Hairdo's,exams,photos

Samuel in his new work uniform and new hairdo below photo was the before look of old hair.

What a mad dash in the last few weeks Samuel has passed NCEA level 1 with a Merit endorsement already with just his internal exams he is only 30 marks away from AN EXCELLENCE endorsement so should get there comfortably his teachers say!! ?yay all the relief of that and the stress is off him he is wrapt I am thrilled to bits..... now he has external exams coming and has a great study schedule going..

2 weeks ago he got a HUGE pay rise and lost his job all in one day $100 for 4 hours work but at the end of his shift they don't need him anymore ( it was 1 month off  2 years working for them), they have employed new fulltime staff and are using the saturday hours to bloster the new employees hours no drama, Samuel finished closed door walked over to COFFEE house had a 30 min interview started work last Tuesday after school training and Friday after school last week worked Labour weekend and is now working weekends school holidays and public holidays!

He got a new hairdo and colour OH the life of teenagers what a blast wish my parents had been cruisy like I am then I wouldn't have been such a madam! some before and after shots eyes closed is the before shot.

He loves his new job and the bosses there knew him from the sushi shop and said he picked stuff up so fast they were super impressed, said it's easier if the have a little knowledge and not too many bad habits.

I have been working extra for the last month my boss had major knee surgery and I have picked up an extra 10 hours a week work I KNOW come xmas I will have earned my 10-12 days off IF I GET any holidays!

Ciao Blondie

I'm such a useless mother!

I forgot to blog my babys 16th BIRTHDAY on Sunday, but when you read what we have been doing you will understand SIT down and get comfortable this is going to be a long haul post!!!
June 2012 all things going swimmingly then HELLO wheels fall off and where we were staying was untenable ( a prodigal son returned  AN UNWELL prodigal son!), me and Samuel were desperately looking for new digs and IT HAD to be like within 48 hours we ended up bunking down in a friends rumpus room for 3 weeks until we found somewhere it isn't ideal but it will do it is close to town and school.

July is exam getting ready month and Samuel like all first time NCEA examers was studying hard out like they do WHAT I HEAR you say some students ok a few students keep on top of things Samuel is one of those. He has as of today 74 credits internally already you only need 80 to pass so he is well and truly sorted before external exams and is relieved most of the pressure is off. HE has applied himself really well, and has been to Mon/Tues/Wed/ after school turtorial and Thurs lunchtime... for the last 2 months+.

That's inbetween Kapa Haka, Karate and fundraising, although some of those have been buttoned back a bit to concentrate on studies.

So we packed and moved twice in 3 weeks had to find A household of furniture and start from scratch NOT an easy task when you need everything!!!!!! And it has taken this long to get things I have been garage saleing to find things and some bigger items were gifted to me a small fridge, a secondhand washing machine, i even needed cutlery, bedding, towels etc etc etc.

Samuel had Karate nationals the week before internal exams he got two 2nd places, and MOST improved and BEST technique trophies from Takahashi (Sensei from Japan), it was a Thrus/Fri/Sat/Sun then the Monday that's when the exams started! Samuel ate twice as much that week went to school every morning with a FULL cooked breakfast to tide him through.

Kapa haka has had most weeks one or two Powhiri and fundraising Hangi, the group is doing all our towns Powhiri for Citizenship awards, last week they had on the Monday, am Powhiri citizen ceremony 11am Primary school Powhiri yr 7/8 welcoming, 2pm Powhiri, Taupo Youth awards Powhiri 7pm!!!! then WED Hangi to prepare 300, Thurs Tuwharetoa Festival performance, Thurs 200 Hangi prepare for Friday festival lunchgoers!! This week the group are performing at the School Sports awards opening the awards ceremony and we have only one other Powhiri I CAN'T wait for the holidays.

We are in fundraise mode, the downside is I can't go this time as the cost is $4000 per person so that's too much for me and Samuel to go I don't have the earning capacity to fund that much (thats with fundraising taken off it's about $6000pp) or a partner to contribute, BUT I do my bit for the entire group and the kids it is all about them at the end of the day they are the ones performing at the cultural festival week long then 7 days holiday plus 2 days travelling. I am however looking for more work or more hours to maybe get myself A MUCH earned break I am tired, well over tired, and even if Samuel goes I can rest here without him JUST won't be as warm!! I just don't think I will make the 12 months until I get a break.

Why you ask? My silly boss went skiing and 3 weeks ago tore 3 of the 4 knee ligaments, he needs major surgery BUT they won't operate until swelling goes down and A RESONABLE movement level returns, I inbetween all this have been Driving Miss Daisy!! mail errands, chauffering etc, when he has the operation I will more than likely have extra hours there  14 week recovery then physio then rehab etc then after 6 months MAYBE it will be right, BUT until then no biking driving skiing trailbiking tennis sports and he did all those things!

I am thoroughly looking forward to school holidays.... lie in a little even.

I do hope everyone has been keeping warm and sane!

Ciao
Blondie

The show was fantastic.......

The production was fantastic opening night amazing MY SON stole the show he pranced and danced as a specialist dancer flinging arms legs and SMILEs a mile wide, his portrayal as the EDITORS wife classic, his part as the 2nd leads mother priceless, his walk on PIMP PART was memorable BUT as the EDITORS WIFE he was delightful, a group of people around me said who was that boy and how well he danced an dlit up the stage I was sooooooooo proud, he never has showed an interest in drama or performance BUT after last nights show he rocked it...... First picture Mrs Luce, 2nd picture he is the male partner of girl in yellow skirt, last picture he is far right in green sequins as one of the PLANT evil helpers!!!

Well its nearly winter!!!

THE RAIN gosh have we had rain phew, we needed it but not that much!!!
Samuel auditioned for school production and got 4 parts A specialist dancer, The Dentists mother, Miss Luce the flirtatious editors wife, and a pimp!!!!!
For the last 7 weeks practises have been Tues Thurs 3.30-8.30pm, sun 10am-6pm,  and Wed 23rd is opening night Sat 26th final night Im going 23rd and 26th. On top of that he has had karate one night a week, kapa haka one night a week, work on Saturdays I have one very tired muchacho!!! And throw in 3 internal assessments cross country ERUPT festival (here in Taupo for 10 days) and the kapa haka kids have had a few performances there, and then the drama and dance kids have gone to workshops there and I have one very very tired muchacho!!
THEN the biggest news is we have confirmation of HAWAII trip Aug 2013 12 days and we are competing at the Pacific Indigenous Festival. 30 people $120,000 later!!!! But its fundraising on a very large scale Hangi $2000 per hangi, Performances $800 a time, Monster Monster garage sales, and community events we will marshall at be the gophers anything they want us to be runners helpers we have a 3 day conference and we are the kithcen bitches for 1000 punters. We will do anything anywhere for anyone shift houses clear land we have on other occasions planted pine seedlings cleared paddocks tree pruned etc etc etc.

Oh and I have to work on me BIKINI body that i do so I ordered me $300 walking shoes but bargin found them on trademe for $60 YAY so walking it is and I have 60 weeks to get to sorted........
I will no doubt have photos to add of the production. Samuel gets to go the "Naked Samoans" tomorrow through school lucky barstard.
So heres to the fundraising LONG HAUL ...............
Ciao Blondie

Pictures (self explanaory!)

Here is some pictures of the NEW hairdo and some of the Japan clothes more pictures later as I need to go to facebook to download pictures of the trip and not shopping!!!!! They had such a ball and he loved Disneyland, he cried at Hiroshima, absolutely loved Miyajima shrine island he went to Kobe all by himself on the train, and HAD KOBE BEEF as a last night meal with hist family!!!!!!!!!!!!!! spoilt huh...

Whoop Whoop me baby is home.....

After a long night due to a psychotic OTT mother (one of the boys in the trip mum), me lad is home he came home with $1 in his pocket in yen and $40 NZ dollars he had an absolute ball loves it wants to go back and is tucked up in bed we have unpacked bags, put on 2 loads of washing, NEW JAPAN clothes sorted and hang up he even bought shoes!!

Back up to the OTT mother and my shite awful day, I was due to spend the day in Auckland shopping, BUT my stoopid bosses husband hadn't told her I had askled for time off she had organised hospital appointments as he was away, and I was the back up or No 2 plan!!!! I started at 9am finished 4pm arrived Auckland 7.30pm, had my favourite dinner WENDYS setttled in for a supposed quite night BUT NO caught up with an old flame up in AKLD visited a lot of old haunts and had a ball!!!

Arrive back to my motel at a reasonable time cellph starts ringing and texts at 12.30am 1am, the SAID mother couldn't find flight details and WHY was their flight not on tracking schedule she hit overdrive did I have the Japanese agent numbers, could I ring, can I check etc and it was still going on at 1.30am, I finally turned my phone off and text back I NEED SLEEP, I get hold of AIR NZ to find their flight number had indeed changed flight delayed by 4 hours and then another hour they finally touched down at 1.45pm!!! instead of arriving 8.25am A VERY LONG DAY.

I am tuckered out and drained but elated to have me son home. He had so many stories and this happened and this happened, he cried at Hiroshima and loved the Shinto Shrine Island, ENJOYED all aspects of the food, had Kobe beef on the 2nd to last night with his host family!!! The girls at the girls school SCREAMED CHEERED and chased them everywhere they EVEN had their own SAFE PANIC ROOM!!!!! They the host family are very wealthy and he got spoilt, wants to go back again soon and wants to even maybe to an exchange............

He has lots clothes 4 shirts 2 jacket things jeans and shoes, little gift things I got beautiful chopsticks and a ring holder fabric one, he got nic nac things for his friends.

I am now heading to bed I am very tired myself.....

One happy muma.

Ciao
Blondie

Facebook is great really!

Heard from me boy via Facebook, having an amazing time but a few facts he is WAYYYYYYYYYYY to tall for the toilets has to duck to get in!!!! He can buy a coffee super large for $1 and a MEAL for $1.60, there was about 2 million people (teenagers) at their local hang out MALL WTF thats insane, they are shopping up a storm he says the NEON lights at night amazing the food great people everywhere people on every train, mall, street noise LOVES it went to Disneyland yesterday TOKYO absolutely LOVED THAT........

What a life eh.

Me I'm BBQ fundraising for Karate Nationals did Sun/Monday doing Wed/Thurs then Sat/Sun of last week school holidays ............. then no more BBQ's unless of course Samuel decides no more trips (somehow I doubt that eh!!!!!!!)


Ciao Blondie (oh and I have only eaten 3 marshmallow little easter eggs good eh)