Great artwork from kids in Texas!!!





http://wordtoons.com/wordtoons-from-a-class-in-texas/


Last exam today and then FREEDOM until late February!



take care
Rachaelxo

Exams, Exams, Exams

Three exams this week:

• Language and Literacy
• History of Education in New Zealand
• Maori
  

lots and lots of last minute cramming...


and then my university year is DONE

and my life will begin!

Back soon:)


take care
Rachaexo

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween bloggers!!!





take care
Rachaelxo

p.s. will be back after my exams on November 12 for a nice big catch up! I have soooooo much to share!

Where did September go?

I lost September, it was mad and bad and crazy...

some nasty things happened that could have had negative long term consequences on my life plans... but fortunately someone or something was looking out for me and the mad and bad and crazy roller coaster I was on ended and positive outcomes started coming my way.....

phew.....

But among it all I have had some good and fun times:)

And little spurts of nesting to make this castle we live in more like a home....

My computer corner, note... no pink or roses!!!


This table will get a coating of white paint over summer, its got my printer on the bottom shelf,


and the fireplace in the living room, which is festooned with rose lights, so pretty at night, and a pretty Princess to decorate it as well!


The ugly sofa, I have white fabric to make a slipcover and the cushions are going, there will also be major changes to the shelving in the background.


This was the bathroom curtain, so funny, when you slid the window up to open it, the ugly curtain went up to, so no privacy!!!


I made this cute black and white striped curtain that stays put when the window is opened!


Unless its tied back!


It was the Wasband's birthday in September so the fashion conscious supermodel Princess posed for me, we then hopped on the train and went into the city, developed the photo and put it in a frame, an hour before the Wasband turned up!!!


And while we were at it, I got my nose re-pierced, for his birthday! Ha!!!

So that was a bit of September!!!

October is so much better already!!!

Take Care
Rachaelxo

Earthquake Damage

Photo's are of my godparent's street and house in Christchurch.

The area they live in was one of the worst hit by last Saturday's earthquake.

My beautiful godmamma sitting on a park bench in her area!

Their toilets!

Cleaning up the mud!

The mud is actually half way up the legs of these chairs! Hard to believe that there was lawn and garden here!

Their driveway!

Such a miracle that no lives were lost in the Christchurch earthquake.

Take Care

Rachaelxo

Sing, sing a song, make it simple...

Are you a singer?

I am not a good singer and apparently neither is the creator of Wordtoons

He can however sing, and so can you!

Watch this short clip to see how you can sing and teach your children to sing!

The Princess loves doing Wordtoons, I can't wait to show her this one!

Trust me its fun and clever!

Earthquake Update

Christchurch is still having terrible after shocks and many people are still without power and water. The suburb where my godparents live is one of the worst hit. They are fortunate to have a natural spring in their backyard that is uncontaminated and they are supplying their street with fresh water. Toilet are portaloo's out on the street. Their street are pooling resources and communally barbecuing meals. My godparents have lived in that street for over 20 years and are only just meeting some of their neighbours. The upside of a natural disaster!

Thanks so much for the nice messages of concern, our blogging world is such a caring one! I am in Auckland many, many miles away from Christchurch so quite removed from the reality of the earthquake, tucked up safe and sound in my castle!

I am in the middle of writing a particularly horrid essay so must get back to it!

Take Care

Rachaelxo

Earthquake in New Zealand

Christchurch, one of the major cities in our little country was hit by an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude at 4.35am this morning.

Homes have been destroyed, buildings collapsed, roads and railway tracks destroyed, power and water supplies cut off.

The city has been declared a state of emergency.

People have been hurt but miraculously only 2 have been hospitalised for serious injury.

We are a little country that is very blessed as this earthquake has been likened to the one that hit Haiti in January of this year.

As we are such a small country in size and population, many people have family or friends in Christchurch. It is such a relief to know they are ok.

Full credit to Civil Defense, emergency services, volunteers, insurance companies, banks, businesses and people pledging donations, and our Prime Minister who has spent the day in Christchurch and on behalf of the government has promised massive amounts of money and resources.

It's times like this when it hits home just how lucky and blessed we are, not only to live in this country but just for life on a daily basis.

Flooded carpets, windows that won't close, rats on rubbish bins and much else that I have whinged about this week is completely insignificant compared to what the people of Christchurch were shockingly woken up by this morning.

Puts it all into perspective really!

Take Care

Rachaelxo