In August we finally took a holiday to celebrate the completion of Seb's new guide book (check it out, it's gorgeous!) and to just get away and do some defrosting. Samoa was an incredible place and far more primitive and traditional than we thought it would be. We were honoured to be invited to stay with a family for one night and it was an incredible experience. The fales (little beach huts) on the beach were stunning as was the turquoise water. You can read more about our trip on my blog post.
123 Photos
Kristel, one of Seb's long time employees and friend left the company to travel the world so we had a big farewell party for her at our place and invited all of the Frog's team and some of our friends. There were literally a hundred or so photos however somewhere near the end of the night things got a bit crazy so we'll keep this site family safe and not post them. Needless to say a good time was had by all.
25 Photos
July was the month of the shed. Oh wait, that was June. Oh yeah, it was July too. We finally got around to painting the shed and doing all of the horrible little things that are left to the end. The stuff that haunts you and makes you shiver with fear. But now it's done and the shed looks better than our house. Even our Korean neighbours came by to give us the thumbs up (literally). What else happened in July? Zizouille waited for food. We finally got curtains in the new bedroom and the living room. Zizouille waited for food. We decorated the new bedroom. Zizouille waited for food. And I made ravioli with beetroot and chevre and it was yum delicious even though the pasta was a bit thick. Better luck next time. And Seb picked out some beautiful flowers. Aren't they gorgeous?
31 Photos
In June we made a lot of pasta with my new pasta maker. Seb pulled out the kitchen cabinets to add a wall back there and to fix the enormous hole in the floor. We took a short break in Coromandel and then Seb decided to re-build the shed. He completely tore it down and then reconstructed it in something ridiculously short, like 9 days. And happy days...the grapefruits are ready to eat!
52 Photos
May was an interesting month. We found a petrified cat under our house. We tortured ourselves and our friend David by installing insulation under the house. We painted the fireplace surround in the green room brown. Then we painted it white because it looked like it was made out of milk chocolate which seemed disturbing for something that was going to have a raging fire in it. I turned 41. Holy hell. I got a KitchenAid Mixer from my honey bunny. We planted a whole bunch of fruit trees in our garden and installed the winter veges in the vege box. But best of all...Seb cooked for me for my birthday!!! He looks so cute in his apron doesn't he?
20 Photos
The renovations on the 2nd room have drawn to a close. The floors have been sanded to a beautiful honey colour. The schizophrenic walls have settled on one colour and even the fireplace surround is happy with it's new look. This room is probably even more beautiful than the office and once we get some furniture into it I think it's going to be stunning. We're so pleased with the results! Last thing to do is put the door on and then we move onto the hall way.
15 Photos
Looking back at the photos I'm not sure what happened with March. We hardly took any photos and at this point it's all a blur. I can say that Seb and David installed the gyp board in the 2nd room in one day! We managed to go sailing too! We went with Etienne, Aurelia, Aurela's dad, and their new baby Jules. It was the first sailing trip for Jules and he was a natural. :-)
8 Photos
So after a bright new coat of a lovely turquoisey paint the office is finally done (nearly). We still have to hang the wooden blinds but technically it's finished. No rest for the weary though. Seb started in on the second room and we were thrilled to discover that the fireplace behind the wall is in good and usable condition! I think he's also got a system in place now for installing the insulation so things are moving along at a quicker pace. It also helps that the room is smaller than the office. We had a great year with are first vege garden pulling in beans everyday including beautiful lettuces and tomatoes.
43 Photos
Happy New Year!!! We had a glorious start to 2010 with continued visits from friends and family, beautiful sunny and dry weather, fixing up the boat, renovating the house and spending some time in Coromandel. The Coro pics are at the house on the hill site
29 Photos
December of course means Christmas and this year we hosted a Christmas eve dinner at our new place. We had a perfect day to enjoy what turned out to be an 8 hour long bbq with the usual bbq issues (note the hairdryer in the photos...now when I dry my hair I smell like bbq). We thoroughly enjoyed the day spent with friends and family. The highlight was probably the musical chairs we played at the end of the evening but that's a story for another day (David cheats!!!). The other photos here are from my wine club Xmas party at Maison Veron and also a couple of shots of MY NEW OFFICE!!! Merry Christmas!!!
63 Photos
With the arrival of Seb's dad and partner Jennifer in December we had to hurry up and get the office completed so we could move my old office into the new space and make up a spare room for them in the old one. We didn't finish in November but Seb made a good dent in the work. He and David installed the Gib Board and then Seb taught himself how to plaster the Gib Board joints. He ended up doing a better job than the professionals who did Mahakirau! Once he was done with that part he sanded the floor (pain in the butt) and then we sealed it with a clear matt finish. It looks really rustic and I love it!
24 Photos
This a jumbled compilation of photos from the end of September to the end of October somewhat sort of documenting the renovations with a party thrown in the middle just for fun (of course!). Seb started with the front room and replaced the large (hideous) bungalow window with two huge (gorgeous) sash windows. He did most of the work practically by himself but had Etienne and David to help him at the end getting the windows in the giant gaping hole in the front of our house. They look amazing...like they've always wanted to be there. He also replaced the side bungalow window with a skinny sash window to complete the look. On the inside of the room he broke down the wall between the two front bedrooms and has completely re-done the structure and insulation. He's a machine. :-) For my part I have been working in the garden. I redesigned the brick path, planted an herb garden, planted a vege garden (with Seb's help for the digging since I've done my back in). Oh! And I built a compost bin too!
83 Photos
Our big trip this year was back to France to visit Seb's family. We started off with a few days in Paris then took the train to La Rochelle where we spent about 5 days. After that we rented a car and took the scenic route north to Hauville, near Normandy. We visited a few chateaus and abbeys along the way and checked out the village of Mont Saint Michel a.k.a Disney World. Once in Hauville we spent about 4 days there before heading back to Paris to spend some time with friends before heading back home.
173 Photos
Seb used some good 'ole elbow grease to juice a whole sink full of grapefruits. Hopefully this stuff freezes well!
4 Photos
On August 15th we finally moved into our new house. It was a day of mixed emotions. First we were elated...then we were horrified and even worried after we saw the state of the house. A few days of work and we're not done yet but we love the house and we couldn't be happier with it. The photos are a mix of packing, moving, and kids of our friends. You'll figure it out. :-)
58 Photos
I have been 40 for three days now. And since I've been 40 I have been struck with a cold so so far I'm not too thrilled. I have to say that the last days of being 39 were about as awesome as they get. For my birthday Seb surprised me with a trip to Rarotonga. Now considering the fact that we are freezing our bums off in Auckland this was a most welcome surprise. We spent four glorious days basking in the sun, refusing to complain about how hot and humid it was, and swimming in the crystal clear waters of the lagoon right outside of our cottage on the beach. The place was postcard perfect...like a movie set. It was perfect. Happy 40th to me!
34 Photos
In my free time I do some freelance product photography. Here are some shots from Seb of a recent shoot of a wine bottle for Alcan to be advertised in a wine trade magazine. Seb played art director and leaf collector...I did the shooting.
4 Photos
While Julien, Seb's brother, was here we took him down to the south island to show him around a bit. We started in Christchurch where we became acquainted with our campervan, drove to Kaikura to see the seals and then onto Blenheim, Picton, and finally Canvastown where we stayed with my dad and his wife Mary for a night. The next day we were off to Nelson where we had lunch with my grandad for his 93rd birthday and then to Motueka to stay with Alistair and Carol (friend's of Seb and Julien's family). The following did a gorgeous day hike in Abel Tasmen and then drove to Golden Bay. We spent the night in Pohara right along side of the ocean then hung out in Takaka the next day. We stopped in to meet the guy who built our tipi too then drove part of the way to Westport. We stayed along side the river near Buller Gorge. The following day we drove to Westport (which wasn't as bad as people said) then onto Punakaiki where we saw the famous pancake rocks. We spent the night nearby in a campervan park next to the beach. On Tuesday we drove to Greymouth and then through Arthur's Pass. We staying in Arthur's Pass that night. The next day we hiked to the top of Avalanche Peak. It took us about 3 hours to climb up and two to climb down. It was a great hike with stunning views. That night we drove to Christchurch where we had fantastic dinner with my Aunt Irene and her mother, Olga. Phew!
123 Photos
For three weeks in March Seb's brother Julien visited us from France. For the first week they spent the week in the Coromandel doing man stuff and then they came back to do a little sailing before we set off for the south island. This weekend we had great wind getting to Waiheke thought it was cloudy. By the end of the day the clouds disappeared and Sunday was glorious. The picture of the frog are a carving that Julien did for us to support the stairs in the cottage. Sweet!
10 Photos
We spent a few super sunny days in Jervis Bay, outside of Sydney, with a bunch of our friends. The water was crystal clear, we saw dolphins, we saw kangaroos on the beach, and we saw one freaking huge spider the size of my hand. Good times.
37 Photos
Xmas without family is hard but xmas without my family is even harder. It's one of those few times when all if not most of the family gets together. Seb and I flew to Atlanta for three weeks to spend the holidays (his first time) with my family. We had a grand time surrounded by lots of family, a herd of dogs, and a few good friends. Seb's mom, Martine, flew over from Paris and joined us for a week as well. We spent time in Atlanta, Savannah, and the Blue Ridge mountains.
122 Photos
It was time for Rasmus to have his anti-fouling done again so on a blustery day he was taken out of the water. The guys did all the work while us girls managed to occupy ourselves in other ways. Sunday Seb and I took Rasmus for the first sail of the season. There wasn't much wind but it was gorgeous to be on the water again!
10 Photos
Since we are going to the US in December we weren't able to go to France in September so we took a short trip to Sydney to keep the insanity and stress at bay and to celebrate Seb's birthday! We stayed with our wonderful friends Mike and Clem and their gorgeously perfect baby, Gaspard and had a great time exploring the city and the Blue Mountains despite the cold and sometimes rainy weather. I always wonder if I can live in a place when I visit it and my opinion of Sydney is that I would prefer to not live there but I wouldn't mind visiting again. I much prefer NZ.
95 Photos
The earth movers have come and gone leaving us with a whole new view of our land. We're so excited we can hardly wait for the weekend to come so we can get back up there and take more pictures of dirt. Lots of dirt.
174 Photos
For Easter weekend Seb and I flew down to Nelson to visit my grandad for a day and then we drove to Blenheim to spend a few days with my dad and Mary. It was a great time and Seb's first time meeting any of my family members. I'm happy to report all went very well...and we even managed to squeeze in a hike on the Queen Charlotte trail. Sweet!
22 Photos
Romain, Liz, Lulu, Seb and I crammed into a too cute cottage on Lang's Beach for what was possibly the wettest weekend ever in the history of weekends. We managed a swim but spent most of our time drinking and playing games and eating.
12 Photos
Seb and I flew down to Wellington for the most awesomeness of web conferences sprinkled with a bit of sight-seeing and touristy stuff. A good time was had by all.
53 Photos
January was the month for friends from Australia to visit. This time we had Seb's friends Nico and Severine. Seb knew them from France where they used to work together and now they live in OZ. They came over for the long Auckland Anniversary weekend and we rented a great little rustic (no electricity) bach in the mountains of the northern Coromandel peninsula. We discovered a beautifully lush area filled with trees and turquoise coloured water...truly amazing!
33 Photos
Friends of Seb, Mike and Clem came over from Australia to spend a few days with friends in NZ. We took them sailing to the beautiful little island in the Gulf called Rakino. We spent our days sailing, swimming, reading and just being lazy. What better way to spend the weekend?
18 Photos
Seb and I met last year on January 2 while on a kayaking trip so going to some fancy restaurant on our one year anniversary didn't really seem appropriate. Instead we hired a couple of kayaks and set off for the Coromandel Peninsula. We spent two days kayaking near Opito Bay where the water is crystal clear turquoise blue and the beaches are beautiful and empty. That was much more rewarding than a steak dinner.
47 Photos
With both of our families so far away (and in opposite directions), Seb and I decided to go to Great Barrier Island for Xmas. We spent five days touring the island, tramping, swimming, meeting new people and eating a lot of delicious seafood.
108 Photos
What a gorgeous weekend! We were on Waiheke Island for the garden festival and we visited a whole lot of giant houses with beautiful gardens. The weather was perfect. Having the bike and the freedom to ride around was even better. Thanks to our fabulous hosts Olivier and Marie France!
66 Photos
There are only 571 photos in this gallery. That's 500 less than the number of photos actually taken. I have a serious problem...it's like diarrhea of the trigger finger. Or something like that. Needless to say France was the most memorable trip I've ever been on and I'm dying to go back.
571 Photos
In my one of my little brothers (they're all little to me) got married to a wonderfully crazy woman. They flew me to Florida to being their photographer which shows how crazy they both really are. It was an incredible time, a bit nerve-wracking, but at the end very fun and exciting.
88 Photos
For the long Easter weekend Etienne, Aurelia, Seb and I set off early on Rasmus to sail to Great Barrier Island. Someone turned the wind down that weekend so it took us 8 hours to get there (and 10 hours to get back) but we thoroughly enjoyed the trip, the company, and the island. Aaaaand we saw dolphins!!!'
88 Photos
Yay! Mike and Kat got married! They got married on the beach near Devonport and it was really lovely. We had a lot of friends there and enjoyed a gorgeous summery day.
22 Photos
Looking back, this was such an amazing trip. We had a three day weekend and we slowly sailed around Waiheke Island. The weather was fantastic. Poor Remy got sea-sick but he recovered and then it was party time again.
33 Photos
For the day Seb and I went hiking in the Waitakeres and took some really beautiful photos (if I do say so myself)
16 Photos
This was my first date with Seb and it was seriously one of the best first dates I've ever had. Cyril, Aurelie, Seb and I sailed to Waiheke Island and spent the day lounging on the boat, swimming, and then going ashore for dinner. It was a great evening and the next day was even better. ;-)
29 Photos
John, my flatmate, and I had a big housewarming party to celebrate our new flat together.
24 Photos
Here are some pics from one of our kayak guide lessons. This was the day I earned the name Capsize Karen. You can imagine why. It was spectacular. I'll just leave it at that.
17 Photos
Dan threw seriously one of the best parties I've been to in ages. We spent the day swimming in the heated pool, eating lots of good food, drinking more than our body weight, making pizzas in the outdoor pizza oven, and then being terribly hung over the next day. Thankfully nobody threw up in Dan's car when he drove us back to the ferry.
40 Photos
My new love. So yellow. Like a submarine. How I love you. Please don't sink
8 Photos
