Monday's Multitudes

hard work paying off for my sweetie

a teen that still snuggles

time with my dear sister

delicious fresh farm veges

restorative rest

hearing His word

hot cross buns with lashings of butter

hubby taking care of things when I was not feeling well

a house full of happy young adults

an afternoon walk and talk with my dear sister

a morning with my sweet nephew

connect group

beautiful weather

laughing hard with my girl

time spent with our oldest

house full again

a day of rest

Sunday chat with my Mum

an afternoon of work in a shady spot outdoors

2663-2682

five minute friday: break

Break...yes it broke. My heart shattered and ripped wide open. Immense pain and endless questions. But it's mending, getting stronger and I am strong enough because He is. A daily reminder to myself is needed, yes, I am strong enough because He is!

Whatever you are facing, wherever there are broken bits that you think may never mend, know this, you too are strong enough because He is. He puts those broken, aching and shattered pieces back together in only a way that He can. 

                                                               Thanks for the link up Kate

Weekly Wrap-Up: A Cultural One

The weather has been getting a little cooler and long sleeves and cardigans have made their way out of the cupboards this week. I love the subtle changes as we head into autumn. 

School days have been full with loads of learning taking place. On Monday Keren had an outing to the National Gallery with her art class. The focus of the outing was the exhibition "Time and Again" by a South African artist, Penny Siopis. 

They had studied this artist and her works. Her works speak of personal and collective history, trauma, shame and loss. This exhibition is a retrospective look at three and a half decades of her work.

 Keren enjoyed the exhibition so much that we took the morning off on Friday and went with a friend to see the exhibition again. Keren was able to guide us around the exhibition and tell us what she had learned. This time the artist was there too and it was great to hear her speak of her works. 

I found some of her works very disturbing, especially the shame series. 

Term projects have taken priority for Keren this week. She had to create and come up with a business plan for a small entrepreneurial business for Consumer Studies. She made this cute, classic, crocheted sock monkey out of donated wool and recycled stuffing. 

Her brand name is ' Monkess". 

I love the handmade label which instructs the purchaser to snuggle the monkey lots!

We were blessed with tickets to the Paulo Nutini concert at Kirstenbosch this week. 

He was unknown to us but it was great to pack up a picnic to enjoy in the botanical gardens midweek. Sadly before the main act began, Zak wasn't feeling too well and we had to bring him home.

 Thankfully some friends were there and could bring Keren home after the concert. She thoroughly enjoyed it and has been playing his music ever since. 

There was some mosaic work this week. Hours of cutting tiles for kits that had been ordered. Zak lent a hand too by picking and cleaning tiles for a larger project.

Thursday was a pj day as both Zak and I were not well. I was thankful when hubby came home and took over making supper and ordered me to bed early. 

Another highlight of the week was an afternoon visit with my sister who is visiting Cape Town. Wonderful to enjoy coffee, milk tart and afternoon conversations in the shade of a great tree. Great for cousins to connect too. 

Oh! And Keren received her mark for her practical and came top of her class with the highest mark she has ever attained for an art practical!

 We are so happy for her and all her hours of hard work certainly paid off. 

How was your week?

Monday's Multitudes

Its been a while since a Monday's Multitudes post and there has been so much to be thankful for, no matter how small...

Autumn colors

seeing our oldest regularly

dinner with friends

roses gracing my table again

steady stream of mosaic work

sun warming my back

chats with far away family

my younger two enjoying each other's company

winning an awesome ice cream experience with Magnum

pizza evening with friends

celebrating 23 years of marriage with an enjoyable lunch out, another prize I won!

rose petals, complimentary champagne and dessert

good, peaceful sleep

answered prayers

blessed with cuttings and seedlings for my garden

seeing my dear farm sister and her family

spoiled by my dear sister

kindness of a stranger

good school days

Weekly Wrap-Up: The One with Beautiful Art

Deadlines mean hours of work.

Sometimes all day and all night.

Every spare moment put to good use.....

On Tuesday I had the feeling that I would win another competition soon. Seems when I get that feeling, it comes true! I opened my inbox to the pleasant surprise of an email telling me I had indeed won vouchers to the Magnum Pop Up Store!

 I figured what better way is there to celebrate the end of weeks and hours of hard graft on an art assignment? Keren's assignment was finally handed in on Tuesday so we met up after her art class with friends to enjoy decadently, delicious Magnums and celebrate the end of hours and hours of work on these amazing pieces of art.

Decadent indeed with choices of dark, light or normal chocolate and three toppings with another drizzle of chocolate! Toppings such as caramel cashews, popping chocolate candy, honeycomb, ginger, pistachio and coconut, strawberry or oreos to name a few. I opted for dark chocolate, chili, mixed berries and caramel cashews...a real treat! 

The pop up store  in Cavendish closes on Sunday, if you can, it's worth the treat to go and enjoy your own before then!

Otherwise the week was taken up with normal school days where the kids progressed steadily. There was some mosaic work for me too. Somehow I lacked the motivation to go on my morning walks. I am hoping to be more diligent next week. 

Friday is always more relaxed and Keren went to church early this morning to do the decor for  youth tonight. She took along some school books so she could do some work too. It will be a long day with her getting home late after youth tonight.

Despite the fact it was Friday with a more relaxed attitude, Zak re started an anatomy and physiology course that we had started last year and somehow not got too far with. It felt good to make a fresh start despite it being the end of the work week.

Tonight the kids will enjoy youth while hubby and I chop vegetables at a work party preparing for our neighbor's son's  school food fair tomorrow. Lots of chopping will be paid for with good company, a glass of wine and pizzas! Should be fun!

Weekly Wrap-Up: The Fiery One

Last weekend our beautiful mountains caught fire. The winds fanned the fires and the fires grew and grew and spread far and wide. Helicopters flew for days trying to bomb the fires. 

(Photographer Reon Rich)

Fire fighters came from up country to help our crews here. There were evacuations at night, some homes lost too. Communities pulled together and donated food, drinks and medical supplies to those fighting the fires.

(Photographer Reon Rich)

We were thankful that my Dad's home was safe despite being so very close to the fires. 

The devastation of our beautiful fynbos and forests is unbelievable. One cannot begin to imagine the loss of wildlife too. 

(Photographer Reon Rich)

We were not affected as we don't live close enough to the mountains. Just the smell of smoke hung in the air and fine ash was scattered in our garden. On top of the fires, we had the hottest recorded temperature in 100 years this week! 

 (Photo M. Barnard)

As a city we salute all those men and women who fought bravely against these fires all week. Crews remain out there monitoring the situation in case of flare ups. 

Despite the chaos of the fires, we had a good work week with school. Zak finished off the table he has been working on at technology class. Hubby just needs to help him with the sanding this week.  Midweek I treated him to milkshake when I did my shopping at Food Lovers. He now wants his own Food Lovers card so he can enjoy a milkshake as often as he likes...pity he has to wait until he is 18. Nice for the two of us go get out together though and great to have a willing helper in the shop.

There were visits from friends and time spent swimming and he tried his hand at mosaics too.

He really enjoyed it!

As usual Keren applied herself diligently to her work. Art taking up much of her time when she is not working on her books. She had her monthly book club, fit club classes and also started as a volunteer with a Christian Union at a local high school this week. She was responsible for last night's youth meeting too so it was an extra busy week for her. 

Working on mosaics while Keren works on her art.

I had a fair amount of work with mosaics this week. The beauty of it is that I can fit the work in around the kid's schedules and can work in the evenings too. 

This weekend hubby is attending his 30th school reunion and otherwise it's all about relaxing and enjoying time with friends and family. Hope your week was good too!