The twins turn 4

So on their actual birthday, I mentioned before that I offered to make pancakes with chocolate chips for breakfast and the kids told me I'm being silly.

We did our usual thing instead - normal breakfast, church and then D and I decided to go by Woolworths to get some cold meats and salads for lunch.

Since it was a special day, we ate in the garden because the Sunday was gorgeous as is always the case.

Cake for dessert and then some photos for me :)

you may have seen this one on FB :)

love this angle

I'm so grateful that I can take nice pics of the kids. This camera = best investment ever (after the IVFs :)).

How do you like to celebrate birthdays?

PS favourite pic?

One four-year-old + potato salad = a big mess

On the kids' birthday, we had a picnic lunch outside.

We had some potato salad and the children didn't want to wear bibs since they're now "big kids".

Can you guess what happened?

Yes... a big mess on her lovely Naartjie top.

look at the mayonnaise stains

First we tried washing it (and by we, I mean Nanny S) in the normal way, hoping that the stain removal would work with the oily mayonnaise stains.

They didn't come out :(

But then I read the Vanish booklet, followed the instructions exactly for mustard, and lo and behold, the stain disappeared, much to my relief.

out! bad picture but I can assure you they're all out

I really love this top, you see, as I think Kendra looks gorgeous in it :)

Next time the babies eat potato salad, you can be sure they'll be wearing their bibs!

 my new "taking pics at night" skills :)

Am I the only one out there who still makes her kids wear bibs? 

PS Vanish sent me the product to review for this post.

Jhb CBD mini photo walk

A few weeks ago, my one colleague and I were to meet an ex-colleague for lunch (she now works for the blue bank).

Ex-colleague says can we move earlier or cancel - I HATE cancelling so off we went at 10:30.

Can you tell the others were in a meeting? ;)

this pic could have been NYC

old Market Street

what is this one called?

Library Gardens

When we got back, even though I took about 5 minutes to take the photos, my soul was nurtured and my heart was full.

When was the last time you did something just to nurture your soul?

Week in review through my iphone

Very lazy to add text to number each photo so just start top left and read line by line :)

1. Presents for friends
2. My lovely children in their winter ponchos
3. Divine turquoise door
4. At the Spur (normally I hate the Spur but free food for kids on Wed!)
5. On my way to my interview
6. K lying on my lap
7. C next to me (our winter traditions)
8. Gorgeous view at work on Fridays
9. Hot chocolate
10. Little green shoots on a tree in my garden - spring has sprung?
11. Our first French plait
12. Future teenager
13. Breakfast this morning
14. Sunset tonight
15. Tree at the gym (don't think I'm virtuous, I totally went just to swipe!)
16. Connor decluttering his artwork

I've been trying to get back to my old, good habits of batch-blogging on my organising blog.

Hasn't quite worked but at least tomorrow's post is up.

In other news, I've got a bee in my bonnet and I'm switching the kids' room and my study around.

That would have been the sensible thing to do while I was pregnant but I had zero energy to do anything extra then. More than four years later, I'm finally onto it though :)

Also, with me, once I decide on something, I go for it full-force, so I planned the whole thing on graph paper (to scale!) with little cardboard cut-outs for all the furniture :) It must be this current role that's making me so OCD...

I have someone coming on Tuesday to help Nanny S with moving some of the things, and she and I will do the switch of shelf contents. I'm dreading it but on the bright side, it's an opportunity to properly sort and organise, right?

Have a wonderful week!

My John Grisham is calling my name.

What are you looking forward to this week?

PS I can't wait for tomorrow - I get my Brazilian Treatment - two months later but I'm doing it. 

A really nice birthday for D and my little project

My D had a birthday today.

We were chatting on the bed while the kids were jumping around doing who-knows-what and saying what a nice day it was and I think it's these 3 things:

1. D had a call from one of his best friends in London this morning. Since we all spoke on the phone, it was long... and we were late for a party but 100% worth it. SOOOO good to hear from him. And he's the type of person who talks so nicely to kids too so the kids also loved their chats :)

2. We then went to a party - we only spent about an hour and 15 minutes there but it was enough time for me to chat with 3 friends, I got to play with Connor on the jungle gym (he loved it and I told him we'd do it again) and I got some gorgeous pics.


 3. And then home for D's party which, in D-style, was only 5 of us altogether besides kids. It was a pizza and 30 seconds party. Such fun. Our friends have now challenged us to a rematch :) Anyone else want to take us on?


In other news, I got my June project life done the other day and here are the pics for the 3 people who are interested.

 

For my own birthday, I decided to invite some friends to a restaurant for lunch. Each one pays for themselves, no presents for me because I really don't need anything.

I did say if people wanted to bring something, to bring me a wrapped shoebox I can use for the Santa Shoebox project with 1 - 2 personal care items (toothpaste, deo, pads, soap).

I spoke more about that with our friends today and people, I'm STOKED for this year. My goal is 10 boxes and I can't wait to start shopping for good :) I also want to do a shoebox each for our two World Vision kids! I can't think of a better way to spend my money and I know the kids will love the process even more this year.

Which are the ways you enjoy celebrating your birthday?

The cowboy party

Despite the cold weather and very grey, overcast skies, the sun actually came out for about 2 - 3 hours on the kids' party day and I couldn't have been happier.

I'm obviously not posting lots of pics but these give you an idea of what went on.

This was my first time using a venue and there were definite pros and cons.

Pros

• no clean-up from us afterward!
• lots of space for kids to run around and play
• no clean-up ;)

Cons

• Such a small margin of time to set up (30 mins before) that people were there and I was still setting up
• I didn't even use all the party printables I had, just enough to display some of the theme
• I took practically my whole house with me (not necessary at this venue as she was super organised)

I don't think I'll have it at a venue again because I do need to realise that all our birthdays are in winter and not in summer, as in my fantasies. At home I start setting up a day or two beforehand so things are very easy on the day of the party.

Next year I need to think up winter themes that I can do inside the house (in fact I already know what i want for next year and when I saw the awful weather I was very tempted to change at the last minute) and maybe bribe the kids to run outside quickly for some pics.

I already broached the theme with the kids and Connor, especially, is dead keen!

Highlights

• Very high RSVP rate despite me not chasing up and a very high pitch rate; also it's school holidays and 6 kids were on holiday.
• Assembling the party bags (I gave the kids a colouring book, crayons and trail mix)
• I got most of the photos I wanted (don't have a pic of you, Laura :( and of D's uncle's wife)
• Thank-you cards were done within a week
• My spreadsheet is really working well. I've had the same one since their 2nd birthday (and I use for the half birthdays too) and it's so easy to copy the page, delete and add people.

Okayyyyy, onto the photos.

"give your sister a hug"

my little cowgirl and cowboy

Caren and me

look at that big smile

this is 4!

I love this pic - D's uncle and the kids

Mrs FF

Gorgeous Jack

Cat and her kids

Do you prefer your home or a venue? Why?

PS There are two types of people in the world - those who organise on a spreadsheet and those that don't. Which one are you?