Family events:
1. Hayden and Ashton went to LA to visit Grandma and Grandpa on their own. This was pretty big for them (and for me too!) They loved it, although Ashton was ready to come home after 2 weeks.
A photo of us all at the airport before the boys departure;
2. Our bedroom ceiling caved in at 2am in the morning during a stormy night. It was like a scene out of a movie....rain pouring outside and Tony and I standing in our bedroom completely helpless as a crack travelled along the ceiling above our bed at the speed of lightning. We knew a huge chunk of ceiling was going to come crashing down with a ton of water and there was nothing we could do but stand and watch!
3. We FINALLY got a new car. This was absolutely huge for me because for the past two years I had been dealing with constant car problems (I say 'I' had car problems because Tony buses to and from work and seldom used the car during the day or week). I had reached a point where I was fed up and frustrated beyond belief with not having a reliable car. Our new car is wonderful! It even talks to me and tells me when there is a speed camera 400 metres ahead so that I know to watch my speed!
4. Noah turned 10 and went to LA with Tony in July. He had such a great time and loved everything about his trip; Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, swimming, baseball game, visiting Grandpa's vineyard, In-n-Out, Taco Bell, shopping, playing basketball at the local park and even helping Grandpa in the backyard.
5. Tony's boss, Jeanette, retired and Tony got promoted to Manager of his department at the church office. This was something he'd been hoping and waiting for for a number of years so it was a big milestone in Tony's career. On a not so good note, he lost his weekend job at Sealink because they no longer needed casual workers. This was a 'downer' as Tony really enjoyed spending most of his summer weekends out on the water and having fun with the other crew members. It also meant no more free food on the boat or free trips back and forth to Waiheke Island for our family.
6. I started doing casual relieving work at a daycare/preschool while the kids were at school. It gave me a little extra money to have fun with. Even though I came home exhausted helping to take care of 24 babies in the babies centre I loved being with the babies and had fun working with the full-time staff.
7. Hayden was playing basketball at the local park and busted his ankle (2 fractures and a torn ligament). He had a cast for a couple of weeks and a moon boot for 6. It's about 4 months later and his ankle is still a little bigger than the other one.
8. I got an infected finger. Not a biggie, but it kind of was when I had to go to A&E one evening and this Croatian doctor decided to slice my finger to get all the puss out.....ouch and yuk!
The kids:
1. Hayden (15) has been in Year 10 at Westlake boys. He made good friends with a boy from church named Simon. They enjoyed YM's together, were in the same basketball team, were in the same French class and food tech class and sometimes they liked to work out at the gym together. Sadly, Simon was only here for the year and has gone back home to Canada now, but he taught Hayden a lot about eating healthy (i.e. trying to avoid bread, junk food, having protein shakes, etc) Hayden's favourite activity at home is playing League of Legends with his friends. Hayden has grown an enormous amount this year and he already wears a mens size 12 shoe! I have very few photos of Hayden this year because he doesn't like having his photo taken, and certainly doesn't like me posting any! But shhh, I'm going to sneak this one in because it's the only close up I have;
2. Ashton (12) has been at Murray's Bay Intermediate (Middle school). He was put into a quad class this year with 140 kids in one huge classroom and 4 teachers. He didn't like it at all. But he absolutely loved his favourite teacher 'Mr McGhee' who took Session 5 each day for the 6 boys in Year 8 that needed learning support. He also loved his learning support teacher Mrs Mallont who he grew very close to. She was such a great help to Ashton in the classroom each day.
Ashton has had quite a busy year. Every Tuesday and Wednesday he's had tutoring after school with a tutor named Amanda.
Every Monday he's had a parkour class at Flow - The Academy of Motion. And every Friday he's had a Tricking class at Flow where you learn to do tumbling, summersaults, spins, twists and turns etc. He's had a great tradition on Friday nights where Nana takes him to class and then he spends the evening with her and Peter having Burger Fuel for dinner and watching a movie.
This year has also been his first year of Young Men's at church and he has really enjoyed the activities.
The photos below are of Ashton and his best friend Josh. They walk home from school together and were best friends at Primary too. Next is Ashton graduating in December and lastly, a photo of Murrays Bay Intermediate because it has the most beautiful view that I can never get enough of.
3. Noah (10) has been in his last year at Primary school. He has loved being in a class with several of his best friends. Aside from basketball being a huge part of his year he's also had guitar lessons with Travis. And he continues to play softball going to practices every Thursday evening and games every Saturday morning.
Noah graduating from Primary in December:
4. Juliet (6) has had a quiet year and has been in Year 2. She has loved her teacher Miss Everet and she made 3 really good friends, Paz, Reed and Jessica who she's played with every lunch time.
Below are photos of Juliet dressed up for a school disco, missing her 1st tooth and having fun with her friend Paz (the girls are hugging Noah - it's so sweet how little girls adore big boys). Oh, and Juliet dressed up for Halloween;
She adores him so much that sometimes she has embarrassed the heck out of him by wanting to hug him infront of his friends or by repeatedly calling out his name in a silly girlie voice!
Their classrooms have been next to each other for the past 2 years and Noah has been such a tremendous help getting Juliet settled in to school life and showing her all the ropes.
On the final day of driving the kids to school Juliet realised she forgot her school bag. As I drove the car, Noah took the problem into his own hands. First he offered his school bag to Juliet so she wouldn't get upset about not having one. After thinking about it more, he then told her to find his temporary classroom and put her end of year school work into his bag that would be on a hook somewhere. Juliet went off to school happy and unworried thanks to Noah. But I was left worried thinking what am I going to do next year without Noah there to help!!
Noah walking through the gates of Pinehill Primary school for the very last time!
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