New Zealand 2012 - The rest

So I realized today...I should have just made one giant post for NZ as it was so far after the fact that I actually got around to blogging. 

Well, lesson learned. 

This is the last New Zealand post, then one Australia one and then promise, I'll be done!

We headed to the Hamilton, New Zealand temple to be with Rachael (Phil's youngest sister) when she took out her endowments. Its quite the journey from Mum and Dad B's, about a 3 hour drive! Needless to say we left early. But that didn't stop us from getting Pokeno's ice cream! Massive, inexpensive and creamy New Zealand ice cream...mmm I could go for one right now.

It was a special experience to be there in the temple. We're so happy for you Rach!

Afterward Mum & Dad B were kind enough to treat us to an all you can eat mongolian restaurant. It was really tasty!

It was a long day out but great to spend time with the Bennallack clan.

During our 2.5 weeks in NZ we also enjoyed swimming at the hot springs pools

Church outings

A 1st birthday celebration for Arlandria and Savannah complete with pin-the-tail on the donkey

Aunty & Pacey bonding time/matching day! (matching by accident)

 And plenty-a-day ending like this

Miss you already New Zealand!

True Tues

Hey'all. (That's one word right?)

Anyway, life is good for us Bennallack folk. We had a great Easter weekend. It started Friday night with some egg dying with my fam. We tried rubber cement this year and we made some fun designs.

5 dozen eggs later we settled in to watch March Madness. The Easter Bunny came that night so we spent the night at my parents. Saturday we woke up to Easter goodies and an egg hunt. Phil helped out when Chantel and Jocelyn couldn't find anymore. Just my little kid :)

Saturday we spent most the day at IKEA. Yeah...good ole IKEA. We may just love that place...too much. Enough that we first stole didn't pay for our dear magnetic strip. And after going back to pay I simply left it in the cart in the parking lot. I blame pregnancy-gotta benefit somehow from this right? :)

Anyway, then it was time for the Young Womens General Broadcast. Mom and Chantel joined me at my stake dinner and then the broadcast afterward. And then it was back to the Perucca's for more March Madness...poor poor Ohio. There goes my bracket-totally.

Its ok-this guy cheered me up. He's so big!

Then Easter Sunday with the fam and Easter dinner with deviled eggs. YUM- my preggo belly said yes!

This may be a boring update but our weekend was fun. Too fun for pictures so this is all for now.

Over and out.

New Zealand 2012 - Bean Boozled

Honestly, for about a month or so after getting home from our trip I couldn't look at any of the photos without getting more sick to my stomach. Sure I was pregnant and the memory of feeling sick and not being at home plus the treacherous journey home were not a good combo, but I secretly (meaning not really but maybe) think a big part of it was because of these Jelly Bellys.

Jade found these on or trip to Rotorua and needless to say we had some fun with them one crazy night. You pick a jelly bean and either its a nice flavor or a gross flavor. Needless to say, there was a lot of laughing, tears shed and vomit/almost vomiting going on that night. Just reading the flavors makes me queasy:

I was pleasured to have 2 canned dog foods and a centipede and toothpaste before I called it quits. And I don't even like regular jelly beans! I know, what was I thinking? I've never tasted anything as gross as the centipede one...who even tests these to make sure they actually do taste like a centipede? Yuck!

Here's a video of our "fun". I'm not sure I can ever eat jelly beans again.  

(Jade was the "game master" so that's why we gave her a hard time)

Crazy Bennallacks! Happy to be one of them :)

True Tues

Hello out there!

We're having fun here at the Bennallacks with 70 degree weather one day and then snow the next. Guess we can have the best of both worlds. :) Anyway, it's been a good week filled with church talks, family charades, and studying for the qualifying exam. This wonderful second trimester has left me typically feeling like my normal self, (except for lower abdominal pressure and feeling famished!), and less sleeping = more doing.

I count myself very lucky as I reflect on my first trimester. When people asked how I was feeling I always wanted to say, "compared to what?" (Marcel the Shell anyone??) I've heard about women who throw up every day, those who are in the hospital because they can't keep anything down etc...so in comparison, I was great. :) Nah, I wasn't myself and felt like I had a nausea bug in me all the time but no vomiting and I was only "sick" when my stomach was empty. Turns out the nausea was just a baby trying to grow...Imagine that :). 

So now I'm at that point where thankfully I have a "bump" instead of what I called my "chubby band" meaning I look preggers instead of chubs. Crazy. I'm starting to wear the beloved ruched shirts and boy am I grateful for evolving maternity wear. I'm so glad now I can look like this...

instead of this...

Not that I don't love a beautiful maternity collared tent with poofy sleeves by still.

Anyway...that's the run-down here today. Maternity clothes for my actually preggo belly and getting over the first trimester.

And here's me in all my 16.5 week glory with Baby B, whom I've dubbed "Bump".

Holla.

New Zealand 2012 - Christmas!

It was a fun Christmas holiday with the Bennallack clan. On Christmas Eve we made "gingerbread", or Arnott's biscuit houses, while sipping homemade eggnog. Here's my house-

Here's Jade's (she secretly just squished as many lollies on as she could so she could eat them later- ha!)

Andrew & Alex's

and you can see Rachael's 3-story house down on the end in front of Phil

and the whole line-up in front of our wonderful hosts for our visit (Phil's parents)

Houses~Phil's, Rachaels, Mine, Jade's, Andrew & Alex's

 Here's the Christmas corner! It was still funny for me to come in from swimming or a walk out in the hot sun and see a Christmas tree. So crazy! With all the siblings around, the presents pile under this tree grew and grew until Christmas. It was exciting.

Christmas morning was so sweet with all the little ones around. Our niece Pacey rushed out of her room thinking she'd missed Santa coming! There was a look of panic, and then she saw her Santa sack and it was ok. (you can see her pouty face here...she's still thinking she missed it all!)

We had a full house that morning but it was full of Christmas cheer and love. Its so sweet how little kids are thrilled by the most simple of things. 

Little Savannah was so thrilled about her Pooh bear!

Little Pacey loved her sunglasses and Pooh bear too

And little Leo loved his elf outfit

Ok, maybe we loved it more than he did, but he makes such a cute elf!

It was special to be with a majority of the Bennallack's for the holiday. Who knows when we'll all be together again?!

We finished off the day with a beautiful Christmas lunch/dinner complete with Christmas crackers, Christmas crowns and all.

Such a fun Christmas holiday to spend all together. Family is the best during the holidays and we're happy we were able to make the trip!

True Tues

Well even though I've been catching up on blogging our vaycay, real life is still goin' down in the Bennallack household. And by real life I mean: 

a sudden "second wind" that came with my second trimester

which means spring cleaning, 

which means a packed Saturday,

which means puppy's first bath,

which means a clean dog.

So all in all our true real life = a clean dog. 

Haha...nah but really. I've finally been feeling "normal" again and the other day the hubs said to me, "Woah, you have a ton of energy." I'm not sure I have a ton of energy but if you compare it to the last three months then yesir, I most certainly do. And boy does it feel goohoood!

Don't get me wrong- there are still some days when I feel like this...

but others I feel like this...

So, I guess I really can't complain. I never was throwing up everyday (only if my stomach was empty), or completely miserable. But I was typically nauseous and extremely tired. Luckily, the good days are finally outweighing the bad and I actually am doing stuff now. :)

We've finally started clearing out the office so we can begin making it a nursery.
(Did I just say nursery!? Yes, I still get excited when reality hits that we'll be parents soon. As in, there is a baby inside of me!)

So anyway that's the true life goin' down here today. Not much, but you mothers out there know that energy is enough for me to be excited about :)

And I may or may not have just killed a spider! in my house! but never fear, I talked myself through it with Koda. Yes, Koda is a dog...but he's my moral support and now its mission accomplished.

Over and out.

New Zealand 2012 - Saaawimmin'

Summer in December. Whaaaaaat!? My head still has to think about that when I say it. But hey, if it's summer, no matter what time of year, you'll find us in the pool. Phil's family is just the same. Pool = fun, enough said!  Even when the Takapuna's weather wasn't cooperating perfectly, the pool was still our best buddy. We spent time both at the hotel pool and in Phil's parent's pool. Phil's infamous pool games were perfect with all the siblings and little Pacey around. 

Pacey was learning to hold her breath and swim underwater. We didn't realize how funny Pacey was underwater until we snapped this gem...

All the little nieces loved being in the water. I'm sure they loved all the attention too. :)

Cousins Arlandria and Savannah interacting for one of the first times...

How cute is this bee swimsuit/hat? Love baby clothes!

And of course, we had some "selfies" taken with the underwater camera. Love you Rach! :)

Can we go swimming...again? :)