Dear Secret Santa

I am participating in the Secret Santa project this year, and am really struggling to figure out what to send to the blogger to who I am Secret Santa. So, I have decided to do a little post so that maybe my Secret Santa can get some ideas. So for R100 or less, I would love: (And if the family read here they could also get some Brithday ideas, but alas...)

•  Fenjal bath oil or foam bath - a lovely memory of years gone by. I can recall my gran so well when I smell it.
• Anything to craft with - pretty paper, ribbons whatever.
• Any bath stuff - especially Tranquil body treats stuff.
• A good book - even second hand
• Beads and other prettyness. 
• Cute lace summer scarf that you see at all the Chinese shops- in light pink , light blue or grey
• Colourful flip flops - I wear a size 7. I love colourful flip flops.With stuff on.Especailly those Pick n Pay cheepies with lots of cuteness.

What I really am not crazy about right now:

• Edible stuff - with my cholesterol issues I really have to be careful. If it has less than 5% fat per 100g I guess it's ok - go try, very little is.
• Bangles - I can not really wear bangles - they irritate me when I work.
• Although I am crazy about note books I have about 4 unused ones lying in my bedside table.

So hope that helps?

I have also received this lovely award by many bloggers - the only ones I can remember in my fogged slightly sleep deprived mind today are To love Bella and Dear Max, .My sincere apologies if I forget to mention you here, I have really not kept track with this - crazy time of the year.












So I have to tell you 7 random things about myself:

1.  I can not eat cooked oats - jip, I have huge tactile issues (I guess L's issues should not have been a surprise to me). When I get home I have to take all jewelery off and tie my hair up otherwise I just can not function
2. I really do not like noise and very loud music. I love soft music, preferably classical or jazz. Sometimes the noise levels in the house totally drives me over board.
3. If I could sing better I would love to sing the role of Carmen in the opera by Bizet. I would love to passionately sing the Habanera in a black and red Spanish dress.
4. I can not put nail polish on my own nails - I really just can not. I do not have the time for "proper nails" so I just do not "do" nails.
5. I also can not do my own eyebrows - I leave that to my much beloved beautician friend.
6. I really want a second island honeymoon with my love. 
7. I am totally addicted to humus, taramosalata and tahina with biscuits I am allowed to eat. And pasta - I can live from pasta. I think somewhere in my precious lives I was both Greek and Italian

Now this one has really done the rounds and I am sure almost all of you have received it - so I would like to award this to everyone that reads this post. Go ahead dear - take it and thanks for your kind comments. As the Golden Girl song goes: "Thanks for being a friend".

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

Today, I cried...

huge big fat crocodile tears, here in the office - I never do that! In the post came a beautiful hand made card, totally in a class all of its own. And in it, a beautiful book mark of a gold plated eucalyptus leaf.From my BFF in Oz. You see, it's birthday time for me soon, and this year will be the first in many that the two of us have not somehow got together on or close to the day - mostly on my "birthday day-off" I grant myself every year. I am feeling a bit at loss as to what to do with my day this year - yes, I will go to the hairdresser, and possibly for a facial.But I know I am going to miss her warm voice, her big hug and her conversation - one that never seem to cover everything we had to say. Somehow the time was never enough. Somehow only know, we realize how much more time we should have spent together. I miss you my friend.

It's been a rather BIG weekend for us.

Yes dear readers, I am THAT mom - the one that couldn't potty train one of her kids. The mom that got a Play therapist involved to do it - well, the mind part, and then with huge help from the hubby actually forced the little man out of his nappies. For the last 7 weeks, no 1 had been going stellar. No 2 has been more of an issue - in fact, I spent hours (literally) in the bathroom with Little man L to get him to do those no 2's. Talking to him, having his Dino do no 2's with big high fives thereafter. It has been totally exhausting. There was some crying involved by both of us.

Then, on Saturday, he casually walked to the downstairs loo, got on it and did his no 2. I saw him by chance, and man, did we make a big thing out of it! I was hopeful, but scared of that one odd bit of progress that might just regress. But yesterday, he did it twice. In the same, quiet way. We had MacDonalds for dinner - a small celebration.

The long and short of the story is that we as moms tend to always feel so incredibly easily like failures. I beat myself up on this one - boy, I did. I mean what is wrong with me that I can not potty train my kid. Really? Then when I read that SID kids do potty train with great difficulty, I relaxed a bit but when the OT indicated that she thinks it is a mind issue and not a body issue, and we got the Play therapist involved, I really felt the urge to get this done. I mean, he on his way to turn 4 at the time. The fact that his therapy was at that stage between the two of them amounting to almost a R1 000 a week certainly played a part.

So yes, we all sometimes need to be a bit less tough on ourselves - but boy, does it feel great when we reach that milestone! We threw away all potties yesterday - just to get it out of the way. Over kedovers! Done.

And this really really Makes my Monday - no heavens, it makes my year!

Playing along with Cheryl.

In other parts ot the world, today is Thanksgiving.

 Image credit

And although it is not observed here and we have none of the history attached, I love the idea of a day to say thanks, To be thankful. We had a particularly harsh year this year - lots and lots of thing and stress to absorb, and therefore, making a list as to what I am thankful for, is even more meaningful. For us, it is also at the end of the year - both calender and school wise.

1. My wonderful, dear super supportive husband without who I can not imagine my life as it is.
2. My beautiful Princess who is kind, understanding and such a good girl for her age. For her huge need to be recognized.
3. My little man C who has blossomed this year in school and is just doing so well. For his huge need to be loved.
4. My little man L who has really developed totally beyond all expectations and comprehension this year. For his huge need to be understood.
5. For Lucy being healthy again - her health issues has been a huge strain on us all, even more on herself I suspect.
6. For my mom, who has helped where she can with the practicalities in our lives.
7. For my MIL and FIL for their unconditional understanding and support.
8. For our ever so patient, ever so understanding and ever so loving puppies. You girls rock.
9. For the wonderful and understanding teachers, OT and Play therapist that my kids were blessed with this year.
10. For our house, despite possibly being too small, still the place where I feel home and loved most.
11. For the business that has survived the toughest year since I am an owner. It's been a leaner year, but it still provides for us and the others that work for us.
12. For hubby's work - although stressful , a good job never the less.
13. For our cars, that despite not being the newest, still runs smooth and takes us where we want to be.
14. For you, my blogging friends, who in the midst of a year of friendship turmoil have shown me fantastic support and love.You know who you are.
15. And for my Father above without whom I would not have survived this year. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all - wherever you are.

It's just so more real with every milestone

Every event - that our little Princess is growing up so fast. Just the other day (ok in January 2007) she went to school for the very first time. She was all of 2 years old and desperately needed the social interaction.

 Yesterday I watched my little girl all dressed up in her big school uniform. Excited and ready to go to grade 1. Not so sure if the mom is ready to go to grade 1 but I guess that is totally irrelevant.

They are allowed to wear their big school clothes to pre-school this week as part of making that going to grade 1 a bit easier. BTW - I was rather impresesed by the practicality of their uniform - a skort (short with skirt front) for playing and a golf shirt.

Playing along today with Angie

and Parenting by Dummies for Wordful Wednesday

and Twinfatuation for Way back Wednesday.

Blood brothers...

Or so you think they will be. After all, they have shared more time together than any of us did - spending 9 months snugly together in utero. But those scans showing them kicking each other must have been a warning I forgot. The honest truth is that since opening their eyes on Saturday morning, it has been the one fight after the other. They are both covered in bite marks, pinch marks and lots of tears have been shed. Its almost a full on war! They kick, they tease, they cry. The intensity of the fights far surpass anything I have seen between non-twin siblings.

We are exhausted, feel rather defeated. Hunter in an attempt to promote peace sat and showed them how to (peacefully) play cars together. It worked, for a bit. Just a bit. This morning seem to have been a bit calmer. The calm before the storm?

So when last did you go to the drive-in?

I have the memory of myself running around at the drive in in my jammies and gown as a little kid. Later as teenagers, it was always with someone else's parents - my mom never went. By the time I was dating, the golden days of the drive in was mostly over and Pretoria did not have many left.

Well, we did on Friday and my, was it great. Here in Pretoria we have a drive in theater on the top of the Men.lyn park shopping center - for the grand total of R63 per car. Our friends S and I regularly go with their kids and have taken the Princess along on occasion, but we last went before L walked. When they suggested we go on Friday afternoon, Hunter knew he had a not too late afternoon and we agreed.

We met in the food court for a quick dinner and parked next to each other for the viewing. The firts movie was "Hoodwinked 2" which the girls loved. Our two boys and their youngest all went to sleep in the back of the cars (we had the very back 3rd row down) about half way in. The other 3 girls watched it till it was over and after a visit to the ladies and a snack, went to sleep on the back seats.

Which was great - because we had quite a great movie for the adults to watch - "Anonymous" about the theory that Shakespeare did not actually exist. It is a great period drama and I loved it.

Will we go again? For sure  - if a kiddie adult combo shows again. What will we do differently? Pull the boot to the front for the kids and take our camping chairs and maybe take the bakkie (truck). And a flask of coffee - to help with staying awake through the second movie.

So when last were you at the drive -in? And would you consider it in a safe and clean environment?

Today.....things I know

• I am still so very in love with the beautiful anniversary roses my hubby gave me (he often does, on or close to the 10th of the month). They are truly stunning and smell great too - not often the cut roses smell great. But sadly die so soon in the heat.
• I am busy making photobooks for the grandparents for their Christmas gifts - it's going to take a lot of effort but I know it will be the best presents ever.
• I am a bit at loss for a present for the hubby - we always do books, but he has so many to read.
• The social schedule for the next few weeks is hectic - speeding towards the end of the year. 4 Kiddies parties, one concert, one charity Christmas tree, one grade R graduation and concert, two friends socials, one birthday and one anniversary.
• I can not believe I am going to buy school clothes for the Princess today. Gosh, she is really going to grade 1.
• After a lot of thinking and asking around, I have ordered some labels over the internet to mark those hundreds of pencils, etc in the school pack we bought for grade 1. I hope they are worth it, but for sure they will save time.I ordered from Staystuck over the internet and they are beautiful.
• I am excited to have Christmas at home this year with all the grandparents and some more family to share the day. We have done it the last 2 years and we love it.
• I have all the little bits to make our advent calender and will post the pdf to all soon. Excited to start with the Christmas excitement.(If you do not have one yet, look at my post  - still prepared to mail the template)
• 3 weeks, and my work year is over! For a glorious full 4weeks of holiday. 

So, what's happening in your word?

The Princess goes to the ballet - again.

Last year we saw the South African Youth Ballet Theater's production of Sleeping Beauty. This year it was the turn of Cinderella and we once again joined the school and some friends for the special dress-up and party Saturday morning show. It is a wonderful way to introduce kids to the wonders of ballet and the theater with a more relaxed atmosphere, snacks served in interval and a chance to dress up like your favorite character. They also have the option to meet the main cast after the show and have their programs signed. The Princess went as the Fairy Godmother this year, after being Sleeping Beauty last year. Look out for The Nutcracker next year - always fun before Christmas.