Farewell Mamoune

This has been a sad week for the family, with the loss of matriarch Mamoune (Charlotte Frilet (nee Julliand). 

Gui flew out on Thursday to be with the family. 

Some of my fond memories of this woman was at our wedding, where she stood up proudly and sang old songs from her region, and encouraged everyone to join in. 

She read the scriptures for the ceremony.  

I loved that she was strong in her faith, which is something special, especially since none of the people I know in the family had interest in faith. One our first few trips, we were able to attend church with her. The priest that married us was the family priest for decades. 

She organised the arrangements with the church. 

I don't know a lot about her past but from the little I gathered, she was born after the war, when her siblings were much older and had become nuns in a convent (and had passed on many years now).

Mamoune, when I first met her was living in their apartment near the Marseille Train Station. She lived by herself, worked everyday at the Station, directing people to places and was always busy. When we went to visit her at the apartment, we got to see all the history in her home, the photos, the furniture, her late husband's work tools. So beautiful that she kept it all.

When her children grew up, she had lived in Cuers with her late husband, and we have visited Cuers on every trip we made to France with the children. She eventually moved to the city (where most of her grown children have since settled, but maintained her independence).

I'm thinking now, pained about the harshness of life, where age takes so much of our strength, and sense of control and joy.

But we focus now on Hope, and Gratefulness for the work Charlotte has done, to raise her children, each one, wonderful and raising children and grandchildren on their own.

She would have been proud.

She would have.

Farewell Mamoune,... 

Mme Charlotte FRILET
née JULLIAND
est rentrée à la Maison du Père, le lundi 18 février 2019
à l'âge de 94 ans.
Jacqueline, Anne-Marie, Jean-François et Bernard,
ses enfants, Françoise
et leurs conjoints
Ses 9 petits-enfants
et leurs conjoints
Ses 20 arrière-petits-enfants
Les familles FRILET, JULLIAND, BECERRA, VOLA, DERACHE, DENEUBOURG
Ses amis de l'Hospitalité 
de Lourdes, de SOS Voyageurs, de la Paroisse Saint-Pierre - Saint-Paul
vous invitent à venir vous unir 
à leur prière lors des obsèques célébrées en l'église Saint-Pierre - Saint-Paul
samedi 23 février 2019, 
à 10h.
Service Catholique des Funérailles
04.91.95.18.18

photo essay

August 2012: The boy and the princessa

Tuifiti is now a happy, ulavale boy, who according to Plunket nurse is very 'inquisite, ae a faasamoa, e ova le kalepe mea o le kama.
He can repeat some words now, Mama, Papa, Maeeeba(Maeva), uh oh etc.
Lately, he has been a bit clingy and running to us for big bear cuddles. When he's in our bed he moves around looking for my face and then tries to lay on me, his cheek against mine.
As cute as that sounds, it is Not.
Not when a chunky head slams into your face and tries to adjust your face so her can lie down nicely.
Not. Cute.
He is still at Uptown and enjoying it there, but we are now looking at moving him back to to the West to a daycare near home.
On Sunday, we had a great family toonai with Lani's kids, Uncle and Aunty (Myatts) and the Andersons from Samoa. Good times.
Nani Jacqui is coming next month - yay! ...this is also ideal because I will be in the Solomons for work for 9 days. So MM is very much looking forward to seeing her Nani, and so is Gui.
Gui has a stress fracture from his marathon run training as is not competing in the next marathon.
The last weekend, i have been busy looking online for homes. we are keen to buy our next home here, its just a really competitive market here so its a challenge but we're up to it.
k,
manuia le aso

Untitled

 

Wrap up 2011 bring on 2012

So, since I last updated, I had just graduated wth the Masters and we were all celebrating.

Well...much more has happened since then,...I ended my uni contract with their Accomm team in Dec
Gui contnued to do well in his role at IS, enough to get him an offer to manage IS in Auckland
Then ..Tuifiti started to crawl heaps more, stand (holding onto stuff) and truly make his presence known in this house. He is here to say, he mumbled as he pulls Maeva's hand yet again.
Maeva on the other hand continues to be a non stop talking, singing, dancing force in the house. She is smart, chatty, helpful, friendly, imaginative, creative (like me..haha) but also has attitude when she gets tired, or when she doesnt get her way.
Dramatic is the word that comes to mind.
ANyhow...in December, we travelled to the South Island to spend Christmas with SJ, Lin and the kids. We absolutely loved it there!
While the rest of NZ rained, we had glorious sunny hot days.
Highlight was being godparents to our godchild VIJ, what a blessing!!
Then we drove to Queenstown for 2 days, loved it,...back to Haast then onto Franz Josef.
But before Franz, we stopped at Fox Glacier where Maeva and Gui walked to the Glacier while baby and I did a small walk and waited because the conditions were a bit windy.
From Franz we were off to CHC and home we came.

Loved South Island and spending time with my niece and nephews.

Then New Years on the Peterson's verandah with plenty of vodka punch.

Mega and Tau are coming for a few nights before going back to Oman.

And lastly, I forgot to mention, I also go a job with my Uni, and will be in AUcklan.

so right now, it is busy uncertain times as we have to look for a house to rent or buy, rent out our house here, look for good school for MM and daycare.
lots of worry about but for now, lemm just say I am lookng forward to an eventful 2012, with lots of success, change, anxiety, new environments, new verything but we are determine and prepared for anything.
Bring. It. On. (:

Manuia le Tausaga Fou

Graduation (:

This morning in our lives

This morning at 43 English, Frenchy has to go early to Auckland for work.
I had to get up at 7am to get the 2 children ready for daycare and then me, to work at Uni.
At 7:30, I was still in bed, exhausted after a night of Tuifiti tossing and turning because he is teething.
By 8, I was ready, showered and trying to drag Maeva out of bed, she refused, whining that her "eyes are sleeping and she can't open them"
I did my mother's trick and wet a towel to wake up her sleepuing face,
Not only did she wake up, she also got up grumpy.
But not for long, I told her if she cooperated, I will reward her later with a present. (Bribes work, note to new parents). She sprung out of that bed and inhaled her porridge.
Tuifiti remained asleep. Out to it. I even picked him up and laid him in the cot, but nope, he was knocked out.
So I carried him to the car still zzzzzzzzzzz and off we went to daycare.
Both cheered up upon arrival, I gave the teacher Bonjela for the boy's gums and off I sped to Uni.
I am so proud of my little people for being cooperative this morning coz I made it to work, early for a change!
Today I meet Lagi for lunch. She was our homestay student from Samoa and is here at uni for another 2 years. Bright kid.

 8 months old, all smiles and loves exploring on the floor

 Bonjour!

 This is my 'grumpy face'

 Blue, red and white makes.........viole!!!! Viole couch, viole wall and viole Maeva!

"Look Mom! I can sit up by myself!!!"  What a cruisy guy!

Things about to happen in this household

I graduate next month with a Master in Management Studies (& Sustainability).
I hope my mom will make it because she missed the last one.
It will also be my birthday, and because I was pregnant last year, I hope to have a REAL party this time round and actualy enjoy it!

AT the moment, I am part timing, 3 days at Uni - with another department. it is a temporary arrangement so far but I have applied for a job in Auckland that I am hoping to get!!!

Other than that, Gui is back into the thick of his job. Same ol' big corporation politics but he is older and wiser, so he is being a smart thinker about it. Good man. The rugby season is over, thank God, so not too many boozey nights. But two weeks ago, he went to Chris Mackey's 60th and he go so drunk he came home with a sprained ankle and he had no idea where it happened.

Tuifiti and Maeva Update

Tuifiti Sebastien
Firstly, Tuifiti is growing so so so fast I have forgotten he was a newborn not long ago.
He is now 8 months old and a very happy boy indeed.
As long as he has a full tummy, he is a happy camper, who loves to slide/glide/see around the living room, or sits in his walker and makes some noise.
He has taken to solids really well.
Last week, he started at the Babies Room at Maeva's Daycare center. He is awesome and adjusting well....very cruisy child..i think my boy is a champ already!
He is still quite tall for his age and had now got 2 new teeth growing at the bottom.
He has Gui's wiry coarse hair though, no hair product will save him in the future, haha.


Maeva Moelagi
My Maeva has been an awesome girl. She continues to suprise me everyday with things I never thought she would know, or comment on.
She loves being around her friends, Stella and at kindy - Ruby, Lucia, Shreia.
Her favourite hobbies at the moment is of course, the barbies and telling stories, role playing and having books read to her.
Her teachers tell me she is a very considerate girl and helpful around kindy. Last week she asked me to help her draw a picture for a man coming to her class, I found out, it is Craig Smith the author of Wonky Donkey and WillowBee. Her teachers were so impressed because they never asked her to do this.
She adores her brother and takes ownership of him, and his problems when we are not there. When he cries, she goes to him and tries to help, by giving him his soother, or a toy, or sings to him, and when he is unhappy, she throws her hands up in protest and goes, "Argh! What do you want!!! Stop crying!" and storms off.
She's a real go getter at the moment. I ask her to get this, that, whatever and she is doing it. Makuai lelei a le fai feau a le aunky!


I am so very proud of my wee people and love them to bits!

Maeva's got new words for me tonight

We are in Marseille.
We have been here for six weeks now and it has been a blast.
The trip started with the long flight (overnight in Seoul) to Paris, overnighting there then flight to the south of france for the majority of the time here.

Tuifiti has been an awesome travel buddy, Maeva had been even better...because she has been great help with baby too.....child looking after a child. Love it.

We spent the first 2 weeks around here, going to Cuers to the vineyards, catching up with family and friends, taking MM to the church we got married in, weaning the Tuif off my breasts and relaxing.

Then the girls arrived for our Samoan weekened....which my bestie from uni was able to attend, Kav.

That's another essay, so refer to facbook for the evidence. hoh.

For 10 days, we were in the French Alpes (Serre Chevalier) with the familia....mainly with Mayoune, Fred, the boys, Nani and Eric. Spent each day going to nearby areas for picnics...fun times and great food in the evenings compliments of Mayoune...loved it!

Then we drove to Austria (stopping in Milan) to catch up with Mex, Tauilagi and Desiree...fantastic time of lazing in the pool, which wasn't there last time, having a nosey in the wee village, drinking wine of course, visiting Salzburg and checking out Mozart's hometown, eating speacilty foods of the region and then back to the fun times on the veranda overlooking the lake.....of course, we had to referee the fights between the kids every now and then.
Then Moonlight Fest in town....caipirinha maracujas were flowin' of course (:

Now back to Marseille, catching up wih everyone and then off to Paris for 2 nights on Wednesday.

The holiday is coming to an end and there are many highlights....but all in my head (:

manuia le po....

tonight's lesson by my 4 year old at the white board:
Ambagator: A sheep that is brown, with fluffy beards.
Latricator: A sheep that has milk in its head.
Lachagategrillar: A person with many arms.

Conversations in my house

Maeva was in the lounge talking and singing to Sebastien Tufiti (ST from here on :)
 "This little piggie went to market,...this little piggie went shopping! this little piggie went wheee wheee wheee all the way home".
After about 3 minutes, ST stops smiling and starts whining, then whimpering, then crying agrily.
Maeva shrugs and screams at him "arrggghhh, stop crying brada!"
No stopping, just more cries.
Maeva gets up, hands on her hips and marches to the kitchen to her dad
"Dad, come look after your son!"

This week just went tits up for our household.,
It started wonderfully, with the Hilbrons from Oman and Wellington.
Maeva having a fabulous time with her cousin, Tauilagi.
Tauilagi who was named by our mother and whom is my sister's pride and joy.
She chose that name with much thought, love, hope and everything a mother wants in a child.
Not a name that is loosely plaigiarised so to speak.
Anyhow, the two children had a great time togther, playing, then fighting, then tackling - rugby style, then more fun and games.
However, as we get closer to the start of the week, Tauilagi got sick.
Then Maeva follwed suit,
Now, Tuifiti is joining in the queu.
Its now Wednesday.
We jet off toSamoa on Saturday for a special occasion, so i have 2 more days to drug up my children, rest them, care for them and nurse them to full health.
To top it off, Tuifiti had his 3 month jabs today.
So he has also developed a temperature - but nothing too backbreaking.

to be continued....ua fia susu le pepe, onosai mai i le laina.

Ruby's 4th Birthday.

Spent last Saturay afternoon at Ruby's house for her birthday.
Fantastic day for the kids, hghlight being the pony rides on Mini.
Ruby is Maeva's BFF from kindy. They are inseparable and act like silly billies when they are together,
Its such a joy seeing them together....like two peas in a pod,,,except, on pea is parang and the other, a fob (:

 Marshmallows and chippies for lunch (:

 Ruby, MM, Hannah, Chelsea, Lily

Meet the star of the day, Mini

 Gumboots, some mud, pony poo and more mud....bliss!

 Ella's got her under her wing

 Waikato girls thru and thru!

 She's loving it...a whole afternoon around ponies, farm, dogs, sheeps etc...what a child's dream!

 BFFs waiting their turn on the pony

 Decorate your own cupcake...it was initially a loveheart that morphed into a butterfly...so naturally, its a loveheart butterfly.

 Happy 4th Birthday Ruby!