Thursday 30 April 2009

Hi/Lo Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their site.

High:
This weeks high is a very personal one - I feel more in love with my husband today than I did when I said my vows.. and that is saying something! Adam and I have always had a fabulous relationship - yes we argue, who doesn't, but we have always had a solid marriage. And this week it has become even stronger.. Love you very much husband!

Low:
My low is still to do with Kayleigh..I can't get over the fact that her personality is "gone". I feel like I am in mourning for a close relative, rather than for a sweet baby girl whom I have never met. I am really taking the news about her very badly.. it is affecting me in ways that I cannot even put into words here... Sometimes I wake in the middle of the night just to check my Facebook to see if Adam(Kayleigh's Dad, not my husband) has posted an update about her... I feel like I miss her? Am I losing my mind? Possibly..

Sleeping through dinner!

I really hope this video comes out nicely on the blog - unfortunately, the best video of him doing this would not load for some reason so you are just catching the end of it on this one. Daniel loves his dinner porridge and in this video he is having Maize porridge with malt, banana and apples.. it is really yummy and he never likes to miss a mouthfull - in fact, some nights he gets really cross with me when he realises it is all finished! On this night (last night) he was so tired and just wanted to go to sleep, but couldn't resist waking up each time he felt the spoon infront of his lips, then he would doze off again once the porridge was safely in his mouth.. the very last mouthfull - which is the one you are seeing at the end of this video, was just too much for him..lol.. sweet baby bear!

Tuesday 28 April 2009

Laughter Lives Tuesday

Laughter LivesThis post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

Love this sign...

Monday 27 April 2009

Family Day!

So quite a few people have been asking me how come there are never pictures of me on the blog.. and the answer is simple - I am in the middle of my weight-loss program.. and I really hate the way I look at the moment - and then a few of you made the comments that I must get a grip.. lol.. I have just had a baby, and have had two babies in 3 years, so of course my body is not going to be perfect.. you also wanted to see how my weight-loss was coming along - so the first picture is about that.. I am about halfway... will post "after" pictures once I reach my goal weight.
Please also remember that we are not sleeping very much and Adam and I are both sick with flu.. so we don't look our best in these pictures!



This is my Mum - she came down from Rustenburg to spend the day with us - we loved having you Nanna - the boys loved getting some Nanna love again!

Okay, so I am looking more than a little tired.. but I am sure you understand!


So yes, we had a lovely day with Nanna yesterday, but Adam and I are now sick - Caleb is almost better, and Daniel turned the corner last night, but Adam and I feel awful... Which means that I am not feeling very creative with blogging at the moment.. I am sure you understand... but hopefully I will be back in full-swing soon!
Atishoo!






Friday 24 April 2009

To sleep per chance to dream..

The boys are both ill!


It is the age-old problem with pre-schoolers - one gets a runny nose, his/her parents still send the child to school and before you can say Vitamin C all the children are ill. This, in turn, leads to Superman bringing The Nasty home and within 24hours Sweet Baby Bear is also ill.



Sweet Baby Bear
Superman at Rest

For the past few nights Adam and I are averaging 2-3 hours sleep a night. Both children sleep peacefully until the minute we get into bed, then all hell breaks loose and shortly thereafter Adam and I begin our nightly "zombie-like-state" of passing each other in the passages as we swap children and take turns to clear blocked noses, clean up unmentionable "presents" the boys deposit in different places and generally sing anything that comes to mind and dance the jig around our home - until both boys usually rest peacefully somewhere around 04h00 and we finally crawl into bed - only to be awoken at around 05h00 by two happy and cheerful boys - until sunset that evening, when the cycle starts again!

I took these pictures about 30 minutes ago and it is evidence of how restful they are until we go to bed... as soon as I have blogged this post, I am going to attempt to sneak into bed and not alert The Radar!

Wish us luck!




Thursday 23 April 2009

Hi/Lo Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their site.

HIGH:
Watching Daniel finally roll from tummy to back and back to tummy - I knew he could do it, but like a typical mommy I spent my time fretting until he did it - Love you lazy boy!

LOW:
Kayleigh... The new development with Kayleigh this week has hit me hard! I know it sounds crazy, I have never met her or any of her family. But these little ones creep into your heart.. and hearing the news about Kayleigh has really been tough for me. On the outside I pretend like all is good - I smile, make jokes and carry on like any good wife and mother would - but on the inside I feel sad.. and like "what's the point?" I know I shouldn't let it get to me so much.. but I feel heartbroken.. and very very sad.. enough said..

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Kayleigh

Kayleigh (the baby girl responsible for Thoughtful Thursdays) is in trouble - Major Trouble - please pray for her and show some compassion and support for her devoted family -

http://www.kayleighannefreeman.blogspot.com/

Tuesday 21 April 2009

Cry the Beloved Country

Imagine how you would react if Gordon Brown (BO) opened and closed his election rallies by
bursting into a song called Bring Me My Machine Gun, swaying and jigging to the
hypnotic chorus of this menacing ditty. And how would you feel if the Prime Minister (President) were alleged to be taking campaign money from Colonel Gaddafi; faced 783 counts of fraud,racketeering, tax evasion and corruption which somehow never came to court; and had
been acquitted of rape while his fearsome supporters mobbed the courthouse? Then ponder how you would despair if, despite all these things, Mr Brown's party was certain to win the election whatever he did or said. If you can picture all this happening in your country, then you have an inkling of the horrible process South Africa is now going through. Except it is much, much worse.
This fast-approaching catastrophe is a source of shame and apprehension to millions of honest people, white and black, in South Africa itself.
It is also a tragedy for Africa as a whole, a continent hungry for any reason to hope. And it is
grave news for the civilised world, which needs no more failed states.
Yet I can promise you I will be accused of alarmism and pessimism for saying so, and quite
possibly of 'racism' too.
How distressing to think it might never have come to this if the world had been more critical,
and more interested, during the long wasted years of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.
Wide-eyed idealism has let us down again, as it always does.
It was not, as the fashionable people claimed, a fairy story. History did not stop when Nelson
Mandela ended his long walk to freedom. They are not all going to live happily ever after - Peter Hitchens.

Tomorrow we go to the polls and vote for our "democratically" elected government. I can tell you, it is with a heavy heart that I blog this post tonight. My heart breaks for my country, which will now be devided by ethnic background as it was over 15 years ago - the only difference being that it is no longer considered racism when it is "black on black" violence... Say what you will, I, for one, truely believie that tomorrow marks the beginning of our decsent into a "Zimbabwe" nation.

I mourn for all that could have been..

Cry my beloved country..

Sunday 19 April 2009

South Africa's Got Talent

On Saturday evening, my friend Samantha and I went out for a few drinks - my first "girls" night since Daniel was born.

What was supposed to be a fun-filled evening of her and I chatting and having a few laughs turned into a weird evening and many many laughs. We were looking for a venue that would be "happening" without the average age being 18. Most of all we just wanted to have fun. We must have tried about 6 venues, and each one was worse than the last, but by the time we arrived at the final destination we were so tired of driving around that we just decided to stay and have that drink.

For example, in the last venue, they were playing a song (which many people were dancing to) that went like this:

"Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut, KFC and Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut, KFC and Pizza Hut

MacDonalds Macdonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut"

No joke.. those were the words of the song.. the ONLY words of the song - Sam and I felt like we had gone back in time and were attending some weird gathering of an 80's cult.. needless to say, after a few drinks we were falling about laughing and I have now insisted that Sam is never allowed to choose a venue ever again!

The video attached to this is of the 4th or 5th venue that we tried - while we were sitting there, this group of guys (see exhibit A) kept making such a noise with their singing (read wailing) that we couldn't hear ourselves think. So eventually we asked them if we could video them for my blog - they agreed - they were very very drunk! They tried to persuade us that they are in a band.. what do you think?

Friday 17 April 2009

Parow - Western Cape

Could the person who is reading my blog from Parow please email me @ kerrenr@gmail.com - if you wouldn't mind.. I would appreciate it.

Thursday 16 April 2009

Thankful Thursdays!



I love this idea of saying thank you for a change!

My Thankful Thursday goes out to two very special ladies! It goes out to Granny and Nanna!

Granny - you do so much for us and for our boys I don't even know where to start. I always know that it doesn't matter how small or how big a problem is, I know I can call you at any time of the day or night and you will be there to help. Without you we would be forced to put our babies in the care of strangers.

You see bloggers, I do not work every day, but usually about two or three times per week. Mel/Granny (My MIL) arrives at my house at the crack of dawn on days that I am working - I Leave for work at around 06h30 in the mornings, and Mel always gets there around 06h00 to help get the boys ready for the day and make sure that I am out the house on time. She then takes Caleb to school and then looks after Daniel for the rest of the day. At around 15h00 she will collect Caleb from school, and then takes care of both my boys until I arrive home later that day. Not only does Mel do this without ever a negative word, but she also puts up with all my instructions on how to take care of my boys.

Over and above this, Granny has helped us out so many times with so many different things - I am sure that I don't even know about all the things Granny has done to help make our lives easier.

Mel / Granny - we are so grateful for your unconditional love and support - and eventhough I am not the easiest Daughter-in-Law to have, I always know that you are on my team and I can count on your support!

Nanna - You are, in so many ways, my safety net! I am truly one of the lucky ones to have a Mother who is so completely selfless. We have been through some rough times (not our relationship, just life) and you have always stood by me and done what is best for me, no matter the cost to you.

The emotional support that you give to me is priceless - I do not know how I would cope without it. You drive miles to see us eventhough you hate driving in strange places. And you are always trying to improve the quality of our lives - like the little problem I was discussing with you over the weekend at the kitchen table.. you know which one I am speaking of - you immediately provided an easy solution for me - I didn't even mention that I needed help, you just automatically and without considering the implications for yourself, tried to solve the problem for me.

Our almost daily chats are a joy to me and I know I can discuss anything with you. I am so very blessed to have you in my life - there would be such an empty space without you.

So thank you to both of you - even if sometimes the days get away from us, and we don't always say thank you or show appreciation as often as we should, Adam and I both know what we have in you!

Love us

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Vaavava



Daniel complained to me today that Caleb has enjoyed way more air-time than he has recently and he also wants to have his say on the blog..

So here is the youngest Master letting you know what is on his mind!

VIVA ANC VIVA!




On my way home from dropping Caleb at school this morning I spotted this ANC poster on the side of the road. I had to read it a few times before I believed what I saw - and then I stopped traffic so that I could get a picture of it!

South Africa votes in 7 Days - VIVA JZ and ANC! We know where we are headed if you win..

Have Mercy!

Tuesday 14 April 2009

Where did the Bunny leave them?





Way too much chocolate for one little boy!

My Mum lives in the country and every time we visit her, we always hope that the monkeys who live in the nearby valley will make an appearance as Caleb loves to see them, and especially to see the babies playing on the grass!

So over the Easter weekend, we kept hoping they would show up.. but alas, they never did… Until Sunday morning that is!!!

Caleb is an early riser – sort of 05h00 kind of early – so on Saturday evening Adam, my Mum and I sat around in the kitchen (drinking champagne) trying to decide the best way to hide his Easter eggs so that he would believe it was from the Bunny and not Mommy. There were a few things to take into consideration:

1. Caleb normally rises before dawn and wakes the rest of the household, so getting up before him is not an option.
2. Living in the country means that any number of night creatures could make off with the chocolate before the break of day.
3. There is a security guard who patrols my Mum’s garden from 18h00 till 06h00 every night – and if he finds chocolate lying around the garden, he make take it as a divine sign that they were sent to him to keep him awake through the long night.
4. My Mum has a separate cottage on her property and due to an overflow of guests at the hotel, a Japanese couple were spending the night in the cottage – I am not sure if the Easter Bunny visits Japan, but this couple may have been slightly suspicious to find to women, dressed in their nightgowns, running around the garden in the middle of the night throwing chocolate all over the shrubbery!

So it was with all these things in mind that we pondered our predicament!

The solution we decided upon involved my Mum distracting Caleb with tea and Tom and Jerry in the morning while I did the Bunny Dash around the garden.. what really happened was that the monkeys made an appearance at 05h00 on Sunday morning, and my Mum was left to run around the garden with her dressing-gown flowing out behind her and her ‘fly-swatt” in her hand – waving it madly and yelling, :GET GET GET to the monkeys to keep them away from the eggs while I threw them wildly around and Adam dressed Caleb!

This is the short version.. trust me it was a crazy morning! I wish I could go into the full hilarity of the event, but Caleb has observed (and rightly so) that it is our time and I must go and play with him outside while young Master Daniel is resting!

I hope you all had as blessed and wonderful Easter as we did!

Monday 13 April 2009

My little Artist!





Caleb and Adam had so much fun - How could I get mad at them for not keeping the paint on the paper when they obviously had a blast - some things are more important than whether or not there is paint on the carpet!

Sunday 12 April 2009

and then there was silence

Happy Easter!

Just a quick note to explain my silence..

We, like many people I guess, are away for the long weekend - I will be back online soon and have many new ideas for posts, as well as lots of photos of the weekend to share with you!

Easter blessings to all!

Thursday 9 April 2009

Is it worth it?

Is it worth the sleepless nights?
Yes
Is it worth the anxiety of "is every meal nutritious and fun?"
Yes
Is it worth the lack of "me time"?
Yes
Is it worth giving up my designer clothes so that Caleb may have the new Ben 10 watch?
Yes
Is it worth the constant worry over immune systems?
Yes
Is it worth never again going to the toilet on your own?
Yes
Is it worth not being able to pack up and travel at a moments notice?
Yes
Is it worth the heartache of being told "Then I'm not your friend" when you refuse to give him a sweet?
Yes
Is it worth being covered from head to toe in vomit just before you walk out the door?
Yes
Is it worth giving up most of your Saturdays to go to a toddler’s birthday party?
Yes
Is it worth being embarrassed by a tantruming toddler?
Yes
Is it worth the constant "constructive" criticism over the choices you make?
Yes
Is it worth watching your body turn into a wobbly wrinkly old thing after delivering two babies?
Yes
Is it worth having all your new seedlings dug up in the garden to see the ants crawling underneath?
Yes

Yes Yes and a thousand times yes - seeing the smile on their faces when they open their eyes and recognize you in the mornings makes every sacrifice, wrinkle and sleepless night worth it – Not to mention how your heart overflows with love and adoration when they say, “Thank you for making today special mommy” or “I love you mommy”!

Thank you my boys - from the bottom of my heart thank you!

Monday 6 April 2009

Africa Bleeds...

This post has been building in my mind for a while now - Not always concisely and sometimes rather randomly, but it has been building nevertheless.

Today as I watched the South African News I knew I had to get it out or it will fester inside of me.. and it goes like this:

Today Jacob Zuma had his charges of corruption, fraud and many many others dropped by our NPA (National Prosecuting Authority). The NPA gave an hour-long speech on why it is not a good idea to go ahead with the case against JZ. What I know, and many other South Africans know, is that the charges were dropped because the ANC (Ruling Party) put so much pressure on the NPA to drop all charges against him – or else!

You see, the ANC is convinced that it would not be a good idea for the man who is about to be elected South Africa’s new president to be embroiled in a corruption and fraud case at the same time that he is elected president of the country – DUH!! Of course it is not a good idea, but shouldn’t we rather not elect him until his name is cleared, or worst case scenario, should we not elect another candidate rather than have a felon as our president? Am I the only one who has a problem with this???

As some of you may remember from my previous blogs, not only is JZ suspected of fraud and corruption, but he is also the man who had unprotected intercourse with an HIV positive woman (not one of his 6 wives) and then told the country that: “It is okay, don’t worry, I can’t become infected as I took a hot shower after the act” What?? No wonder thousands of my countrymen are becoming infected daily if this is the kind of idiotic and reckless statement our president makes – not even George W ever said such stupid things in his time, and we all know some of the doozies he came up with whilst in office!

Last week JZ spoke to an Afrikaans gathering and stated, “The Afrikaans speaking South African is the only true white South African”. Have you lost your mind Mr (almost) President??? It was the Afrikaans who so thoroughly brought and kept Apartheid in this country and now you have the audacity to make such statements? I am an English speaking South African. I was born on this soil and I will die on this soil. My bones belong in Africa as much as anyone else’s. Africa flows through my blood as surely as it does in yours. When I am not in Africa I long for it – it is a physical ache inside of me to return to my homeland – How can you then say that I am not African?

Over and above that, how will Africa ever heal itself of all the wrongs in the past if our president continues to use such hate speech against some of his people. Should we not be uniting as Africans and as human beings to uplift all of Africa? If we stand together as people rather than blacks or whites, is it not possible that there is enough of Africa to go around? Surely poverty and disease should be our first concern, rather than who is more African?

It was the generation of my father and grandfather that voted for apartheid – The first time I ever voted was in 1994 – the birth of the democratic South Africa! It would probably shock you Mr JZ (and many people in my life) to know that I did not vote for a “white” party in that first election – I voted for your party, and now you tell me that I am not African enough for you? How dare you!

Further to that, why is it that our parties are either deemed black or white in South Africa? Should we not be choosing who we vote for based on principles, morals and values? Why is it that I am unable, as an African, to find a party I believe in? The elections are merely weeks away, and yet I am more confused than ever. Each party seems to have an agenda – and not one that I like. It seems to be a constant squabble – like lions fighting over a kill. Where is the party that believes in “The People”? Where is the party that is truly interested in uplifting South Africa and making it the country that we know it can be – for all South Africans!

Africa bleeds.. and will continue to bleed until we face the many challenges that lay ahead – not as black, white, Christian, Jew or Muslim.. but rather as her people striving for a peaceful and compassionate life for all.

Africa bleeds and we bleed with her!

Shame on us!

Thursday 2 April 2009

How fast they grow!



Daniel is growing up so fast... has just started holding his own bottle - sweet baby bear!

Thoughtful Thursdays!



For the past week I have been collecting items to put together a care package for Allyson and Brandon (Kayleigh's brother and sister). Even though they are loved very much, I am sure it will be nice for them to receive something that is special and just for them - It must be tough on them too - having to go through all of the ups and downs with their little sister! I finally completed the package tonight and will be sending it tomorrow morning!

Wednesday 1 April 2009

Alecia's last supper (with us)






Sandra and Alecia are emigrating to the United Kingdom on Saturday and they came round for one more playdate with Caleb. Sandra was Caleb's teacher when he first started pre-school and we have become friends over the past few years...

We will miss you very much - I will miss having your support at the school as well as having your sense of humour to cheer me up after a long day. School events just won't be the same without you! And I know Caleb will miss Alecia - she was the first friend we ever had over for a playdate.

We wish you all the best with your new life, but please come and visit us from time to time!