38 things

Well, I didn't do as well on my list as I did the previous year but I have done 76% of the items.

 

I had to give myself a talking-to and tell myself it's better than nothing.

 

I mentioned a couple of months ago that a lot of my items were 12-part projects or worse (read 60 books) so I really was very ambitious (mad!).

 

This year I want to have more fun with my list.

 

I will still have 38 items but there will be no more than 5 parts to any one project except for the books.

 

This pic was taken of a bus stop on Bryant Square (is it square, street, where Bank of Ameria is?)

 

 

So let's get to it:

 

1. Pay attention to what comes out of my mouth. This is a topic for a post but I learnt at She Speaks that I process and express internally so in times of stress, I shout. And I need to learn to stop doing that. My scripture is Ps 19:14 may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight.
2. Assume positive intent with D. Am I the only one who assumes he leaves things undone just to annoy me? I read a lovely post (again, another blog post) where she spoke about the secret of a good marriage is to assume positive intent. They are not out to get us.
3. Have another beach holiday. I would happily go back to Ballito.
4. Plan a celebration for my mother's 60th next year. This is going to be interesting because she 1) hates parties 2) hates a fuss...
5. Take the kids to the Pretoria Zoo.
6. Spend Mandy's voucher. MandyR's family gave the babies a very nice experiential gift and I'll take them to do two fun things. Any ideas? Are they too young for Sci-Bono?
7. Sponsor another World Vision child. I want some of you along with this ride - R150 a month or thereabouts. Less than $20.
8. Do Santa's Shoebox for another 3 kids.
9. Have a mini photo shoot - how will we ever top the Newtown one though?
10. Have 25 dates with D.
11. Get to Cape Town.
12. Get kids registered for pre-school. There is just one thing to check and then I can pay.
13. Get into another position at work. More later... but I am SO inspired by Heather.
14. Bring my awesomeness to current job too. Take charge and act with courage.
15. Get my handwriting made into a font
16. Read a Jeffrey Deaver novel.
17. Read a John Grisham novel.
18. Read a Patricia Cornwell novel.
19. Read a James Patterson novel.
20. Read a Michael Connolly novel. (I haven't read any crime novels since the babies were born and it's high time I started again, don't you think?)
21. Read 60 books in total, 12 of them non-fiction.
22. Declutter books so that I have ALL of them on the one small 3-shelf bookshelf. Currently all 3 shelves are full plus 2 others - the one is only about 70% full.
23. Read entire New Testament
24. Write a book for the Kindle. Am I mad? I think so.
25. Ask God to show Himself regularly, in the little and big things.
26. Start speaking a message of hope to Christian women. This is here as a ginormous act of faith. Because I have No Clue how this will work. But I'm available and willing.
27. Take 25 awesome pics of people's faces (by awesome I mean pics even they love). On the one photowalk I still haven't blogged, I took pics of an ex-staff member and she loved them so much. That's what I want. To show people they can have good pics even without smiling :)
28. Make a craft with scrapbook paper.
29. Make a craft with canvas.
30. Make a craft with cards.
31. Make a craft with bakers' twine.
32. Make a craft with stamps.
33. Make a craft with all my punches.
34. Make a craft with photos. I have a plan for the NYC pics but let's see. I'm starting on Friday - hopefully it's not a huge flop.
35. Save R_________  - it's a huge chunk of money, a stretch even for me so that it forces me to think differently about my finances and not just put away what's comfortable. Did you know I started saving R50 (about $6) a month in 1998? Those days are long gone. But that's also the same year we started sponsoring World Vision kids.
36. Simplify business even more. Another thing God spoke to me about at SheSpeaks (and MandyR also said) - I'm too busy. I do like having a lot to do but this is ridiculous. I want my one free night a week back where I do nothing but read.
37. Buy a frivolous YELLOW handbag for summer
38. Start collecting the Seinfeld DVDs. I have none at the moment so I need to "hit up" (as you US gals say) Musica or Look & Listen.

And that's it.

 

Still a huge stretch, still very challenging, still requires tons of focus but I feel lighter and somehow more free.

 

Did any of those surprise you? Do you have ideas for any of them? Do you want to join me for any?

She speaks conference

I wrote a nice long post on my other blog. Please go have a look.

Here are some additional pics. The one was taken as I was sitting on the floor.

It's very cold here today. The expected high is 9 degrees. Brrrr.

38 random acts of kindness

It's here - the big 38.

I must say, I feel about half that age although with a full 38 years of wisdom (ha!) and experience.

I did 29 gifts last year after being inspired by Dee (if you're still reading, HI!!!) and loved it so much I decided to make it a bit more regular.

So I've been doing at least 4, most months more, random acts of kindness every month over the last year and it has been fabulous.

Fabulous!

It's made me pay attention very well when people talk (or blog) to see if there's something I can do to bless them (eg our PA told me her word of the year was Hope and I was out shopping and saw a hope mug so bought it for her. Well, she was so touched. I love it!) and it honestly takes your mind off your troubles when your thought every week is, "hmmm, how can I show kindness to someone this week?"

Not that it always works so if I've not been kind to you (or you) in some way, I do apologise. But I have tried, and tried hard.

This year I want to do things a little bit differently but I'll write some more tonight when I post my 38 things list.

So let's get to it.

Please post in the comments and link yourself up, or if you write a post, then link up that post.

Let the games begin.


Thank you for helping me spread some kindness in the world for two weeks. It's not too late to do something nice for someone.

A few things

my kids love brushing their teeth

1. Well, I had a lovely 4-hour date with D today - I called it my birthday lunch. We went to a lunch with Jeffrey Deaver (do you know who he is? If not, he wrote the book that the movie The Bone Collector was based on)

It was at a very swish 5* hotel in the northern parts of Jhb and I ran intoTHREE people I know. I mean, really! One I work with - his wife was like, "so how do you know my husband????" and the other two I used to work with at a previous company so now we're just FB friends.

The author had a great Q & A and I connected well with all three ladies at our table.

Fresh from my travels, I felt absolutely No Shame in taking tons of pics. I feel like a bit of a freak at first and then I almost assume the role of Paparazzi and just go for it :)

I just love how she does this.

2. So the situation I spoke about yesterday escalated about ten times today. At one point we had 5 pees in about 1.5 hours. The child now has to wipe up the pee but still thinks cleaning is a huge adventure. We eventually resorted to bribing with M&Ms and had ONE success after that. It looks like we're starting the whole process again...

3. I finished the birthday party pics and all my July pics yesterday. I figured I'm on a roll, might as well get to it. Of course this means I have about 100 unread items in my Google Reader. By the way, I  "marked all as read" TWICE in my inspiration folder (otherwise called the folder I pin from) while I was away.

Now I just need to blog it all and get it on here. Cat took some pics too and uploaded them to dropbox but oh my soul, I just downloaded 4 tonight and decided there has got to be a better way because I'm going grey(er) downloading them pic by pic. Cat, can I please EFT you some money to put on a disc and send to me?

4. This Pinterest post is my favourite of the week - there are so many bits of genius in there. Don't read if you're drinking coffee - I nearly spat mine out right at my desk on Friday. Oh, how I love Claudia's writing. Claudia, you are on my list of bloggers to meet (in a non-stalker way)!!!


Last but not least, please put your link in my random act of kindness link tomorrow.

So how was your weekend?

What are you looking forward to this week? 

Well, for me that would be my long weekend. Thursday is women's day in South Africa and I've taken Friday off. As I said to my colleague, it's almost a sin to NOT take the Friday off, right?

And then I'm having a few friends over for a little lunch on Saturday. Yes, I'm mad. When we were in Charlotte, MandyR told me I'm too busy and I 100% agree. I'll slow down... after Saturday ;)

I don't know if this "travelling without kids" business is for me

Just to recap... I was away for 11 nights and D was away for 6 nights from  the kids.

They were taken care of just fine by both Nanny S (during the day) and my mother at night, and I believe my MIL had her monthly two-hour visit during that time too.

Everything went well.

I've always set out their clothes, 5 - 6 days at a time (my closet organiser only has 6 spaces), so when I left on the Wed, clothes were ready until Sunday and they'd have to sort out the clothes for the next week.

I made a menu plan for the kids and a rough one for the big people - not to dictate what they had to eat but more to show what we had ingredients for in the house. And I did a last shop on the Wed afternoon before I left.

My mother's cooking was hugely successful because Connor told me today that "Granny N's meatballs are my favourite meal". Right then! She does cook well. She also left two of MY favourite meals in the freezer for me, chicken lentil curry. YUM!

Of course, nobody bothered to update my shopping lists (my mother is a spur-of-the-moment shopper, not a planner like I am) so we had a few "aaarghhh, we don't have rice" moments ... :)

That's the physical part.

People have been asking if we were okay while we were away.

D was MUCH better than I expected - he was "overly hands-on" when there were little kids about because he missed ours but I honestly thought he'd be pining for them more.

I missed mine when I saw other little ones (the two Mandys and Pufferfish's kids) but I was mostly fine.

There was no crying from anyone!

We tried to skype daily but the time difference didn't always work out (it had to be 10 - 11 am USA time) and sometimes we were on a tour or out and about, but I'd say on the whole we spoke about 5 - 6 times, and we also left them 3 presents each.

When we got back they were so happy and sweet as pie but I mentioned before that Connor keeps telling me, "you must sleep here tonight" and "are you going to stay here the whole day?" and Kendra seems like she's extra huggy and kissy. She keeps saying, "I want to kiss you because I love you" which is perfectly fine with me. We're having a love fest here :)

However.

One child has been having potty accidents regularly in the morning and at night. I thought it was happening during the day too but Nanny S told me the other day it's only happening when one or more of the parents are home. I think it's been getting worse though although I don't want to freak out - after all, this still is minor stuff in the grand scheme of life.

(some of you don't think so but I understand their world being turned upside down - never been apart from us and then for so long)


Sooooooo any suggestions in the meanwhile?

Should we just continue to put on underwear and change it a LOT (I saw today it can get to be a LOT) or shall I resort to nappies? 

I've tried bribing with raisins and it's not working. The child also acts like it's not a big deal.

PS D and I discussed it and we do still think it's worthwhile but for a shorter period. I told him I want to go to Paris next (just the two of us) or Thailand with the kids. 

{Friendship Friday} When blog friends become IRL friends - part 1

Well, I wanted to meet 5 of my blog friends on my USA trip and I'm happy to say I did just that. Plus a new blog I follow.

I've had varying degrees of success in the "from blog to real life" meet-ups. Understandably, the more open bloggers are on their blog or behind the scenes in email with me, the less anxiety I feel about the meet-up.

Like Suzanne who I met up with in Scotland. That was still the craziest meet-up - both of us flying half way around the world to a place we both wanted to visit.

People said to me, "isn't it going to be weird?" but I knew Suzanne would be just the same in real life as on her blog (now deleted).

And it was a FABULOUS three days in Scotland.

But enough about that - I've had enough personal emails from a lot of you wanting to know how I enjoyed the bloggers I met!

I get it - you want to hear the nitty-gritty..

Charlotte

1. Beth

Hyatt House, Charlotte - breakfast area

Beth and I have been friends for 6 years and is also my accountability partner. She is the exact opposite of me (INFP) so always complements me beautifully as INFPs are some of my favourite people. She centres my thinking and really challenges me in the way I think.

I remember her saying to me once 4 years ago (smack-bang in the throes of infertility) when I was telling her about all these things I was doing with my business, "what's really going on? why do you feel the need to be so busy?" (if you think I'm busy now, I was about 10 times busier then - ask Beth)

And I said, "I think I'm trying to avoid the pain"

Profound! Big wake-up call for me.

We chat every week so I was very keen to take it up a notch or 10 and meet her in person.

I was very touched that she travelled all the way from Michigan to see me.

It was great to chat and feel her stillness and calmness in person for a change.


2. MandyE

Well, I think Mandy and I talk more behind the scenes than in our comments on each other's blogs and while I like to pretend that she's only this way with me, I know she's as encouraging, genuine and caring with many others.

Except... don't burst my bubble.

Hyatt House, Charlotte - breakfast area (yes, we all stayed in the same hotel)

I wrote about our meeting before but Mandy was just as I expected. The only thing that surprised me is just how much she and J love wet wipes :) and how much more of a photographer she is than she lets on with her blog posts.

Her girls are darling, have such good manners and gave me lots of hugs (which I LOVE!) and I had some substitute kids for the first day (who wanted to hold my hand!) before their "friends" (the other Mandy's kids) arrived who clearly outdid me in the cool department.

our feet - by the way, those sandals are so worn from all the walking I need to throw them out

I loved their Southernness and I'm a sucker for the manners and the "ma'am" and "Miss Marcia". Oh, I melted MANY times over. Mandy, your girls are SO well-behaved. For those who think I have well behaved kids (I do), Mandy's are about 10 times better. I suspect it's her calm, firm parenting style.

It was just SO special to finally experience real time with their family. Also J was much more hands-on than typical South African twin dads (not my D, of course :)) and knew probably more about South Africa than I did!

3. MandyH

Oh Mandy!

Mandy and I met while pregnant (I think I found her at the same time I found StrongBlonde but we actually became friends then while my comments disappeared on SB's blog and I gave up - note to self, don't give up! April, I'm so glad you and I eventually got it all sorted)

And then I had mine 8 weeks early, Mandy freaked out (I have the proof in a comment) and her babies came early 13 days later.

Of course, Mandy and I did Superhero Photo and Elevate the Ordinary together and now we also talk photo as well as babies and all the other stuff :) I LOVE that I have a partner in photo crime.

Good that we have that because she is the new version of Martha - cooking, baking, sewing (oh, the sewing!), and in her spare time, does her basement flooring and builds beds. I mean really! Isn't that just showing off?!

It was fantastic to meet Mandy, hubby and darling Claire and Emma.

She is so funny in a not trying to be funny way.

Hubby texts her "where are you?" because we were out late.

She texts back "in Charlotte"

Full of sass and I love it!

When I left Charlotte, I purposefully blocked out thinking about how nice it was to be with my (now) real life friends because I didn't want to get all introspective and sad... but now I have the space to be.

I actually intended to blog about all the bloggers in one post BUT clearly I have a problem talking too much.

Next week, same place? The Heather section is going to be long - we had a fabulous couple date!

Did you enjoy reading these updates? How many bloggers have you met in real life?

PS met 8 bloggers this year alone!

August goals and how I did in July

Guess what?

 

I'm done with the pics! I've been up til after 1 am for the last two nights but it's DONE!

 

Down from 1619 to 1198 - 26% for those who like stats :)

where do you think this was taken?

 

So, these were my goals for July.  

1. Don't get too sad about the babies growing up. Celebrate their growth and have an awesome party.
2. Decide what to do about my party.
3. Try not to freak out too much when I'm away from my kids for 11 days.
4. Have an awesome speaking conference - engage fully, participate, show courage and have fun. Don't be scared of the Southern ladies! There were people from 5 countries - the USA, Canada, SA, Poland and a South American country
5. Have awesome blog meet-ups with my dear friends in the computer. Don't think too much but just DIVE in. I have plans to meet 4 people in Charlotte and 2 in NYC. Yay! So Deanna couldn't come at the last minute :( but I met another blogger. I really need to write that post about all the bloggers.
6. Read Galations, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians no, but I did read my devotional and other bits of the Bible. The point was to read and I did so I'm crossing this one off :)
7. Read 5 books. I actually read 7!
8. Go see all the short-listed pre-schools. I went to see 3 pre-schools the morning of my flight out. Amazing the differences in styles, cleanliness and organisation. One was a clear "winner" in my view. D has to go see it but I think they'll be going there next year.
9. June photos
10. June mini-book and some other little projects
11. Go to gym 7 - 8 times. What was I thinking of? I was away for almost two weeks! Anyway, managed 3 times
12. Update my budget & set realistic spending plan (mine has clearly been unrealistic).
13. Check 22se.ven twice this month.

 So I did awesome. 12 out of 13 = 92%

YES!

For this month I was thinking of taking it easy... and then I started making my list and maybe I just need to accept that I'm happiest and most productive when I have got a lot on the go.

Central Park, NYC

Spiritual

1. Read those 5 books of the Bible from last month
2. Continue to pray about speaking and business

Family

1. Take kids to Bambanani
2. Jeffrey Deaver lunch
3. Two dates with D
4. Check out any more pre-schools, otherwise register the kids.

Health and fitness

1. Go to gym 8 - 10 times, 4 times with Connor 
2. Drink 2 L water daily - I think this is the first winter it's been this hard
3. Have 2 fruits and 2 yoghurts daily

Creating

1. Finish USA photos
2. Do July mini-book
3. Print pics from May - July
4. Edit and print kids' birthday pics (and post them) and put in a mini album
5. Finish USA scrapbook - I am a rockstar. Wrote all the journalling on the flight back (much to the annoyance of the man in front of me) so I literally just have to paste in the stubs with washi tape.

Business

1. Get all the Mandela free sessions done
2. Intro sessions with two new people
3. Go through my shop and decide what to delete
4. Send out physical copies of my book when they arrive. BTW, if you want to order an autographed copy and you live in SA, go get one.

Friends

1. Birthday party
2. Fertility Babies supper

 

Personal

1. Get 38 people signed up to do a random act of kindness over the next two weeks
2. Write out and post 38 things list
3. Recon USA spending...
4. Balance my account (I see SARS refunded me) and review budget for next year to see if we can afford to let the kids go half day and keep the nanny.

 

Have you set goals/ intentions for August? Link up your posts in the comments.

 

The best thing that happened in July was me stepping out of the box and travelling alone internationally and crossing some things off the old life list. Of course, within that statement are tons of other fantastic things.

 

What was the best thing that happened to you last month? 

 

{USA 2012} Charlotte paparazzi

I loved, loved, LOVED my time in Charlotte for many reasons but certainly one of those was meeting all these babies I'd only read about.

MandyE will tell you how besotted I was with her girls when I first met them (I kept saying, "I can't believe I'm SEEING them") and then seeing the other Mandy's kids the next day was a special cherry on top. All the personalities are SO cute

Of course, the three of us were are crazy and we had to play paparazzi.

Claire and Emma - Emma was like "I am SO over this"

I called Mandy the Pied Piper - all the littles were SO into her. Too cute!

I love this pic of Claire - do you know I had to do some careful cropping because the rest of the pic is rubbish?!

I melt!

Mandy E's Baby B

Emma in the front with B behind her

Then again, who wouldn't love the lady who kept giving them money? :) That's Baby A in the front.

Gorgeous pic of Baby A

love this angle - Mandy's hubby plus 4 cute girls

Tell me you're not melting. We caused a bit of a stir in downtown Charlotte with all this cuteness going on.

that face!

Serious model face!

friends with one twin!

and then with the other

These poor children were so photographed I'm surprised we got any good ones.

At one point there were 3 big cameras in their faces with some of us (not me:)) saying, "SMILE!"

I actually LOVE the non-smiling ones the best. Just look at Baby A's lovely serious face above. She's got that model look down at 3.5.

So, which is your favourite pic? Why?

Next week's my birthday

On Monday next week I celebrate my birthday.

And I thought it would be really cool to ask you for a gift :)

What if each of us did just ONE random act of kindness for a stranger over the next two weeks?

It doesn't have to be monetary (although if that's how you're led, go for it); it can be anything - a phone call to someone, a lovely note, spending time with someone to encourage them, etc, etc.

Please don't get steeped in indecision because you'll procrastinate and this will pass you by.

So let me know if you're in and I'll next week I'll do a post and you can all post in the comments what you did.

How does that sound? Are you in?

PS I'm hoping that 38 people will participate ;)