So how are you?

Gosh I haven't been here in such a long time - neither have I read blogs. It's been hectic and busy and crazy in our lives. I have very seldom been so happy to see Friday - and it's a wonderful long weekend to boot.

We have just survived enjoyed 9 performances of our big  4yearly school concert. It was tiring but a huge amount of fun and the children really enjoyed it. It is such a spectacular show - we sat there in total amazement as every child in the school played their part and had a bit of stage light on them. C jived on "Hard knocked life" from the musical Annie , L sang and danced to "Hooray its a Holiday" and A and "Everybody was Kong Fu fighting". It was a great feast of music, lights, dancing, bright costumes and enthusiasm. But we are extremely relieved that it is all now done and dusted and that we can have a good rest over the weekend.

Work is still crazy - actually the crazy is increasing as year end approach. This too shall pass.

L played his last cricket game of the season and did so well. He is truly a cricketer by heart. C still has a game this afternoon. A's hockey season is done and dusted and she already had two galas. I was very proud of C who also participated in the school house sport gala. The first dance competition of the season rewarded A with a high silver and a good start.

I feel that I am at the moment just working and working and managing kids - and maybe reading a bit. After so many months of great reading I have slowed down a bit . I am simply so tired that I fall asleep before reading more that a few paragraphs.

My wonderful MIL has been visiting us for the concert period and I honestly am so grateful. It help so so much to have her with us. To help keep all on track while H and I fetch and deliver kids in the evenings and cooking a wonderful meal every evening. Our freezer is also already well stocked with frozen meals lovingly made by her.

I hope you have a wonderful heritage day weekend and rest up, like we fully intend on doing.

When Pretoria paints herself purple....

 

 You know that apart from the pretty and your irritated sinuses it is also RAD exam time and way way more hectic that the fourth term brings. By the way, did you know that Pretoria also sports one street with white Jacarandas? (You can see them on the city view above towards the foreground). Herbert Baker street in Groenkloof if you want to take a drive. ) Back to the realities at home.

As I said - RAD ballet exams was yesterday. The Princess is positive it went well. It is a difficult but very beautiful syllabus - in fact, next year they are not going on with grade 4 as half their troupe will be below the minimum age - so they will do grade 3 solo next year and grade 4 the year after.

This is called a character skirt and shoes- a small part of RAD ballet

 She also scored an A++ with her drama partner in unprepared drama last week. Unprepared drama always has me totally amazed as they get 10 minutes to study a  story, prepare a piece and bring it on the stage. No help from the teacher. She was so happy with that much coveted A++ and there were only two groups that afternoon that managed that score.

Mr L has a huge week ahead - their grade R graduation is a total concert with two numbers per child, costumes etc and then the actual capping. The concert is on Wednesday, Thursday nights and Friday morning (for grandparents) and his class' capping on Thursday night. Apparently he is enjoying it a lot and I can not wait to see him on stage.

Mr C is doing well and  he has an artwork on show at the school's cultural evening. Can not wait to see it.

Jacaranda time is also Santa Shoebox time - I know a lot of bloggers are involved but do get involved if you are not already. This year I was very brave and took the 3 kids (plus friend K in tow) to shop for "their" kids last Saturday morning. They chose every item themselves - up to the colour of the toothbrushes. After this shop the boys added stickers, A added a little necklace and alice bands for her girl and I added little money purses for all 3. The boxes are choc and block and we will deliver on Saturday. I love how this teach them that they are so very privileged even if they are not rich they have way more than some other kids.

 Ever wondered how to get a book into a shoebox? This is what we do - roll it, secore with a rubber band, fit diagonally into the box and fill roll with items.
So what's happening in your word?

The last few weeks

Really just rushed by, filled with the school revue mainly, but so much more. I am totally overwhelmed by trying to cover everything that happened so let me just share a few moments:

Pretoria is all purple and pretty right now - and I have the hayfever mixed with a cold to show for it.

 We went to a Dumbo themed birthday party and got a fun family shot as a result.

 A little man C learned that it's more fun to jump into the pool than to climb into it.

My wonderful MIL visited us over the revue period and I truly have no idea how we would have handled those 2 weeks without her help.  In return she fulfilled a bucket list item in seeing Pretoria's Jacarandas in bloom.

The boys had a Horse farm themed birthday party which was hot, windy and filled with laughing, running, jumping dirty kids. By all accounts every single little person enjoyed it and fell asleep very early that night.

The school revue (musical production) really took my breath away - I could not believe what they managed to accomplish with every single child in the school. It is the school's 60th birthday this year and they did an oversight of the last 60 years in news, school news and music. You all know "itsy bitsy yellow polka dot bikini that Mr C took part in but the Princess' number may be unfamiliar - have a listen here:

Mr L got funky new glasses - just slightly different in shape and colour than his previous pair but the same nice and sturdy frames.

 On Friday the Princess danced her grade 2 RAD ballet exam - the girl's hair was so beautiful and a bonus this year that she danced in the same group as 3 of her very best friends.

 And on Friday morning Mr L was the last of our kids to loose a baby tooth - and the very first to do it all by himself! Now we have 3 kids with loose teeth - the tooth mouse /tooth fairy (depending on the child ) is going to be very busy!

So that's most of our news - what's happening in your corner of the world?

Of thunder and adrenaline filled 6 year olds

Last night we had our first wonderful big thunder storm for summer. It was glorious - rain pouring down in buckets accompanied by lightening and thunder. I was helping at the grade 0 class getting 22 5/6 year olds ready for revue - make up, hair etc, and then the rain came filling the little people with some additional adrenaline on the already filled little bodies. But is was such fun getting them ready, laughing as we rushed them through the rain to the hall and watching them backstage performing. I am amazed at how independent these little ones are - how they know exactly where to be, what to do and where to go. I was also taken by the little gentlemen our boys are - after rushing through the rain the kids were all a little chilly waiting under the canopies to go on stage. 10 of the little boys (including Mr C) have towels as props for their number and soon enough they each had a towel wrapped around a cold little girl and none on themselves.

We are hearing great things about the revue and I am totally looking forward to seeing it tomorrow.

Every school concert has one.

That child that steels the show, that everyone shares a laugh with and who everyone talks about? That child? That child was ours on Friday night.

 But no, although in a big role, he did not steal the show - that was up to the other twin, playing a camera man for the event. My, did we laugh at this antics! He was so into his role and the show.

Even receiving his medal was a led to some antics - a real little showman.We were blow away. He has so much confidence and can be a real comedian.

Mr C received his medal too - with grace and dignity as it should to be for Olympic flag bearers.


After the Sports show, the kids came in for the Carols by Candlelight - Mr C and Mr L were at the two ends of the back row, leaving Mr L with heaps of space to entertain the crowd while Mr C delivered a faultless appearance at his end.

We are really sad to leave our much beloved little school at the end of this year - for the last 5 years we have always had at least one kid in the school, but it will be great to have them all in the same school next year. And a great school to boot that we already love.

Ballet concert 2012 done and dusted!

It was one very very busy weekend, but where we found last year totally exhausting, this year has been different. I think that experience has a lot to do with it. And the little ballerinas being a year bigger and having taken that leap to grade 1 and all that brings. We now also realize that you just camp out at the theater for the weekend and do not even try to go home between shows. It helps that we had a  much cooler dressing room and that the weather was also way cooler. We shared it with the grade 2 and 3 artists both ballet and hip hop.

 We go stocked with stuff to keep the ballerinas busy, stuff to keep us busy (that none of us touched btw - a lot of chatting and getting to know each other better rather happened) and stuff to eat. I also know all the moms this year and we put a great team effort together in terms of a make-up assembly line and some moms doing the hair that has a better hand at it. I ended up doing the eyebrows and eye lines for our little troop of 14. I also got dragged (rather willing but very scared) into a team effort to fill in for the professional photographer that dropped out at the last minute. But more about that in a later post.

The show was brilliant - every single item apart from three (Blue Danube for the adult ballet, classic for the little toddlers and 76 trombones for the grade 3's) was on modern popular music. The girls did fantastic this year - dancing their whole show all on their own with no direction by a teacher (jip, the RAD primary exam saw to the readiness of that little milestone) and apart from a costume failure the last night, our troop had a perfect run.

 But regardless, I have learned quite a few new things this year. (my tips from last year here)

• The Michel Mercier brush was a life saver and if their sales at our local Dischem increase by 20 purchases this week it is solely thanks to me.
• The most popular toys of the moment for girls between 6 and 9 is the Leappad or Leapster explorer and the Top Model series. I had no idea that there were so many different ones. The Princess got the dog one for her birthday and they negotiated with each other to do pages in each others books - brides, T shirts, Models, House, Farm, gosh, endless. But I do like it - it is creative, and sure keep them busy.
• Most moms pack picnic lunches straight out of Woolworths - due to time constraints I also did partially. And the fact is that they do eat it.
• By Saturday late afternoon most are eaten out with the picnic food and moms need coffee - so a run by some of the moms to the closest Mac Donalds saw to full ballerina tummies and caffeine refreshed moms.
• Just when you thought you had the make-up covered (blue eye shadow, gold eye shadow, glitter in both colours, eyeliner and red lipstick) you get caught out by a switch of plan to bright pink lipstick. 
• There will always be one mom that will have the right shade in her bag! This time it was Ronel with a whole palet of shades that the teacher choose from.
• Friendships between moms and girls only improve by shared circumstances like these. There might be the odd irritation between the 7 year olds, but it is quickly resolved by sharing a mini burger or cocktail tomato.
• The dance school rule of no sweets during the show pays off. We did allow them a teensy bit of sweetness after the shows but healthy food rules for good behavior and endurance

With being asked to take photos I had a unique chance to capture some of their action on stage as the parents are not allowed to take pictures inside.

During their Sister Act number

 In the grand finale with the big dancers

It is difficult to express how grateful one feels towards their great teachers. Heaps and heaps of time and effort go into a concert like this. Piles of patience with both children and parents. Logistics to sort out (like absconding photographers for instance) and leaking theater roofs. To create an event that will stay a highlight of their year every year. I am sure we will look back to this for years to come.

We are so proud of our little girl, who despite being very sick on Wednesday night and Thursday (missing school for the day) persisted with her participation. Never was there even a shadow of a doubt in her mind that she would pull through and perform and give her absolute best. 4 Great performances deserve a reward and in stead of the traditional flowers, she got something she totally adores. Jip, you've guessed it, a Top Model book I had hidden away for a while.

I have to share this one at Cheryl's because it really Makes my Monday.

Playing along with Cheryl.

The cutest little fur trees ever

 featured in the school's annual Christmas play on Friday night. Somehow I always feel that the year is over once this concert is done and dusted. Really, I was so proud of my little fur trees - participating and singing along. Mr C was quite the showman and Mr L surprised us. Still can not believe how far he has come this year.

And while we are on the topic of the weekend, it also had a party in store

 We also did some painting and potato stamping

And put up the Christmas tree - but that is another post all together.

Playing along today with Angie

and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday

You know Christmas is near...

when the annual school play is over and done with. As per usual, the cuteness was immense. The storyline was told with popular songs and the kids had so much fun.

It's Christmas Eve and the elves are packing the toys for Santa to bring to the kids.

Santa gets "dressed for success"

The reindeer ready to work.

With Rudolph in a pensive mood.

3 Teddy bears get left behind by the naughty elves.

The faerie dolls spread their own brand of magic.

I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world...with Lightening Mac Queens entering the game.

Daddy Cool almost flukes the rescue mission with a moonwalk.

A jam-packed weekend of fun.

It literally was completely! We were so busy, I am still catching my breath. Add to that 95 degree plus weather and you have lucky but tired kids.

On Friday night was off course The Little Miss' long awaited school concert. The change in one little girl in one year was amazing. Last year she was sort of shy, and not doing much of what was expected. This year she went all out for it - sang so hard that we could hear her little voice and diligently did all the movements required.

The Boys waiting to see the concert.

The concert was outdoors and the weather was perfect - just close to sunset. The banner had Merry Christmas in many languages, and lights in the trees and under the banner completed the decor. This is the under 3 squad doing their 3 songs.

They were shepherds and angels.

One of the cute little angels.

And then came the 3 to 6 year old group. The Little Miss is the most left hand bell in orange. Here they are singing "We three kings" after they entered on "The Little Drummer Boy".

The stars are the 6 older girls in the school. Below, a little drummer boy and 4 Christmas trees. Here they are singing "Away in a manger".

And this is "O Christmas tree" - the other boys were sugar canes and reindeer. Also on the programme was: Jingle bells, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, A Rhyme about the clock ticking for Christmas eve, a rap version of Twinkle Twinkle little star, Silent night (2 verses) and ending with We wish you a Merry Christmas.

Receiving her medal for sports achievement from coach Annique. They do a sports programme involving basic gymnastics and ball skills.

They couldn't get the medal to go around the bell!

And our sweet little Christmas bell.

And then Christmas father came and each child got a present.

Getting some loving from Grammie.

And a hug with Teacher Annique.

And best friend at school Fedario who will move on to "big school" next year.

She told Christmas father that she wants a kitten for Christmas. No such luck, mom thinks.

On Saturday afternoon we had the Christmas and year end function of the local chapter of SAMBA (South African Multiple Birth association). This time we did not take a group photo - the organization would have been huge - present were 18 pairs of twins, two sets of triplets and parents, grandparents and sibling.

The Boys enjoying the special baby party packs that SAMBA made.

Our little princess with her twin friends Courteney and Nicole. They handed out the party packs and did such a good job!

They were the first to spot Santa!

Having a chat with Santa. She loved her Tinkerbell make-up bag and make-up.

Well, I for one had enough of Santa! We had our family pictures done on Sunday morning and I am so happy with them. And Dad was a star - he agreed the night before to be on a family picture and the happily went on doing everything the photographer wants. Just one of the reasons why he still rocks my world - he would set aside his own opinions to please me. And the kids did great! What helped is that the photographer was so professional - I got 97 pictures as proofs and all these were taken in 40 minutes! I just can not choose - there are so many gorgeous ones. So I just bought the whole lot as electronic files and will then print as I need. I promise to publish some tomorrow - getting the DVD today!

Today I am thankful for my hubby's great spirit in posing for the photos.