Mom's the Word

Entrepreneurship

2011-05-14T15:14:00.000+02:00

Here we are, almost in the middle of another year again. I must say we have had an exciting, productive year so far and are looking forward to things that lie ahead.

It has now been a year that my husband is working from home, you can see what he is getting up to at www.vertopia.co.za . Our girls and I have have loved having him at home with us, being able to share in many of their learning experiences.

My business too has grown in leaps and bound, with a new website www.mandilee.co.za , that keeps me busy in every spare moment I have, next to school and the running of my home.

Caitlyn and Jaina have already learnt so much about business, the running of it and the hard work and determination that goes into making something a success. We are glad to be able to instill that entrepreneurial spirit in them at their young age.

This year is also a special one, as my oldest daughter Caitlyn is turning 13........ 13!! I am going to have a teenager in the house! She is turning into such a confident, helpful young lady and my heart is warmed by the maturity she shows in situations she is faced with.

Until my next post, be blessed!

You are very Special!

2010-09-04T16:28:00.004+02:00

You are very special There's no one just like you Created by the Master God made you to be you You are very special Exclusively designed You are very special And I'm so glad your'e mine You were handmade by God He fashioned your heart You were handmade by God He knew you from the start You were handmade by God Unique in all your ways You were handmade by God To praise Him all your days

Back to School, back to reality!

2010-04-12T10:11:00.007+02:00

Good friends, Good Times!

At the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens during the holidays

But for now, it's back to school - my girls don't look too sad to get back into the swing of things. Maybe it's because we LOVE to LEARN!

Making Edible Rocks

2010-02-02T15:55:00.005+02:00

Toffee - (obisidian)

Honeycomb - (pumice)

Who knew Geography could be so much fun! We made our own "magma" and cooled it to see how different rocks are formed. Rock Recipe 1. Melt about 500g sugar with a little water in a saucepan. 2. Stir until it goes a golden brown. 3. Spoon half of the mixture onto a greased pan and let cool. 4. To the other half, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder. 5. The mixture will froth, quickly transfer to another greased pan and allow to cool. Break the mixture into pieces and there you have it edible rocks!

Making Crystals

2010-01-22T19:21:00.004+02:00

We are back into the swing of things concerning homeschool - 2010! May this be a good, fruitful year! For Geography, we are studing minerals and how different crystals are formed. To make our own, we mixed a salt solution with red food coloring (rubies), epsom salt solution with green colouring (emeralds) and sugar solution with blue coloring (saphires). Then you hang a paper clip at the end of string in the middle of the solution for the crystals to start growing on, then the waiting game starts - at least 2 weeks. Who said school is boring?? We Love to learn!!

And the SNAKE is a .......

2009-11-04T09:39:00.005+02:00

After much research and confirmation from a friend's husband (who knows a bit about snakes), the snake was in fact a Red Lipped Snake! The photo above looks just like him, but alive. http://momstheword-mandi.blogspot.com/2009/09/snake.html He had a brown body, black head and very distinct orange cheeks, so there you have it! They are not too poisonous, but will give you a craker of a headache if you get bitten. Red Lipped snakes live in marshy or wetlands (there are a few in the area), come out at night to feed on frogs. Now owls, (we have seen large ones around here) come out at night to feed on the snakes. I am almost sure one of them lost his supper the other night, when perching on our roof! Hope you enjoyed today's zoology lesson!

Why I love Johanesburg in the summer

2009-10-11T13:07:00.003+02:00

One of the very special thing of Johannesburg in the summer is the hot, lazy days then in the early afternoon, the signs of a thunderstorm approaching. The deep rumble and the huge threatening clouds in the distance, has something so dramatic about it, a feeling of something so much bigger than ourselves. It can be quite daunting for someone that has not experienced one of these storms. The air goes quiet, as birds and animals seek shelter from the coming rain. Then come the first huge spots of rain that begin to fall, the drama starts to unfold - lightening, thunder, sheets of rain blowing against the window panes. Then when it is all over, everything springs to life again. The birds sing, the sun comes out and everything glistens, looking clean and sparkling. The air even smells fresh and new, with all the dust and pollen being washed away. Sigh, I love thunderstorms!

Snake!!!!

2009-09-28T11:20:00.005+02:00

There was much excitement today when we had out tea break. On going outside to hang up the washing, there next to our veggie patch ...... was a ....... SNAKE! It is quite small, about the length of my fore arm. The snake is brown, with orange cheeks. It is dead and already has ants crawling all over it, thankfully! Otherwise I would not have known what to do with it. Well, we took the opportunity to have a quick zoology lesson, but Caitlyn and Jaina can't believe that we have living creatures like this in our very own garden (neither can I) - they are supposed to be behind glass at the zoo! I have gone further to find out what kind of snake it is, but to no avail. If anyone has a clue, please post, as we would love to know who this visitor was.

Welcome back Spring, my Friend

2009-09-23T14:42:00.007+02:00

Yay! Spring is in the air!

It brings with it the hope of new things, a new beginning, a promise of a fun filled summer.

I was taking these photos a little earlier today, when our guinea pig, Sasha, came out to investigate what I was getting up to - it is out of focus, but I could not resist putting it in!

2 weeks ago, we planted beans, tomatoe seeds, spinach seeds and (for my husband) chillie seeds. This week we started seeing some green leaves popping up. Did I mention how much I love this time of the year?

Air and Fire Experiment

2009-06-26T11:34:00.003+02:00

1. Use modelling clay to stick a candle upright in the centre of a small plate or tray.

2. Pour water in until it is about 2cm deep.

3. Light candle and place a glass/glass jar over it. The rim of the jar must be under the water, resting on the bottomm

4. Watch the candle flame carefully as soon as the jar is in place.

You will see the water level rise inside the glass/jar. It does this to replace the oxygen that was used up by the burning flame.

Once the oxygen is used up, the flame goes out.

Try this, it really works. We did this yesterday and the water is still inside the glass.

Let me know how yours turn out!

Mmmm, Chicken Pie!

2009-06-15T17:33:00.004+02:00

It's chicken pie for supper tonight, YAY!

Caitlyn and Jaina also had a "finger in the pie" ha ha. Yes, they made the pastry cut outs to decorate the top and had such fun painting the egg on the finished product.

Who knew leftover chicken ala king could be such fun!

What is your favourite thing to do with your leftovers?

I Do Love to be Beside the Seaside!

2009-06-02T15:15:00.010+02:00

Last week we went to Umhloti in Kwazulu Natal, for the week. Now bear in mind that we have not been away for over 2 years (not even a weekend).

We have been counting down the sleeps for such a long time. Caitlyn and Jaina had a great time in the sea (I must say that I did too!).

As you can see in the pic below, we had "visitors" that came looking for food most mornings! What a great life they must have, free food and look how peaceful he looks, gazing out to sea (or is it a biscuit he has spotted on the next balcony??).

At the swimming beach, the tide went out to reveal 2 beautiful swimming pools. There were swells and waves that the girls were "surfing" on.

On the rocks were huge groups of green anenemies(sp?) or sea flowers. It facinated Jaina who spent ages closing them all ("putting them to sleep for their mommy" - is what she said).

At night we toasted marshmallows over a fire. Notice the sea in the backround?

Then one morning, I was walking along the rocks and walked by a group of girls with a very broad American accent. I asked them where they were from and they said Michigan, USA. They told me that they were students touring South Africa. I told them that we were actually from Johannesburg and were enjoying an extended summer. Yes, here in JHB we are having very chilly weather right now.

Well, summer is officially over for us and it is back to the school books (next to the heater) for us!

Mmm...mother's Day!

2009-05-10T18:00:00.004+02:00

Happy Mother's Day to all!

I was woken up this morning by Caitlyn and Jaina walking into my room with a breakfast tray, complete with heart shaped toast, fruit, juice and a cup of coffee.

They made me a card and in a beautiful bag was . . .

Lindt Chili Chocolate, my favorite!

What is your favorite chocolate?

Swine Flu

2009-05-08T09:46:00.007+02:00

In recent weeks, cases of swine flu in countries including Mexico, the United States, Canada, Spain, and New Zealand have sparked international headlines and concern about the possibility of a pandemic, the worldwide spread of a disease affecting a large number of people.

But whether swine flu becomes labeled a pandemic or not, there’s no evidence in the United States or countries outside of Mexico that it’s any worse — or more dangerous — than the common seasonal flu.

So there’s no reason to panic. But it is smart to take precautions, like washing your hands often. To put things in perspective, here are some important facts about what’s going on.

About Swine Flu

Swine flu is a contagious respiratory virus that affects pigs year-round. The virus making headlines right now is a new strain of the swine flu, which is an influenza type A (H1N1) virus. This strain contains a combination of different flu viruses that affect pigs, birds, and humans. Because of the human component of the virus, it can spread from person-to-person more easily. Since this is a new strain of flu virus, people who had a flu shot this past winter probably won't be protected against swine flu. However, the virus does appear to respond to treatment with some of the same medicines used to treat common seasonal flu.

How It's Spread

Swine flu spreads in the same way that other flu viruses do — through the air when a person who has the virus sneezes, coughs, or speaks. People can also catch the virus after touching an object that someone with the virus sneezed or coughed on. As with other flu viruses, people who have the virus can be contagious a day or so before their symptoms start, so they can pass it on before they even know they're sick. You can't get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly cooked pork is safe.

When Does an Outbreak become a Pandemic?

In the case of an infectious disease like influenza, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines a pandemic as any spread of a disease that is:

new to the population and has no vaccine yet available
passes easily from person to person
has caused outbreaks in at least two or more countries in different parts of the world
has the potential to cause serious illness and even fatalities

If the WHO decides that current swine flu outbreaks are a pandemic, it will alert governments to begin rolling out their pandemic preparedness plans. The plans may include guidelines for preventing the spread of disease, managing and treating infected persons, and vaccine development. It’s important to remember that a pandemic alert is a preventative measure and does not necessarily mean that most people will contract the illness or that many people will get seriously ill. It’s a way for governments to work together to stop the spread of the disease and find a way to keep it under control.

Who Is Especially at Risk?

As with other types of flu, kids with chronic medical conditions (like diabetes, heart disease, or asthma or other lung problems) can have more problems coping with the illness. They might get sicker and need more medical support; in some cases, hospitalization may be necessary. Pregnant women who catch the flu also are more likely to get sicker. Having the flu can increase the risk for complications during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. In infants, the flu can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Signs and Symptoms Symptoms of swine flu are similar to the common flu: fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting. Swine flu also can cause pneumonia, which can make it hard to breathe.

Kids with any of these symptoms need immediate medical attention:

fast breathing or trouble breathing bluish skin color not drinking enough fluids very sleepy or lethargic in babies, being so irritable they don't want to be held fever with a rash flu-like symptoms improve, then return with fever and a worse cough

If you think your child has the flu, call your doctor — particularly if you live in any of the states that have reported swine flu outbreaks. To help track a possible epidemic, doctors and scientists can find out if someone has swine flu by taking a swab sample from the person's nose and throat and sending it to a lab to be analyzed. Doctors won't know the results of this test for a few days. Treatment

Currently, no medicine is specifically developed to prevent or treat this new strain of swine flu, but it does appear that some of the antiviral medicines used to treat common seasonal flu may ease symptoms and shorten the duration of illness. Kids without chronic health conditions usually tolerate infection with flu viruses fairly well. But if your child does have a chronic condition, like asthma, make sure to check with your doctor to help ensure the condition is under control. Likewise, if you're pregnant and come down with flu symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has the flu, see a doctor right away. You may need to take antiviral medications as a precaution for yourself and your baby.

These at-home tips can help most otherwise healthy kids cope with the flu:

drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration get plenty of sleep and take it easy take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve fever and aches (but do not give aspirin unless your doctor instructs you to do so) wear layers, since the flu often makes them cold one minute and hot the next (wearing layers — like a T-shirt, sweatshirt, and robe — makes it easy to add or subtract clothes as needed) Remember to call a doctor if your child seems to get better but then feels worse, develops a high fever, has any trouble breathing, or seems confused.

Protecting Your Family

There is no vaccine against this strain of flu, although scientists should be able to develop one once they have analyzed the new virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that families take these precautions against swine flu: If you recently traveled to Mexico and now have flu symptoms, tell your doctor. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and put used tissues in the trash. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing — wash with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand cleaner. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Keep sick kids home from daycare or school and limit their contact with others; kids should stay home 10 days after the onset of illness. Breastfeeding mothers who have the flu can continue breastfeeding, even if they're on antiviral medicines. But they may have to take additional precautions (like wearing a face mask) to reduce the risk to their baby. Talk to your doctor about how you can help keep your baby healthy. Eating Pork

Because the flu virus isn't transmitted through food, the CDC and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) say it's safe to eat pork. Of course, pork should be well cooked to avoid any illness. Cooking pork to a temperature of 160° F or higher will kill all viruses (use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature when cooking meats). Don't eat pork that looks pinkish or bloody inside. There's no evidence that touching raw pork will transmit the virus — although it's always a good idea to wash your hands and all surfaces after touching any raw meat. Are U.S. Pigs Affected? Outbreaks of swine flu have been found in pigs in Mexico and Canada. The infected pigs in Canada contracted the illness from a herder who had previously been in Mexico. All infected pigs have been quarantined. So far, there's no evidence that any pigs in the United States are infected with this new strain of swine flu. Signs of flu in pigs are similar to those in humans. If you raise pigs or have a pet pig, call your vet if the pig seems to lack energy or has a fever, is sneezing or coughing, is having trouble breathing, or has a discharge coming from its eyes or nose.

Talking to Kids

Listening to news reports about swine flu can upset kids because they may focus on worst-case scenarios. You can help ease their fears by being available to answer their questions. You can tell kids that there's no need to panic about swine flu. The media and governments are on high alert to help limit the spread of the disease and help people who may become ill. The last flu pandemic that was serious enough to affect millions of people happened a century ago — before people had access to the medical knowledge, care, and medications that we have today. Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MDDate reviewed: April 2009 For more information or info on any other health related issues, visit http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/swine_flu.html

Sasha is Pregnant Again!

2009-05-03T15:49:00.003+02:00

Our guinea pig, Sasha, is pregnant again.

Much to the delight of Caitlyn and Jaina. You see the last time she had 2 babies, we put her and the babies into an enclosure, one of the neighborhood cats got in and took both of the babies. I think it was because there was no where for them to hide. Now, I think that we must leave it up to Sasha and let her have her babies in the garden and be free to run and hide wherever they need to.

She is due any day now as her tummy is really bulging on both sides. Seems like she will have 2 again.

I will post pics as soon as they arrive!

Greek History - Minotaur!

2009-05-01T11:46:00.002+02:00

As the legend goes, the Minotaur was half-bull and half-man and lived in a huge maze under the palace of Knossos. A brave young Greek prince called Theseus set out to kill it. The daughter of king Minos gave Theseus a magic sword and a ball of thread. The deeper Theseus went into the maze, he kept unwinding the thread, leaving a trail behind him. He used the magic sword to kill the monster and then followed the thread back to the outside world.

What made this lesson even more interesting was that the palace of Knossos still exists today and you can do the virtual tour at http://www.bsa.ac.uk/knosos/index.htm?vrtour , when you move over the pictures hold the mouse button down and you can "look around" in 3D. We tried to find the entrance to the maze to find the Minotaur, but sadly had no success.

Let me know if you find anything! :-)

Stonehenge, WOW!

2009-04-28T14:15:00.005+02:00

It was built in stages over a period of more than a thousand years, and was finished around 1500BC.

To move one of the stones from the quarry 32km (20 miles) away, it took 10 000 men. Some of the stones weigh as much as 370 people. The holes that were dug for the stones to sit in, were dug with tools made of bone and deer antlers. The soil that came out of these holes were carried away in baskets by women. To shape the rock they used heavy stones. They also used these stones to carve out lumps/holes, so that each of these rocks fit like a glove into each other.

It is thought that it was used for religious ceremonies, but some experts think that the mysterious stone circle was also used as a giant outdoor calendar.

What do you think?

Earth Day

2009-04-23T12:31:00.003+02:00

Today is Earth Day.

People all over the world are coming together to celebrate the natural wonders of our planet and to dedicate themselves to preserving those wonders for future generations.

In the southern Line Islands, the Ocean Now expedition is showing us just how rich and diverse our ocean can be--and what we risk losing if humans continue to pollute, overfish, and injure our planet's natural ecosystems. Precious few pristine and undamaged coral reefs remain, so it's up to us to raise awareness about the need to protect these rare gems.

We must all do our part, no matter how big or small, we can all make a difference!

Viva South Africa!!

2009-04-19T10:36:00.009+02:00

Yes, once you have heard a lion roar in the bush in the early hours of the evening, seen an elephant majestically cross the path in front of you, looked into the eye of a buffalo a few meters away, stood at the tip of the mountain at Cape Point and watched the two oceans meet, lived and breathed in this beautiful country of South Africa, you can travel far and wide, but still know that South Africa is your home!

We have our elections coming up on Wednesday 22 April, please pray that it will be peaceful and that God's will be done concerning the future of our country.

Homeschooling and Loving it!

2009-04-16T11:43:00.005+02:00

We only started homeschooling at the beginning of March as we ordered late and had to wait for our books to arrive. So, during the school break over Easter, we worked through. Not that it was too much of a punishment, as we are all loving the learning!

In South African history we have been learning about the Bushmen or San People. No one really knows why they did these beautiful drawings on their cave walls. Some say that it was done during story telling or braging sessions, others say it was to teach strategy for hunting the next day. It could even have just been for decoration. Whatever it was for, it tells us the story of the people who once lived there.

Jaina had to draw her own bushman art and Caitlyn had to write a story as if she were a young bushman, explaining why she did this drawing, what materials she used to create it and what her family thought about it when she was done. I must say, even though I am her mother, she is quite the story writer. One day I will post one of her stories and you can tell me what you think ....

Yay, I am a Winner!

2009-03-29T10:27:00.003+02:00

Thank you Anne for thinking of me when handing out this award!

Now for the seven things I love:

1. I love the Lord Jesus.

2. I love my husband and my 2 precious daughters.

3. I love pancake evenings.

4. I love crisp winter mornings and warm summer days.

5. I love painting.

6. I love a good comedy.

7. I love going to the theatre.

So there you have it, seven things I love.

Time for a Breath and a Cup of Tea

2009-03-27T20:08:00.004+02:00

I have been working so hard that when people ask how I am, I have to take a moment to think.

I am getting one of my last orders out for a dance festival on the 04th of April and then I have a huge order that has to be done for a rally before our elections on the 22nd of April. It is good to be so busy, especially in these times.

My girls have been grateful for the extra bit of playtime I have allowed them this week due to my work load and have been very understanding. I am so blessed to have these two precious little pies. Did I mention that I have this home business due to them?

Today, at tea time, I took a moment to walk outside with my cup of hot tea and feel the sun on my skin. It still feels like summer at midday, but our early mornings and evenings are getting a bit on the chilly side. I noticed that all the leaves are starting to turn yellow and the birds are beginning to gather together to fly away to warmer regions.

There are certain things that I love about winter - hot chocolate (made with frothy hot milk and real dark chocolate), soup, warm cuddles from my children (who are both knitting their first scarves) and the crisp blue skies. Winter also has a comforting smell, the smell of fireplaces burning brightly in many homes. BUT winter brings with it ice cold wind that seems to go through every layer you have managed to put on and once I am cold, nothing can warm me.

Well, I suppose, every season holds it's good and bad things. It is up to us to just make the best of it.

Have a great weekend!

Where do I start?

2009-03-21T16:49:00.006+02:00

Hello all! We are now going into our third week of homeschool! I can't believe how time has just flown by. This last week we studied the history of writing and wrote our names in clay using Cuneiform. This is what Caitlyn's name looks like:

I have not been able to post for some time as my hubby had to "redo" my computer as I could not upload any pics or post comments etc. Then we have also had 2 tragedies that we were going through. The first tragedy was the cat next door somehow got one of our baby guinea pigs (Vanilla). My neighbor was so distraught, she bought us a huge bouquet of flowers to tell us how sorry she is.

The second tragedy is that the 2 boy guinea pigs had not been getting on very well since Sasha has come out of the "maternity ward". We started seeing tufts of hair lying around the garden and then three nights ago I was woken by terrible squealing. The next morning Toffee was lying whimpering. I took him inside and after inspection saw he had wounds on his neck. I doctored his wounds but the rest of the day he was having fits and whimpering. It was emotionally destroying to see him like that (I am still trying to recover). Well, that night he took a turn for the worse and did not make it to the morning. So now we just have 3 guinea pigs.

Goodbye, Vanilla, goodbye Toffee, we know your lives were good in the time you were with us. You sure did enrich our lives.

Welcome to the World, little ones!

2009-02-15T19:44:00.002+02:00

Well, our week took a turn for the better. Our guinea pig, Sasha, had started looking somewhat "well rounded". I got the feeling she might be pregnant.

As a precaution, we set her aside from the male guinea pigs, in her own little spot - as they all have free run of the garden.

Caitlyn and Jaina came running in, at lunch time, shouting "Mommy, she is licking something!" and "I saw a little brown face!"

What precious little things did I see when going down to the garden. 2 perfect little babies, in good health and Sasha is well. The girls were overjoyed to to see the new little arrivals.

Below is a video of the little ones in the "big outdoors" for the first time.

On Friday night, my dear Husband came home from work and told me to get ready, he is taking me out. He had arranged for the children to go to his parents. After we dropped them off, we went for something to drink, then a movie (The Duchess) and he booked a table for supper in a nice restaurant afterwards. What a nice valentine surprise! I keep telling him that now I know why I married him, ha ha ha.

One of THOSE days!

2009-02-11T11:17:00.003+02:00

Jaina has not been feeling too well, so this morning she just did her maths (her favorite subject) before going downstairs.

Caitlyn was not in the mood for maths (her worst subject), just the mention of it sends her into a bad mood. Well, thankfully she finished her maths but the mood and attitude stayed. You see she is 10 years old and the MOODS are starting to set in. I have not slept for 2 nights, being up with Jaina, so I am tired.

Then came the big blow up over Caitlyn's english lesson, simple past and future tenses. After calmly explaining it 3 times, I still got a blank look with "I don't understand". What she was really saying was "I don't feel like doing it, I want to go downstairs and play with my sister".

It ended with me shouting "Well if you want to be lazy and waste your brain away by not using it, GET DOWNSTAIRS!" and Caitlyn did not waste anytime. She is now downstairs happily playing with her sister.

Aaaaargh! What was my previous post about?

I am too tired to remember!!!

15 Things NOT to say to Children

2009-02-05T10:07:00.005+02:00

1. "Look how well-behaved your brother is!"

(Yup, well they are not the same child. Are they?)

2. "Stop crying this instant!"

(The situation might not seem so bad to us but it might be heart wrenching for them)

3. "You are not really angry."

(We cannot undermine or deny our children's feelings or imply that they should not be expressed)

4. "You never / you always ..."

(Any generalisation runs the risk of limiting a child to what he or she is at the moment - whether good or bad)

5. "I'm sick and tired of telling you to clean your room. The next time I have to remind you ..."

(Oh, the idle threats. How will our children ever take us seriously. If you are not going to do it, don't say it)

6. "You're the best ... in the world"

(This is a tough one. We try to encourage by exaggerating praise. Our children cannot be fooled and know whether our words ring true or not)

7. "OK, five more minutes"

(Negotiations, negotiations. And then we still ask ourselves why we have whining children. Let your yes be yes and your no be no)

8. " You can be so difficult sometimes."

(Been there, said that. This is self-esteem damaging. Oh, it hurt just to type that.)

9. "I haven't got the time right now."

(Well, you don't have 24 hours to give undivided attention but the suggestion is there that they are less important than what you are busy with) -

Eeeek!

Need to take a break now, my girls say that they are hungry!

Okay, back now, lets carry on!

10. "Please pull yourself together."

(Adolescence is a time of intense emotion and ignoring this or suggesting it's a sign of weakness is insensitive and may cause communicating emotions later on.)

11. "No-one asked you your opinion."

(Don't reject your child's opinions. If you shut them out of adult conversations you will only have yourself to blame if she never offers an opinion when she is older)

12. "I don't like the friends you hang around with."

(This is a tough one too, as influence is a huge thing in their lives. They identify with a peer group. If you criticise the group, feel like you are criticising them and take it personally. Try to widen their social group)

13. "You should be a doctor/lawyer/teacher."

(Allow them to develop their own ambitions)

14. "After everything I have done for you!"

(Oh the guilt! Nobody asked us to spend an hour preparing a meal or giving up a full time job. We are what we are because of the love we have for our families. Expect nothing in return and love the surprises when they happen)

15. "You're looking a bit chubby, aren't you?"

(Ouch, I have seen this happen before my eyes. Someone said it to a young girl, I saw her flinch. There are so many eating disorders out there, we don't have to add to them. As the saying goes "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all!)

I think we have all fallen short somewhere along the line, but the wonderful thing about life is, we are allowed to make mistakes. We just need to learn from them and strive to do better next time.

Love leaves the Dust

2009-02-03T16:40:00.003+02:00

If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.

If I have time for waxing, polishing and decorative achievement, but have not love, my children learn cleanliness, not Godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh.

Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.

Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up spilled milk.

Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.

Love is present through the trials.

Love reprimands, reproves and is responsive.

Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside and lets the youth walk into adulthood.

Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.

Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.

Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.

As a mother, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is LOVE!

Mass Migration of Stingrays

2009-01-31T13:49:00.008+02:00

Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico. The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters. Gliding silently beneath the waves, they turned vast areas of blue water to gold off the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Sandra Critelli, an amateur photographer, stumbled across the phenomenon while looking for whale sharks. She said: 'It was an unreal image, very difficult to describe. The surface of the water was covered by warm and different shades of gold and looked like a bed of autumn leaves gently moved by the wind.

'It's hard to say exactly how many there were, but in the range of a few thousand'

'We were surrounded by them without seeing the edge of the school and we could see many under the water surface too. I feel very fortunate I was there in the right place at the right time to experience nature at its best'. Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays.

They have long, pointed pectoral fins that separate into two lobes in front of their high-domed heads and give them a cow-like appearance. Despite having poisonous stingers, they are known to be shy and non- threatening when in large schools. The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan.

How amazing is that?

Oh, my Gogh!

2009-01-30T10:59:00.004+02:00

Art Lesson - Vincent van Gogh! What a sad, sad life story, of a depressed, lonely man with such an amazing talent.

At first he worked in an art gallery, did teaching, worked in a book store and even became a preacher like his father. But none of this made him happy or fulfilled. He then took art lessons and started drawing and then painting.

He started painting pictures of the desparately poor people that he tried to help when he was a preacher. The colours were very dark and disimal. One day he saw some Japanese art and the bright colours and shapes influenced his work.

His paintings seemed to come alive with colour and movement. Looking at this painting I can almost feel the wind in my hair!

This painting is known as one of his last. Looking at the road that leads to a dark unknown, almost depicts the end of his life. Shortly afterwards he shot himself and died 2 days later. Caitlyn and Jaina were most upset hearing this and could not understand how someone can get so desparately sad and lonely.

Eeeek, sorry to post such a sad story right before the weekend, but it interested me so.

We have kids club again this afternoon, not sure what the theme is, but will post on what we do.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Red Engine

2009-01-29T18:10:00.002+02:00

This week we are learning about transport, so we took the girls to the James Hall Museum of Transport in Johannesburg. The fire engine you see in the backround has a wooden ladder! The top of the ladder is completely black and the rest of it you can see how the varnish had bubbled in the heat. I stood imagining what kind of fires it had been sent to put out.

But before we had gotten to this technology, we had been through the horse driven carts. What interested me was the cart that belonged to the everyday driver or businessman. It was complete with a seat on the back for the "groomer". Now a groomer was a young man paid to sit on the back of the cart and when they pulled up to a gate of any sort, it was the groomer that had to hop down, run and open the gate, wait for the cart to go through, close it again and then hop back up. So, even back then, men had "remote gate openers" they were just called groomers. Haaaa ha ha

My husband and I reminised about cars we remembered as children and the old petrol pumps we used to see.

We had a lovely day!

Smokin' Volcanoes

2009-01-27T12:21:00.005+02:00

We are now in the full swing of homeschooling. Boy, am I having fun. Today I was reminded that school is not all about tedious, mindless repetition of old boring stuff.

First we went to http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/pompeii/interactive/interactive.html to watch different volcanoes errupt. How exciting! We saw what a volcano looks like inside and how many volcanoes there are around the world.

What a wonderfully made and exciting place we live in!

It's Today, It's Today!!

2009-01-21T14:00:00.005+02:00

For our family, home school started today!

Fun and great learning was in store for us. The girls were beside themselves with excitement. I must say that I too couldn't wait.

We started off with a quick walk for some fresh air and our water bottles. When we got back we did our prayer with daily scripture and devotional.

The girls then did a puzzle while I got a few things done in the house. We moved on to English (penmanship and reading) and then had a tea break. After tea it was Maths, History (San and Khoi people of the Kalahari Desert) and Geography (mountain ranges of South Africa). Lunch Break with Daddy (came home from work for the occasion) and then finished off with Literature.

What started off as a "High Five Sisty, we are homeschoolers now!" turned into a .... WRESTLING MATCH!!

They were left begging for more but you know, tommorow is another day!

Yeeouch!

2009-01-16T13:17:00.003+02:00

Today is the day that the stitches came out. Oh, the dread, oh the horror. Caitlyn has been asking all morning "how long is it until they come out" and "are you sure they have to come out today"! and "what happens if my knee pops open after they are out"?

But, bravely she marched in after the nurse and 2 minutes later and a few tears shed, out she came, brandishing a brand new knee. I had been putting on tissue oil the last week and it has healed quite nicely.

Whew, glad that is over and done with and Caitlyn please don't ever do that again!

Oh Ancient One

2009-01-15T09:10:00.005+02:00

Sometime ago Caitlyn and Jaina had friends over to play. We had some, what we call poppers, (small paper teardrop filled with gunpowder). You throw them on the ground and they make a loud bang!

I told the girls, that when I was in school, the boys used to throw them at our feet as we were walking by to give us a fright.

Going round the corner into my kitchen, I overheard "did you hear that guys, in the olden days the boys used to throw these at the girls feet to give them a fright!"

Now, I must tell you, this is the first time anyone has referred to any part of my life as "The Olden Days"!

Play at Polyvore

2009-01-12T13:42:00.002+02:00

Look what I created over at the Polyvore site. I must say it is soooo much fun!

Introducing...

2009-01-10T10:56:00.004+02:00

It has been a busy week, but a very good busy!

The schools are opening and all the dance shops are starting to place their orders with me. This is a small business I started nearly 6 years ago and I now have 6 ladies working part time for me making hair accessories for dancers. I love doing this, as I feel that I am still contributing to the family income but also have the flexibility to be with my children and now to homeschool them.

We will be starting school towards the end of next week, so I am trying to get the bulk of the orders done and the rest of the stock packed - ready to post when needed. If you are interested in having a look at all the products please feel free to visit www.MandiLee.co.za, I would love to hear your comments.

Hope you are all having a great weekend, it's back to work for me!

Emergency Room!

2009-01-02T21:33:00.003+02:00

This is how we spent our last few hours of 2008, in the emergency room.

My oldest daughter, Caitlyn, was helping her Dad with the braai outside. It was about 08h30 and was running up the tiled steps in our backyard - she tripped and fell with her knee against the edge of the step. When she rolled over screaming in pain, all I could see was bone sticking out through a cut in her knee.

My husband put her in the back seat of the car and I raced her to hospital. She was screaming all the way. I parked in the emergency zone and had to get one of the male nurses to bring a wheelchair to wheel her in. They took her straight in to a waiting bed, but after sterilizing the wound we had to wait about 20 minutes before the doctor came (you can imagine what ER looks like on New Years Eve).

I never want to go through this again, as I watched in horror how he injected numerous times inside the wound - my child was hysterical. I just wanted to pick her up and run out with her. Then, I think because the wound did not have a straight edge, he had to cut on one side. Caitlyn was going crazy, screaming "Mommy, Mommy" over and over again. All I could do was hold her tight and pray. 4 stitches later it was all over.

On a lighter note, while I was signing forms for her at the reception, in marches a teenage guy with spiked up hair and full of attitude (with his parents). I thought it was a bit strange that they were laughing and joking in ER until I overheard his mother on the phone, she said "Yes, we are in ER and he looks like a right old Mr Bean". On hearing this I looked over at him sitting next to her and nearly burst out laughing! There hanging from his finger was a metal canister, obviously very stuck. I had to show Caitlyn, just to try and bring a smile through all her tears.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-27T15:21:00.008+02:00

It was a cool, overcast morning but excitement was in the air! No more sleepies to countdown, Christmas day was here.

After all the pressies were opened and the girls were lost in their gifts the kettle was put on for a cup of tea and Christmas mince pies were put out for breakfast. The pot was ready for the gammon and the potatoes had to be peeled.

Then off it was to their Granny and Grandpa to get the party started.

This is my brother that stayed with us for a week, not too long ago.

Caitlyn and Jaina opening pressies at Granny and Grandpa.

My beautiful Mommy.

Granny, isn't this a delicious Christmas choc?

Anyone for some Christmas trifel?

Mmmm, Granny this Christmas pudding is delicious!

I hope you all had a wonderful day, Merry Christmas!

And the livin' is easy

2008-12-21T16:03:00.010+02:00

Sunday afternoon and not a breath of wind. It is so hot and the girls decided to have an apple bobbing competition.

Nearly got it...

And victory at last!!

Daddy's turn -

Hey girls, this is harder than it looks!!

The best day ever!

2008-12-21T12:13:00.012+02:00

Yip, this was Jaina's description of our day yesterday. We spent the morning playing Pick up Sticks and looking at old family photo's. We reminisced about Christmases gone by of family no longer with us. They were privileged to know their Great Grandparents and we spoke of Uncles and Cousins that are also waiting for us in heaven. My Mom has got Christmas baubels, with our names and the names of all our family that are in heaven, on her Christmas tree - to remember everyone at Christmas time.

Then in the afternoon, when it got a bit cooler, we went to my parents home for a swim. What a relief to get away from the heat for a little while. They were all saying "Mom, stop taking photos and get in the pool"!

This is a photo of a tree my Mom decorated outside by the pool for Christmas.

And this is the top part of their garden, what an inspiration!

Last night, we went to friends for a braai (barbeque). Their daughter is a few months older than Jaina, but all 3 girls get on very well.

So this was Jaina's idea of the best day ever. No expensive toys or outings - just good times!

Christmas Carols

2008-12-18T09:26:00.009+02:00

This weekend we had Christmas Carols at church. Caitlyn and Jaina have been going to the holiday club every morning last week and have joined the children choir, practicing everyday.

There was much excitment and nerves as they waited backstage.

Finally, all the practicing and waiting was over and they performed like the little stars they are.

Well, here we are with only a week before Christmas, most of my shopping is done - just a few last minute goodies to still get.

We have my husband's parents over for Christmas eve. I am cooking a hot meal with a glazed gammon and all the trimmings and my Mom-in-law is making a delish trifle.

Then on Christmas day we are headed off to my parents and I will be helping my Mom cook lunch after church. We will be doing gammon, roast leg of lamb and a chicken with walnut stuffing. Then roast potatoes and veg, which will be roast butternut with blue cheese with pecan nuts and a salad. For pudding - the traditional Christmas pud with custard, trifel and vanilla icecream with homemade choc fudge sauce (for my Dad, as he doesn't eat raisens). If it doesn't rain (it always seems to on Christmas day) we will swim the rest of the afternoon. By then we are actually so full, we feel as though we could sink to the bottom of the pool.

Yesterday was my wedding anniversary - 14 years. We took the girls to see Madagascar 2 and then went out for a wonderful supper. It amazes me that even after knowing someone for so many years, we still are learning and growing with each other. I think a relationship cannot stand still, it has to grow and change over the years, otherwise it will just fade away. I loved getting married at this time of the year, as when we went on honeymoon, there were Christmas decorations everywhere - it was, and still is very special.

Happy last minute prep to all!

In the Summertime

2008-12-08T08:24:00.014+02:00

What a weekend!

We planned with friends of ours to go to a Carols by Candlelight, with the Welsh Male Choir, at our local botanical gardens. It promised to be a wonderful day with only 20% chance of rain. We got all our picnic goodies (spare ribs, sausages, salad and for pudding - chocolate fudge with pistachios and Christmas mince pies) and found our perfect spot. Once we had settled, a few clouds started gathering and a light breeze started blowing. Thankfully we were sitting under a large thorn tree as the first of the rain drops started to fall, the optimist in me said "it will be over in a few minutes" - my famous last words. The sky opened up and down came the rain and then came the hail - we wrapped our children in picnic blankets, but we all looked like drowned rats. The whole event was cancelled and the children did so much want to see father Christmas. All was not lost as we were still able to hand in clothes and toys that the children do not use anymore for orphanages in the area.

Our friends went home and put on dry clothes and brought their picnic things to us and we all still had a good time. We put on Christmas carols and our girls put on a show of dancing for us. It didn't turn out too bad after all!

This morning I took these pictures of the garden, not a cloud in sight - but this is a good thing as I need to get my washing dry.

Can you spot Toffee in the picture (bottom left corner)?

I couldn't resist taking a pic of a "guinea pig window" in one of their tunnels!

Oh Christmas Tree

2008-12-04T09:39:00.005+02:00

My favorite time of the year!

There is excitement in the air, children playing, birds are singing, the smell of gingerbread, spicy peaches, fudge been made in the kitchen and Christmas music playing gently in the backround. What more could a mother ask for.

As the song goes "It's the most wonderful time of the year". My children are what makes Christmas so special for me, we didn't actually have a Christmas tree and decorations until Caitlyn was born.

This is just a little peek of how Christmas looks in our home, it has been lovely to see everyone's homes decorated in their own special way.

It is a reminder to us that we received the greatest gift of them all. That this is the time of our Saviour's birth and the great love that our Father has for each and every one of us.

Freedom at last

2008-12-03T21:11:00.004+02:00

It has nearly been 3 months since our baby guinea pigs were born. Toffee (black and white) and Pepsi (black and brown) have become very tame in the last 2 weeks and have almost tripled in size.

They have been driving me crazy with their wheeting, wheeting, begging to get out of their house and on to the sweet grass. We have been cautious to let them out on their own as we live in a neighborhood with many cats.

Sasha, our oldest guinea pig, has been visiting them a few times a day and even spent the other night with them in their house. They all seem to get on very well together. Sasha seems to know that they are still babies and they seem to treat her like their mother as the first time they had contact with her, they were looking for milk.

So finally, we have let them run free. They are exploring all Sasha's tunnels and hiding places she has in the garden. It is wonderful to see how excited they are about life, running around and eating all the grass they want.

My neighbor said to me the other day "every home needs children and animals" - how true. I cannot count how many times I laugh or smile each and everyday because of these blessings that I have in my home.

It's Today!

2008-11-28T11:36:00.006+02:00

Finally, the day has arrived - the last day of school as we know it!

From here forward I will be officially homeschooling my two daughters. What an exciting privillege. We are all looking forward to this adventure before us. The road will be long, at times will seem tiring but all good things are worth it in the end.

We have done the end of year concerts and the school Christmas Parties (the last was this morning for Jaina). Caitlyn, has been off school for 2 days due to sun stroke and a bad case of sunburn - due to the survival day they had on Wednesday. She just went in this morning to say goodbye to friends - one is moving back to Sudan - then came home with a big smile and Christmas presents under her arm from them.

Next on the list is getting out the Christmas music and decorating the tree. What fun!!

It's Concert Time

2008-11-23T19:10:00.005+02:00

Hooray, we had counted down all the sleepies and finally it was here.

Jaina's end of year concert went off very well! The theme was "We are the World" and the girls of Jaina's class represented the country of France. Yes, they did the Can Can.

We also had a good chuckle at boys doing USA, throwing their arms up in the air, one boy hit another in the face, who turned around with a punch on the offending boy's shoulder - it turned into a full on war! All this during "Wish they all could be Californian Girls".

They finished off the concert with a class doing South Africa and got the whole crowd going with "Hier kom die Bokke" and "Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika". They all then sang "Don't Kill the World". Needless to say, there was not a dry eye in the house.

When we went to fetch her from the waiting room, Jaina announced to her father that a group of boys in another class had told her that she was the most beautiful in her class. WELL, I must say, my husband kept his composure very well because this is his little girl that we are talking about!

Finally, here we are - 2 exams to go for Caitlyn and 5 days left of school!

YIPPEE!!

Silly Sunday Afternoon

2008-11-16T18:16:00.005+02:00

What a silly afternoon we have had!

Jaina started telling us a story about Goldilocks and the three bears. After Goldilocks had gone through the whole porridge (she called it pudding), chair and bed routine - the three bears morphed into the three little pigs that ran wee, wee, wee all the way home to check on their cooled down pudding. Only to find to their suprise, Goldilocks sleeping in the little pigs bed - they started to sing to her - PEPPER PIG, PEPPER PIG (a story she has been watching on TV lately). Well, by this stage we are all in stiches, but true to form she had to finish off the story with the seven dorfs coming over for supper with all of them!

The Kids club went off well on Friday. The kids watched the new Tinkerbell movie and made fairy wings with glitter, feathers and stickers. They had great fun.

I mixed up a batch of Flapjack batter and Caitlyn is busy flipping them downstairs. What a wonderful daughter I have. So it's Flapjacks for supper tonight, all that needs to be added is a delicious cup of tea!

One Week Down

2008-11-14T12:03:00.004+02:00

... and one and a half still to go!

Exams are half way through and the weekend is finally here. So far so good, Caitlyn has said she has coped with everything asked in the papers she has written this week. The proof will be in the much waited for report, lets keep our fingers crossed.

Next week we have Arts and Culture, History, Geography, Bible Education and Technology. Let's not be hasty and wish life away, but it would be nice to breathe easy knowing that the exams are over.

Today I have given her a break from learning as this afternoon they have Kids Club at Clearwater Mall and the theme is Tinkerbell - sounds like it should be fun.

As I am typing, the smell of scrambled eggs is wafting up to me, Caitlyn is making lunch for her sister and herself. She has become independant so quickly, learning how to cook e.t.c. She even wanted to iron her own shirt the other day for school and was so proud to wear it.

Well, here is to the weekend, may we have a bit of sunshine.

SO Stupid, SO embarrassed!

2008-11-13T08:46:00.005+02:00

This morning, was one of THOSE mornings!

It started off well, leaving for school on time, getting to school on time, despite the traffic as a result of the rain.

After taking my girls to their classrooms, I went back to my car. Now, let me just set the scene - I am parked outside the windows of the main hall, outside which there are huge signs saying, "SILENCE!" because the matric students are writing their final exams.

I start the car, wave to one of the dad's we know and let out the clutch ... the car was not in reverse ... it launches forward, I slam the brake and my elbow hit the hooter ... PAAAAARP!!! Well, needless to say, the dad looked somewhat embarrassed and quickly got into his car and drove away!

My only hope was, as I hit myself repeatedly on the head with my fist, is that the rain covered windscreen was hiding my red, shiny face as I drove away with windows quickly misting up!

Those darn Hornets!!

2008-11-11T14:25:00.005+02:00

I don't know if it is all the rain that is making them crazy, but we have just discovered another nest of hornets in our garden! I found one last year in our mulberry tree when one stung me on the neck while picking leaves for our silk worms.

Jaina was playing with the baby guinea pigs the other day. I was inside folding washing when I heard a very painful scream coming from her. The whole family rushed outside to discover her lying on the ground holding her leg tight. Within seconds a huge welt appeared with a dark red circle in the middle. I gave her antihistamine syrup and covered it with Anthisan cream. She lay on the couch for a long time with the family checking on her every few minutes, bringing blankets and warm cups of sweet tea. Her leg is much better now but the bite mark has left a small hole in her skin, very strange.

Now I was tying up a tree branch in the morning after the rain had stopped for a brief time, only to feel that terribly painful pinch on my fore arm. Arrgh, out with the antihistamine and Anthisan! Instantly, I got goosebumps down my arm to my fingers, it really is painful and with shaky hands consoled myself with a cup of warm tea.

Warm tea, my friend, what would I do without you!

Zoo Snooze

2008-11-09T19:06:00.004+02:00

This morning at 08h45 I was standing with anticipation in front of the entrance gates at the Johannesburg Zoo, just waiting to get a glimpse of Caitlyn.

I had already got many anxious calls last night from her, so all I wanted was to see that my little girl was really ok. She had many exciting stories about the animals (including one about how the polar bear bit someones finger off, that's why they had a yellow line there that you had to stand behind), but they had walked round the entire zoo in the rain. She had got back to the education centre exhausted and wet, changed her clothes and had to get ready for the evening tour of the nocturnal animals, some of which she said didn't know they were nocturnal because they were sleeping when they got to them (ha ha, so cute). They got back at about 10h00 and were supposed to go to the bonfire. Caitlyn was too tired, so she brushed her teeth, got into her sleeping bag and phoned me to say goodnight. How strange it was for me not to be able to kiss the sleep into her eyes.

Well, all in all, she seemed to have a good time with her friends but it was into bed early tonight as tommorow she has to study science for her first exam on Tuesday.

It is so good to have my little girl home again and to be able to hold her in my arms and kiss the sleep into her eyes again before she went to sleep!

GRADUATION!!

2008-11-08T18:58:00.005+02:00

CONGRATULATIONS JAINA!!

I can't believe that time has gone by so quickly, my baby has graduated from Grade 0 to Grade 1. Where has the time gone?

My oldest daughter Caitlyn starts writing exams on Tuesday and has been studying very hard. The teachers did a mock test last week and she got 10/12, the last 2 questions being trick questions. Tonight she is having her first sleep over with a school group - they are sleeping at the Johannesburg zoo - so exciting!!! She put up notes all over her room last night to remind herself first thing this morning when she opened her eyes that tonight is the night for the Zoo Snooze. I hope the rain calms just a little so that the night tour goes well. I can't wait to see her in the morning to hear all the wonderful stories.

Well, got to get downstairs as hubby is asking (I think 5 times now) when supper will be finished - until next time...

Oh, Brother!

2008-10-17T18:05:00.003+02:00

Well, my brother is back home again, with Mom and Dad and everything is almost back to normal.

Normal, meaning I had to shout again to get my daughters to dress for school, after taking their time to eat breakfast this morning. Then a big rush out the door, school bags in tow, leaving un-made beds behind.

Observing all of this, I sms my Mom saying "bring him back!" The sms I got back from Mom said "I took him breakfast this morning, only to be told - 'at Mandi's I also get a cup of tea in the morning'"

Ha ha ha what a sweet brother I have.

A Good Week!!

2008-10-16T16:08:00.002+02:00

What a great week this has been! My brother (17 years old) has been staying with us while my parents are away for their anniversary. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Mom and Dad!!

It has been wonderful to have the chats that usually we don't have much opportunity for. He has been great, even making his bed everymorning after waking at 05h30. Ha ha ha, I think my Mom might just send him back for a refresher course every now and then.

The girls have also been good this week, I have not had to sort out any fights or arguments. In fact, it is almost like they have grown up having their uncle around. Caitlyn has been helping me around the house and not once have I had to say "make your bed" or "get dressed". By the time I am out my bedroom, all beds are made, bodies are dressed and all are ready for breakfast - WOW!

I hope that this lasts for a while, it has been good not to have the stress of rushing in the morning before school.

Our baby guinea pigs have also come to stay, they are officially known as Pepsi and Toffee. It is just amazing how fast they have come to know us. Everytime I now open the fridge door or the outside gate, I can hear them "wheeting" (a sound close to what birds make, not at all a squeek).

That's it for now, only 48 days left to the end of school, yippee!!

Aaaah, Back to School!

2008-10-05T19:28:00.004+02:00

Well, it is the end of another holiday break and it is back to school tommorow. Shoes are polished and bags are packed, ready to start the last term of the year.

We have started the countdown and there are now 8 weeks / 57 days to the end of school and I just know they are going to go in a flash. With exam prep, school concerts and all the buzz that goes with preparing for the Christmas holidays, we will look again and it is over.

We are all looking forward to starting home school next year. It is a new adventure and an exciting one too.

Well, my girls are fed and bathed and in bed, on time! Wow, we didn't manage that once during the holidays.

Let's have a breather and a cup of tea and plan for what lies ahead.

Apple Pie for Breakfast

2008-09-29T09:38:00.006+02:00

Yes, it is holidays! It is nice to have a slow start in the mornings and lazy days. This morning my daughters and I had apple pie and cream for Breakfast, deelish!! We don't have it everyday and once in a while won't hurt.

This weekend we went to visit our baby guinea pigs and are wondering what their names should be. The one is almost completely black, with a brown ring around it's tummy and white toes and butt. We are sure we are going to call this one Pepsi. The other one is more patchy (I suggested Patch, but no go), the girls are thinking of Sugar, Toffee or Sweetie as names. This time the babies were not tucked under their mom so much and she was trying to teach them how to eat pellets.

I must now do the dishes and vacuum and much later off to gym (must get rid of some of that apple pie, ha ha ha!)

Happy holidays!

Spring is in the Air

2008-09-23T13:40:00.007+02:00

This morning, after watering the garden, I could not help but take this picture of my Japanese Maple tree. This is the reason why this time of the year is my favourite. The new greens are just so fresh, everything is budding with the promise of life and things to come. A new start is what we all need to keep us going.

Yes, I love capturing images, having a moment in time stopped for all eternity. I can't say if I am any good at it, but it is what I love to do.

As you can see, our tomatoes are starting to ripen. This plant grew out of the compost I made last summer.

The Peas have also finally sprouted. This is now my third attempt. First weather got them and then the dreaded slug! Here's hoping we are actually going to see some peas soon, it looks promising.

As I am typing, I hear the happy squeals of my children running through the sprinkler. Wonderful, after being bundled up the whole of winter.

Here comes summer!

Monday, not so Blue

2008-09-22T16:33:00.000+02:00

Monday. Not so bad, it is the end of the term and we have 2 weeks of school holidays to look forward to. The girls have a heritage picnic to go to tommorow morning and then school is done for a while. Hooray!

It has been quite a weekend, we added 2 new members to our family. Little baby guinea pigs, born on Friday, 19 September 2008, at 12h00! They are still too young to take home with us and will have to be visited often as the girls want to see how they change (they do grow so quickly). They are so sweet and so tiny, we watched how they suckled from their mom and how she groomed them. She was so protective, continuously tucking them under her tummy.

We have another guinea pig (Sasha), she needs new friends as her sister died in July (sneaking suspicion it was the garden service) and we have a dog (Zoe) that thinks that she is the mother of the guinea pigs (she is a cross between a maltese and a toy pom).

Well, we now have a 3 week wait until we can fetch them. I will be sure to post pics as soon as they are home.

Today we also handed in 3 weeks notice at the school - its now official, we are going to start homeschooling from next year - can't wait!

Yay, it's Army Wives on the telly tonight - something to look forward to once the girls are in bed.

Soon Caitlyn and Jaina will be home from their class at Club V (at Virgin Active), tired and hungry, so I am off now to get the supper on.

Have a great evening!

Sunday Afternoon, aaah Peace!

2008-09-21T17:50:00.001+02:00

It is Sunday afternoon and I am savouring the last bit of peace before we start with the mad rush of the week ahead.

My girls have been out at a birthday party and have come back with stories of a birthday bus with a slush and candy floss machiene on board. What fun! (and a good idea if the weather is up to no good!)

First it is a cup of tea (always calming) then get my oldest daughter (10 - Caitlyn) to pack her school bag for tomorrow. Her bag is already breaking at the seam with all the books she has to carry with her everyday. First I need to pry her away from Sponge Bob Square Pants. Well, he DOES live in a pineapple under the sea . . . yes, I enjoy watching it too and sing along with the song! Then get youngest daughter (6 - Jaina) into the bath (such a mission for her) but once in have to nag for her to get out.

That's it for now, the kettle needs to be switch on and the bath water needs to be run.

Let's hope the week ahead holds good things for us!