Labour day weekend 2014

So this past weekend was the most anticipated long weekend we've ever had. Not for anything special but just for he mere fact that we've been working so hard and we just really needed a time out. 

The weekend got off to a good start, on Friday Ashley arrived promptly at 6pm to babysit Darian and Cam and I headed into the city for dinner with friends at Tony's Restaurant. We had a lovely dinner and then headed to Aotea Theatre for the Trevor Noah show. It's the first time he headlined in NZ and he did not disappoint. Was a great start to the weekend. Needless to say the theatre was filled with South Africans and we met quite a few of our SA friends after the show. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take any pics and he didn't even come meet the crowd afterward so snaps of him.

Saturday morning was our usual morning of cleaning, washing, blah blah blah... But as it was probably the best day weather wise since the beginning of spring, we decided to not waste the day and headed to Wynyard Quarter. Lenny, Prenika and Kajal met us there and the kids had a great afternoon playing in the playground and watching the boats on the water. 

We then headed to Jack Tar for drinks and an early dinner and then headed home. Lenny, Premika and Kajal stayed over at ours so the kids came home and had loads of fun playing together, and even more so getting into the bathtub and splashing around. 

The guys went and got some dessert for us and after the kids and mums went to sleep the two dads spent all night playing FIFA on XBOX. 

Sunday we headed off to Manukau to a South African Braai Day hosted by a local NZ based, South African radio station, SA NZ Radio Live. It was a really cool set up with a really good turn out. We got our gazebo up and were joined by a few SA friends and spent the afternoon enjoying some South African music, food and friends. The kids spend the whole afternoon running around and playing on the jumping castle. I almost lost my head a a group of big kids who were pushing and climbing over the little kids on the jumping castle. Darian was enjoying himself until some kids scared him and he was besides himself. The worst part was that I couldn't get to him. My heart felt as though it would rip through my chest but a cute little girl who was probably about a year older than him saw his distress and instantly tried to help him and held his hand to help him come down the slide, but as the bigger kids pushed she slipped and pulled Darian along with her and that just made it worse. Needless to say he didn't get back on and a few of the kids got a piece of my mind, next minute they announced no kids over the age of 10 on the jumping castle and they started having times per age group on the jumping castle. Too late for my little one but oh well... Besides that, it was a good afternoon, Darian got over his fright quickly and thankfully he wasn't hurt. He spent the next few hours just running around and playing with the other kids, and of course dancing around, especially when the song Jika came on.

For some reason the organisers asked anyone and everyone who came in with a VW to park at the front of the grounds and display their cars. I didn't get why but I guess it's true, South Africans love their VW's. Pity I sold mine but Premika had hers on display too...

Monday was Labour Day but wasn't a very nice day weather wise so we just stayed home and in the afternoon headed to The Warehouse to get some storage boxes for Darian's old stuff. We rearranged his room and did a bit of a spring clean to end our long weekend.

And that is the last long weekend and Public Holiday NZ will have til Christmad so you can bet by the time Christmas comes around we will be longing for a break.

My 31st birthday surprise

I have to start this post highlighting how my hubby outdid himself this year. It's been 11 years of sharing my birthday with him, and each year it gets better and better.

A few weeks before my birthday he asked me to be home early the Friday before, his reason, so we can start the celebration early. No questions asked I was like sure, anything to start the weekend early, especially if it's my bday weekend! He then told me we would be going out for dinner the Thursday night, still no heads up, I thought it was just super special to start my birthday a few days before. But the Wednesday before I enquiries what the plans were, as I thought I'll need to get home, sort Darian and still get myself ready but I was told that the babysitter had been booked already! Wow, a night with just the two of us... What a treat! We never have that anymore, I was super excited.

So Thursday we headed out to Gengy's Japanese restaurant on Ponsonby Road, just the two of us! 

Ashley, the babysitter arrived promptly at 6pm and Darian was happy to wave goodbye to his parents! We enjoyed a beautiful 7 course meal, a chance to try a different cuisine. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sushi, sashimi, miso soup, tempura prawns and veggies,  crispy Asian salad, honey soy salmon, teriyaki beef and for dessert tempura battered banana and vanilla ice-cream! 

As we were enjoyed our meal I said to Cameron that he would have to drop Ashley off at home cos I wasn't in the mood to get home and still drive, he's response, "that's ok cos you have to go home and pack"! I was taken aback, what, pack?!?!? Why?!?! Where were we off too?!?! Needless to say he kept the surprise well. So I did just that when we got home, packed! All I was told to pack warm clothes, which wasn't much of a giveaway considering we're in the middle of winter. The only time the destination was given was when I had to find the place on the Navigation system, so he had to tell me. Paihia in the beautiful Bay of Islands, at the top of the North Island of New Zealand. I've always wanted to visit there and was super stoked we were going. It was a long drive, 3 and a half hours, but just beautiful. Darian was so well behaved so we didn't have to stop at all.

An awesome view of the sun setting over a serene landscape as we traveled up North.

Upon check in at the gorgeous Copthorne Hotel & Resort, we were disturbed by a knock on the hotel room door. I opened up to find Lenny, Premika & Kajal at the door... so surprised! We then went for dinner at the hotel's Waitangi resturant. A bit of issues with Cameron's meal who seemed to have issues throughout the weekend with food. No matter where we went, something went wrong with his food and it left him very unsatisfied. He will not give anyone good food reviews after that experience. But for the rest of us, it was amazing food. We then headed back to the hotel room and enjoyed some pre-birthday drinks to see my birthday in. I had a massive headache for some strange reason but had to stay up til midnight.

The next morning, we went for breakfast then headed off to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. I love history and as we never learned about NZ history, I am very intrigued by it. This was where the Maori chiefs and British representatives signed a Treaty to live together, recognising Maori ownership of NZ Land. History points out some discrepancies with exactly what was agreed to, as to who had sovereign power, but the bottom line was that both parties agreed to live in peace. Standing on the same land where battles were fought for the freedom of NZ People, being in the same house that James Busby and his family built and lived in all those years ago, was something very special to me. I think NZ history is rich and as a mother of a child who will learn this history in school, I just wanted to absorb as much of it as I could. My darling husband knows me well and knew this was my thing, so allowed me to roam the house and the grounds freely, while he ran around after Darian, who was having a grand ole time.

Here are just a few pics of the Day:

Darian & Kajal on the way to dinner at Waitangi Restaurant, Copthorne Hotel & Resorts, Bay if Islands. I loved how they held hands everywhere we went!

View from our hotel room on the morning of my birthday. Weather wasn't great but the view was so beautiful!

A recreated version of the original Treaty hangs above the entrance to the Grounds.

Entry to the Treaty Grounds

Daddy & Darian 

Mummy & Darian

Premika and I with the kids

The grounds where the treaty was signed. One of the traditional dancers walks across to the Marae 

Cameron & Premika keeping the kids busy while I walk the grounds

The British Residency

The grounds 

The Marae with traditional dancers performing

Waka Taua (Ceremonial War Canoe), the largest in the world, which sails once every year on Waitangi Day. The Treaty  grounds Trust looks after this waka on behalf of all the tribes of the Far North Island.

After the morning at the grounds, we went into the town to see what it had to offer. Darian wasn't on his best behaviour and even though a Movenpick ice-cream cone kept him quiet for a while, the fact that mum tried to avoid drippage, resulted in a major meltdown and it wasn't the ice-cream that melted! We then walked through the town with a screaming child and went back to the hotel. Mr was asleep not long after that and everyone, besides the birthday girl had an afternoon nap. 

Afterward we just hung out at the hotel and the kids and I played in the sand before the rain came down. 

We then went out for birthday dinner at 35 degrees South, a beautiful restaurant with a 60,000 litre salt water fishtank. The kids were in awe and stared at the fish for hours. We had a great meal (most of us) and then headed back to the hotel for dessert - Room service anyone!

Once back at the hotel we thought we realised that one of my favourite movies was playing - Sister Act 2. So we all sat in front of the tv and watched it and ordered room service. A great end to a superb night.

The next morning, after a big breakfast we checked out and headed back home.

I am truly grateful for the blessings in my life and this weekend proved to me how truly blessed I am. With a  family who loves me, a husband who spoils me and friends who are always there for me I realise that there is not much else in the world I could ask for.

So, 31 years have past. It's hard to believe but God has been by my side through it all. I've learned a lot of lessons in life and looking back, I see God's hand over my life, through every turn, every tribulation and heartache, with every smile, every tear, my life is filled with wonderful memories and bad decisions but it's my life. I wouldn't be the woman I am today without those experiences. I now have a husband who has been specifically chosen to be mine, a son who through all the tantrums is indeed the "Sunshine of my life" and my life is full of all the things I've dreamed of. I can only thank God for keeping me these 31 years and look forward to the rest of my life, wherever it may lead.

Corrinne

The end of an amazing holiday - South Africa Part 4

After 4 great weekends with all our family and friends it was time to say goodbye.

Very bitter sweet for us. This trip started off a bit topsy turvy with the theft of my wedding rings but there were so many great memories that made this trip as special as it was. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays with family & Friends... such awesome memories. The very simple fact that our boy got to spend time in the place we were born and raised, where our love story began... that was so special to us.

Here are just some randoms from the holiday:

Playing at the Game centre, Fantasy Forest at Gateway 

With Angela-mummy, Cameron's dad's cousin who used to be Cameron & Bradley's nanny and more importantly like another mother to them. It was very emotional for her to hold Darian, in her words "she held Camy as a baby now she's holding his baby".

Me and my darling nephew, Brandon, who is now almost taller than me! I can't believe it, 14 years old already. I remember the first time I saw him when he was only 5 days old and he was so tiny we could bath him in the bathroom sink. Time sure does fly.

And this cutie is my niece Shannon, already 8 years old. My Shanna-Banana was only 2 years old when we left South Africa and can barely remember me, except for the last South African trip. 

Darian with my brother Quentin. I just loved how Darian just took to him, from the first moment at the airport. It's like he looked at this face and said, he's alright, he looks like mum!

Thank you to everyone who made time to see us over this holiday. Those who we couldn't see or spend time with, there's always next time. We seem to visit South Africa every 2 years so I'm sure we'll be back... 2016??? Who knows.

South Africa - Part 3

April 22nd marked Cameron's 36th birthday. After such a busy weekend, we just relaxed at home and that evening we went out for dinner with a few friends while Darian stayed home with his grandparents! So good having babysitters! It was an interesting evening. Dinner at Bar Ba Coa Argentinean Grill and drinks at News Cafe in Umhlanga with Imraan and Manisha, and Adrian (Big Pun) as well. Needless to say we had a great night catching up with these guys. I'm so glad that we got to celebrate Cameron's birthday with them. And Sorry, I didn't take any pics of the night... I know, really bad!

The next few days were just an opportunity for us to recoup and catch our breath. We visited Gateway and did some shopping (just like old times) and spent some quality time with my mum and Cam's parents.

That Friday we headed down the South Coast of KZN for a family holiday. It was so good catching up with everyone and relaxing in one of the most picturesque destinations in the world. And swimming in the warm, amazing Indian ocean! Oh how I miss that!

Here are a few pics from that weekend...

The view from our chalet

Darian just enjoyed all the attention from everyone. It was a good weekend.

We then got back to Durban and the next day headed back to the South Coast to spend a few days away with friends. A trip we had been planning for so long and it was so good to catch up with our friends after so long. We were the only ones (with children) who brought our kid along, but everyone was really good with Darian and again, showered him with attention and gifts. Thanks guys for an awesome time away.

Here are some pics of the time away:

The last few days of our holiday we took the time to spend as much time as we could with our families. Being with my niece & nephew and sharing time with my brother, Quentin, my sister-in-law, Carol, my cousin Rafiek, his wife and one of my best friends, Angie and their cutie Eva was so special to me. Having time with my parents and watching Darian develop relationships with everyone are memories I will cherish forever. Being away from family is the hardest part of being overseas so the moments we share with them mean so much to me. I love and miss you all already!