Halooo! yes, it's been a while....

Almost a week but believe me my friends in the computer/tablet/phone, I am very very busy. But, a quick catch up:

• Work is hectic. I some days do not even realize that the morning is gone by the time it's 12! A big demanding but hugely intricate and satisfying project. There is really very little in our field that meets the adrenaline rush of retail architecture.
• My iPad is amazing - I think it buys me about an hour to hour and a half's time every day. And you are just so much faster in referring on site and getting back on mails.
• I had a tummy bug on Sunday night/ Monday. Lost time at work and left me still exhausted and I think dehydrated although I am taking more than my fill of re hydration products.
• The Princess is finding her feet with grade 1 and so am I. The earlier to school times, the afternoon activities, tying her shoes for netball, the whole story.
• She is fast learning about economics, both in terms of real money for tuck shop and in terms of trade via the sticker trading that takes place every day at after care.
• On Friday it's grade 1 swimming gala and she is very excited about all that.
• The boys are enjoying school and have started with Letterland. Harry Hatman and Annie Apple all over again. This week C took honey and L took a Mega blocks hen to school.
• We are flying my MIL in to attend the Princess' ballet concert. They are both beyond excited. And you know I love having her around.
• I am not getting to much blog reading or real book reading but am currently busy with "The hare with the amber eyes" in paper and "The Help" on kindle for iPad.
• I have a real craving to create - but am too tired in the evenings. Maybe if this tummy thing is sorted I will get there?

So what's happening around your corner of the world?

Seems like meme time again

 Debi is one of my oldest blogging friends - hers is the second blog I ever really read (the first was Tertia's) as the expecting mom of twins. I see her as way more than a blogging friend - she is a real friend and has been for over 4 years.

She tagged me for this little meme:

The (bendable) rules:
You must post these rules.
Each person must post 11 things about herself on his/her blog. (I am skipping this - as she did and you can too)
Answer the questions the “tagger” listed for you in her post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
You must choose 11 people to tag and link to them in the post.
Go to each blogger’s page and mention that you have tagged
him/her.

 The 11 questions Debi gave us to answer: (and boy can she ask difficult thought provoking questions):

1. Word association. I say “tender”, you say Steak! Ok, you can see I am craving a nice juicy matured rump steak 
2. What is the most important virtue you possess? Difficult one.I would say to multi task. I can seriously muti task and keep my mind about all the different tasks.
3. Favorite song and why? My favorite favorites are all classical pieces, but in popular music - "I can see clearly now" as sung by the Hot house flowers - not the Jimmy Cliff or Johnny Nash versions but this one with it's haunting piano. It just makes me all positive when feeling down. Where even on You Tube the original video seem to be lost so this is more for the music only

4. If you had to choose someone from the Bible that most closely represents you, who would it be? After a lot of thought I think Esther. I think courage and being forced to have courage is what I have been about for the last few years.
5. A quote or inspirational verse that you turn to when times are tough. Habakkuk 3:19 (NIV version here) The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.  We have a beautiful hymn that the kids love to sing from verse 17 to 19 and I sing it in my head when happy, when stressed, when sad.
6. What is your favorite recipe? My playdough recipe  it is truly the best play dough you will ever have and last for ages. A  simple variation on the usual one using gliserine that makes all the difference.. Reminding me I need to make some.
7. Most dramatic childhood memory. The night my dad passed away. And the few days following that.
8. (for a school throw-back question) If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? An Accacia Xanthophlea or Fever tree- part of the African thorn tree family. You see, they have those thorns everywhere that really hurts, but they provide shelter for a lot of small animals like birds, where the thorns prevent snakes from reaching their nests, shade for animals in the hot summer months and gum for the bushbabies and flowers and pods for the birds to eat. Elephant also loves their pods. And it is very very hardy and I love the lush green stem. It's a bit out of the ordinary.
9. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? The twin skin I can not get rid of, no matter how much weight and fat percentage I loose. (Keep in mind I had two babies of 3kg in there at a stage)
10. Coffee? Iced, frozen, hot or not? Any form, I am an addict. But my best is a nice foamy cappuccino.
11. A moment in time that changed your life? Meeting my hubby. Without him, my life would have been totally different.

The 11 questions I want answered:

1. Name the one product in your kitchen you can not function without.
2. If you can change your career decision, what would you like to be (disregard training, money etc- this is a dream job)
3. What is your favorite toy (as in gadget, craft item, etc)
4. What is your favorite book of all times? (or just choose one for now)
5.  If you could give your 16 year old self one bit of advice only, what would it be?
6. Chocolate or vanilla cake? And specifically what type.
7. Meat, fish or chicken?
8. On what would you spend R300 or 40US$ or the equivalent thereof as a spoil for yourself?
9. Which building in the whole wide world do you think is beautiful or have captured your attention?
10. If you could go on a dream holiday right now, no costs spared, to which one destination will you go and who will you take along? (no world tours allowed - one destination)
11. If you were a flower, which one will you be. And why?

So, I decided to tag the last 11 people that left comments on my blog who are:

Kat in Africa , Heather,  I'm so not a blogger (private blog), Blackhuff, Lea White, Fiona, Karen - Mom again@ 40, Alidaonline, Hayley, Shayne (private blog) and Marcia.

Thank you all to your loyal and regular comments.
And if anyone else wants to do this, just do it and tell me you have done so. I would love to go and read it.

From day to day

I am so totally busy at the moment - it's crazy.

• So, about my last post, if you want to know how I met Nelson Mandela, go check out this old post: I served him tea. 
• The Princess would have had her first netball day today and I would have been at her last match, but it got rained out. Big disappointment, I'm sure.
• We are at the moment interviewing to replace a staff member that is leaving. It is shocking that I got 15 CV's in one and a half days with one advertisement on our local professional institutes' web page. Shows you how tough it is out there.
•  Mr L had another little development explosion and I looked in wonder this morning at the OT when he copied a form with composite shapes. Something I had no idea he could do.
• I spent the whole evening last night, not even really watching Survivor, to search for the Princess' first school library book. It was in our room, where I kept it so that is does not get lost before she takes it back tomorrow. Last night, it was just gone. Found it after searching through every bookcase (and we have a lot! We all love books), next to Mr C's bed. He must have decided to take it to nap time yesterday afternoon as we allow them to read in bed.
• The boys had two days of mid term break on Friday and yesterday. I think they loved spending a bit of time at home.
• I am totally excited about the Princess' upcoming ballet concert - but more about that in a separate post.
• And they are practicing for the grade 1 gala where they will be swimming (or hopping if they can not swim) breadths of the pool for sponsorship. My mom and I will go for the little event in the 2nd of March and watch them swim. Apparently she is one of the stronger swimmers that will do a length too.
• And wow, I did not realize how expensive sport shoes can be for 7 year old. Luckily they also use them for school shoes in winter.

So what' happening in your life my friends in the computer?

A bit of a Meme thingy

Gee, I am so busy at work, not time for the usual bit of photos on a Friday. Hence, I am playing along with Wenchy  - just because I have one that I think most people do not have. Can you spot the one I am thinking?

Please play along – place an X by all the things you’ve done.

Shot a gun X
Gone on a blind date X
Skipped school
Saw someone die
Visited America
Visited Mauritius
Visited Europe X
Visited Australia
Visited Sun City  X
Visited Cape Town. X
Been to  Victoria Falls  
Been to court.  X
Been lost  X
Travelled to the opposite side of the country (by car!) X
Visited Pretoria X (Hell I live here!)
Swam in the Ocean X
Cried yourself to sleep X  many times.
Played cops and robbers X
Played cowboys and Indians X
Recently coloured with crayons X
Travelled by train  X
Sang Karaoke X
Sang a solo or duet in church  
Paid for a meal with coins only X
Made prank phone calls X
Laughed until some beverage came out of your nose X
Caught a snowflake on your tongue X
Had children  X
Had a pet   X
Been skinny-dipping outdoors  X
Been fishing X
Been boating  X
Been downhill skiing & made it down the hill without falling
Been water skiing
Been camping in a trailer
Been camping in a tent  X
Flown in a small 4-seater airplane
Flown in a helicopter
Flown in a hot air balloon.
Walked on a glacier
Driven a motorcycle/been a passenger  X
Been bungee-jumping
Gone to a drive-in movie X (In fact we are going again tonight)
Done something that could have killed you-but didn’t  X
Done something that you will regret for the rest of your life  X
Met Nelson Mandela X
Visited Asia
Rode an elephant
Eaten biscuits or cake for dinner: X
and ice cream for breakfast. X
Been on TV. X
Stolen any traffic signs  X
Stolen any traffic cones
Been in a car accident X
Donated blood
Played bowls (old man’s marbles)

So who else is playing along?

You can stay in the car....

....she said on Monday morning, waving a kiss over her shoulder as she walked to the school gate all on her own. I watched her through the fence until she dropped her bag in front of her class and jopined a group of girls doing handstands . This is the grade 1 girl that cried that first morning, that did not want to let go of mom. In just 3 and a half short weeks her confidence has grown in leaps and bounds. I feel rather nostalgic, but very proud.

We have also reached the end of another era. A few weeks ago after a big garage clean out we took every single bit of baby stuff we had and donated it to Hospice. We took some of the good stuff to one of the second hand baby shops but after being offered R150 for a perfect high quality camping cot we decided to rather donate it and let some good come from it for others. And then. last week one of Hunter's field guiding friends had twins - an unexpected no 4 and 5 to the number of kids. We decided to give them our much used but still good twin stroller (btw it is a Maclaren twin stroller and my, I loved it and it served us so well). Now all things baby is removed from our house. For walks, we use the soap box cart that my FIL made for us, the Princess rides her bicylcle, and in the shops, we are well trained in shopping cart use by now.

And so we grow and thrive. Well, most of the time.
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So blogging friends,  following on my Blast from the Past post last week, it seems we could have the beginnings of a linky or such. So, say every second Thursday every body that is interested will be invited fro a Blast from the Past post where you link back and show us one of your old posts, that we might never have seen. So, for next Thursday the 1st of March, lets do this: Go back to the first March that the blog you want to link existed, find your favorite post from that month, and link it. I will keep the link open for a whole week.

Life's eternal questions, or those I am asking at the moment.

Where does little girl hair clips and hair bands go to? Is there a very special Bermuda triangle just for them? I swear I bought a whole packet of both just 5 weeks ago. I have 3 bands and 2 clips left in school rules green. And I can find no more in the shops.

How does a whole ballet bag with shoes, leotard, socks, overshoes and tutu get lost, ok more likely stolen with no trace left? And why does neither Lucy nor my mom think it is not important enough to tell me that this happened for 5 days / when we needed it for Saturday's practice. And no, I am not taking blame away from the Princess, she has punished herself enough, but she did tell (2) adults that was with her the Monday  that did not care to tell me. Why then will the special satin ballet shoes that we bought for the exams and concert that I specifically took out of her bag in January and that I want her to use now be missing in our house. Yes, I am disorganized, but these were put somewhere where Lucy did a clean out. Then certainly she must know where they are? 

Why do we now have potty training regression once again? The vicious circle of holding in and constipation is with us , again. Sigh. At least he went at school yesterday. Huge relief for all, but why? I am tired of the 2 steps forward , one step back thing.  

Why are the kids so tired in the afternoon that they claim not to be able to do anything but the moment I do something ( like making dinner or such) they magically have enough energy to help , ahem, pest me? 

Why is the only kid not interested in doing OT homework in the afternoons the only one that is suppose to be doing it? I have given up trying to do it alone with L so we now do a group effort, just a pity L is the one not actually interested. Thank goodness the school have asked to do it there too - so at least some of it gets done. 

Why, on a night when you really have not time to get dinner done, are the kids extra irritated and all demand instant attention? Why then is the blue scissors/ little arb toy, Valentines button lost? And then you burn the food? 

And the most important at the moment: Why oh why did I buy those Toy Story shirts on sale for the boys? It's the first time I am confronted with the refusal to undress and have a shirt actually washed. Will I be the worst mother of the year and let them sleep in a shirt they wore the whole day and how do I actually get them to remove it the next morning ? Because believe be brutal force is the only option. Why does shirts not come with an autowash on the body option? Or why do I not make them disappear! Nope, wrong answer.  

So which questions are you asking today?

Love

This morning started early - just after 5am a "Mamma" sounded from the Boys' room - Mr L was awake and needed some company. I brought him to our room to snuggle in bed. About 20 minutes later Mr C fell out of his bed, crying. I went to him,. cuddled a bit and then decided to get up and get everybody dressed. My poor hubby is not feeling well - a cold and a terrible cough did not make for a good night's sleep. SO I took the Boys downstairs for breakfast and came up again to shower and dress and wake the Princess. We said a quick Happy Valentines day and the morning routine show was on the road.

The usual morning rituals were delayed a bit by the Princess writing a note on her heart for her teacher and prefect, and the boys walking around showing theirs off for their teacher. After a more stressful than usual breakfast, begging, threatening with late to school and rushing to the car, Hunter's cars' battery was flat (no obvious reason?) and he took my car to drop A and C off as L has OT on a Tuesday morning. But just as he left the house, a quick hug and Happy Valentines again.

After dropping off L at school the text message comes from my love - the "Happy Valentines and I love you message". The "I love you" he sends me every day of my life on my phone or by mail. And that I totally adore! And I remember the roses he brought me on Friday before our date night - the flowers he brings me almost without fail on or around the 10th of every month with a "Happy 134 (or whatever) months anniversary". These are so precious to me - to remember our vows every month of the 11 plus years that we have been married  And I know, ours is a love that lasts every day and every year, not just on the 14th of February every year.

Tonight, we will do what we have done for the last couple of years -exchange a little love note and have a dinner together, on our own patio, by candlelight, catered for by Woolworths. A spoil of good food, at half the price of dinner out and none of the over crowded frustrations. Our own little special ritual of love.

May you and your love have a great day of love. Any special plans?

Blast from the past post

Way back in September I did a few blast from the past posts, where I showed you some of my favorite posts from way back. I am resuming today and my, am I enjoying going over them and picking the best bits.

This one is one of those classic photos I will never forget. The boys were 5 months old at the time....go here.

So who else wants to join in remembering those old blogposts, way before we read each others blogs? SHall we do a linky. Who is interested?

Rainy days....

 Following a cloudburst on Sunday morning....

And where was Mr C? Searching for his misplaced rain boots. And then the rain started again...

The Princess' rainboots from Pick n Pay - the boys' from PEP stores

Playing along today with Angie

and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday

Oh my gosh, I am stressed.

I have heaps of work stress at the moment and I am not doing so well with handling it. I think I am ok temper wise, but it tires me out continuously. I am exhausted all the time.The point is, I am handling it.

For background:  I am working on a rather sizable redevelopment on one of the shopping centers in Pretoria. It is stressful working in amongst complaining tenants, irritated shoppers and demanding contractors.  Last week one of the other woman in the project team had a little break down. She is directly in the line of fire from the tenants and shoppers and things got rough . She was handling it, and well too.Then her little 6 year old grade 1 boy started crying when she took him to school in the morning and was clearly hugely upset about something at school. She went to sort it out with the principal and on returning to the office broke down. 

On Friday the two of us had a little chat about it, and it transpires that we both feel the same about work stress. We can handle it, but the moment that something goes wrong with our families we tend to break down, and then that gets fed back to our work. The next 18 months is going to be hectic for me. Please oh please keep my family safe and happy. Because if that breaks down, I might just need more than bloggers support.

So I am wondering how do you do on the stress scale? And in terms of what type of stress?

Obsessions

Every now and again I am totally amazed at how obsessive kids get about a certain topic/ item or something or the other. Mr L is a bit higher on the obsessive scale than most which does contribute it's fair amount of tension in the household, but so be it. We will remember these fondly as time goes by. So in honour of fond memories, let me tell you about the current obsessions:

Mr L is totally tool obsessed. He still adores his drill, screwdrivers and assorted tools they got for Christmas. He also has this thing about the lawnmower and weedeater. He constantly wants to be assured that they are safe in the garage, have their electrical cords with them (kid you not!) and that no crocodiles will eat them. ( the product of a Corcodile hunter episode he watched) Yes, I know it sounds rather entertaining, but it can get to you showing him the lawnmower etc in the garage 10 times a day. In addition, regardless of where we visit he needs to know where their lawnmower is. And mowing the actual lawn can be a tad tiring for us all (total SID kid behaviour). What he wants to be some day is everybody's guess but I would think that saving unsuspecting lawnmowers from crocodiles is high on the list.

Mr C is our little astronomer at the moment. The planets, black holes etc totally intrigues him. He just wants to look at Skywatch on the iPhone (I have so far managed to keep it secret that it is on the iPad too). In addition we get informed a million times a day about how many planets Jupiter is from the sun, and that Keppler is a planet too. That a black hole can eat planets. And so forth and so forth. Cute and rather brainy for a 4 year old, but I tell you, one can only talk so much about planets and stars on that level. At the moment he wants to be an astronaut when he grows up.

The Princess has the very obvious one. Her much anticipated Leappad is the bomb. Enough said, we have started with the time management lessons involved in getting some or other high tech pleasure in your life. The little device has certainly amazed me with the feedback I as a parent gets from it. I am seeing much joy in future from this, but we as parents will have to manage this carfeully. And no, she does not all of a sudden wants to be a computer specialist, she still wants to be a Veterinary surgeon, just these days she wants to protect the rhinos too. So she wants to be a Vet that helps rhinos. Future iPad or other high tech devise in hand no doubt.

So what does your kids obsess about or do you remember some of your childhood obsessions. I am told that I totally obsessed about stationary and pens etc. This has not changed one bit. I still adore my coloured pens. I only write in colour - black is for those of us who can only think with the left hand side of their brains

Thats motherhood for you

We all know that motherhood is not moonshine and roses, bubbles and unicorns . It's more poo and puke with the occasional tears of joy thrown in to rescue us amongst the tears of despair . Ok may be I am exaggerating just a wee bit.

Tonight was one of those nights. Gosh, it was rough. I actually forgot how tough things used to be because we had a rather good run the last few months. Tonight brought back those pre- SID diagnosis and pre-OT days . L was tired, very tired. To top it all they had tuck shop day at school. Not my favorite day. Over sugared tired mom and kids are just not my required Friday relaxation mode. Dinner time he did not want to eat and kept laying on the couch. Then going upstairs for bath and bed and all hell broke loose. No, I do not care to go into any more details. Believe me you do not want to know them. At last the boys were in bed and the Princess and I came downstairs for a bit of time together. ( A bit of background - they watched Soul Surfer today at aftercare) As we settled in on the carpet to watch Noot vir noot, she with her Leappad in hand, me with the ipad in hand, she said : "I am so glad I gave my heart to Jesus a long time ago, just like the girl did in soul surfer". Just like that, it was all worth it. A moment sent to remind me that at the end, motherhood is all about these moments. Those that really mean something . That mean the world to us. The rest, are just the background to the story.

Just like some weekends are dogs -

you know, those ones that just leave you totally disappointed and tired - some weekends are golden. You get things done and achieved, you manage some great family time, you actually sleep (and have a nap) and wonder above all wonders, the kids were happy and amicable. This past weekend (thanks goodness because the previous one did not), fall into the last category. It was busy but golden!We had a quiet Friday and Saturday night and on Saturday the Princess had ballet rehearsals followed by a party. On Sunday we all attended an extended family gathering for a 40th birthday party. It was a great venue that does not specifically cater for kids but provides lots of room to play.

So what was yours like? And how is the week treating you?
Mine has been tough - two sick kids, a major drama on site on my project and just busy busy busy!