Monday, March 17, 2014

My Treasure Chest Week 10 and 11: Great grandparents, mommy groups, visitors, tropical cyclone and Daddy turns 21 for the second time!

Asher and his GREAT grandparents Nana King and Big Jim meet on March 2nd for the first time. Nana King is 1/2 Cook Islander, which makes our boys 1/16 islander. Good blood lines!




Asher after a hard day at work! Big hat to fill!

Mutti and Yaya giving Asher his evening bath.
Asher making friends with the sweet babies of our new Mommy group that I invited myself to be a part of after meeting one of the lovely Mama's at the beach. We have met up every Tuesday for the past three weeks and are so grateful for all the warm welcomes and new friends. This is only a portion of the posse! Asher didn't waste any time choosing who to hold hands with. Smart kid! ;)

Odin is the oldest member of this group. It's a bit troubling being around so many babies at once but he is a rockstar!

Uncle Dave and Auntie Sarah put on a grand spread for breakfast on Steve's second 21st birthday. Then Steve and Dave rode the scooters to check out the water status at the beach followed by a canoe fishing trip.
Ok, honestly I hesitated even putting these photos on because I didn't want anyone to think we were being unsafe with our kids. I will just say, they do it in Mexico! And, they were going very slow in a loop just off the drive way on a dead end street. I was still a bit nervous, but this may have been the highlight of both boys trip so far.
Below photo taken by Steve Jenkinson the morning the Tropical Cyclone started.

What is done on family day when a tropical cyclone comes through.

The GREAT Auntie Gaye getting in her cuddles.

Waiting for cake.


My Treasure Chest Week 9: New Zealand Friends, Wenderholm Beach and DINOSAURS!!!

We met up with my friend and fellow photographer Helen Bankers and met her lovely daughter Isla. Isla and Odin are about the same age. After a bit of warming up they were playing dinosaurs, eating ice blocks, splashing in the pool, and watching cartoons. Odin was pretty tuckered out by the end of our time together and fell asleep on the chair still clutching his favorite dinosaur friends. Friday I we went on an adventure to one of my favorite local beaches, Wenderholm. The trees at this beach are unreal! We camped out under one tree that was really more like six giant trees all coming out of one base. The beach there is flat so it was a perfect beach for Odin since the "big" waves came up to about his belly button. :)



















On Saturday March 1st we took Odin to Butterfly Creek in Auckland. It is here that Odin had the best day of his life so far. I am not sure I have ever seen him so excited as he ran from one dinosaur to the next. These dinos actually moved and made noises. A hard day to top for a boy obsessed with dinosaurs!!!




Monday, March 3, 2014

My Treasure Chest weeks 5, 6, 7 and 8: First colds, airplanes, sunburns and one 3rd Birthday!

What a whirl wind the last month has been! I can hardly believe it! We are now in our sixth week of New Zealand! Time is flying with only 5 weeks remaining here before we head to the Cook Islands for 10 days and then back to Colorado. So spoiled, I know! I don't miss winter! Below is how the last four weeks played out.

Week 5: This week consisted of two very stressed out parents trying to get ready for a long plane ride with a sick infant. We almost delayed our trip, but in the end Asher went on his first plane ride and by the time we got to LA he was ready to nail the big flight to Auckland, NZ the next day. We met up with my cousin Mary and Aunt Anne on our lay over day in L.A. Mary was a hit with Odin since she was the only one up for a swim at the hotel pool!





Week 6: Our New Zealand family finally got to snuggle the babes! Landing in New Zealand (what I think must be Earth's Heaven) is always a treat. I was especially relieved to arrive with everyone in our family of four pretty much healthy. The flight was one of the easiest I think we have ever done. Asher slept on me most of the way and I only got up to pee twice in (very unusual for me.) Our first meal was prepared by Steve's Mum (Lyn aka Mutti) of flounder and eggs. The first of many glorious meals we have had prepared by her since we have been here. The stress of sick kids and what it takes to get to NZ left me with a cold sore the size of Montana. A nice little friend that stayed with me for 10 days or so. Asher got his first sunburn this week. I know, tragic. :( The sun here is brutal. I have actually been a little intimidated to take on the beach by myself with two small lads and the sun "burn time" around 10 minutes without sunscreen. :/ It has made me think twice about the time of day we visit the beach, but hasn't kept me from the beach!











 Auntie Sarah meets Asher in the flesh. Love! Shortly followed by entertaining Odin in the sand on Asher's first trip to the beach. :)






 Ya-ya reading Odin a bed time story.
 Mutti getting in her morning snuggles.



 Week 7: Odin turns 3! He was very spoiled with dinosaur gifts and gluten free cupcakes the Saturday before his birthday. On Thursday the 13th his actual birthday Auntie Sarah treated him to the under water museum in Auckland. He saw all sorts of fish, sharks, turtles, penguins and best of all Nemo!


 Poor sun burned boo. :( This is after two applications of sunscreen in less than two hours.



 Special gluten-free cupcakes for the birthday boy!




 Waking up on his actual birthday four days later.











Week 8: Beach days with family and no camera, so iphone photos and memories are all that I have. :)

One of my favorite Odin quotes: "I not a snuggle bunny, I Odin."