My D's really good at packing... and I'm not

D's always had the job of packing the luggage in the boot (trunk) for road trips. He is excellent at arranging random-shaped things to make them all fit.

It's a serious skill!

Maybe I appreciate it so much because I'm not skilled that way. D tells me it's from his Zim days when they used to pack the car and drive down to Jhb, and back.... I say, "noooo, it's your mad packing skillz".

Are you good at packing?

So on the last day in Ballito, we were all packed so the kids and I decided to have a last walk on the boardwalk while D did his "magic" and packed up the car... and my mother made sandwiches :)

doesn't this just scream 5-year-old girl? plastic beaded bracelet that she made herself and chipped nail polish :)

5 benches - I couldn't resist

squinty kids

racing back

our last photo in Ballito

Bye Ballito - we miss you already!

Okay, so let's talk about holidays!

Who's going on holidays soon?

I will have 6 days (!) in Dec/ Jan but I may go into negative leave to get a full two weeks' off (MandyE, don't be jealous of all our leave :))

Ballito photo session aka getting in photos with your kids

The ONE thing I want from every "memorable" occasion is at least one nice photo.

 

Is that too much to ask?

 

I've spoken before about how important it is for me (AND YOU!) to get in photos with the kids. It was a journey for me in 2011 but I'm there now and I get a good haul of about 100 decent (made the cut) photos every year.

 

Isn't that awesome?!

 

Anyway, so when we went to Ballito to celebrate my 40th birthday, I wanted nice photos against the fabulous grey wall.

 

At the time I thought the photo session was a disaster.... then again, I always do.... but I got some beautiful photos and some weird ones that I LOVE!

 

Here is just a small selection of photos from the 4th day and the photo session against that wall!

setting out

 

Essence - Berry (R24,95 from Clicks) It is my "normal" signature shade.

this is actually what it's like trying to take photos with 5-year-olds - ZERO focus

unexpected great one!

Do you consciously get in photos with your kids?

(if not, let's set a goal, just get in 3 photos for the months remaining of 2014, one a month. So this is something I'm willing to do a link-up for. Will you participate? If you're nervous, start with all your feet or hands, and then profile shots, til you get comfortable with a "proper" photo)

PS I have a photo of my mother and I when I was THREE, and I made sure to get one of her now I'm FORTY! Nothing in between except wedding photos.

This heat is no joke

I walked to the mall yesterday and back because I've been coughing like crazy (to the point where I feel like I could vomit) at random times through the day.

No other symptoms of anything else; just the coughing.

But yesterday I'd had 3 coughing fits by 9:30 in the morning. My colleague kindly suggested that I might want to get something ;)

Anyway, so off I go to the mall to Clicks. I detoured to Mr P home and to Woolworths (got some RED flats!) - but that's not part of the story.

I got some cough syrup and eventually headed back.

Guys, this heat is no joke. Probably 10 - 12 minutes total walking in the heat and I was finished.

Also, I had the beginnings of a heat headache which abated somewhat (Panado!) but then started up again.

I just about managed to sort the kids' clothes, feed all of them and myself and then I jumped into bed.

I slept for over 9 hours last night but my Fitbit app tells me 36 minutes were restless/ awake so it puts the actual sleep time at 8 hrs 44.

Note to myself - no more walking around in 28 - 29-degree heat in Jhb.

We have a party tomorrow so I'm going to be chugging away from my 800 ml water bottle in the shade with my big sunhat and NOT running around the kids at all.

Except for the odd pic :)

And of course, some pics to go with the heat post - Ballito day 3.

this is going to be my new "Marcia" pics - I had the one taken at the old work, in the Drakensberg, and now at the beach :)

thank goodness for D's long arms!

LOVE this pic!

Casting Crowns' new album on my mind... it's a good one!

this is so us! I don't like tea or coffee but reading in bed forever? yes please. With a child or two? Double yes!

My 40th birthday... in photos

Done!

Which is your favourite?