We're famous

Saturday night we went and walked in the local Relay for Life raising money for Cancer Research and the Cancer society. Lucky us got our photo taken and then actually PRINTED on Monday morning in the Manawatu Standard - needless to say the page 2 fame has meant many many phonecalls and texts just to say "hey I saw your photo", as if they didn't know what we already looked like! We might need to buythe original from the paper though for the kids' sake though... I think they were short on "family" shots!

We did the 5-6pm slot in the 24 hours for our St Luke's team and then Lee went back and walked another hour and a half 8.30-10pm... He at least remembered to take the ipod and use it! He was quite stiff and sore the next morning at church!

Just a quick update on what everyone is doing seeing as we are well behind on the blogging!

Imogen:

About to turn ONE in a couple of weeks. Still doing the rounds of other birthday parties for the local kids (another one this weekend for her friend Ryan, turning 2, from playgroup... they are nice friends these days).

Imogen is walking these days quite confidently.

She also crawls, climbs (found her up the top of the slippery dip the other day and can get onto the coffee table!), body slams (a favourite past time when Daddy is home and lying on the floor, not very relaxing for Daddy, very fun for Gin and Owen) and can yell quite well too. She can go up and down stairs, although the down a flight bit scares the hek out of Mummy still!

She loves to colour in with crayons and is quite coordinated compared ot what I remember of Owen. She likes making dots and lines and scribbles and just getting them all out of the packet really and putting them all back in again!

She also loves outside, the sand pit in particular, ad she has SLOWED down a little onthe eating sand front which is nice. Her other favourite thing is to ride her bikes or paint with the paint brushes and water on the cement.

We often find her sitting down reading a book or making music in the lounge with the piano, shakers and clap sticks. She loves Twinkle Toes, the music program we go to every week and LOVES Carols house still: Jazz is her favourite. I think she wishes we had a cat or dog to chase and pat at home (but mostly to chase!)

Owen:

Nearly 3 already, getting VERY ready for kindy as his social skills increase and he enjoys FRIENDS a lot more these days. We might get him into preschool before July just to kep him stimulated seeing as he has decided he doesn't need a day sleep most days these days.

He still loves to do MAKING, play doughs, riding his bikes (getting there slowly with the peddeling Granny and Papa), swings, JUMPING (a new skill in his reportoir) and hopping.

He has learnt to sing Twinkle Twinkle little star and often does a heavy metal thrasher version that we only understand because it is the only thing he will currently sing! His vocabulary and talking are going very well these days and when he isn't too tired and concentrating he is quite easy to understand, and makes full sentences. Unfortunately he still needs to be reminded to use his manners and is constantly pushing, kicking, and generally being mean to Imogen... maybe a sibling thing...

Me:

Well, still busy doing the Mum thing with varying levels of satisfaction and sucess. Between taking the kids to stuff on weekdays and trying to do some craft things (fashioning things out of recycled jeans is the current project, along with the Christmas quilt), Stitch and Bitch fortnightly Wednesdays at our place, cell group with the yout hgirls fortnightly Tuesdays, helping out at youth group most Fridays and trying to protect the family days Sat and Monday for trips to the pool and library etc its a full on lifestyle. We are still praying for all the hard things to go away so that ministry would be easier, but I think thats not hte way God does his business...

Lee:

Got us organising the National Youth Camp so that adds a little bit of an interesting aside to his normal current work. He is also trying to prep for Easter and numerous other things on top of the norm. He is preparing a young person or two for first communion and takes the youth services regularly (once a month or so) where he is largely heckelled and responds well! We had a full house Sunday night at Fielding and a new family in attendance with the opportunity to provide some practical help to them as well which is nice. We are always hoping for growth and trying to stay optimistic but it is difficult in the climate of dying churches, and with attitudes resistant to change in the Lutheran Church!

Well, thats all for now - hope the update finds you well!