A breather.....

So here we are, in the nice and warm South Coast of Natal at San Lameer - truly at peace.

Yes, I am here with two fellow bloggers Shayne and Lynette- we met each other at the airport on Monday afternoon and since then its just talking, talking, talking. Well, interspersed with lots of laughing, a nice long beach walk, a nap or two, tasty food and a visit to the Spa. Not much reading done yet, but so be it. As we constantly remind each other, really this has happened! We have really been trying to get some time together for ages.

Here's wishing your week is a good one.

Jip. Busy times

It's busy around here - very very busy - I have uploaded some of these photos almost a week ago. I have to share the one above of our beautiful oldest child, Puppy M now 11 and a half years old and still going strong. (And still naughty at times - believe me) She is such a great companion. I think this may be the best picture I have ever taken of her.

This week is utter chaotic busyness - partly just because it is filled with the kid's usual and unusual stuff at school but also because I am managing the office solo (business partner is on leave) and because I am going away next week. Yes my dear friend in the computer, my darling hubby will be looking after the brood next week while I relax with two friends. I have never done this before and am so grateful for the chance to rest and relax and catch up on a lot of talking. So very little blogging and blog reading taking place.

However I have to share some pictures of last week's happenings:

Ont he 1st of May public holiday we spent the day with friend K and the kid's teacher from their old school and her two kids at the park. It was a sunny, relaxing day filled with heaps of happy moments and lots of cycling

A had her first netball tournament on the Thursday before the wedding (thus almost two weeks ago) and they won all their games. She is happily playing in both the B and the C teams as is Miss K - the two seem to be joined at the hip. I love this picture of them - possibly my favorite yet.

The boys played in their first "bulletjie" rugby tournament - a version of rugby where no tackling is allowed and the tag on the side of the pants is ripped off to count as a tackle.I just love that they play in the school's rugby jerseys and represent their school even if they are not formally in it yet. The cuteness is totally overwhelming.

I also have a Project Life post up here.

As you get those golden days, you sometimes get golden weekends....

I am not talking about big one, holiday ones, being in exiting places, seeing new things. I am talking about those truly golden ones - just at home. Last weekend was possibly our best one ever to date. There was a glorious calmness over the household - maybe it had to do with the previous night's wedding and all that being done and over, possibly being a public holiday Saturday and no sports or urgent errands needing attention. Most probably it was because we chose to be relaxed, to give ourselves some time to rest. I think the attitude rubbed off on the kidlets. We will most certainly take a lesson from our own book for the future.

So Saturday was spent having a nice English breakfast at home prepared by Hunter on the gas braai. But mostly it looked like this:

And like this: (gin and tonic for cousin A and me when she came to copy my photos of the wedding and hot chocolate for the kids)

 

Hunter was off to the rugby with visiting family here for the wedding and the kids and I collected pizza and watched a movie or two.On Sunday morning A just did not wake up on her own until very late and we decided to for once miss church. We had crumpets for breakfast and for the rest of the day :

The family Veterinary surgeon was in treating baby dolphins and puppies.

 

Mr C learned how to do a plaid (the coloured pipe cleaners worked so well - easy to work with and a colour sequence to remember)

 Mr L rediscovered his sticker book.

On impulse we packed a few picnic things and headed for a park with lovely bicycle paths and lots of stunning autumn trees.

 Where the puppies had just as much fun as the rest of us had

I just love this shot!

 Where lots of cycling happened.

 

Rugby and hockey was practised

 And a lot of fun was had in the Autumn leaves. All totally for free.

Leaf angel in process

Afterwards we had home made burgers for a very late lunch/dinner and a swim at the gym. It was a great great weekend. Simply golden.

This weekend has a very busy Saturday. Lets hope we can find the golden somewhere once again.

So do tell me which picture is your favorite.(Mine is Lthrowing the ball for puppy M and the very first one)

(BTW I have added a Project Life post here )

Good one Mr Murphy!

Ah you know, some days....

So last night when the boys went to sleep Mr L started crying, and then showing Hunter that his right ear was sore. He has a cold the last 2 weeks and he loves to have his head under water in the bath and when he swims (which is still at least weekly). So we added some Swimmers ear to dry it out and gave him something for pain and fever. The night was restless to say the least, Hunter took the biggest brunt of it with the little man. Adding to it all is that the whole area's power went off at about 10 pm and was not on when we had to get up and going this morning.

Where Mr Murphy stepped in really well though was that Nanny L had a pre scheduled appointment at the clinic this morning - arranged months ago. So I had no choice but to bring Mr L with me to work and then take him to the doctor. Turns out he has a very bad ear infection in his right ear and has already spread to the left- she was astounded (as most doctors usually are with him) with his very high pain threshold - the ear drum is on the edge of bursting!

As it turns out the doctor never arrived for Nanny L's appointment ( I promise) - she was furious, I am incredibly calm because, guess what, the child I thought I would never be able to handle at work is doing so well. Maybe the fact that he is sick helps - but he is just the sweetest thing. Friendly, charming, good manners and playing iPad or colouring away on his blanket. At the moment he is lying down - maybe a nap? I am totally sticking my tongue out for you Mr Murphy - oops,. should not say that.

BTW we had a lovely day yesterday - the weather was beautiful for an outdoors Labour day.

Wedding bells

On Friday we had the most beautiful family wedding. Our very own little Princess played her role so well as the smallest flower girl in the wedding party. Such a special day in every little girl's life if they get the chance. She enjoyed every little detail from the hair, dressing with the bride and the bridesmaids to the actual wedding. I love how their dresses were different but the same too. How the colours went with the bridesmaids dresses and their little corsages around their arms. I love how she sat at the table with the maid of honour and other flower girl and not with us. She was just so grown up and she literally glowed the whole day.

I also loved that the Boys were there. While Mr L did not really enjoy the heaps of strange people and all the things going on, Mr C was totally enjoying every moment. My word, how grown up he was! He sat at the table with his sister and not with us.  He went to ask the Maid of honour for a dance right after her date brought her back to the table after their first dance together ( just after the bride and groom's first dance) After that he had the honour of being the first man apart from the groom to dance with the bride!

We did not stay too late- we had two of the grannies to drop off and a very tired Mr L but we all had fun and I am sure the kids will never forget the day.

But, I know you are all waiting for the pictures, so without any further rambling:

I was a beautiful bride - love the blue shoes

The girls had their hair done at my hairdresser and really enjoyed the attention

My handsome little men

Kisses with cousin K

Ready with their baskets

Leading the bride down the forest isle

The first to throw the rose petals on the happy couple

The two cousins were a great team

I love this moment between the bride and the two flower girls. I made the hair clips with the flowers on for them

I just love this shot - the late afternoon light was beautiful

A heap of happy cousins (and an aunt)

The flower girls with their pashminas and the maid of honour. The big girls had the blue infinity dresses each wrapped in a different way and the colours just really went well together.

The boys and their much beloved cousin K

  Mr C was just so incredibly cute - just look at these. The man certainly is a charmer of note

As thank you gifts they had a sweetie buffet and very pretty bags with Afrikaans phrases. The kids loved their party packs.

 Btw we had the best weekend ever this weekend. Just so relaxing, calm and peaceful. But more about that later. How was your weekend?