Living with the Kiwis: 2011-06-26

First of all, thank you for all the fabulous birthday wishes, cards, celebrations and whatever else you may have given me! I had a great, well, full week, really!

It all started with a surprise party Jacques worked very hard to plan for me Friday 17th of June. It was supposed to be Saturday, apparently, but I had to babysit, so it was semi-last minute switch. I thought we were getting some dinner and watching a movie, when we walked into his house it was filled with people! Very scary actually! And I was quite underdressed for the occasion. Basically in pajamas and most people had actually mad an effort at dressing up! Rachel and Josie did a great job on the decorations, including a homemade sign done on a fitted sheet from Rachel's house! Birthday week was off to a great start!

On Tuesday, the family had a dinner for me and cake. The kids were just far too excited about the whole thing! We played pass the parcel and musical cushions and musical statues and they had a treasure hunt, more because they wanted the candy and chocolate to eat! The best part was when they had lit the candles and were about halfway through singing, Julia walked under the heater (which blows from high up on the wall) and it blew out all the candles on the cake and the room went pitch black! She was like, oh no! oops! Went back, lit them again, and started singing from the beginning again, AFTER turning off the heater of course!

Wednesday night no one turned up for swimming, so I had a nice little pre-bday night off from teaching. Thursday was a very busy day! Swimming from 9-1 Then home to shower and eat and then straight to yoga so I could make it back in time for my bday dinner up in Albany at 7pm. Unfortunately, the train coming back from yoga was late so I missed the 5:10 ferry to Bayswater so hopped on the 5:15 Devonport one and rang Julia to see if she could pick me up from there. Luckily it all worked out and I just barely made it up to Jacques' for 6:45 and we made it to dinner by 7. I had a really nice, delicious dinner!

Friday, we left for Ohakune down south near Mt. Ruapehu where we spent the weekend for Mardi Gras (opening of the ski season). Although the mountain didn't open until later on in the week due to lack of snow, the concert was still lots of fun, but VERY muddy! Still dreading cleaning my boots! There were 15 of us staying in a house meant for 10 people and we all dressed in ninja costumes for the Saturday night, since it was a fancy dress event. Sunday, we took a drive up the mountain because I wanted to see some snow. We had a pleasant surprise that it was closed at the 13k marker due to snow!!! It snowed pretty much all weekend and the beginning of the this week so ski season can officially begin! :) It was quite strange seeing snow only 3 days after my birthday, after having never missed a summer birthday...I am very confused that it's almost July and I'll be snow-skiing!!