An Important PS

Before Christmas our girls and I had dinner out. Well it was a 'meeting' really, actually a planning meeting to decide who was bringing what for our family Christmas lunch. Some of our guys wondered why it couldn't have been done by email. However it was a nice time out together minus men and children and plan we did! That is in amongst the chat and catch up and laughing about memories we shared. Actually sometimes I hear stories about their childhood and teenage years that I have never heard before and that is very interesting!

Our planning did the trick because Christmas food went extremely well this year. No double ups, not toooo much of an excess of food and everyone contributed their thing that they really like to make and were good at. There was so many yummy things to eat, it seemed to me that everyone put their best foot forward and brought along beautiful offerings to share. My parents and sister spent Christmas with us too and we all enjoyed my Mum's amazing meringues!

This blog and soon to be book celebrates those who have now gone before us, it includes some old family recipes and some stories to go with. Some of my favorites are featured as well. Darling Man felt I should end this book by honouring our girls and their quite considerable skills in the kitchen, their love for their families and their enjoyment in sharing food with their friends and wider whanau. This is our family heritage that they are now passing on to their children, nieces and nephews. Dad and I are very proud of you girls and the home lives you have created for your loved ones.

Our dear little Grandies taken on Christmas Day 2016 at Amy & Steven's home at Honikiwi.

Cause to Pause

I have had an enjoyable time reading through my blog with the primary purpose being to edit it (very slightly) so it can be made into a book. I want it as a keepsake as it contains so many family stories and documents a precious time in our lives.

However I need to bring it all up-to-date family-wise before I click PRINT. In February we had a really fun family holiday at Long Bay, Coromandel. We are now quite a big crew when we gather, seventeen of us in fact. Sometimes Pete and I marvel at what we have started and we also feel thankful to God for blessing us with our lovely family. The above photo is taken at Long Bay when six of the Grandies visited us for a little early morning hello, Jimmy the baby dropped by a little later.

So since my last post we have added Moby born to Annah & Davieth in Aug 2014....

 And Jimmy born to Amy & Steven in July 2015.

And since Lincoln - born in Sep 2013 to Sarah-Jane & Paul - has not yet been pictured on the blog - let's have him too! He has his 'gobbles' on.

When I look back over my blog posts and see some of the projects I undertook I recognise at least one that lies unfinished in a basket. It is an 'unlikely to be finished' heap of half knitted chunky pink wool! It did not work out at all how I envisioned. Some projects mentioned were more successful than others.

My cause to pause is to accept that this is actually what life is like for all of us - relational life, family life, work life, leisure and pleasure. What sometimes begins full of hope and enthusiasm does not always turn out how we would like. Other things that begin as something small and inconsequential gather momentum and end up as our proudest moments.

I also want to pause and thank those of you who have honoured me by reading my blog posts, by commenting and by encouraging me. I am glad to have shared this period of my life with you.