What's up?

Well yes, I have not been blogging much are reading many blogs at all. In all honesty, it is just one of those periods that will pass. So, if I may, let me speak in bullets today as I am rushing to finish some urgent work:

• Hunter and I are both under huge work stress at the moment. I am in THAT phase of a project that is hugely demanding and the driving to Joburg is really stressful. And to think of it my hubby does it every day.
• I am at last feeling that I am getting the hang of getting everybody to school in the mornings. Hunter is helping a lot but I think things will run much smoother soon.
• I am trying to cook a bit more clever- try to make food that I can re-use without it being crappy a day or so on in a different dish. Honestly I love leftovers - I know some people have issues with it, but I love that cooked chicken in the freezer that I can use in pasta etc.
• L is doing better at school but still adapting.
• C now has his first real friend, Joshua, that he seem to play with most days. 
• We have changed the ballet teacher A now goes to to one that most girls in her school and the associated primary school use and it is turning out wonderfully. She is loving it, two girls inher class have ballet with her and one that goes to aftercare with her.They are also having a concert soon.
• After 9 nights of good sleep we had 3 bad ones - 2 with L waking up and last night our alarm went off 2 times, waking the boys. I swear we have years and years of sleep to catch up on.
• I went to my old school friend's birthday lunch on Tuesday - I was so nervous as I did not know a single one of the other girls, but it went fine. 
• The Princess have Faerie parade day at school today - will post a Photostory Friday if I get a chance later.
• I went to the new Pick N Pay on Nicol on Wednesday after my site meeting (it's close) and although I find it very beautiful, upmarket and the like, I find the layout extremely confusing and would not like to do my monthly shop there.

So how has your week been?

Just the usual madness

• Well, apart from the anger/tantrum issues that Little man L is having at the moment. Gee, they are HUGE! However, tonight was easy, calm and tantrum free. Can you believe it?
• Added to that, and please Mr Murphy do NOT read here! We have had a whole week that L has slept through and C woke up briefly on 2 nights only. Please may this be the start of better sleep.
• And this is how you look if your 6 year old sister makes you a pirate with face paint.

The weekend report

I am sitting here tonight, watching the movie on Mnet and blogging away after another good, but busy weekend.
On Friday night Hunter worked late and I did some blogging blog reading and reading after making a really good pasta.

Saturday was a very busy day for us all, especially for the Princess who now have a more hectic social life than me and the hubby.
On Saturday morning she had a special little class party where we got to meet the other parents and her teacher on a social level and got a chance to see the kidlets interacting with their new friends.

The kids made photo frames for their class photo and calender.

On Saturday afternoon she had a play date with a friend while I met my old friend E that has been living in Istanbul for a very brief cup of coffee with other friends.

On Saturday night we had a braai with my mom while the Princess went to the movies with friends of ours.

This morning , after church, we went to visit Hunter's cousin A and his family. It turned into and all afternoon affair and the 3 girls and 2 boys played and played while we got the chance to catch up with each other. So much so that we had to wash away the mud there, gave them all a bath and drove back with two sleeping boys.  Needless to say, it was an early night for the kidlets.

It was a good weekend - now, I am going to have some tea and some of this: nutella bread, baked by my hubby.

A quick Friday night meal

I had a whole other post planned for today, but the day was super crazy, as the rest of the week. So tonight, I felt like a good meal, but not like cooking one. Hence, I took a look at what was in the fridge and freezer and made something out of it, based on a recipe I have used before. I had cooked, frozen chicken and a whole baked butternut. I also had some great quality pasta - this is essential as ordinary hard pasta will not give the same result.

Ingredients:
Cooked white chicken meat, cut into pieces
Butternut - when raw, bake for 30 minutes salted and with black pepper. If cooked, grill with salt and black pepper until brown.
Fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips.
Garlic - about two cloves. Crushed.
100g butter. Margerine will nto work.
About two circles of feta cheese.
Fresh or good quality pasta.

Method:
Place butternut in the oven and roast / grill until brown edges show.
When almost done, put water on and cook pasta until el dente.
At the same time, heat butter in a small pan and add garlic until it makes bubbles.
Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes.
When the past is done, drain and add the butter mixture. Toss with the basil, butternut and feta cheese.
Season with salt and pepper and enjoy with a light white wine.

It was truly great and I will definitely make it again. The butternut and pumpkin provides a great sweet and salty taste contrast enhanced with the great taste of basil - my favorite herb. It is super quick and easy. I think some pine nuts will be a great addition, but I had none left.

A bit of this and that

• This week is a super busy one - it started on Saturday with the family fun day at the boy's school. I took some great photos and this time the school is selling a CD with the pics for a bit of funds.  I will put some up at Captured by Cat when I have a chance.
• I have to drive to Joburg 4 days running this week for work - it tires me out. I also loose 2 hours a day at work so my work gets behind. I have no idea how some people do it every day.
• Tonight is Bookclub! So looking forward to it. BTW we have an opening in March/April - if you are interested comment here. It is an Afrikaans club though.
• On Thursday night we have mommy's night at the Princess' school - to meet the moms etc. I think I could rather have done something else with the evening, but I guess it is important to attend these things.
• On Saturday the Princess has a class party to meet the other kids and parents in her class at a more social level.
• We slept through last night but bedtime was a small disaster. But that is all ok, plus the boys waking up at 5:20, if we can only sleep through. My one wish!
• I have to find my ID which I put in a "safe place" at home somewhere and now can not find. We need to re register for the elections as our ward changed.
• I need to find our washing and ironing and cleaning lady a new job as Lucy can do all that now with the boys in school and school fees cost us a fortune. Anybody want a reliable and honest maid?
• L is doing so much better at school - not really loving it yet, but participating etc. Now to get him to re-potty train for school - he somehow does not even want to do no 1 at school.

Ok, so let's hit the road - hope your day is great.

The weekend report

So the weekend was one of those - fun filled at times and very challenging at others. Sleep was mostly the challenging part with L, currently the better sleeper of the twins, waking up around 1:30 Friday and Saturday night and only going back to sleep at about 3:30 (yes, I do check the clock!).Last night, they slept through. Bliss! I did manage a short nap on Saturday and Sunday and I let Hunter sleep in on Sunday morning, taking the kids to church on my own and visiting my mom after.The highlights was good though: - afternoon walks on both days with the kids and the puppies, the Princess went to the Men*lyn drive-in with friends on Friday night and loved it, and the kids were super good in the church. I really could almost not believe how good they were.The highlight however was family fun day at the Boys' school.

For some of us,  the water slide proved irresistible.

 While others discovered the joy of a jumping castle for the first time.

 

 Stolen twin moments - I have no idea what these two were up to right here, but it does warm my heart.

 As we sat chatting to other parents I remarked to Hunter that this is the first family fun day since the boys were born that we actually sat down and talked to people and did not spend all our time running after a kid.

So yes, small steps, small bits of progress makes my Monday.

Playing along with Cheryl.

Brithday recap

Way back in December I had my birthday - but in the mad rush of  the end of the year madness, I never blogged about it and as I use this as a personal journal, I have no problem catching up on events.

My birthday itself was on a Saturday and I had a wonderful day, spoiled rotten by my family and  friends popping in for cake and coffee organized totally by my hubby.

On the Friday night, the two of us had a great date night out which I blogged about.

On the same day I took most of the day off, had my hair done and met some girlfriends for lunch. A pity two of my favorite friends could not make it as the one was away on holiday and the other had to work. But we had a great lunch at the Cornerstone Rose Cafe in 19th Street Menlo Park. It was quiet and during the course of the afternoon only two other tables were occupied. It was the perfect venue and I can really recommend his food too.

The 6th year check up.

Someone had her 6th year old check -up yesterday. As expected everything is on target and she has a 100% clean bill of health.
Her length at the moment is 122cm - that is on the 99th percentile. Even a bit taller than last year's percentile which was just above the 95th.
Her weight is 22,2kg - that is on the 75th percentile up from the 50th last year. As she is still a very skinny girl, the doctor is very pleased with the weight gain as it implies great muscle development.
On milestones she has far exceeded on her age and there is really nothing we need to work on for now.

I am so thankful for our sweet, healthy little Princess.

A day on Aunty Tina's little farm.

Playing along with Cheryl.

A great, relaxing and filled with play Sunday, makes my Monday. We spent the day yesterday with Hunter's Aunt and Uncle on their smallholding. We had a great lunch with potjie, and after that....

There was sleeping, swimming and biking around

Just before we left it was time to bring the tiny flock of sheep into the main enclosure.

Jacobus, the ram.

Also playing along at Sundays in my City with Unknown Mami

A Crafty 6th Birthday party

When the Princess asked for a craft party at the end of last year we agreed, on the basis that she could only invite 5 friends. A the end, she stuck with 4 and I organized everything accordingly. The theme was flowers, with flowers on the tablecloth, party buckets, on the cupcakes and even as part of the mosaic they made. It was such an easy and relaxed party to have - very little preparations and stress. I served quiche for the moms from our local home industries, mini Woolworths hamburgers for the girls and biscuits and cupcakes (home made) for the sweet stuff. But as usual, better told in pictures:

Our table - the table cloth is plastic! Kid you not! Beautiful, don't you think? The flowers were all in tea pots.

Every girl had her party bucket, mosaic and juice set out. We combined the flowers with pink polka dot ribbons.

The cupcake tower made by yours truly and the Princess. The cupcakes with the white icing are red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing - I used Lanalou's recipe. The pink cupcakes are standard cupcakes with cream cheese icing coloured pink. All sugar decorations from Bakers warehouse.

The Princess specially decorated her own cupcake on the top of the tower.

The girl's mosaic door hangers came out beautiful The Princess' is second from the right. Mosaic kits specially made up for me by The Clay club.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli