Horwoods Farm Photoshoot - my photos

To the mothers of 4-year-olds out there... go read your 4-year-old, wild and wonderful. In fact, now that I enjoyed that one so much, I'm going to get the other books every year.

Some of the reviews talk a lot about it feeling dated. I didn't even sense that at all (that may be a function of how old-fashioned I am - I call it having "traditional" values :)). I just really liked knowing what was normal for a 4-year-old.

Now when the kids are acting crazy (the definition of crazy differs about 3 times a day), I just tell D, "oh that's normal behaviour for Four". Needless to say, he's finding me particularly annoying at the moment.

Anyhow, get the book and read it! There's also a great section about toys and books for this age.

So that day we went for our photoshoot, I took pics of the kids too. I'm always amazed afterwards when there are actually some nice photos because it feels like I'm saying the same thing "LOOK AT ME!!! NO FUNNY FACES" a million times.

genuine scared face!

cute tummy peeking out and a plaster on the knee = authentic four!

again, genuine fear! See D's t-shirt :)

Do you have a favourite?

PS Mrs FF is so organised; her baby had a photoshoot at less than two weeks old (I know this is kind-of normal for a lot of you - I'm in awe since I didn't get my A into G til 4.5 months).

Look how these babies are growing

I had a little aha moment when I was reading "My one word" this weekend.

You know how the Bible says "behold" in a lot of verses? Well, we all know behold means look but his tweak on it was look, AND look back (review).

So today, let's behold and look at how these babies are growing.

Look at K's head and that glass pane in the door behind her...and then look where it was in the January photo! C's also grown but I feel more shocked by Kendra :)

Robyn, this is the bicycle pump

BABIES!!!!

First day of school pics taken 9 Jan this year.

The rest taken 28 Sept (this Sat - how recent and up to date am I?! It's because I've got about one-sixth of the photos I normally do... on the bright side, I will soon start posting photos of the beach and such :))

The photo that sums up Plett for me and ...the books read version

I'm not a huge fan of book reviews - both reading them and writing them.


I don't believe most reviews of books because I know I probably won't enjoy it (definitely anything serious :)) and they won't enjoy mine.

There are only two people who have the same taste in books as I do (Helene and Shayne).

That said, I still want to tell you about a few books I loved recently. These all got 4 stars - I only give life-changing books like Motherstyles 5 stars :)


Marian Keyes - Mammy Walsh's A - Z of the Walsh Family
It's a short book but laugh out loud funny. You'll love it especially if you've read her other novels.








Then in an attempt to get 3 things off my 38 things list, I read three authors I haven't read for a LONG time.

Jeffery Deaver - XO




Sinead Moriarty - This child of mine
I enjoy all Sinead Moriarty's books. ALL!



Penelope Trunk - The new american dream
People commented on my FB that she's a nutjob, etc. I personally find her to challenge my thinking a lot and I love that.  I really loved this book!

Erin Kaye - The promise of happiness
A new author to me and I was HOOKED. I've since bought a Kindle copy of this book for a friend, and another two of hers for me. I can't WAIT!




James Patterson - Now you see her
You'll read it in two days even if you work full-time and you have twins :)



Roisin Meaney - The Daisy Picker
Another new author  - LOVE LOVE LOVE
I bought another one too....


And then... Helene recommended these 2 to me - LOVED them all so here you go (esp you, Shayne :))

Linwood Barclay - Never look away

My D told me that one of these crime writers (I think Jeffery Deaver) said Linwood Barclay is someone they personally enjoy reading. Flip - you will NOT put this down. I read the sample on my kindle, bought the book at like midnight, and carried on reading til 1 that first night!

I haven't bought another yet because I can't afford to read half the night and I know that's what will happen.





Louise Millar - The Playdate
Again, brilliant!





For my birthday month, I'm going to totally indulge and read all my chick-lit on my kindle and not bother myself with physical books I have to get through :)

What are you reading at the moment? What's on your to-read list?


In other news, while we were on holiday, one morning I was literally on the floor taking pics of these boots.

If I had to choose one pic that sums up the holiday, it would be this one :) Gorgeous house, boots, sea sand....

gorgeous light - oh this house was perfect for photos

Connor sees me on the floor taking pics, nabs his boots and runs off

So I refocus just on these ones...

and then he decided to return and take these too. Caught!

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?

Winter birthdays and a Sunday birthday round-up

The official party post will have to wait for another day but bottom line... it was a success, at least in my books. Everybody came (there were two who didn't but they were sick) and it looked like people had fun.

I do have a whole other "lessons learnt" posts, mainly that I need to let go of the fantasy that it'll be sunny (like a typical winter's day) and kind-of warm on their birthday and just plan an inside party.

What do you guys do who have kids with winter birthdays?

this is 4 - they told me this is their "style" and as you know, I fight about manners, not about clothes :)

And then a hodge-podge of things running around my head:

I seem to be addicted to Milky Bar. I baked some cowboy and cowgirl cookies for the kids' classmates (I asked them, "Babies, what do you want to take to school for your birthday and they shouted, "BISCUITS" and I only make cowboy cookies or oatmeal cookies. These ones seemed ever slightly more fun) and how I differentiated them was one with brown chocolate bits and one with white chocolate bits. When I bought the Milky Bars I bought extra... bad mistake. They are SO yummy. I keep forgetting. By the way, Connor is taking the white chocolate ones and Kendra the brown chocolate ones. As he told me, cowboys LOVE white chocolate :)

My study is a complete mess of presents and wrapping paper/ bags. I'm too scared to pack the things away in case I miss out on a thank-you card. I will make a proper list tomorrow but about half way through the day today, the kids just went wild and I couldn't keep up with the writing and supervising and taking pics, so I decided to just take pics and rely on my shoddy memory.

My kids are now also hoarders. When I tried to toss wrapping paper, they (Connor) were all, "NOOOOO Mummy, I want to cut out those ____________ (dinosaurs, cars, etc.)"

We asked the kids what they wanted to do today on their birthday and they said, "open presents"! I suggested making them special pancakes (crepes) with chocolate bits (still have some over from the cowboy cookies) for breakfast and Connor told me, "Mummy, don't be silly, we can't have pancakes for breakfast" and he wouldn't be swayed. He was serious because breakfast always equals cereals and a fruit, and then maybe a slice of toast.

We went to church, stopped at Woolworths for "fun food" and then had lunch outside because of course, today was gorgeous! And then we had a little photoshoot. D saw me getting frustrated because I've created a little diva photographer who now tells ME where he wants me, K and D, and so D bribed them with jellybeans (2 each since it's their birthday :)) and I ended up getting some lovely pics! Can I just say again how that camera is THE best money I ever spent? I'm getting such gorgeous pics of mine and other people's kids and buildings and and and it brings me COMPLETE joy that I created those pics with my eye :)

I need to go pack my bag and lunch for tomorrow now because I've not given work a backward glance since Friday 12 pm!

How was your weekend?