The last two weeks...

 Is best described by this photo - beautiful twin rainbows against a dark and cloudy sky - and threatening storm that never happened.

It has been two weeks of incredible highlights but seriously busy. Exhaustively busy. A wrote her first end of the year exams and what I expected to be the storm that never happened. She studied well ahead (on our prompting) and coped well with the fact that despite her exams we spent a lot of time on the side of the cricket pitch - as C played his first school premier league. L very patiently enjoyed watching the matches (the grade 1 do not play this league) The Premier league is a fun league based on the concept of the Indian Premier league with fun names and coloured  caps to distinguish the teams. Two grades are combined to play with captains as leaders (no coaches) and the team spirit is truly something to experience. The grade 7-4 play before the exam season but the grade 2 and 3 league is during the senior phase exams and serves as a step up tool for the grade 2 boys to move from Bev (mini) cricket to the full size version of the game. With 4 matches per team in the group stage and a possible semi final and final it is a lot of cricket to cram into two weeks. C and the Blue Warriors made it to the semi finals and the third place. They were disappointed but a bronze medal is nothing to be shy about too.

We also had two prize givings, two school grade parties and two class parties. Lots of happy, lots of busy. And I am not even mentioning work that is always busy this time of the year. I will tell you about the prize givings later - simply because I feel they deserve their own posts. But suffice to say I have a permanent smile on my face at the moment.

This weekend we have a few commitments but we are planning to rest up a bit, to go a bit slower. So how has your week been?

Things I have learned this week.

• It's great to try out a recipe you haven't made for years - even if it is not what your family in general enjoy. It's sweet nostalgia - and just maybe it can become a new favorite. I made fettucine carbonara last night - it's been years. Hunter and I both loved it. It took me back many years to when we dated and just got married. And the kids all enjoyed it.
• I was asked to do some specialist consulting in retail architecture at another firm. It took spending more than 2 hours with them for me to realize how much knowledge you accumulate through experience in years of working in a field. It was a huge ego boost.
• Pick n Pay clothing's pants for girls are in general longer for the waist diameter than any other retailer. At last I found pants that A can wear straight off shelve and that actually fits well.
• Even at 10 she was delighted that I found her and myself a pair of matching harem pants! I though by now it would be uncool. Love it though
• Changing a swimming coach or place can truly turn what was ok or good because she was heading for a goal into the most loved activity. For the first time ever A placed any activity above her ballet. 
• A boy that started this year with a sad and long face and was so not happy to be in grade 2 at all can decide after making two great new friends in his class that grade 2 is in fact the best year ever.  
• A ball sports mad boy may just find that there is one ball sport that does not feature in the great category. It may also be the only ball sport his sister enjoys.

 With these few bits of randomness- have a great great long weekend! Do you have anything special planned?

What if?

Found on Instagram

Competition in our 0/10 girls age group for the swim squad is hectic. With 1 girl already competing in the 0/11 national championships last year (at 0/9), and several other girls representing some of the best clubs around the chance of getting into the squad is very little. In fact, some of the girls bluntly state that they do not even want to compete. Our A had the same attitude - in fact, she did not even want to try because as she states, the places are all taken. And she believes she is not much of a swimmer - she is slow. What's the use? She did however swim in a small foundation base gala at the end of the year - but it was just the kids and not places/teams involved. It was sort of a mass thing - they all had fun. Not the real deal thing.

We as parents always hold the stance that if given the chance, would should just try - and try your best. For us, your best is good enough - it's great! So this year with their Inter house gala in January we urged her to try. Her swim coach asked her to do just one race for him - with the idea just to get the feel of competing. Gosh, she was all fired up but come race day, she was in tears. She just did not want to. I talked, I reminded, she reminded me that she actually can not despite me knowing she can. She then made a deal with me - she would do the one race her coach asked for. She chose breast stroke.

Very nervous she dived in a had a great race and came 4th in her heat - what we did not realize was that her time was good for her age. In fact, apparently they have 12 girls in her age group with good enough times to do well in school galas. After the race I tried to encourage her to do backstroke to but alas, to no end. She stated that she did what we expected and enjoyed it but that's it. We were regardless extremely proud of the fact that she tried and gave her best.

On Monday I came home to a very excited girl with a call up letter to swim gala for the school on Friday. It was a friendly and she was given the chance to compete. On Friday in front of my eyes she turned from "I can not do this" to " I can and want to do this". Gosh did she enjoy representing the school. She got a 5th in her race and swam beautifully and their mixed medley team won their race, despite a goggle failure for her. The best of all is she enjoyed it so much! She literally bubbled over with enthusiasm. It was huge fun. And she wants to do it again.

I am thankful the school has the foresight to give all of them the chance. She is a little sad because she realizes that it was possible her turn this season (there are only 6 galas) but we intend on using it as inspiration to work on her swimming. What a wonderful experience for me. Oh to see her fly!

So in the next 2 weeks....

it's silly season. No really. Get this list:

• Two separate revue rehearsals for two separate kids on two seperate evenings (A & C). It's revue year at school - only once every 4 years, but still.
• 4 days of ballet course (A), one day followed by the school's  big yearly festive event, one by a hockey match or two and one by her drama Eisteddfod with only 30 minutes in between the two events.
• Said festive school event for the whole family where I am busy designing posters for the grade 2 stall.
• English speech festival (For A)
• A school outing (For C)
• Spring picnic (For C) 
• Early mornings at school on 3 occasions for team photos (all 3 kids) and one late afternoon (A)
• One Granny day at school as seeing that we only have one granny in Pretoria I have to help and attend to make sure both my boys have someone at their little event, followed by a picnic with granny where I will have to help out.

And..... what? That's it? Somehow I feel totally out of breath just thinking about it all.

But yes, work is busy, I am totally loving family time and I am reading whenever I can. I am also loving Masterchef SA. But life is busy and somehow blogging is taking a backseat. At the same time, I am still loving Project Life and although I am even behind on that at the moment, it is taking a lot of the urgency to blog out of my life. Recording such lovely details of day to day stuff is so enjoyable and in the Project Life format we can all enjoy it as it develops every week. I am still surprised at how much I love the format and that I am not far behind. Also sad I have not done this years ago

In the meantime - the biggest "event" in the last week was Mr C loosing his first baby tooth.

Around here

There is the usual business that is day to day life.

• The last two tournaments of the netball season was last week Thursday and Saturday. The girls really had the most fantastic season and we are so totally proud of our girl child. The girls never lost a match in any of the 3 teams this season. A huge accomplishment.
• Last Saturday was the last bulletjie rugby games of the season - our boys played in the same team and did so well. We are so proud of how much they learned and far they came this season.I just love all their medals.
  
• It was also the first hockey tournament of the season. The boys 0/8 teams were short of players due to the rugby and the girls were asked to fill in . The Princess played 7 and a half games (4 for her team - the rest for the boys) She loved playing against the boys and we were so proud of her enthusiasm.
• Mr L won the Playball trophy the week before last. My was he proud - and me too.
• The house painting is proceeding as fast as it can. I am loving the way it looks.
• It very cold today in our part of the world - all of a sudden there is an icy wind in the air and we are all feeling the cold.
• The in laws are visiting over the school holidays - we are all looking forward to it.
• I am rather excited that this Saturday will only have horse riding in the mix and no other sport. Yeah on a more relaxed Saturday.
• I am totally looking forward to something I am going to do on Saturday although my tummy as just a few butterflies in it.
•  We unexpectedly saw the Pediatric neurologist (we got a cancellation after an appeal from the OT) , tomorrow is a morning of assessment for mr L.

So, what's happening in your part of the world?

Here and there...

iPhone sunset with doves.

Or this and that. Just a little catch up on what's going on:

1. Sunday evening/night was my Bear and the tummy bug. Poor kid. Sleep was not great for him and the parents.
2. Yesterday I was called from school for our Lion who promptly was the next victim. Poor kid. At least he was done by bedtime and apart from struggling to fall asleep we all slept well.
3. I am holding my breath for the next victim. Our Princess is the "tummy child' of the family so I bet she will be next. Or me - I have a sensitive digestive system
4. We are in the midst of repainting the inside of our house. Hunter worked hard on it the week I was away and every bit of time he gets. I am helping where I can. I love how the colours came out and it is wonderful to get rid of the yellow based cream in the house and replace it with a lovely colour called Tranquil.
5. I am totally amazed that Mr C mentioned that he likes the new colour that has some blue in it! Gosh that child is totally perceptive about colour and shades. This is subtle people - a very subtle shading. I would guess 90% of grown ups would not notice it at all.
6. Mr L surprised me last night with a question about the way the ceilings and roof construction in our house works in a very simplified way. Sometimes I am so happy to know what it going on in that little brain that I often feel does not allow much insight.
7. On that topic we have a series of appointments for him starting with a OT evaluation by a therapist the school requested. They (and we) feel we need to know we have everything in place for him to go to grade R next year and if not, where to send him if our school is not the right place for him. Then in October we are seeing a very specialised child psychologist that is known for getting to the bottom of kids difficult to diagnose or that has more or borderline issues (the appointment was made in February - kid you not). In the past I believed that the SID/SPD diagnosis was 100% spot on I am not any more. We need to make sure it is, or not. I am also still waiting for an appointment with his neurologist - who was full in February for the whole year and for whom I had to write a motivation for an appointment yesterday to be on the list for cancellations after initially being told I can just phone for a cancellation in the first week of May. I am wondering if we should try another one, but then he has history on him. (yes, of course I am quietly very stressed about his all - ok, now admitted it for the very first time) And of course the usual yearly Opthamologist appointment.
8. I am trying to get to the gym in lunch times - yes, it does not give me more than 40 minutes to exercise but its better than nothing. (the gym is literally 5 minutes from the office)
9. Saturday is going to be busy with the last games of the rugby season and the first games of the hockey season, as well as the usual horse riding which we are trying to squeeze in between this all. I am looking forward to spend time with friends we have not seen in ages on Saturday evening.
10. In between all this work is busy and I am totally frustrated with total fools that sometimes cross your road. The time wastage just freaks me out. 
11. I am still totally loving Project Life - totally - I have both week 18 and week 19 up on my Project Life blog since I last pointed you that way. I really want to continue to do this for years to come. It really makes memories so tangible even for the kids.

Oh yes and my friend Samantha van Riet who gave away the lovely books earlier this year now has a new feature on her blog - free printables to keep the kids busy. Perfect for cold winter days and evenings. Have a look here and she will keep them coming - there's a freebie button on her blog. Check regularly

So what's happening in your world?

So what's happening?

Around here things are busy - but what's new in any event? Work is busy, things at home are busy. Its the usual thing. And I guess life will not be that great without all these.

We are nearing the end of both the Netball and Bulletjie Rugby season with one tournament each to go. (and then the hockey starts). We are enjoying the last bits of what was a good season all in all. The boys are both getting a good taste of what it's about and really enjoying it. A has had a good season and all 3 teams are yet to loose a match. She also won a lollipop (awarded by the opposing team to the best player of each half) for her play as Centre this tournament - a new and very busy position for her.She also won one the previous tournament and I am glad for the positive encouragement this small token adds.

 The boys had the exciting opportunity to participate in the annual Loftus Bulletjie day where they (and about 5200 other little boys) got the chance to play at Loftus - the big stadium that is home to the Blue Bulls. It is just the cutest thing you have ever seen and it was an exciting day for all.

So how are things on your side?

Jip. Busy times

It's busy around here - very very busy - I have uploaded some of these photos almost a week ago. I have to share the one above of our beautiful oldest child, Puppy M now 11 and a half years old and still going strong. (And still naughty at times - believe me) She is such a great companion. I think this may be the best picture I have ever taken of her.

This week is utter chaotic busyness - partly just because it is filled with the kid's usual and unusual stuff at school but also because I am managing the office solo (business partner is on leave) and because I am going away next week. Yes my dear friend in the computer, my darling hubby will be looking after the brood next week while I relax with two friends. I have never done this before and am so grateful for the chance to rest and relax and catch up on a lot of talking. So very little blogging and blog reading taking place.

However I have to share some pictures of last week's happenings:

On the 1st of May public holiday we spent the day with friend K and the kid's teacher from their old school and her two kids at the park. It was a sunny, relaxing day filled with heaps of happy moments and lots of cycling

A had her first netball tournament on the Thursday before the wedding (thus almost two weeks ago) and they won all their games. She is happily playing in both the B and the C teams as is Miss K - the two seem to be joined at the hip.

The boys played in their first "bulletjie" rugby tournament - a version of rugby where no tackling is allowed and the tag on the side of the pants is ripped off to count as a tackle.I just love that they play in the school's rugby jerseys and represent their school even if they are not formally in it yet. The cuteness is totally overwhelming.

I also have a Project Life post up here.

One day I want to be....

Mr C: An astronaut - a change from the usual doctor or chef but really no surprise from a Space obsessed boy and one that had Space for a theme at school last week.
Miss A: A veterinary surgeon (gosh I think we have been on that one for the last 4 years) or a doctor but also someone that "does pretty horse riding in competitions - not jumping - thus dressage)
Mr L: A fireman - still. Really he has a slight obsession with this.

As part of our Project Life album I ask the kids one question every weekend - something to add to the album to keep those memories for us.

So the next 2 days are going to be very busy - this afternoon sees the first mini netball tournament and I am going with A - I may not be able to go to the others this year but my workload at the moment is such that I can go. In the end they chose and A team and a combined B/C team that will swap out - a good decision I think for the little ones and A is happy as best bud K is also in the same team. We did have a long talk to her last night about sportsmanship and the importance of participation. My hubby rocks at these things - really he is just way better than I am.

Tomorrow is our cousins big day - her wedding day. But it is also a big day for our Princess - quite possibly the only time she will be a flower girl - she is hugely excited. I am so happy that the weather is looking way better than last weekend. I am popping into the office to do something that will come in this afternoon late and I have to process tomorrow, but after that I am picking her up at school for hair (with the other flower girl) and dressing etc. with the bride at the venue. Hunter and the Boys will meet us at the wedding venue - I am so excited that the little boys will be there too and Mr C is apparently going to dance with the Maid of honour and the Bride. (well I did hear the Maid of honour asking both the boys for a dance - so it will be totally cute).

Hope you all have a great weekend! (BTW I accidentally went - "mark all as read" in Bloglovin - gosh its so easy to do that. So apologies if I missed something big)

Only your best

As parents, we try to instiall in our children the values we like them to have as grown ups. School, sport and other activities provide us with the platforms and opportunities. Supporting them and giving them the courage to compete is up to us. We as parents will never push them to achieve, but we do believe that they should give their very best, try their utmost and most of all, participate to complete the task at hand. We also believe that active kids are healthy kids and that it is up to us as parents to encourage sport and active participation.

All 3 kids had their chance this year to show us that they are willing to participate and try their best. We are very proud of them all.

On the 11th of January (A's birthday) Bear participated in his first 60 m dash with the rest of his grade R group. He gave it his all and ran as fast as he could. We were so proud of how very hard he tried. (they do not allocate places so we have no idea how well he did - the important bit is that he tried so hard.)

On the 12th of February it was the Princess' turn when the school had the annual internal rugby and netball day. The grade classes compete against each other in both the game and the spirit prize( for theme, cheering and team spirit). They are trained by their grade 7 prefect and 2 other grade 7 girls. The Nerd Ninjas (the theme they chose) won on all accounts and received both prizes. She played her heart out as goal defender, a position she seems to enjoy for the formal netball practice too. We were so proud of their spirit and how hard they tried and how much joy they got from being sporty and active.

Last night it was our Lion's turn when the pre -primary hosted their annual fun run. The kids get sponsored for rounds they run or walk along a course in an hour. Brothers and sisters get to join in the fun and run too and score points for their sibling's team. They all did their very best and ran like champs -but Mr L deserve a special mention. He tried so very very hard and I am so extremely proud of him. His last 3 rounds was done on the promise that it was the very last song playing on the PA system and that we just had to get through the song. (moms and dads often walk some of the rounds with the kids to encourage them) He was exhausted but ran or walked right to the end. He did an excellent 28 rounds, one of the top ones in his class. C did 25 rounds - a great achievement too and as most of the primary school kids go full out for it,  A did 41 rounds. They each got a medal to remember the event by.

BTW - what I love about blogging is that I could go back to the Princess fun run post back in 2011 and have a look at how many round they did then (the course was made shorter this year though.)

National pride

South Africa is on a total high today after winning our third gold medal at the Olympics last night. It might not seem much for my overseas readers, but taking into account we won one silver in Beijing this is just fantastic. Add to that that only one of the wins (Cameron van den Burgh) was predicted and it makes it so much sweeter.

I just love the video of Chad le Clos' dad Bert - pure parenting proudness. But it is the commentators that really have me fascinated with all the mistakes they make in their excitement. Here in SA we generally hear the British commentators but I has a chance to hear the American commentary on the Le Clos race yesterday morning. Gosh, it was funny- as Chad won she said, "Oh and Michale Phelps makes a huge mistake"  And that's it - not someone else won very deservingly because he was the best on the day. To Phelps' credit after his very visible disappointment just after the race in the pool, he snapped back to be the perfect gentleman and looser (well, in my books a silver at the Olympics is anything but a looser). In an interview on the radio yesterday morning Bert le Clos told South Africa that Michael Phelps is the best mannered lad he has ever met and that his mom has raised him so well. Now that is the Olympic spirit.

Even more of a surprise was our coxless 4 rowers - somewhere along the line the commentator gets confused between South Africa (an outright surprise) and Australia (a possible winner) and commentates most of the way in the race accordingly .To his own surprise he realizes as the race completes that it is in fact South Africa that won and not Australia and you can hear the shock in his voice..

Steering on with the national pride idea, I think we have produced a building that deservedly needs it's place in the international Architectural scene.

On Tuesday morning I was privileged to be able to go on an architects only pre view of the new //HAPO exhibition space/museum being completed at Freedom park. It is a building that has sparked a lot of talk in South Africa and will only open to the public later this year. So I will share just a few pictures with you.

A very photogenic building and I would suggest a visit once it opens. From what we could see of some of the exhibits they were busy with it will be exciting and interactive with a children's garden and story tellers to lead you through. If you are in any way a photographer, do go - it is extremely photogenic.

Do not believe the box....

when it says: "Easy to assemble. Well, actually, we all know that but somehow we cling onto that myth time and again just to once again....ugh!. On Sunday the boys got big boy bikes (big excitement!) but they came in boxes, to be assembled at home. And yes, there was some frustration involved. What I can tell you is that there is a learning curve to assembling a bicycle and the second one took about a quarter of the time that the first one took.

What I can also tell you is that it took the boys one go up the driveway (quite a steep incline) and down to master the basics, and away they were.

The Princess got a hockey stick and ball due to her huge enthusiasm and good performance after her first hockey tournament. Yes, she had exactly two practices, and on Saturday played her first mini hockey tournament. And no, it's not because she is great or anything, everybody gets a chance as long as they have mastered the basic skills which thanks to last year's Playball, she did. She LOVED the hockey and went into the first game as a forward and was used in the second game as the same position. She enjoyed being in the thick of things, right at the ball and had huge fun.

Speaking of that, we had a taste this Saturday of possible future weekends to come - while I was with the Princess at the mini hockey tournament, Hunter and the boys attended their first rugby day. It was super cute and the boys had lots of fun, especially playing a game against their dads after their game and having the chance to tackle dad. The boys played against each other and true to their personalities according to Hunter. L was right there int he thick of things while C waited away from the action to steal the ball and score two tries. Regardless of it all, they loved it.

It is our philosophy to not only encourage an active lifestyle as a family, walking together, cycling and playing ball etc at home, but also to encourage our kids to do sport at school. We will never pressurize them into doing something specific (apart from swimming which we feel is a life skill and safety issue more than just a sport), but as long as they try their very best and enjoy and participate in some sport, we are happy parents.

So what is your take on sports and the kids? And what did you do this weekend?

Dealing with disappointment

Way back in standard 4 (grade 6 today) I was chosen to sing in a State Theatre Opera production of Othello. It was a huge honour as we were hand picked by the Opera's conductor and musical director and we practiced for hours.Then came the big day when we were taken to the State Theatre to be measured for our costumes and to practice with the cast. We got on that huge stage and the Prima Donna was standing with us to sing our bit (we were children taking flowers to her) and as the director looked at the scene, he yelled "stop" and took me off the stage. Yes, at that age I was head and shoulders taller than her and would most certainly not have worked in the piece as a child taking flowers. It was the end of my brief singing career and I also stepped out of the school choir at the end of that year. Not only did I feel I was too tall but also that I could not sing. That somehow, the two were connected. I fully intend to handle and see that disappointment is handled on a better level with my children. And yes, I realize that one can not always guard them from others and the realities in life, but our family's motto of "I think I can I'll try my best" is what have to carry us through the joys and the disappointments.

And so the Princess met her first big one on Friday. It was the long awaited mini netball tournament. My, they were excited. It went so well in the warm up.

They were ready for their first (and only ) real game of the season. And then we as moms found out that the school they have been drawn to play is one of the schools that starts in January and have had 8 games under the belt. But we somehow hoped that it will go well. And yes, it did not go too bad, they  only lost 0-3, but the issue is that the ball NEVER go to my Princess - you see, being the tallest girl in the team she plays goal or assistant goal,  and on Friday it was goal. She was stuck in her little circle with nothing to do - the bane of many netball goal shooters - you are either very busy or very bored. The picture below is the closest the ball got to here - once in the whole game only. Clearly waiting for it, but they lost it while passing it to the assistant goal (HD) in the picture. The frustration was great, the tears after the game endless. Despite being asked by her coach to please play again next year as she is her best goal, the tears just did not stop.

We were both hungry, not having had a "real" lunch but she refused to have something there, so we hopped in he car and stopped at the first convenience food place - a KFC just across the school. As we waited for our lunch and the obligatory ice cream to follow, the tears stopped and she started talking. Turns out her biggest disappointment was not being able to show me (and me telling daddy) that she can indeed play netball. After I assured her that I knew she can play and reminding her that she was asked to play again next year she cheered up and after a hug and a re assurance that I am in fact very proud of her the smile that I love so much appeared again.

Oh my heart broke for her -I know how much she was looking forward to this, but I also know that we need the disappointments in life to grow. It is how we as parents handle them that will determine how they deal with it in time. I do not think that it has put her off sports though, seeing as she is very eagerly starting with mini hockey this afternoon...

What's happening...

One of those bullet style catch up posts.

• My work craziness at the moment is very stressful. Some days I feel I had enough. Others I am on that high crazy cloud of adrenaline and job satisfaction.
• We had a wonderful social weekend - maybe a bit too social but it was good.
• We may be making some new friends within the Princess' group of little school friends' parents. Years ago one of my friends with older children told me it happens - at the time I thought she was crazy and a bit weird. But I guess one shares a lot through our kids and it they then happen to be just great people anyway, it's a win win
• The Princess has been chosen to play in the 0/7A team in their first and only mini netball tournament of the season. Mommy will be there to take lots of pictures and support on the side.

• Next week is Eisteddfod week and our Princess and her drama buddy will be doing a little story of a big grumpy bear and a clever little bunny. She very proudly is the bunny. We have been warned that they will not do well but need to get the "first try" out of the way. Looking forward to see her in action on the stage.
• The boys are practicing for their first rugby day - I have no doubt that it will be controlled chaos, but really looking forward to see this.

•  The Princess is all excitement about her character skirt in progress. For the grade 1 RAD girls this is a big moment. Her ribbons look like this:

•  I have just finessed reading "When God was a rabbit". A superb read and no , not blasphemous at all. I always find that I struggle to get into a new book after such a great read - as if my mind is still in the previous story. And funny enough, I often read 3 books at a time.
• Someone also came second in the annual grade1 colouring in competition. She was so happy about it - I think more about the going on the stage and photos with the headmaster than the actual prize. The friends congratulating, the fuss over her.

•  Hunter and I had the most fantastic date night on Friday night - a "our regular place" way back from our dating and early marriage times Tutti Pasta. It was such a great night out - superb food and we had such a lovely time together, chatting away. I loved it.

So, what's happening on your side?