Still Here And A Little More NZ...

Still on New Zealand

Queenstown didn't disappoint with majestic views

 the view from my bed

 from the front veranda

 off to the side

 We had New Years Eve in Queenstown...

this was the start with cocktails...

and shooter to end the evening...and yes we did see the New Year in...

A gondola ride to the very top and this wasn't the highest mountain by far...

The garden did its usual and produce a heap once again...

I tried my had at Semi Sun-dried Tomatoes...

and gee they are yummo...

There has been chillies dried and pickled, tomato sauce, pickles, marmalade and olives...

our mandarins are HUGE...

 

 There have been some birthdays... the grandies decorated Uncle Liam's cake... master turning five wanted a ''black inside, white on top and shaped like a number five... Oh and 5 candles"... hahaha... master turning three "I just want chocolate cake Yaya"... showed him shapes, letters, animals "no Yaya, just chocolate"... showed him one with machinery "yes Yaya, that one. Just chocolate cake"...

 Our helpers with Winter planting...

and

some sewing...

we needed another stocking for the newest member of the family..

 and a family member had a little girl...

bit of a chance for me hahaha

Still Alive...

Yes I am

and

still sewing

and 

still crocheting

and

 keeping busy

and

stalking you all...

Just after Christmas we took off to New Zealand for 12 days...

with our son, his partner and her parents... 

who had come out from England to have Christmas with us all...

here are some photos of our trip...

 There are cows EVERYWHERE

but I must say the cheese and yogurt are to die for

 Our accommodation for the first leg

the neighbours

 Hobbiton

The famous plastic tree

 The Hobbiton Pub

 A visit to a Traditional Maori Village

 smelly geysers... 

mind you I would of loved a swim in one of these for my bones

 Leaving the North heading South

Stay tuned....

How Life Just Takes Over....

So the excuse is...............

I was ill and made a choice that I needed to put all my energy into Christmas as I wasn't sure if it was going to be my last one and kept it a little secret from my family until..... New Year was upon us.....

I could feel a mass between my rib cage and geez was I in pain....

after many tests, it was a very enlarged, infected gall bladder with a very large stone and many others.

after the op which put me out of action for a few weeks, the surgeon was please to say there were no nasties and it should all heal fine...

With the support of all my kids and Hubby, who were all amazing

and stepped up for their Dad who was beside himself...

and life has still been getting in the way

BUT it has been a life and I am very fortunate to have it...

Photo overload...

 a trip down south after my op, time with grandies just what I needed

 my budding chef... who is now a machine at peeling carrots

 a new "Yaya ruggy" for a birthday boy (it goes everywhere)

 A BIG boys first day at school

 A Birthday boy's birthday wish of drums...

so what does any Chuck and Yaya do... they grant that wish

 A new member to the Lower Wondinong family

"Tiger Lamb"

 Easter came and went

 Easter egg hunt, chocolate overload

 movie night at Chuck and Yaya's

 block burning and roasted marshmallows

 someone else was a bit partial to marshmallows too

 finally have my front door painted (belated birthday present from last year)

 we had our first mandarins

 they were HUGE

 a bit of ''upcycling" has been happening

 hubby's work

 my work... yet to be finished

 our sons partner found this on the side of the road

 a bit of sanding, painting, gold detailing and new handles

 Chuck had a birthday and the three boys decorated his cake... 

was a little bit funny to watch

And

 we had this big boy a few times

while his Mum and Dad were busy doing this 

and then

 did this

 this is so precious as this is the girl who was told it was going to be very hard for her to have this...

this second time was extremely hard, failed egg retrievals, miscarriages and then just a fluke...

 Wylie Gregory, 7lb 2oz, 50cm

 everyone is very happy to have this little fella in their lives

especially his big cousins

 love my Awesome Foursome

Four Grandsons !!!!!!

what is life going to be like!!!

There has been sewing too... Oh and Blog Stalking...