{our first Sabbath in India}

What a buzz to be up at 6am to prepare for church! I know we are supposed to prepare on Saturday...but it just didn't happen for me. So 6am I am about to iron clothing. My husband came along with us to church - what a wonderful feeling to attend church...and everything being the same as home!

 breakfast - toast, fruit and biscuits haha!

 this guy would rather play then eat...

 cheese - waiting for our driver to arrive

 GOOCH playing and getting dirty before we leave home...fun!(not)

 Love this handsome Man! xox

 We left home and noticed a park full of kids playing cricket, people walking getting their exercize on! The roads were already buzzing! People carting their work gear to their spots!

through the window you can see a small family pushing what appears to be concrete slab moulds on a bike. This was just after 9am and we are on our way to church.

On this motor bike there are 4 people! The parents and 2 kids...and they just roll real casual on the bike. They don't have to wear the helmets or hold on real tight! Simple...and effective transportation...love it!!

We arrived to our destination a little late, our driver was looking for it - stopping to ask random rickshaw drivers. I think there are only branches in India, no wards yet, and no church buildings like we have back home. It was more of a 2 story building with the sign on the front that reads "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" and the guard standing there with a smile as we rushed out of the car, grabbing our boys, bags and rushing to the door!

this was taken after church on the way to the car. Hence the no-shoes casual look that GOOCH has going on...

To be honest, you see guards sitting infront of houses and buildings, but this was the first time one had smiled at me...I had the warm feeling 'FINALLY we are here'!

We watched a DVD for stake conference. It was filmed in Salt Lake City, Utah - for the Asian countries! It was very different to what I am used to but an awesome experience. Speaking about things pertaining to those who live in Asian countries.

Half way through that I had to take GOOCH outside, and tell the dude off. He was squirming and talking throughout the DVD, very embarrassing. Then not long after my husband came out to relieve me. Thankfully I returned to my seat next to BUBBA.

After that we had the last class for the day - remembering it's stake conference, Relief Society and Preisthood were combined. My husband was going to just chill with the lil' guy - but then ended up putting GOOCH in nursary and came up to join me!

taken after class :)

After class we talked with a few members and I passed on letters my youth had written to the youth in India - hoping to strike a relationship with the youth abroad.

the foyer upstairs. That is the doorway to the room where we had our combined class...

the stairway down...

Straight after church there were afew baptisms...

love this father and son photo xox

These boys were awesome!! BUBBA and his boys from primary!

We headed home not long after! We just chilled out all day catching up on sleep and chilling with family! Dinner was at 9:30pm and we had paneer (which I love sooo much) - I keep forgetting to take photos of the food...I will make an effort on Monday!

xox

{saturday = shopping-day}

So Saturday we woke up and actually had time to do a hard out workout, which consisted of a very brisk walk around a nearby park. That was awesome...it kicked my butt! Came home and forced out push ups, crunches and something else (don't know what it's called) 50 each! Hope to do something like that everyday except for the Sabbath!

Indian food is sooooo good that you will just keep eating it without limit. I have a personal limit of 2 parantha or 3 roti in one sitting. Because the food is just an amazing experience in the family home where we are - it's honestly tough to stick to my personal limit...loving food the way I do...well lets just say it's definitely a challenge!

After our workout we planned to be ready to leave home at midday and spend as long as possible at the mall...just to shop! In India...you CANNOT just get into the car and follow a GPS...well if you are brave and you are up for a heck of a challenge then sure...go for it! In India...unless you know how to drive in India...you should just really leave it to the pros.

if you don't know...now you know :)

We had to wait until the driver arrived to take us to the mall! We arrived at 12:30pm and left at 3:30pm! First stop was the international store there and eventually we got through all 3 jam-packed levels of stores!

reckon my Husbindian would look mean in these...with the laces lose...mean!

The last time we visited India it was in Feb 2009, there were amazing specials at 70% flat rate for almost all the stores in every mall we visited. This time nothing was really on special...so we did feel a little cheated haha! Having said that, their could be reduced prices on items on the lead up to Christmas, just before we make the trip back to NZ.

found some awesome moulds...next time we visit the mall...I'm getting these

We did alittle shopping, but had a blast! Except for the screaming child that was locked in the stroller!

The next time we travel our boys will be a few years older so that should help....right??? {nod your head}

this is just one of the children's stores where they are all labelled wear! No we don't roll like that, even if we had bank for it...we still wouldn't conform :P

 

another designer children's store LACOSTE!

what a face! dude thought he was getting the 400 rupees for his wallet. This isn't even $20nzd 

All in all we had a wonderful time! Forgot to take photos of the donuts and goodness that we consumed...but definitely next time...{this coming week}.

facials like he doesn't care about the formula car behind him...haha SMILE MAAAAAN!

Had a good rest and caught up on some much needed sleep. Dinner is often about 9:30pm/10pm start and because someone was sooo needy we didn't get to take our walk tonight...Monday we hit it again!

my men...ready to head home!

Bed for church tomorrow....looking forward to it...can't wait!

xox

{the trip}

I was so relieved to have been working on the TO-DO list the week before actually needing to pack (the night before - like we did 2 years ago)! We honestly only packed the night on Wednesday night and leaving home at 7am to head to the airport!

Afew key things happend, but one in particular - the 'TO-DO' list was written at all! We also had acouple of the young men in my class stay over Sunday night and helped on Monday with trimming the trees, and turning the bark...so much fun! Haha...well it was on Monday!

We also had good friends put their hands up to house-sit! That's a massive relief and also our neighbours pitching in with the animals. My parents arrived with our eldest from Auckland on Tuesday eve. He had been holidaying up in Auckland for 17days - that is the longest time we had been apart...that was very difficult, especially the last week!

So with all these elements pulling together - the weight of the 'TO-DO' list was lighter then ever before! I even got some sleep on Wednesday night! The last time we prepared for India I was packing at 2am and left washing the machine for 6 weeks hahaha!

Because I'm wasted...here are some photos from our trip here...

my babies on the plane from Wellz to Aux

The GOOCH and Papi - Mama in the back from Wellz to Aux

at Auckland International - heading to our gate...

The GOOCH and BUBBA...I think GOOCH is trying to hint for something...

SPIDERMAN!

Singapore Airlines ROCK!!

Papi and the GOOCH!

 

 BUBBA with the games controller

 flying over Indonesia - BEAUTIFUL!

touched down in Singapore - the NOISE are by the cool fountain

My MEN and Mama at Singapore Airport...

 GOOCH and the massive goldfish! We were at Singapore Airport for about 7hrs
before the last stretch of the trip. A 5.5hr flight to India!

 We arrive in India - these are the taxis loading up the cars! Day break in India.

Close up!

xox