Forth week Wed-Thurs

 So like I said the last couple of days have been pretty much me going around collecting things and slowly getting all the washing done as well as and hoping like hell I haven't left anything.
I've already lost my license so who knows where that is.
I'm sure it'll turn up one day but in the mean time I've got Dru filling out the paperwork to get me another one.
What a waste of money.

 Emiko has been a little grouchy with her two teeth coming through, but whatever.
People help me look after her and that's such a nice thing.
Family don't care if your baby is crying or grumpy, they still hold them.

 I think Yuki's going to take leaving the hardest.
She slept the night at Sarah's and Llewellyn's this week.  I think she only stayed at Mum's house maybe once this week.
She's a party animal from way back.
She's gonna be so bored when we get home.  Thank goodness for pre-school that she'll start the next day we get home.

 I had a really good talk with Mum on Tues or Wed night and it was really nice.
Then last night we had a big final hurrah dinner at Llewellyns.

 Emiko took her first steps last night.  It was awesome.
Everyone was clapping and cheering.
I think after that she got stage fright.

 All the cuzzies eating ice cream and cake.

 Having fun.

 Pyramid.

 Pretty girls ............... oh and Takeshi.

 Gangdam style dancing.

 Haka moves.
Clearly Yuki has no clue as it looks like instead of the haka she's doing a tree pose in yoga.

 Showing muscles.

 Who's the strongest?

 Love that shot of Takeshi.

 Yuki had had enough LOL

 Crashed out while watching a movie and the adults talking all night.

 The queen of the hill.

I went home and continued to pack all night.
Then fell into bed exhausted.

Week 4 Mon - Tues

So on Monday we got up, had breakfast and started to say our goodbyes.
Gareth left first to bike to school. So we all said bye to him. I cried but I don't think he saw. I've been having a hard time saying bye to my family. Love me tender I guess.
Then Rylie left for school and I gave him a hug, as well as the other kids, and he left for school. I told him to tell his classmates about his crazy cuzzies. Yuki didn't like that idea and said that we're not crazy. I told her that was arguable ;)
Then Livi and I went around the house and slowly picked up everything from the house and packed it all up.
Livi was good at finding random stuff that we'd left in random places.
I feel bad I couldn't vacume and do more washing but it is what it is I guess.
After I'd packed everything we then said our goodbye's to Livi and Nixon. Everyone gave hugs and again I started crying.
I don't think Livi or Gareth saw though so I was safe.
It's just sad to be saying bye to people. What gets me upset is the fact that I'm not quite sure when we'll see each other again you know, and that makes me really sad.
We filled the car up with a horrendous amount of petrol and were off on our way.
Petrol over here is about $8 a gallon. So next time you're complaining about your $3 something a gallon, think of the kiwi's.
The drive home was nice. Takeshi complained of a sore tummy due to the windiness of the drive but eventually fell asleep so we dodged a bullet there.
Then Yuki needed to go to the toilet and there's basically no petrol stations for a LONG part of the drive. Then we FINALLY got to a petrol station and it said 'No Public Toilets' on their front door.
I was like 'WHAT?'
So I asked them if Yuki could go and they said yes. But the lady wasn't too happy about it.
Then I walked into the car and Masaru goes 'Can I go?' To which I said no and sped off.
Basically the whole way is just a two lane drive, so there are a few logging trucks that go on that route that you get stuck behind for AGES.
My road rage started coming back. It hasn't reared it's ugly head for a while.
The drive is REALLY pretty though. I think that's part of the reason I LOATHE the Boise to SLC drive, IT'S SO UGLY AND BORING. Nothing to look at but brown nothingness.
It DOES, however, have 4 lanes and so you don't get stuck behind traffic. So nothing is full proof right?
We got home and Grandpa Pete was there to greet us. He was excited and missed us, so that was nice.
Livi told me that the house was all quiet and they missed us too. So that was nice.
Then basically we've been doing not much since.
Masaru's caught up with all his homework and piano and is sounding quite good.
I had a nice talk with Mum last night.
Sarah and I have been working out at the local boxing gym and getting our butt's kicked. It's been really nice not to lose much of my fitness while being gone you know.
The kids stayed the night at Uncle Llewellyn's last night and watched movies and bounced on the tramp.
Right now they're hanging out with their cuzzies just veging and watching TV.
The weather has been perfect for doing washing and I need to seriously start thinking about gathering all of our stuff from around the house and slowly packing. I need to make sure I pack one bag that can be used for the weekend in Auckland and night in LA and pack everything else in the other bags and just not open them.
It'll make life easier.
We're trying to figure out an Easter egg hunt for friday with all the cuzzies here. So that should be fun.
I think tomorrow will be my 'packing' day and I'll slowly get things sorted.
I may even do some tonight.
Dru hasn't been doing too well without us.
He has a loss of appetite and has been a little sad. Thank goodness he has work. His boss is going to take him to dinner on Thurs. night and tonight he's out with his mate to a movie. So that helps distract him from being lonely.
He went to Utah last weekend but stayed in bed ALL saturday with a horrible migraine. Poor guy. I'd rather be at my mothers with a migraine though than be by myself all alone you know.
Just a few more days babe..........
I just can't believe how fast this month has gone by. It's been lightning fast and absolutely amazing and sad.
We've had the best trip ever and it's not even done.
We've still got easter and a weekend with Haydn's family and seeing Kat for the last time. Then a night with our cuzzies in LA and seeing Grandma and Grandpa brieftlly on Monday in SLC. My kids are going to be so bored when we get home LOL
Luckily it's coming into summer so we can go outside and do things together.
I'm also glad that my kids have started on their summer tans, helps me when I forget the sunscreen some days.
Ok, now I'm rambling so better finish.

Wanganui - Sunday

So this day we decided to go and see the Wanganui tower.
I put the baby down for a nap and Livi stayed home to do some school work and the rest of us left to see the sights.
Here we are on the first tower looking over the town.

Here's the tower we walked up.

Wanganui is an old city so has some fantastic houses and buildings which are really pretty. They also provide the country's pet food and have some significant races and things that the country is involved in.

Here's the other tower that's a little taller and overlooks a little more.
It had tons of steps and so was great exercise for me.

Here we are at the top.
There was a cage so we didn't fall to our deaths.

Then Gareth shouted us a trip down a rickety old elevator that went straight down to street level then had a massive tunnel going out to the lake below.
It was awesome.

The tunnel is around 200 metres long and Gareth said that sometimes on a rainy day he'll do sprints and running up and down this tunnel.
Cool idea.

Here's me trying to get a shot of myself in it.
This was about the fifth picture I took.

This is the gate at the end of the tunnel.
Yuki's always up for a picture opportunity.

Then instead of us going back up the elevator or lift as we call it here we chose to do the healthy thing and go all the way up numerous stairs back to the top by the towers.

The kids were keen to begin with.

But then after a while Takeshi got a little tired LOL

Then later on we went to the beach.
The kids had a blast.
The sand was a little darker due to iron in it I think but it was still soft and fun to play in.
I think, however it ruined Emiko's nice swim suit. I can't get all the black sand out. Maybe after time.

Fun in the waves.

Emiko had a blast since she's a mermaid at heart.

How cute is this kid?

Emiko and I getting our snuggles on.

We came home and bathed and ate another great meal of homemade pizza's, apparently Gareth and Livi are pro's, and then sent the kids to bed and Gareth shortly went after and Livi an I stayed up talking till midnight.
Great, great day.