The things kids say and do

Mine has me in stitches laughing every now and again, just as they have me close to tears once in a while. But the laughs and the precious moments are always way more than the tears, especially these days being well out of the throws of the toddler years and straight into pre school and school years.

Last night as I put Mr C to bed he asked me what my favorite colour is (periwinkle if you did not know), so I just said blue as I was tired and wanted to get bedtime out of the way. Then he proceeded to tell me that his favorite colour is green (which I know), and then went on to say, but not light green, because it's not really my colour and not dark green because it is too close to black. Medium green is just perfect. This kid is one for details, that's for sure. He is also a very keen observer - not only does he pick up on peoples little gestures and quirks, but also on patterns etc. Standing int he dining room the other day he pointed to the floor tiles and said - Mommy do you see 4 diamonds make one big diamond?

Mr L is not the most verbal of children - and I often think we miss a lot of what he knows because his verbal abilities are behind age. Therefore he often surprises me with little bits and pieces, if I really listen up. On Friday I stopped at the petrol station - the windows were all open as it was hot, but a cool breeze was blowing and I had the climate control off. He promptly informed the petrol attendant the following (in English even!): " Fill up unleaded, auto stop is fine. Tires 2,2 bars all round" Never mind that the petrol part is for my car which we were in at the moment and the tyre specs are for the bakkie. The petrol attendant just said "Yes Captain" and looked at me to confirm with a huge smile.

The Princess is big on praying - she has always been. She has that almost standard list of thank yous and requests that most children have - food, clothes, their family and home, sick and hungry people etc. What I do love however is that she is very specific about adding things to that list. For instance, anybody sick that she knows off will be prayed for, a friend that struggles at school will be prayed for. As will be anything close to her heart at that moment. Hunter was away in the bush the weekend and told us on Sunday afternoon that they were blessed to see a huge amount of rhinos. Hence, on Sunday night she dedicated a very detailed prayer for the saving of the rhinos, the environment in general and our parks and wild animals. Later Hunter remarked that yes, we all try to work to save our rhinos, we collect funds, we as a family even contribute in a practical way (more about that at a later stage) but we have not made it a matter of prayer. Once again, God has shown us through a child how to pray. Simple, to the point about anything that matters to us. So we will continue to pray for the rhinos, and many more.

Firday 9 July 2010

Hosted by Cecily

Hosted by Chris

 
184/365:
  3 July 2010:

Look mommy, I caught some faeries.


187/365:
  6 July 2010:

Skapie - mê (Little sheep me) came to work with granny today after her mommy was dropped of at school. She had a great time staring at the birds in the office garden. 

188/365:
  7 July 2010:

 I packed - it was dark, I remembered about my picture for the day. Thus, I give you my favorite subject (apart from the kids) with flash added.


189/365:
  8 July 2010:

 Anticipation - waiting for mommy to complete the packing to go to Cape Town.

And just look at what she made at school on Wednesday:

Friday - 2 July 2010:

Hi lovely friends,

It's been a freaking crazy beyond words hetic week at work and on Tuesday afternoon we said goodbye to our dear granny.  Truly, this week has been all about being crapped out by tenants and crapping out contractors on my side mediating between parties, removing columns in shopping centres (and watching as the engineer lets down the props that the buildings does not actually collapse) Ok this sounds all wrong - the engineers make precise calculations, check that it is all installed properly and then let them down, but I still catch my breath every time at these almost miracles. I digress, on to this week's pictures (with a pretty slim picking due to me being so hectically busy):

Hosted by Cecily

Hosted by Chris

 176/365:
  25 June 2010:

Parsley on the kitchen window sill in the late afternoon sliver of sun.



  178/365:
  27 June 2010:

 Neatly placed at Safari nursery - the princess loves her new rainboots that granny bought her.


 179/365:
  28 June 2010:

 Still pretty - flowers from a table arrangement I got from last Sunday's wedding.


 180/365:
  29 June 2010:

A yummy plastic food breakfast prepared just for you by our princess.

 181/365:
  30 June 2010:

 Little man C loves his slippers - hard to get him out of them. I am hoping the new sneakers I bought today will do the trick.

 182/365: ( Halfway -183 days left in the year)
  1 July 2010:

 My one azalea bush is flowering - I am sure it is completely out of season.




 And with Jen at Buried with children, I can not help sharing this bit of wearable art that was made at school yesterday:

Oh and she is!


Have a great weekend!

You can tell things re bit crazy over here.

I missed my 365 post yesterday - for the first time ever! I left my camera and memory card at home so I could not complete my post early on Friday an last night, just didn't happen. We took our chance with my MIL here to go and see "Robin Hood" last night. We both really enjoyed the movie - just to come home to a puking little man L and granny cleaning up. It was a really rough night last night, but here's hoping for a good night tonight.

And in other news, I now have 100 followers.

Hosted by Chris

I love these spontaneous moments captured in time. 
171/365:
  20 June 2010:

The bride and her godson sharing a quiet moment.
172/365:
  21 June 2010:

Little man L's sneakers and tiger socks in the swing. 

173/365:
  22 June 2010:

174/365:
  23 June 2010:

These are not lowers, they are fruits! The berries at the bottom open to the orange "flowers" . This is what the flowers looked like in February:

175/365:
  24 June 2010:

 It's a triangle mommy!

Friday - 18 June 2010.

Another Friday - thank goodness!

Hosted by Cecily

Hosted by Chris

163/365:
  12 June 2010:

Almost 2 weeks old, these roses. Makes you wonder if they were super fresh or zapped by some strange radiation.
164/365:
  13 June 2010:

 Playing in the sand. Little man L's cute toes.
165/365:
  14 June 2010:

 Got some 70's velveteen supporters gear - and wow, nice and warm too.
166/365:
  15 June 2010:
 
In our part of the world, this is about as cold as it gets. Maximum of the day was 12 degrees C. And yes, I listen to Classic FM - I am weird that way - I like Bach and Mozart.

 

"Hallo Pappa" - he was calling daddy from granny's mobile.
 168/365:
  17 June 2010:

 Exhibition by Articles and Frames in Brooklyn Mall for the World cup.

Brought home this week from the school:: 

A chocolate flower - it was perfect but she could not resist a little bite on the way home in the car.

Can you feel it? It's Nation pride, that;s what it is.

Wow, I am blown away. Amazed at the hugely positive spirit and nation pride all around me. Even the skeptics (like me) have been overwhelmed by it all. The stadiums are all complete, most of the roads done and ready for use and the shopping malls are filled with visitors speaking the languages of the world. Last night I watched most of the concert for the opening of the Soccer world cup - it was an amazing event. My favorite part - Archbishop Desmund Tutu (or Oompie Des as I will always now think of him). What an amazing man and amazing moment in history. Today, we are all proudly dressed - me in my SA bling and the kids and Hunter in Bafanna Bafanna gear. At the office, the fever is running high and we will be closing early to watch. Go Bafanna Bafanna!

Hosted by Cecily

Hosted by Chris

156/365:
  5 June 2010:

 My lavender hedge is awakening in winter.

157/365:
  6 June 2010:

 The much photographed shell mobile has a new tenant. I love the light in this one.

158/365:
  7 June 2010:

Report card and artwork home day for the end of second term. The art reflects this term's themes - dinosaurs, volcanoes, water, etc.

Go check out some more kiddy crafts at Jen's:

 National supporters Bafana Bafana day. Hunter and I made her little makarapa (the hat). It was all Vuvuzelas and nation pride.

Friday - 21 May 2010:

Hosted by Cecily

Hosted by Chris

Wow, this week has just flown by! It has been just crazy at work and this weekend I will have to catch up too! I am dead tired. I have noticed that my  pictures are more and more becoming a way of documenting our daily lives than particularly good pictures. I have started to make a photo a day book to print at the end of the year of my 365 shots.
 
134/365:
  14 May 2010:

Her natural state - grass in the hair and face not that clean, but the eyes really speak to you. This was taken in granny's car as she headed for her first sleepover at granny's. It went so well she stayed for two nights. She loved it, we were sort of sad.

135/365:
  15 May 2010:

The chapel at the wedding as the sun started to set.

136/365:
  16 May 2010:

A South African braaivleis fire - Hunter prefers wood over charcoal. And definitely not gas.


137/365:
  17 May 2010:

I had to take the canvas off the playtent to wash - amazing how they still recognize the archytipical frame as "house".

138/365:
  18 May 2010:

Her trusty purple crocs - well worn, but still loved. We had huge tears when she lost her butterfly Jibbitz at school, but when I brought home the Jasmine one to go with Tinkerbell happyness returned.

139/365:
  19 May 2010:

No week will be complete without a flower shot. This time I bought Irisses for the home.


140/365:
  20 May 2010:

The newest offering from th epottery class - a little plane. And yes, I know her hands are dirty and her nails too long, but it was a great day for play.

Go check out some more kiddy crafts at Jen's: