Prayers Needed

Please all pray for Baby Stellan, he is such a miracle baby and he and his family have been through so much already and now this! I have been following their blog for a while and he is just gorgeous. I pray that God will heal him, and send his peace down to his parents and family.

Favourite Foto Friday # 55

We had a lovely Christmas, will post more pics in another post, but wanted to come on here quickly and do FFF. Today we had a surprise visit from 2 of my cousins to introduce us to their new babies. I havent seen either of them for about 3 years, so it was really great to see them again. This picture below, has my dad, me, Brenda, my mom and baby Jude. My cousin Sascha, her husband Steve, and in the front my cousin Aiden and his baby Seth. Alysia, Aidens wife took the picture.

Favourite Foto Friday # 54

I know I have been a very bad blogger! Life has just caught up with me for the last week or two. Brenda was sick for nearly 3 weeks, and then I have caught it from her. I am feeling okay, but got a cough and am starting to lose my voice. But of course, moms just have to carry on! Work has also been hectic finishing off for the year, but I am on holiday now until January 12, so can finally relax! We have been doing quite a few Christmassy things, but despite that I have done no major inroads into any shopping or organising and I have no idea when I will do it. Today I went to Gateway to do present shopping, ended up going to lunch with my friends and the kids played in the Disney Playhouse there. As a result we didnt have that much time for shopping, and I only got my moms gift. We didnt even get to see Santa as by that time I was fed up and just wanted to come home. (Brenda is still desperately clinging to Santa and I dont want to disillusion her.) Tonight we went to Carols by Candlelight at a local market and these photos are from there. Brenda managed to land herself the role of Mary in the nativity scene.



This incident happened at a local mall the other day. The little boy was playing at the top of the escalator and fell over. My heart really goes out to this family, as I cant imagine how they must feel. Please everyone keep a close eye on your kids!

Day 1 and 2

I am already behind in uploading although I have made a good start in my journal. Day 1 is here, which is my manifesto, and then Day 2 is a page about the weather. We were supposed to do a snowflake, but since it hasnt snowed here since 1933, I decided to do a sun instead.

Favourite Foto Friday # 53

There is no theme this week for FFF, so I thought I would post somepictures from last weekend. A few of my students did some fundraising this year and took a group of 60 children to Ushaka Marine World for the day.The kids all had an amazing time, but the weather was really miserable, especially for those that did spend time in the water. It was overcast, cool and extremely windy, but everything really went very well. I did not take any photos on the water park side as I stayed warm and away from the water, but these were taken at the aquarium afterwards.





Unfortunately, since then, Brenda has been sick. She has been coughing and got a really blocked nose! Fortunately, she has still been fairly well, and running around as normal. Today was the last day of school for this year. She is off now until the 21st January. We also had our end of year party at the campus, so really we have had a busy week!
EDITED TO ADD: I just realised it is actually a good thing that Brenda is sick now! The last 3 (yes THREE) years in a row we have had to make a trip to the doctor on Christmas Eve/23rd December, so maybe this year we will have a healthy Christmas! Yay!

Favourite Foto Friday # 52

The theme for this week is Thanksgiving We dont celebrate Thanksgiving here in South Africa, but I still have lots to be thankful for. I don't know if it is just me, but I tend to always look at the bad things that are happening in my life, and not count all the good things. So, I really should remedy that.
No 1 thing to be thankful for is Brenda. She is really the light of my life, and I dont know how I would do it without her. Even with all the bad things about being a single parent, she really makes it all worthwhile.
Secondly I am thankful for my parents, my sister, my grandmother and all the rest of my family.



Thirdly, I am really thankful this year for my new job. While I really enjoyed my previous job in some respects, I spent a lot of time feeling miserable and powerless due to various issues there. Although my new job is stressful, it is really a great relief to be in a place where everyone gets on and does what they have to do, and there is minimal office politics. I wont say there is none, but it is kind of at a bearable level! I really enjoy this job, and am working with a great team. This is a photo of some of my students at their cultural day.

Of course those arent the only things that I am thankful for. My friends are also a great blessing. I have a few friends who have been around for a while, and it is really great to have their support. I also have some new friends from this year, who have really impacted on my life. My health, my familys health. The fact that our house is paid off, so no matter what happens with the economy we will still have that. I guess the other thing I should be thankful for is that there is such a shortage of nursing staff here, that even if things get very bad, I am unlikely to lose my job. Thankful for the lovely summer weather that I know has to get here soon. But most of all, I am thankful for Jesus, and that he died to save me and all of us!

Journal your Christmas

I have decided once again to take part in Shimelles Journal Your Christmas Class I really enjoyed it last year, so am looking forward to it. I know it will be muh harder to keep up this year, since I am working full time now, but you can only try.

Favourite Foto Friday # 51

Well, I have been missing in action for 2 weeks. Took a bit of time off blogging and bloghopping to recover a bit. I am finally feeling better after 2 lots of antibiotics! This Friday I am not following the theme but chose to look at 1 year ago. One year ago yesterday Brenda had her farewell from Junior Primary School. We realy loved that school and were all sad to leave. I was very apprehensive about this year, but she has loved her new school and really got involved (too much I think some times). This picture was taken November 20 2007And this one was taken earlier this month.!

Favourite Foto Friday # 50

Havent been online much this week at all as I have been feeling sick and miserable with a virus of some sort. Feeling much better today, jus in time for FFF The theme this week is Favourite Family Photos. These arent my favourite, but I dont think I have put them on before, so here they are. Both from Christmas time last year. One is with my sister and the other one with my parents.

Favourite Foto Friday # 49

Brenda is away this weekend with her friend Tyla. This is the first time she has ever been away without one of our family members, so I am a little anxious. But I know that SHE will be fine lol. So since I don have any Halloween pics, just doing a few from the last couple of weeks. This one was taken on the first really hot summery day we had this year. Of course, as soon as we hit the beachit changed to overcast and WINDY! I was shivering on the beach with 2 towels wrapped around me, but of course Brenda played happily in the sea for ages!
This one is last weekend at the arts festival at one of the schools near here.

Afterwards we met my mom, dad and grandmother at the Spur for lunch, so here is a picture of Brenda with my dad and my Bobba.


The last few months Brenda has been making muffins which she sells at the school tuckshop. She is saving up to buy a laptop and is nearly halfway there now! These were the muffins we made today for school in honour of Halloween!

Almost Wordless Wednesday!

The peanut butter pumpkins that Brenda and I made the other day.
Our little aubergine plants have started to come up!

Question of the week

Well, I can see Fridays are going to be spent blogging around here! I have decided to join Heathers question of the week. Todays question is your favourite recipe. Heather posted a yummy sounding chicken recipe. I am also posting a chicken recipe which is really one of the easiest things I make. Unfortunately it is one of those that I dont really have amounts for, just depends on how many people you have.
Chicken and vegetable bake
Chicken pieces ( 1 for each person)
potato or even sweet potato (about half for each person)
butternut or really any vegetables you want to add, pepper is also nice
1 onion
tomatoes (works nicely with ROsa or cherry tomatoes, but normal tomatoes are fine too)
garlic
thyme and other seasoning to taste
juice of 1 orange (more if necessary)

Chop all vegetables up. Place all ingredients except tomatoes and orange juice with the chicken in a roasting dish. Place in oven at 220C(392F) After 20 minutes add the tomatoes and orange juice. Cook until chicken is cooked through and tomatoes are nice and caramelised! This is really delicious and so easy, because apart from the chopping of the vegetables there is no cooking just all in the oven.

Favourite Foto Friday # 48

The theme for this week is Pumpkins. I havent got any pictures of Brenda with pumpkins, dont really have pumpkin farms here, but these are her last years Halloween photos. I dont know if we will have any this year as she may be away with her friend Tyla in the Natal Midlands.



The theme for this week is Pumpkins. I havent got any pictures of Brenda with pumpkins, dont really have pumpkin farms here, but these are her last years Halloween photos. I dont know if we will have any this year as she may be away with her friend Tyla in the Natal Midlands.

Favourite Foto Friday # 47

The theme for FFF today is Friends. I did this a few months ago, but I found some other ones.
The first two are of Brenda with my best friends niece Megan. Because we see each other often, so do the kids, and they always get on so well. THese pics were taken at the Botanic Gardens on the last day of the holidays in January.


This one was taken at the ice rink in July, we ran into my friend Vida there, and the child on the right hand side is Vidas daughter Emma. They have known each other since Emma was born!

Advent calendar

Havent posted anything crafty here for ages. Mainly because I havent done anything. I did put this together for Brenda, and didnt wantto show it because it was supposed to be a secret. However she found it at my office the other day, so here it is. Now we are busy making a few more, for friends kids

Favourite Foto Friday #46

The theme for this week on FFF is Octoberfest. Since I dont really have many old photos on here any more, and since Brenda has been away, so taken none this year, I thought I would put this one on. This was taken on the night of their school concert. When I got Brenda all done up in her make up, it just sort of took my breath away, to see how grown up she looks and made me think how our lives will be changing in the next few years. I dont think I am ready for it. What happened to my baby?

Favourite Foto Friday Silly Smiles

Well, another week has gone by and I have not blogged at all, just back for FFF! This weeks theme is Silly Smiles. The first one is at the beginning of the year, Brenda playing with a new water sprayer thing. We bought it to spray the monkeys (scares them away without hurting them), but she seemed to think it was hers!
the next one ws the first day I got my new phone, trying out the camera, and she wouldnt smile properly!

For more cute kiddies, pop on over to Sarah's blog.

Favourite Foto Friday Hope

The theme for FFF this week is Hope. This picture is of Brenda and the rest of the cast on the stage after their school play.This is really our hope for the future our kids. Scary thought that that may be sometimes, we can only try and bring them up the best that we can and know that they are going to have to pick up where we left off. If they can just keep the tolerance that they have for each other (sometimes anyway) they will probably do a much better job!

Brenda was so proud...........

of her sentence that she wrote on the scrabble board!
Spot the error!

Favourite Foto Friday #43

I missed FFF totally last week, didnt even think about it unti Tuesday! But I am back this eek.This week on FFF we could choose our own theme, so mine is Grandparents. Brenda has suc a special relationship with my parents. This picture is taken in June.

This one below is one of those I found the other day and is of my grandparents!

Favourite Foto Friday # 42

The theme for FFF this week is Black and White. I dont have many black and white pics, so changed two of my favourite pics!

Never, ever, ever .................

Mix baking soda and self raising flour. And if you do, when you notice it overflowing the bowl, turn the oven off and call somebody immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Didn't get any decent pics cos it was too dark, but tonight Brenda decided to make chocolate pudding. She didnt realise that you didnt need baking powder with self raising flour. Of course it overflowed the dish and rain all over the oven! When I found it, it was actually oozing through the doors like something from a horror movie! Brenda had realised about 15 minutes before, but thought it would be okay, so she left the oven on! Now off to clean it up, I may never be able to leave the kitchen again!

Favourite Foto Friday #41

I hope thi works because I have been trying ages. FFF for this week is Furry Friends. I didn't think I had any of Brenda with a stuffed toy on here, until I went over to Christina's blog and saw her girls, wehn I remembered Brendas birthday trip to Buddy Bear. She chose a cat called "Sarah" who has now become quite the traveller as she goes away everytime Brenda does, and will probably even go to Mauritius at the end of September!

This is what has been happening this week. Brenda had a pirate day at school, and they had to dress up as pirates and bring pirate food!

And here is a picture from the Hockey Tournament tonight. Spent 3 hours watching Hockey in the dark this evening. Luckily it wasnt cold at all!

Edited to add: Pirate food for Brenda was:
Sea Water - Blue energade
SKulls - bought sweets in the shape of skulls
Sword - banana
treasure - chocolate coins
and Brendas contribution (she made it herself)
Rotten Bread - white bread with splodges of green food colouring
Sharks blood and gizzards - mayonaise mixed with ketchup (she actually had no idea what gizzards were, but said it sounded good)
and turtle liver - sliced hotdog sausages.
Let me tell you, that sandwich looked terrible, but she ate it, and even used it in the oral she had to do!

And for those of you who may have to do something like this in the future, some other suggestions from the teachers were -
fishermans loaf - anything rectangular eg. sausage roll, banana loaf etc
pirate fingers - sausages, finger biscuits
cannon balls - anything round eg. meatballs
maggots - sour worms
One childs mother even sent in a full treasure chest cake!
They had an amazing time.