The Froggatts

so when we decided to come live in New Zealand, i made a decision that i would not only have Saffrican friends and that we would definately need to have Kiwi friends - careful what you wish for :)

enter the froggatts :

• husband/ father - norman david - dave to his friends
  
• wife / mother - katherine
• daughter - Ashlee - aged 9
• son - Logan - aged 7
  

Deon works with Dave and they really hit it off so after they invited us for BBQ at their house late last year our lives have become intricately entwined : from numerous parties at each other's houses, Deon & Dave fishing together most weekends, to camping, weekends in auckland and the past easter weekend on their friends' farm just out of town.
Ashlee and David are best of mates, she adores him and he is crazy about her and she is the best mom's helper i can find
David idolises Logan and his best mate TK as any little boy would look up to bigger boys
Katherine is the life & soul of any party and a superb cook, she makes a mean seafood salad and has been known to drop off pots of hot & spicy pumpkin soup just when needed.
they are true Kiwi's, real people and good friends !


Katherine's Birthday Party in their garage


Ashlee reading to David





The Easter weekend on the farm, Deon & Dave went fishing and all the kids hunted (and found) easter eggs in the chicken coops.


The 1st BBQ at their house, David learnt to make another Kiwi tradition - Pavlova


Me & Katherine - party at our house


Camping


BBQ at our house, TK, Logan, Noodle & Ashlee Kathrine, Georgie (TK's Nanna) & Mike (TK's pop)


David hanging with the Boyz


David playing "Shop" with Ashlee - note the Credit Card machine

Starring David Jake aka The Noodle

some video fun !
Mum, press play ;)

David Dancing with Ashley & Granny Deanna

David Counting to Ten (really)

David Laughing with Granny Deanna

Granny Deanna

Granny Deanna's arrival was much anticipated last Saturday and a couple hours before she and her cousin's were due to arrive, David came to me and said, "Mommy, I am shy..." - I think he was just forewarning us that he might be a bit hesitant with his affections on her arrival.... which happened while I was still in the shower (bad timing on my part and good timing for those who drove up north) ! So this is all heresay but apparently David clutched onto Deon's legs when he saw his granny for the first time in nearly 5 months, climbed into his Dad's arms and held onto him for a couple seconds but then launched himself on the ground and swiftly into his granny's arms and flung his little arms around her neck and would not let go !!!
As he would say "i member you now ganny"
Deon had prepared a feast for lunch and we all sat down to roast chicken and vegetables after David had warmed up to the guests and was on top form.

David opening his present from Aunty Gen - a monkey he promptly named Lewis

Sunday morning, in bed with Granny reading the new book from Cousin Jean

Sunday at Ocean Beach - showing Granny the beauty of Northland

more sunday - and more beautiful spots

Granny has fitted right into our weekly schedule, starting with swimming lessons on Monday, shopping Tuesday, Playcentre Wednesday, shopping Thursday and Playcentre Friday !

Me and The Noodle in the Pool at swimming lessons and Granny and The Noodle at Playcentre, blowing bubbles

It is really wonderful to have her here with us, she is spoiling us rotten and David is loving having his Granny here !!! We are so grateful and thankful to Jean & Quinton Dace who made this happen and can't thank them enough !

David's talking has also escalated recently and here are a few of the beauts we have had this week (some of the humour is "lost in translation" but anyway):

• he was sitting on the couch with no nappy on (potting training) with his hands near his rear end and he suddenly looked at me and said "mommy, air come out mine bum"
• his granny was showing him pictures of some African animals and he points to a snake and says "no snakes in Nu Zea-and"
• I told him we needed to leave Playcentre and go home and he answered back with "no go home, never ever !"
  
• and the best - his granny was feeding him some avo and suddenly he stops dead, looks at her and says "member, ganny, house in Ape Town, me younger" I kid you not, he's 2 years old, for goodness sake, how the hell does he know he was younger !!!!!!!

Today (Friday 6 March) is Deanna's birthday so she is taking us out for supper ;)
more soon
love to all

Waitangi Weekend

it's sunday night and we are all glowing with happiness because we have had the most wonderful weekend ! Friday was a holiday in NZ - Waitangi Day - go to this link to read all about it

Click here for information about Waitangi Day.

Deon's American friend, Ted, who working in Iraq at the moment, arrived on Friday morning to stay for a week so we decided to introduce him to all our friends here (and we owed everybody & ourselves a good party). We also got another visitor from Auckland, Sean Mayock, who is "my brother and sister's brother but not my brother" - for those who can't work it out, don't worry about it.... Sean and I have not really seen each for nearly 20 years after growing up together in PE, so i was really looking forward to connecting with him again after all this time.

So Deon marinated 4.5kgs of ribs, borrowed the big braai from Duane, Ted went booze shopping and the party was on !!
Our guests were Ted, Sean, Duane & Karyn with 6 year old Brent and 18month old Casey, Pieter & Renette with 1 year old Ryan (Jordan was with his grandparents for the night), Stephen & Lisa with 9 year old Sara-Lee & 6 year old Amber, and our Kiwi friends Dave & Katherine with 9 year old Ashleigh and 6 year old Logan !!! Yup - lots of kids which of course David loved, especially all the girls !

some of the girls hanging out in David's room

Katherine & Renette & the Men - early evening at the braai

Everybody brought a salad and lots more meat and as usual Deon did a brilliant braai so the food was superb, the drinks flowed steadily and we had the most wonderful party !

me & sean

The welcome but very short-lived rain sent some indoors (around midnight) and because of the stupid layout of our house, the deck is off the main bedroom, the festivities carried on in there for a bit but it did not stop some of us (no names mentioned, ok - me) from sliding on the kids' slippy slide at 1am - yes, i hang my head in shame and ache in places i did not know i had muscles but hell, it was fun !! and, thank goodness, there are no foto's...

the men the bedroom

yes, i know the focus is soft but I didn't actually take the pics and there was a smudge on the lens.....

i think everybody left around 2am but we are not really sure - IT WAS A GREAT PARTY !

anyway, david and saturday dawned bright and too early for us with hangovers but we managed to pull ourselves out of bed and spent the morning chatting and catching up - it was super hot !a we had an early lunch on the deck of leftovers - sean then spent the afternoon educating ted on the nuances of 7's rugby while me, deon & the noodle took a much needed nap !
Deon never re-surfaced so me and the noodle, Sean & Ted spent the evening in front of the telly watching the rugby 7's tournament that was being played in Wellington and yes, Sean of course was overjoyed with England's final seconds' victory !!
Sunday morning, Deon & Ted went fishing with Dave on his boat - very early - 6am and were home by 11am with 4 big snappers

it was another magnificent day here in Whangarei - hot & humid ! Sean left soon after the guys got back as he had a long drive back to auckland and then Deon took Ted to town to do some shopping.
the day just got hotter and hotter and after lunch and a sleep, we all went down to the beach for a swim - it was after 4pm and still stinking hot !! but the pacific ocean did it's job and we cooled down - Thank Goodness !
we got home and deon made a fire to cook the fish which were magnificent - nothing better than fresh fish on the braai ! While sitting on the deck as the air eventually cooled ted could not stop telling us what a wonderful life we have here and yes, we do !
It is a priviledge for us to be here, in this beautiful country, where our lives have changed beyond imagination and expectation, where our child is happy and safe and his future is limitless, where we can spend weekends like this one with good friends and family, where deon can go fishing whenever the urge takes him, where i have time for myself and my family and where we now call home.

Guilty as Charged

Ok, ok, i know it has been an age since I last updated the blog, but it's been BUSY !

• first there was Xmas - we spent a lovely day with the Marnitz's and another SA family
• then New Years' - had a fish braai with the Lamprechts - a quite one - home by 10.30 - i know, boring !
• deon was off work for 2 weeks over that time - it was great to have him home and we spent alot of time on the beach, diving, fishing and just enjoying the Northland summer
  
• then january - which has been busy with trying to keep the noodle and Renette's kids occupied and stimulated - no playcentre or school until 2 Feb .... so we spent days going for walks thru forests, playing in parks, at streams, and rivers with ducks, going to the library, playing on the slippy slide (yes, they still make them), kids making home made pizza and eating it and so forth and so on.....
• Ryan's (Renette's youngest) 1st birthday also happened in Jan
  
• and deon has been feeding the neighbourhood stray cats so now they came visit - much to david's pleasure
• we also have had a real kiwi bbq - a guy deon works with invited us to his house and david enjoyed the sausages and hamburger patties that were offered and then he helped Catherine decorate the pavlova for pudding :)
• deon has caught some great fish over the last few days, Monday was a holiday here - so he fished Saturday all day, Sunday in the morning and all day Monday with Pieter (renette's husband) - lots of fishing and he is loving it !!

I will really try keep you updated more regularly but the next few months are going to be even more busy, Deon's american friend, Ted arrives next week for a quick 2 week visit and then Deon's mom arrives just after that and is staying for 6 weeks - Yipppeee - i am so excited for her arrival and am so looking forward to having her here and showing her all the wonderful things that are now part and parcel of our lives and of course, the Noodle is thrilled Granny Deanny is coming soon !!
Hope you are all well - please send news back
Cheers