Valentines day 2013

I woke up excited. Today was the day, a night out with the hubster for Valentines Day. Months ago I ensured that I would have the night off work, a week ago we booked our selves in for dinner at the best place in town. Are you  sure we can afford it this week? Probably not...but lets do it anyway. And we excitedly waited. The last time we went out for a nice dinner was "the weekend of possibilities" way back in June last year. BC (before children) we went out for dinner all the time... now we are limited to two times a year!

But valentines day you say is just a cheesy money making scheme by greeting card company's. I didn't care. I wanted to be wined and dined this day. 

So my day panned out a little something like this. 

# Sent the kids off to their learning zones and grabbed a coffee from my favourite cafe and picked  hubster up a mochacinno and two extra flat whites for two of his colleagues. 

Arrived home to find a package on my door step. Hmm. I don't remember ordering anything recently? I rip into it. Its a book I won from a blogger giveaway from Miriam. Yay!

Help out with school swimming transport. Take the camera and take some snaps of gorgeous boy number one. 

Do the usual afternoon stuff, pick up kids, bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, make dinner for the kids, feed, shower, homework. Get house in order before baby sitter arrives.

Look in the mirror mortified realizing I look tired and dishevelled. Holy smokes I better get cracking and look lovely for my date.Clothes on, make up slapped on. Toddler in bed. Out the door ready to make an 8pm dinner reservation. (I know right! 8pm! Who eats at that time of night?)

We arrive to the swankiest place in the city, A Deco. Chef Brenton Low has been named Cuisine Magazines Chef of the year. Of the whole of NZ! So he's kind of a big deal. We have been here before once for dinner way back in 2011. But we are such a couple of hicks that the fine dinning thing makes us laugh nervously. The poshness of it all just cracks us up. But we were here for the food. Boy do we love our food. I love going out for tea with my man. Like me he virtually eats anything...except offal.

We arrive to find that there is a set Valentines Day menu at $75 each. It would have been nice to be told that over the phone when we booked. What if we only wanted a main only? It didn't worry us because we were already set on trying a degustation type menu again tonight anyway. It all sounded delicious. I decided to take my camera this time. I hate snapping pictures in such a nice place like this...but really it is a complement to the chef. Such works of art should be savored right? We did mention to the couple next door.."its for the blog." 

Peach Bellini and the bottle of water I accidentally ordered for $12!?




Bread and Amuse.
Goat Cheese fritter on tomato sauce.

Summer green pea soup with sauteed local ham and three cheese fritter

Sesame seared NZ caught Tuna with Squid, Soy caviar, curried cauliflower & wasbi avocado

My hot date and his "palate cleanser". Pineapple and citrus sorbet.

Aged fillet of Beef with twice baked cheese souffle, beetroot two ways and winter vegetables

And finally...




Baked rich 70% chocolate tart with huanui peach sorbet, manuka smoked chocolate fondue. 


Yes it all tastes as good as it looked!
Happy Valentines day My love. 

Silver service.

Last week we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. Often in previous years we would off load the 2 kids to Grandma's and head off for a romantic weekend away, but since having bubba we haven't managed that yet. In fact the last time we had dinner out alone, just the two of us was exactly a year ago, because he was born the morning after our wedding anniversary. So we headed out to the swankiest restaurant in town "A'deco". Known for its high end prices and quality complicated food, my hubby has justifiably put off taking us there for many years, because he really just appreciates a decent feed of steak. However this year was big...10 years! So off we went.
When we arrived there was one family already there. I could hear the mum ordering "Now if I order the prawn dish...exactly how many prawns will there be...more than two?". The waiter tries to explain the dish.."well you see it is deconstructed.... " Her daughter says "Mum! Just order!" Yes! I thought...we are surround by other silver service virgins!

We carefully looked through the menu. My years of watching "Top Chef" helped me in the food knowledge department. We decided to go for the 5 course tasting menu...Ive always wanted to do it! At an eye watering $95 each...you won't want to do it very often! I didn't take my camera with me...on purpose...it was our special night... okay I lie, I just didn't want to look so unclassy in such a pretentious place. ;) I kinda wish I had though...the food just looked so pretty. Maybe pulling out the line, "it's for my blog" may have got us some extras?!

So I have taken the liberty of finding a picture and editing so you can see what it looks like on the inside.

One of the waitresses was a student at the local polytech. The poor thing was so nervous, doing her first silver service placement. Hubster found it a little unnerving being constantly watched from his angle, but as soon as his water looked anywhere near 1/4 full, it was refilled very quickly. Can't fault the service. It was strange having someone lay out your napkin on your lap for you. Our cutlery was laid similar to this...
We argued between ourselves..is it work from the inside out or the other way around.. you know from that scene on the Titanic movie. The five courses were all very nice. Food there's no way you could cook at home...which is the precise reason to go out for dinner! The sizes and components of the dishes meant that we were full by the end of the night but not overfull. Overall we had a great night.

For the expense, I think what you are paying for is dinner and a show if you know what I mean. But the food was all high end produce (Tuna, eye fillet steak, pork belly) which justified the expense. I would definitly try another silver service 5 course meal again one day, maybe for another big anniversary!

10 years today!

And so here we are 10 years later...I can hardly believe it has been a whole decade since our wedding day. What an amazing 10 years they have been. Heres the condensed version:
We left the reception and had fun honeymoon in Taupo ;)
Year 1: I continued my last semester in my degree, graduated, then found a job.
Year 2: We saved to pay off both our student loans, took a BIG trip all the way to the Gold Coast ;)
Year 3: We had our first baby. Miss Joy. We adjusted well to parenting and enjoyed our new expanded family. I took a full year off maternity leave before reducing my hours down the part time.
Year 4: We took a trip as a family to Fiji...and then vowed never to travel with toddlers...ever!
Year 5: We were ready for baby number two- Joe. We did not enjoy the sleep deprivation that the next 6 months brought. We got there in the end. We took the plunge and finally bought a house.
Year 6: Les changed departments at work saying see ya later to shift work forever and hello 8-430pm.
Year 7: I relished my mummy role and also returned to work 1 shift a weekend.
Year 8: We ran a home group in our home for young adults. I also started some post grad study.
Year 9: We welcomed our well thought out and prayed for baby Zak-zak.
Year 10: We continue to live happily ever after in our own little part of the world.

Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary to US!....its been a lot of fun!

"To love someone is nothing, to be loved by someone is something, but to be loved by the one you love is everything"

our love story-part two

See part one (here)

Those six months flew by rather quickly. I was in my last year of nursing study, so having homework, placements and part time weekend work as well as planning the big day, all seems rather full on now that I think back. I guess when you are in love you don't feel it so much. Invitations were out, reception booked, flowers, catering, wedding attire, order of ceremony...arrghhh! So much goes into a wedding! I had held it together relatively well right up until the night before. We have wedding footage of me the night before the big day just ready to burst into tears. All the details of the big day had finally come to a head and I was stressed to the max. I guess it was a lot for a 20 year old! With help we set up the church and as we were leaving for the night one our pastors saw us on the way out. He must have sensed I was upset and stressed ( we later found out that he had spent most of the night praying for us).
When I arrived home to my flatmate also my bridesmaid she prayed for me that God would give me a peaceful sleep. And He did. I woke up the next morning after a fantastic sleep, feeling absolutely peaceful about the day. There was nothing else I could do now except turn up to the wedding venue, hope that everyone would do their parts and get married to the one I loved.

We all excitedly got ready, and was ready for the limousine pick up...just a little bit late (fashionably).
We had picked a song by Third day for me to walk in to, "Love song"

I guess this song along with our scripture reading Romans 8:38-39 really set an example from the outset which was that, if we as a husband and wife could love each other as much or as well as Jesus did us (an unconditional and self sacrificing kind of love) then we couldn't go wrong.

I walked in with both my parents, one on each arm. I should have just stuck to tradition and went for just the dad like everyone else. My mum started crying right from the beginning of the VERY long aisle all the way to the end! I should have known! She is indian and they cry at weddings! Determined not to cry I held it together, I really didnt want to ruin my lovely make up and besides this was the happpiest day of my life not the saddest as is the case for some indian weddings.

There he was...looking rather handsome in his suit. Mere Piyar - My love. We whispered sweet little things to each other at the front while the singing continued....You look beautiful...you look pretty good too...
As the service continued I grew more and more nervous....we were going to lock lips...very very soon! I suddenly forgot how we were going to do it. We practiced which way we would lean the days leading up. Hold hands...lean to the left and... or was it to the right?! I can't remember!!
"And we now come to the kiss..." says the pastor. And nothing...we stand there and do nothing for 5 long seconds. I was waiting for "And Les you may now kiss your bride"...but nothing. I look to the pastor...like now?! Yes go for it! The entire congregation laughs. We laugh and then we engage in what is the sweetest kiss ever....just like we had practiced but with the kiss.



After the formalities of signing the register we danced our way out of the church to The Lads "My forever Smoochy Girl".
After an afternoon of photos all over town we went to our reception venue. We planned on having an afternoon tea...not a wise decision on the the shortest day of the year...and at 4pm. It got pretty dark, pretty quick. My poor guests...so many details I would do different if I could go back in time.

Syms with his very funny pure and simple joke, our epic wedding cake, and part of the crazy family

After a lovely night of speeches and mingling with friends and family we headed to Auckland for our honeymoon and the rest of our lives together.

stayed tuned for the last installment tomorrow....

our love story.

It all started way back in the summer of 1999. I had just finished high school and had headed for the nearest city to start my nursing degree. I had so looked forward to getting out of my small town and out of home. After being the only high school student at my small town church I was looking forward to going to a bigger church with other young people. The first time I attended the youth church on a Friday night I was introduced to a young man right in the middle of his hacky sack game. "This is Les...he's in his final 6 months of his nursing degree". I'd like to say it was all rainbows and cupids hearts or love at first sight...but it wasn't. It was just a simple introduction to a fella playing hacky sack. From then on however we had something in common. I would ask him questions about my homework and he was a willing teacher. We got on well because...well he's friendly and would get on well with anyone.

Zealous...70's styles

I got on with studying my degree and making friends at my new church. I also became really involved in the youth church and growing as a Christian. I began to really want God's best for my life and that included waiting for the right guy. Later in the year Les and I were assigned to run a home group together at our flat. We seemed to make a good team and had another reason to talk to each other. Around that time I was inspired by another lady I knew, who when she was younger had compiled a detailed list of what she had hoped for in a husband. I thought I might try the same thing. Mine was a pretty short list which went something like this: Loved God, blond and blue eyed, someone nice (No bad boy for me thanks ;) and someone funny. Those were the essentials. At the time I also wanted to him to be an international rugby league star too...;).. so bizarre!

funny man Les...not his real hair ;) and me with the youth group mascot Shebees

I had absolutely no other thoughts about Les other than friendship for that entire first year. That was until I heard what I would describe as a strong impression from God that I was going to marry him one day. WHAT?! It literally surprised me. He was a little older than me so I wasn't so sure,but when I looked at my imaginary list he seemed to fit the bill. I prayed and prayed. If he was supposed to be the "one", it sure didn't seem to be the case because he had no interest in me. So I just sat on it. I continued our friendship and perhaps placed myself in the right places a little more than usual. Months went by, still nothing. Eventually it finally started to look like some one was reciprocating my feelings. The reality of a real relationship dawned on me and I freaked a little. I didn't know what to do or how to go about it. Most of all I wanted to honour God so we decided to get some wise counsel to make sure those closest to us could see that it was a good idea too. We pray some more...until finally we were both IN. We were officially courting!
We really wanted to honour God, and so decided early on that we would do what the bible says and wait until marriage to get our "Love on". I knew it was going to be hard and I was so afraid of falling into temptation. I had read a book about a young couple who had decided to wait until their wedding day to enjoy their first kiss. Can't have sex without kissing first I thought! So my lovely suitor agreed to my ridiculous request...we would wait until after the I do's for the first kiss.
We were engaged on a small island off the Fiji mainland. Les had come to Fiji to meet my mothers family and come to my brothers wedding. My family were especially nuts that week. Oh no! I thought...would he still want to marry into such a loud crazy family like mine. In tears I asked him...are you sure you want to be a part of my crazy family? He still did!

Small Engagement party on our return from the pretty island

We came home and began wedding plans. I hadn't been to many weddings by then, and really had no idea what I was doing. I was trying to keep costs low, because at the time my thoughts were "Cheap wedding all out on the honeymoon!" Silly really now that I think back. Sex must have been on the brain! After a 6 month engagement we planned to marry 23rd June 2001

Stay tuned for the next chapter in our love story....