The Aftermath

Christmas is once again over. Its bizarre how we all rush around for the month or so (if you're organised) and buy gifts and food ready for the day. Then in one day its all over. Presents are given and recieved, food eaten (as much as one can fit in anyway).
I always feel a bit cheated on boxing day, as if there should have been more for all the preparation done.
But this year we had quite a cruisey day. We went to church in the morning (arriving half hour early, that's how keen we are! OK we got the wrong time and I could have had breakfast after all), then home to gather food and gifts, lunch at Terry's sister's. With the traditional ham and turkey and vege's. Great food. Even greater pudding! Lovely gifts. Leaving there around 5pm and home to phone my sister's in Brisbane to talk to my family. Girls in bed. Snuggled in front of christmas movie and then bed. A nice relaxed christmas.
We hope you have also had a relaxed christmas.
We take off to Feilding on the 3rd January. I can't wait! We're looking forward to meeting wee Katie who we haven't seen yet. She must be about 6mths old now.
Anyone outside of Canterbury, perhaps even NZ, wouldn't know that we haven't really started our summer yet. Its been raining and cold leading up to Xmas day and now yesterday and today are the first days of sunny weather we've seen.
At the moment I am watching 4 girls doing "ballet" to the DVD "Twelve Dancing Princesses". Very adorable. Beky is here for the day and they are wearing pink skirts and Aimee and Beky are in princess dress ups.
Well I'd better go. We are going to friends for a bbq tea and I have to suss out our meat. NZ summers - are all about bbq's with friends.

Glad tidings to all

To all that visit this blog ... Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Smith Family.
Please remember why we have Christmas. Happy birthday Jesus. I am aware that technically its not his birth date. But Jesus is still the reason for the season.
Its hard to believe the year has gone so quick. When I reflect over the year, the girls have grown so much, Terry and I have continued to grow together, We've sold our house and moved. We have a job in America. So much other things have happened. In my mind is the change in me. The growth that has happened in my own life, spiritually and mentally.
Well people, enjoy your christmas celebrations.

Christmas again already!!

Our girls are like all other children at this time of year. Tired, grumpy and restless. We have started a family tradition of putting our christmas tree up on the 1st December. In previous years, I hate to admit, I have allowed the girls to decorate the tree but once they are abed, I would go and "tidy" the tree up. Ok, there's no sugar coating so I better 'fess up. I changed the whole lot of the decorations to how I would like it. My defense to Terry was that "they are to young to know how to decorate it properly". Each time he would just make that sound of "mmhmm".

Well good news everyone! I didn't change a thing this year!! Instead I was busy behind the lense of my camera. I did however add a few dec's up above their reach. Only a few I swear!

The girls had a wonderful time. We had heaps of decorations this year as Mum & Dad left their decorations for me to sell in our garage sale. They surprisingly didn't sell, so taking advantage of the situation I thought 'why not?' Cheers Mum and Dad.

This weekend we are having our 5yr tradition of getting together with Steve, Jo, Beky and Neal, Rach and Abi for a christmas dinner. It's Abigail's first christmas so its very cool having her with us this yr. Of course she loves me to bits and smiles every time!

Our 4 wee baby kittens are starting to open their eyes, very cute. Tiggy has kept trying to take them out of the laundry and hide them somewhere else. So far we have found them in Emily's drawers, Aimee's bed (at night so we had to turn on the light when aimee was asleep), the dress-ups barrel and my wardrobe. If she can't get all 4 there she will often just take one. Then the hunt is on! I have figured out that if I put a kitten in the middle of the hall and shut the laundry door, Tiggy will take the kitten to where she's hidden the others.

Jo, Steve and Beky are of in Wanaka for a holiday, live it up guys, you'll be coming back to christmas mayhem! We are going up to Fielding, Nth Island for a week after New Year. We'll be catching up with the Chisholm's, where we'll be able to totally relax. I'm so looking forward to it.

Well, Merry Christmas to all and safe holidays.

God Bless

New Kittens

A couple of days before December, our cat , Tiggy, had 4 beautiful kittens. I was very surprised as I didn't think she was due till mid December. About 7am Emily came through and said " Mum, Tiggy bought a rat onto my bed." Well being the only one to handle the 'presents' the cats bring in, I got out of bed and went to the rescue. I saw this wet looking thing and realised that this was the first kitten.

"No Em, this isn't a rat, Tiggy's having her babies." I said.

Right then we watched her give birth to her 2nd kitten. I woke up Sarah-Jane and we watched her birth her third. I told the girls to go tell Dad, his answer was "mmmm" then he was back to sleep. 10 minutes later she had her 4th. I'm glad she's only had 4 as she is only a year old. Tiggy is a great mum. Emily's had to sleep in Aimee's top bunk as we couldn't shift Tiggy of her bed. I've just shifted them into the laundry yesterday. I had to take the birth sheet into the box as well. Sometimes when the door has been left open for her she's tried shifting the kittens back to the bedroom. So far I've found her with a kitten in the girls top wardrobe in a sleeping bag, and in one of Emily's drawers! I think she likes Em. I've been able to retrieve the kitten and put both mum and baby back in the laundry. I have added in another photo and hope this shows up now. I haven't a clue how to delete the one that didn't show so the square is still there.

This is a family photo we had taken a few months ago at a school fundraiser. Its the best photo we've had done.