Bradley’s school has a Valentine’s dance every year, and all the kids from Grade 3  upwards have to attend.  So this year it’s his first dance experience.

Hectic!!

I thought that it was just a little dance.  It doesn’t last very long, and I think it ends really early (from what I can remember, and no I haven’t studied the newsletters yet).

Well, clearly not!! Bradley’s best friend Angelique has been asked to “go” by one of the other boys.

I did ask him how he felt about Angelique going with another boy… his answer “well, I can’t ask my best friend to go with me, that would be weird” LOL!

Call me strange, but aren’t 8/9 year olds a little young for this?  He’s stressing now.  He’s so nervous to ask another girl to this thing, and I actually don’t think he should be.  I don’t see anything wrong with him going with his friends… in a group.

Am I strange?

Anyhoo, this evening I was a little more relaxed about the whole thing when he told me that some of his boy friends had asked other boy friends to go with them. Clearly it’s not “that” important.

Connor, on the other hand, thinks it’s hilarious that Bradley’s going to a dance, and he’s going to “shake his booty” LOL!! There was a lot of wrestling going on this evening after the teasing.

I’m not ready for this… I’m not ready for this angst.  I’m not sure I’m equipped to help him deal with girls saying “no” to him asking them out.

Bloody hell he’s too young for this!! I’m too young for this!!

The kids’ toys have been bugging me for ages, so I got a bee into my bonnet this afternoon and I’ve just finished cleaning them up and doing a major chuck out.

I was amazed at how much they let me throw out… and in a way it made me sad.

What I did was have 3 piles… one with broken toys to throw in the dustbin… one for toys to donate… and the other the toys to keep.

I then asked the kids to go through the donation pile and move the ones that they still played with to the “keep” pile.  And they went through the “keep” pile and donate the toys that they didn’t play with anymore.  I didn’t get much wrong, although I started being more ruthless when Connor shouted that something needed to go to the donate pile… when it was “too baby-ish… yuk”.

It made me feel really sad to get rid of the last of the Fisher Price toys (the ones for age 2+), and all the brightly coloured cars with chunky tyres.  The only toys Connor wanted to keep were the guns and swords and Bakugans and the Hot Wheels and the meaner looking toys.

My baby is gone

But it’s crazy keeping the toys.  In the end I threw out 2 rubbish bags of broken toys, and then I went to the carwash and gave the ladies a rubbish bag of old toys… and I’m going to give Beauty (my domestic helper) the last bag of old toys for her grandson.

…. and now we’re going to watch a movie.

We had an early Christmas present opening session last night at my parent’s house, with my brother and his family.  They weren’t going to be with us on Christmas day, so we had a Christmas Eve celebration too… and the kids opened a few of their presents.

Erin had asked Father Christmas for a Ken doll, and we heard about this and knew that Santa wasn’t bringing her one, so that was one of the gifts that we bought her.

And then, Pavya, and ex-colleague of mine, who lives in India, sent the kids gifts too.  She’d spent last Christmas with us, and decided to send them Christmas pressies… so unexpected!! And so very special!! So anyhoo, she sent Erin the most gorgeous Barbie in Indian dress… the most gorgeous sari.

Isn’t she gorgeous?

Erin was so so funny, with the 2 dolls.  Within 5 minutes of them getting untangled from their boxes… she had them kissing!!!

… Much to the disgust of my boys…

LOL!! Carl, my brother, was at a complete loss for words!

I decided to take a few extra days leave, and I ended my year of corporate work yesterday.  Corporate work only, because I’ve got so much editing to finish before I can really relax… and in fact I’m hoping I do get to finish it before the next shoots start next year and I do get a break.

So my idea for my blog post was to show you photos from my day… but alas… that’s not to be.  I’m reviewing a Sony camera and after using it, I realised I didn’t get a cable to connect to the Mac… and I don’t have a SD card reader.  And now I’m just freaking annoyed.  I went and bought a SD card reader tonight while Christmas shopping, and the bloody thing doesn’t work… so no photos I’m afraid.

Anyhoo, what a busy busy day!

Took the dogs to Walkhaven, and Connor, like normal forgot to take shoes (and I only realised too late), so he spent most of the time waiting for us at the car because there were too many thorns and rocks on the ground.  I have SUCH problems getting him to wear shoes!! He’s only got one pair of flip flops again… heaven only knows what happened to the other 2 pairs… it’s not like he wears them!

Then we went home for a quick swim before heading off to the shops.  I only wanted to get boxes for my photography, because my stock is too low and my custom boxes are only arriving in Feb… but the shop seems to have closed for Xmas (I found a new packaging place that I wanted to try).

Then we dashed home again to have a spot of lunch before the kids’ friends arrived for the afternoon.

And while they played and swam and played again, I edited… and finished another shoot

And after supper, I went shopping again.  That’s right, I started my Xmas shopping at 7pm.  That’s how I roll every year.  Thankfully one of the shopping centres still opens that late!! I was so surprised when planning my shopping this year, that Sandton City’s idea of Christmas trading hours is until 7pm… and Cresta until 8pm! Madness! Anyway, Clearwater got all my business then.

So I’m done… all presents bought and just need to be wrapped… and tomorrow I can relax… and edit some more.  And try get the photos off this stupid SD card.  So far, I’m not enjoying this camera… not just the hassle getting the photos off, but I don’t really like the way it works (it’s almost their top of range DSLR, the A77)

Ooh I do have a photo… one from Walkhaven that I took with my iPhone using Path –  and that’s my new latest favourite app btw!!  How awesome is that grass… next time I go, I’m taking a proper camera.

I had a rough night last night. Not drinking rough though… I edited the Branson images until 2am to get them ready for delivery (they had to be delivered before 8am and my MacBook was acting up and chugging)

So today after I got home from an early morning shoot, Lance insisted that I nap… While he went to work. He just didn’t get that I cannot do that!

Even though I didn’t drink last night I feel like I’ve got a hangover. I really feel quite rough.
So I ended up napping for an hour before taking the kids for a Wimpy lunch (where I’m typing this)

Sitting here reminded me of how I could express that guilty feeling. You know that advert on TV where the mom has passed out and the little boy makes his sister breakfast? That advert kills me every time I see it, and that feeling I get when I watch that advert is the same feeling I get when I take a nap during the day and I’m alone at home with the kids.

 

- Connor loves to dance and sing.  Our neighbours threw a party yesterday and had a live band.  He was jiving in our garden, and eventually found a spade to use as a guitar

- Bradley has got a guitar and drum kit on his Christmas list… not sure about that!

- The live band, which was phenomenal, made me think that I want to do something similar for my birthday… except my birthday is in the middle of winter and it’s not conducive to evenings out in the garden listening to music!

- I need to get wellies for me and the boys to go to Walkhaven… I’m tired of squelching in the mud with my slip slops while the dogs ramble through the marsh land!

- I went to buy the kids new slip slops on Saturday and to my surprise Bradley has gone up another shoe size… he now wears a size 4!! Holy moly that’s large for an 8 year old… or is it?  Connor’s feet haven’t grown in ages… still a size 13.

- Bradley’s Christmas list is much shorter than last year… but oh so much more expensive – and Connor changes his mind about his list every day!

- Every time I read a blog post or FB update about someone’s holiday that’s coming up, I get jealous… I also want to go away this year… we never go away at the end of the year. I’d love to get to Cape Town to see my cousin, who is visiting from the US.

I was testing the video capabilities of the Nikon V1 today (I’m reviewing it for Girl Guides), and just have to show you what happens at my house when I try take photos of anything… or actually, whenever I go into the garden.

Just a note if you’re wondering why Kimo and Kitara look a little mangy… they’re shedding their fur at the moment so you can imagine what the floors in my house look like every day.

So, there are a lot of bloggers and IG’ers doing a thankful and grateful meme this month, and posting photos every day with the things that they’re grateful for.  I decided not to partake in it… mostly because of time issues.  But today I attended Wenchy’s 11th Thanksgiving lunch that she hosts every year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in the US.  For the US readers of my blog, Thanksgiving is not something we ordinarily celebrate in SA.

Anyhoo, she throws a magnificent shindig every year, and invites her friends and family.  This year it was held at their home, and for a change I didn’t take my camera out of my bag… instead I took one photo with my iPhone. Only one… the one in this post.

Everyone gets a turn to speak.  Everyone gets a turn to say what they’re thankful for and grateful for this year.  Even Bradley spoke today… in front of all those people… and there must’ve been more than 50 people there today.  I was so proud of him

So when it was my turn to speak, my brain went to mush.  Partly because of my sinuses that have clogged up my brain waves… but anyhoo, I decided I have quite a bit that I’m grateful for, so I’ll just blog it instead.

1.  I’m grateful for my husband and kids who let me think up crazy ideas and just go with them.  Like jumping off buildings.  Seriously… this is what I said!! LOL!

2.  I’m grateful that I’ve been able to tell the stories of so many people this year.  Seriously… and that’s the only other thing I said today… crazy hey?!

And this is what I should have said… I’m grateful that…

1.  My husband and kids let me dream up crazy things to do… and let me do them.  Lance does smile, and sometimes shake his head, but he never tries to stop me.

2.  I have so huge supporters in my husband and parents for my career issues that I’m having this year.

3.  I can live out my dreams

4.  I’ve been able to tell Kathy’s cancer story

5.  I’ve been able to show the love between so many people this year

6.  The dogs are calmer and not so looney anymore and my garden is starting to recover from their puppy phase

7.  Friends in my computer who send me the most awesome emails just to let me know that they’re thinking about me.  They read between my blog lines so very well.  You know who you are

8.  Friends who let me just sit at parties now and don’t expect me to take my camera out all the time… they understand that I need the timeout

9.  Connor who is growing up and so very cute, and so very maddening.  and who ever so often says… “Mommy wouldn’t that be a nice photo, get your camera out”

10.  Bradley who is still the gentlest soul… but who fights in a very ugly way with Connor at times (hopefully this stops soon)

11.  My mom who picks the kids up every single day from school and does the afternoon mad rush with extramurals etc

12.  Lance telling me when something I’m wearing doesn’t look good.  He’s normally right

and finally… that our little family is healthy.

I left a notebook in my car a few days ago, because I’d had an external meeting.  Bradley got hold of it and my pink pen while I was taking them home.  When we got home, he told me that I needed to open the notebook at work the next day and look for pages that he’s numbered L1 and L2… he’d left me something to read.

And then he reminded me again in the morning, thankfully because he knows how forgetful I am

Aren’t they sweet

The dodo note made me smile.  I love the arrow with the word “feathers” just in case I couldn’t work it out

And as for the other one, I may have had a tear in my eye when I read it.

I discovered that someone I know  is doing the most incredible thing.  OK, maybe it’s not that incredible, but normally people that do this are stay-at-home moms… I think… or I’ve just assumed that they would be, to have the time to do it properly.

She has not only got a very successful professional career, and has 3 children of her own, but she’s fostering a 3 year old child… and for the last year she’s been providing emergency foster care too!! She takes in kids under the age of 1 in the bridging period between homes or until they’re placed in foster care or children’s homes – and it’s between 1 month to 6 month periods.

Isn’t that’s just awesome! I really take my hat off to her.  I would get so attached to the little babies I’m not sure I’d be able to see them go.  But she said that she doesn’t.  She gives them loads of loves and cuddles while she has them, but she knows that she’s providing them the best possible care when they need it most.  To her it’s all about giving… and not about receiving anything, and she said that if she was getting anything in return, then she would feel sad.

They’ve looked after quite a variety of kids too with very different stories… some have been abandoned… the one little 1 year old boy was found outside a shop with a bag containing all his stuff.  And others have been taken away from their families.  The baby she’s looking after now was dropped off at Child Welfare by his/her mom when he/she was 5 days old.

We need more families like that in this world.