New Years Eve

Due to shifting we missed spending Christmas with my brother in Ashvegas so we decided to see the New Year in with them. Packed the car with kids clothes and Dave's new road bike and off to Ashburton we go. We stopped off at Grandmas in Oamaru and the kids had a great time with Grandma reading stories to them and loading them up with lollies.

It seems to take longer to get to Ashburton than it does to drive back to Dunedin for some strange reason. However we finally make it to my brothers only to find they had gone away OOPS! sometimes surprises don't pay off. Luckily my nephew lives with them and he was home. So we made ourselves at home.

The kids are real townies and not use to animals. My brother has a life style block and has animals everywhere from Margaret the hen to Nick the horse. Cheri's race horse Chrystal recently gave birth to a massive foal and unfortunately the she died. Chester the foal is gorgeous and very friendly. Kate loved the horses but screamed at the cat and dogs. Nicholas also had a fascination with the horses he even walk through the paddock with horses in them without batting an eye lid but very stand offish when it came to the dogs and hens (strange children). Kate was very lucky she got to ride the pony and she couldn't stop talking about it.

My brother arrived home the next day and we still managed to see the new year in with him. I love my brother and his wife, I feel blessed to have such an awesome whanau.

The Wriggly Tooth

Nicholas is 6 years old now and since he was 5 I've been waiting with much anticipation for him to loose his first tooth. At least once a month I would get Nicholas to open his mouth and I would wiggle each tooth to see if one was ready ... alas none. However today I was investigating his mouth for cleanliness and there it was a wriggly front top tooth. Sooooooooo excited I told Nicholas and he wanted to feel and see. Proud as punch he runs to tell his dad and asks him how much will the tooth fairy give him.

Whilst I slept today Dave and Nicholas went to town for a little post Christmas shopping in which I scored a nice T-Shirt. Dave took Nicholas for a haircut and Dave informs me he was having a very interesting discussion with the hairdresser when all of a sudden he changes the subject and shows the hairdresser his wriggly tooth. Dave said it was very cute.

So our little man is growing up and as his teeth start to fall out we'll wait for his big teeth to come through. Dave worries that they will be crooked just like his were (Dave needed a plate when he was a young lad). When Dave was 18 he attacked himself with a file and smoothed the front of his teeth YES people Mere Male struck even back then. He went into his garage and put on some real loud heavy metal music and got a huge file and attacked his teeth (he thought they were too rough)OUCH!!!! is all I could think when he told me that story crazy MM!!!!

Christmas at the Finnie's 2009

Superhero finger puppets

Old McDonald had a farm finger puppets

Look at the camera Kate

Kate with her dolls house Yes Lego

What a beautiful Christmas day we had such a great time as a family. The weather was hot hot hot 32 degrees amazing. Awesome presents and great family dinner. But most of all we remember the birth of our wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ!!!!!

The Shift

Today we shifted into the new rented house. Thankfully throughout the week I had taken all the boxes over and set up house, so today was Dave's turn to bring the big furniture. We had help from the Missionaries, Craig, Mikey, Phil and Nicholas. It took two trips and all was done.

However the story leading up to the shift is somewhat funny with Mere Male Dave. He picks up the truck we hired and drives it back to Galloway Street (which is somewhat a narrow street), he then proceeds to pull up the drive with the truck but forgets that trucks are bigger hence they need to take a wider berth. Next you see Dave's car being squashed by the truck and the tyres on the truck start spinning. Dave thinking he is stuck on the kerb tries to give the truck more gas. We all wave at MM to stop, he looked puzzled so I approach him to tell him of his trouble. "the truck is on top of your car" MM "well can you back my car up" so I did, car saved from big truck and moreso MM some dents and scratches otherwise car still works. After a couple of attempts MM finally gets truck up the driveway. MM then tries to tell us that the reason he was having difficulties parking up was the dodgy clutch (YEAH RIGHT!!!)

New House

The highlight of the shift:

1. The piano didn't get broken, thanks to a unilateral thinking Elder.
2. It took two trips
3. I was totally organised in both houses
4. I was awake for over 24 hours (due to working the nightshift)
5. MM's car

We are so happy we are in our new home and everything is unpacked and has a place (well from my point of view) The garage is Dave's department. Now I can relax and wait for MM to build our new home. Thank you to those who helped it was awesome. That is the greatest thing about being in the church helpers come at a drop of a hat its amazing.

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