Recent School Days in Oamaru

Drewby and Kalesita had a field trip to Totara Estate Farms.  This week in Oamaru is the Victoran Fete.  I have no clue on how to pronounce that word Fete, but I would call it a Festival, so I refer to it as that anyway.  They were to dress up for it as well...so this is what they wore. =)

Drewby showing us how they'd clean the mats back then.  Floors were usually made of cement and they had little rugs mats instead.  To clean them, you had to hang them outside along the fence and beat the dust out with your broom.

Drewby playing "knuckles" with one of the teachers.  A kids game from back in the day...after they cut meat from the animals, they would keep the knuckles from the animal hands and play this game called "knuckles."

The kids were shown a presentation of how to grind wheat to make bread.
This picture here is where the kids were able to put their hands in the wheat after it's been grinded.
Drewby LOVED it!

Just because I thought this was a cute photo.;)

Ringing the bell to let us know it was time to walk to the next workshop.  SO COOL! 

Learning about the water well.  Reeling that bucket deep into the ground for water.
It took so much work to get enough water just to cook, clean or feed the animals.

Learning about the horseshoe.  Drewby not so interested, he just wanted to play the horseshoe game.  LOL!

"no more Mom!" Tired of taking pics!!  

Koloi, Kalesita and Drewby.  This is a part of our scenic drive home each and everyday from school.  It NEVER gets old.  It's an everyday reminder of God's BEAUTIFUL creation.  The day I took these pictures (sometime last week) happened to be the first SUNNY day in a while for Oamaru and so we pulled over after school to play at the park for a bit and enjoy the weather.  I don't get to do this much, because we are usually rushing home to get kids to sports practices or something.

I could seriously stay here all day!!  I LOVE MY OAMARU!!

a fun lil clip swinging at the park.

She's TWELVE!!

I wished her Happy Birthday and told her she was my blessing. She responded, "No Mom, I'm your KARMA remember?" LOL!! I do always say that, but in reality, my lil' Bean is NOTHING close to the BRATT I was at her age. *winks at Twig & Monika* She's so much a BETTER person than I am, ten times fold! She's so hard on herself & never gives herself the credit she deserves, but she's ALWAYS seeing the BEST in others, supportive, wanting them to succeed and NEVER selfish. Best lil' dancer in any style...my Bean's GOT IT!! She's Grandma Norah's MINI ME- NO DOUBT!! She reads my mind before I can even say it, my humble piece of pie and always keeps me grounded. I'm TRULY honored to be your mother. I love you my sweet Bean!! THANK YOU!! Happy 12th Birthday!

Oamaru - FINALLY!!!

So, here we are in Oamaru, New Zealand.  A place we have longed to be in since last summer.  Daddy J was out here for a good two months before we were able to join him and we were certainly happy to be reunited.  With Drew & Mel and their awesome kids, we are adapting well and these pics above were taken our FIRST day here.  As you can see the kids were so HAPPY to be together.  I say these Kaufana kids are EXTRA CLOSE since their daddies are brothers that married their mommas who are sisters!!! It's an INSTANT BOND for our kids...I've ALWAYS dreamt that my kids and Mel's kids would grow up together and I was sad the day they moved from the states to New Zealand 12 years ago.  But now, here we are togethe again and the kids WILL grow up together as I always imagined!!  
I'm so HAPPY to be with my JUSTIN again!!! =)  Two months apart wasn't easy, but it was well worth it while Justin prepared our new home and it was done all in the Lord's time.  I'm truly grateful.

First morning, I woke up at 5am NZ time.  Looked at the clock and couldn't believe I was up...TRIED to go back to bed, but NOPE, it wasn't happening.  I thought about my momma who said, "You're gonna get even FATTER in NZ, because you will NOT exercise."  LOL!! That lady sure knows how to PUSH me...using that reverse psycology...yup!!  It worked, got myself up out of bed, put on my shoes, found my lil' Koloi was up too, had him join me in the family room.  Closed the door, shut the curtains,set up a fun zumba playlist and got my ZAS on!!!  =)  Momma Norah would be SO PROUD!!!

MY BIRTHDAY!! FEBRUARY ROCKS!!

FEBRUARY IS JUST AMAZING TO ME!!!  Each and every day is AWESOME!!  Even if I'm not doing anything at all that day...nothing can get me down...it's just a magical month....and I feel EXTRA HAPPY in FEBRUARY!!!  Sooo, even though my honey J is in NZ, thousands of miles away...I'm OK....why?  Well, see for yourself!! I have an AMAZING support of family and friends!!  I have the BEST of FRIENDS and FAMILY that ANYONE could ever ask for!!!  Above is my ZAS crew making the February babies (Taina, Ema and I) SUPER SPECIAL by celebrating our birhday with a "SIMI HOUR" of ZAS Zumba and fun treats to follow.  How I LOVE my ZASters!!! THANK YOU!!!
FEBRUARY ROCKS!!

Twiggy, Isa and Kals...my BFFs!!!  Here we are at Uncle Joes gettin' our GRUB ON!!  Kals introduced me to this AMAZING seafood heaven!!!  No more Red Lobster for me...it's ALL about Joe's Crab Shack baby!!! Check it out if you haven't yet...the Steampost are to DIE for!!!  No lie!! =)
FEBRUARY ROCKS!!

Here we are ON my actual birthday at another of our FAVORITES....ZUPAS Cafe!!! OH MAN is this place DELICIOUS!!!  I like to switch up my order each time and have to say that EVERYTHING I've eaten here is SOOOO YUMMY!!!  Zupas will NOT disappoint.  This time we had Nancy with us and Twiggy was out of town.  Isa brought us the BEST sugar cookies EVER....from Schmidts bakery!! Another thing you have GOT to try if you haven't!!  Love my BESTIES!!!
FEBRUARY ROCKS!!

The morning of my birthday I woke up to find that my AMAZING kids had made mommy breakfast.  They remembered that I was trying to eat better and made me a good and healthy plate.  Yellow roses on the table, a birthday banner (says VEE rather than MOM because my nieces and nepehws slept over and helped with it), then my lil' Bean has the most creative selfmade cards for any occasion.  She is so good with words and her pictures...I absolutely LOVED this one she made just for me on my birthday!!  SO SWEET!!  I have the BEST kids as well as nieces and nephews!!
FEBRUARY ROCKS!! 

So everyone I hold dear to my heart must know that I LOVE food because here we are for dinner at Chilis with my sisters and our girls!!!  Haha! Moltens are a FAVORITE in our family...but, I must say that Paradise Pie is also SUPER GOOD!!!  So grateful for my lil' SEESTERS!!!  Love you gals!!
Did I mention that
FEBRUARY ROCKS!!!   

My MOST favorite part of every birthday!!  Cake baked by my lil' sis, Brenda...all my family around the table at grandma & grandpa's house singing ALL three birthday songs!!  Got my lil' Koloi and my Tally Wally on my lap here ready to help me blow the MILLIONS of cancles lightin' up that cake.  My Handsome Lorenzo there on the side holding up the phone because we had Justin on Skype along with Mel & Drew and the kids joining in on all the fun!!  It was the PERFECT way to sing....I felt so much love at this moment and so much gratitude!!  Happy birthday to me!!
FEBRUARY ROCKS!! 

The BEST part of my birthday was this!!!  My lil' niece Otolose coming into the world on February 16, 2013!!  She is the BEAUTIFUL daughter of my cousin Otianna & her hubby Johnny Mahe.  Their first born and princess!!  I got a text from Moni just a lil' after midnight into my bday saying Happy Birthday and informing of this lil' one about to be born.  I was so EXCITED and ANXIOUS...it was an EXTRA SPECIAL birthday for me because of baby Lose's arrival.  Here i am meeting her for the first time and TRULY bonding with my bday twin.  We exchanged birthday vibes and baby Lose told me she's going to hold the fort here in America to ensure that ALL know how AMAZING February is...I felt and instant connection the moment I held her and looked into her eyes.  
Love you FOREVER and EVER sweetheart!!   
I loved EVERYTING about my birthday!!  I'm so grateful for all the family and friends I have been blessed with.  I feel so spoiled by my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such AMAZING people in my life.  I
FEBRUARY ROCKS!!! 

A Pocket Full of Sunshine!

How about BOXES FULL OF SUNSHINE!?!? After ZAS this Monday morning, I was surprised by my ZASters with so much LOVE!! These boxes filled with everything and anything YELLOW...to represent sunshine...to help keep my little family HAPPY while we are apart from Daddy J!!!  They spoke of this yellow to also represent LIGHT, to remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. This was something I really needed to hear today...it was so comforting and has given me strength to press on!  Im grateful to a LOVING Heavenly Father for blessing me with such sweet women this past year, who I get to Zumba with each and every morning...who I've grown to love as my own sisters!!  My heart is FULL!!  There is definitely SUNSHINE in my soul today!!
I came home to wake the kids and show them our box of SUNSHINE!! It was something they needed as well!!

Thank you ZASTERS- Langi sisters (Kuips, Aki, Lee), Captain Lisa R, Taina, Soloi, Halli, Neha, Ema, Marie, Luse, Lofa, Lisa S, Simi, Brenda and Momma Norah!! We are so GRATEFUL for your LOVE!!

FEBRUARY ROCKS!!!