Under the hundy...again...

Woop-tee-doo...no celebration this time round - I should be punishing myself for getting back up OVER the hundy!!

Anyway, this morning I am going to the bank, I have managed to scrounge together enough money for 10 loads of fill - thank god the NZ dollar is worth a bit more than the Samoan tala!! But still...a week out from school starting - not the best time to be diverting funds at short notice - but we'll survive and it does NEED doing!! So I'll pop into Otara and send the money later this morning, it costs $5 to send from the branch in Otara, where as other branches of the same company it costs $12 to send, worth it to me lol.

Then later I will book my fathers fare to come over during March, lil bro is paying for his fare...nice guy lol.

6pm - well it's stinkin' hot and I'm one grumpy biarch

Sent the money this morning, rate was $1 nzd = $1.76 wst. Booked dad's flights. Got a call from mum...they've got 'stuff' going on in the village that they live in...and of course that means MONEY MONEY MONEY. Thank god she hasn't ever asked any money from me for these 'extended' family obligations...but it just makes me more motivated to work on their house in Apia so they can stay there and RELAX...raise chickens, have a vege garden FARK the extended family!! My mum has spent the last 20 years living in Samoa running a store (just her dad) supporting the extended family there - I've had enough - and she has finally had enough!!

Anyway...brings of a bit of a headache to be honest - so I just gonna leave it at that.

Tonight I have a girls' night to attend and to be honest - I can't be bothered going - I think that's due to the heat right now...so maybe when the weather has cooled down a bit I might feel like going out. Not only that, I don't have anything to wear!! :( Well...I feel like I don't have anything to wear 'out'.

Getting my hair cut today :)

That's right - I'm going for the extreem - shortest I have ever been look!

I actually REALLY want to just get a #1 all over my head...but hubby and the kids are deadset against it. LOL. So I'm going to get it about an inch long at the back and keep my fringe - if that makes any sence? I have had it in a similar style about 5-6 years ago...with highlights, but I'm gonna take it just a bit shorter than my old style :)

Have an appointment at 9am for that :)

I bought a gas cooker of TM that I need to pick up tonight after 6pm. Bargain price!! Will take it to Samoa for mum and dad to use in their house in Apia. I also bought two dresses of TM which I can't wait to receive!!

Made a decision last night about my course - I will go in today and sort it out. I will start at the beginning of March (if they have a place available) and do the course full time, 4 days a week, 9-3pm. Which means I'll be able to dedicate every afterschool to getting ALL the kids into activities. I read in the paper last night a notice for Scouts and Girl Guides...so I'm looking at take the younger three there - the boys NEED something like that!! Miss 9 will enjoy it. Also, want to take Mr12 and Miss9 to music lessons & Miss 9 to singing lessons.

So that's the plan anyway.

Also going later today to buy Miss 9 and Mr 7 new school uniforms. (I hope they take visa LOL). Feel like taking the kids somewhere today...out for lunch or something...dunno...

1:20pm.

Got my hair cut and I LOVE IT!!

My old neighbour is a hairdresser...LOVE the she cuts hair (wouldn't get her to do a colour though - sorry lol) AND she only charges me $15 a style cut!!

I admit though, I must have been in 'shock' cos I drove 20mins to my old hairdressers to get some colour put through it - only to realise that maybe I was in shock from going from a long hair do to a short one - I just couldn't decide what colour or where to put the colour...so I told them, "Sorry, I think I'm in shock - I think I need to go home, find a pic of a hairstyle that I like, and then come back..." they laughed and said sure, that is fine :)

Anywho, got back home, kids love my hair, hubby loves my and I LOVE my new hairstyle!

Went to Pagani and ordered in one black and one white 3/4 bolero shrug top thigies...lol. I already have them in a sz 16, and I wear them nearly every day!! Got to hide the bat wings that come with a 50kg plus weight loss!! So I have ordered another set in a sz 14, they have to transfer them in from other stores, so it could take 2 weeks - which is fine, cos I want them for winter.

Daughter scored a nice top from Jeanswest for $11.90 that was one sale and on sale again!! Score!!

I left Mr 12 there at the mall to go to the movies with his mates.

My lil bro took Mr 7 with him...they went to buy a new car battery for his van. Then they came home with some lunch for us, and now they have gone to the movies...lucky mr7! he really looks upto my lil bro - not sure if that's a good thing LMAO. He thinks he's the coolest guy!!

It's another warm day - hot actually, not as hot as other countries obviously, but hot on a NZ scale :)

I don't have much energy, might go have a lay down and read my book. Not sure what we are having for diner.

10pm - couldn't be arsed cooking so we just had home made hot chips and baked chicken nuggets. Kids loved it - of course...

Me - my heartburn is playing up tonight and I think I have run out of medication :( I really NEED to see the doctor anyway...need to have some blood tests done, I know I am low in some sort of vitamins...

Hubby started early, he took the car to work, lil bro had the day off work, so we all jumped in his van and went for a ride to pick up the gas cooker I bought off TM. What a score - it's only been used once or twice!! Still got the box it came in!!

Ended up going fishing yesterday...

just the kids and myself :)

High tide was at 7:40pm, we got the there at about 2pm. Weren't having any luck for the first 2-3 hours - not even nibbles! Meanwhile, there were 6 other Asians right next to us reeling in lots and LOTS of baby kahawai...and keeping them :( Guy next to us had half a bucket of them...I almost gave up hope and told the kids "maybe we should take our big hooks off and put tiny ones on?" then quickly decided "No - we didn't come for baby fish, we came for BIG fish..." so continued on with out big hooks and huge bait lol.

Well...it paid off cos we finally caught a HUGE Kahawai! And within an hour of that first one, we had 4 HUGE kahawai! We were really excited and very pleased with ourselves!!

The boys had a swim, and we left Port Waikato just after 8pm. First stop - MIL's house, they were again, impressed with me and the kids....lol.

Hubby got home after 11pm, very proud of us...

I wore a long sleeved shirt and saved myself from the sun. Clever girl. ;)

I had work today - wore shorts - couldn't be stuffed wearing jeans just so I didn't look so dorky in shorts and steel capped work boots - I took the dory option and thank god I did cos it was mega HOT!! Got the usual - "Your legs are SOOOO white...blah blah blah" Comments..."well, my dad is Irish - suppose that's why they could be soooo white??" Duh lol.

Anyway, good day at work, hubby had to start at 12pm, kids were fine at home. We are having fish cooked in coconut cream tonight, I haven't bothered to cook it yet - will attract too many bloody flies and the afternoon/evening sun shines right into the kitchen, so it's even hotter in there...will cook tonight when the sun has gone down.

I'm gonna do some baking tonight too...just feel like being really domestic like that :)

11:30pm - I have a gorgeous carrot cake cooling on the rack...and half a batch of melting moments, I'll finish the rest of the dough off tomorrow as I'm really tired lol. Both will be iced int he morning...Mmmm...

Had the fish that we caught yesterday for diner tonight, was SOOOOO yummy!!

Great start to the day!!

The two size 16 tops (jeans west) that I bought last week have arrived and they fit perfectly!! TOtally love them! Will take pics later today...(one of my personal goals is to get lots of pics going in here lol).

I have been a good girl and packaged (trademe) items to be sent out today. Oh, last night, I did a little jewellery clean out, listed about 5 items I think, sold one diamond ring in about 10 mins of it being listed. I know that I might have put the buynow at a low price - but I'm not bothered about it cos I know how much I bought it for from Tm a year ago lol...I had a real bargain - now this person can still have a bargain too :)

Outside the weather is overcast and cool..okay so it's only 9:30am , but it doesn't look like it's gonna heat up much :)

And on a 'poo poo' note...I have grabbed my 'balls' and finally updated my weigh-in results...TRIPPLE FARKIN DIGITS!!! I'm not goingto beat myself up about it - why bother - just get on with the job of changing it huh!!

Have decided that I will not celebrate getting under the hundy again...cos obviously it's so bloody easy to get back up there again SOooo...this time I am aiming for getting uner 90kgs, only THEN will I celebrate!! So there it is folks...

My new goal...to get under 90kgs :) Smal and do-able :)

So I'm half way enrolled

into the course I'm going to do. *YAY*

I have been sooo close to getting my hair cut SHORT. Since having surgery my hair is just FUGLY as heck. It's sooo THIN!! Seriously, it's still falling out steadily. I swear I only have HALF the hair I had before surgery. If I put it into a 'bun' I only get a bun that's about the size of a cat BALLSACK LMAoooOooo...pathetic.

So I'm thinking of going completely SHORT at the back and a longish fringe in the front...had this style in the early 2000's...maybe it's a style that should stay there??? LOL - dunno - to be honest, I know it only costs about $30-$40 to get a good haircut BUT after my mum's phone call about filling the land in Apia...we'll $40 is a lot. I could always throw it on the visa - but I don't want to! So I'll just hold back and get it done further down the track - will have to be content with just putting it in a ponytail for now. Actually it 'looks' fine as it is, BUT I feel YUCKY and need a 'lift me up'.

So this morning, I went to see about my Design and Pattern making course...I'm so excited lol.

Not excited about the student loan I'm gonna have to take out, but excited about all the things I know I'm gonna learn :) So I have decided to take the part time 'night class' option, 36wks, wed and thurs 5:30-9:30pm as opposed to 4 days a week 9-3pm for 19 weeks. It means I can still keep my stupid little part time course - but I DO have the option of switching over to the day time course if I want to and providing of course that there is a spot in it for me...they only take 10 students per class.

So I start next Wed, 3rd Feb :) *YAY*!!

It also means that Miss 14 will be home alone with the kids (hubby starts at 6pm). So I will have to have diner pre-prepared in advance to make it easier for her, just to heat and serve diner for her and the kids. It will be good for her too, to learn some 'kitchen' skills.

She's an awesome kid and I'm SOO LUCKY to be honest!! She takes after her dad, she is quiet, calm and level headed, very mature for her age as in sensible. She doesn't go 'out' does not ever give me an attitude, she loves to clean the house (thanks to hubby's mum), she'll start cleaning the lounge, kitchen, sort out the cupboards, fridge without me asking! She's a great kid!! She's an 'old soul'...she also has a great sence of humour and sometimes I'll get the giggles and she'll be like "umm...mum, that's enough now' lol. Sometimes I wonder who's the adult. As silly as it sounds, even though she's only 14, for a couple of years now, she's been a great person for me to talk to...about problems even lol...she's just got a point of view that's very mature...she has a way of looking at things that I can't see sometimes, especially cos I can get really emotions but she manages to stay rational...so yeah...love her to bits!! The other 3 kids...well...different kettle of fish altogether!! *looks around - don't know who they take after!!* lol.

So, hubby and lil bro started work at 1pm today. I have taken out all the linen from Miss 9's room to wash - my god her room looks like a bomb hit it!! It's a GORGEOUS day outside, so all the laundry I have will get dry :) When the sun goes down in the evening, Im gonna get outside and do some weeding - tomorrow I'll mow the lawn *OMG lol, did I just say I WOULD MOW THE LAWN??* I'll 'try' and get around to mowing the lawn lol.

The treadmill is now in the lounge...so no excuses right?

3:30pm and it is HOT and MUGGY!! Most of the laundry has been done and is hanging out to dry - great weather for it :)
Miss 9 is spending the week at her nana's house, so I went into her room and 'cleaned' up a bit. I FILLED one black rubbish bag with all sorts of crap!! Half filled another bag with her clothes that don't fit or are crap. Just waiting for her sheets to dry, then I'll finish off cleaning her room...prolly do that tonight when it's a bit cooler...

Haven't done much of anything else, just swept here and there downstairs...folded this and that...lol. Nothing really productive just lots of intentions to do things...but no energy. I can't even be bothered cooking diner at this stage - am planning on making meat pies for diner...I think we'll have a really late diner. Prolly start getting cooler after 6pm, then I'll pull my finger out. Might go and lay down for a while...was actually trying to do that earlier but the boys (just the two of them...) were making a heck of a racket!! Annoyed the heck outta me!!

I actually did a wee clear out of my jewellery, and took pics of about 5 items to list on TM...well bugger me if I can't find the bloody USB cable!! Ask the kids...they don't know...fgs - so sick of not being able to find thigns when I need them!!


**I FINALLY DID IT!!**

Yep - finally got off my arse and got on the Treadmill *YAY*!!

I did 30mins. after 20mins I ran for about 30seconds then walked, did that about 5 times...lol. Okay might not sound much to anyone else, but it's a major for me lol.

So yep, just need to do the same again tomorrow :)

Fishing Rods...

(I worked tonight 10pm-2am) Went shopping this afternoon for fishing rods. Yep - hubby bought himself another one, I bought a small one for the kids to share and Mr 12 bought himself one with part of his b'day money. So we are now a family of fisher-people lol.

I made another attempt at 'melting moments' - read the recipe right this time and used icing sugar instead of plain sugar and OMGosh what a difference lol. YUMMY - topped half of them off with passion fruit icing...Mmmm to die for!! I took some for MIL at work tonight...she shared them with a couple of the ladies - who were super impressed with me!!

Mum called today (my mum and dad live in Samoa), she called to tell me about a contact they have for loads of 'fill' for her land in Apia...$160WST per load, which is MUCh bigger she reckons than the regular loads they had in the past for $200WST. So she said to think about it...basically she has 3x 1/4 acre sections...she's filled in just over one of those 1/4 acres which has her house on it...and it's now open to us kids to fill the rest (which again basically means me and my younger brother as my eldest brother is a no-show...) anyway...she said think about it, while she has her contact. So I told her I'd call her this Friday and let her know how many load we can afford, my younger brother and I.

So...I'm really keen to send some money over for this...and it is pay week, which means bills week, SO thank god my bills are all in credit! (I'm sooo good at paying bills lol) But I was hoping to buy my younger two kids new sets of school uniforms each - no biggie - I'm a super juggler when it comes to finances :) The kids will get their new uniforms and mum will get some money to fill the land :) and I will be broke LMAOooOoo....money comes money goes...

Anyway, after work (2am) I got home, cooked a little something for hubby and lil bro who finish at about 4am. Did all the dishes that the kids kindly left for me lol. Sitting here on the computer waiting patiently for hubby to get home :)

Will get some sleep then go to the inlaws for Sunday Lunch as usual :) I have taken out the last of the fish the kids and I caught - 4 large trevally's. Will cut them up, fry in flour then simmer for a wee while in coconut cream..Mmmm.

I have to pick something up for Miss 9 that we bought off TM earlier in the week, they are just around the corner from Inlaws so that works out well.

HAPPY B'DAY to my son!!

He's 12 today and he's 5'5"! Only an inch away from me and boy does he make me feel old!

So his grandpa - bless his heart - did come over late morning and took mr 12 and miss 14 with him...they came back home a few hours later - turned out they went somewhere over the Nth Shore to 'luge'...they had a blast!! They also came home with a HUGE box of both Paddle Pop ice creams and Cornetos (grandpa's g.f's sister works at Tip Top, so great - more temptation!!)

Anywhoo...mr7 was quite upset he didn't get to go with his big bro, so hubby and I took him and miss 9 to the mall where they had a kids holiday program, today they were making masks, so they both did their masks, took a good half hour to complete - they loved it! Forgot to take my camera :( Miss 9 (whose b'day was last week) had $50 of b'day money to spend, which she chose to spend on a $28 fur-real puppy...and $4 on stickers. I gave Mr 7 $20 to spend, which he chose to spend on a $16 wrestling set...it's been keeping him occupied all afternoon!!

Hubby started work at 6pm, my bro started work at 8pm, so he's just taken us to Burger King to get b'day boys b'day meal lol. He just bought his van 2 weeks ago now...I went along for the ride.

Actually quite funny...it's a white van with expensive white rims...tinted windows...a real 'boy surfer' looking van - except the driver is Samoan LMAO. I noticed he was getting lots of looks - not sure if it's cos there aren't many vans with such flash rims and tinted windows, or if he just looked out of place driving what a 'surfer' should be driving lol.

Anyway, there is a seat in the middle of the back...and get this...a single couch LMAOooOo...the proper seat fold forward and away...so he can put a mattress in he says LMAO.

So yeah...that's been our day :) Might do some baking - even though last night was a bit of a disaster lol. This time I'll take my time and read and re-read the recipe so I make sure I get it right lol.

Oh and TMI - I got my period this morning - feeling yucky for it too...and my gorgeous suntan is (has been for the past couple of days) peeling something mean!! Ewww....my back, back neck and shoulders...at least the colour is even now...completely stuffed my tan line up when I was in Samoa at the end of last year...ended up with 'singlet straps' so when we went fishing a couple of weeks ago I wore a boob-tube and evened that all up...so here I am...even put peeling LOL.

Wide AWAKE!

yep - this is what happens when hubby finishes work anytime after 2am and me being a light sleeper. We've tried the "please don't make any noise when you come home..." I've even resorted to telling him to sleep in the kids room...lol.

Seriously though, this is a normal routine for me, I wake up at 6am, get the kids ready for school and tidy up...by late morning I'm buggered and will usually have a nana nap - then I'm up again at 2-3pm (especially if the kids are back in school) then I'll do what needs doing, cook diner etc...then once the kids are in bed I'll start cleaning again...(never bloody ends!) and I'll have some ME time, I never fall asleep before 11pm. Then hubby comes home anytime after 2am, and I'm WIDE AWAKE again...I'll fall back to sleep at about 4am...then back up at 6am...*sigh*

Thank GOD I don't have a full time job OUT of the house!

So usually when I am WIDE AWAKE in the early hours of the morning...I'll stay in bed and read...but I just couldn't this morning, so I have just spent the last 2 hours surfing the net...(basically wasting time LOL).

Anywhoo...my bedtime routine is spent laying in bed all cosy with lots of blank paper, pens, calculator, calendar...and I 'tutu' lol. I will write everything down, night after night I do the same thing, just write what's on my mind, I plan, write down goals...shopping lists and to-do-lists!

So last night I went through my good old Edmonds Cookbook and wrote down some biscuit/cake/slice recipes that I would like to try - totally inspired by Mr11's cookie baking this evening - and can I add that between my 4 kids and their uncle - they totally demolished the LOT!!

I kid you not! But must say, they turned out really well.

So I have a busy wee day today, I'll go back to bed now (just after 5am!) my body clock will have me up no later than 6:30am - I'll try and go back to sleep (kids are still on holiday after all!) and I'll get up at 8am(ish) shower, get dressed and GO...

10:30am...been pottering around the house, woke up at 8:30am - so that was great lol. I've just spent the past 40mins packaging things that I have sold on Trademe...they are all ready for the courier to pick up...miss 14 is getting ready, we'er gonna go and get a few things done that I need to, and get her eyebrows done while we're at it.

It rained REALLY heavy early this morning - great for the garden, and it's turned out to be a gorgeous day today.

6pm - I'm feeling a bit crabby this afternoon! The kids have been slowly but surely winding me UP - THE -WALL! *breathe*

Anywhoo...I went out and what a waste of time that was! Went to go and see about my course and hello - they don't open till Monday 25th. Then went around the corner to the Boxing gym and it seems that they are only open mon-wed-fri from 6:30pm...but hey, we did Miss 14's eyebrows! lol.

Also had a look around a couple of shops for a gift for mr 11 who will be 12 tomorrow. Just couldn't decide on what to get him...have spoken to him this evening and he's happy to go out for lunch to Burger King or Maccas (lol) and get $50 cash...(hmmm....wonder who he gets that from lol) Oh and of course his b'day cake what we will blow out at Sunday lunch at the inlaws...

I dropped hubby off to work, he started early today, 2pm. I need the car cos I have to pick some things up Otahuhu that I bought off TM - it's just a few books/novels that I scored for $1 each lol. It's my goal this year to always be actively reading a book...this from someone who just didn't 'bother' with books....but since October last year - for some reason...can't remember what - I randomly bought a book from the best sellers list at the shops...LOVED the book so much that after I read it I bought more off TM...and since then I have managed to find the time to read about 6 different books. *YAY* for me huh.

It's been quite warm today, I made 'hangi' style chicken in my crockpot - smells Divine and the stuffing as usually is YUMMY!! Could only fit 2 whole chickens (which I split) plus all the trimmings that go with it...will be more than enough to feed our family, and some left over for lunch tomorrow, or I'll freeze it for another day.

Once I hear back from the seller what time to pick these books up, I'll get back and tidy up a bit in the kitchen (just feels like a never ending chore!!) and will do some baking.

I called into Briscoes 'hoping' that they would be having sale on some baking trays - and what-do-ya-know - 50% off non-stick cooking trays LOL. So I came home with a square tin, oblong tin and a loaf tin. Oh and also a jumbo muffin tin (6) will be great for making mini-pies in. So looking forward to doing some baking later this evening.

10:20pm...picked up the books at 8pm, took all the kids with me. Not short of anything to read in the near future :)

I feed the kids before we left, they LOVED it. My brother ate HALF a bloody chicken!! HALF for goodness sake! PLUS all the trimmings...so much for leftovers.

When we got back from picking my books up, I made an attempt at making 'melting moments' well...half disaster...I mis-read the recipe and used plain sugar instead of ICING sugar - ended up flat and super crunchy!! Then I made peanut brownies (hubbys favourite) and hello - no cocoa LOL. So I used Milo...

Hubby finishes at 11pm and I have to pick him up.

My son's 12th b'day tomorrow - his grandpa has mentioned he may take him go-carting...but we'll see - poor grandpa has a wee reputation of unkempt promises :( SO IF grandpa does take him out, then we'll have diner together, if he doesn't go anywhere with grandpa, then we'll go for lunch.

Not sure what else I'll get upto...well hang on...my brother has dumped a whole HEAP of laundry to be done this afternoon...I've done 3 loads so far in my 9.5KG machine!!! and I still need to do another 2-3 loads - and that's just HIS laundry!! he does this every month or so...*sigh*

Finally back to work..

only to be told not to come in for the next 2 tuesdays - long story short - the main office girl is resigning in 5 weeks, she would like to show the person who is taking over her how to do my label files, but I will be paid as it is her that has asked me to NOT come in...so sweet.

Anywhoo...Sammy picked the girls up and took them to see Tooth Fairy today, gave the girls $50 'just incase' and hello - typical girls - spent the lot!!

Diner was divine! Soft pork bones (lots of meat though!) marinating since last night in my 'whatever I fancied seasonings'. Has that with a 'straight to ya hips' potato salad, and I grilled some sweet corn on the cob Mmmm...

It's after 9pm now and mr 11 (very soon to be 12) is wanting to make chocolate chip cookies...so will supervise that shortly :)

Tomorrow I am planning on going into the place that I am hoping to do my course...Pattern making and Design...so we'll see how that goes, I'm quite excited about it :)

I've also been sorting out HEAPS of pics to get printed out while Harvey Norman's is offering 12c a print. Offer ends at the end of this month...this is the thing with digital cameras...I NEVER get them printed out!! Well..not never lol, I have taken one lot in before - they were 19c/print and I printed over $50 worth...this time, I have selected close to 400pic to print out - still no where near all the pics that I have taken over the years...but we'll get there :)

I bought some chicken on Tuesday - like a BOX of chickens lol, 10 mixed sizes for $39.99, which is super cheap really!! So I have taken 3 chickens out to cook for diner tomorrow, we only need two for our family of 3 adults and 4 kids but am cooking the extra one to make sandwiches for the next day...that's the plan anyway :) Of course I will make my YUMMY stuffing :) Just undecided yet if I'm gonna do the regular oven roast or if I'm gonna put it in the slow cooker which I haven't used in months (it's more of a winter tool lol) So yeah - decisions decisions LMAO.

Life's pretty good if that's all I've got to think about lol.

OK, so today I have decided that

this blog isn't only going to be about my weight loss.

I'm going to try and blog more frequently - not matter now boring or trivial it may seem lol.

I am going to try and post lots of pics - god knows I LOVE to take lots of pics...lmao.

So here it goes.

Today, I was supposed to start back at work, but got a call at 8:30am, saying that I didn't ahve to come in to work today - just tomorrow - and that they will cover me (pay me) for today and tomorrow as per usual. (I only work 8 hours a week over tuesday and wednesday).

I've been really tired/lazy the past few days - might have bloged about it yesterday? Today I had another nana nap - I think I've gotten myself into that nasty routine of really late nights, early mornings and by mid-morning/afternoon I am no good for anyone lol.

Anyway, this afternoon, at 4pm, sammy turned up with baby Jamie...she came with a belated b'day pressie for Miss 9. She saw how much joy Maea was getting out of doing her 100pc puzzles that I bought her on Saturday, that she bought her a gorgeous 1000pc jigsaw puzzle lol. So it's gonna be a family puzzle to do...which is great cos we have a great time doing the wasjig puzzles, but we haven't done one in a few months, so we're starting the puzzzle she got this evening :) *yay*

Hubby has gone to work...he starts at 6pm as usual. My younger bro T took the boys with him for a ride to change the ownership papers on his van he just bought last friday (which he drove down to Hamilton to pick up) and to renew his rego...ho the joys of a new car lol.

They left home at about 11am - they didn't get back till nearly 5pm - he ended up taking them to Eastern beach for fish'n'chips and a swim - my kids are sooo lucky - they had a ball.

My boys even came home with a good few handfulls of cockles...must be the Samoan in them - they love their seafood! lol.

So a few pics...

Miss 14 - the ever caring big sister putting sun block on her lil brother.

All lined up...lol




























Me...

*YAY*!!

Mr 7

8:45pm. Well I've been a busy bee!

For diner we had the lasagne that I made bulk of a fw weeks ago and froze...so that just needed heating through, Miss 14 made some garlic bread to eat it with...Mmmm.

Then I juiced a whole watermelon. I divided it into 5 parts, made a drink with 1/5 of it, and have the other 4 parts freezing away in the freezer...am thinking that I can use it one day soon to make a freshing base for one of my vodka drinks Mmmm

Also gave Sammy my last pottle of hummus that I made a week ago...I made about 5-6 4oomls jars of it...and it's ALL GONE!! I gave 2 to my SIL, one to Sammy today and between hubby, myself and the kids we have eaten the rest of it!

So I made more up today with the chickpeas I had left, made 3 jars worth, one in the freezer and the other two in the fridge, cos I know at least hubby is gonna ge through it like nothing!

I've taken out a bacon and egg pic that I made about 3 weeks ago, we'll have that for lunch tomorrow.

Today I did a bit of grocery shopping, and bought a box of 10 chickens (various but GOOD size chickens) for $39.99. So $4 a chicken! What a bargain! I'm gonna buy another box on Thursday.

Which brings me to my freezer...I saved hard last year and bought it last year - it's my investment :) And boy what an investment lol. It's chocka block with all sorts! So if we have a real shit week any time soon, (or a shit month lol) at least we won't go hungry lol.

Actually my plan with filling the freezer, and bulk buying all the basics in the pantry, was so that I would have a break for a week or two from shopping and thus SAVING money that week or so...but that hasn't happened because I can't stop BULK BUYING LMAOoOooo....but I am trying...

Which is one of my main goals this year, it's to save as much money as I can, to spend on my mum's place in Apia, Samoa.

Anywhoo...I feel really domestic this evening :) I have a whole lot of pork ribs (soft bone!) which has defrosted that I am going to marinade with spingonion, light soy sauce, garlic, honey, onion, tomato sauce...anything else I can find that I fancy lol...will marinade that over night...then I will slow roast that tomorrow...FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!! Haven't decided what we'll have with it...kids and hubby will prolly want plain rice...I'm not a keen rice fan - mind you I can't eat much rice - or any carb for that matter.

I'm back to work tomorrow...

ok so I only do roughly 8 hours a week over two days...lol. But it's still time out of my 'lady of leisure' routine!! LOL

Then on thursday the place that I am considering taking a pattern making and design course with is opening back up for the year, so that is something I am looking forward to!! It costs nearly $4,000.00 and I'll have to do a student loan for it...but it will pay it's self off with what I have planned :)

Last week on thursday I took the kids (all four of them) fishing out at Port Waikato...yes, all on my own and guess what? We caught 7 great sized trevally one huge Kahawai and 2 small mullets...we stopped off at the inlaws on the way back home to show them all off to the inlaws and of course to give them some of our catch!

Hubby came home from work and was super impressed with our catch...the kids had an awesome day out! After our fishing we had a swim right there where we fished. We took a huge packed lunch (super organised mum that I am) but all we really wanted was a cool drink and the oranges and watermellon that I packed.

We fried up a couple of the fish for diner that night and haev the other 4 large trevallys in the freezer for another night...

All the boys (my BIL's and younger bro) went fishing on Sunday to see what they could do seeing as 'mum and her kids' did so well...5 of them...and they managed ONE kahawai LMAOoOoo

I told them next time they needed to take Mr 7 cos he caught three BIG fish the day we went!

So of course I am BAADLY SUNBURNT - yes yes, call me STOOOPID!! I know...but my tan line that I got while I was in Samoa last year is now evened up...I will NEVER again suntan again...

The past couple of days I have been REALLY tired. Actually the kisd and I have been really tired, miss 9 didn't wake up till 2pm today lol. Mind you she doesn't go to sleep till 1-2am - it's the holidays and I don't both with bed times UNLESS they are misbehaving.

So I'll be 'working' this tuesday and wednesday. On thursday I am planning to do a drive around, to pick up a couple of items that I bought off TM and I will most likely be taking miss 9 and a girlfriend out to teh movies for a belated b'day gift....friday is Mr 11's 12th b'day, he's keen to go fishing lol...so that's the plan. Not sure if hubby will come with us this time though as high tide is just before his start time for work and I don't see him taking the day off...

Oh, it was miss 9's 9th b'day last Saturday, we had a huge bbq at the inlaws, she's so spoilt!! Twas a great day :)

Oh, in my attempt to save money this year, i have bought myself one of those tin piggy banks...planning to put a bit of money into that each week if I can...not too sure when I'm going to open it or what I'll use it for - but I'm thinking of Samoa...so maybe something to do with mum's house in town there - we'll see :)

don't really know what to blog about...

but feel like I want to blog lol.

So um...last weekend, I went to a b'day party for my 1 yr old nephew (he's not actually my nephew - but that's what I call him...his dad is my hubby's first cousins son, and so I don't know what that would make us technically...but we're Samoan and are close, so in our books he is my nephew!!)

Anywhoo...my nephew is gorgeous...he had a wonderful b'day on Saturday, typical Samoan b'day...way too much food...guys doing the bbw and drinking in the background lol. The usualy family members who are known for taking lots of food HOME doing their thing...one aunty in particular...her kids were going back and forth...back and forth to their cars with food the mum had bundled up - the poors kids!! The eldest one was being mocked (light heartedly) by the other kids...

We had the church minister there at the begining to do the prayer and what-not...then we sang happy b'day and baby attempted to bite the candle...BLOW out the candle LOL.

Then to much of my nephews mum's shock and horror...the cake was cut in half and the minister left with half the cake and an envelope for his services...LMAO

Nephews mum is non-Samoan. She couldn't beleive the minister took half the cake - I thought her reaction was soo funny. She so reminds me of my dad (who is also non-Samoan). She was all good about it all...but was just in utter dis-belief - fair enough. I explained to her that it was protocol. lol. Along with his fair share of the whole pig they cooked in the 'umu' (earth oven) and lots of everything else that was cooked.

Oh which reminds me, I was asked to make the curry and a Surimi salad...which I did and everyone loved of course!!

Anyway, b'day went well...kids had fun, baby gots lots of gifts and there was food left over LOL.

Both hubby and I worked Saturday night, so we missed out on the 'after b'day drinks'...

So the next day - Sunday...my nephew had his b'day again...this time for his mum's non-Samoan family. What a CONTRAST from the day before!!

This time, no minister - not even a prayer to bless the food...not a speach from either parent (or anyone for that matter) to thank everyone for coming...
We arrived...snacks were laid on the table, we nibbled, I drank wine, I made some salmon sushimi which went down well with everyone.
There were about 20-25 people all up (including the 9 kids - 3 of whome were mine lol). Everyone sat around casually, snacking, drinking & talking. Then the bbq qas cooked, all the snacks were put away and the main meal laid out buffet style on the table...everyone helped themselves...not enough food...everything except the salads ran out lol. 30 mins later we sang happy b'day and blew out the candle...thenhad desert - then it was pretty much all over and people started leaving...

Both b'days were great. I think they both had their good points - but neither b'day was better than the other. They were just really different!! lol.

I still haven't managed to pull my head in and get REAL

with my diet :(

I have been feeling super lazy lately though...no surprise.

Today I got my a-into-g and cooked a double batch of lasange to freeze for easy meals...also made about 4 huge pizzas to go into the freezer too...had one for lunch which everyone LOVED!

Am hoping to be really tight with my budget this year...main reason being is that I have things I want to focus on that need money. Some land in Samoa that needs to be paid off this year, hubby will help me with the majority of that but it means I need to go to Samoa to pay it off, so am hoping to go over with hubby, which will be nice :)

My other major goal is to help finish/furnish my mum's place in Apia (capitol of Samoa). I want to send over some tiles for a start...

So yeah, I know I'm a great budgeter, but it's time to really get real and practice what I preach!!

Other mini goals this year...
* Focus on home cooked meals...healthier ones! (we very rarely eat Fast food anyway! - but it's so easy to reach into the freezer and get the buggest out...so will try and stay away from that!)
* No major purchases for the house...can make do with everything that I have (we DON'T need a 50inch tv LOL)
* Get sewing...and SELLING!!