Good morning on Fri, Dec 19 - my last day for the year!

Hi,

Not that I'm excited or anything. Am I what? I can't wait. Mike has the afternoon off to collect wee Toby at midday and has a list of tasks as long as his forearm to get through. Including trying to see Sally and Vivienne at Mojos this afternoon.

Last night we ate leftovers in the fridge. Mine was yummy. Toby seemed to love his. I hope Mike liked his too (we all had different things). The fridge will detox while we're away - Mike has cleaned out all manner of debris.

I left them just waking up this morning. Mike was cross he'd slept in as he needs to see Mrs Barrett and Mrs Mahoney before class today (some discussion about reading with Toby). So I expect the boys are furiously getting ready about now.

Time for a cup of tea at my end. I might pop into town at lunchtime for some last minute shopping.

Last blog from work for a while. Have a great Christmas and New Year. Mike and I are back at work on Jan 12.

Love,
Angela

Toby loves UB Funkeys

Toby and I had a good morning - Toby was up early in spite of his adventures last night and asked again if it was time to go to Sydney, just in case his mum had got it wrong. I told him no and that he'd know when it was time because we'd be getting him out of bed in the middle of the night.

I left him to get dressed and when I came back, he'd filled in his lunch order already. Very neat handwriting and everything. Only minor trouble was that he'd ordered $8 worth of muffins, jellies and choc milk, but no sandwiches. After a bit of negotiation we got it down to $6 and some healthy(ish) food. We crossed out the extra junk food and Toby put sad faces on each one (not that he was grumpy about it - I think!!)

Then we printed out some more UB Funkeys pictures, and raced off to school. Only to find that the various sets of keys I'd grabbed did not include a garage key or a house key. After some quick breaking and entering - which is always a good opportunity, I've found a route into the house now that's easy and bypasses any alarm sensors, must talk to Malcolm again - I ended up with some Corolla keys with house and garage keys. No sign of my keys or the MX5 with garage keys. Sigh. Such a nice day and I've got a huge lump of steel over my head when I'm out and about.

So, delivered Toby happily to school - and now I'm ensconced in Robert and Margo's house with laptop and citrix. The painter is here already and doing his thing. I had a monentary problem when I discovered their WLAN was secured and I didn’t know its password – but all good because they have a neighbour with a wide-open WLAN. They are very generous! I won't abuse the privilege though. And I think that Robert and Margo should have a few quiet words to their neighbours...

Good morning on Thurs, Dec 18

Hi,

Finally a lovely day here in Wellington. They have been in short supply in the last week.

Last night we had our department Christmas party. It was fun as we had it at a lawn bowls club and I tried lawn bowls for the first time. I haven't shaken the game to its core with my previously hidden talent for the game. But I think I only rolled about 8 bowls down so I may still find I can actually bowl if I ever get another opportunity.

We had arranged for Vivienne to collect Toby from After School Care, take him to Ngaio for feeding and watering and general play before taking him home to bed. Vivienne realised at about 7.30 that she didn't know our alarm and had no key. Oops. Mike heard a cry of glee from Toby in the background when Toby realised he was looking at a sleepover at Benjamin's house!

This was obviously preying on Mike's mind so when people starting leaving our party, Mike made a move too. Vivienne bundled Toby into the car and came and collected us. :-) Thanks Vivienne!

I left Mike and Toby this morning quite happy with the world. Toby had a good sleep and Mike did too (apart from a text message from my parents at 1am that woke us reminding us to go to their house this morning). Toby's first words when I kissed him goodbye and he woke up were "Is it the weekend yet?". He is mad keen to get to Sydney.

Have a great day! I need a cup of tea.

Love,
Angela

Good morning on Wed, Dec 17

Hi,

The weather is a little lousy today, but it is supposed to clear up a bit. I took the bus in as we have our IT department Christmas party today after work. I think it'll finish early enough so we should be home just as Vivienne is putting Toby to bed.

We have lunch scheduled with Kara today and some tasks to complete at the same time (contact lenses pickup for Mike and a few Christmas presents to buy on the walk back to work). Mike has a growing list of things to try and sort out on Friday (he has a half day leave to collect Toby at midday when school is finished for the year).

Mike cooked dinner last night. Yummy pasta. Although I was surprised to find cardamon seeds through it. They were yummy. Turns out Mike thought it said coriander. Heheheheh. Toby methodically removed every seed from his pasta serving!

Ok. I'd better get stuck into work. I need a cup of tea first though.

Have a look at the blog entry before this one for a photo of Toby's cake courtesy of Mike. And Toby looking chuffed at getting presents.

Love,
Angela

Six years old...

Toby loves his UB Funkeys from Grandy and Gramps!

Here is Toby's birthday cake. It came out good ay?

Good morning on Tues, Dec 16

Hi,

Toby and I had a great morning. I had Toby drop off duty and gate duty as Mike had a 9am meeting. So I spent from 8.30 - 8.55 whisking children out of cars as they pulled up to the school. It was busy as it was slightly damp today. I feel sad as I left without saying goodbye to Toby. He was nowhere to be seen as the bell rang and I hurtled off to get the bus. As it was I had to run the last 30m to catch it. I sat next to Hamish on the way in.

Mike will collect wee Toby from After School and cook dinner - so there is a silver lining. :-)

My parents got away ok yesterday and have landed safely in Sydney. Toby was a bit sad and was counting the sleeps till he saw them again.

We have a busy week to get through before we also arrive in Sydney on Saturday. I can't wait.

Love,
Angela

Good morning on Mon, Dec 15

Hi,

A new format for the good morning email. Mike wants them collated as a diary of our lives. Fair enough. Let me know if you get this in a weird format that you can't read.

The weekend that was? Where do I start? We're all exhausted. Friday was Toby's birthday and after work we had family there to celebrate. We ate yummy kids party food (party pies, sausage rolls and cheerios - but the last item was mainly for Sally). Toby was far too excited to eat.

Saturday morning we got ready for the main event at Junglerama. Although the day ended up very expensive it was very easy compared to hosting a party for 13 children yourself. I didn't need to sort out loot bags at 8.30am as Dad had sorted it out the night before. Thank goodness. It all went very well. Mike organised everything perfectly. Toby got lots of presents and was gracious despite his obvious excitement.

We dropped off Duncan and Emerson home and stayed for a cup of tea. This meant a direct trip to the ten pin bowling from there instead of a quick refresh at home. We collected Dad on the way and the Sampson children arrived. It was all on then. Dad gashed his hand retrieving a bowling ball from the lane (he'd forgotten how slippery the lanes were). Toby did well - he came second after Hannah.

Toby arranged a sleepover (we did confirm it) for Saturday night and we had Alistair and Vicki over for the first time since we moved to Wellington. How slack are we? It was nice to see them so soon after Vicki's work party. I think we may have bored them with the video game called Name that Tune - 80s edition! They may not take our offer of popping in any time it suits them.

Sunday morning Toby was delivered (along with Duncan and Emerson) to our house and Aidan took me to the farmers market. Why I haven't been before I'll never know. Way cheaper than the supermarket - and bigger veges. I bought some stuff to keep us going this week and then because the day was glorious, Aidan took me home the long way - via Scorching Bay. It was lovely.

The rest of Sunday was relaxed. We bought a Christmas tree and decorated it. Then we pottered around till my parents arrived for dinner. We were all in bed early last night. It was still light when we turned out the light!

My parents leave for Sydney this afternoon. We get there on Saturday. It is very exciting. We still have a lot of Christmas stuff to sort out here first though.

Have a marvellous week!
Love,
Angela

Toby ’s birthday!   He had a great morning.   We woke him up and he opened presents (a Phoenix football shirt from Grandy and Gramps and a mushabelly and two babies) and was very happy.  He made me take photos of him with his new stuff and print them out for news at school.

 

 

Plans for tonight?   Hmmm.   We ’re having tea tonight for Toby.   I think Mike and I can get there about 6pm.  Toby will play soccer (although it is raining at the moment so soccer might be off) and go and play at Duncan and Emerson ’s house.  So we ’ll collect him at 1800 and head home for cheerios, party pies and sausage rolls.

 

Tomorrow?  The party!  I need to sort out loot bags so I think I ’ll be at The Warehouse at 8.30am tomorrow.  There are now 13 children coming.  And Mike has booked bowling for the afternoon.  I don ’t have any info on that.

Toby was a bit fragile this morning – not sure why.   He has been bundled off to school and seemed happy enough by the time he got there.   Theresa Forbes stayed overnight with us.   She is relocating a massive campervan on her own and enjoying her time.

 

Mike will collect Toby from After School care today and head out to get dinner while we do a release here at work.   I hope it goes well as we have very little window for fixes left now.

 

Ok.   I have loads to do still. Better get stuck in.

Guess what?   Mike and I missed our wedding anniversary.   It was 4 days ago and I just remembered.   We are very busy – honest!  

 

What else can I tell you to show you all how disorganised we are?   Listen to this.   Toby ’s second tooth fell out on Monday evening.   He gave it a yank and out it came – no blood or anything.   So we put it in an envelope and addressed it to the Tooth Fairy.   However, Mike and I forgot all about it.   Toby burst into tears when he woke up and discovered the envelope and tooth still there.   Mike headed him off with a story about the busy time the tooth fairy has at the moment.

 

So last night Mike and I were determined not to forget.   The bad part?   We only had $20 on us.   Well, that and a $50.  That was a bit excessive.   Toby doesn ’t really understand how much $20 as he told us he had a dollar left under his pillow.   I hope that ’s what he tells everyone too.   And I hope there is a gap between this loss and his next tooth loss so we can go back to the $5 amount he got for his first tooth!

 

Mum is going to come in for lunch today so I ’ll do some shopping with her.   I ’m looking forward to that.

 

Mum also did the lunch duty at Toby ’s school yesterday in my place.   She met Evan (the naughty boy) and decided he really was very naughty.   It sounds like Mum enjoyed herself.   She can be the teacher she may have been in another life – if things had panned out different somehow.   Keeping a school yard in line is definitely her cup of tea.

 

Which is exactly what I need right now.

 

I left the boys at home happily getting ready.   Mike is eating the rest of the bread we cooked overnight (part of that disorganised thing is that we haven ’t got any sandwich making bread so I ’ve been making bread all the time lately).

 

Well, we have two more takers for Toby ’s party.   We now have 3 confirmed – but that is including Toby.   Mum pointed out that although Duncan and Emerson have said they ’ll attend, if there is any delay in their flight back from the US they may not arrive.   Yikes.   So we are up to 5 children.   Mike is hoping we make the minimum numbers of 8 children for the party.   So far we have Toby, Gracie, Ashwin, Duncan and Emerson.

 

I was too lazy to ride my bike this morning.   The rain was steady and I couldn ’t face getting wet.   It may also have something to do with the three episodes of Heroes we watched and had us all keyed up.   We chatted for ages.   I think I saw 12.30am on the clock!   So I am a bit groggy today too.

 

Today I am definitely starting my Christmas shopping.   Lunch time I am out of here.   Oh – and Toby ’s birthday shopping too.

 

Ok.   I ’d better get stuck in.

 

Well, it seems to me it is nearly Toby ’s birthday and Mike and I have not yet bought him a present.   Yikes!   I think we might start panicking.

 

The weekend was fantastic.   Saturday morning was the swimming – Toby got over his idea the pool was cold and enjoyed his lesson.   His last one for the year as his birthday party is on next week at that time.   We went round to visit Aunty Sally and Uncle Andrew after that to swap cars.   Mike, Andrew and Toby dismantled the old header tank on the roof – as you do when you ’re at a loose end on a Saturday morning.   Toby loved it.   He walked around on the roof and used a hammer.   How much better can it get?

 

I dropped Mike and Toby off at Capital E for the NZTE kids Christmas party.   Toby got to work in Santa ’s grotto and help the head elf make the work targets.   Santa even appeared and gave Toby a toy – just what he wanted too!

 

I met the boys at New World and we drove to the Zoo to meet Vicki and Alistair.   It was Vicki ’s work party and they had hired the zoo for the evening.   Air New Zealand did well!   Sally and Andrew arrived at the same time as us and we wandered around the zoo and had a picnic.   Very pleasant.   The weather was wonderful.

 

Sunday was us head off to the Capital Trout Centre near Brooklyn where Toby was taught a bit of fly fishing and he caught a trout.   We took it home and grilled it on the BBQ for lunch.   It was superb!   They are doing it again in February so I ’ll take Toby again then.   Gramps came with us and he is now our fishing expert.  

 

After lunch we played soccer in the park with the four of us (me, Mike, Toby and Gramps) and we had loads of fun.

 

Then it was time to head out to the Bichan dinner.   Mike and Toby had prepared dessert and we had a great dinner.

 

Now I am back at work to try and relax before the next weekend!   Toby ’s party weekend!   Uh oh!

I had Toby drop off duty this morning so I was in later than usual.   I went to see Handel ’s Messiah with Mum and Vivienne last night and I enjoyed it.   Meanwhile, the boys (Mike, Gramps and Toby) all had McDonalds and also seemed to enjoy themselves.

 

When I got home (Vivienne dropped me off) I found both of my boys asleep in bed.   So I snuggled up to them and was asleep in seconds.

 

I have driven in this morning so I can leave super early at 1500 and watch Toby play soccer.   I ’ll drive straight home and get collected by Dad for the game.   He ’s going to collect Toby.

 

Then the weekend will kick in.   Swimming, Santa, Zoo – all on Saturday.   Sunday is fishing.   Followed by recovery.

 

Have a great weekend!

Happy birthday Tyler .   5 today!   Toby was quite pleased to talk to her last night.   We can ’t wait to see everyone in Sydney for Christmas.

 

Nothing much going on in Wellington really.   Tonight we have a release and then I ’m off to see Handel ’s Messiah with Mum and Vivienne.   So I think I ’ll fall into bed once I get home.   But the late night at work does mean I can leave early tomorrow and get home in time for Toby ’s soccer.

 

Mike and I will catch up with a few people for lunch today from ANZ days.   Should be a good lunch.   It meant I didn ’t need to make any lunches today so Mike and I had breakfast together at home.   How unusual.   I did have to hurtle out of the house to catch the bus though as I dawdled a little too much.   Still managed to kiss Toby quickly.

Toby has a girlfriend now.  He told me a few days ago.

 

Trouble is, he doesn ’t know her name, or what class she ’s in, or much of anything else.  (Nor does he seem particularly worried about this. Mike says, "That ’s my boy!")

 

Apparently she ran up to him and whispered ‘I love you Toby ’ into his ear and ran off again.   So I don ’t know just how committed they both are, at the moment.

When Mike and I got home last night wee Toby called out excitedly from his bed (it was about 8.45 or so).   I could tell he had had a great evening with Gramps.   He told me that the pizza Gramps made was delicious and that I really needed to try some.   And he was pleased with his dessert as well.   I hope Gramps had as much fun as Toby.   Poor Mum wasn ’t feeling well.   She ’s had a sore throat for a while.

 

The movie (latest James Bond flick – Quantum of Solace) was a good action movie.   We haven ’t seen Casino Royale but it was easy to follow the plot.   I saw the shorts for Australia and I can see Mum loving that epic (although it looks like they may have tried too hard to make it an epic).   Keanu Reeves is in a new sci fi movie that I want to see – The Day the Earth Stood Still.   Special Effects look great.   And he is always worth watching.   ;-)   Wonder when that comes out?

 

I have a work seminar tonight so I ’ll be home about 8pm.   Mike will get home at about 6pm I guess.   And tomorrow night we have a work release and then Mum and Vivienne and I are off to see Handel ’s Messiah.   I ’ll get the tickets today at lunchtime.

Well, I had a last minute switch yesterday afternoon to take Toby to school.   Needless to say, I forgot it was a main school drop-off this morning and we walked to side school, got told it was main school day and walked back.   So I missed my bus.   But Toby seemed very pleased to be at the main school as a big boy.

 

At work at 9.15 so not too bad.

 

Tonight Mum and Dad will babysit Toby while Mike and I go to the new Bond film.   I hope it ’s good.   I ’ll work through lunch so I can get away at 1730 for dinner beforehand.

 

Toby has requested pizza for dinner.   Unfortunately we have no ingredients apart from grated cheese.   We do have a bag of grated mozzarella cheese!   So, if Mum and Dad want to get a few things for the dinner, that ’d be helpful (shopping suggestion at the bottom!).

 

I need a cup of tea!

 

Have a great day!   I ’m glad the Kittos finally got back from Adelaide.   I blame the test cricket – for everything!

Toby is very pleased to finally be in the same month as his birthday.   Wee Tyler turns five so soon as well.   I can ’t believe it.

 

We had a weird sort of a weekend.   The weather was great and Saturday saw us have a lot of fun out at Nae Nae.   Toby ’s swimming was fun (it always seems so much nicer with sun streaming in the windows at the pool) and there was a fair on in central Nae Nae (right outside the pool) so we wandered around.   Toby had a turn on a mini Ferris wheel (it was free – alright!).

 

Then we went home with croissants for lunch.   The early afternoon was very lazy and then Mike and I went to wash the cars near the garage.   I told Toby (twice) we were going to wash the cars.   However, after about an hour I came back down and just missed the phone.   And I tried to find Toby but he was nowhere to be seen.   That was odd.   I went up to see Mike and ask him but he was also gone (just the spade he was using was stuck in the dirt and two digs only completed).   It was starting to look like an apocalypse movie.   The phone rang again and it was Mike ’s Mum and she had talked to Toby earlier and he was upset he couldn ’t find us.  

 

Turns out Toby had trotted (in his barefeet – he never goes anywhere in his barefeet) out into the back yard, wandered through two neighbours backyards and was down the road a wee way.   He was a bit traumatised by his adventure but I think he was also quite proud of his achievements.   Why on earth he thought I ’d be there is beyond me!

 

Sunday was good fun.   We watched the rugby early on and then Toby and I went to see Benjamin and Ramble.  Vivienne and John were off diving (congratulations – they are now certified – or rather, John is re-certified and Vivienne is newly certified) so we stopped in for the day.   Toby had a ball.   The PS2 came out and Toby played Lego Star Wars for ages.   We also went into the bush and walked Ramble (lots of fun) and I got shortbread to boot (Mum – it ’s in the biscuit tin!).

 

Now it ’s work time once more.   But only 20 days till we head over to Sydney for Christmas.   Hooray.   And work put an advent calendar on my desk, so how much better can it get?