A sunny happy day...

...after all the "doom and gloom" yesterday. My Facebook status this morning reads:So another morning, the US has a new (old) president, SABC bans the term Zumaville because it is apparently racist and we have found Leon's glasses after a 13 day frustrating hunt. Somehow finding the glasses is enough to make me a happy person today. I found the glasses last night in my clothes closet - in the second from bottom shelve with seldom used stuff. No idea how it got there but we have found it and I can not be happier! Some other bits also add to my happiness:

• I won tickets to see "The little Mermaid" on Melinda's blog - so looking forward to using them during the December holidays
• I also won a R500 Naartjie gift voucher on the Rattle and Mum blog - love that!
• I managed to book a shoot with the photographer we used the Groupon for last year (and the lovely pics in my blog header and side bars) and guess what? Not only could we find a time but she has a special running! I am so totally happy about it - yes, it will be too late for Christmas cards but we shall just use one of the images we took this Saturday and I will still have my lovely pics for the wall and photobooks. Saturday just did not pan out as planned -the kids were not co operative, the light was not great, everything just did not "gel" - if you know what I mean.

Choo-choo!

During the long weekend, a month ago, the 3 boys in the house had their own very special morning out. The Princess had a sleep over and I spent the morning getting my craft groove going. They attended the special steam powered weekend at the Centurion Model Trains where, rather than the usual little diesel model trains, steam trains ran as well as steam boats. It was heaps of boy fun.

Filling up with water. This give you an idea of the scale of the trains

Steam boats on exhibit and on the lake

More trains in the yard

All photos by Hunter. Centurion Model trains are open every weekend with a nice play area and big lawns to picnic on. Tuck shop available for treats.

Joining up today at:

and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday
and

Grab My Button & Link Up Below.

The evolution of a cot

My kids had the most beautiful cots (cribs if you want) that my FIL made for us - we got one when I was pregnant with the Princess and used it for a few months as a bench at the end of our bed (with no  sides) after she moved to her big girl bed. Unfortunately I took no pictures of it at the time. My FIL designed the sledge cots to be utilised for that or as a kiddies couch after their use as baby beds. When we found out that no 2 was actually no 2 and 3 he sent us a twin cot. I feel that they were a huge and beautiful gift made by their grandfather for them and that I can not sell or give them away and no one in the rest of the family wanted them for their new babies. So we decided to re use them as intended, for kiddies couches. But I have one of those ugly plastic kiddy tables in my living area....And then I saw this picture on Marcia's blog which provided just enough inspiration.

 Well, suffice to say that we did something with it that my FIL never thought about - and he loves the idea. Because it is a sledge cot and has the uprights and a bottom rail we had to adapt a bit and made an over sized top with slots to go over the sides and painted it in blackboard paint so that they could actually comfortably sit with their legs under the top. So in pictures, I present the evolution of our cots.

Our special double crib

Two separate cots later

The one that is still a kiddies couch

The brand new desk/cot  I use the plastic party tubs to put all the stationery in and a paper tray for the scrap office paper that we use to draw on (earth friendly and all that) and a sturdy shoe box, still to be decorated for stencils etc. I also have some colouring books close at hand in the one corner.

Joining in today with a very Wordful Wednesday and a Way back Wednesday

and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday

and Twinfatuation for Way back Wednesday.

It's just so more real with every milestone

Every event - that our little Princess is growing up so fast. Just the other day (ok in January 2007) she went to school for the very first time. She was all of 2 years old and desperately needed the social interaction.

 Yesterday I watched my little girl all dressed up in her big school uniform. Excited and ready to go to grade 1. Not so sure if the mom is ready to go to grade 1 but I guess that is totally irrelevant.

They are allowed to wear their big school clothes to pre-school this week as part of making that going to grade 1 a bit easier. BTW - I was rather impresesed by the practicality of their uniform - a skort (short with skirt front) for playing and a golf shirt.

Playing along today with Angie

and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday

and Twinfatuation for Way back Wednesday.

It was the rigth decision....

no matter how many times I doubt it before, no matter how much I doubt it when she was so sick after the anaesthetic....

The Otoplastic surgery was a huge success. We thought she did not realize that her ears were that prominent, but after removing the stitches on Wednesday, she looked at herself in the mirror, and remarked "Look mom, my ears are so pretty and flat".

I think as the prominent ears are a thing of the past, this is an apt Way back Wednesday post.And as there are pictures with words, a Wordful Wednesday.

Way back - 3 years ago.

http://twinfatuation.blogspot.com/

Today, 3 years ago was the first day of my maternity leave with the boys.
For the previous month I have been going home a bit earlier to nap in the late afternoon but for the first week in September I rushed waddled around completing those last items on the "to do" list. After that week I was put on modified be rest - I was simply too big to move much. So, I thought I would share some facts about the twin pregnancy:

• I picked up 15 kg (33 pounds) only - I found it hard to eat and went on a high protein diet that Dr Barbie suggested - the babies kept growing well, I lost weight. Great deal.
• I did preggy yoga until 34 weeks - I believe it is part of why we managed to keep them in so long to get nice and well cooked.
• The last 6 weeks I could not turn around in bed - Hunter had to take me by the tummy and turn me.
• He also painted toe nails and shaved my legs - yes I know, sainthood awaits. ( I was advised not to wax due to the high risk pregnancy)
• I was 3 months short of 39 when the boys were born.
• I was never nauseous though the whole pregnancy - ok I am sure the schedule 4 meds had something to do with it. We cold not risk dehydration with my kidney problems.
• I had very light heartburn only 3 times and never even opened the bottle of Gaviscon. C had my tummy pressed as flat as a pancake but I have a tummy valve of steel. 
• I joined Facebook in those 2 weeks of bedrest.
• No 42 maternity wear only just fitted in those last 3 weeks.
• I could hardly walk to the car on the day the boys were born -  felt as if L was falling out.
• I ate an extra small meal usually consisting of rusks and milo round 1 almost each morning through the pregnancy - then I watched " In the Womb, Multiples.
• My stunning hairdresser had my mom pic up professional colour from her to colour my hair in those last 3 weeks as I was too big to sit down for long enough at a salon.
• I measured as big with the twins at 28 weeks as I was with the Princess at 38 weeks.
• The last two weeks  I was constantly sore - my skin actually started to tear.
• I only had Braxton Hicks contractions 4 times in the last week. Never in the rest of the pregnancy.
• I craved tomatoes. In any form. Also Steers soft serve ice-cream - what the hec,  I still crave that ice-cream.
• I got physiotherapy for the back pain and wore a preggy support belt.
• I also had a craving for coffee - uno problemo.

Way back WHEN sday

Timeline: 12 February 2008
The Little Miss, age 3, getting the hang of her Leappad she got for her birthday a month before. Just see the concentration on the face.

So have a look at Cheryl's for some more Way-backs and if you need a good laugh, please visit my friend Karen for seriously one of the funniest blogposts I have ever read.

Way back WHEN sday

Timeline: 2 February 2008
Age of The Boys: 4 months

We have been experiencing huge amounts of heavy rain over the last week. And temperatures have dropped slightly to give some much appreciated cooler weather after the extreme heat of two weeks ago. It is wreaking havoc though resulting in colds, tummy bugs and yes, croup. But just in case we think it is unseasonal, this photograph was a year ago and it was cool enough to dress the babies in long sleeves! Look how they still napped in one camping cot during daytime! My, but they have grown!

Pop over to Cheryl's at Twinfatuation to share some precious memories.

Talking of memories, we have all been touched by little Tuesday's death and as we are so far away and our currency is worth nothing in the USA, our prayers are the best we can offer.Now, there is one more thing we can do to honor her memory: we have decided to join in the virtual parade for Tuesday on Saturday in some form or another. Please pop over to Life, liberty and the pursuit...(click on this button), and join in too.

Way back WHENsday: Our story, part 3.

I had a look at my wedding post yesterday and decided that it is high time to continue our story.

We had a lovely and relaxing honeymoon on the beautiful Comores islands. It was just perfect, completely out of reach of family and friends and like a dream come true. A real paradise and very romantic from a sunset cruise on a yacht to a beach dinner of caryfish by candlelight. The lake behind us is an old valcano crater.

We started looking for a house to buy soon after our wedding but only got the right place at the right price in the right area in August of 2001 and moved in on the 10th of October. It has always been my hubby's dream to have a Labrador and we decided that we could each get a dog of our choice, but we would do it about 6 months apart. I gave him the first option as my mind at that stage was not made up about which type of dog I wanted. We started scanning the newspapers for Labradors and on the 4th of November a little sand coloured furball ran straight into my arms at a breeder. We were lucky, it was a female like we wanted and not reserved by someone else. She slept in my arms all the way home and we became a family of 3. We named her "Moya" -meaning wind or spirit in Zulu. It seemed appropriate for a little dog that ran so fast. And it has proved itself very appropriate - she is an extremely athletic Labrador of the American breeding pattern and would have made an excellent gun dog if we had the knowledge and time to train her. We did train both our dogs with the clicker training method until level 2 and they are a joy to have.

I soon made up my mind to get a beagle as my choice of dog but as the time approached to start looking for my dog, I grew to love our Labrador more and more. What is not to love about a lab? Intelligent, loving and heaps pf character. So I changes my mind and started looking for a black or brown female - H decided that we wanted two girls. After extensive search H surprised me on the 28th of March 2002 (which happened to be the Thursday before Good Friday) with a little black bundle of fur. She was smaller and weaker than Moya was when we got her but immediately made her presence felt in the home. We named her Sibongile (or as we call her, Bongi) which means "To be thankful or grateful" in Tswana. It seemed apt to give that name to a dog that became part of our family in Easter.


So we had a couple of wonderful years, camping often (we have a very keen house and dog sitter) and also taking weekends and holidays often with the puppies. They became used to travel (Moya travelled to my In -laws at the age of 3 months - and 11 hour trip) and we had some great rips together. And yes, children were not on our minds at all - we after all decided not to have kids.

For some more Way-backs, head over to Cheryl's top play along.

Way back WHEN-sday.

To go with yesterday's Two for Tuesday, here is The Little Miss and her teacher Leah on her birthday celebration at school last year. Yes, she is wearing a sweater, it was cold and rainy. Exceptional for January.

And here is the "cake" in a bit more detail. I love to make birthday cakes. This was build out of cupcakes to make it easier to hand out at the school.

For some more trips down memory lane, head over to Twinfatuation.

Way back WHEN-sday

Today is "Back to school" day for all the children in the non-coastal provinces in South-Africa, and The Little Miss is no exception. She was quite keen to go when we were home but saying good-bye after a 5 week holiday and heaps of time with mom was tough.

Going back for Way back When-sday - The Little Miss' very first day at school in January 2007 - she was 2 years old and loved every minute of spending time with some new friends.

Have a look at Cheryl's for some more "Way- backs" and share your memories!

Way back WHEN sday

Yesterday a year ago we had The Boys' Christening. For us it is a huge occasion and we commemorate it every year by lighting a special candle which they receive in church the day of their christening and as soon as they are old enough to understand we use the day to explain to them about the promise we made to bring them up in the love of Christ's church.

Pop over to Cheryl's to see who else is playing along.

Way back WHEN sday

I am planning to take the kids to see Santa next week when I am on holiday. Last year we just didn't make it - it was an extremely difficult time with The Boys.

Timeline: December 2006 - The Little Miss was just short of 2 years

The previous year she willingly sat on Santa's lap, this year, no chance! Mom had to hold her and just look at that face!

Pop over to Cheryl's to see who else is playing along.

Edit to add: Keep your eyes peeled for my first ever giveaway tomorrow.

Way back WHEN sday

Today we are going way, way back..... almost 39 years to be exactly.

Timeline: December 4 1969.
My age: 1 year

Me and my mommy on my first birthday. Yes, none of my kids looks anything like me as a baby.

So, hop over to Cheryl's and play along too.

Way back Wednesday

Timeline: September 2005
The Little Miss was about 8 months old and Granny Annie was visiting from Port Elizabeth. What I love about this photo is the way the two grannies are completely absorbed by their first grandchild.

Join Cheryl at Twinfatuation for some more great memories every Wednesday.

Today I am thankful for a quiet morning in the office (and not on a building site and time to catch up on my administration and other work).

Way back WHEN sday

I have booked our family photo shoot about a week ago, to have the pictures in time for Christmas cards. I am considering dressing options for us and had a look back at our previous shoots:

Timeline: July 2005. The Little Miss was almost 6 months old when we did this.

Timeline: November 2005. The Little Miss was 10 months old. I won this photo shoot with the digital images in a competition, so we used it for our Christmas cards that year. It was great to have the puppies with us. We didn't do one in 2006 as we had two in 2005 (and I could not get dad to agree on doing a third one in two years) so we used this picture as our 2006 photo.

Timeline: First week in December 2007 - The Boys were 11 weeks old, The Little Miss almost 3. We had the shoot in our home with the photographer setting up a studio in our lounge. The plan was to have the puppies with us but we found it so tiring with the kids that we gave up on that idea. We got some really good photos though (see my sidebar).

This year we will be without dad - last year really got to him (well it got to me as well, I almost didn't feel up to doing a shoot ever again and I just have to block the memory of last year's), but at least we will have a nice one of the kids (I hope) and me.

Pop over to Cheryl to see who else is playing along.

And I am going to copy Cheryl and Debi in doing a gratitude items every time I post - I have been keeping a gratitude journal (a la Oprah) for more than 10 years and really find it lifts the spirits and keep me grounded). I hope you girls do not mind.

Today, I am thankful for... a good night's sleep! What a difference it makes - we had a very rough night the night before last and I am seriously over worked.

Way back WHEN-sday

Cheryl at Twinfatuation hosts Way back Wednesday every week.
Timeline: Late November 2005 (Little Miss @ 10 months on the left, friends Jeannedre and Tyra)
Description: The last Moms & Miracles meeting for the year and Christmas party. This is the 3 little girls that was in the class and we are all still friends. Just this weekend we had a party for one of the boys that were in the class and all 3 girls had such fun. Pop over again to see what they look like today.

Way back WHEN-sday

Timeline: August 2005
The Little Miss (on the left) at 8 months, friend Roosje (middle), 9 months and BFF Emma (alomst 2). I can not believe how much they have grown! It feels like "just the other day".

Join Cheryl at Twinfatuation to see who else is playing along.

Way back WHEN-sday

Timeline: April 2007
Occasion: The Little Miss' first school photos.
I just love the "naughty " expression on the face.


Head over to Twinfatuation to see who else is playing along.

Way back WHEN-sday

Date: 25 October 2008.
Occasion: The Little Miss' first school concert. She was a Zebra (as she was in the Zebra class last year).

I am placing this today because it is almost exactly a year ago. We took the boys (1 month old) along to "see" the concert. We were swamped by the teachers and other parents wanting to take a look.This year there will be no concert (I am sad to hear) but we will have carols by candle light at the school.

Join Cheryl at Twinfatuation to see who else is playing along.