Hospital

Went to go see my mom yesterday. She looks good- looks like everything went well and she will be able to go home on Saturday

I'm very relieved

Dinner was Prawns and chips- an absolute oil feast- I took my antihistamines

Neighbours

We walked across the road to meet the new neighbours, as the very nosy 4-year old kept on asking who they are and what are they doing there and why is their car there and why... you get the picture. His little voice is so shrill I was sure the neighbours must be wondering about this child, so I went to introduce myself. Very nosy 4-year old refused to come along. He sat from the safety of our patio watching everything with hawk eyes. PMSL

Dinner was Roast chicken and veg pie from woolies

Had the most amazing

Sushi today!! It was devine. I swore I died and went to heaven.

I was one happy camper when I walked out of there!

It seems my moms surgery went well. I spoke to her about just after she came out- she was a bit woozie, and sore bit otherwise fine.

My dad says it all seems to have gone well- so lets hope for a speedy recovery.

Dinner was macoroni cheese

Storms

We've had some scary storms and floods the past week all over the country. My MIL took some pictures of the rivers coming down. They live in Still Baai. This is the Sewe weeks poort and Goukou rivers coming down.

Scary!!

Dinner is Tjops with salad

Monday

Busy as usual

Dinner was Chicken Snitzel,mashed potato,creamed spinach.

Sunday

We had lunch at my mom's today. She looks ok- but as usual I think she's hiding a lot of her discomfort. My dad, the kids and my mom had a ball and I even managed an afternoon nap. My dad swam with the kids and they loved it.

We had braai for Sunday Lunch

Father Christmas

We had works Christmas party for the kids. With Father Christmas,clowns,face painting,jumping castles... everything a kid could desire. Father Christmas was supposed to come in a helicopter, but because of the bad weather he came on a camel. The kids thouroughly enjoyed it.

Dinner was braai at friends- it was lovely

Mooncup

I have been using a mooncup for a few months now. It's the best decision I could have ever made.Everything about my cycle is beter. Every aspect-pain,flow, drynes etc.

If you dont know what I'm talking about go check out

http://www.redpepa.za.net/

Dinner is takeaways

Not well

Still feeling mis. Mom has to go in for a procedure to hospital next week. Dont like it.

Dinner is Snackwiches

Not well

Got a cold. Feeling mis.

Dinner is roast beef and roast veg

Mommy's helper

I was doing the normal suicide hour thing last night (washing,dinner, sorting kids out,etc). Andrew decide he wanted to play in one of the basins I use to put the washing in. Since there was already clean clothes in that just need to be folded up, I asked him to put the basin back with the clothes in it. A while later he came out, telling me he did it. I didn't have a chance to check what exactly this entailed. lol-First mistake


Before I went to bed I saw the basin with no clothes in it, and started to wonder where the clothes ended up. Then twigged that when I hanged up washing-there was clothes in there that I know I did not sort to wash. I then realised that he just added the clothes to the bundle that was ready to get washed. LOL- the clean clothes got an extra wash.

Ah well- At least he was trying

The picture was taken at the gardens, with the brilliant photographer.

Dinner is spatchcock chicken with steamed veg

Picture personality

One of those quiz things I did - fairly accurate- but a lot of things "glossed" over- as is the case with so many of these quick quizzes

Temperament
Flexible
Nothing seems to bother you - you sail through life crisis free. It's not that your life doesn't have its ups and downs, it's just that you handle everything without unnecessary drama and antics. You approach each day fresh, not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow. You are confident that you can handle anything that comes your way and experience has shown that you are absolutely right about this.
Interests
Simple
You are continually pursuing a simpler and less complicated life - you don't allow yourself to fall victim to all of the "should do's" that society continually bombards you with. You are thoughtful about your life choices and think in terms of yourself, others and the world in which we live. You have a great sense that we are part of something much bigger and we must be good to others, if we want others and the world to be good to us.
Amusement
Thoughtful
You are easily stressed out and overwhelmed - you need to take care of yourself first and foremost. Because you tend to be self reflective, you know your limits quite well and must remember to not exceed those limits. When you overwhelm your life with obligations and responsibilities, you tend to shut down and go into yourself even further. Take some time to find your serenity and kick back your feet.
Passion
Physical
You are a cuddle bug - from a warm hug shared with your best friend to steamy sex with your partner, you enjoy every bit of human contact that you can get. You demonstrate your love for others most fluidly through physical one-on-one contact and you feel the most loved when you are being touched. You feel disconnected when you are physically isolated from others. You're a people person and a lover of all things human.

Dinner was pasta with Ratatouile sauce

Photosession

We had a photosession in the Botanical gardens today. We couldn't have asked for better weather. The photographer is excellent!!. Check out her website :http://www.natashawhiteley.co.za/

Afterwards we had lunch at the restaurant in the gardens- which I sorely regretted as I got a severe rash from the fried food. Thank goodness for antihistamines!!

Dinner was cheese and biscuits

Day Off

Every 6 weeks or so I take a "day off". Pierre looks after the kids and I go shopping,beautificationing, etc- everything that a girl liks to do - but never has time for, with two small kids.

It was great fun- my backmassage and facial was a gift from Pierre for our wedding anniversary- what a sweetie- I had a pedicure on top of that. Pure Bliss!!

Dinner was Fillet Steak,grilled mushrooms,potatoes

It's hot,hot,hot

So last night when I got home the kids and I watered the garden, the kids stripped and played in the water. They had great fun, and we were all greatly cooled down after that.

This is mister standing at our fountain- having a ball.

Update on the cell- How cool is this - Work said they will reimburse me for my loss- I nearly fell of my chair when I heard this. Even if I get nothing in the end- just for them to offer is already fantastic.

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Dinner is ..... you guesed it fish and chips lol

Cellphone

So my cellphone got stolen of my desk at the office.grrrr At first I thought it would be a huge inconvenience getting a new phone and new nr, but since then I have found out about simswap- I let the company lock my sim and once I get a new phone they just reinstall my new number. Sweet- less inconvenience to me. Now to get a new phone

I'm looking at either a Nokia 6300 or a Nokia N70

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Dinner tonight is salads and cold meat

Fashion TV

We had an office party at Fashiontv in Sandton City. It was very nice- good food,good music- the usual things that makes for a good party. I left about 8 ish- so not too late- kids were in bed when I got home. Bliss

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Pierre made the kids hamburgers for dinner :)

Resolutions

I have been thinking about the resolutions I made this year. They were:

Lose weight - want to fit in a no 14 for my BIL's wedding in August -bwahaaa- What a laugh- I'm trying to eat healthy- but am not keeping my happiness hostage to my size

Make a difference in other peoples lives- by hook or by crook- this has happened- mostly because I am making a concerted effort to make new friends,contact old friends- and generally stay in contact.

What I learned - to accept me for who I am- to be happy with that (will still be learning,relearning this A LOT)

My nails dont grow- deal with it.

How to determine when someone is BS'ing- in RL and online

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Dinner was salad,potato salad,cold roast chicken.

Monday

Monday, Monday.

Had to go get a new Iron today- as the old one have given up the ghost. Got a watergun to try and deter the cat that is driving us nuts at night. Hope it works. LOL.

Pic is of the baby giraffe we saw at the Zoo

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Dinner tonight is Butternut Lasagne with fresh salad

And we soldier on

Took the kids to see my mom and dad in the mormning, then the in-laws arrived in the afternoon and we had dinner. A quiter day, but still quite busy.

The piccie is of Carmen- who never wants to look into the camera. LOL

Dinner was Roast Lamb,roast potatoes,mixed veg.

Party,Party,Party

Again. LOL .Luckily this is the last weekend that is so jampacked- things should start to quiten down from this weekend coming. Phew.

We went to the zoo in the morning for a 11 year old birthday party. It was a lovely day. We had a long trek through the Zoo- but in the end it was worth it- we had a nice spot by the chimps enclosure were the party was held. Kids and I enjoyed it- we left just before 2, charged home- put on a new shirt- I was full of tomato sauce and icecream. Went through to Alberton for a party for an old schoolfriends little boy. Was nice to see al the familiar faces- and see everyone's kiddies. Last time we saw each other we were all teenagers.

How time flies.

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Had braai at the Zoo- no need for dinner :)

Made of sterner stuff

So we had the in-laws for dinner last night. And when I got home I realised the water was off. O gaats. Thank goodness I had made the dinner the night before. I just had to cook some rice and make sambals. Phoned Pierre quick to ask him to get us a few bottles of water. Kids got washed in a small washing basin I have.

They were over the moon to see Grandma and Grandpa again. And dinner seemed to go down a treat. All in all nice to see them again and catch up with everyone.

Mil commenetd on the fact that I shoulf have let them known the water was of- in her words it was a "crises" lol. I told her we're made of sterner stuff- we dont let water ouatges get to us.

The water outage was a result of a burst water main about a block from us. The water came back at about 11. Everyone had left by then and I was already in bed. Luckily Pierre washed the dirty dishes then, so I didn't have a dirty kitchen this morning. :)

Dinner tonight is fish and chips :))

Word to the Wise

Parse
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To "parse" (PARS) - from the Latin for "part of speech" - is to critically
examine something by breaking it into its component parts. The word usually refers to the process of analyzing a sentence grammatically.

Dinner is the famous butter chicken,basmati rice and sambals

Traits in people

I dont like.

1. Judgemental

2.Opiniated

3.Overbearing

4.Patronizing

On the brigther side- here is a pic of my lillies

Dinner is beef olives with mixed veg

Amaryllis

Look at the beautifull Amaryllis my mom has in her garden. Pretty Hey?

Dinner was Lasagne

So much sadness today

on our forum.

A friend posted this- couldn't have said it better :((

So the rainbow is for all of us....to remind us that there are good days ahead.

In the words of Louis Armstrong

I see trees of green........ red roses too

I see em bloom..... for me and for you

And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue..... clouds of white

Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky

Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by

I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do

Theyre really sayin......i love you.

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow

Theyll learn much more.....than Ill never know

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world

The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky

Are there on the faces.....of people ..going by

I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do

Theyre really sayin...*spoken*(I ....love....you).

I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow *spoken*(you know their gonna learn A whole lot more than Ill never know)

And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.

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Dinner is Roast chicken with roast stuffed butternut and fruitsalad

How can you resist?

Carmen- the cute,willful 2 year old :). was busy cutting! her new shoes with this plastic scissor- when I told her to stop- telling her she will damage her shoes, she put the scissor down and came to lie with her head on my lap. All together now- AG MA!!!

Dinner was- Fettucine Alfredo with fresh salad from the garden. Njam

The Digital Age

The Digital Age: Keeping Tabs on Technology


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For parents with children ages 0 to 5

* Pay attention to the messages you model—stay off the cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), and other electronic devices when you’re driving or engaged in other activities that deserve your full attention.

* When you’re spending time with your kids, turn off the devices. That’s what voice mail is for! Your kids need, want, and benefit from your full attention.


For parents with children ages 6 to 9

* Make sure your kids know what your limits are for cell phone, computer, and other device usage. Many, for example, know (or can figure out) how to access the Internet to play games online or on cell phones and PDAs.

* Don’t let your kids use the Internet unattended. It’s easier and more practical to monitor their usage if you have the family computer set up in a common space in your home. You can “watch from afar” or just regularly glance over to see what they’re up to.

* Online social networking communities such as MySpace and Facebook are very popular, even with elementary-age kids. If your kids use these sites, know whom they allow access to on their pages and make sure they know why you’ve set up limits on this access.


For parents with children ages 10 to 15

* Let your kids know that you will regularly check their e-mail, phone, and text messaging content on both incoming and outgoing lists, and that they should limit those lists to friends and family members, not people they meet online. If you see names you don’t recognize, find out who they are and how your child knows them. Consider whether this oversight should apply to MySpace and Facebook online communities, as well.

* Have rules about when and where your children and you will use handheld communication devices. Suggestions include not using them at mealtimes, when visiting family or friends, when driving or operating other machinery, or when in the middle of another conversation.

* Know the school rules for cell phones and PDAs in class, and consider limiting their use to before and after school only.


For parents with children ages 16 to 18

* Understand that regardless of the way you use technology, it’s part of how young people today build their social networks and their community. Be sure that your teens understand the degree of public and private access that others have to their communications. Talk with them about what’s inappropriate to share publicly, and why.

* Keep computers out of teens’ bedrooms and in central family areas of your home.

* Let your teen know that some employers and colleges search the Internet for information related to applicants who apply to their institutions. Discuss the kinds of information that may compromise their chances of acceptance.

* Find out what technologies are being used in your teen’s school. Do teachers keep blogs? Are student groups organized on MySpace or Facebook? Do teachers use digital whiteboards? If so, check these out periodically.

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Dinner was braai at friends

A busy time

I've been on a 2-day course- the negotiate programme. It was very good , but exhausting!!

The guy who offered it was very good. Here is his website

http://www.negotiation.co.za/

Dinner was Sushi for us, mac and cheese for kids

Kicked out of our offices

We've been kicked out of our offices, as they are ronavting and have no place to sit. So we get to work from home for next week

I'm NOT complaining.

Dinner was Hamburgers