Things I'm Loving 8.7.11

♥ Making the cut ♥


For the past few weeks I've been entering photos in Alicia and Kristi's Crazy Days of Summer photo challenge link-up, and this week, this photo from my Light post last week made it into their top 5 pics of the week...wow, I'm stoked!

These ladies are incredibly talented photographers and they have hundreds of photos to choose from each week so it's a real honour to have been picked! Check out the others that made this week's Top 5 here and here.

♥ Mint bubbly chocolate ♥

Alright, I'll confess. I'm in the middle of a deep, deep love affair. With this chocolate.

And what makes it even worse is I don't even care whether it's Nestle Mint Aero or Cadbury Mint Bubbly chocolate...either will do it! I'm downright addicted right now, damn you Jackie for bringing it over in the first place *wink*. The funny thing is I don't even really like mint chocolate usually but I luuuuuuurrrrrrrve this!

♥ The smell of Christmas ♥

Do you have certain smells that just take you back to another time and another place? My gran palmed (ha ha: excuse the pun) this hand cream off onto me recently. At the time I didn't even give it a second glance. Pretty nondescript packaging and all. But when I got a hint of the decidedly delicious smell emanating from within, well I was immediately transported back to a cold, northern hemisphere Christmas and in particular fuzzy memories of a particular shop in the Wimbledon Shopping mall that had scented candles. This just smells like Christmas to me. Full stop. The End.

And when this bottle is finished although I hope it never is, I may will have to seek out some more where it came from!

♥ Doable DIY from Dee ♥
For now these look nothing special, just a few wooden boxes piled in a corner of the room, right?

But it's what they're gonna become, now that's the cool part! Once I (probably read: he) can turn a hand to it, they're hopefully gonna look a lot more like these!

And it's all thanks to the totally awesome tutorial that the lovely Dee (one of my new favourite bloggers!) at Books and Bits and Pieces posted a couple of months back. I've been hanging out for the boxes to come on sale at Briscoes, and it was a bit of a shame that I could only buy 4 this time round (serves me right for waiting till 4.30pm on the last day of the weekend sale to go in though!), but there will be more people, even if I have to fight to beat off stampeding hordes to get there next time!

♥ Boys being boys ♥

There's nothing like a good bit of rough n tumble!

♥ 3D Calendar of the month ♥
Fancy a 3D free printable calendar? These are lush. I must admit I haven't printed one out yet, but how cool?! Apart from the fact that living in the Southern Hemisphere most of the themes are completely topsy-turvy since summer camping is not something we tend to do in July...LOL! Still cool though - and a great craft idea to do with kids. Isn't the whale cute!

Source: http://curiositygroup.com/calendarofthemonth/

♥ Dear Photograph ♥

If only I hadn't moved around so much in my life, I might actually be able to try this out? I'd love to see your versions though if you find an old photo floating around and you grew up nearby to where you live now. So, so nostalgic. Here are two of my favourites, go and check out some more here:

source: http://dearphotograph.com  

Caption on Left:
Dear Photograph: Oh to be young again.
Caption on Right:
Dear Photograph: Can you tell him to turn around? I wanna see that cute little baby face again.

♥ This so explains me in the mornings ♥

Source: imgfave.com via Meghan on Pinterest

My hubby jokes that it's usually better not to try to talk to me until I've consumed my one cup of coffee for the day - I don't know why one trim latte should have such a profound effect on me....but it clearly does.

♥ Plans are afoot ♥
So this little birdy just might have booked herself a flight to Auckland on the weekend of  Fri 19/ Sat 20 August because she's hoping to finally meet IN. REAL. LIFE some of her fabulous northern bloggy friends.
And can you tell I'm almost beside myself with excitement?! And once again people, that word is.....

excita-mento!

And I have it on good authority that there may be even more cunning plans afoot for an actual bloggy get-together that weekend, so keep your wits about you and no doubt you'll be hearing more soon!

Link up your loving here:

Come Fly with Me......or not!

Word to the wise, if you are are at all paranoid about flying, you might want to skip this post. For the rest of us, this had me guffawing like a goody !

It's a pity Kulula Airlines doesn't fly internationally, I'd fly with them, if just for their sense of humour! To paint the picture Kulula is an low-coat airline with its head office situated in Johannesburg. 

Kulula airline attendants obviously make an effort to make the in-flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining.

Here are some real life examples that have been heard or reported:

On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced,

"People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"

Following take-off:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

On landings:

"Please be sure to take all of your belongings.. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have."

"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane."

"Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."

After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in the Karoo, a flight attendant on a flight announced,

"Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."

From various Kulula attendants:

"Welcome aboard Kulula 271 to Port Elizabeth. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child travelling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are travelling with more than one small child, pick your favourite."

"Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines."

"Your seats cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.."

Heard on the intercom after various bumpy landings:

"That was quite a bump and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight  attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."

 "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we will open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal..”

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline". He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said,

"Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Why, no Ma'am," said the pilot. "What is it?"

The little old lady said,

"Did we land, or were we shot down?"

And during a flight attendant's arrival announcement:

"We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today... And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of Kulula Airways."

Personally, I think it is great to see a little humour being injected into what is sometimes turned into way too serious a topic!

And...did I ever mention that growing up I wanted to be a 747 pilot - bet you're all mightily glad I didn't now...ba ha ha ha ha!

Fresh Air

It's so easy in the winter to pass up the opportunity to get outdoors. The cold nips at every uncovered part of your body. And when Wellington's wind really gets going, it's all too easy to watch from inside the warmth and think 'nah, too cold, no way Jose!'

And you know what, sometimes that's OK. But other times, the fresh air is just what we need. Despite streaming noses needing to be wiped every five seconds in the cold air, and a little guy's cough that sounds a lot like a seal, there have been good opportunities to get out in the fresh air this weekend.

Making bubbles

Chasing bubbles

All with a $2 bubble stick from the $2 shop - personally I can't think of a better use of a gold coin!

Then we organised a trip to the zoo followed by dinner at our place with one of our dear friends Shannon and her wee girl Maia since daddy Guy was away in India on a business trip.

Despite the southerly chill in the air, the animals were in fine form.

And amongst the real live tigers another smaller version had slipped into the zoo unnoticed.

This little guy begging me to paint a tiger face just as we headed out the door to the zoo.

We love going to the zoo after 3pm, there's never many people around and it's close to afternoon feeding time, so the animals are all pretty alert.

Even the giraffes got as close as they could, eyeing up our snacks as soon as they heard the rustle, rustle of little packages being opened.

We always make time for an obligatory snack stop on top of our friend the wooden hippo.

As the afternoon wore on, the cold just kept on getting colder. And if there's one thing cold air is a very good excuse for it's cuddles and lots of them.

I notice a brightness of eye and a quickening of step whenever this little guy is exploring his world.

Our friends the red pandas stayed hidden from view today, but the brilliant colour of the prayer flags in their enclosure against the wintry sky were still enough to bring a smile.

And that was Saturday.

This morning was brighter with yet another of those photo worthy sunrises gracing our bedroom window.

With all the progress Noah's been making on his scooter lately, we were keen to get his big bike out for a blat to see how his balance has improved and maybe it'd even be time to take training wheels off.  Karori Park is always good for a run-out with it's half-mile loop on a paved circuit. And I'm sure we would have stayed longer if it had been a less windy day. At home, the northerly wind had been barely rustling the trees, but when we got down to the park, it was fair whipping through, which made it a big incentive to get around the park in doubly quick time.

Even the little guy enjoyed tagging along on his version of a big boy bike, his little legs going pedal to the metal halfway round before he got completely tuckered out.

The flying fox at the park afterward proved a good way to warm up cold little bodies as they hurled themselves off the platform at breakneck speed whilst the bigger bodies ran alongside making sure there were no mishaps.

Despite the cold and our own coughs and sniffles, inhaling fresh oxygen into the lungs instead of the warmer, recycled oxygen indoors is good medicine for the soul.

And the rare weekends where nothing is planned in advance, and the plans just somehow turn themselves into little pockets of loveliness, why they must be the very best weekends of all.

Light {A Photo Challenge}

Light.

Without it, we are nothing

Bodies in a dark void 

Unknown and unseen.

Light.

Illuminates

Makes all things known

What was hidden is now displayed.

Light.

Makes the lovely lovelier

And even the plain

Is softened and enhanced.

Light.

Has no secrets 

With it comes knowledge

And with knowledge comes power.

Light.

The first words spoken

'Let there be light'

And there was, for all time.

Light.

Linking up to Project Alicia and Live and Love Out Loud
for Week 5: Light

Things I'm Loving 1.7.11

♥ New bloggy button ♥

Decided it was high time to update our little button. Go on and grab it for your blog today! If you have a button and I haven't grabbed it yet, let me know and we can do a right royal swapsie!






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♥ School visits and the Don at Daycare ♥

Noah's had 2 out of 3 school visits, which included a 9am-11am stint on Monday on his own. Next Friday is the last one where he'll stay 9am-1pm. The teacher gave her initial observations saying that she found Noah to be 'an observer who waits until he feels comfortable before jumping into a task. But he has a great little sense of humour, I think he thinks I'm quite funny' I could have hugged her, as she pretty much hit the nail on the head about our boy. I did say that his confidence has grown in leaps and bounds over the past six months, and I know that after a few weeks he'll be right in the thick of it!

When I asked Noah what he had done during this time there, I got the typical boy response 'nothing' or 'I can't remember'. But later on, when it was time for bed he was busy telling Daddy how to write a 'W'. It goes 'down, up, down, up Daddy'. So something must have sunk in!

Noah is now the oldest child at daycare for the next 5 weeks. I went along as a parent help to Storytime at Te Papa for a couple of hours on Friday afternoon, and it was fascinating to watch him interacting with all the kids as the 'big boy'. At one point he came running up between 2 girls having their photo taken and threw his arms around their shoulders jumping right in the middle of their photo......awwwww!

♥ Little Boy, Big Digger ♥

After a whole day indoors on Sunday, Noah and Daddy hit the movies with his old daycare buddies for the opening weekend of Cars 2. I decided Mylo and I needed some fresh air, so bundled up to the hilt we braved the crisp late afternoon air. The highlight of the walk for us both was the digger parked up on the side of the road. Love how little the boy looks compared to this big, big machine!

♥ New glad rags for a date with WOW ♥

I've never been to the World of Wearable Art Awards before, nor really even contemplated it to be honest, given that the basic ticket prices start at $100. Click on the link to see a video of the extravaganza. Here's the official blurb in case you don't have the foggiest idea what I'm talking about!

The Brancott Estate World of WearableArt™ Awards Show is an annual non-stop spectacular held in Wellington, New Zealand. Artists and designers from New Zealand and all around the world enter garments that are presented in a unique two hour show.

Anyway, this year I got the surprise of my life when an invite to opening night (Thursday 25th August) turned up in the mail at work from a supplier.  Well I was wowed that's for sure, and gleefully accepted!

And then, I was more wowed by this little number turning up in the post from Mum & Dad UK - a fabulous Marks & Spencers number down from $150 to $30 - unbelievable! And is it cool enough for a gal to wear along to her first ever WOW appearance? You betcha.

♥Now that's what I call a necklace ♥

My lovely friend Sally has become a bit of necklace connoisseur of late, creating these gorgeous numbers, which have been selling well at local fairs. Aren't they gorgeous? They can pretty much be made with any fabric and combination of bead to go with any favourite outfit or colour scheme you might like!

I bought the one on the left for a friend and Sally made me the one on the right for me! Aren't they a funky design?!

♥ Pinata progress ♥

It's coming along, don't you think?! Next step a layer of tissue paper, masking tape and some glitter spray!

Link up your own Loving over at this Lovely Gal's place.