Good morning

Well, it is 5.17am and I have decided to get up. It seems to be that I'm one of these people that get pregnancy insomnia at times, so it is better for me to get up than toss and turn in bed and wake Wouter as well. I'll grab a nap this afternoon which will keep me going... but on the bright side, dinner will be made and there is a chocolate cake in the oven and the lounge is going to be nice and warm. I'm def not usually a night owl but sometimes it feels like it when I am wide awake in the wee hours. Must learn my Dutch more so I can ring Holland at wonky hours :)

The past week has been relatively peaceful. Sarah, mum and dad's Labrador dog came to our place on Saturday. She is due to have puppies really soon, so that is pretty exciting. The cat doesn't like her, but they stare at each other from the window and veranda.

On Monday we had a visit to the hospital with the antenatal class, that was interesting - smaller than I expected, but nice and clean with modern equipment from what we could see.

Wouter has been busy with fencing, they haven't started lambing yet, although some of the triplets have been born this week, a little early I think?? The main lambs are not expected for another month yet.

The school has found a replacement for me for a year, which is pretty neat, it's actually my uncle, so that will be a bit different working with him for a couple of weeks at the end of the term. We are also working towards the Open Evening at school which is a big music performance. It is much work for the music teacher, and we will have lots of rehearsals in the next couple of weeks. Pretty much the entire school has some part in it. I'm the backstage person again this year, so get to stay in the staff room and herd the kids off and on the stage.

Um ... what else ... our minister is going to Holland next week, and I think he is hoping to visit Ma ... I am having lots of fun knitting bootees because I can finish them in a week, so making some for friends at the moment. Oma has knitted me a few pairs as well, so i don't really need that bigger a stock pile. We are starting to think about ordering a buggy and all that stuff - although did get a baby bath to borrow from Karin yesterday. I think the only big stuff we need to really get is the buggy and bassinet mattress.

Well, it is now 5.30, so I think i will go and find myself some breakfast before watching the early news.
Love and blessings.
Anneke, Wouter (who is still in dream land) and bubs (who has been nicely moving about while I was typing.)

Slideshows

Hello everyone
Time is just zooming along ... only ten more weeks until bubba is expected to arrive, although babies always have their own ideas about when they should come. I have another five weeks at work. It is both exciting and also scary to think about finishing up. I am hoping to get all my filing in order by then ... or at least be able to explain to who ever takes over my job how my brain has filed everything ... I'm not an alphabetical type person.

Today we have two slideshows for you. The first is the left over pictures from the second - if that makes sense. Wouter has been high up in the hills next to the Taurarua's fencing this week, and the sun was out just long enough for him to take some photos. IN the distance you can see Masterton and the rest of the valley area. There are a few of him fencing (b/c that's alot of what his job is at the moment). My man makes the straightest fences within a country mile!! I think it is because he likes having everything perfect, which is a good thing when it comes to fences. Our boss was away for a week fishing, so we received a beautiful trout to eat when he got back. Wouter cooked it for me because I wasn't sure how to do it and very tired after a long day. I thought he did such a great job we should share it with you all. It tasted VERY yummy.

If it isn't big enough for you to see clearly, email us and I'll email you a direct link to the photobucket site, rather than this.

Sewing Day

Well, I ended up doing some sewing on Saturday afternoon, and Wouter helped with all the good ideas and measuring. A couple of pictures of the final product. We were going to do a net around the bottom, but have decided against it now, the material is so thin and horrid to sew, and it looks kinda nice the way it is.





Oh, and one of my fat tummy - don't laugh too much:

Life of a Shepherd

This week is Wouter's time to shine ... last week Saturday he took the camera with him out and took some shots of the dogs moving the sheep, the dogs themselves and one of the cows in the mud for good measure. The biggest dog is Black, our huntaway, the black and white heading dog is called Tess, and the youngest of our brood is Missy who is quite the star when it comes to working. She has an amazing connection with Wouter and works her little heart out.



I haven't quite figured out how to slow the images down yet, so you may need to watch it a few times to get the idea.

Today has been rainy and gray, so I did up the bassinet, didn't quite work how I wanted, but I'm reasonably happy with it ... will post photos probably later in the week as it is dark now, so they won't turn out. Cleaned up most of the room, putting the things in the drawers into boxes under the bed so I have somewhere to put the baby's clothes. Bubs seems to be doing well, nicely kicking quite regularly still and getting a sugar rush when I don't feel him/her for a bit so that he/she moves and I don't freak :) Have another 7 weeks of work, and time seems to be nicely moving along. This week my class and I will be going to Wellington to visit TePapa and Parliament. Then in a couple of weeks we have an international lunch day planned, so it's all go.