Little bits of you...

Hey, I am amazed everyday at the beauty surrounding us and of course I cannot get those images of God's awesomness as the ultimate CREATOR out of my head as the dvd, "Indescribable" still flashes in my memory. Louie Giglio, thank you for your passion and love for God and all he does for us and has done you are SOOO inspiring.

So, tomorrow I go scrap again for the first time in a couple of years. It is close to my heart and my creativity just soars as I play with paper, card and just "pretty" stuff. I love being a girl. I am so blessed!! I get to scrap my "big" girl,Talor her 2007 year. I have to sift through loads of gorgeous pics - man she is beautiful!!

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after daynthey pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world. ( my favourite psalm right now)

Things that make me smile...

Hope gets so excited about swimming lessons

Talor has the most incredible giggle

tomorrow is Friday

friends birthdays

Today I am grateful for...

walks on the beach

the smell of sun on my skin

shaving my legs!

a hot bath

Row removed the noisy cricket from the kitchen

Vitamins

What a way to start the day - I drop off the "princesses" at respective schools then drive 3km to Fish Hoek beach, and well there it is, my vitamin for the day. The sunrise is always different and so is the sea but it is always magnificent and God, you just blow me away!! Thank you!!

Talor has a really busy Wed which now includes Hope and me as we venture to drop her and Kerin at Rythmic Gymnastics for an hour( the compulsory after school sport) and then a mad grab and dash, dress in car scenario to be at ballet ten minutes later. Us Mom's and siblings were frazzled to say the least but the girls just giggled and laughed there way through it all.

Already their very gentle, sweet young ballet teacher has told them she wants them to do an exam at the end of the year!? They are so excited especially as they had on all the new gear, shoes, stockings hair accecories etc. and did endless points and twirls. Hope is just not impressed as she too wants all the gear!

Then tonight it was off to "greet and meet" the teacher and see her classroom and listen to stuff we actually know. It was fun and I am so proud of Talor and how well and happy she is. I just love the way Gavin Kellar is so upbeat and stressed the importance of celebrating your child and having fun with them. may we NEVER become too serious or push them too hard.

I feel like that guy - "Doogie Howser" a T.V. programme years ago I used to watch. At the end of each program, or day he used to sit in his room and journal his thoughts. I remember thinking - man I want to do that - and here I am however many years later doing just that. Fantastic!!

Things that make me smile...

the smell of the ocean

the smell of a cappacino

clean sink

Today I am grateful for...

an opportunity to travel

bookshops

laughter

sand stuck to my toes

Energy

Energy is eternal delight - William Blake, poet

There are three people in my life who have a load of the stuff - i.e. energy!! I am sure I had it but it seems like years ago and somewhere along the way it slipped out of my grasp! I do remember right throughout school, especially junior school I never stopped. But then I had children and life as I knew it radically changed - no, I think as you get older and there are more responsibilities you have to make a concious and determined effort to - exercise, commit to Bible school etc.

"ENERGY" - force, vigour, activity (dictionary) Row is sure abounding with this '"eternal delight" stuff as he was up at 5a.m.!! and off to gym with Darryl then back with bright red face and bouncing around the kitchen making paw paw something and I think offering me but it was all a blur as I never really wake up properly until 9a.m. the earliest. I am definitely a "night person" (owl) !

We dashed to Hope's 15 min swimming lesson and found Grandpa's tortoise in the middle of the driveway and he was not going to move for anybody - at last something I could relate to today. He is on MY side - slow has its merits . They are not sure where the tortoise came from but he "delightfully" moves between Grandpa's house and the two neighbours and sometimes just stops, yup in the middle of the driveway?! I love that guy.

Then it was off home to say a sad goodbye to our new friends Anna Karen and Michael, who come from Norway. This is where it all starts making sense to me - Row has been hiking and talking quite a bit with Michael. He is 77 years old and only started marathon running at 56yrs! Row had to try and keep up with him on the mountain - many times!!! We have really come to know them and care for them and will miss them as they were great neighbours and friends. They will be back in November for 3 months again until end Jan 2009, as this is their third house!! They have 2 in Norway ( one is a ski cabin) they are off to ski now when they get back!!Oh, man, the boundless energy - it must be all the Norwegian salmon?!

Things that make me smile...

tortoises

Row's red face after gym

friends near and far

a cuppa tea again and again

Today I am grateful for...

energy reserves I know I have

watching the dvd "Indescribable" again - God you are really trying to tell me something!

astronauts

make up

Finding God...

Wow, that sounds so spiritual and resolute. Today I sat and finished all my homework for the first week of Bible School - its all done!! So far, loads of reading, I am actually going to read the entire Bible through which my Dad did many, many times!!! Essays start tomorrow but in all this "stuff" i really don't want to be caught up in the academics of it all but just quietly and within my own soul - find God. Each day in every detail!

Talor had her first long day at school until two, with only one break and we had homework for the first time. Hope is loving all the new little people, they have a bunch of 2 year olds now who have just started and apparently her friend Josie is teaching her Afrikaans!? It sounds more like a form of Bushman language with lots of clicking and laughing.

The girls are still in separate rooms but Hope is sure that the "giants " love her bedroom at night and between crying and loads of tears she insists she "needs" to be in talor's bed. Anything for peace and quiet at 9p.m. when our goal was for 7.30p.m.!!!!

I have to go in every night and just look at them sleeping - it is amazing!!! So young and all of life just waiting for them.

Talor's friend Kerin is in the other "girls" class but they have still stuck together. They find each other at break and are now doing after school sports together. We had some time to spare so we dashed down to "my" beach just to get rid of energy and lots of giggles. They do not stop laughing those two!!!

Things that make me smile...

I am doing Bible school this year

my big sister did the same course 17 years ago!!

scrapbooking magazines

seeing Jason on skype tonight

Today I am grateful for...

a car to "taxi" my kids around in

choices

organic veg

marshmallow easter eggs

electricity

Time flies...

I am back tapping away at Row's trusty old laptop and it feels sooo good. Boy I missed the laptop and blogging this week, I mean Row, yes ROW and then blogging etc. You see this journalling thing is so helpful for putting everything into perspective!

It was a busy week as Talor decided on Rythmic gymnastics and to be a ballerina all on the same day!!! Hope is of course swimming non stop and there is no need for clothes as she stays in her costume all day most days. Great for laundry and electricity!!

I have started the year off with a bang as I signed up for Bible school this year! So much for movies, coffee,and pizza mornings and tanning on the beach which I know my brother in law(in England) thinks us stay at home Moms do all morning!!

I have so many stunning photos from our trip to Durbs and Underberg over Christmas and New Year that some time soon all my blog will be is catch up time of holiday pics. This particular one is my absolute favourite! We stayed in Durbs at my "big" sisters house for the first couple of days and the girls shared Alison's room(their 23year old cousin who was on holiday in Mozambique at the time) The girls new that they were not allowed to wake any of us up too early (they were awake at 6 am) so they found stuff to do until we sort of surfaced. Somehow this book caught their eye and we never did ask them or Talor how they enjoyed it!!!? Talor is reading amazingly well,I am stunned at her ability and the vocab she knows.

Things that make me smile...

Row is back from Joburg safe and sound

old friends

my children swim so well

photo's

I am grateful for...

braais'

swimming pools

great food

soft bed

birds - especially owls!

A great story...

I realised why I love books so much - and especially why I love reading non-fiction. I really battle to read a novel. I find reading about someones real struggles and journey fascinating. I gain much from other peoples adventures. So Row and I have such a love for books and we are definitely passing it down to our children.

Stories told like when you sit around a camp fire and just share "stuff" is what I miss. Then there are those amazing preachers or missionaries that can relate stories that have happened in their lives or even better from the Bible and you just go "oh, wow!" Thats how I feel tonight after listening to Ron Cline a missionary from america!! So clear, simple, funny and profound. Oh, I love it!!

I now know my decision to do bible school is good as it is fulled with the most amazing stories. So I pray for a fresh look at the Word just like Talor who absolutely loves her Bible and wants to read at every opportunity.

I think thats why I love language, teaching, quotes, movies, and now scrapbooking!!! Hooray for scrapping (thanks Mel) for all the inspiration.

Memories - Oh, I am so loving just journalling my thoughts with no pressure from anyone or anything!!

So I am going to encourage my kids to share stories always, I know Row's grandfather has loads of incredible stories and Row is busy writing his life story for the girls. I am so glad to be tapping away every day on my blog - memories, and then scrap away too more memories of last year and "happenings" this year.

We all take a deep breath as Row heads off for a week of meetings in Joburg. He is back on Friday night - we are sort of getting used to it as we are onto year 3 now! We are doing well. The girls will all crash in my room and I won't have the laptop as I thought so will only blog Mon and Wed when I gatecash a friends laptop!! Then Friday night as Row walks in the door I will grab his laptop and run for "time out"! I will be watching dvd's every night , I have them all lined up!

Things that make me smile...

Row is shining his work shoes

a great story

Talor is wearing my silk gown

Today I am grateful for...

I can hear

dvd's

aeroplanes

art

colours

clothes

Every second counts....

It really feels like like "every second counts" when I am trying to juggle putting the girls to sleep, dealing with hope popping out of bed and creeping next to me to just watch me type so that she doesn't have to go to bed, and me trying to type something coherent and well - hopefully meaningful!?

Time is just so damn prescious and "expensive" when you have little people around ALL the time.

Just got to kiss Hope goodnight again - I'll be back( hold that thought ,please!) O.k. Where was I?

No clue, lost all train of thought - Oh, I have been sooo desperate to blog and catch up! I have not been sick, in fact I feel really well - why am I so surprised? I have crammed in a movie - "The Jane Austen Bookclub" - very sweet, chick flick and such a treat to just sit and "blog" out of the real world for 2 hours. Great actors, cute story and I am hoping the Video Bar will work I am trying to download of a clip/trailer of a movie. So got to do more of the movie big screen theatre thing.

I admit the movie did make me want to read "Persuation" - so I grabbed it from the library, it's nice and thin - I just need to find those prescious seconds!!! Is it because I am celebrating my "Big" milestone birthday I feel so pressured to cram stuff in to my life?? What was I thinking before I had kids? I did not realise how much free time I had!

It's all Lance Armstrong's fault. He got me wanting his book about the enormity of seizing the moment. That got me to start a bookclub so I could get the book - and yup the rest is history.

I don't know if any of this is making sense - because Row is now waiting for me to finish up and watch a movie with him. Tomorrow I have the whole day with the laptop - who am I trying to kid. Maybe I need to wake up early before the rest of the household and seize the seconds.

Things that make me smile...

books piling up next to my bed waiting to be read

a really hot bubble bath

bathing with candles

full moon

Today I am grateful for...

genuine friends

braais

laughing until your tummy hurts

swimming pools

books

my girls LOVE books and reading

Freedom 2 be...

I realised again today how different my girls are and their unique little characters are beeming through. I really pray they stick with who God created them to be and just enjoy!

Talor is all systems go at school but still no homework - I did all the covering of books and putting names on all stationary etc. We are ready and waiting! Talor has rediscovered her barbies and has been so busy making a "double story" house using a bookshelf (very creative - I wander who she takes after?)

She really does not enjoy going to bed at 8 pm and "huffs and puffs"so loudly that honestly Row and I hold our breath for the house to - well come to a stand still as we negotiate!! She is like me when I was young - as my Mom always used to say - a "night owl". She so wanted to read her Bible, it is sooo cool she loves it so much.

Hope on the other hand is all about finding fun and laughter anywhere she can. She started her swimming lessons with Hillary and 3 other little friends and that smile has not left her face since. We did redo the cap as well she did her best at getting it straight on her head, but, moms know and do best!! It was so cute though!

My first entire morning without the girls was slightly frustrating as I dashed off to catch the early movie - "The Jane Austen Bookclub" but it starts TOMORROW! aagh! and my maid was all over my little house with the vacuum cleaner and mop!! The joys of being a stay at home Mom!? I am looking forward to all the great new movies coming out and will definitely be sneeking off to the theatre alot!!

I really cannot wait for a laptop during the day as the late nights are catching up with me!! I am not as young as I used to be - ah, shame! Row is leaving his laptop when he goes away on business next week - hooray(for the laptop - of course)

Things that make me smile...

Talor wants to move her bedroom around again!

Bruno is still exhausted(day 3)

I will get faster on this laptop

its amazing what you can find on the internet

Today I am grateful for...

the taste of wine

old friends

telephone

chocolate!!

freedom to be me

Boys will be boys!

It is official, Mia is on heat and Bruno's maleness has kicked in or should i say jumped in/on and he is EXHAUSTED after day 2! I am learning about the birds and bees in "dog" land as I am not sure how long this will go on for!!! I hope for Bruno's sake it is quick. Hope has become very interested in the whole shebang and continues to ask many long winded questions, "Mom, how does Bruno know he is a boy?" I was sure daddy would fill her in on all the details during story and bed time as after all he is - a boy and gets exhausted!

My girls afternoon play date with their "girlfriends" was rudely interrupted as the FOUR BOYS from next door were adamant that "Grade 2 sucks!" Talor was horrified as she actually had a fantastic first day back at school. She sat for ages when she got home unveiling to us all her new books, pencil crayons etc.

Enough said, the girls declared war - and from that moment on weapons were drawn. Respective Moms hosepipes were laoded and children took their positions. Nicholas on top of gate post(good spot) with one mighty powerful hosepipe and 3 brothers flanked on his right with another loaded hosepipe.

The girls way out smarted the boys however as although they only had one weapon(hosepipe) they had many other weapons of mass destruction - hysterical laughter, boogie boards to sheild bodies and faces, a bucket and of course a clever Mom who jumped over the wall to switch OFF the weapons! The boys faces as the water trickled to a standstill was priceless!

Soaked, still full of hysteria they dripped inside for pampering( long showers/baths) and padkos!

Things that make me smile...
I saw and spoke to Gail(my niece) on skype (England)
the look of exhaustion on Bruno's'face
the "little" new grade ones

Today I am grateful for...
my girls are happy
the laughter of children
cuppa tea (regular 5 Roses)
digital cameras

"F" is for...

FIRST day of Grade 2 tomorrow, wow. A FANTASTIC FACE God gave my "big"girl. She looks so happy and content and she really had a stunning day.

Row on a whim decided to take the entire day off!

So it was Food glorious Food, as Hope chose the whimpy for breakfast. FABULOUS!!

FUN with dad at the blue route as he bought talor a new "pink" Life Application Bible, and Hope got Bible songs on DVD. Me, well I got F....... freedom for 2 hours. FANTASTIC!

FIT, is the name of the game for Row as he starts gym on Saturday!

FISH and chips for supper - Row is onto a health kick, I am not a fish FANCIER. Give me my steak!

FOOTSPA, hooray, for the 3 girls after dinner as we all rubbed, scrubbed and pampered those cute little FEET. FROGGIE Foot products were used in great quanties that my "big" sister gave me for Christmas.

FOOTLOOSE andFANCYFREE ... apparently is what us Mom's will all be as from tomorrow.

"What a FREAKING life I have!" - Michael buble ( I toast to that)

FOREVER grateful...

my new gas stove is coming soon

my 12 year old little stove is hanging in there

beautiful cardstock I bought

Row washed the dishes

FUNNY things today...

Hope showed us how people "kiss"on the movies !

Talor played with her lego and barbies that she hasn't touched in months

Talor seems so calm about school tomorrow

Silence

As I woke up this morning the first thing I was aware of was the wind from yesterday had stopped - silence! Will I ever get used to the wind here although after coming back from Durbs a few days ago I am relieved I don't have to endure the heat/humidity!

I have amazingly grown to seek and find places of silence since becoming a Mom!! Row comes home at the end of his day and dashes for the lounge to put on his music, then turns the volume up really loud and leaves it playing for what seems like an eternity for me! Aagh!!!

I don't think the girls are ever silent - no I lie, while watching TV , feeling sick and yes when they eventually fall asleep at around nine !!! Summer for them means staying up late as they cannot understand how it could be bedtime when it is still so light! You gotta love cape Town!

Aagh - at last the house is silent, Row is reading his book, a dog is yapping in the distance and I am tapping away at the keyboard. I know I won't always long for such silence but right now in this season of my life - I revel in it. Oh, it also could have something to do with the fact that I have such large ears and Row is always amazed how I can hear soft distant sounds so clearly!!

I am definitely going to be a fantastic bird watcher/ spotter!Well hearing it anyway!

So we are down to one day and then Grade 2 begins. Last check tomorrow of all school "stuff".I am sure it is going to be an adventure!

Things that make me smile...

West coast national park reserve!

My girls want to share a room only at sleep time and chat sweetly to each other

Row is going to start gym after 20 years!

Today I am grateful for...

a brown tan after many years

freedom of choices

silence

Indescribable!

I have this really old dictionary which I love and in there the definition of INDESCRIBABLE is "beyond description"! Pretty cool, hey. Where am I going with all this fancy stuff, well I kinda had an amazing day when I was given three hours of freedom to "do my own thing".

Browsing around second hand book stores then off to simons town to my favourite coffee/interior shop, The "Meeting Place". I sat on a comfy couch with my cappacino, laptop on a little cute red table and "blogged" away. Everyone who came in had such a look of envy on their faces, it was lovely. The best of all N0 INTERRUPTIONS for a solid hour!! INDESRIBABLE!!(you Moms of toddlers and young ones will relate)

Then it was off for a bite to eat from an amazing pattiserie with the cute name, "The seetest thing", the pastries, cakes , tarts and quiches are like little works of art! Then some browsing around art/interior shops and finally a brisk walk on Kommetjie beach. It was one of those clear, breathless, indescribable Cape days.

I was so refreshed and revitalised - "thank you" Row!

At the end the day we watched an amazing dvd - which got me thinking. A man who is passionate about the Lord and astronomy, takes you on a slideshow of the wonders of the Universe. INDESCRIBABLE!!! I love looking out at the stars but when last had I taken the time in my day to stand on the patio and just "look " and marvel at the splendour. Amazingly I was tidying my desk and found last years Selwyn Hughes daily devotional and I turned to Sat, 13 Jan. The very scripture was , "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth." Psalm 33:1-22

As I put my girls to sleep I stood in awe of the greatest of all his creation - mankind, and gave thanks.

What an INDESRIBABLE day. I will get that song by Chris Tomlin and put it on my blog!!

Things that make me smile...

Modern technology - seeing Tracy and family on skype!!

my kitchen clean

my new "workspace"with pretty desk in the diningroom

clean sheets

Today I am grateful for...

time out

the smell of cappacino

beach sand stuck to my toes like glitter

God's word

Hope knows...

That''s my little girl, she is only four but she already has it all together. She makes me laugh so much most days my stomach hurts which is great! I love that.

She knows what she wants and doesn't look back saying "maybe"or "should I"- she just goes for it! It 's sounding like I envy her, yes I DO. !!I wander if it's in the jeans(sorry genes) because her father is very similar.

Hope decided in a second that from the money Jason and katie gave her for Christmas she wanted a swimming pool, the one Mom can spendtime blowing up and cleaning and refilling every couple of days. She KNOWS how to have fun with the simplest of things and enjoyed taking the hosepipe and spraying the neighbours bedroom windows(they were open too) our roof, neighbours roof, anything but in the pool and as high and far as she could go! The look on her face of pure delight was incredible.

She also has this amazing insight into her big sister's' ups and downs( and there are many). Yesterday Talor was "having a moment" and I was trying to ignore all the noise and tears when Hope came and sat next to me and looked at me and said, "Mom she is not easy" in a very calm and matter of fact way.

So being at home for the last 7 years with these two amazing human beings we are blessed with is my greatest achievement in my life, I think, maybe? No, dammit, it is!!!

Thank you Hope and Ta;or for all the amazing moments we share together everyday!

Things that make me smile...

Tembeka is back after a 3 week holiday and my house is spotless(for a coule of hours at least)

Mia is on heat(lovely) and Hope is very concerned that we take her to the vet to check herbabies? I will leave Row to explain!

Talor has one video song on her mp4 player and she knows all the words and can dance just like the girl on the video( I will video clip it soon and put it on my blog) Oh, I am so clever!

I have been writing a blog for nearly a week and haven't given up yet! (Those who know me well will understand).

Gratitude today...

Friends

Friday night dvd night for the girls

magazines

being able to read!!!

Revamp!

That is all I can think about today as I headed off to Nina for a hairdo "revamp"and hopefully came back looking fresher,calmer(head massage is awinner) and sexier/i think not, just '"me ".



Talor is on a roll of redecorate her room, I swore NEVER to attempt sewing my own curtains again but here I am trying to pin and cut her order of white curtains that can tie back please Mom. The things we do for our kids!



I love to lie in bed at night and dream of my ideal bathroom, bedroom etc. especially afer a dose of my new "house and Leisure"magazine(which no one must touch until I have touched and scanned every page)! So, yup I am going to repaint a wall of the bathroom in a cappacino colour and reframe some black and white pics of the family we took while out on one of our many ädventures". Or maybe even scrap my favourite poem by e.e cummings!



I smile because...

Row is snoring and I am still awake!

Today we saw loads of dolphins swimming in Kommetjie ocean

I realised I love to scrap

I am learning how to use the laptop!!



Gratitude 4 today..

Hope has discovered her "dolls"house book and is actually playing with it

Cathy Zielske's new scrap book



Quote of the day...

Owns Crap....

I play with my memories. I record life. I preserve a sampling of this life,I am so incredibly privelidged to live. Hopefully I will be doing it for many many years to come. So "Scrap now"! and you will end up as someone who OWNS CRAP. Cheers to that!

- by Cathy Zielske

As good as it gets

So, I longed and missed my daily or sometimes weekly "vitamin" while we were away in Underberg and Durban! But its been 2 days since we have been back and at last I get to go for a walk on Kommetjie beach with my Bruno!! Yup I left Mia at home, I think she is still sulking (such a girl) The best part - alone with my thoughts. As usual the sunset was incredible and the surfers were out catching small "swells"- but hey, they just are addicted, pretty much like me.

Row was left to sort out the girls at home. They decided no early to bed for them, they want a"picnic"in the lounge! So I returned home to Talors mattress on the lounge floor, a bowl of popcorn, made by chef Dad Row being devoured as they sang and watched High School Musical again for the second time today!! (I really need to get to the video store)

maggie and milly and molly and may

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach to play one day

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couln't remember her troubles, and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays fire languid were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

e.e.cummings

I walked in the door to my world right now and realised ...this is - as good as it gets - for now, and that makes me smile!

just today

Welcome to our life...

We hope to share our best moments and will share pics from our daily life.

I have wanted to journal all my life, butI get the beautiful journal book and of course a great pen and start with great gusto and never follow through!!

So here goes to a new year, new beginnings, better discipline, lerning to navigate around the computer and the amazing world of internet and now Blogging! Thanks Mel, you are my inspiration. I have never been up this late for years - I'm hooked!!Lets hope I sustain it. The last time I was up this late was when I was breastfeeding Hope!!

I am still sorting out all the pics(we have so many) and figuring out how to add etc - so cool, it's like scrapbooking only much cheaper!

So I hope you enjoy the "virgin"page and sleep tight.(Row is snoring in tune to my keyboard tapping) I better go xxx