Thanksgiving Thursday

I know there were many many complaints and tears earlier this week, but I have so much to be thankful for. I am playing along today with Nicole at What a trip for the first time and if you'll humour me, I will report a bit on our weekend as well.

1. May I please say it again, shout from the rooftops, announce on national TV, email Oprah - Little man L is finally walking! Only 2 ore 3 steps at a time, but he is!

2. Lovely summer fruit. We bought great fruit at a fruit stall along the road driving back from Komatipoort this weekend. This is the lowveld region in South Africa - one of the world's top fruit producing areas.

Just check out the size of the pineapple (crayon next to it)

Just check out the lovely stall where we bought the pineapple, yellow cling peaches, mangoes, grapes, bananas and avocado pears.


3.Little man C is better at last! Thanks to anti-biotics and paracetamol.

4. A good night's sleep - we all slept through for the first time since I got back on Sunday.

5. The return of Blanky- bear - this is a post all on it's own, but suffice to say, my daughter is ecstatic.


6. Lent time fasting - I do it every year (apart from when I was pregnant) - I give up one thing I love for lent - the idea being to think of Jesus' sacrifice every time you have to pass on the items. I have done many different things through the years - movies (pre kids), alcohol (easy one), red meat (easy enough), chocolate (tough), all sweets (tougher), caffeine (the toughest to date, no doubt). This year I am doing all salty snacks like crisps, pretzels and popcorn. I am finding it tough, but that's the idea.

7. That my hubby is still holding on with the studies.

8. For Easter eggs - gosh for a chocoholic it is yearly heaven.


9. For our quick trip to the Kruger National Park as part of our girls weekend where we saw 3 of the Big 5 in 3 hours. Amazing. Check out tomorrow's 4XF for more about this.

10. And for my dear hubby who gave me the time to enjoy a lovely weekend with my little girl and my extended family. It was my first night away from my Boys, but it was great. I missed them (and dad) but my soul was refreshed. My daughter was the sweetest girl ever, got heaps of attention and time for me alone and with the family. She is the smallest girl of all the cousins and was always being entertained by somebody.

Read on for more about the weekend - if you want to opt out now, why not tell me what you are thankful for today.

Driving with us to Komatipoort were my cousin Ananda and her daughter Carla and my aunt's sister Lou-lou. On the way down we stopped at Milly's to have lunch - we had lovely troutfish pancakes (it is in our prime troutfish area).

The Little Miss and Carla

Me and my princess.

Checking out the huge Carp fish.

My cousin's house is right on the Kruger National Park - the view from the top patio is stunning. They have a telescope on the patio and you can watch the game coming for a drink. On the photo below - just across the river is big game country.



The place to relax.

We had a relaxing Friday night, catching up on news and just weel, relaxing. On Saturday morning I took the 4 younger girls to The Kruger National Park and we all had a lazy afternoon at the pool. On Saturday night we had my aunt's surprise 80th birthday party. And on Sunday morning, after brunch we headed back home.

The table settings were beautiful - the place mats are made of copies of photos showing her life and laminated.

She was so surprised - can you believe she is 80? And her sister on the right is now 74? They both use hearing apparatus, but are so healthy.

The cake was really cute.

Cousin Petru and I were always the two little girls of the family - now our daughter are. She with Peter.

The two little girls of the family - Jana and A.

Cousins Theo and Ananda's 3 - Ingrid, Peter and Carla.

Me and my little Angel - she was so good!

Cousin Mariska is the oldest of my kid's generation - she is 24.

Cousin Peter and The Little Miss had heaps of fun. Can you believe a young man of 22 enjoyed the evening with his 4 year old cousin?

Just love this photo of the 3 pretty cousins.
And although this photo is not in focus, I have to place it - Cousin Buckle and his partner pharmacist Eugene both shaved their heads that morning in the annual CANSA shaveathon to support their patients with cancer. They own the only pharmacy in the small town - it is South Africa's border town to Mozambique.

My aunt, her children and grandchildren. Her one son and his wife and 4 daughters could not make it.

And got to love this one - driving back, the two bigger cousins sleeping and the Little Miss reading and watching DVD. She should be the one taking a nap - no luck!