Good times....

Sigh....the end of the year is nearly here and the days are getting longer, the weather warmer, and holidays and feasts are approaching!

Thanks to Paisley Jade, it's good to remember the special moments in our lives, so here's what's been happening in the world of the Canons.

Muffy the cat has come to live with us and while her and Tim have an abvious love/hate relationship (Muffy loves Tim, he hates her with a passion), I love this cat.

She is a miracle cat who once disappeared from home for 4 months and then miraculously returned a bit bedraggled, but in one peice! She just loves people and loves worship music.

Whenever I give a guitar lesson she comes inside and sits right at my feet. She's about 12 years old, so I'm cherishing these last couple of years that she'll be around with us.

She also 'sits' on command - yes a very clever cat!

Mmmmm....food. Here's a massive pizza I made right from scratch, the dough and everything.

And while this may be an easy task for some people, I always have a sense of "I can achieve anything" if I manage to cook something that actually tastes and looks good!

Thanks Australian Masterchef for the inspiration!

"La Belle Epoque" - was the name of a fashion show I went to lastnight where a special young friend of mine celebrated the first year of her fashion course along with her fellow students.

Her label name is Charmae and I must say she is one talented young lady with an obvious flare for fashion. Here she is posing in one of the outfits she made for her course this year.

I can't wait to see what she will be making next year! Go Charlotte!!

We are slowly renovating our little house, and while it can be hard work, the fun part is choosing vinyl and carpet for some of the rooms we have done.

Unfortunately after a trip to the dentist for husband, it might be 'goodbye carpet - hello root canal' for now.

But it's still fun to look at different designs and get a good feel of what we are after. I may just paint all our cork floors and chuck some funky rugs down until we can afford some carpet.

And lastly it's been great to see husband grow in his teacher role. It hasn't been an easy year with the kids, having had a few with huge behavioural needs (one ran around naked in the bathroom, another licked a used condom he found, and another brought a mashetti to school!)

But he really loves his job and secretly loves the 'drama' too I think.

Well done my love for all your hard work this year. I know that the kids you teach love you to smithereens and are better in life because of you! As you can see in this picture he is in need of a haircut! The ringlets are even making a comeback!

And of course while he is working hard in his classroom, I take cheesy photos and run around making funny noises, which he just politely ignores, but that's okay.

I'm not good in confined spaces for too long.

Have a blessed Christmas and New Years everyone. I'm sure we'll see some of you for a summer bbq or beach picnic soon! Yay!

My POD.

My POD = 2 x vegetarians + 1 x lactose intollerant + 1 x 'can't eat any meal where the ingredients have been mixed together'

for reals.

I love my POD.

Roadtrip Revs

So the 'Canons' hit the road lastnight and headed for Auckland. What unfolded over the next several hours might give you some giggles:


Wife began trip with a very good hair day.

We drank two bottles of V.

We never drink V.

It was on special.

Wife drove most of the way as husband said, "you're the better driver."

Wife liked the comment and said to husband, "you're the better navigator."

It started raining.

We hit our first lot of road works.

We passed our first truck and nearly wet our pants as we couldn't see through the spray from the trucks tyres.

We live to tell the tale.

We hit our next set of road works and were glad that we left early.

It rained harder.

Wife and husband stopped to stretch legs and husband took over the wheel.

Wife sucked back the last of the V.

After half an hour husband (aka "Navigator from Na'am") was back in the passenger seat equipped with map and confidence.

It rained harder.

We hit another set of roadworks.

We went through the tunnel.

We made it to Auckland and took the correct off-ramp.

We missed a turn-off, so Navigator got flustered.

Wife wondered if Navigator meant 'left' when he said 'right.'

We were now headed towards Hamilton.

We found correct way to get back to our route.

Got to the road which was going to save us alot of time only to find it had been closed due to....ROADWORKS!!!

Navigator flustered some more, wife wanted to swear but didn't.

Half an hour later we were at our destination.

Found a Turkish cafe and ordered some food.

Wife went to the loo only to find her good hair day was now resembling something more like a creature from Narnia.

Wife came back into the cafe and scolded husband for not telling her about her hair.

Wife thanked the Lord for hair ties.



to be continued.....

Pie

I love going to different cafes and trying their home-made pies! Last week in Auckland, husband and I decided to spend the morning of the end of the conference having breakfast at Verde - a cottage/garden/gift shop/cafe.

So my pie instict kicked in and I decided I was hungry enough to have one for breakfast. Chicken, bacon and leek it was - and boy - Yumbo!

Being inspired by the savoury delight I tried making my own version with short pastry.

Being smaller than the average 'guy pie', one is not enough! Ideally puff pastry would be better, but it has heaps of butter so I opted for the 'lighter' version. Like my crosses?

What pie fillings do you like?

Pasta Night!

So I've been wanting to make home-made pasta for ages, and since my amazing uncle Ray has a pasta making machine, we decided to make a night out of it. And what fun it was! I'm sure I'm half Italian as I could just live on the stuff.

We made two kinds of pasta. Ravioli, filled with basil feta cheese, pastrami and sundried tomato, and smothered in a Alfredo sauce (oh the smothering!), with cracked pepper and a fresh garden salad.

And with the left over pasta dough we made Tagatelli - which had to hang on our clothing rack overnight to dry! I knew that clothing racks had other hidden talents.

And believe me, once you've eaten the fresh home-made stuff, you will never want to eat the packet pasta from the shops ever again! I am now ruined. I was surprised to find that after eating a plate-full of home-made pasta, I didn't feel stuffed or bloated either.....mmmmm interesting thought.

So here are a few pictures of the night. Everyone had a go at rolling the pasta - and of course eating it!

The dough.

Preparing the filling.

The rolling.

Making the Ravioli.

Wa-La! Lets eat!

Thanks clothing rack.

The good or the best

I've been thinking alot about the will of God lately. I used to struggle and work myself into a frenzy always questioning myself, "am I in the will of God, am I in the right place, am I pleasing God, am I fulfilling the calling that God has put on my life", etc...


I was put at ease a few years ago by something Christine Caine said. She basically was talking about being obedient to what God asks of us. So in other words, do what God says, and then do the next thing He says. And that's it! How freeing is that? Why do we make it so complicated? Why do we make it into a mysterious thing that only the super spiritual person can contain?


I was challenged the other day though, that we can have the good things of God in our lives, which are in themselves awesome and full of life, but then there is the BEST of God in our lives. Those opportunities that we need to grab with both hands. Those moments where we just sense that Heaven's eyes are watching us, those stirring times in our spirits that come and go like the wind.


Just sitting here now I think about how God asks us to step out of the boat and by faith, walk on the water. But you know what? We have to be in the boat to start with! Our boats must be on the moving water, going somewhere - which speaks to me about being obedient to God, and moving where His Spirit leads us.


If your boat is on the shore, then your stepping out will be on the sand. Which is familiar ground. Steady ground. But not ground that will cause you to grow. Because you already know that ground and what it feels like, will you need God to help you walk on it? I doubt it. You've already walked that ground, you cannot grow anymore on the shore. And life will become frustrating, maybe even boring. Like going through the motions.





Don't sit on the shore and watch others walk on the water.


"Lead me unto You
And let us run together..."

I heart

It must be time to share again - about the things I'm loving at the moment. So here we go!

Nothing beats eggs on toast for brekkie, or lunch, or hey even dins! But if you're in a rush - make them in the microwave! Yes it only takes around 2 minutes to cook the perfect scrambled egg. No frying pan or cleaning up afterwards!

In a large microwave safe mug, beat two eggs and a quarter cup milk. Add grated cheese and salt and pepper if you like. On high microwave the eggs for 2 minutes. Stir and if the consistency is to your liking, then serve. (if they are still a little runny, microwave for another minute). So yum, for sooooo many reasons.

Oh and FYI, if you don't at least break the egg yolk, your eggs WILL explode in your microwave. Been there, done that.

I'm enjoying some delicious South African chocolates and sweets that came back with my uncle on his trip back home.

My utmost favourite are these delightful little treasures called Gum Chums. They are kinda like M n M's here except they are filled with a bright pink, chewy jelly centre, surrounded by a creamy layer of milk chocolate and a crunchy candy coating.

My bag is nearly finished....saddies :(

I'm finally enjoying my fringe. After a shocking experience at the Snip n Style, or the Style n Snip, whatever, I have now come to terms with my new look. Even if I have to straighten the fringe everyday, it is a fun doo to try.

I have of late been told that I need to lose a few kg's, needless to say I have been walking, thanks to an organisation that sent me a goal chart and some information about the simple, yet effective way of exercising. So here we go people, I'm eating Gum Chums and then walking - a losing situation? Maybe, but at least the Gum Chums won't be lasting too much longer....goodbye my sweet little darlings....

A friend gave me the new Katina's cd sometime last year, and while I'm not a huge fan, some of the songs on this album have crept their way into my heart. They have even written a second verse to the very much loved Eagles Wings, originally by Reuben Morgan. Might do it on Sunday morning. But I love listening to older songs that have been refreshed and brought back to life by just adding a new or forgotten verse.

And lastly but not leastly, fundraising has been FUN draising, if you know what I mean. Last week a bunch of us made waffles as RYM's first fundraiser and made $50! It was very enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to doing more very soon. Anybody got any good fundraising ideas?

Peace out, munchkins.

Give it up for June!

Since this month is nearly over, I thought I'd share some of God's goodness that has happened to us.

We have been under some financial pressure for the last 6 months, buying a home at the beginning of the year tends to help in that department. But a lesson for us all to remember is that God blesses obedience, especially in the area of tithing and giving.

So things have been a little tight lately, with our car having a service, and some of those unsuspecting bills coming in the mail. But this month we decided to tithe none-the-less (what a funny word), and give in a couple of different ways.

God has blessed us in a few sneaky God-like ways.

I have been out with a couple of girl friends and both times they have shouted me coffee and yummies!

We got given a forgotten reimbursement check for nearly $80 from the school that Tim works at.

I have been summoned for jury service - and they pay you for each day you attend!

He's also blessed us in other personal ways not regarding money because He can.

So yes, give it up for June! And give it up for Jesus, be obedient to what He asks you to give, and watch and see what He does.

Ode to Kiwifruit

Right now if I was a ferry - this would be me:

There once was a girl named Neen

Who drove out to Poroti

In a packhouse she stayed

Counting kiwifruit all day

I'm surprsied her sanity she did keep

Kiwifruit round, brown and furry

Made Neen's eyes very itchy and blurry

But on Friday at last

The season did pass

And she's back to live life in a hurry

Neen learnt many things on her journey

Like plixes, OB mites and staff fury

But coffees and cake

More cheery things did make

And she's sure to miss her new mates

Goodbye little haywards so fluffy and brown

I will not miss you nor wear a frown

Instead I will sleep

Hopefully counting sheep

And dreaming no more of getting up at the crack of down (dawn)

PEACE OUT!!!

Nina - over & out

Well my friends, it is with great anticipation that I announce that the Kiwifruit season has begun!


Which means that:

if I don't write a blog for about 8 weeks

if you walk past me and I don't recognize you

if I seem to be drinking copious amounts of coffee

if I laugh at jokes that aren't funny

if I nod my head and say 'yes' or 'no' to a question that doesn't require a yes or no answer

if I stare into space like a zombie

if I bite my fingernails more than usual


IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE ALL I'VE BEEN DOING IS BREATHING, EATING, SLEEPING AND SEEING KIWI FRUIT ALL DAY

EVERY DAY

Unless it rains....

Pray for rain...


So this is Nina - over and out.

I heart...

Here are just a few things I'm loving at the moment...

Having my piano home! This little beauty I bought about 4 years ago for a meazly $400. And while I would have paid to watch the two guys try get it up the driveway, up the stairs and through a rather small sliding door again, I'm just glad it's back within my reach for a tu tu.

Watching my preggie friends grow bigger and bigger! Please note the difference in tummies. It goes like this (from left to right): Due now, due next month, due in two months, and not due at all!!! Women - you are true inspirations!

I love what I call the "Dr Seuss Trees" out the back. They remind me of the illustrations in his books.

Yummy hot banana puddings on a cold night! Real easy to make and healthy too! Cut bananas in half and then slice each half. Fry them in a non-stick pan, coating each side with honey and cinnamon. When brown, remove from heat and serve, with yoghurt and ice-cream. (if you don't have honey, brown sugar will do!)

Missed a spot...

You know you've missed a spot when....

You haven't taken old wallpaper off for a while, so it starts to do the job itself!!

You know you've missed a spot when....

Your sisters bedroom turns into a storage room for everything and she's only been away for a couple of weeks....

You know you've missed a spot when....

You haven't mowed the grass for a while and it starts expanding it's horizons and growing inside!!! (kitchen cupboard to be exact).

You know you've missed a spot when....

You removed the light shade's to paint the ceiling and after 2 months they haven't been returned (poor naked lightbulbs!)

You know you've missed a spot when....

An interesting peice of decor which should remain unseen is left in your living room for the world to see (thanks to one of Tim's 'creative' relatives!)

You know you've missed a spot when....

You began painting an undercoat on the wall and the paint can has now become part of the furniture!

You know you've missed a spot when.....

The previous occupants of the house still have their glow in the dark stars stuck to your bedroom ceiling!

Have you missed a spot lately? Do share.....

I like grapes...

"I like grapes", came from watching the latest version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For those of you who've seen it, this saying was a random one which came out of the mouth of one of the bedridden grannies. It cracks me up everytime!

This post is about a precious rev (revelation) which has touched my life in the last couple of days. I hope it encourages you as you read.




For most of my Christian life I've always read this next peice of scripture with a distorted view:

John 15vs1 onwards

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit...."

I've always read these couple of verses with a certain picture in my head where those branches not bearing fruit are clipped right off of the vine and thrown away. But in reading this portion of scripture again I've found something beautiful about the true heart of God. I hope you get my angle on this.




Where it talks about the branch that does not bear fruit, it says 'He takes away', the other meaning for this phrase is also "He lifts up." So picture this, The Vinedresser is looking at the branches, and those which aren't bearing any fruit He lifts up! There is no mention of Him snipping them off at all, infact He lifts them up maybe to examine them, maybe to move and adjust them on the vine so that they are helped to bear fruit.

Doesn't that just change your perspective about God? It does for me.

When we feel like we aren't bearing fruit in our lives, for example, being influential, using our gifts, changing people's lives etc, God does not remove us from Himself (the Vine), but rather He lifts us up to Himself, He moves us around, adjusts our lives, puts us in a new light or in a different position, so that we can start bearing fruit again.

He is not a God who takes to our lives with clippers to teach us a lesson, but rather one who gently brings us to Himself. He wants the best for us always, and sometimes the best for us is a simple heart change rather than a performance test. He doesn't compare us to others who may seem like they succeed at everything, so why do we?

Let Him lift you up today. Let Him reposition you closer to Himself so that you can be who He has made you to be. And maybe, just maybe He has you in the shade so that you realise it's not always about what you do, but who you are.....in Him.


You are the vine
We are the branches
Keep us abiding in You

I heart...

I've always wanted to reply to PaisleyJade's blogs about what I'm loving at the moment. And now (wa'la!) I have me self a dig camera (you may be sorry). So while I'm still learning how to operate this contraption you will have to put up with my amature pics.

Tommy Tomatoes...

We have recently been given two tomato plants. And I must confess, most plants usually die under my care, but for once I've managed to keep these babies alive (there's hope for my future children!). So I was so excited to see my first red tomato. Untouched by worm hands (don't think too hard about that one), unscathed by the stormy weather, un-dead by Nina the tomato eater!

Until today....

Not quite big enough for a salad, or a toastie, this little guy became a light snack. Nice. We've also just been given an avo plant which apparently will only bare fruit in 6 years time. Poor avo plant. That will be a true test of my horticultureness. Yikes.

My hubby...

Last week he cooked me dinner - pasta. And while he boils the mince (which I think is really weird), it always tastes better than when I make it. I love the hand on the hip!

Our house in the middle of the street, our house!

Yes it's a doer-upper, but we have our own roof over our head. Our own pad. Our digs. Our patch. Thanks Jesus.

Awkwardness

Sometimes I call Auckland, 'Auckwardland' because on a normal occasion, I get completely LOST. Yep you'd think that a map, some big green signs and even an intelligent husband can get you anywhere in the Big Smoke - but not me.


Awkward moments happen all the time in my life. It makes it interesting, embarrassing, funny and annoying - sometimes all at the same time. So here are a few true life awkward moments that I am sharing, for free, because well, if it makes you laugh or warns you to never get yourself in that same situation, then my friend I have made a difference in your life.


Please feel the freedom to share your awkward moments with me.



It's awkward when:

~someone who doesn't know you very well is one of those 'touchy' people and comes up and gives you a hug from behind!

~you're trying to keep a conversation going with a person you don't know, but their answer to everything is 'yep' or 'na'.

~you tell someone whose husband has just past away to 'have a good weekend' (what was I thinking!?)

~you call somebody 'mum' or 'dad' and you look up and it's a stranger

~somebody waves at you and you wave back only to realise they were waving at the person behind you

~you hit puberty, go to a ballet lesson and stink out the whole room because you forgot to put deoderant on

~the joke you tell over and over again is only funny to you

~you pop the zip of your jeans but only realise after you've done a full dance routine infront of 30 kids (true story)

~the love of your life first asks if he can hold your hand and you freak out and say nothing

~you try to remove a beaping smoke alarm in a motel only to set off the main fire alarm in the building, evacuating every occupant at the grand hour of 11pm

~you cradle a baby in your arms which isn't wearing a nappy and it pees all over you

~you mess popcorn down your top and in an attempt to free yourself from the ticklish sensation, you knock a whole box of popcorn over your fiance's crotch

~you sit down at the movies in a hurry and you put your entire hand into someone elses ice cold coke drink

~you get to sing at your school ball but end up lip-sinking to your demo cd

~you're having a burping contest with a group of friends in class and when it's your turn you let out a mighty ripper just as the class goes quiet

~you're writing one of your first stories at school and in your story you mention the fact that your teacher has a fat bum

~you have to do an impromptu performance on stage for drama and all you can think of doing is walking across the stage and pretending that you've just stood in dog poo

~you're just about to do a music performance exam and while eating McDonalds you mess catchup all over your lap

~to be continued.....

When inspiration eludes me...

At the moment I want to blog.........REALLY BADLY.........but as the title says: "inspiration has eluded me..."

So usually I write something like a true story or a funny real life tale. But other random ideas have been popping into my head lately, and while they could be rated as 'blog worthy', I'm not quite sure.

I could write about:

- the two young boys who decided to meet before school, climb on top of the bus stop roof (just accross the road from us) and on the count of 3, PEE all over the roof!

- or a sick elderely friend of mine who ended up in Hospice and all he could eat were my date and white chocolate muffins

- my DIY disasters in which even a brand new paint tray manages to have a hole in the bottom!

- my next hospital visit coming up should be interesting, hopefully I won't pull the finger at the person who accompanies me

- soon I will begin another season working with kiwifruit, needless to say the last time I did this all I dreamt about was kiwifruit - I don't eat kiwifruit anymore

- or after speaking to a really negative person the other day, I found myself complaining and whining about everything - almost like this person carries an anointing in whining or something!

- the love life of Kate, maybe not

- my need to have a kitten or a baby, okay so they don't really go in the same box as eachother

- I find myself watching Deal or No Deal religiously

Yes so there we are folks. What should I write about?

Broken wings...

Well after a holiday full of surprises - one being buying and moving into our own home (yay!), my big little sister is lying in bed with two broken wrists.

She said that this year she was going to take hold of every opportunity that came her way. So naturally jumping off a 15 metre high waterfall was one of them, and seeing that all her friends had been jumping gracefully into the water without any hitches, she gave it a try. Unfortunately after free falling for what seemed liked ages, she fell into the water at a wrong angle and broke both her wrists as well as bruised the back of her legs and rear rather badly.

So thank You Jesus that her neck and back are all okay. That she's alive and has a family and loads of friends around her that love her to smithereeeeeeens!

Watching Kate with both wrists in heavy white casts (lovingly scribbled on in multicoloured vivids by two adorable kids - thanks Ella and Jo) unable to do what we do on a daily basis with ease like feed ourselves, take a shower, brush our teeth and go to the loo etc has been hard to watch.

Of course it got me thinking on a more spiritual level (as most of my blogs end up going that way). It made me think about the Body. That is the Body of Christ. What happens when one part of the body doesn't work properly or is injured? The rest of the body suffers to some degree doesn't it?

For an example, two broken wrists results in not being able to do the basic things for yourself very well. So true for the Body of Christ.

Thank goodness that we were never meant to do things independant of God - because we can't. And even though the Body may seem strong at times, we need God then yet even more when we are strong.

In our weakness - He is strong. But when we are strong sometimes we allow pride to guide us - and then we fall.

So this year seems like it's going to be one where we trust.

Trust God in our weakness.

Trust God in our strength.

Trust God to lift us up when we fall.

And as we trust God, we allow Him to mend and heal our brokeness. Just as I watch Kate's broken 'wings' be restored to full strength and mobility, so I will see the hand of God in our relationships, in our teams, in our church, in our lives.

Rise up church with broken wings...