Overgrown garden and "Big scary dinosaur"

Friday I helped Ashely preparing horses for Sunday's race, we rode on Divo and Starbow to feel so they felt strong and they did! Then it was time to give them a beauty bath, wash legs and tail and make them shine! Shantalle joined us and we took three other horses for a training ride. 

This time the race was just a 2 hour car ride from the house, so sunday morning I took the kids with me on a road trip to visit the race area! On the way we passed this place were someone makes sculptures from drift wood, this was so amazing to see and the kids loved it! or at least Lauchlan did, Sacha was scared of the animals so she stayed in the car while Lauchlan and I went out and had a look. We saw a big Dinosaur, ostrich, deer and a horse. We also stopped to see the Raurimu Spiral, a single-track railway spiral that was build because the terrain was to steep for a train to climb.

When we arrived to the race area had Clay and Ash already finished their 40km race. Shantalle did 80km and were still out on here last loop.  Im still learning the rules but when you do a 40km, you ride 2x20km without a break and after you do a vet check. But when you ride a 80km, you ride 2x30km and then 1x20km, you have a 40min break between every loop and vet check. Vet check means your horse heart rate cant be over 65, if its over you are disqualified and you also have to pass a trot up. There is different levels on horses and riders; Novice, Intermediate, Open and FEI and Im still learning about this.

The rest of the week have been very calm here, the kids have been sick and it have been raining a lot, so we have mostly been inside. Shantalle took the kids to the doctor Tuesday morning so I helped out with the docking. Im not coughing anymore so I hope that I get to stay healthy this time! My ribs were starting to feel better and I can sleep without pain from them. But today in the car down to Ohakune I coughed and I heard something crack and break. It hurt so much and I had to stop the car and open the door to not faint. So I guess I have to endure my painful ribs for a while longer...

Me and the kids have a mission, to fix our greenhouse and start planting and growing potatoes, vegetables and other goodies. I will update you with this but we have some work to do before we can start planting! So if you have some awesome gardening advice, please do not hesitate to give them to me! I think I will need them!

Hard working = Muscle soreness!

Like I told you last week it's docking time at the farm, we have been docking about 300-500 lambs a day! My station is to lift the lambs up and then vaccinate them. I got a little curious about how much you lift during docking, and if I do 300 lambs a day, I lift about 6 tons of lambs!! No wonder you get tired after a while. So I'm glad that Clay can replace me when I need a break. The kids loves to be around during docking, especially Sacha she is usually in the sheepfold with me and helping by choosing the lambs she wants me to lift up next. Sometimes she even lifts them up if they are small baby lambs.



Last friday we had a cross country run in school! Sacha was probably the youngest there so she ran the level 1 with the 5 year old kids. there were about 200 kids from schools around in the area. Sacha came some were in the middle of all the kids that ran level 1. She did so good and I am really proud of her! She was a little upset that only the winner of each level received a medal and not her. But there is nothing an ice cream can't fix.


Me and the kids took a trip to Whanganui saturday morning, because their daddy, that I never meet, finally had some time to see his kids! So I got a day in Whanganui to do some shopping and went to the movies. I saw the movie "Let's be Cops", it was a long time ago I laughed so much at a movie!
Before it was time to pick up the kids, I filled my little Mazda with groceries from the supermarket. Shantalle and Ashely always pre-order online so I can just pick it up.  One of the things that was on the list were 35 long life milk cartons, the car was pretty full!

I have been riding almost every day this week! I have been riding out by my self on Zurim and it is an absolutely incredible feeling to just let everything go for a moment and it's just me, Zurim and this beautiful landscape filled with sheep. We have so much to explore together!




Yesterday the reggae artist Pa Pa Flava came to visit the kids in School! A very inspiring day for all of us. They had a lot of good questions for him and they performed together. The children danced and sang some of their native songs for him and he came up with some new beats for them.

Today I decided to go to the Waitonga Falls. I packed my backpack and after I left the kids at daycare I drove up to Mount Ruapehu. It was an "easy" walk to the falls, a bit steep but a very well-made path to walk on. The Waitonga Falls is 39m high a very beautiful waterfall. I jumped on the small rocks over the gushing river to get to the other side. Im very happy I did because then I saw the falls even better. I climbed up on the biggest rock I could find and I just sat there, enjoyed the beautiful view and ate my apple. It was a very peaceful area and I meet 12 other hikers during my hike.

New born foal, docking time and Im coughing again..!

Thursday 16th October


It took me about 5 weeks to get rid of my cough, I had one week when I actually started too feel like my self and then the kids got a cold and of course I got it too... so now Im coughing again! This time I lost my voice and I think I coughed one of my ribs of or something because it hurts like hell! Lauchlan got an ear infection so the last one and a half week have been kind of calm, we been home at the farm having picnics in the sun, painting and making our own toys!

When I woke up one morning, it was a beautiful morning with a clear blue sky and you could see all the clouds covering everything under our house. Even the house were the kids live was in the clouds. So I can now say that I have touched a cloud! ;)


October 7th was Clays birthday, but he insists that it's not called birthday when you are hatched from an egg. So of course me and the kids baked an suiting cake for him!


Last weekend it was time for another horse race, 80km for Shantalle and Ashely and 40km for Clay and Ash. But last friday Summer, one of the horses, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Kahuna Alpha ME, and she got some complications after the foaling. So Ashely and Ash decided to stay home because the vet had to do some visits. She is now feeling fine and is enjoying the beautiful weather with her baby Alpha.
Shantalle and Clay went to the race, so me and the kiddies had a sleepover. This time Lauchlan stayed awake so all
three of us could Skype with my parents and even my brother. The Horse race went very good for both Shantalle and Clay they qualified!

School started this monday and it was nice to see all the kids and teachers again after the holidays. Sacha had a great first day, but Lauchlan was a little shy in the beginning. Two weeks is like a lifetime for a two year old!;) When we came back yesterday to school he was as happy as always!
They have started to do some gardening in school and next week they are going to start planting all sorts of vegetables, Sacha loves it!
Tomorrow, Friday 17th, it's the school Trail running day. About 200 kids from schools in the area will participate. There is going to be three different levels on the trails and Sacha is going to run the level 1. We did a try run yesterday and she was awesome! she finished first on the level 1 trail and of all the 9 kids she was third over the finish line! Of course Lauchlan wanted to run so I ran with him. some part I had to carry him but then he ran himself.
Sacha is really exited for tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed for her!

Docking time is starting at the farm and yesterday when we came home from school they had brought home about 200 sheep and lambs. Docking time is when all the lambs get their vaccinations, ear marks and tail cut. I got to help with one of the vaccinations that you give them in their mouth. Their is about 6000 sheep on the farm and average all have at least on lamb, so we have a few left..! This is a new experience for me and Im so happy that I get the chance to be a part of this!  

   

It's snowing on my palmtrees

I woke up this morning of the children screaming just outside my hotel window, they screamed of happiness!
"It's snowing, It's snowing"
When I got up from my bed I looked out through the window, and yes 10 new centimeters of snow lay like a blanket on the ground. It's just to bad that this is my last day of, because if they open the ski area tomorrow it's going to be awesome skiing! I had planned to go skiing these three days, but I only got to ski one. Because of the strong winds and snowfall the two last days everything have been closed. I did get to try the new 2015 Solomon Q98 ski, and a really liked it!



The skiing area Whakapapa is located on Mount Ruapehu 2797m, this is an active volcano. The highest point you can reach by using the ski lift is 2320m then you have to hike. If you compared the slopes in Whakapapa with Åre, Sweden I must say that Åre wins! But it's so beautiful here and the terrain is so different. If you have the chance to come here, do it! I stayed at the Park Hotel Ruapehu, a very cosy hotel with good standard and very good food in the resturant. just a 20 minutes drive up to the ski area.  


Last weekend me and the kiddies had a sleep over down at their house when Shantalle, Clay and Ashely x2 went with four of the horses on a 40km race. We had a lot of fun taking care of the farm! Me and Sacha skyped with my wonderful parents that was up in Åre and moved out all my stuff from my apartment, THANK YOU for the help!<3 And thanks to Matilda and Lauri that helped!

The race went really good! Shantalle got first place in front of Ashely who got second place, Ash qualified so he can now ride in longer race. Clay had to retire as Zurim bruised his heel.

This week and next is School holidays, so no school for Sacha. Instead we enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather an had a lot of picnics and smaller hikes. Im starting to understand that the ozone layer is considerably thinner here and that your skin burns quickly if you do not use sunscreen. Clay told me that in summer time the burning time without sunscreen is about 11 minutes!! Thats crazy.

As Im writing this, I am sitting in the hotel bar in the National Park Village looking out of the window, it has stopped snowing now and the roads is starting to clear up. It's time for me to get on the road.
Im thinking to go to Whanganui to the cinema there before it's time to head back to the house again.

  

Spring = Sun and Snow

This week have offered everything from cold and rainy winter days to hot summer days! Most of the houses are not insulated here, like the one i live in, so on cold winter days its really cold inside if you don't have a heater inside, I don't in my room so this weekend I had about 10 degrees during the evening and night.. so I had a few nights when I went to bed really early, because my electric blanket is the only source of heat! Now it's turning and spring is on it's way! Yesterday the sun was shining so nice at us in school and we had about 22 degrees! It's so beautiful with all the flowers!

Me and the kids went with Shantalle to her parents earlier this week, they live in Bulls outside Whanganui. We stayed there for one night, her parents have a farm in a very nice area and the land is much flatter down there. The day after we left the kiddies with there grandma and we went shopping. I bought a pair of new riding pants, because mine is starting to "give up".
I also bought two pairs of jeans and one hoodie. I weren't that smart when I decided to bring a pair of light blue jeans to a farm in middle of winter. It's kind of muddy up at the farm. Later on we meet up for some lunch and then we went to the supermarket to pick up the monthly preordered food. Five big food carts full of food, lucky that they have a big car to put everything in.

This weekend four of our horses are going competing in a race, I think it's a 120km race. Me and the kids will stay at home and take care of the farm.

When I got up this morning and looked out the window, the weather was so perfect! After I left the kids at daycare and on my way to the library I had so big cravings for snow! On the way to Ohakune you are just driving towards Mount Ruapehu, so today i did not stop at Ohakune, I just had to get up to the snow! The road went slowly up through the Tongariro National Park, a very beautiful road full of palm trees. Those of you who know me know I have a fondness for palm trees! Then appeared Ruapehu up behind a curve, and the road immediately became much steeper and curvier. There was snow along the way but it was very good road conditions. Otherwise my little Mazda would not had make it all the way up to the parking lot. My plan was to just come back down, but I started to get hungry and I needed a coffee, real coffee no instant shit ;). Of course, was the top car park full so I had to park further down and walk in the snow beside the slope, with my white converse and jeans up to the restaurant. I must have looked really funny when I passed all that went in ski boots and carrying skis. I ate my breakfast out on the terrace and enjoyed the sun.


Now Im sitting in the Library and have just booked my hotel for next week, I have three days of so Im going skiing! Ruapehu have two sides the one I visit today, Turoa and the other one is Whakapapa, this is were Im going to next week for skiing! Now I must by some sunscreen, the sun is really strong here and you burn so fast!
On monday the two week long school holiday starts here. "What are we going to do when we can't go to school?" Sacha loves school!

10968 miles from home and I love it!

There is one special house Im passing on my way in to town. Its a big white house on the right side of the road located up on a hill and every time Im looking up on the house I can see the flag of New Zealand dancing in the wind. This makes me pinch my arm and smile, Im in New Zealand!

This Picture I took from the small gravel road up to the farm last week when I was driving home from Ohakune. I have said it before and I am probably going to say it many more times, the view from here is so amazing!


This week have been long for all on the farm, Ashely got a call last week about a person that were not able to take care of the animals, many of them horses. They were starving, just skin and bones and most of them totally feral. Ashely and Ash went there with the cattle truck and brought back 9 horses in different ages, some very young and all of them purebred arabs. They have been working so hard with these horses the whole week and you can see the improvement. Ashely have three horses at the time she is working with, while the others are out in the field eating. She have already started to find new homes for some of them and one is leaving this sunday. Im so impressed of the work she is doing! These horses deserve so much more!

We had some rain during the week so me and the kids have been inside playing and baking. We been to school and Sacha really loves school! It's a very creative school, they are doing a lot of artwork, dancing and singing. That fits a four year old perfect! Always in the car she wants me to turn around so she can go back to school!

Now we have 12 lambies and 1 calf to take care of, and they are eating a lot! The lambies is very cute and loves to cuddle, I named the calf Rosalie or Rosie and she is getting big and strong! but she always wants to suck on you and she is drooling a lot..! So I have like calf drool on all my clothes now.
Im now "trusted" with the motorbikes! That makes everything a little bit easier because they don't need to drive me around.


Yesterday after school Me, Shantalle and Ash went out for a training ride and took all the working dogs with us. I were riding Starbow a wonderful chestnut and he has a lot of energy. We took a new road that i never been on before and these horses never stop to impress me! we went down through the valley and the in to one of the fields and the it started to go up, steep up through the valley again. The horses are just going and going, canter and trotting mostly then walking a little, and they are re-boosting with new energy so quickly after a workout like this. Before I came here I have to say purebred arab horses were not my favorite, but I must say I have never meet a horse like these horses! They are just so amazing.

Time is just flying by..! - 2 weeks now

Saturday 6/9

Today during the afternoon i helped training horses, I was riding Starbow and she road Divo, these Arabian endurance horses are so powerful and so incredible fit! They work with a lose rein in walk, trot and canter. The terrain here is very hilly so the training is hard but necessary when they go 120km races or longer. So I thank my skiing days this winter in Sweden for good leg muscles to start with! But i was tired after this "easy" training for the horses! 

Sunday 7/9

My birthday!!:) I turned 24 years old and I say thanks to all of you for my birthday wishes!!:) and for my great going away/birthday party before I left Sweden! 

Today I baked a really nice muffin cake that everybody on the farm enjoyed! Me and the kiddies had a picnic lunch outside in the sunny and beautiful wether! We also played some hide and seek with Sachas barbies, but she thinks my hiding spots are better so she mostly put the barbies in the same place I did..

Monday 8/9

First day of school for Sacha! She is only 4, but she starts with 2 days a week, Monday and Wednesday, to meet new kids to play with! Me and Lauchlan stay at school during the day playing on the playground. The class are mixed with kids from 4-10 years old and there is 3-4 teachers so they can have some separate classes and some together. All the Kids bring their own lunch, and I find it a little strange that all of them have so much candy and sweets in the lunchbox and not food..! During the lunch brake they did some really cool art work on the ground for a girl that has cancer! 

When we went back home in the afternoon the were a big red bull sleeping in the middle of the road! he was very calm and nice, he just stand up and let me pass him and then he went back sleeping again. 

Well at home Shantalle gave me a brake from the kids so I went with Ashely on a ride and I had the best ride so far! This time i was riding C-boy( I don't know how to spell his real name) and he is my new favorite!!:) we went cantering trough fields of sheep and lambs, that sort of riding you see on movies! 

Wednesday 10/9 

School day again!:) me and Lauchlan are out enjoying the sun, while Sacha have her lessons. The lessons are mostly singing, playing, learning to read, doing some art work or practices their speech for parents day! A few days a week they are training for the schools Cross Country Trail Run a trail that goes outside the school. So they have to practices by running around the school ground. When Lauchlan saw all the other kids run he did it to. Me and Lachland did one lap and the others did two or three laps around. 

In the afternoon me and Ashely went out on a evening ride before it was time for dinner.

Thursday 11/9

My day of and I needed to go down to Ohakune, so I dropped the kids of at Daycare on my way. I'm very proud over my self because now I find my way around here a little better! So now Im back at the library using their wifi. I need to fix a few papers today and then Im of exploring the town a little. Need to get some info about the skiing, if its easy to drive up there with my car or if there is a Shuttle bus. It looks like its going to rain a lot next week, and thats good because it haven't been raining for a while now so we need it, but i hope we can have a little sun to!