. In front of the car in front of me was a white van with 4 Massive Tongan flags and two small ones! Even other pedestrians thought it was funny as. I don't advocate driving a taking photos! I was stopped at a red light!

And finally on the way home we stopped in at the Italian Cafe in Kaiwaka. Another thing on the to do list. Apparently they serve chocolate croissants, so I picked one up along with an almond one. OH my Gosh! So Good! Will be doing that again next time we pass through on the way to Auckland. 

Travelling with three kids on my own was exhausting but totally worth it.

The Owl movie

"Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole"

Its the holidays and $1 Mondays at the DVD shop and one of the kidlets picked this movie. Have you seen it? I could stop thinking how amazing the the animation was. So real and lifelike...not that I have ever seen an owl up close before!
I really liked this movie. Usually I am kiddie movied out. After years of Shrek and Hoodwinked...and all those other random kiddie movies I rather avoid at the movies....this one was a winner for me.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Things I'm Loving.

 Thing I'm loving....

Loving Kiwiana....

Can you get anymore kiwi than playing with a Buzzy Bee in a silver fern tee shirt.

Loving...The classic worn out dadda and toddler shot. 

Loving...A balanced diet. 

Hummus and smoked salmon on wholemeal bread toast...with a side of Duty freeToblerone. God bless the Swiss and their chocolate making skills.

Loving....Hubby's game of Pick up sticks...dishes style. 

We don't have a dishwasher so when we have a massive pile of dishes to do my hubby likes to see how high he can stack it without it falling over. And of course the game for the "dryer" is to see if they can pick out the dishes without any falling off and breaking. Great game...NOT!

Loving...Stories.

Miss Joy's latest passion is typing up her imaginative stories on Word. Love the title of this one...I honestly didn't think she knew what the word "Funky" was!

Linky in with my friend Paisely Jade.

not a morning person

Im not much of a morning person.  Lucky for me I have an awesome hubby who gets up early to get himself ready for work. Since his noise wakes up the three kids...I blame him for them getting up early...therefore in my head they are his responsibility until I roll out of bed at the last possible moment before we might run late. I have it timed to a tee.
On a typical morning at the Jacksta B household....

The baby eats its his cereal...like chips...one at a time. Great for motor skills...and a great way to keep him occupied while I do stuff.

 I had to take a picture of the kids lunch box today. They actually asked for carrots and humus dip and Chicken and pesto sandwiches. Healthy or what? I'm usually a "slap peanut on sandwiches" type but I roasted a massive chicken on Sunday night for tea and the left overs are good for them. And the humus request? A completely new liking for them. It just goes to show...offering new stuff once in a while develops their taste buds.

 Almost every morning Joe can't find his shoes...even though I have a shoe basket in his room...WHY???

 Most mornings Miss Joy trys on two to three outfits. How does this look? She asks. I secretly love that she cares about my opinion.

My morning wake up...Plunged coffee and toast while I watch Breakfast. I multitask from the comfort of my lazy boy chair. Periodically when I can hear the kids have lost focus and are fighting or playing tag...I yell...Have you brushed you teeth!? Have you brushed your hair?! Have you tidied your room?! Find your shoes! Pack your Bags!

Unbelievably we make it out of the house by 8.30 for drop offs....Just another morning at my house.