4my11kids.com

Tidying up and recommitting to the blog

Its taken me some time to get back into the swing of things, I wasnt quite sure whether that moment would come again but like ive always known, my true calling is to write and so here I am!!

So much has happened in the past few weeks that I have alot to go through but I think first and foremost, I QUIT MY JOB!!

Yes, I took the leap, made a decision and here I am, tinkering away on my keyboard, doing the thing I love to do most … write.

I thought that once the day came that there would be some sort of revelation, but the day after my last day at work things seemed unchanged and I could even say that there is still a faint feeling of that today.

Ive got so much planned for the coming weeks that ive spent the past few weeks getting it all into perspective.

The kids have been great and its been a blessing to spend these past weeks with them. Its been a huge transition for me and I know that its been a welcome one for all the kids!!

Ive done a few things I never really took the time to do when I was working. Initially Ieremia and I started taking long walks with our 2 youngest to the library but as the weeks have passed we’re finding those days are also obsolete, to Ieremia’s disappointment and im sure our little ones too.

There have been so many plans that I had made before I finished work that have become more challenging then I had expected, but hey, im still working towards each and every one of them. I guess the hardest has been moving the flab ;P

Now that I have alot more quality time to myself and my family without the demands of work, I decided, hey, lets get physical and work off some of this excess weight. Infact, we had given ourselves a 12 week timeframe of going from flab to fab but its somewhat gone by the wayside. Ive got it under control though, we have some obligations to meet in terms of our getting fit and healthy, besides those to our children and so we’re getting back on track!! Watch this space. Hmmmm, I think thats in a previous post.

I also published some drafted posts that I have had for quite some time now, original entries to our very first blog. After taking a peek I realised that because our pics were being hosted elsewhere at the time that they are now missing … a little technical glitch that I will attend to in the coming days.

The kids are starting to file in one by one on their way to bed so I need to do whats best and leave this till a later time.

Discover Our Weekend Family Life Facts

Yay for the weekend!!

Well the weekend is almost over but still I had a great weekend, as usual.

We’ve just finished having our Sunday dinner, compliments of the Chef, Ieremia. It was Lasagna, yummy as usual, from scratch, homemade fries, topped off with a modified/self created recipe for Butter Scotch Self-Saucing pudding, with lashings of cream. Hot and filling meal, which is great and needed for these colder nights.

We’ve had to cancel our weekly Family Meeting since our eldest son has gone to see his Best Friend Sagato’s, new born baby girl, born this morning, on Sagato’s 20th birthday, now that is extremely precious. A big congratulations to Jo and Sagato.

Today was a fairly lazy day. Getting some of my usual extra luxurious winks of sleep. Actually, in all my time as a Mother, and my mum can tell you differently, but it hasn’t been overly difficult to catch some extra z’s, it’s definitely a talent, but I can’t complain about too many sleepless nights, and I’m pretty sure Ieremia is of the same opinion.

Apart from the leisurely sleep in, our house was abuzz with teens rushing off to work, and of course all the pitter patter of little feet, which slowly rose to what seemed to be a herd of elephants!

Breakfast had already been done and dusted, and as always, before too long it was lunch time. Our Master 12, HoRoymana, is a dapper hand at Flap Jacks. His recipe could easily rival that of McDonald’s, I might add, and at a portion of the cost. HoRoymana has also become quite adept at the frying of the Flap Jacks too, but it’s Ieremia that usually completes the task or at least keeps a watchful eye over HoRoymana’s progress. Our family usually enjoys Flap Jacks at some time during the weekend, with either generous helpings of Golden Syrup or Maple Syrup, it’s a real treat.

What else?

Saturday, yes our Saturday’s usually involve watching one of our sons playing Rugby.

This weekend we watched Leoititi, our 2nd eldest son, and quite the contrast to his older brother, in both size and Rugby position. Whereas Isiah is a quiet work horse, Leo is a flamboyant circus pony in comparison. I’m not quite sure that the wording does either of my son’s justice, but Leo is definitely more elegant on the field than his brother, quite possibly because Leo is a back and Isiah is a forward.

I have some very strong opinions when it comes to the game of Rugby, of which I’m bound to share before the end of the season arrives(and maybe even long after it’s finished). Namely around the management of injuries during the game and reserve players.

But more about my rugby expertise on this at another time.

The Rugby didn’t stop at Leo’s game. Incidentally they won and retained the cup from their Traditional Match, but Ieremia and I tottered off to the All Black’s game. We didn’t go to watch, but to be part of our younger children’s school fundraising event.

Thankfully to my work, I was able to do this as part of my volunteer leave, in lieu, for the bank, and we did have some fun, although, with the wind chill factor at the Cake Tin, I occasionally felt that I was waiting for icicles to start forming on my nose!!

The School runs a Mobile Bar that sells Beer, Wine, American Hotdogs, Bottles of Water and Pies. A little bit of a slow start to the night, due to a few technical difficulties with one of the cash tills, but after some good ole kiwi ingenuity, the dollars were flowing in, and the bottles of alcohol, pies, and hotdogs were flowing out to the stands. All in all, a good night with great parents, pulling together for an even better cause, our children.

In short, that was the weekend that was, for our household. I’ve stopped here in case this single post turns into a Novel, but rest assured, if you ever have any questions … please feel free to ask.

Another Beautiful Day in Paradise

Ieremia and I have just returned from our bike ride.

We both were test driving the new ENFORCER!! That was our purchase from last weekend, a bargain if I may say and I consider a bargain anything that saves over $30. And im sure we saved much more than that. Its a steal!!

HoRoymana and Kaneihana are spending the weekend with their Dad and so our house is a little less crowded this weekend, but still its full and I love the consistent noise. Im definitely going to suffer terribly with empty nest syndrome but I dont think that will be for at least another 20 years and by that stage I will be pushing them out of the house!!

Our family had a little bit of excitement this week and featured on a Pacific Island focused programme, Tagata Pasifika. I love the way different people produce snippets of our family differently.

I was taken aback so badly that ive decided to start a 12 week exercise and weight loss plan to start putting into place some healthier long term lifestyle changes.

The starting date is another story! LOL

WATCH THIS SPACE!!

Ive hardly seen my eldest daughter Sharquille this week, shes been so busy at work. It seems that shes finally realised that she can earn more money if she works more hours and so shes been working those lonnnnng hours. If it makes her happy I fully support it, however, I think I may need to have the conversation with her about working smarter and not harder. That way she wont have to be away from home for such long hours.

I was going to wait until I had some video footage to report my son Fanatanu Ieremias stellar performance in his school production. I’ll still put up footage once its available but it bought tears to my eyes to watch my son both perform and sing. Absolutely precious and a very proud moment for me as his Mother. He has a beautiful voice, no doubt inherited from his Father and he has some great acting skills, no doubt inherited from his dramatic Father, oops, I think that should have said from his theatrically talented Mother. I’ll keep you posted so that I can share some of my moments, so watch this space.

The weekend has only just begun so no doubt I will be back to report more of the happenings in Paradise, our Paradise, both at home as a family and in beautiful New Zealand, Aotearoa.

40 is the new 30 or so they say

Last week marked my 40th birthday and it was celebrated in grand fashion.  Grand in the sense that I celebrated with those closest to me, my family and children.

My younger brother Tuna and sister-in-law Natalie, arranged the trimmings, food and kids items and Wellington turned on a great day to sit in Tuna and Nats backyard relishing my time with my children and family.

40 … wow, its been that long, I think i’m at like the half way point for my life and from here its supposed to get better *ahem* just clearing my throat because I think that was supposed to read … goes down hill *giggles*

Roseannes 30th birthday, 5 September, 1999 - Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

I actually didnt expect a celebration at all, ive not had the major so-called milestones in my life celebrated socially since I was maybe 13 and so 40 was going to be just another year in the life of … Roseanne.

But im extremely happy that I did mark the event because had I not, I wouldnt have had the opportunity to shed the tears I did while my children sung me their prepared tunes, Miley Cyrus’s Butterfly and Prince Tui Teka’s Mum.  I was so proud of my babies, each and every one of them!! The moments that touch ones heart, that was one of my moments right there.

I had a special day from the moment I opened my eyes and it continued through the rest of the day.

Another kodak moment missed, but at least I have the memories … here’s Miley’s version …. my kids sung it better but ummm, im allowed to be biased, im their Mother!

Fast Tube by Casper

It was a precious day to spend with my Mum and Dad as well. As I age I know that there wont be too many more birthdays with my parents, but i’ll treasure the ones that they are present.

Ive had a full life thus far, done alot of things that people only dream of doing and never quite get the opportunity or the gumption to do them. Me, I take risks, and love the risks I take, because without them I would not have alot of what I have in my life, including the love of my life – Ieremia. I kick him out at least once a month, so often infact that he has his own address at the curb, but hey, gotta get the blood pumping somehow!

This is one patient man ... the love of my life has his own address at the curb

Im content with my life, adore my children and am extremely happy with the family that I have. Without my family I wouldnt have had the laughs on my 40th, I wouldnt have received my very first money Lei from my Mum, nor shared the memories with my brothers and sister-in-laws.   I had a few well-wishers on my Facebook and a touching telephone call from my cousin Tillie in Dunedin which definitely started the tears welling again.

And although the following day was Father’s Day and my family and I all stayed away from the family celebrations, due to a few of us having the runs, from a bug that had been circulating for a few days, my stunning niece Jaleesa and her honey Sana,  still ventured into our sick zone to give me my favourite chockies and flowers.  I got a few bunches of flowers on the big B-day, I love fresh flowers!

But as always, with me its never a pressie thing, its all about the love … and I felt it immensely from those closest to me.

I have a great life and so much to be grateful for.

Tuna & Nat - gotta love ya!!

Roll on the next 40 years … im ready and waiting!!

Ive gotta give a special heartfelt thanks to my baby brother and his wife … Tuna and Nat … thanks for making my 40th that much more special!

So i’ll end this with the song that just bought me to tears … my children are so very precious to me and without them I would not be the Mum or the person that I am today.

Fast Tube by Casper

Our weekend delights

Okay, so not every weekend is a delight in our household but at least one of the 2 days usually is and Saturday rated not too bad.

It begun with a deep and meaningful to our eldest son Isiah and ended with purchasing another bike for Ieremia.

Ieremias new bike

Inbetween we had Sharquille (16 year old) running late for work, Danii (6 year old) attending a birthday party, Leo (17 year old) begging for a reprieve on his self-inflicted grounding and it was all topped off with me eating my way through a block of Almond Gold and Vanilla ice cream.

Late for work again

Yes the weekend sure is a delight … on that note of Chocolate and Ice cream … how can I not be having a great weekend *giggles*

I think the highlight for yesterday though had to be Danii attending her friend Sarah’s birthday. We had RSVP’d the day the invitation arrived home in Danii’s hot little hand as she was so insistent and wouldnt keep bugging us until we rang Sarah’s Mum. But as per usual Ieremia and I usually leave things till the last minute, especially with birthday parties. Danii has received the most invitations this year but on some occassions hasnt attended, usually due to illness or not wanting to attend. We cant force her to attend a birthday party, that would be futile!

Anyway, I started Saturday morning with a heated discussion with our eldest son about his ways or lack of them in terms of finding a new job and making committments that involved money, when he obviously has none. And his plans for Saturday night were to attend a school ball as the partner for his ex-girfriend Fale. Penniless but still working towards the goal. I guess he gets points for perseverance … hmmm.

The job market is quite flat right now and it has been hard Isiah finding a new position although he applies for many daily and hands out CVs on a regular basis. I guess his inexperience in the job market possibly accounts for a small portion of why he hasnt found another job. I have molly coddled my eldest son, i’m in no denial there, and I guess there will be another post as to why ive persisted in that line of parenting with my eldest.

Fale & Isiah at the St Mary's ball 12/09/2009

Danii kept coming in and out of the room trying to make herself noticed as a bit of a reminder to “hurry up Mum, the party!!” So finally we packed up a few of our littlies, jumped in the car and went hunting for a gift. I guess we left home at around 11.30am and didnt come back home till after we dropped Danii off at the party! Thanks to some quick Mum thinking, once I realised we didnt have enough time to get back home and to the party on time, we tossed together an outfit at the Warehouse, had Danii hand-pick her choice of present for Sarah, filled out the card with the Security Mans pen and dashed off to the party! Danii kept with the weekend theme and looked a delight in a candy striped dress, black tights, two-tone pink socks with black lace tights and shiny black Mary-Jane shoes to boot. I really do need to buy a new camera because the amount of Kodak moments I am missing *sighs* She shrieked with excitement and glee as her Father took her into the party.

We returned home for ice-cream, chocolate and lunch with the kids and before we knew it it was time to pick up Danii again. So off her Father drove and picked her up. The next thing I knew she was at home with an enormous bag of lollies and she was absolutely thrilled with her time at the birthday party. Sarah’s parent’s (Karen & Paul) had given Danii an extra bag of lollies to take home due to the fact she has so many siblings … a very generous gesture. But the kids lapped up the treats!!

We spent the rest of the evening making a new dish for dinner, a type of pasta pie, we had watched Giada De Laurentiis (Food Network, Everday Italian) earlier that afternoon and she inspired our pasta dish for the evening. It was delicious, topped with parmesan, filled with cheese, peeled tomatoes and mince, complimented with spiral pasta … yummy!!

And so we come to the end of the evening. All the children tucked up in bed and only the pitter patter of Troys feet, Sharquille and I watched A Haunting while Ieremia patiently waited for his auction to finish at 11.53pm for his much wanted new bike! He almost missed it initially but from some gentle prompting by both Sharquille and I, luckily he placed the winning bid just before Midnight!

And so Saturday came to a close, Isiah at yet another school ball, partnering his ex-girlfriend, Leo having fenagled his way out of almost completed grounding at a friends place, HoRoymana, Kaneihana, Tanu, Sivai, Danii, Miah, Tiana all tucked up in bed and Sharquille leaving to sleep with Troy after having scared herself watching A Haunting.

Maybe this is how Leo bribed his way out of a grounding

The Saturday that was in the TuiFui / FuiTui household.

The Week That Was …

I haven’t had alot of quality computer time this week. But I sure have had an extremely busy week.

The family has been full on and as the work week winds down, I haven’t been to work this week so I still feel somewhat in holiday mode.

It seems like we have had the last of the school balls for a while with Leo and Toni attending the St Patrick’s Ball Saturday gone. They arrived home in the wee hours of the morning to attend the After Ball party. Toni was stunning in her ball gown, extremely revealing but nonetheless still very tasteful and flattering to her figure. My boy, what can I say, he will always be my boy, even though he is now a young man. Absolutely dapper and dashing. Tall, debonair and handsome, that’s my Leo.

Leo & Toni - School Ball

Last Sunday started a busy week with a trip to my home town of Dunedin for my Aunties funeral. What a great life she had and how appropriately it was celebrated. I owe my Auntie alot for where my life has ended up. If it weren’t for her I would not be in Wellington at all and maybe still possibly living small town Dunedin life!!

The Ferry ride with our 2 youngest did prove trying at times but thankfully for the make do playground on board, it amused for the few moments that we required sanity.

Thank goodness the Ferry had a kids play area

As for the trip down from Picton to Dunedin, it was a breeze, not what I expected but I thoroughly enjoyed driving Ieremia and our 2 babies down to the home town territory.

We had the fortune of staying in a great holiday home and it was the first time in our lives that my brothers, sister and I were back in our old haunt with our partners and some of our children.

Enjoyed the stay with my brothers, sister, in-laws, nieces and nephews

What a trek down memory lane the couple of days we were in Dunedin was. I met so many people that I had not seen for over 20 years. I have to admit, apart from the extra wrinkles or grey hair, most had just expanded, as I have, in waist size *giggles*

The trip back, note to self, remember that if driving from Dunners to take the Riccarton sign and not the Christchurch one when approaching or … we may miss our flight!!

Luckily this time round we didn’t, we had a great trip. In-fact it was such a fast trip from Christchurch to Wellington that I was pleasantly surprised. Just enough time for the kids to start getting ratty and then … we landed … off to wide open running spaces for our toddlers.

While we were away Hoani watched the kids, he thoroughly enjoyed it and I know the kids enjoyed the quality time with Hoani too.  Thankfully Hoani didnt lose any hair or too much sleep watching the remaining 9 kids!!

Leo was part of the annual Poly Festival and performed as part of the St Patrick’s College Town repertoire. I hear that the performance was a stellar effort and considered one of the best for the night. Of course id have to be biased and agree with the comments we have heard thus far purely because Leo was part of the performance. Its a Mother’s prerogative So i’m waiting for the first posts on YouTube to appear so that I may take my own glimpse of a great night had by all.

The rest of the week was spent with sniffles, body aches and high temperatures, infact as my little fingers tap away Ieremia and Troy are still feeling the effects of flu. Just as I thought today would be my return to work day the dreaded flu or a semblance of it hits Ieremia and Troy. I think its fast on the heels of Tiana too. But I’m pretty sure that all will be well by the beginning of the new week if my bout has any bearing on them getting well. A good 3 days rest, lots of fluids and a hearty meal should do the trick!

The tweens have just returned from a night of fun and games with the Sallies (Salvation Army). Every Friday night its their time to get their tweener groove on and enjoy the company of their peers. Fanatanu Ieremia, HoRoymana and Kaneihana were bound to have torn up the place with the energy they exude. Kaneihana is even extending her evening event with a sleepover at a friends tonight.

Otherwise … I’ll be back … more frequently, more often, to give you the ups and downs of our household.

Yay for the weekend!

The evening is upon us and the pitter patter of little feet has slowly drawn to more of a dragging of little feet.

Our younger kids are getting prepared for bed and Ieremia and I will get the chance for some quiet moments of our own.

We spent the largest part of our day at doing what the kids love best, running around in big open spaces while Ieremia and I watched our 2nd eldest son Leo play his quarter final Rugby game.

The kids are happiest when playing

Leo had an awesome game today. His team may have lost their quarter final but I think today was one of the better games that i’ve watched Leo play this season.

It was a bit of a local rally, quite a bit of a crowd too, but unfortunately there can only be one winner and the opposition team had some better opportunities for points today. Only 1 point in it, but that 1 point made it a win for the other team.

Fast Tube by Casper

As usual I wondered why so many young men sit on the sideline waiting for a game. After all these years I dont understand the concept of fresh reserves that are never used. If you’ve got the time, please by all means, explain that to me.

I mean I would think that if someone got injured that would be time for a reserve to warm up and take the field. For some reason this isnt the norm and the reserve usually just waits for the injured player to get up and running again. Makes no sense to me. Why not pull off the injured player until he finds his bearings again? It sure is frustrating to watch. Especially when the injured player runs aimlessley around the field, almost as if they’re dazed. I’d think that would be an indication that a reserve is needed. Oh well, explantion please …

Many years ago, Leo's played Rugby or League since he was 4

I love the weekends … it gives me the time to rejuvenate from the week, infact im sure thats how the weekend serves most people.

Inbetween trying to write this blog, my life still goes on, I can hear the banging of someone that seems to be stuck in the bathroom, the chitter chatter of the tweens, while Ieremia and I dispute amongst other things pocket money and board.

We are extremely normal on a large scale!

Yes, the joys of living in a household of 13, it definitely has its highs and lows. We’re like most families I guess apart from the fact that there are just more of us.

So, let the weekend continue to roll on.