Christmas 2006

Unfortunately I live about 6 hours away from my parents, and Boyd's family are spread out all over South Africa. This makes Christmas quite complicated, as you want to BE with your loved ones but is hard to get everyone altogether! For the past 12 years Boyd and I have spent every alternate Christmas with each set of parents, but with a growing family, it's getting more difficult! So this year we decided to stay put and enjoy Christmas under our roof.

We had a wonderful day. Our Church was closed, so we went to a small Baptist Church down the road. For the first time in years I sang Christmas carols in Church!!! Sounds weird yes, but our church is not big on the old Christmas carols!

Then we went home to a delicious lunch prepared by moi. We ate way too much and conked on the couch to watch a very sweet Christmas movie!

Love Fiffi

Christmas cookies!

I admit that I am no super wizz in the kitchen or gourmet chef! But I do try! So when the kids asked to make Christmas cookies..... I had to psych myself up before I eventually said yes! The morning turned out to be a whole lot of fun! The colours where not as Christmassy as we had intended, but the kids were thrilled!

I've hidden them so that they are not all gobbled up on the first day!

Love Fiffi

"I love you books !"

We received our next years curriculum from Sonlight yesterday. We were all so excited. The boys just wanted to see the very smart (and expensive!) microscope. We were all digging in the boxes frantically hauling the books out! Tanna-Jayde lay on a bundle of books and started kissing them, saying "I love you books, I love you books!" The boys had friends over, they got involved too. One of them asked "Are you going to have to read ALL these books?" (He's in a public school and does not like reading!) Jamie replied "Yip, and more!"

Christmas has come early at our house!

I put down the telephone and squealed with delight! Hubby was surprised and wondered if a family member was pregnant or if we had won the Lotto! Nope it wasn't that...... but tomorrow is sure to be one fine day for me!!!!! Firstly, our new 8 seater patio table and chairs (which was only going to arrive mid-Jan) is being delivered and wait for it............ The lady on the other side of the phone had said that our Sonlight ( year 3&4 condensed) curriculum for next year would be dropped off at our doorstep, TOMORROW!

The reason why I may be a little more excited than most people is that we live outside of America and last year it took 3 months for the curriculum to get to me! This time Sonlight dispatched the goods on 12 Dec 2006 and I will be receiving them tomorrow, exactly 7 days later! WOW!

The boys are having friends over tomorrow and have asked that I only open the packages when their friends have gone! I suppose they also want to be the first to see! This is going to be hard!!!!

love Fiffi

Our Boys!

Well, tomorrow we are off to pick up the kids from Granny and Grandpas. It's been 7 whole nights, and now I want my boys back! It has been a glorious break, and I hadn't missed them until yesterday! I thought I would post a pic of them from about 5 years ago....it has always been one of my favourites! They have always been such good buddies!

I love you my Boys!

Farming Around!

This is just a quick catch up on what has been going on in our lives! My in-laws took the boys back to their farm on Saturday 9th. It was a spur of the moment thing. Grandpa just suggested that they come and stay over SOMETIME,...... and Codey said 'What about NOW?" So started the mad rush to pack! We said to our very technology obsessed boys..."Remember, Granny and Grandpa don't have TV or computers!" They made sure their cellphones, Playstation, Laptop and PSP were packed!!!!

Daily, I have been phoning them to check up. They are having a ball! They are enjoying teasing Sebastian(the enormous turkey), catching the runaway hens, collecting the newly laid eggs, cleaning out the fishpond (fun???? they seem to think so!), shooting Grandpa's bow and arrows and going on game drives! They even told me "Grandpa said he would let us shoot one of his guns!"..... I honestly did NOT need to know that! Today Granny is taking them to watch 'Stormbreaker" and tomorrow they are going fishing with Grandpa.

Meanwhile Boyd and I are able to finish our sentences, watch movies of our choice and act like we're on honeymoon again!!!!(Oooh-la-la). Why didn't we think of this before?

Love Fiffi........ I DO miss them! Tanna keeps asking "Where my boys?"

Nativity Kidnap !!

We EVENTUALLY found the Nativity Scene! It went up yesterday.I love it's presence in our home as it brings focus back to the true meaning of Christmas!

We have a problem though.........

See if you can spot it.... here is the first shot ......

And here is the second shot....................

YES.......BABY JESUS HAS BEEN REMOVED!

Little Tanna-Jayde was found playing with him behind the couch!

Codey said..." You'd better put him back, because without him there's NO CHRISTMAS!"

Love Fiffi

My Handy-Men make a Go-Cart !

My hubby is talented at MANY things, but one of them is not handy-man-fixer-things! When anything needs to be hung or painted, when DIY shelves or computer work shelves need to be erected,........ I do not ask for his assistance, as I know it just ain't his cup of tea! This works well for me, as I love doing ALL these sorts of jobs! I feel comfortable with a power drill or a paint brush in my hand.

Getting back to the reason for this post............ Hubby went to Builders Warehouse over the weekend and bought every imaginable screw size, drills, glue gun,drill bits, chisels, 3 wood saws etc..etc.. He was quite excited with his purchase, and I was a little surprised!? Then he offloaded some long planks, and presented them to the boys and announced that they were to draw a plan and make a Go-Kart! Which they did, without anybody's help!

Then I realized what Hubby was doing. Besides giving them a fun project to do, he was ensuring that they learn about handy-man stuff.

They are having enormous fun with it!

Love Fiffi

Special Visitors .....

Hi all....

Yesterday afternoon, Hubby's parents popped in for a visit.....on their way through to a Game Reserve. They came bearing gifts for the very excited kids! We had a wonderful evening of dinner,chit-chat and Christmas cake!! Granny Boom (the kids nickname for her) and I got stuck into the cake!!!!!Oooops!!!........ We always enjoy time with them.... they are so positive and uplifting!

I posted this pic so that 'GrannyBooms' sisters in Australia can see how young she looks!!!

love Fiffi