Jaz's brother came to stay!

A couple of weeks ago I got a text from my brother saying he had some leave from work and

was thinking about a long weekend up with us in Stanmore Bay.......was I up for it??

I very quickly jumped on skype and he booked flights on the spot!!!

Gee wizz I was excited.

Hey I love this place, but there is a limit to how many days a housewife and mum can spend talking to herself or the nine month old baby. I do occasionally talk to the fridge, but only when the neighbours are not watching.

So my bro gave me about three days notice.......which made it even more exciting, but then I realised that the poor guy was going to have to sleep on boxes. The spare bedroom being the last room to organise. In fact I hadn't even unwrapped the plastic off the new guest-bed ( buying of this outlined in earlier post).

Well,, there is nothing like having a guest arrive to get me motivated. I had the boxes sorted and new bed unwrapped in a day, clean sheets and room smelling fresh the next. Very pleased with my efforts I stood back and realised that now I was ready for any visitors.

Fantastic.........get booking flights friends!!!

I picked my brother up on Friday..my first trip to airport on my own, easy! I have sussed this traffic thing!!! I even negotiated the harbour bridge lanes despite a nasty accident throwing the lanes into havoc earlier.

Unfortunately I managed to very nearly getting him, Molly, Phoebe and myself lost on the way home. We did a nice tikki tour past one-tree hill instead LOL

But we found the motorway eventually and got home safe and sound.

Saturday we explored the beaches of Whangaparaoa. It was sunny but quite fresh. Very much like a Canterbury day, just a few degrees milder.

My brother and Caitlin combing the rocks at Shakepear Bay, Whangaparaoa

Our tribute to Michelangelo....lol

Lots to be found on the rocks for the Treacy family

Sunday we all ventured into Auckland to visit MOTAT, Museum of Transport and Technology. Fantastic fun awesome examples of engineering and New Zealand history. The kids thought it was great.

Mark and Molly using whisper dishes...Caitlin was listening at other dish a few metres away.

Luke and Molly on very cool old train.

Girls and I on tram.

Monday, the kids went off the school and kindy so Luke, Phoebe and I visited Devonport.

Northland really turned the weather on for us and the view from North head was incredible, looking out over Auckland city. We visited Devonport chocolates and wandered through shops and cafes. It was a gorgeous, relaxing day. A nice way to finish a great long weekend with my bro!

One last note:

This sign, spotted by my brother on a little side street in Devonport totally bewildered me..............the most hilarious thing I have seen in ages.

Doing what?????

I want to work there..............I can do stuff.

Sleeping easy - new beds...

So this week has been a little slower...our news?

We have found a rental property in Stanmore Bay  (19b Waiora Rd) if you want google map it!!!

The move-in date isn't until the 19th of June so the racing around has stopped and I can enjoy my children's company and the surroundings.

I shall wait until we move in to blog about the new place. Then I can include photos for you all!!

This weekend Mark and I went bed shopping (armed with cash from our house sale). As we are very new to the Auckland area we started our bed research online. The big question being: Where can you buy a very comfortable bed, at a very comfortable price :-)

A place emerged well above the rest, aptly named 'Kiwibeds'. The lovely G.P.S lady in Mark's car took us on a crazy  tikki tour of West Auckland ....we need to check her current settings! We laughed as we went around and through all sorts of suburbs, but the hungry kids in the back, prone to car sickness were over it in about half an hour!!!

On arriving at our destination Miss G.P.S announced "route guidance completed, you are about to reach your destination". A round of applause from all children in the back seat!!!

The guy who greeted us at the warehouse door was friendly and extremely jolly. The kids obviously looked tired and in need of beds ! LOL 

And as we have three of them....rubbing his hands with glee he began his 'BED SPEAL".

Well.......little did I know....there is a lot to learn about beds. Springs or no springs.....foam or not.

Single, King Single, Double, Queen, King, Super King, Gigantic supreme...the list goes on. It's more difficult than choosing a gourmet pizza!!!!!!

As I have suffered from a sore back lately and am about to move into an area with a few hills to climb. I knew I wanted lots of support and NO roll-together. Mark and I are not quite into single beds yet...too chilly in winter. LOL

Well I found the DREAM bed. It reminds me of a beautifully baked Victoria sponge. Medium to firm, yet molds to your body. I just wont be adding jam to this one!!!

It is made from the most amazing 'memory foam', developed and used by NASA and when you lie down on it you could be on a cloud,,,,,yet your entire body still feels supported. BLISS..mmmmmzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I'm tempted to see if you can purchase cot mattresses out of the same stuff. Phoebe might return to sleeping through the night again. I'm ever hopeful!!

So at the end of our purchase we happily choose the baked delight for us,, a delicious new mattress for growing girl Cailtin and ...wait for it people........a new, comfy double guest bed !!!

Time to start booking those flights lovely people!!!! LOL

How wonderful....they will all be delivered to our new home on Friday the 19th June.

My next piece of exciting news is that the girls and I are driving south to Waiouru...yes without Mark. A truly girly road trip to stay with my cousin, her husband and gorgeous baby girl.

We leave on Tuesday morning and will be taking photos along the way of the event. Can't wait!!

Stay tuned for the 'road trip' post..........

Day four: The search for a suburb continues....

Today Mark trotted off to work and us girls hit the North Shore once again armed with our map and morning tea.

Yesterday we "did" the mall. (As only four girls can :-)

Today we started with a trip up through Dairy Flat, beautiful rural country which reminded me of home (North Canterbury) and up north to Red Beach and Orewa.

I remember Orewa well from my early high school days up in Warkworth. It's very touristy but a gorgeous beach,,,in summer! It has a quaint little village centre with beachy shops and two fantastic playgrounds, so the girls inform me. Pohutukawa grow all along the beachfront, which I absolutely love. I can't wait when the are in full bloom to show the girls our native Christmas Tree.

Despite being a dreary, grey day it was warm enough for a few snaps against the lovely view. 

You can certainly see more of Whangaparaoa on a clear day.

Looking down over Orewa beach

I have decided that if we were to live north I would definitely consider Red Beach. Has a 

very forward thinking and innovative primary school too which is a bonus.

After a break and play at these coastal locations we ventured back to Albany for lunch. I managed to find the worst coffee in North Shore. At least I found it in the first week and got it over and done with. LOL

I will be on the search for the best coffee, as I promised my best friend from Rangiora that we would have a coffee date when she visited me. Anyone out there know where I an find it???

Caitlin did a brilliant job for the next hour co-piloting with the map as we checked out the following areas for housing consideration. Glenfield, Bayview, Windy Ridge, Birkdale, Marlborough and few others forgotten.

With a final bribe of an ice cream we managed to get back to our Albany accommodation exhausted.

As the evening approached we were pleased to see  a little sun. Knowing that Canterbury was shivering in the cold we took the opportunity explore the facilities available to us while we stay at "Cassa Bella". We found the playground, Tennis court and playground and even a gym to get my post baby figure sorted out....................yeah whatever!!!!!! LOL

If it was summer I know we'd be using these facilities!!

I will be pleased when this driving around is over. 

I'm sure we will do lots of driving as a family over the next few months, but it will be for a different purpose and we'll have settled into our own place by then :-) 

Once we know which areas we prefer or "feel good" to us we can then get some real estate agents helping with the actual house search. Rental properties to start with, and then we can look for properties for sale at a more leisurely pace.

Keeping oneself busy is a good way of avoiding homesickness. 

Tomorrow the driving must continue. I will be searching the "Bays".  Not sure if we can afford to live on that side. But I will search high and low cause it's gorgeous over there!

I have promised the kids that after a morning of driving we will do something exciting  .............................Chipmunks was Molly's request. 

A massage and facial would suit me.... :-)