Today is Tuesday.
Since last Wednesday we have been celebrating all kinds of things.
We left Wednesday morning after my appointment with my midwife (in which the baby decided to harass the doppler monitor with judo kicks and jabs worthy of Jackie Chan).
For the next few days, we were going to be in Pukekohe (suburb of Auckland) for Jared's International Dental Conference.
During the time there, we were going to hang out with some friends of ours, Emma was coming in from Australia, Jared was having a birthday and we were celebrating for our one year anniversary.
The drive down was nice weather. As always, I have to fall asleep when we are almost to Taupo because if I don't the curves make me rather sick. I woke up when I smelled sulfur.
We were driving down the desert road and in the distance we could see Mt. Ruapehu.
And while this picture is nice, it was actually covered with a lot of fog and I couldn't see the whole thing. I assumed the sulfur smell was coming from the recently erupted Mt. Tongariro which neighbors Ruapehu.
As we drove closer to Taupo, we could see skydivers in the sky. I casually mentioned to Jared that one of them looked as if he was going down way too fast. I didn't think anything about it until I read the news a few days later...
No, we didn't see this happen. I thought we did when the preliminary reports came out talking about a Taupo sky diver...and yes he was from there, but the accident occurred at a festival in the South Island. Still it made me realize it is something I would never do.
We stopped in Hamilton (also known as Hamiltron) and had a nice dinner at Furnace and then stretched our legs walking up the main streets.
When we finally got to Pukekohe (after many rounds of name that tune and ABC name that movie games) Shane, Christi and Evan gave us an extremely warm welcome. We stayed up chatting for a while and then headed to bed. Jared had to get up early the next morning to drive into the city for his conference and Shane had to get up for work.
Thursday, Christi and Evan and I hung out. We went to a few shops in town (one of which was called Dog's Breakfast Trading Company and I found some amazing things). We got back home for lunch and then took Evan to Kindy. Teachers in the States would be amazed at this place. There are construction areas where the kids use real tools, a house set up exactly like a real house, a nature center with a light table where the kids can look at pictures of animal xrays, there is a recycling center and they use recycled materials in all of their art projects. It was quite a sight to behold!
While Evan went to Kindy, Christi and I went for a coffee at Monarch Cafe. I got a hot chocolate and thought 'You know what? This probably isn't enough chocolate...I think I will have a hot fudge sundae.' So I did. It was fabulous. We went from there to the grocery store. We kept laughing at all of the things we kept forgetting. When you get two pregnant ladies together...expect that to happen. We came out of the Mad Butcher (excellent meat shop) and it was time to pick Evan up.
We went back to their house and relaxed. Christi made tacos for dinner and then we left the boys to themselves while we went to her Playcentre group. Christi is extremely involved and she is the Ed Officer at this specific playgroup. Moms and Grandmas that bring their kids to playcentre, are required to keep up their education. Christi makes sure that all of this happens, and she is a champ.
Around 9:45 we got home and took a nap before we left to go get Emma from the airport. Her flight got in around midnight (which she paid for by doing chores later on..lol) It was so good to see her. She bent down and talked to my belly in the middle of the arrivals crowds! ha. You would think it would be embarrassing, but I thought it was awesome that our little boy is going to have such a loving aunt.
Friday morning, we got up and headed into the city. Christi wanted to take me to the American store and boy was I excited about that!
When I walked in...there were shelves of Bath and Body Works products, Pop Tarts, Goldfish, Hershey's Kisses, Candy Corn, Bobs Candy Canes, Cheez-Its, Graham Crackers, Reese's, AND DILL PICKLES!!! (Yes I listed all of these things just in case you ever want to send me something. lol.)
A gallon jar of dill pickles was $26 and a Sams Club size box of graham crackers was $24. A party size bag of M&Ms that sells at walmart for $9 was $32.50. I almost had a stroke.
I ended up buying things that would last and be needed around the holidays. I found a few graham cracker crusts (praise Keebler elves!), I bought around 30 hershey's kisses for $5.50, and I purchased some other things that would get us through until our next trip up. Don't judge on the hershey's kisses until you have the prospect of a Christmas without them. Ha!
I think it was a very successful trip!
We ate at Nando's, a fantastic chicken place and shopped around a mall in town there. Shane was already home and Jared was headed that way, so we headed home too.
Saturday, Jared still had to go to his conference, but the rest of us were ready to party. We were going into the city that night to celebrate Jared's birthday so we spent the day cruising.
All I wanted for Christmas this year was a good quality, beautiful tree. Most families here do a real tree, but seeing as my eyes tend to swell shut at the presence of pine...we are going artificial. I had been looking online and a good quality tree costs around $700-$1100. That was not happening.
I got on TradeMe Auckland to see what was available and lo and behold, there was the tree I wanted at the price I wanted (better than I could have dreamed) and it was just down the road from Shane and Christi's. It filled up the whole back seat...but it is home. I was so tempted to put it up when we got home but I just checked to make sure it has all of the pieces and then put it back. A lady had imported it from Germany and was moving back so she was selling it. I think it was meant to be.
Yes...it is beautiful and hopefully will last us a LONG time...
Amid Christmas tree buying WAY ahead of time, we took Evan up to Waiuku beach to test drive his four wheeler. We stopped at a bakery in Waiuku and got pies and slice for lunch. We headed out to the beach and surprisingly had a lot of company. Evan did SO well and he was so proud of himself...we were proud of him too.
We packed up and headed home to get ready to go to the city. There is a place called Mexican Cafe'. It looks totally sketch from the outside but it was MARVELOUS...and they gave us free chips and salsa!
Sunday we headed to worship with the South Auckland congregation. We heard a great lesson by Trevor Majors and then shared in a fellowship lunch where they had banana pudding!! Afterwards, we parted ways with Shane and Christi. Jared, Emma and I went to visit their 97 year old grandmother who lives in Blockhouse Bay in Auckland. She still drives, and is quite the fire cracker.
Afterwards, we dropped Emma at her friends apartment and headed into the city. Jared had planned a surprise for me (which I may have ruined because I found out). We were going to stay at the Langham Hotel for our anniversary date!
It was super flash and I loved it. We walked down Queen Street which is the main street of Auckland and down to the harbor. There were several restaurants that caught our eye, but we decided just to eat from a place in the hotel when we got back.
The next morning, we were treated to a ginormous breakfast buffet where they make everything for you as you order it. I got our money's worth. lol.
As we were going to get our bags after breakfast, I saw a police officer speaking to a staff member. I am nosy and can hear like a bat when I need to. I heard him say 'We are looking for someone specific, he is wearing an orange shirt and enjoying a coffee.'
I spotted a guy in an orange shirt sitting in the corner across the room. The police officer was heading the other way so I assumed he had already seen this man. As we came down to check out...he was sitting beside the man I had spotted previously.
I was so excited that I was such a good detective!
As we left, this man and a woman that was with him were being escorted to the police car. I have a vivid imagination so I was thinking that maybe he was a jewel thief, or a spy...did he check in with an alias? I get a little out of control sometimes. Let me mention this...if you are trying to blend in...don't wear orange.
We left and headed home. After stopping to pick up the Christmas tree, eat sushi and stare at Lake Taupo...we finally made it home.
This is long. I apologize. However, when you combine Holiday (vacation), Birthday, Anniversary and a Conference together...you have a lot to talk about.
This past week was the best holibirthiversaryference I have ever had!
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