Makes my Monday - best playdough recipe ever!

Playing along with Cheryl - what a great way to start the week.

I have tried many playdough recipies and this one I begged off The Little Miss' school after they made great playdough on one of their baking Fridays. It is the third time I made this recipe and it is truly great - cheap, easy, exceptionally easy to shape and it keeps for months in a sealed container. This truly makes my Monday.



For a special touch, add food flavoring ie. strawberry to pink , mint to green and lemon to yellow. For extra special add dry glitter - it makes wonderful sparkly dough.

500 ml (16,9 ounces) All purpose flour
500 ml (16,9 ounces) water
125 ml (4,2 ounces) table salt
15 ml (0,5 ounces) creme of tartar
15 ml (0,5 ounces) glycerin
Food coloring and flavoring of your choice

Mix all except the coloring and flavoring.
Cook in a pot on a medium temperature while you keep stirring until it makes a ball in the middle of the pot.
Cool down and kneed well.
Add coloring and flavoring and keep in an airtight container.

I had to convert from the metric - hope it makes sense.

Debi's Baby Picture Sundays - feeding frenzy

When I saw Debi's theme for this week, I knew I had the perfect pictures- taken a while ago but not published yet (although, technically they are not babies any more, are they?)

I am sure you have also seen this somewhere, but I gave it a shot:

Step 1: Thread spaghetti through vienna sausages. (or get the older kids to do it)

Step 2: Boil.

Step 3: Add veggies if you are a veggy obsessed mom like me.

Step 4: Serve.

They loved it! We call it octopus in their sea-garden. Served up with ketchup.

Saturday snapshots

So how has your Saturday been so far? Head over to Cheryl's and share yours.

Ok, so this was 2 Saturdays ago, just before the pig struck us - I cut daddy's hair and we took the chance to cut The Boys'. Not a tear, not as much as 'n cry. I am super mommy hairdresser now!

And somehow they just seem to look so much bigger, especially Little Man L without those curls.

Cat's Bookclub - review added.

Pop over and have a look at the review for "The Women" by T.C. Boyle.

July 2009 - Book no 24

"The Women" by T.C. Boyle.

Most architects have a hero, and architect that inspired them when they were students, someone that fascinates them. I have two, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. I was therefore so excited when I heard about this book on Frank Lloyd Wright and the women in his life and I could hardly wait to buy it and read it.

In a fiction format it provides a fascinating look into the real life person of one of the greatest and most famous architects that ever lived and the 4 woman that played a major role in his life. From his arrogance and arguably womanizing ways to is sensitive part, well hidden behind the curtain of his larger than life persona. I also learned a lot about the facts surrounding his private life and biggest projects.

The narrator is a fascinating character in his own right and keeps a lively story line. I found that I could not put this book down and although it is a long read, I really enjoyed every page. Although this is really an excellent book, I am not sure if you would enjoy it if you have no previous knowledge of Frank Lloyd Wright and his work. A great read for a limited audience.

9/10 for the interested.

Friday photo finish fiesta - we clean up nicely.

The best day to visit Carrie is on Friday!

Me and the hubster at our fancy party two Saturdays ago. Love the car, love the man - it was a great party.

Thanksgiving Thursday

Playing along with Thanksgiving Thursdays now at Elyse. (You can still click the button above)

It has been way too long! With the court case and the pig etc, it's been more than a month since I have played along.

Indeed, today I have a lot to be thankful for:

1. Firstly to you, my blogging friends, for your very kind and supportive comments on Tuesday, and above all for your prayers.

2. I am so thankful that both Hunter and I are doing better and that no hospital stay was involved. In no way are we 100% there, especially him, but he has returned to work yesterday and did ok.

3. The puking has stopped! Hallelujah! The pooping is another matter, but I can deal with it.

4. I am so thankful that Lucy and my mom could help us through our 3 days of isolation and after when we were so weak.

5. For a great visit with my cousins that live in our neighbouring country Namibia and their two kids. Lucy was their nanny before she came to us and it was such a joyful occasion to all get together last night. (And silly me, took no pictures! - could not find the camera)

6. Slowly getting back into work and the help and co-operation of my partner and staff.

7. The get well emails and calls from our clients and their support.

8. Some great books that I read while sick last week - I am planning to do 3 reviews on my book blog soon.

9. I have just met a twin mommy in Brooklyn Mall who has twin girls just a month older than my boys and a son about a year younger than The Little Miss. We just started talking and live very close to each other. Here's hoping for a new friend. For that prospect I am thankful.

10. And yes, Spring has sprung! Yeah! Although we will still have a cold spell, this is definitely Spring.

Two for Two-sday - those twin moments.

Playing along with Debi as per usual.

Most moms of twins know this often asked question" Are they twins?" is just a way to strike up a conversation, that most of the times, you'd rather not partake in. It's just one step up from :"Wow your hands are full" or "Double trouble". But often these days I get asked the question in all honesty and it is often replaced with: "How far apart are they in age? At last I have to acknowledge that yes, Little man L is way way smaller than his brother. He is tiny. In fact, he never grew into his 18 to 24 months clothes this winter and for summer I will have to buy for him still in this age group while Little Man C fits his age appropriate clothes perfectly. The ENT specialist has hinted that this could be due to all the tonsil trouble and that he might start growing rapidly if they are removed. The honest fact is that it breaks my heart - I love having twins and this almost "loss" of twindom gets to me. But developmental wise they are much the same - where Little Man C's gross motor skills are higher, Little Man L's fine motor skills are way above age. So what we are seeing more and more of, are those special twin moments.

We had a first special twin moment just minutes after their birth when a crying little man L in an incubator went quiet the moment his brother was placed next to him. As time goes on we are seeing more and more every day. Even with heaps of other children around them, they still make time to spend with each other.


We've had an incredibly hard time medical wise this year. It has been exhausting. In the last 3 weeks we had Hunter with tick bite fever, both of us with the freaking swine and all 3 kids twice with gastro - yeah last night was the same story - two puking and 3 pooping. To top all Hunter has been booked off for another week - his heart muscles are still affected by the pigs and he needs to rest. Last night I was in tears - I could not go on any more. I am struggling to make half a day at work even if I get some sleep, how do I work if I get none and still feel so run down. And my poor hubby is really not well yet. To top it all our dear Lucy also has gastro today. She came to work and I got her medicine with the kids, but she is not feeling great.

I had a teary conversation with God last night - I really need us to get a bit better. I really need His help. I am just, well, exhausted, tired, sick, disillusioned. Dear God, please I need a break!

Makes my Monday - goodbye to the freeking pig!

Playing along with Cheryl - what a great way to start the week.

Off course, what makes my Monday is that the kids are all still fine. No pig in sight! They all3 had a touch of gastro this weekend, but no, no pig! I am relieved beyond words.

The truth is that we have both been sick, very sick. And we are still not feeling great. I was ok Saturday and Sunday but Hunter was under the weather so I tried to do everything on my own to give him the chance to recuperate. Poor guy now has the gastro too. It was too much, today I am really not feeling well - and I am at work. So I might go home at lunch time and rest a bit more. Off course two nights of very interrupted sleep (2 kids puking on Friday night, and a sick hubby on Saturday) certainly did not help either.

But yes, we have survived the pig! Really more than enough to make any ones Monday.

Friday photo finish fiesta - My little Ponies party

The best day to visit Carrie is on Friday!

So the kiddo's good friend Jeannedre had her 5th birthday party on Saturday. The tables were beautiful, the fun a plenty. So here's the pics:(and for those who always want to know - The Boys in Keedo, The Little Miss in Naartjie)

The cake - made by the granny.

The party packs were buckets topped with straw.




The Little Miss takes her turn with the pinata.

Off course he will be on a car.

For some reason he loves to sit on this tree stump.

Her turn to pose with the famous pony.

Way back and wordful Whensday - woman's day at Cullinan.

Playing along on a Wednesday (as per usual) with Cheryl at Twinfatuation and Angie at 7 Clown Circus:

Ok, so this is not so way back, but I have a lot of catching up to do. The 9th of August is National Woman's day in South Africa. Historically it commemorates 9 August 1956 when women of all races participated in a national march to petition against pass laws (legislation that required African persons to carry a document on them to ‘prove’ that they were allowed to enter a ‘white area’). In practice it has become a day when woman are honored by the men in their lives. We didn't have fixed plans for the day, but as Monday was a public holiday (if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday becomes one) we decided to go for a nice drive out and have lunch wherever we happen to end up.

We ended up in Cullinan, a historical mining town about an hour away from Pretoria. The Premier diamond mine is still a working mine and you can tour it (we will do that when the kids are a bit older). The mine is famous for producing the biggest uncut diamond ever mined in the world on June 25 1905 (3108 carats!) the Cullinan diamond, now cut into 9 diamonds of which the biggest is the feature in the British crown. It still produces 25% of the world's gem quality diamonds.

Not the greatest picture of my princess but check out the size of that stone - off course a copy!

The historical area is a delightful street filled with restaurants and antique shops.


This huge chicken is made from wood.

We chose the restaurant next to the children's play park- filled with jungle gyms and old mining equipment to play on. The kids had fun, we all relaxed and had lunch and took a walk through the town afterwards.


One of the most interesting places is Jan Harmsgat se Agterplaas ( Jan Harmsgat's backyard translated). It is a theatre in a very creative surrounding as the photos will show.
Entrance to the house facing the street.




Signpost for the theatre in the backyard.

Entrance to the theatre

Theatre inside.

We all had a great time, and to boot, Hunter sent me off to the movies for the 5 o'clock show and bathed and put the kids to bed. I went to see "My life in ruins" just because I'd love to see Greece again, but ended up enjoying the movie tremendously.

On the pest side of things - feeling slightly better but still down and out.

Oink!

From us over here! Yes, me and Hunter both - in bed, with you know what.... The doc thinks it hit him because he was so sick from the Tick bite fever and me because of last week's stress. They do not even test here anymore, they just diagnose by symptoms and treat immediately to try and stop the spread as soon as possible. Off course, our biggest concern is the kids. In South Africa they do not give kids Tamiflu as a prophylaxis as per the newest research where it was shown that the side effects are really bad. So we are checking their temperature 3 times daily. Little man C has a caugh, but we spent Saturday at friends that has a cat. so it can be expected. We are keeping a close eye on him.We have hired our nanny to stay with us and look after the kids for the next 3 days until we are not able to infect them any more. I have no idea what we would have done without her. My mom also comes in to help to cook food etc. Staying away from the kids is off course so tough. It breaks my heart.

I was so hoping to get back to regular blogging, but maybe, as the day and week goes on, I will feel better and get some blogging (and reading - I am so behind) done.


Playing along with Debi as per usual.
We do not often get MacDonald's (yes, we have them in the deepest dark Africa) - frankly, our South African "Steers", although more expensive, has much better burgers. But The Little Miss kept asking, and two weekends ago , The Boys had their first Happy Meals - check our the happy faces.

And not to be left out - the happiest of them all.

3 Tons of fun!

I am so glad this week is over and the stress has certainly left it's mark. I am exhausted and just not feeling healthy. I ended up being in the witness box until Friday. The case has been postponed as the court time ran out.

On to happier, more regular posting.....

We had the huge privilege to be invited as VIP guests to the Platinum birthday party of our city's upmarket mall, Brooklyn Mall. I look after the general architectural work and project management of all new shops in the mall. I also approve the aesthetics of their designs.

It was a stunning event where the one parking area was transformed into a party area - I could not believe that a transformation like that was possible. It was so stylish - all in black and white with red accents (most strikingly a red Ferrari). The food was exquisite, the wine just the best and the whisky Chivas Regal. I had my hair done for the event and was all dressed up in a nice evening dress, but the picture Hunter took at home is completely out of focus. I will post something when I get the pictures from the marketing people soon.

The highlight of the event, apart from the yearly awards to tenants, was a show by 3 Tons of fun, a threesome of Divas and the name says it all. These 3 girls are huge - in terms of voice, talent and certainly size.

I just love it that they ooze sexuality and sensuality with heaps of confidence. They sang wonderful music - everything from Mowtown favorites to disco staples and 80's hits. It was huge fun. And they looked absolutely beautiful.


I've read the whole "No 1 Ladies detective agency" series of books and the mini series has just started here. It you have never read these or seen the show, make a plan - they are great. I am so surprised that the series was filmed so true to the African experience and feel. The main character in the series is Mma Ramotswe - a spunky traditionally build girl ( or that is how she puts is). Which off course means in African terms, quite a bit overweight. The way she cherish her body and the way she looks, is an inspiration.

This makes me wonder why we can not all be filled with this confidence, despite the size and shape we are in. So why is it that we western woman (and these days more and more of the African girls in South Africa as well) hammer ourselves about our weight all the time? Why don't we accept the way we look and relish in our inherent sensuality? Why not learn from the African woman and cherish our bodies regardless?