Instagram, last week

The sunset last Wednesday night left me breathless. It was stunning. (no filter)

The very ordinary week we had:

Day 50/365 19 Fenraury Summer fruit in stead of veggies went down very well.

Day 52/365 21 February Mr L's first school outing - and so very excited.

Looking back,

Cute photo that was not a photo of the day - our puppy M recuperating after she had a tumour removed from her one paw. The Princess made sure she was comfortable and loved.

this weekend has been a good one. The first with a vague resemblance to how they used to be before we had this year's upheaval. I have hopes that Mr L is at last adjusting - this morning there was no repeated questions about going to school. no fighting about not going. We live in hope, still. But more on the weekend later, let's do the glimpses into day to day life with project 365.

Day 42/365 11 FFebruary Mr L's little feet both in daddy's hands.

Day 45/365 14 February Valentines day hearts at the office. They were totally yummy.

Day 47/365 16 February A gardening and antique shop find on our way to horse riding lessons.

 So what was your weekend like? And how do you feel about kids saving up with birthday money and buying something more substantial? (BTW I love the idea and I love her choice - I think well spent money). But feel free to disagree - I would love to hear your opinions.

Remember, if you have not entered my competition yet, it closes at 1 pm tomorrow

To say this year started well...

would be a lie. It's been tough. I have been sick, worse than in a long time. I am exhausted. H is equally exhausted. It's not only the daily run of the mil of 3 kids in 3 grades, 5 parent evenings, netball meetings and all that goes with kids in school. Top that with busy work schedules and nothing much else happens. Yesterday was a day straight out of a very bad dream. I will not go into details but house keys were hidden (L) , ballet bags forgotten at school (A) and mommy rushing around, gates lifted from tracks at home etc etc.

The honest truth is that our little Lion is not adapting well to the change in schools, being away from his brother. We had to go back to separating them in after care -we were left with no option other than that or taking them out and getting an au pair or such. (the reasons are legal technical with grade R being part of the Primary school and responsibility etc). He will have to adapt and we will have to provide him with the support to. In any event, it will be better in the end that he makes his own friends and adapt to being with the younger kids. But it's tiring - the very moment I pick him up at school he starts with reasons why tomorrow is not a school day. He insist on it being a weekend and doing something that is weekend related and insist the he will NOT BE GOING TO SCHOOL. And insist he does, on and on an on and on.... Until we get him to calm down eventually. Every meal is a trial in endurance(apart from toast and eggs for breakfast which is quite possibly his favorite food ever).

But maybe we are seeing the light - the last two mornings he came to our room dressed and his bed made (more than the other willingly do on their own first thing in the morning) and this morning he actually told me he wanted to go to school - the first time this year.

In amongst this all we had a good weekend - yes, Mr L's antics was exhausting but there were many good points too. We had a lovely 40th birthday party with a jumping castle , party packs and icys for the kids and good food and company for the adults. What I will always remember is dancing the night away until late with all 3 kids, the boys falling asleep on their mattresses with some other littlies way after 9. It was a good night. We are hoping for many more somewhere in future. These are the moments that give us hope. The ones I want to embrace with all my might.

With that, let me share our last week in pictures:

Day 35/365 4 February Promise of rain.

Day 36/365 5 Febraury Little butterfly in the office garden.

Day 37/365 6 February Rainy day morning - Mr C loves hi umbrella

Day 38/365  7 February Morning after the night before rain diamonds. One of my favorite iPhone photos ever.

Day 39/365 8 February Mr C's turn to buy tuck shop and he chooses bouncy balls for them.

Day 40/365 9 February Horse tiding at the Voortrekker monument.

And to close off - my nearest and dearest playing on the iPad after bath time on Sunday night (and a silly little girl in the background)

On Facebook I said this morning that today will be a good day, I insist. And yes, it will be. We need to move forward, and we will. Come what may.

It's been a busy, but good weekend.

I am still recovering from a cold, but Hunter mooved the earth in our garden on Saturday. The Princess and I did all the party preperations and she loved being part of every little bit and doing so much herself. On Sunday was the party of course, but more about that later. Let me give you a peek into the daily happenings with my project 365:

Day 28/365 28 January Self portrait by the Princess in her class - I was reading mom the afternoon

Day 30/365 30 January Cuties for my cuties - stumbled upon these at a  craft shop for R13 each. The kids love them - any guesses to whom which one belongs?

Day 31/365 31 January At last completed my doodle for my word of the year..

Day 33/365 2 February Party preparations day - funfetti cupcakes baked, party packs and party favor bags packed and bunting made.

 So here's wishing you a great week ahead!

2013 - Project 365 and this weekend

So once again I am trying to do a project 365 on the iPhone.I know, I always stop somewhere in the year when life gets too hectic, but maybe this year I will make it. I do find it nice to have a little day to day record without having my big camera around and to remember those everyday type of days too.

Spectacular double rainbow on Wednesday afternoon - intro into a weekend of rain.

The last week has been a tough one - Tuesday morning, only the second day of work, dawned with a tummy bug in tow. It took me 4 days to get totally over it. By Friday with only Tuesday off I was exhausted after an inspection on site and lots of walking, so I decided to go home and rest, just to get that dreaded school number popping up on my phone - Mr L was crying non stop in class. So I went to the school - the Boys have been in separate classes in the after care too as grade RR and R are separated. I suspected this was the issue after some words from him on Thursday. I got to the school and he was sitting there on his little rest time mattress quietly crying. I straight out asked him if he wanted to be with C and he said yes. The moment he saw his brother he smiled. I left shortly after and returned an hour later to two happy boys. Let's just hope that this is sorted out now.

This weekend has been a great one although it rained and rained forever. On Friday night we had home movie night with homemade pizzas and the kids watched Wallace and Grommet - the case of the ware rabbit (I love those two) and then the Princess and I watched Big Miracle while the other 3 fell asleep - what a lovely movie. Saturday morning saw her attending her friend N's party at Experilab - what a great party idea and the kids and I paid a visit to my mom. Saturday evening we went for a swim at the gym and homemade burgers after. Sunday was church and a lovely afternoon with our great friends S&I and the kids. The kids even swam in the soft rain. They baked a bread in die Weber, we had smoked pork ribs and the kids made their own roosterkoek. Really just a good weekend.

On to the first three weeks 365 shots:

Day 1/365 1 January. Campsite festive lights.

Day 5/365 5 January Eater is cosmos time - it was very confusing seeing cosmos in December. But pretty never the less

Day 8/365 8 January We spent most of the day at Zita park - our own little mermaid in action

Day 10/365 10 January Picked up the cupcakes at the home industries and they asked A to pick something for her own cupcake. Obviously she choose Hello Kitty (and a butterfly)

Day 16/365 16 January Sunrise as Oupa and Ouma goes back home.

Day 17/365 17 January MrL draws himself on the school's newsletter with the other friends already drawn. It's the first time ever I have seen him draw himself.

Day 18/365 18 January A Just Joey in our garden after a rainy day.

 So how was your weekend?

Our life on Instagram - 3rd week in August 2012

We had a lovely, but very busy weekend - I feel rather exhausted today, but alas, onwards and upwards with a very busy week. L:ooking back on last week:

Day 33/365 It felt like Spring, it smelled like Spring.

Day 34/365 Watering the flowers - something the kids love to do, with a little too small bike in the background.

Day 35/365 Beautiful post sunrise colours.

Day 36/365 Bought my books for Bookclub in September and this beautiful Hope necklace - my word for the year - had to have it when I saw it.

Day 37/365 Drive- in night! First night that it was warm enough for us to vernture there. We all loved Ice Age 4!

Our life on Instagram - 2nd week of August

Wow, today is just such a beautiful, perfect weather day. The weekend was rather good too although Saturday morning started out all cold and cloudy. So without further ado:

Day 26/365 I was "reading mom" at the Princess' class at school - these are some of the books we read. I was really impressed with the discipline in the class,

Day 27/365 Bookclub night at I's house - the little stove going strong. The food was stunning, the company good as always.

Day 28/365 Typical breakfast bowls - each their own choice.

Day 31/365 We spent a great evening with old friends, chatting away around a campfire. Lots of laughs about the crazy things we did and about how none of us thought Lenard Cohen's music was depro at all.

Day 32/365 The day we took out the old vinyl record player, re installed it and listened to vinyl's. The first one we played was Elton John's greatest hits.

 And as usual, some others to remember the week by, both from yesterday:

Church tannie cupcakes - really the best cupcakes ever. Real honest ordinary home baked cupcakes. Our church sells them every month for our charity projects to the great joy of all involved.

Yesterday was such a sunny, almost summery day - and yes, I am THAT mom that allows them to make a big muddy mess in the garden.

Our life on Instagram - first week of August 2012

I had a glorious long weekend, so much so that I sort of feel a bit lost today at work and believe me, I can not afford it at the moment with all the work I have. But Hunter and I had a lovely date day on Thursday and Friday I was stay at home mom with and extra kid(a friend of A) - great to spend so much time with the kids but a bit sad to say that at times the day was tough. I did make chicken soup which came out divine and will also post you the recipe later. On Saturday Hunter had a work commitment and I took the kids to my mom (post to follow) - the weather was ok so we had fun outdoors and on Saturday night had friends over for rugby and a braai. I baked a honey cake which was also came out really great. Sunday was icy cold and we spent the day as a family - we went for a swim at the gym to counter the cabin fever and had a great afternoon nap all round.

So what was your weekend like?

Our week per Instagram last week:

Day 19/365 Monday 6 Aug - Olympic fever - she made a gymnast with pipe cleaners and feathers. Totally her own creative idea.

Day 21/365 Wednesday 8 Aug - We visited Decorex on the trade day - love dthis idea.

Day22/365 Thursday 9 Aug - Date day and our lovley meals at Cafeino

 As per usual I have a few others to share of the week and that I might not use in another post:

Snow flakes melted to perfect drops on our pansies

I got served a perfect cup of mud coffee on Friday.

Our life in 365 on Instagram - end June/first week of August

So, what was your weekend like? We had a rather good one apart from two boys that really had it in for each other late yesterday afternoon. But let me share the past week with you.

Day 13/365 Tuesday 31/7/12 Tour to the //HAPO building - full post here.

Day 14/365 Wednesday 1/8/12 I attended the opening of Pretoria's GAP store - full post here.

Day 15/365 Thursday 2/8/12 The string of orchids my mom gave me catches the morning sunlight at about 6:50am.

Day 18/365 Sunday 5/8/12 The school had a family picnic to raise funds for our pool at the Voortrekker monument. Full post to follow but love this picture.

I also have to share a few that made it onto Instagram but not as THE photo of the day.

Our beautiful first born girl - almost 11 years and still have the energy of a puppy , well almost.

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our day to day life. So how was your weekend?

The last week in June - our life in 365

Day 7/365 Wednesday 25/7 One of the street's chickens decided that our driveway looks like a great home. Just beware of the puppies!

Day 8/365 Thursday 26/7 The pansies the kids planted are such a joy

Day 9/365 Friday 27/7 Baking day at the boys' school - oaties snakes as the theme was reptiles. Such a great idea.

Day 11/265 Sunday 29/7 We found the kid's favorite shoes in Woollies - new softies for all. The Princess' last pair as the biggest size (13) fits just. The boys are now both on a size 10 - L has cought up with C in terms of shoe size. Oh my soul, they are getting so big.

And as we are ending on the weekend, in summary we watched the Olympics opening ceremony, I saw South Africa and then went to bed - the boys went earlier and the Princess fell asleep somewhere aropund China. I thought our athletes looked great. Hunter stayed awake for the lighting of the flame - but did not make it either. After the mall on Saturday we napped . Saturday night was rugby and friends over for a braai and a late night for all and Sunday was spent at home with a Princess with a cold. And all round naps again. Yeah! I did see Cameron van der Burgh win his race last night - what a fantastic feeling.