A lot going on.

The usual bullet catch up on a day like today. I am actually super stressed at the moment - not one thing in particular - ok, maybe work, but also a lot of odd bits thrown in together.

• The Princess is dancing her mock RAD primary exam this morning. My mom took her and I am waiting to hear how it went. But the hair! Gosh, what a drama -they had to have two pony tails to make two buns above the ears today and one should not wash their hair for a few days before making the buns as it "holds" better if the hair is not squeaky clean. So there were lots of tangles and lots of tears. As soon as ballet exams are over we are seriously going to cut off quite a bit of hair. 
• Yesterday I picked up the kids from school and then hopped on the Gautrain bus and then the train itself to meet Hunter at the Midrand station to go with him to a wildlife related function at St Stithians school. It all went so well with the train, I am still amazed and my, what a school! It was lovely to spend some time alone with the hubby - I really need it.
• Little man L is having his tonsils removed on Tuesday - it is really high time and the only reason we have not done it earlier was the dreaded eye operation that was a possibility for so long - not wanting him to have two bit of anesthetic so close to each other. I am really hoping this will help him a lot. And promptly he then developed tonsillitis just a few hours after seeing the ENT - who faxed me a script.
• Work is a nightmare - yesterday was a super crappy day. And I still can not get it that clients think you press a few buttons on the computer and magically a new design appears. It does not really work like that - there is a thinking process involved somewhere along the line. So yesterday I probably packed two days of work into 9 hours - gee, it was crazy. And I was tired as L slept crappy with his sore throat.
• There has been a lot of talk about social media and marketing in the office and industry - and guess who is tasked to run this in the office? Jip, me!
• On the 8th of October it is our high school reunion. I am in charge with the decorating etc. I have about 4 girls to help and we are keeping it simple - fairy lights, bougainvilla branches etc. But I am still stressing.
• Doing the September to do list on the blog has totally freaked me out - not sure if I will do it again, but it has been a rather tough month.
• I need to finish my 2008 photo book tonight or I will not get my 20 free pages from Qphoto. I still have October to December to do - a late night looming.....
• I am going to the hairdresser on Saturday - I am starting to look like those fashionable grey haired woman - but just the bits on my head. Not a great look!
• I have been asked to present mosaics at the Boys' schools' next "Moms night out". I have not told you much about the first, but a great idea and last time I learned beading. So of course I am stressing, but I know I will be fine.
• In a very unfortunate twist of fate we have the Boys' very first concert/ Christmas tree on exactly the same night as the Princess' very last concert/Christmas tree in nursery school. I have simply asked the Boys' school which is smaller and has known us for years to consider moving theirs. Holding thumbs that this will happen.
• 6 days to cellphone upgrade day.... Guess what I am getting?
• I am super excited by the fact that the office is very likely going to provide me with a tablet device of some sort (at the moment it looks like an i-pad).It is increasingly used on site by the building industry and I have a very big and exciting project starting first thing next year.
• I can NOT get rid of Disqus on my blog - I have tried 3 times, every time it tells me that I have removed it and must wait 48 hours, every time it does not happen.  So for now it is staying - I simply have neither the time nor the energy to fiddle any further.
• And I have been a rather shoddy blogging buddy for the last 2 weeks - very little reading and comments. My apologies - simply super busy.

So, what's happening in your world?

Lets party! The awsome two some turns 4.

On Saturday morning we had a small party for the boys - just our best friends and their kids - in total 12 kids.The theme were L the Lion and C the Crocodile - so Jungle-ish. But best told in pictures:

Crocodile cake - white hotmilk sponge cake with butter icing.

Beautiful sugarpaste crocodile (and L's Lion) - a present from Shayne and the Yummy mummy cupcake foundry sent via speed post from Stutterheim nogals! - the plants are made of green fizzers and glitter gives the water effect

L's lion cake - a chocolate cake with chocolate filling and butter icing on top.

I made all the paper stuff - the festive flags in the previous picture, the names on the party packs and the centre piece and the "table cloths" featuring pictures to colour in. The centre piece was made using the Boys' Duplo zoo animals.The party packs were paper bags and the favors were the crocodile or lion clips (fridge magnets).

Pizzas baked and back at the table - but the kids are playing! And the adults were heaving a hearty breakfast and watching a bit of World cup rugby

Playing along today with Angie
and My Little Drummer boys for a Wordless Wednesday and

Dear son....

Our boys turned 4 yesterday! It feels like in the blink of an eye on the one hand and a million years on the other. Happy, happy birthday my boys!

My dear Little man L,

It has been such a tough year for you and mommy wishes she could just make everything better with the wave of a magic stick - the one your brother loves so much. But we have come so far this year - you have made so much progress. I almost can not believe it is the same little boy that went to school in January and cried his eyes out. You really try so hard at OT and am really making such progress with sleep. I so believe the rest will fall into place soon.I know that we have a long road ahead, but I also know that we will walk it together and that we will win. We are both fighters, and so is daddy. Together we will conquer this SID thing.

Mommy is so proud of how brave you are and how you try your best with most things.I love to hear you sing in your sweet voice. You are so loving and sweet and give the best hugs and kisses around. Happy Birthday my boy! May your year be blessed beyond words.

My dear Little Man C,

Wow have you grown with leaps and bounds this year. You have had such a bumper social time and never has a child adapted to school so easily - I think it took you all of 30 seconds.You love your class, your teacher and all the social moments at school. You are such a creative little soul - you colour like few your age and am a champion puzzle builder. But it is in the social arena that you really play so well. Your asthma is really getting less and less of an issue - to mommy's total delight.

Mommy is so proud of you my boy. My little talker - gosh, there is seldom a quiet moment in our home. You having taken to English as your second language like a duck to water.I love how you constantly stop me to hear a rhyme or song.You are the sweetest little lovetot around and such a charmer.Happy Birthday my boy! May your year be blessed beyond words.

Having a 4th Birthday celebration really Makes my Monday - actually, my month!

Playing along with Cheryl.

This is also my 901st blogpost!

Making me happy today....

(a bullet post in photos)

Party preparations 90% done - only cakes to be decorated tonight. And making me extremely happy - a wonderful parcel from Shayne - thanks my friend (contents party related and to be shown later).

New laptop skin and coffee mug (courtesy of the Shopping centre Congress) - the laptop skins were our congress bags.

Still being inspired by Shaun Tompson's (ex world champion surfer) wonderful presentation at the above Congress. He is truly the best inspirational speaker I have ever listened to.

Our garden's yearly birthday gift to the boys (and me) - our Irisses in full bloom.

Not to forget the Clivias - now on their way down, that were stunning this year.

Seeing more and more of this - the two of them also playing together. It feels like forever it was a 2 on 1 in our house with the Princess and C.

The Princess competing in and enjoying her first athletics meet.

And the thought that it is weekend in less than an hour. (Little man L relaxing last Sunday afternoon)
Happy weekend! What makes you happy today?

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

DO you want your grandchildren to see a rhino in the wild?

Well, if you do, you need to act today and help out! Almost 300 rhinos have been poached this year and at this rate, we will have none left by 2030.

Today is World Rhino day and we as a family feel passionate about this. And many other conservation efforts. It makes me incredibly sad that these amazing creatures are so brutally hunted down for their horns.SO what can you do?

Got to stoprhinopoaching.com and have a look - donate money, just spread the word or buy a wristband or keyring. Visit our parks and have your children as aware as possible on their level of comprehension. From our side as a family, Hunter does some very practical support via an organization he is part of and we are trying our best to get the wristbands for sale in shopping centres and outlets.But you can buy from the website too - let's make this the fashion statement of the year.

We as citizens of the world can step in and help. And see this again (Photo taken on the Boys' birthday last year in the Pilansberg Park)

BTW - I have removed Disqus from my site - it still shows there but they say it can take up to 48 hours. I have just noticed more and more page views and less and less comments. I do hope I have not "broken" my site. I love to answer back - will miss that. So keep the comments coming. Was Disqus a problem for you?

Come join me for a trip on the Gautrain.

I thought that I would share one of my trips last week, for those that are far and can not do this themselves. The GAutrain is a new speed train between my city, Pretoria and the neighbouring Johannesburg and the International Airport.
We start at Sandton station .

To enter the train...

  Then we pass by the water tower in Midrand

 

And the Unisa campus

To slip past my Alma mater-  Univeristy of Pretoria

 To reach Hatfield station precisely 35 minutes later! A win!

Playing along today with Angie
and My Little Drummer boys for a Wordless Wednesday and