catch up # 2 (like a lost hidden treasure)

so I sat down this Sunday morning (29 January 2012) to do a long awaited blog

post and found this saved (Feb 2011) but unpublished one - so a few tweeks and I w

ill post...

- some of the news is well over a year old but what the hell .....

it's raining again so another good opportunity to catch y'all up with stuff from end of last year......

Morning Kindy Begins (November 2010)

David moved from afternoon kindy (3 times / week)

to morning kindy, 5 days a week ! this was a ver

y exciting thing for him as he was eligible for this change on his 4th birthday in October but there wasn't a space available for him then so when the call came to say he could make the big move there was much excitement & jubilation on his part ! His friend Lucas had been going to morning kindy for months already and David was so glad to now be able to join him - Lucas is only 5 months older than David but look at the height difference :)

Hanukkah & Christmas 2010 or "Like Hannah Montana - the best of both worlds" said 4 year old David Jake Fourie to me when I explained why he can do both !

The Northland J

ewish Association had our annual Hanukkah party on the 9th day (oops they got the dates wrong) but it was still a lovely evening at Sana's house - lots of people brought a Menorah and the can

dles were all lit at sunset. W

e had lit the candles at home on the correct nights pre-ceeding

th

e NJA event too

Then it was time for Xmas & the arrival of Granny Deanna

- she landed in Auckland on Xmas eve morning and then flew up to Whangarei.

David was amazed (again) at how the presents just appeared under the tree overnight as he was sure he had heard Santa on the roof & that the dogs had barked at him :)

Santa brought David lots of things like arts & crafts from Aunty Gene & a lovely wire & bead picture from Africa ! He also brought an electronic keyboard which he loves !

We had a braai for Xmas lunch which was great with the Karyn & Duane and their kids, Rand Axelrod (American guy from NJA, Deon has befriended) & Bridget (SA friend of mine from The Advocate).

Between xmas & new year Deon, David & Deanna drove down to Tauranga to visit Deanna's cousin Quinton & Jean Dace - they had a lovely few days in the Bay of Plenty, meeting David's 3rd cousins twice removed (Q & J's grandchildren) and seeing the sights & sounds of a big coastal city !

New Year 2010 was celebrated at the Marnitz's housewith the Hirst family there too.

Ok, so that's it for old news - I will continue the new blog post with new news and post soon or maybe in a year's time, who knows :)

catch up #1

here goes - trying to catch up months & months of stuff




sometime in early spring they decided it was now time to fish - this was the 1st father & son fishing trip - many more have occured since and many many more in the future - but this one they will both remember - at least the blog will help them to - i can't remember now who caught what or if at all but they both loved it - father so proud and son so thrilled to be big enough to be out with dad on the boat - bliss !




October brought the Noodle's 4th birthday - I (yes, me, Robyn Yael Shefer) baked over 30 cupcakes which we took to David's afternoon kindy session to share with his friends at tea-time after the traditional receiving of gifts on mom&dads bed in the morning



KD & Missy enjoying the spring sunshine and me enjoying my latest gadget - my amazon kindle - love it, love it, love it - thanks Ted !




at the end of october granny patsi arrived from SA - we spent the weekend at Waiwera Hot Pools - do not go there - it is bloody awful but it was wonderful to have mum here with us again !



we moved house (again) but this time to our dream house - big, clean, new by NZ standards (10 years old) - we love it and thanks Mum, would not have done it without you !



While my mom was here David got a hair cut, we celebrated a shabbos, the boys had another fishing trip - this time David caught the 1st, biggest & only fish of the trip - very proud dad. that's deon's boat & car - he loves them !


ok, it's late, hot & muggy - so will publish this now for your viewing pleasure, our family & friends

catch up #2 will follow shortly - highlights include hanukah, xmas & granny deanna

much love to you all
R, D & D

Mid Winter News

Hello, all

it's a cold and wet Sunday morning, Deon & David have gone out to do a "cashey" - a little private plumbing job on the side and I found myself at a loose end, having cleaned the house yesterday, put a stew in the slow-cooker for a late lunch/early supper and just finished a trashy novel, so I realised I had no more excuses for avoiding the BLOG - that four letter word !

So here's some news - nothing thrilling (or to write home about, ha-ha) but just to keep you all up to date :

My promotion to Rural Sales Rep seems to be justified as I brought my first month's publication in over $10K (it's been sitting at around $6000 for the past year), so I am quite popular around the office, especially with the GM and I even got a personal email from the group Sales Director, congratulating me on a good job - so there *sticks tongue out at self* !!
Our team at work is now called the Foreign Legion, as it consists of me, Marguerite Hugo aka Margo/Blondie/Poppie (you guessed it another Saffer), Chris Tansley-Pom, Yuan Zang-Chinese & Ana Craig-Yugoslavian - just proving New Zealand really is a country of immigrants, hard working, capable and successful immigrants !!


Dressed for Success or Robyn With Heals, Make-up and Yes, It Is A Skirt


Enough about me, David is wonderful - he has had a growth spurt and is just looking like such a big boy and acting like one too - has very strong opinions about most things (don't know where he gets that from), is super clever (again, no idea about that origin) and unbelievably is nearly 4 years old, YES - 4 - I can't believe it either ! At 4 he will start going to morning kindy, 5 days a week, he is very much looking forward to that as he loves kindy and is very eager to start learning " real things" - his words. His friend Lucas started morning kindy in May and David is very jealous and really can't wait to join him. He can count to 20 now, can recognise most numbers to 10 and can read his own name, written anywhere as well a "D for David" & "R for Robyn" - his words again. Again, unbelievably this time next year I will be blogging about him just about to start Big School - but that is just too much to contemplate so will leave it there...





Deon, Deon, Deon - where do I begin - with the biltong he makes in his biltong/beer/brewing room, his dogs - the Big Lug-KD and his new little miss - Missy, the steak&kidney pie or rhubard crumble - he made them both from scratch, being Gordon with prawns on the barbie (dressed the part too), being the Best Dad in World or with the Boat !







I supposse he would have voted for the boat too - the new love of his life, his pride & joy, the last piece of the puzzle that has made his life perfect, not his words, mine but I'm sure it's pretty close to the truth. It really is a great boat, a 14'6" ft Fyran (for those who care about facts), big enough to not be dangerous on the water but small enough for him to launch on his own if needs be, but perfect for going out to cast some lines or perfect for getting to those "secret" places where he can dive for crayfish, scallops, mussels, oysters, paua (perlemoen/abalone) - you getting my drift.....
He got a great deal on Trade Me- bought it from an old man up north who had loved and cared for it and was happy to be "giving" it to somebody who was going to treat it with equal tenderness - she still needs a name - so any suggestions are most welcome, he had always promised to name his first boat after me - but the best we can come up with is ROB' YN THE SEA - but we think the Fishery Officers might take too close a look at that one.....


ok, that's us for winter, spring is soon and with that brings summer which brings, grannies - both have booked their tickets, maternal in October & paternal on Christmas Eve so we are all super excited !!
Until next time
Robyn (Deon & David)

about bloody time !

I know, I know, it's been over 3 months since my last blog but hey, life's busy here in Whangarei.

With working full time now (doing really well & loving it), trying to run a house (not very successfully), having a 3 1/2 (going on 13) year old and lots of friends with weddings, birthdays and bbqs - there's very little time for much of anything else.

Winter has also arrived after a very long, dry summer - we, in fact, were in drought and had water restrictions up until last week but they have since been lifted after good, very heavy downpours.

David is absolutely delightful (full of shit) but delightful - he loves the childcare he is in - it is called PORSE home based childcare and basically he is looked after by two friends of ours, who have their own kids but look after our kid too ! He spends Monday's, Wednesday's & Friday's with Karyn & Casey (2) and Tuesday's & Thursday's with Nicci, Lucas (4), & Alex (2). He goes to Kindy 3 times a week, Mon, Tues & Thurs from 1.30-3.30. He will start kindy 5 days a week 8.30-12.45 when he turns 4. He has blossomed so much since he started kindy & childcare, getting the stimulation and attention the educators give him. Every day he comes home with stories and paintings and creations. The educators also write in a book everyday - what they did that day, david's mood, his favourite thing of the day etc. It is a really wonderful programme and we are so grateful that he happy and settled. Every morning, he says "Mom, where am I going today?" and when i tell him (be it Tues to Nicci, or Friday to Karyn) he throws his little arms in the air and shouts "YAH !, i love going to Nicci (or Karyn)" !!!

Deon is also very happy and settled ;) his job is going really well, he has been working on big projects - the local rugby stadium being upgraded for RWC 2011 NEC, a water purification & clarifying works at the huge diary farm Fonterra and is really being recognised for his ability and work ethic.

Unbelievably I am good at sales, who knew ? After only 3 months I have had a promotion - they are moving me from the features dept (telesales) to a ROP (run of paper) rep - with the sole responsibility of breathing life into and making a success of a special rural publication called The Rural Advocate - it has been losing money for a while now and they believe I can turn it around - I'm not so sure, what the hell do I know about cows but they see something in me and reckon i can do it !!! I am petrified but there is an increase, company phone and use of company car so a-rural I will go :))

will end with some photos ....

much love to you all from us all



at Bayley's Beach (Easter) KD the dog

i
At Kelly Tarlton Marine World with Ted in Auckland





At Andrew & Sherri's Wedding Mother's Day Bfast 1st Day of Kindy