~there's more to this life~

A First For Us All

2011-07-27T17:52:00.005+02:00

In December we ventured overseas for the first time as a family. We visited England, France and Dubai. Two weeks prior to us leaving, Heathrow had been closed due to heavy snowfall and so we were hopeful that we would get to see some of the white stuff.
You see .... NONE of us have ever touched snow!
But, sad to say, the snow had melted by the time we arrived in England and our wish remained ungranted..... THAT IS UNTIL TODAY! And we didn't have to travel too far for our first snowball fight. On our way through to the Midlands I picked my Dad up from Howick. You see he TOO hasn't ever been in the snow!

Doc Tanzi

2011-07-05T21:08:00.005+02:00

My beautiful daughter is such a blessing and joy to us all. She amazes me with her desire to serve and encourage. Tonight, as I tucked her into bed, she said ........
"Even if you have only one arm and one leg, I will always love you .... 'Cause you are SO precious to me."
Not only did this comment make my heart 'tumble-turn' with emotion, but it reminded me of the time that she 'doctored' my foot. I told her she was the best Doctor anyone could have and she said " I love you Mom and I want to see you better."

Love her!

2011-06-25T22:14:00.003+02:00

Miss Tanzi(age 6) ...........

"Thank goodness for woman... otherwise there would be no tidying up and no good meals."

(she said this after she had peeled and washed potatoes, and swept the kitchen floor.)

Good news ....

2011-06-14T18:07:00.002+02:00

Another donor!
A lady, who's husband gave a kidney to his best friend, has offered her kidney to MrGee.The first couple of tests have gone well, but we still have a long way to go.So many issues are surfacing at the moment..... please keep us in your prayers ... we desperately need God's intervention in many areas of our lives.

Farting Chickens!

2011-06-10T19:31:00.002+02:00

Disgusting yes .... but that's what the boys have named the Chicken Corden Bleus that they love so much.

One of my treasures is family.

2011-06-07T21:52:00.011+02:00

Recently I have neglected my blog. A lot of my spare time has been spent on Facebook connecting with friends(most of whom I see weekly),commenting on pics, and uploading photos to an audience that probably isn't really interested in what my daughter is baking or what my sons are excelling at!

As my brother once said about my blog.... "Who wants to read about what you're doing?" To which my response was, "I blog to create memories for my family, if people want to read them that's great." But with Facebook, memories can not be created.

My family is growing up so quickly and I want those memories written down and remembered so that I can look back and laugh, cry and even cringe at the goings on in our beautifully chaotic mix that I call family!
"For where your treasure is there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21
So.... my dear blog you get more of me!

FaceBook Friday

2011-06-03T19:22:00.000+02:00

~ What a relaxing day.... Didn't get into my car once. Settling down to watch a scary movie with my man.

~ Trying to calm my mind after watching 'The Resident' with Hillary Swank. Quite disturbing!

~ Very grumpy this morning..... Damn hormones!
~ Whole day spent in bed...... started the morning with throwing up. Feeling a little better.... just wish the headache would leave.
~ "The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's lives." Richard Bach

The circus is calling......

2011-06-01T21:23:00.006+02:00

I challenged Miss Tanzi.
"Come on chikabee ..... why don't you try standing on your bicycle seat with one leg whilst sticking the other one out?"(I demonstrated on Terra Firma).

"No, I can't do that!" she emphatically retorted.

"There's no such word as can't sweetie..... you just got to keep trying till you can!" I replied as I walked away.

10 minutes later she called me to come take a video.

FaceBook Friday

2011-05-27T18:48:00.000+02:00

~ Looking forward to seeing my friend and her daughter from Dubai. Miss you Angie!

~ Picture for Daddy.... Missing you already.

~ Miss Tanzi beats me at Rummy now.

FaceBook Friday

2011-05-20T18:06:00.000+02:00

~ Enjoying girlie time over a cuppa Earl Grey.

~ A hard week of work ahead ...... exams,projects & orals are on the agenda.

~ Trying to make home-made paper. We definitely need more practice!
~ Jamie had dry needling done on his back today and feels alot better.
~ Hey..... my eldest shaved for the first time

FaceBook Friday

2011-05-13T19:47:00.003+02:00

~ Both the boys ate an olive for the first time..... WizzKid will never do it again!
~ Zygotes,mycropyles,cytoplasm .......(WizzKid studying Biology)
~ I love my past ..... warts an' all, and I look forward to my future ... the best is yet to come
~ beef Stroganoff for din-dins
~ Love the Corrs.... nostalgia overload!
~Enjoying girlie time over a cuppa Earl Grey.

FaceBook Friday

2011-05-06T20:00:00.006+02:00

~ What a conference! What a preach!
~ Miss Tanzi's hair is falling out..... so she's having a 'chop!'

~ so tired.... I suppose it would help if I remembered to take my Eltroxin!
~ Miss Tanzi is doing a language review test.

~ Looking forward to Beth Moore's course on David. Who wants to join us?
~ Look who's on my bedroom floor feeling rotten. He just wants to be close to me.

~ Sick CoolDude has nurse Miss Tanzi well trained.
~ Masterchef Australia....love it!
~ flu got me...... feeling horrid.
~ my boys are looking after me so well.... meds, pots of tea and toast brought to me in bed.
~ It felt like yesterday was Mother's Day! Meals were cooked and the house was cleaned by MrGee and kiddies. All I had to do was rest in bed and get better. I'm on the mend!

Precious boy

2011-05-04T21:12:00.002+02:00

Look who's on my bedroom floor feeling rotten with a sinus and chest infection. He just wants to be close to me.

Get better my Cooldude. xxx

Sobering moment

2011-05-03T21:43:00.004+02:00

Cooldude made me giggle as we walked into church this past Sunday. He announced.... "The Gibbons' have arrived lock up the wine!"
It's no secret that I do like a glass(or two) of the good juice and WizzKid and I often joke that coca-cola is to him, as wine is to me. CoolDude's quote brought images to mind of me revelling at the communion table and I quietly chuckled as the message about the end times began.
I 'sobered up' very quickly! hehe
On a more spiritual note .... I'm so happy to be back in a church that values the Word, and Worship as a lifestyle.

FaceBook Friday

2011-04-29T22:34:00.003+02:00

~ had such a beautiful Easter Sunday with family. Such a special time.
~ I've got my hat for the Royal Wedding.
~ the whole fam is looking at old photos ...... feeling very nostalgic.
~ off to the dam....come on sun!
~ O.7 kg off
~ Lady Felicity Stella-Darter and Lady Phyllis Tabitha-Glengrove....
~ my deelish hubby is making din-dins.... spagetti alla boydo.
~ Dressed for the wedding ..... Hat an' all. Miss Tanzi says "Princess Diana is still the prettiest. "
~ Griselda and Rusputia ..... what were they thinking ... or not.

Ladys for a day.

2011-04-29T20:21:00.011+02:00

I hadn't been counting down the days till the Royal Wedding but 5 days before the special occasion I decided it was a good enough reason to get together with a couple of close friends and have some girlie fun. And that's exactly what we did. Hat's all round, cucumber sarmies, Earl Grey Tea and cream scones were the order of the day.

In true girlie form we criticised attire, applauded style and nibbled continuously! What more could a gal wish for..... oh yes..... a romantic, smoochy kiss.

No such luck - protocol prevailed!

FaceBook Friday

2011-04-22T18:31:00.004+02:00

~ Off to wish Jared a GREAT Matric dance!
~ emotionally spent.
~ After 11 hours of sleep I feel much better.
~ oh dear ..... Codey's Feather Duster Worm has just shot it's head off!
~ So tired..... Need my bed.
~ My daughter can read at last!!!
~ Codey and Tanna are making homemade hamburgers for din-dins.

~ Down 2.3kg
~ Tanzi and I are off to buy Easter table decor.
~ chilling with my man ...... movie time.

Special friend.

2011-04-20T21:09:00.005+02:00

It's a sad day for Miss Tanzi, as her very best friend, Tayla, leaves this week for Australia. Tayla's dad has been offered a teaching position overseas and her family are happy to be relocating to broader horizons.

This is the second of Miss Tanzi's close friends who have moved overseas. Tayla and Miss Tanzi have managed to squeeze in as many play dates as possible before their seperation and I do know that lil' miss Tayla will always hold a very dear place in Miss Tanzi's and my heart.

FaceBook Friday

2011-04-15T20:05:00.002+02:00

~ WizzKid: " If I could marry a car it would be this one."

~ Sandton boots!

~ Driving kids mad with ABBA playing in the car!
~ back to school today... up bright and early trying to psych myself up!
~ Miss Tanzi: Something's missing in my life.
Me: What my sweetie?
Miss Tanzi: Dad
~ so tired ..... going to hit the sack early tonight. good night all.
~ Today is the day! A person without self control is like a city with broken-down walls!
~ HOMEMADE chicken and vegie pie for dinner. WizzKids' wish granted!

FaceBook Friday

2011-04-08T20:00:00.002+02:00

~ there is something very special about dolphins. We all enjoyed the show
~ going out to dinner with my favourite people!
~ Kid-less and fancy free!
~ one can never totally stand in another's shoes..... we can only try and understand.
~ haha.... the pool service guy thought Jamie was my husband!
~ packing the car for Jozi.... my old stomping ground.
~ The boys have been so good on the way to Jo'burg! I'll going to buy Codey a gun and Jamie a guitar!! They deserve it.(Cooldude hi-jacked my phone and wrote this!)

FaceBook Friday

2011-04-01T18:20:00.001+02:00

~ packing for MudMan at Midmar tomorrow. hope it doesn't rain!
~ being a little rebelious tonight ... I'm not switching the electricity off for earth hour!
~ oh my word..... mudman was a bit stressful. Both boys forgot their cycle helmets... Jamie only realised after he had come out of the water and was in the transition area and then bailed out .... and Codey decided to just take someone else's helmet and he completed the event.
~ watching 'The Last Song' with the kids.
~ So nice to hear via a third party that the boys think I'm a 'fun mom'.
~ i'm so over this term.... bring on break up day.
~ maths maths maths..... had dreams numbers were chasing me last night.

Just like ol' Grandpa Boom.

2011-03-28T19:56:00.000+02:00

The Lord knows I tried to keep them out of their lives and for many years we had a 'no gun' policy. At three WizzKid would pick up his 'banana gun' and shoot the robbers and when CoolDude reached a similar age he would bite his sandwich into the shape of a pistol and shoot his fellow lunch mate at preschool.

What can I say 10 years on and my handsome CoolDude is obsessed! He has a passion for everything military and in particular GUNS!

CoolDude saved up for this air soft gun and was over the moon when it arrived. Miss Tanzi felt his excitement too!

The whole 'gun thing' makes me a little uneasy. I was brought up in a very 'safe family' ....... we definitely didn't 'do' guns. On the other hand MrGee was brought up on a farm in Zimbabwe and he and his dad often carried guns for game-shooting and protection. In fact Cooldude's Grandpa(at the age of 71) still loves his shooting.
So I think I've lost the battle ..... I surrender CoolDude!
So glad you're a chip off the ol' block!

FaceBook Friday

2011-03-25T18:10:00.000+02:00

~ The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important. bwahaha
~ teenagers are a blessing!
~ i love productive days.... so rewarding.
~ what a beautiful day..... not a cloud in the sky.
~If you receive shoes,bags dresses or hats from FaceBook..... it is not me but my 6 year old playing Fashion World..... sorry.

A Card for Precious Daddy.

2011-03-13T21:10:00.000+02:00

MrGee flies every week to Johannesburg on a Tuesday morning and he returns home to Durban every Thursday evening.

Miss Tanzi misses her Dad so much that she often writes little notes and places them on his bed before he arrives home. This time she wanted to make a card for her 'Precious Daddy'.

FaceBook Friday

2011-03-11T18:00:00.003+02:00

~ packing for Mudman at Albert Falls Dam..... who's taking part?
~ Fried my face ..... Ouch!!!
~ marking done for the day.... now for some ME time .... mmm, what shall I do?
~ My eldest is still doing maths..... it's 9:55pm.... he MUST have a goal!
~ wish me luck I'm entering Tanna's cupboards ..... I'm giving her a lesson on classification.
~ "It's so nice to say that we played in the dirt ...... so here we are...."- Jason Mraz
~ who on earth would teach there daughter to fight back...... tit for tat never triumphs.
‎~ 8.9 magnatude earthquake off the shore of Japan causing tsunami.

Packer Boy.

2011-03-10T22:16:00.009+02:00

Cooldude and Wizzkid have an Internet business selling second hand cellphones, PSP's, games, notebooks, laptops, gadgets and much more. They have been selling for the last 3 years and for my boys, business has been good! In a bad month they make zero rands but in a good month the two of them can pocket R1000($125) each. Not bad for their age!
They have it all sorted..... CoolDude deals with client liasons and Cooldude does the photography and packaging. They make an awesome team and it's wonderful to see my offspring working together!.....;)

Forgotten memory.

2011-03-10T22:09:00.003+02:00

A facebook friend reminded me of this, today..... it had slipped my mind for more than a decade!

"Just had a memory flash-back .... Do you remember when WizzKid was about 3 , we were at City of Life and he tried to get MrGee's attention during the service but MrGee was too engrossed in the message so WizzKid walked to the front corner , whipped it out and "sprinkled" all over the floor ! We were in fits of laughter when MrGee suddenly realised what was happening ! :-) You remember ? lol good memories !"

What a wonderful memory to include in his 21st speech! haha

Starting young ......

2011-03-09T21:59:00.004+02:00

It all started with this range of sticker books.
For 2 years Miss Tanzi was obsessed with them. She would create different 'looks' on the ballerinas, pop stars,tennis players,beach girls,princesses etc.. When I found a new book in this series she was beyond ecstatic!
Now that she is older(6 yrs) she has fallen in love with Klutz's range of Paper Fashions There was MUCH excitement when the books were delivered today and much fun was had co-ordinating our first outfits together.Since the age of 5, Miss Tanzi has said, " I think I will be a dress designer- singer-actor."You go God's Girl! I believe you can achieve it!.

One of the best decisions we ever made!

2011-03-07T18:43:00.033+02:00

We are into our six year of homeschooling.
It's mind blowing to think that we have stuck at it for this long. I started homeschooling CoolDude in 2005 just to give him a gap year and to allow him to mature emotionally. The whole 'Boys take longer to mature' is a truth! The plan was to stick him back, a year later, into mainstream schooling for Grade 2. You can read about that HERE. (of course we didn't)

We did have a years break from home-ed, in 2008, when all three kids were put back into a private school the year we relocated from Johannesburg to Natal. I felt they needed to make friends in a new Provence and the plan worked well. Oh yes, there was a very short period(at the end of 2009) when MrGee stuck the boys back into private schooling when we were going through a difficult time in our marriage ....

BUT now we are all home and LOVING it.

Don't get me wrong..... it's hasn't always been a bed of roses. We have had our challenges but we find it works well for our family, and the kids have more time after school to focus on what inspires and motivates them. CoolDude LOVES guns, target shooting, marine fish and base guitar. WizzKid loves his electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Biology and triathlons.

Both have an Internet Business selling second hand goods on BiD or BuY and being home schooled frees them up to pursue their areas of interest instead of having to attend senseless after school requirements at a regular school.

Oh ....and of course our most recent addition to Gibbons Funschool is Miss Tanzi. Our little mathematician, crafter, psalmist and dress designer. She told me the other day "I might be a model.... maybe a famous singer ...... but mom, I really love designing clothes!"

I feel so blessed being Miss Tanzi's teacher and seeing her blossom before my eyes. I'm experiencing her growth in education and character first hand. She is my 'Gods Girl' and our learning together is creating a beautiful bond between us. Of course, I am fervently reading James Dobsons book, 'Bringing Up Girls'. His insight is such a help...... and I need it daily!

Thank you to the 'angel' who suggested we homeschool 6 years ago.

FaceBook Friday

2011-03-04T21:00:00.000+02:00

~ now I remember why we always holidayed in Umdhloti when we lived in Jozi. Such a lovely secluded beach.
‎~ 4th day at the sea ...and loving it!
~Doing maths on holiday ..... FRACTIONS!
~ stunning holiday ... but there is nothing like home!
~ Fill up with diesel today!!!! Going up by 65c a liter at midnight!
~ just taught the kids Rummy and Spit.
~ Giving your kids a secure and loving home is the surest way to preserve the light that shines in their eyes.- Dobson

Funny girl.....

2011-03-02T19:56:00.007+02:00

Miss Tanzi calls Barack Obama ... A-wukka Ma-booma!

We Love Umdloti!

2011-02-25T19:02:00.006+02:00

I jumped out of bed ready for a little adventure. For the past 2 months the mantra 'Life is so short' has been ringing in my head and since I have recently conquered my fear of flying/heights and a few other things, I was excited to stop the monotony of the school week and do something different. So I made a few calls and was able to find an apartment right on the beach... Umdloti Beach.
Umdloti Beach has always been a favourite of ours as it is never overcrowded, and a portion of the beach is protected by a reef creating a calmer swimming area which is great for younger kids and ......... body-boarding moms! Yes...... I did it! At the age of 41, I body boarded for the first time and it was amazing! Haha ...no pics so moving on.... Miss Tanzi ALSO body boarded for the first time this holiday. CoolDude taught Miss Tanzi how to Body board. In the pic above you can see him watching his protege take the wave. She is fearless. And of course biggest brother Cooldude is on hand to help her when she gets dumped by the wave.Miss Tanzi is so proud of her efforts ...... but in the backgroung comes Cooldude to refine her skills once more! hehe

FaceBook Friday

2011-02-25T18:00:00.000+02:00

~ Anyone know of a grade 10/11 science teacher.....in the Hillcrest area?
~ cooking up a storm...... roast with vegie bake, roast potatoes and yorkshire pudding!
~ trying to find relatives in Christchurch for my Mom-in-Law.
~ off to the beach for a break!
~ Beautiful day at the beach .
~ I never knew body boarding could be so much fun!

Valentines Day Tea

2011-02-23T19:14:00.004+02:00

Valentines Day is not a biggy for our family. We prefer the L-O-V-E all year round !

But this year I decided a homeschooling event based on the whole pink/red theme would be great. So we hosted a Valentines Tea with close friends.

Miss Tanzi made a heart cake for her precious daddy and I made a special roast for our family dinner.Miss Tanzi vamped up the mood with her funny antics!xx Sending love xx

WizzKid performing his latest cover.

2011-02-19T18:07:00.000+02:00

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Valentine's Week- FaceBook Friday

2011-02-18T20:45:00.000+02:00

~ Miss Tanzi and Cooldude about to perform.... I'm nervous.
~ Cooldude's first peformance. He aced it! Well Done Codes.
~ early start... off to Midmar Mile.
~ come on over homeschoolers..... it's cake all round. Happy Valentines all!
~ Happy Valentines YEAR!...... why just one day?
~ Valentines Dinner at home....... Miss Tanzi being beautifully dramatic!!
~ Yikes!...Anyone know of a grade 10/11 science teacher in the Hillcrest area?

The Midmar Mile- The world's largest open water swimming event

2011-02-17T19:17:00.008+02:00

As a family, we love doing things together. Having a teenager in the mix makes it even more interesting! WizzKid now loves admiring the opposite sex and so the annual Midmar Mile Swim event up in the Natal Midlands is a DEFINITE favourite of his!

Driving infront of us was a bakkie(truck) with two young guys in the back .... then 6 girls hitched a lift and hopped on. WizzKid commented," Mmm, that's every teenage guy's dream!"

Most of the girls don't like to walk around just in their costumes, so they 'fashion' dresses out of rubbish bags. It's quite a long walk to the start....we had Miss Tanzi and a sick CoolDude, so we took the car.

We arrived at 7:30 am ...... registered by 8:30 ...... and then we waited till Wizz Kid's race at 12:15 pm.

WizzKid and Sarah(a swimming friend whom we lifted) listened to music on their Ipods ..... ALOT!

MrGee and Miss Tanzi swam in the dam.

And then WizzKid swam. He did a good time of just under 25 minutes for a mile in a dam!
Very proud of you my eldest!

CoolDude performing Blackbird by the Beatles.

2011-02-13T19:34:00.004+02:00

"All I want is a room somewhere...."

2011-02-12T18:26:00.001+02:00

Facebook Friday

2011-02-11T21:38:00.002+02:00

~ traumatic hour at the dentist..... Tanna had two teeth pulled(both had abscesses) and a filling. Codey had a huge filling and Fischer sealing done to his molars. Miss Tanzi cried for an hour afterwards. boy i'm exhausted
~ did my first cardio in months..... relaxing with fam.... waiting for Jamie to return home from Mudman.
~ my son is 5cm taller than me!! When did that happen?
~ Teenagers are a blessing!
~ I am inadequate without You.
~ my 6 year old daughter remarked after smelling the bowl of lillies... " Your flowers smell like effluent!"
~ Watching My FairLady with the kids.
~ This weekend looks frightening!!
~ I am sooooo missing Dubai..... and Bath..... and London.

First Day in London.

2011-02-08T20:35:00.007+02:00

We travelled by train from Heathrow Airport to Gloucester Tube Station. Lugging our baggage's through the tubes whilst trying to keep an eye on all family members was quite stressful! A short walk brought us to the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum Hotel. After 2 refreshing hours in our rooms, we were ready to hit London!

Very quickly, we became familiar with the tubes.Our first stop in London was Westfield Mall. Why a Mall? Well WizzKid and CoolDude had saved up enough money to buy iPhone 4's and MrGee and I wanted to get the buying of them over with so that the nagging would end!After the Apple Store experience the boys were content and happy to head home.But before hitting the sacks we needed to eat, so we went to an authentic Italian Restaurant just across from our hotel. It was a dive.... but we were SO hungry we didn't care.
Isn't the decor stylish? While we were waiting for our food the female cook had a HUGE fight with our waitress ( who was the owner). We laughed at the rantings of the ladies and at the English/Italian swearing that proceeded, we were so tired and hungry we stayed put. We just needed food!

FaceBook Friday

2011-02-04T21:00:00.001+02:00

~ oh well.... that technology fast lasted a whole 2 hours.......mmmm
~ burritos and 7de Laan !
~ Looks like my baby girl is going to be a butterfly swimmer! She has the kick! oh-heck another decade at swimming galas! Will do it tho!
~ school cancelled ..... movies!
~ starting the day with The Parachute Band. New cd is amazing!

FaceBook Friday

2011-01-28T20:00:00.003+02:00

~ Washing that grey away...... Sorry Bron.... I feel like a traitor!!! Just had to get it done today.
~ braaing with fam..... sipping on a spritzer..... music turned up = fun.
~ .... kiss me beneath the milky twilight........feeling 'morantic'. (Miss Tanzi's word for romantic.)
~ Love is an ACT ....not words
~ anyone know of an Afrikaans teacher ...... in Hillcrest?
~ ‎3 hours of grade 10-11 Science ..... brain is fried!
~ Perfumes and shoes are my downfalls!! What are yours?
~ Hubby home tonight!!
~ Just received Jamie's grade 10-11 Afrikaans syllabus.... nearly died of shock at the level...... then I noticed It was Afrikaans for 1st Language students!

Overseas Holiday

2011-01-23T19:32:00.012+02:00

On the 27Th Dec 2010 I got on an aeroplane for the first time in 11 years. ~shocking I know~
Our family flew out of Durban's Oliver Thambo Airport with Emirates Airlines.

(Above: Look who was my wing man.)
What a pleasant experience though .... why had I been so nervous? Okay so I did take a tranquilizer before we boarded and was very happy when the Air Hostess offered me a drink on board. " Yes, red wine please." Eight hours later we landed in Dubai.Tired but excited we were half way to England.
(Above: The A380 in the background ... I was so happy to see 4 engines on the plane. What a smooth ride!)
Two hours later we departed for London.
(Above: CoolDude 'controlling' Miss Tanzi as we boarded.)SO...... after 20 hours of travelling we eventually landed at Heathrow .... exhausted! BUT..... ready to explore London!

Miss Tanzi is a tonic!

2011-01-22T20:00:00.000+02:00

My Tanzi had me in stitches....
We were in The Louvre Art Museum in Paris and she needed the toilet. We hurried to the closest loo. I was desperate to continue my meander through 'heaven' so I asked her.... " Are you done?" She replied whilst 'doing her business', "Mom.... you can't hurry 'art'!" (bwah ha ha)

As we continued through the classical sculpture section of The Louvre she remarked, "I have seen SO many 'tentacles'(te$ticle$)!

FaceBook Friday

2011-01-21T20:00:00.000+02:00

~ Planning the school year...... getting excited.'World Cultures' for Tanna and 'World History-Ancient Empires' for Codey.
~ last day of hols...... went too quickly!
~ boys up and doing gym..... school doors open at 8... all excited!

Getting ready for Grade 1.

2011-01-18T22:10:00.001+02:00

FaceBook Friday!

2011-01-14T21:00:00.002+02:00

~ It's been BUSY! Yesterday we drove(early) from Bath to London(2 hr) so that we could catch the Eurostar train at 12:30. We arrived in Paris at 3:00. The French are something else.... perhaps because they lump everyone together who speaks english as 'being English!' I'm missing Bath. We went to EuroDisney today. It was amazing. We're exhausted!
~ We all walked at least 10kms today ..... went to Eiffel Tower..... walked.... went to The Louvre Museum for the first time .... walked down the BEAUTIFUL Champs- Elysees. It looks beautiful in winter, so in summer it must be mind blowing!.... walked..... and then to end our very cultured day we headed off to Macdonalds.
~ Last day in Paris..... The French are something else..... Certainly wouldn't like to live here!
~ We've got along wait at the airport.... Flights only at 9 tonight..... 6 hours of waiting.
~ In Dubai..... Superb!
~ What a pleasant experience being in Dubai after spending 4 days in France. Paris Is pretty ..... But Dubai is clean, it's people are super friendly, everything runs smoothly and things are done with excellence.
~ Surreal Dubai..... never thought I would love it THIS much.
~ Last day in Dubai and I have been in bed for most of it! Have horrid sinus infection. Just wanted MY bed today. Well our beautiful holiday is at it's end. Thanks to all who commented on our pics .... I really enjoyed sharing these special memories with family and friends.
~ We're home!!! Although yesterday's landing was traumatic. As we came in for touch down we flew into a storm and the pilot had to quickly ascend again.... The plane was flung about.... Thought I was about to meet Jesus! Boyd has flown twice a week for 3 years now , and he said it was the worst landing he's ever experienced.

We are overseas.

2011-01-09T22:02:00.002+02:00

Hello friends...... we are enjoying our first family holiday overseas .... in Europe. I promise to post pics and tell of our wonderful experiences.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Facebook Friday

2011-01-07T20:00:00.004+02:00

~Had a stunning time at Camden Town. Weather has been good to us.... cold, but no rain ... not even drizzle. Saw some interesting people and sights at Camden Market today!

~Going to see Buckingham Palace at night...... then to try and find a well priced restaurant for the fam! ..... not an easy task!
~Sitting in the Apple iStore...... Free WiFi and my boys are in heaven!
~Really loved my last day in London....... Went up the London Eye, saw Westminster Abbey,shopped up a storm at Kings Street, had my first Starbucks and spent an hour or so at the Apple iStore in Oxford Street. Waiting for Boyd to finish dialysis, and then hopefully we will go out for a bite to eat.
~Just passed through Ripley,Guildford,Send and Gomshall. Enjoying superb food at The William Bray in Shere.Then off to Bath. Oh yes.... Boyd smashed the rental car!
~Just booked into the Mecure Francis Hotel in Bath ..... about to go out for a stroll and dinner.
~BATH is amazing. Love it's history,Georgian architecture, quaint shops and personality. Definitely the best village ...... EVER!

FaceBook Friday

2010-12-31T19:40:00.007+02:00

~we danced the night away....... what a lovely time we had with the Boshoffs and Fenton-Jones last night! Happy Christmas all!
~Tanzi's and my bag are packed ...... gettting excited!
~After 15 hours in a plane.... We are finally in London. Had absolutely no fear flying!!!

~Haven't walked this much in the last decade ....... been to Madam Tussauds, ~Victoria and Albert Museum,Harrods,Covent Garden, Westfield Mall(on a bank holiday !) in 1 and a half days. Hit the sack at 8 pm last night. Loving it!

Above: Madame Tussauds
Above: Covent Garden Above: Victoria and Albert Museum.. Miss Tanzi hanging onto a 500 year old fountain(oops!) and "Ancient cell phone covers."(Clever Cooldude!)~Today involved ALOT of walking ...... saw Hamleys, Ripleys, went on a bus tour and a Thames cruise. All of us LOVE London! Exhausted now........ Above: Miss Tanzi loved Hamleys Above: On the Big Bus Tour venturing around London
Above: Fooling around at Ripleys Believe It Or Not

Above: Cooldude on the Thames River cruise with London Tower Bridge in the background.

~‎3 Hours of fun at the London Tower. Tanna and I were in awe of the Royal Jewels. That Cullinan Diamond is spectatular.

Above: Photos of us inside and on the wall of The London Tower
~ At Harrods again...... spent way to much money on girlie stuff for Tanzi.

Happy New Year all!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T20:44:00.001+02:00

I am so grateful for Christmas time..... most definitely because it celebrates our Saviour's birth but also because it creates a time when family make an concerted effort to get together.
Such was this Christmas...... MrGee's family travelled from wide and far to meet at our house for this year's Christmas Eve dinner! Mom Gibbons and I cooked up a storm and we ate like royalty.Of course Yvette and I enjoyed some wine and most joined in with the 'disco-dancing' towards the end of the evening!

FaceBook Friday

2010-12-24T22:06:00.000+02:00

~i'm blessed and thankful
~getting excited as I start the packing .....(FOR EUROPE!)
~date night at Aubergene ...... I think I might try something different tonight ..... mmm maybe
~all that white stuff is scareing me!!
~Granny and Grandpa Boom are with us ...... enjoying time together. Already started the Christmas Eve dinner.

Our home is feeling festive.

2010-12-19T20:20:00.000+02:00

MrGee's family is coming over to OUR house for Chrismas. This is a first, and we are all very excited to 'hang' with the couzies! MrGee asked me to make the home festive and decorated ...... I was happy to oblige!

FaceBook Friday

2010-12-17T17:15:00.000+02:00

~so looking forward to having family over for Christmas!
~okay so we have a psalmist in the family ..... Tanna is singing " God you're amazing in our lives....." ..... over and over and over.
~Jamie is in the KZN finals for 200 Backstroke tonight! So proud!
~i'm blessed and thankful
~getting excited as I start the packing .....
~date night at Aubergene ...... I think I might try something different tonight ..... mmm

Packing.... yay!

2010-12-14T19:56:00.005+02:00

This is a first for our family!
We are going overseas!
I am excited, but extremely stressed about flying(haven't flown in 10 years) and will be getting a tranquilizer from my doc!
So our bags are half packed ......

....... and I pray that the extreme weather Europe is experiencing relents,that the hectic snowfall stops and that our plane trips will be be calm and uneventfull!As Miss Tanzi used to say.... "So 'cited!"

My Dressing Room is complete.....

2010-12-07T21:50:00.001+02:00

..................... And I LOVE it.

She graduated!

2010-12-03T19:01:00.003+02:00

Miss Tanzi started 2010 at home with Gibbons FunSchool but after a month I realised she was not ready for a structured day- she still needed to play. I managed to get her into a local preschool and in March she started at Simon Peter Preschool. She has had a lovely year there and has made a couple of good girlfriends.Tonight was her graduation to Grade 1.
Precious girl.... I love you so much and can't wait to homeschool you next year!

WizzKids newest cover version.

2010-12-02T21:05:00.001+02:00

FaceBook Friday

2010-11-26T19:08:00.000+02:00

~ looking forward to a relaxing weekend...... for once!
~ watched Hairspray for the umpteenth time....... such a feel good musical!
~ I can't wait for break up day!
~ ladies night ...... well sort of!
~ i'm their no.1 fan ....... swim hard my boys!
~ feeling guilty as I hear Boyd stomp it out in the gym ......
~ just ordered next year's curriculum..... SONLIGHT all the way..... definitely the best!

Wordless Wednesday ..... "Mom I look like Katy Perry!" .... (oh heck)

2010-11-24T16:56:00.001+02:00

Facebook Friday

2010-11-19T20:35:00.000+02:00

~ feel like I'm getting ready for prom night!
~ tanna is belting out 'How do you solve a problem like Maria?' in her bedroom!
~ was wondering why I feel so tired ..... forgot to take my thyroid meds this morn!
~ my life is just the way I want it to be!
~ settling down for a movie with the fam and my favourite salad from Aubergine.

4 weeks of sickness

2010-11-19T19:12:00.002+02:00

Oh my goodness ...... CoolDude has succumbed to the dreaded measles and he has it bad!
He has forbidden me to take any pics whilst he is in this delicate state.

ENOUGH NOW! Be gone sickness in the Most High's name!

Night out on the town ......

2010-11-16T22:10:00.004+02:00

MrGee and I both 'birthday' in November! This year we decided to have a combined bash celebrating our belated 40th's. We invited 4 couples whom MrGee and I have known since we were in our early twenties.

We sipped on champers as the limos drove us to a private venue at The Oyster Box Hotel.(the glass roof above us created some funny moments)We had fine cuisine and wine.Then we cranked up the music and had some laughs as we displayed our phenomenal dancing skills!!!

Happy Birthday to us! Thanks dear friends for making it such a special evening!

FaceBook Friday- Statuses for the week

2010-11-12T12:57:00.001+02:00

~spent a stunning morning at the beach with the fam.
~oh no ........ got another one down. Will this ever end?
~DO NOT book a holiday through Flight Centre ..... they are extrememly unhelpful!
~back AGAIN at the British Consulate ... getting visas for the kids.
~Miss Tanna(6) .... "I actually like designing now, it actually INSPIRES me."
~well, Codey has a serious case of Strep in his throat ..... so maybe he isn't coming down with measles after all!
~2 more sleeps until our night out on the town ..... can't wait!
~just watched The Sound of Music with my girlie!.... timeless
~feel like I'm getting ready for prom night!

Vegies from our Garden

2010-11-10T22:01:00.004+02:00

MrGee and Miss Tanzi are so chuffed with their first pickings........

You need to know that they had to wrestle a troupe of monkeys to get these!( Not reallly.... these are the leftovers after the monkeys had their full!)

Giving creativity a chance to flourish.

2010-11-09T18:01:00.001+02:00

Whenever one of my kids moan that they are bored ...... I calmly reply 'That's okay - it's alright to feel bored.' They eventually get the point that I will not be manipulated into being their wellspring of fun and entertainment and that THEY need to banish the boredom blues for themselves.

Above : Kitty Cat drinking Above: Nutty Professor with moustache
The measles has kept Miss Tanzi housebound for the last 2 weeks. Although she has been quite active over the past few days the spots are still visible so she is not allowed back at preschool yet.She came to me this afternoon with that classic line .... 'I'm sooooo bored.' I responded the way I always do and she took herself into the craft room and made herself two 'play masks'.I believe that in our moments of boredom creativity has a chance to flourish!Well Done Miss Tanzi ...... I love your creations!

Boys version of 'One' by Metallica

2010-11-08T20:27:00.000+02:00

Happy Birthday MrGee

2010-11-07T20:00:00.002+02:00

MrGee turned 42 on the 7th. He wanted a quiet celebration .... so we went to the beach for breakfast and a beautiful walk along the promenade. It was such a stunning morning.

We got back home just after 1pm. Together we watched a funny movie and then MrGee wanted to try out his latest gadget.....' The Cobb'. This is a portable cooking device that one of his friends gave him for his birthday. The chicken was smoked and delicious!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYDIE !"Happy Birthday my Babes .... I want to spend many more days laughing with you, reminiscing with you, taking on adventures with you, praying with you, dreaming with you …….. just being with you. I love you dearly and feel honored to be your closest friend. x Fiffi " Next weekend MrGee and I are having a combined birthday celebration ..... it's sure to be a not-so-quiet evening ..... and will definitely deserve a blogpost.

Tanzi's Salad Tips.

2010-11-06T18:11:00.002+02:00

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

So exciting!

2010-11-04T23:09:00.004+02:00

I met my first international blogging girlfriend this week... Cheryl. She was born in South Africa, but has lived in the USA for many many years. You can meet this lovely lady at Life's Journey.It was so strange how we connected ..... but I don't believe in coincidences ....... things DO happen for a reason. To think we started reading each others blogs about 2 years ago, and never knew that her niece was a local friend of mine .... who lived literally 2 kms down the road!

What a privilege to spend time with you even though it was short. You have a beautiful spirit Cheryl. Thank you SO much for upholding MrGee in prayer.Could this be the start of something ........ which international blogger am I going to meet next?

Miss Tanzi has measles!

2010-11-03T22:13:00.000+02:00

Mamma Fiffi had a girlie who was sick sick sick......
She prayed girlie would get better quick quick quick......

She gave her a bell to shake a-tick-tick- tick .....

What was Mamma thinking?.... was she thick thick thick?

After Miss Tanzi had high temps for 5 days the spots appeared. The Dr confirmed Measles. She has been out of sorts for 8 days now, but I can see she is on the mend as she has started to show me her latest karate moves, she is jabbering again and pieces of paper are being filled with her latest dress designs!

Facebook Friday.

2010-11-02T19:47:00.001+02:00

Lately I have spent so much time on FaceBook that my blog has been sadly neglected. So I have decided to create a weekly blog post of my FaceBook statuses. For me it will be a great reminder of what was going on in our lives ..... it's all about MEMORIES!

28th Aug 2010 - Codey is having fish issues ....... 2 siameze fighters dead and a third on it's way out! I thought fish would be easy to keep.... huh?

- The perfect day ...... a visit to the hairdressers ....... lunch with a good friend ........ a little bit of retail therapy in the arvie.
- has a house full of boys .... such characters .... love it!
- Mothers disprove evolution ..... they still only have 2 hands!- quote by WizzKid
- great !! ...... I have gastritis and a kidney infection!
- HAVING A PICNIC ON THE PERSIAN ..... HAPPY BDAY CODEY!!!!!
- School cancelled ....... off to movies for Cooldude's Birthday!
- ‎@gala..... And I get to timekeep..... Oh the joys!
- the house is quiet ...... everyone is at movies and I'm sipping on a sprizter. wonderful.
- catching up on marking.................
- so happy my boys love good music ..... and playing an instrument!
- spring cleaning ....... being ruthless!
- suddenly!....... my boys like being photographed.... whats up? hehe
- schools out ... praise the Lord!
- psyching myself up for this weekends swimming event!
- grace and forgiveness are beautiful virtues ......
- ‎5 off...... yeh baby!
- packing for a lil' sojourn to the vibey city of Jozi!
- got my first reading glasses today ..... this age thing is poofie!!
- I like it on the piano!
- as many times as I blink I think of you ...........
- we are a LOUD family ....... love it and wouldn't change it !
- can't believe it!...... my gardener was on my son's computer .... trying to access FaceBook and yahoo mail. Bit defender blocked 2 pages ....... should I confront him??
- this mining rescue has me all choked up!
- U2 coming to SA in Feb!
- Yes,Dad is the King ...... but Mommy is the Kingdom!
- Cooldude finished his Maths syllabus for the year with an exam mark of 85%!
‎- @ my favourite restaurant with a good friend!
- Read this morning ......'Motherhood is one of the rear professions in which we actually work ourselves out of a job!'
- Spending the evening on my own ....... me time..... blogging,chatting on skype .... sipping on a spritzer ... mmmm .... love-er-lee.
- Tanna lost her first tooth today! A VERY rich tooth mouse made a visit!
- there's gotta be more to life then chasing down every temporary high to satisy me .....
- had to make cheese sauce on the gas braai tonight .......
- skyping my son who is 5 metres away!!
- after 5 days of high temps the spots emerged today ... Tanna has measles! I've never seen her so sick.
- my girl has measles,bronchitus and conguntivitus! Please pray for her quick recovery.
- oh great .... I think Ange's geese have migrated to our pool!
- two signs my Tanzi is on the mend ..... 1. she is eating a little. 2. she hasn't stopped talking for the last 30 minutes! Thanx for all the prayers and get well wishes!
3 Nov 2010 - visa applications frustrating me ......... bllughh!

.

If at first you don't succeed.......

2010-10-27T17:44:00.003+02:00

CoolDude is fascinated with his first marine fish tank. It is wonderful to see him so focused and dedicated to 'his fish world.'

Unfortunately we had 2 more fatalities. Another 'hardy' sea anemone as well as his beautiful 'Dory' fish kicked the bucket! He was very frustrated and heart sore. We had the water tested and it was perfect..... so we have introduced a shrimp and 3 soft corals ...... they all seem to be doing well. *holding thumbs*

Capturing Memories.

2010-10-26T19:07:00.006+02:00

It's hard to believe that 5 years ago I embarked on this blogging journey. In those days none of my friends or family knew what a BLOG was and the only bloggers I met were from the USA. Things have progressed and now it seems like the whole world is blogging! Okay ... I exaggerate, but those who don't HAVE a blog are at least READING someone's blog!
Recently I have been less preoccupied with my virtual diary, but I hope to be inspired and excited to create more memories of my beloved family. For me that's what it's all about....... capturing special moments!

! HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG !

Wouldn't it be lovely .......

2010-10-22T20:00:00.003+02:00

The words get a little mixed up towards the end ..... but still 'bloomin-lootly' cute!

Sorry CoolDude ......

2010-10-07T17:22:00.004+02:00

CoolDude got a fish tank for his 12Th birthday. He had been wanting an aquarium for a long time and after falling 'in love' with the beautiful salt water fish, he decided on a marine tank.

We got alot of advice from the manager of a local pet shop who seemed to know what he was talking about ..... well, that's what we thought!Yesterday tragedy struck!!!The sea anemone and soft coral that he introduced to his tank a couple of days ago .... died.As CoolDude removed the sea anemone from the tank a clown fish nipped at his hand. Obviously the two had formed a strong bond and she was clearly angry that her new best friend was being removed.NOW WE FIND OUT ....... after speaking to an expert on marine fish, that the lighting and the filter we were sold are far from adequate. *So frustrating*CoolDude was upset but it was Miss Tanzi who wouldn't stop crying ..... "I'm crying for Cooldude," she sobbed.SO..... the tank stands a little less full, but at least healthy since we got the dying creatures out. We have all learnt a valuable lesson ..... GO STRAIGHT TO THE EXPERT!

Call it vanity ......

2010-09-29T17:42:00.004+02:00

At the mo I am sitting in a B&B in Johannesburg all by myself ..... and happy to be catching a break from the business of my offspring!!
WizzKid is at swimming training with his old club and MrGee has taken CoolDude and Miss Tanzi to a movie.
As I type, I keep turning my head and smiling into the mirror beside me! Yes I am loving this quiet time ...... but even more so, I am admiring my beautiful pearly whites! I had them whitened today and they look just fab.
Take a look at this gorgeous pic of me(not!) ......... hehe
Some gnashers ..... aren't they!Am I the only vain girl around?

Wordless Wednesday.

2010-09-22T22:03:00.004+02:00

WizzKid and Cooldude jam with friends

2010-09-12T22:10:00.001+02:00

Picnic on the Persian!

2010-09-12T18:14:00.005+02:00

My CoolDude turned 12 last week. When asked what he wanted for his birthday dinner ..... the kids all shouted in unison ...." A picnic on the carpet!"

This type of special dinner has definitely become a family tradition!We all munched away to Jeff Dunham's hillarious puppets ..... Aghmed and Walter being our
favourites.Happy Birthday my precious boy ..... you have brought so much joy into my life!

Wordless Wednesday ... Miss Tanzi Turned 6

2010-09-08T17:43:00.004+02:00

Love you my 'Princess of Wonderland!'

Boys Are GREAT!

2010-09-03T20:10:00.004+02:00

I was reminded of this post I did in 2006 ....

I have two boys,

Two really handsome boys who are incredibly clever, wise and mature. You might be thinking "YEH MAMMA.... Stop blowing your children's horn!"

Well I ask you....who else will !!

I am reading this fanastic book by Steve Biddulph called "RAISING BOYS", and I realise that Boys have an incredible need to be affirmed and recognised!(we all do, but particularly boys)

Unfortunately there has been such an assault on men and their maleness that even our boys are feeling the brunt of it! Their self image needs a GOOD BOOST!

I read this in "Raising Boys":......

"The Media continually portrays males as rapists, murderers, or inadequate fools. So a boy may feel quite bad about himself as a masculine being. Mothers can do a lot to overcome this. I've heard beautiful comments from mothers to their sons : telling them from the age of about ten and upwards, 'Boy, you're a good looking hunk!!' when they try on their new clothes; ...... or 'The girl who marries you is going to be SO lucky.' when they do a good job around the house; .....and 'I really enjoy your company', ......'You're interesting to talk to', and .....' You have a really great sense of humour'.

I want my boys to be strong....yet gentle.... courageous....yet merciful.

They need good self images.... and mothers I believe can do alot to help their dear sons!

It is such an awesome thing to raise boys!

Males have been designed by God to be pioneers that forge ahead...... to have 'hair brained schemes' that sometimes never come to anything....And yet sometimes do!

Humbled, I am again.... this is a task I cannot achieve without Christ.

Fiffi

Miss Tanzi's first ballet concert ....

2010-08-28T21:44:00.010+02:00

Unfortunately we couldn't take pics of the concert ..... so here she is just before we headed off to the big event!

As I uploaded this pic i was reminded of a funny poem I wrote about Miss Tanzi .... 4 years ago!

Ode to Miss Tanzi - ( to be sung to 'My Favourite Things' from The sound of Music.)

Reading and drawing and loving her baby
eating the food off our plates drives us crazy!
Climbing the windows when nobody sees!
These are a few of her favourite needs!”

Dancing and singing and sitting on kitty
Ballet toes pointing and hair that looks pretty!
wrecking the boys room and causing a fuss
oh what a handful is all this chaos!

Hair clips and perfume and Teddy called Boon Boon
Gazing at stars, moon and popping bright balloons!
Bathing and rubbing soap into her eyes
Oh! What a blessing she’s brought to our lives!

She has asked me to call her 'God's Girl' ........ and I definitely will ..... but she will always be my 'bestest girl' ever!!X X

Who would have thought .......

2010-08-18T18:11:00.011+02:00

The student advisers at the British International Distance College(Cambidge) said WizzKid would manage well with their Grade 10 and 11 Curriculum, (even though he was only in Grade 9). So 6 weeks ago WizzKid signed up for Science,Biology and English.

The beauty of this system is that they work 90% on their own.... when they are stuck and do not understand something they are encouraged to find out the answer for themselves. Google and reference books being the preferred mediums. Students are able to contact a tutor, but we have found it takes way too long for a response from them!

He was finding the work fine until today. After a morning of frustration WizzKid came to me with the news that he could not find a solution for a chemistry problem. My first response was "Let's have tea." Which we did.

After we were sufficiently replenished, I read his manual on 'Ionic Binding' and then ...... *choke,choke* ..... proceeded to explain to him what ionic binding was! Even more shock ....... HE TOTALLY GOT IT!!
So yes ...... who would have thought that a marmie who did science 20 odd years ago(and not so well) would be able to teach her son today! *whoop,whoop*

Gift for Grandpa

2010-08-13T08:06:00.000+02:00

It's Grandpa Booms 70Th Birthday in a few days and Miss Tanzi wanted to make something special for him. Grandpa is an avid dog lover so when Miss Tanzi saw a blank porcelain puppy at the craft shop she knew immediately he would be the perfect gift!

Miss Tanzi was ever so careful not to smudge or spoil him and it was her idea to put a collar around his neck. She named him "Sparky."

Happy 70th Birthday Grandpa Boom

2010-08-12T19:44:00.002+02:00

Trouble on the playground ......;)

2010-08-11T14:05:00.008+02:00

As I pulled out of the school parking lot today I noticed that Miss Tanzi's head hung low and she looked rather subdued.

"How was your day girlie?" I asked.
"Not good," came her answer.
"Why, what happened?"
"Amy and Abby(not there real names) were mean to me, they wouldn't let me play with them!"

I rested my hand on her knee and sympathised with her. After a short pause she concluded ......

"You know what mom?...... I think they were born on a different side of God!" *bwahaha*o

I loved making this .......

2010-08-07T20:59:00.003+02:00

I have known Ali for twenty years! She is one of my closest and dearest friends. Ali has just finished renovating her kitchen and I noticed she had incorporated a Southern American theme so I thought a hot chillie tray would be the perfect birthday gift.

Second Duet....snippets.

2010-08-04T23:35:00.003+02:00

My perfect day!

2010-08-04T21:49:00.009+02:00

We all woke up early ... bright eyed and bushy tailed! By 7:20 am breakfast had been devoured and the boys started their half an hour of gym. I packed Miss Tanzi a snack and dropped her off at preschool.
By the time I got home the boys had already started their quiet time/devotions and I was able to enjoy a peaceful cuppa Earl Grey Tea.
At 8:30 formal schooling began and it continued til 3:00. During this time I picked Miss Tanzi up from school at 12:00 and brought her home for lunch.
We all worked hard and and extremely well!

CoolDude did English, Science, Afrikaans and a shack load of maths!
WizzKid worked through some Biology,Physics, Chemistry and English. He is doing Grade 10 and it is complicated! My latest teaching advice for him is ........ "Just google it!" (I thank the Lord daily for the Internet. ;) )

At 3:00pm WizzKid and I did a few errands. We visited the post office, got photos reproduced for his swimming buddies and we bought a huge birthday cake for the swimming club. Then the boys were dropped off at swimming at 4:00 and I came home to make dinner.Whilst making sweet and sour chicken with noodles I watered half the garden(it's so dry here), bathed Miss Tanzi and sent off some important emails.... oh yes and I checked facebook.(of course!)

At 6:45 I picked up the boys from swimming. They ate at 7:15 and then enjoyed an hour of jamming on their guitars. Miss Tanzi played housy-house as they practised.

It is now 10:00pm(MrGee is away) and I am enjoying the peace in the house and the clicky-clack my fingers are making on the notebook!
A day done and dusted ........ productive and pleasing!

Wordless Wednesday - - WizzKid's 15th Birthday Party!

2010-08-03T21:58:00.004+02:00

Housey-House.

2010-07-27T22:02:00.005+02:00

Miss Tanzi LOVES making a little 'nest'! This is her favourite game at the moment. Once she feels suitably 'settled in', she unleashes the power of 'Polly' and her miniature world!

!Happy Happy!

2010-07-25T22:30:00.017+02:00

FIFTEEN

Heck-a-ba-decka ........ where did the time go?

It seems like only yesterday when the nurse placed you for the first time in my eager arms.

It seems like only yesterday when I felt those first maternal instincts that made me realise I could quite easily sacrifice my life for you.

It seems like only yesterday when you brought such joy into my life.

WizzKid, .... you are such a blessing, I love you dearly!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY HANDSOME BOY!

Sad news.

2010-07-23T20:04:00.001+02:00

Today MrGee heard from the kidney facilitator that his donor was not compatible after all. Yes .... after all the many tests that returned positive as a match, they have now detected some antibody in either Mrgee or the donor's blood that will cause MrGee's body to reject this particular donor's kidney. We are all very sad indeed and would appreciate your prayers.

WizzKid's Goals

2010-07-21T21:38:00.006+02:00

After a pep talk about commitment and goals, WizzKid emailed this to MrGee and I.

"Just to show you guys what I would like to do and be. The last goal is the most important to me."

Goals
• Make Level 3 swimming
• Earn Some money from a triathlon
• Get 80% aggregate (grade 10-11).
• Be the fittest, biggest guy at swimming training.
• Play lead guitar in a band.(Think Youth Band)
• Earn R3000 a month from Bid or Buy.(a selling portal )
• Be the guy who throws parties and has the most friends!!

I LOVE IT !

x

A hodge podge of news from our corner ......

2010-07-21T18:26:00.013+02:00

in MrGee's favourite form ........ 'HEADLINES PLEASE!'

WIZZKID RETURNS HOME!
Yahoo.... our eldest offspring has come back to homeschooling. His reason ...... Too much time is wasted at school and then ....... you get to do a shack load of work at home! (nice). He couldn't justify the wasted time .... I couldn't justify the moola that we paid for him to do that shack load of work at home..... CRAZY!

Smiles all round ... Cooldude is very happy to have his big brother home.

100% SHOW OFF!

I often hear parents saying to their kids 'Stop showing off!' Well in our household it's quite the opposite. We love it when they 'show off ' ...... we see it as a platform for them to grow in confidence as they share their talents with the people that love them the most. And of course no one 'shows off ' better than Miss Tanzi.

She should have her own channel .......TanziTV-24/7 !

TO BE OR NOT TO BE .....

Okay, so I snuck up on the dude that is cool..... yip, this is a first and now I have it forever on camera! You see, it was a first for a hairdryer ever to grace Cooldude's hands!

~PAUSE~

Have you heard of Justin Beiber? If you haven't , he is a 15 year old Canadian pop star whom the young girls ADORE.(his pics are below left.)

Cooldude is above right. Spot the resemblance?

~PAUSE~

About 2 months ago a stranger in the supermarket said to Cooldude, 'You look just like Justin Bieber!' and ever since then Cooldude has received comments that he looks like this Canadian Popstar. Unfortunately he sits in an 'uncomfortable seat' ....... you see the girls LOVE Justin Bieber, but the boys HATE Justin with a passion.(green-eyed-monster-sydrome for sure!)

How does Cooldude deal with the situation?.......He jokes and laughs with the guys when they rag on Justin Bieber, ....... but these days he is alot more particular about how he looks and his hair is of upmost importance which makes me think he definately cares about what the girls think!

Hugs

Miss Tanzi doing what she loves .....

2010-07-19T21:58:00.005+02:00

........ dancing and showing off her skills!
I think she has awesome rhythm for a 5 year old!!
...... but then I may be very biased!!!!

Pascale's 21st ... what a beautiful celebration.

2010-07-05T17:15:00.016+02:00

The daughter of close friends had a 'Midsummer Nights Dream' theme for her 21st party. Pascale(the birthday girl) and Miss Tanzi enjoyed many a cuddle.........

I presented the choice of fancy dress to my men ....... they could go as fairies or donkeys. They all chose to be a$$es ...........It was a BEAUTIFUL night full of flowers,fairies,cherubs,donkeys, memorable speeches, delicious curries and disco dancing into the wee hours of the morning! Some of the boys striking a pose..... Justin Bieber hairstyles all round!A very funny incident occurred as Miss Tanzi and I were beautifying ourselves for the evening. Miss Tanzi was getting dressed in her room when I realized ....... silence prevailed! Miss Tanzi loves to sing or make some kind of noise (all the time) so when she is silent I know something is wrong! She is either doing something she shouldn't be or she is in a pickle! Well, the latter was the issue..... you see she had managed to get a comb seriously stuck in her long fringe. I took one look at her head and said "Oh boy Tanzi I think I might have to cut the comb out." She began to wail ...... "I'm going to look like a boy!" ...... "Next time ask me for help." I reprimanded her............. she replied with .... "I DON'T DESERVE TO BE YOUR DAUGHTER." (bwaaahahaha she cracks me up)I want to end with a really stunning pic of a some of my closest girlfriends.
The beautiful gal in the orange dress made my wedding dress, and the lovely lady in blue was the MC at my wedding.The doll in black is a new friend but fast becoming a close one!

First Guitar Duet

2010-06-15T19:26:00.004+02:00

Dad this is posted especially for you ..... after two weeks of lessons, I think they are coming along nicely.
x