It was a good Christmas.

Christmas Eve:
We had a quiet Christmas eve at home with just the 5 of us and my mom. Dinner was simple: KFC and we all had lots of fun because it was present time!




The boys just love their Duplo.

And got real big boy rugby balls.

The Lil Miss got a music box from granny that she just adores.

Someone also got a little wire bicycle with a note attached leading to...

a new big bicycle.

Even the puppies got a gift or two.

Christmas day:
Santa came around during the night and only left crumbs and filled stockings.

He was welcomed by our posse of knitted Santas (from a charity project in Namibia)

In the stockings were little bits of fun and laughter.

Two little construction workers got hardhats to match the wheelbarrows they got the previous night.

After that we went to the morning church service with my mom and had a brunch at home. It was a hot and humid day and as my FIL and MIL only landed at 3pm, we had a late afternoon Christmas meal. They did the Christmas juggle - Christmas in two cities - they had Christmas eve with my BIL, SIL and little Madelein as well as Hunters grandparents) and flew to us on Christmas day.

It was the very first time that we hosted Christmas for more than just our little family. We had gammon (made in the oven), sirloin and leg of lamb (made on the Weber grill), aunt Tina's famous chicken pie, rice, roasted potatoes, pumpkin fritters, three bean salad, copper penny carrot salad and a garden salad. For desert we had my ice-cream desert filled with chocolate, cherries and nuts.

The table was done in red and white.

The place setting was with wire words (bought from a street vendor) with the names written on the red ribbon. I used the words: "Hoop"(Hope), "Geloof"(Faith) and "Liefde" (Charity) form1 Corinthians 13:13 and "Vreugde" (Joy) and "Vrede"(Peace).

At the Christmas table from the left: Hunter, my mom, my MIL, FIL, uncle Bertie, Aunt Tina and cousin Anne-Marie.

The kids had their own little table decked out in Christmas fare.

In the family tradition, we breed meat lovers over here in Africa.

The evening was concluded with some more presents (from the family gathered and the Cape Town family brought by the grandparents). And lots of hugging and loving.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a happy and festive Christ feast!
Or as the Lil' Miss would say: Happy Birthday Jesus.

Translated: After another busy year we wish you God's richest blessings this Christmas and only the best or 2010
Pictures by Jeanette.
Once again, I am leaving you with the words of my favorite Christmas carol:
(The original Afrikaans words translated in English in Italic.)



Somerkersfees Summer Christmas
1. Welkom, o stille nag van vrede,/ Welcome o Silents night of peace,
onder die suiderkruis,/ under the southern cross,
Wyl stemme uit die ou verlede oor sterrevelde ruis. /While voices from the past whisper over starfilled fields
Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom –/ Christmas is near, Christmas is near
Gee aan God die eer./ Glory to the lord
Skenk ons ‘n helder/ Give us a bright
Somer-kersfees/ Summer Christmas
In hierdie land, o Heer. / In this country, o Lord.

2. Hoor jy hoe sag die klokke beier in eeue-oue taal./Do you hear the bells ringing in an ages old language
Kyk, selfs die nagtelike swye vertel die ou verhaal./ Even the silence of the night tells the old old storey
Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom –/ Christmas is near, Christmas is near
Gee aan God die eer./ Glory to the lord
Skenk ons ‘n helder/ Give us a bright
Somer-kersfees/ Summer Christmas
In hierdie land, o Heer. / In this country, o Lord.

3. Voel jy ook nou Sy warm liefde as ons die dag gedenk, /Do you feel His warm love as we remember this day
Toe Hy sy Seun aan ons gegee het – ons grootste Kersgeskenk. / When He gave us His son - our biggest Christmas present
Christus kom, Christus kom – / Chirst is comming, Christ is comming
Skenk ons ‘n helder/ Give us a bright
Somer-kersfees/ Summer Christmas
In hierdie land, o Heer. / In this country, o Lord.

With a heavy heart....

It is with a heavy heart that I am doing our last Christmas preparations. My dear friend Linda became a granny of twins on Monday when her grandson and daughter were born at 27 weeks after the little girl's sack tore. At first they did so well but as it goes with tiny preemies, things deteriorated and the little girl, Charne joined the millions of prem angels at Jesus' throne this morning.

May I please ask your prayers for little Jeannedre who is fighting so bravely and for the family for whom this Christmas will be filled with grief.

Scenes from a holiday - part 1

Yes, we're back! Got back late Sunday night and have since then been doing 8 loads of laundry, lots of unpacking and the obligatory present wrapping and menu planning.

We really had the greatest of holidays possible. We just had fun, spent a lot of time together and rested as much as possible with two very active boys. My, are they busy! And super busy when no contained within a yard. They had us running like mad, but we all had a great time.

Best to describe in pictures- the first of a series:

Our tent home for 9 nights.

Ahhh! Relax!

Zinkwazi beach. Truly beauiful.






Loving camping.


Relaxing on mommy and daddy's bed.

Loved the sand.

Loved the water.




The Lil Miss and friend Erin returning with dad from a splash in the wave.

The Lil Miss made a great friend Erin and the two mermaids had lots of fun.

Hallo!

Hi girls! I quietly slipped away for a week and a bit long holiday on the Natal North Coast. I had a cute little goodbye post planned but Friday, our last day before closing the office for the year went by in a flash. I am not planning to post regularly and promise to visit and comment again as soon as we return.

So the boys are camping for the first time and apart from just being very busy, are taking to it like champs.The weather's been crappy - raining and so but there is hope for good weather to follow. See you soon.

Thanksgiving Thursday - 9 years ago today

Photographs by Jeanette - collage on Adobe Photoshop. What makes these pictures even more special is that they were taken in the same location as our wedding pictures.

Today, 9 years ago Hunter and I got married on a typical summers day.
Today, I am so thankful for this very special partner that God has given to me. For his undying love and support. For the talks and the shared moments. For the dedication. For those very special meals he cooks for me. For broadening my horizons and for promising a beautiful future.

My dear Hunter - I love you today and always. All my love.


Playing along with Thanksgiving Thursdays now at Elyse

And Thankful Thursdays at Laurie

Way back and wordful Whensday - O Tannenbaum, o tannenbaum... or not so!

Joining Cheryl for a Way back Wednesday and
Playing with Angie for Wordful Wednesday.... all in one today.

You have asked, and so you shall see: behold our Christmas tree.

I am not particularly fond of real fir tree type trees (be they fake or live) - they are particularly un African, un summer - whatever. I like alternative type trees. We have used this one for the last 4 years - next year I am planning something else.

I have a thing for angels - I just love them. So apart from the usual bobbles, ribbon and lights (and a few wooden ornaments left over from my childhood), we have only angels and one star (for the top) of our tree. I buy an angel (or group of angels ) every year since the Lil' Miss birth - so let's go back in history:

2005: Blue wire angel. I bought her at a Christmas market.

2006: Red wire angel - bought from a street vendor.

2007: Yellow wire angel - also from a street vendor.


2008: Stainless steel angels (3 - 2 are identical) bought at a Christmas market for a school for Autism. I love these - my favorites, any time.


2009: Tin angels (s angels, two bear angels) - chosen by the Lil' Miss at a department store.
I have two "older" angels that I am storing until the kids are bigger - delicate glass and handmade tin.

Thanks for having a look at our Christmas tree. So how does yours look?