West's Hidden Treasure

yesterday, it finally stopped raining.

although we could not go to the park because of the week down pour we have received, the boys and mostly i needed to get out of the house.

and since its our exploring thursdays we went to poco first.

if you haven't been to poco you should, it's like a BIGGER version of ikea.

it is literally a one stop shop for your own - inclusive of appliances.

that outting was purely for my benefit, the boys didn't particularly care much.

whilst we were out in blacktown we decided to go visit "Mater and Thomas"

if you have boys, that are anything like mine (OCD transport),

then you should take a trip, it's well worth it.

you will find these two guys out the front of 4 Richmond Road, (not to sure of the suburb - it's such a long road) Winsdor-ish?

It's just past Windsor Downs - on the left if you are driving towards richmond, right if you are driving from richmond.

whoever owns this house, i just want to give a High-5.

they have old diggers, tractors, utes, trucks just sitting in their front yard.

what's even better is it's free and you know how i love a free activity.

oh and then we totally swung by to The Windsor Pie Stop - now they do good pies.

A Tad Obsessed

to thursday is my set day to take the boys on an adventure,

and i' becoming a tad obsessed with local history,

so put the two together and what did i come up with you ask?

Rouse Hill Regional Park.

it's huge.

it's beautiful.

it's full in history.

the kids park has a backdrop of the historic Rouse Home and Farm.

it's really breath-taking, well for local historian lovers, like myself ; ).

plus there are cows there which the kids went crazy over and it's 100% free.

you should see my list of local historical sites that i want to see.

it's pretty long - never ever thought i would get to this point in my life - ha.

my greatest discovery today was on the drive home, i took a different way home and i know your dying to know what i stumbled upon in between two houses.

THE ROUSE HILL CEMETERY. 

like, the original one, can you imagine my excitement because that was not on my list.

it's a little embarrassing, ok it's a WHOLE lot embarrassing to know how excited i was.

we don't hear anything about our local history and i think we should.

you can find out some amazing things, we have an amazing heritage and i can't help myself thinking about the houses, who lived in them, what were there lives like, what did they wear?

the list goes on and on.

all i have to say is, it's official i am OLD.

Kia Ora from Aotearoa

i cannot lie, 

new zealand is one of my favourite places in the world.

the untouched beauty of this county makes it that more special.

the rugged hills, the greenest grass you have ever seen that seem to just spill over the hill tops, the volcanic transformations that appear in the middle of the sea.

the list could go on and on.

we have travelled to new zealand many times this is our 3rd trip since jevan and i got hitched.

we are staying at Skye & Sarah's house at Mairangi Bay this trip.

can i just say the North Shore is AMAZING, must add it to you to see list when you visit auckland.

after travelling to america and within america, travelling with the boys internationally now is simple especially that kai-kai is a crazy as plane lover and asks me all the time "mum can i go to the airliport so go on a airliplane." (and just between me and you the iPad make it that much easier.)

we flew in thursday afternoon, the boys met their cousins with great big hugs as soon as they walked out of the last door.

we have been to browns bay where the boys and there cousins turned a skateboard park into a slide arena (literally), we discovered THE best pie bakery ever known to man (order the Chicken Camembert - divine) with THE best bakery treats your mind could ever imagine, i highly recommend the Caramel Rough for those caramel lovers, like myself, out there. We have been educated on everything you could imagine at the Auckland Museum overlooking the city and Parnell.

we got to see isaac play rugby and lini play - "dance" at netball. 

one of my absolute favourite places in new zealand is Temple View.

as we were driving to the temple you can see it up on the hill, i always get this overwhelming feeling of peace as i think i am home again.

we have attended just this afternoon the sealing of the Afoa family, it was beautiful and of course i blubbered, i tell you kids do it to me.

how rich this country is in history, culture and natural beauties.

 i love it, jevan loves it and the boys love it.

it's a winner all round.

A Big Adventure

Makai is at such a fun age at the moment, everything is a big adventure.

He finds the fun in everything, a trip to the mailbox is a big adventure and he finds things to talk about in the three steps he takes to the letter box.

Saturday was raining and Jevan was studying, not the best combination when you have two little kiddies to entertain (which you have done all week).

So instead of going crazy we had a little big adventure and headed out to Windsor. 

It was cold and miserable but I absolutely LOVED the company.

Best date I think I have ever been on (sorry joovy).

We ate ice-cream, ate pastries from the bakery, jumped in puddles, went to a lolly shop, explored old wagons and wheel mill's.

I got to enjoy the little personalities of my 16 month old and almost 3 year old. 

I don't get to do that during the week, our weeks are CRAZY BUSY.

I am so grateful for these two little men in my life and what they bring to our family.

People thought I was crazy for becoming a young mum and thought I had no idea what I was doing.

I gave up a lot but I don't regret anything.

The times I get to spend with my kids I realise how precious they are and how blessed I feel to be their mum.

p.s - if you have never been to Windsor, it's a must.