Tuesday 14 January 2014

The small things really are the big things

So I am back at work after our well deserved holiday. A holiday where things did not go exactly as planned but where never the less, we made the best off and all had heaps of fun. We had a big road trip, first sleeping over in the karoo near Bethulie, then spending time in Cape Town (mostly Houtbay) and on to Port Elizabeth over Christmas. We ended our trip with a day with our friends in the karoo on a farm bordering the Orange river. The kids were amazing these holidays - I can hardly describe how great they were and am immensely proud of them.

So I sat with the kids after the holiday away and we talked about their favorite moment of the holiday. We had plenty of highlights, visiting the Two Oceans Aquarium, eating at Simons at Groot Constantia, Christmas with many spoils, ice cream on the beach and too many to mention. A immediately said that it was when she took Spirit, a Welsh pony for a swim in the dam on the farm on the day before last of our holiday. I guess to be expected from a horse lover but she was also the most enthusiastic swimmer amongst our bunch and adores the beach sharing a passion for Sardinia bay with both her parents.
 I then prompted L who simply said "quad bike" referring to all the bike rides on the farm with dad. Anything with engines is his passion, possibly a quad bike most of all.
 C has been quiet all the time and then he quickly said - "Swimming in the farm dam" (our first day on holiday) and then changed it to swimming with the horses as well. And then said "no, no, finding the star fish in Sardinia bay and releasing it again".
 He was clearly having a tough time deciding. And then he said it, "actually every thing was the best because we did it all together."

And that I guess is the answer - its the small things (none of these cost anything) that makes the big things count. Spending time together doing things we enjoy is what holidays are all about. Come to think of it, it's what life's about. May your 2014 be filled with magic moments.

11 comments:

  1. It is the time spend together...ALWAYS. I am so thankful that I got to spend an afternoon with you and got to meet Hunter and the three kidlets xxx

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  2. Awww, that is really lovely. What a divine holiday for you all. I look forward to following your 2014 adventures!

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  3. I LOVED seeing snippets of your holiday. Sounds like you ALL had the very best time. So many beautiful memories made.

    ps...I live like 12 minutes or so away from Simons. And Hout Bay! Next time, my friend. xx

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  4. C's response warms my tender heart!

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  5. Yip those are the moments that make memories forever :)

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  6. Glad you enjoyed your holidays! Great photos!
    Best wishes for 2014!

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  7. I love that kids always see the small things as valuable. They teach us that this is what matters and not the things that we pay a lot of money towards :)
    Glad you all had a fantastic leave period.

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  8. Ah C said it BEST! I absolutely agree with him - everything is the best when I'm with my little family too!

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  9. Awe...that's so sweet!

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  10. he's a wise one, that C :)

    it's very true that it's the ordinary, very normal days that I enjoy the most :)

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  11. Happy 2014 Cat, just catching up on some of your posts so far this year.
    Such beautiful words and sentiment, this was a lovely post to read.
    I love how children appreciate simple joys the most, a great reminder for us adults too.
    Be well xx

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