27 April 2010 - 3rd birthday party

It was my friend Ronica's little boy's 3rd birthday party yesterday. It was such a fun day catching up with old friends - the 'party' ended up being from 10am until 6pm though and if it was not for a 'school-day' today I am sure it would have carried on for dinner too :).

The kids have konwn each other since birth and they also really had fun with their mates.

The birthday boy

The boys did a 'concert' for the girls (in the passage of all places). It was so cute - they sang and played music to their captive audience.




Andrew and his friend C - they lay next to each other in NICU when they were born. Andrew is 4 days older than her.

25 April 20101 - Shopping with Michael

Look what climbed into my trolley yesterday :) - Michael insisted on coming to the shops with me yesterday and insited on sitting "like the groceries mommy - so that you can pay for me". How naughty is that face LOL!

17-18 April 2010 - Weekend at my mom

My Aunty Erica was up here for a visit and I took her through to see my mom. Ed was working and Aunty E the boys and I drove up to Pietersburg (Polokwane) for the night on the Saturday. We met up with Aunty Val, Nina, Adele and Paige for lunch and then just chilled at my mom's place and drove back on the Sunday.

My gorgeous god-daughter, Paige

Nina and Paige

Adele, Nina and Aunty Val

My mom and Aunty Erica

On the drive back home

Bigger boy Andrew

Here is Andrew's school pic for 2010 - such a serious face he has going there (he probably burst out laughing just after that if I know him). I still can't get over how big he is getting......

Big boy Michael

Here is Michael's first official school photograph (the first of 15 ;)). How cute is that smile and how naughty is that face!

6 March 2010 - Coffe at the airport

Robert and Katherine (my brother and his wife) were in SA for a week or so over the Easter weekend for a family wedding. They were to leave from Johannesburg on 6 April and between their flight landing from PE and them having to get their flight to London they had a few hours to kill. My mom, Michael and myself decided to drive through to Jhb to go meet them for a coffee - Andrew opted to stay at home with Ed, but Michael desperately wanted to go to the aeroplane-port to see his Uncle Rob.

We spent about an hour with them and at least my mom got to see her little boy, which was lovely.

99 things you could have done

I found this on this blog http://gillianhefer.blogspot.com/

The idea is to look at this list of 99 things you could have done, and bold the ones that you actually have done!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (would love to)
5. Watched a meteor shower (would love to)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (would love to)
7. Been to DisneyWorld - the Paris one
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bunjee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own veggies
19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillowfight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not sick
24. Made a snow fort (would love to)
25. Held a lamb26. Ran a marathon
27. Went skinny dipping
28. Rode in a gondola in Venice (would love to)
29. Witnessed total eclipse (would love to)
30. Seen a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (would love to)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace/ home of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish country
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (would love to)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (would love to)
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight46. Taken a ride in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in theater54. Been in a movie
55. Visited the Great Wall of China (would love to)
56. Started a business
57. Taken a martial arts class58. Visited Russia (would love to)
59. Worked at a soup kitchen
60. Sold Girl Scout cookies
61. Gone whale watching
62. Gotten flowers for no reason
63. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
64. Gone sky diving
65. Visited Nazi concentration camp66. Bounced a check
67. Flown in a helicopter
68. Saved a childhood toy
69. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
70. Eaten caviar
71. Pieced a quilt
72. Stood in Times Square
73. Toured the Everglades
74. Been fired from a job
75. Seen the changing of the guards in London
76. Broken a bone
77. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
78. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (would love to)
79. Published a book
80. Visited the Vatican
81. Bought a brand new car82. Visited Jerusalem
83. Had your picture in the paper
84. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
85. Visited the White House
86. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
87. Had chickenpox
88. Saved someone’s life (would love to)
89. Sat on a jury
90. Met someone famous
91. Joined a book club
92. Got a tattoo
93. Had a baby94. Seen the Alamo in person
95. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
96. Been involved in a law suit
97. Owned a cell phone
98. Been stung by a bee
99. Swam in the Black Sea (would love to)

54 out of 99 – not bad (I think)

Hoedspruit (part 3) - The kids sure had fun

So the last two days in Hoedspruit were spent at the lodge sleeping, reading, swimming and talking - well by the adults at least. The kids had a BALL - they made dams, played in the veld and made a fire to bake some "stok-brood" (stick-bread) - such fun.

And then there was Easter. I have to admit none of us grown-ups had a concept of the days of the week and we actually forgot about Easter Sunday - needless to say we convinced the kids that Monday was in fact Sunday and no-one (under 6) was any the wiser. Marinda was clever enough to bring along some bunny masks and as soon as the kids' eyes were open the hunt began.

Hoedspruit - part 2 (visiting Jessica)

On the Sunday morning Marinda, Francois, myself and the 4 kids went to visit a very special hippo named Jessica. Jessica was born in March 2000 and was washed up along the bank of the Oliphants River when she was only about 8 hours old. She was found and has been raised in captivity since then. She is the friendliest animal - this despite being one of the most ferocious beasts in the animal kingdom - and I swear I actaully saw her smile :). We could feed her, stroke her face and even give her a kiss.