Long time no write!

I have not updated the blog for a while now and it was partly because not much happened, partly because I have problems uploading blogger because of the systems I use and partly because I am now on Face Book which is much easier and quicker.  So, for daily news about us and the things we do, that is the place to find me.

A friend of mine had her birthday not long ago and invited us for tea.  Because I believe that the birthday person should not be the one who does all the work, I made her a chocolate cake.  I thought it cam out quite well, but the reactions were wonderful!  It was so popular that I had to bake another a week later and have an order for another for someone else's birthday which would be her present.  It is not as rich as it looks and yummy!

Luzaan had tonsilitis again and because everyone gets so sick so early this year I decided to take her to the doctor quicker than I normally would.  We caught it in a very early stage, but still she had to drink antibiotics for 7 days! She had to stay at home 2 days and for the first time she was able to read to herself while in bed.  On the second day she told me that it is actually nice to be sick because we spoil her. (Obviously not very sick ;) The flu has been quite bad this year and eveeryone who got it was in bed for at least  a couple of days.  That is why I am not taking any chances! David and I both had flu jabs this year, so we will have to wait and see how it goes!

In the last little while, since the house have been finished, not much has happened.  Suzelle had her Gr3 entrepreneurial day.  Together with her friend Mieke they sold Glow (Sticks http://www.glowhead.co.za/) and did very well.  They were restricted to selling 70 packets of whatever and sold out.  They made R140 profit.  They did not win any prizes but enjoyed the day very much!  

David surprised me with some mini daffodils last Saturday.  It was so sweet!  He had to work in the morning and came back at about 15h30.  Later that evening he asked me wether I had checked my email lately and I said no.  I knew then that he had sent me something so I went to check.  He sent me a thank you note for looking after the kids and all the things I did for them and helping at their school and the things I do for other people to make a difference in their lives and that he appreciates it and me.  Then he said that sometime something will appear in the kitchen for me.  I went straight there and there it was!  It was beautiful and sweet and special because he does not do that kind of thing very often!

Luzaan lost another tooth yesterday, physically pushed out by the new one again.  This time at least the tooth mouse did not forget again!  I wanted a picture of the gap in her teeth, but she gave me such a silly grin (as children always do when they have to pose for photos;) that David had to tickle her for a proper laugh!  I like the photo because that is really the way she is and I think the silly hat suits her and her personality.  The fact that it keeps the ears covered and warm is a bonus of course!

Paardeberg Mountain Retreat

We went to this wonderful campsite for and overnight prior to our church's family seminar and it was sooooo nice!

The weather was cold and rainy, but the company was warming and the views spectacular!  The Lord is so good!

The children enjoyed it and got wet of course! They saw baboons and the baboons saw the monkeys that were staring at them!  

For more photos and information visit my facebook page (Annalize Breytenbach) because the whole album is there.

Gardening days make fun days!

The girls enjoy it so much when David works in the garden.  There is always something they can play with or in.  Today it was the leaves of the giant strelizia he took out of the garden.  They used it to make a house of the trampoline!  Afterwards they sat in it and ate their oranges.

Mother's day came early for me this year.  They went to the hardware store today and came back with 2 of my favourite proteas; it is called blushing bride and the buds will open soon.  I will take photos then.  We will be planting them in 1/2 wine barrels and put them on either side of the front door.  Can't wait to see what that will look like!

More

Luzaan had her first (and probably last, since she is in the F team) game in netball on Wednesday afternoon.  She played well  when she was not in her own world or staring at the other girls!  It was so funny to see the grade ones!  They concentrate so much on not standing still that they let the ball go right past them!  They also do not really understand the game that well.  I enjoyed watching it!

Suzelle had an English oral exam this week and the theme was my exotic holiday home.  While talking about it on Monday she decided that she wants to make it a sweet island.  We made an island cake and that was her visual aid.  From the cake she decided what she wants to say about it and it was quite cute!  She said her house was made of wafer biscuits and chocolate wafer sticks for a roof.  The house does not have a kitchen because everything on the island is edible!  There is no bedroom or bed because on her island no children have to sleep.  There is no bathroom because children do not like to bath.  The garden has coconut trees, a lollipop flower bed, mint grass and even the weeds are flower sweets.  She does not have earth worms but jelly worms instead.  The animals in the sea are all playful and friendly, even the shark.  She goes swimming and snorkeling with them and lounge in jelly tubes and afterwards she can eat them.  She so looked forward to this oral!  She usually hates them! 

Today we had 6 little girls here.  They were very good though and played together without incidents all afternoon.  Two of them only left at 17h30.  They enjoyed the netball pole we were given the other day, played on the trampoline bouncing each other,  ran across the lawn trying to not get wet by the sprinkler, played board games and played with small animal toys upstairs. They seemed to really enjoy themselves!

Busy, busy, busy

So much has happened since I last updated and I did not get a chance to uplaod anything at the moment.  I have a facebook profile and it is much quicker to do it there.  This will probably have to happen in parts since I can only uplaod 5 photos at a time.

Firstly,  our house is YELLOW!  It looks so much better, fresher and cleaner!  The outside braai area has been painted with brown because the wind blows the soot out of it and makes the front black anyway.  I thought it looked good with the wood stacked underneath it.  

Secondly, David has been very busy in the garden and cleaned and planted one of the beds in the front garden.  It has amazed us how hard the soil is and how long the preparation takes because of having to sieve the soil to get the stones out and to work the compost in!  It looks so good though!

Thirdly, I was invited to a charity tea on Wednesday morning.  We were told to dress according to the country our table's country.  Well, being a French table, I decided to go as an artist.  I had a white long sleeve T-shirt with a red short sleeve T-shirt over it with blue jeans for the flag colours. Then I put on my painting overall coat full of paint with paintbrushes, a pallet knife and blue, white and red paint in the pockets. Lastly I had a scarf around my neck and a paintbrush on my ear.  BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT ACTUALLY DRESSED ACCORDINGLY!!!!!!  Apparently some of the hostesses did not tell their guests to dress like that and then the others let their guests know to not do it and I was the only one that did not know!  Well, I did not let it bother me and just carried on.  I usually stick out like a sore thumb at things like this because I am not a dressy person.  What would you call this?????