Weekly Wrap-Up: A Time of Connecting

This week has been a wonderful week of connecting. Connecting with loved ones. My God Father spoiled us with pizzas for dinner on Monday night and we sat chatting for hours. He is one of the most interesting people I know and is so interested in each and every one of us. He always has a wonderful story to tell and I think we could all sit and listen to him for hours. 

Wednesday morning my Dad and I had a long overdue breakfast together, another wonderful couple of hours. Ooh and the great food we enjoyed at a neighborhood restaurant deserves a mention too!

There was connect group and an outing with my friend to enjoy free lattes at Food Lovers. There were a couple of evenings where the family all sat by candle light enjoying music and chit chat while the power was out. And a lunch time heart to heart with my sweet girl in the sunshine. 

There was rock climbing at City Rock on Monday, I don't usually get to go as I have to do the art run in the afternoon but this week I got to see what Zak does there. It was great to see him enjoying himself and learning new skills as well as overcoming a fear of heights. 

As well as climbing, he has learned to belay too. That's him at the top!

 It was great for me to hang out and chat with some of the other home schooling moms as now that the kids are older there aren't so many outings anymore.

Besides the usual work, there is always art for Keren. She has been spending hours on her term practical, She is enjoying the space she has with the art table hubby made for her. 

On Saturday morning hubby and I visited Arderne Gardens. Definitely a place to visit again. I have always wanted to visit there and can't believe I never have. It would have been a wonderful place to take the kids when they were small. There are beautiful lawns, ponds with ducks, beautiful tall trees and one of the two biggest trees in Africa! Well worth a visit!

Weekly Wrap-Up: Life's Ups and Downs

Where does one even begin when the week has been touched with something one does not expect to happen. That phone call no mother wants to get. Our dear son had a terrible accident on Tuesday evening. A pedestrian ran in front of the car and there was no way of missing him. The victim badly hurt. Hubby rushed out to the scene. Police and ambulances and tow trucks surrounded the scene. Our son was badly shaken up but not hurt. Thank God for seat-belts. The first policeman on the scene was the uncle of one of our son's friends and the tow truck driver, off duty, was from a panel shop next door to hubby's work. 

We received the most amazing support from family, friends and couples from the church who came over to pray and offer any help needed. Our son was given time off work and he is doing ok. His friends rallied around him and have been there for him. 

The kids have got on with their work and Keren had a full day at her art school doing her practical for the term. There has been basketball and indoor rock climbing.There have been great results for both Josh and Keren... It all seems so insignificant in the greater scheme of things. I have really been struck by the reality of how life can change in a split second and how important it is to really love one another. Its just too easy to take it all for granted...

The week ended with my girl spoiling me and my mum in law and treating us to lunch. 

It was lovely.

 Here's to a peaceful weekend. 

Thanksliving

I missed posting my Monday's multitudes as we had family here for dinner but its never too late to give thanks.

Sunday, being mother's day was a day where I was loved and treated to all sorts of thoughtful gifts and a delicious breakfast prepared by my precious family. Wonderful to have them all here with me.

I am thankful for my own beautiful mother who is always there for me emotionally though she lives too far away...

candlelight and music playing while the power is out

gas cooker that means we can still have coffee when the power is out

my cheery niece staying over for a few nights

my warm bed on cold nights

being mom to my 3

autumn sunshine

lattes and conversations enjoyed with a dear friend

my son's laughter

getting my hair done

starry night sky

girl's morning celebrating a friend's birthday

getting to the end of a full week of deadlines

wonderful evening with two girlfriends

my sweet girl making dinner and giving me a night off

celebrating my nephew's 4th birthday

best ever chocolate cake

weekend with no plans, time for unwinding

homemade cheesecake

autumn colors

girls afternoon with my sweetie

school on the couch with warm blankets

an afternoon walk in the sunshine

coffee date with my neighbor

mother's day breakfast shared with my precious ones

thoughtful gifts and words of love from them

Sunday service reminding us to be content and happy

family dinner celebrating my father in laws birthday

winning another awesome prize of a night away with dinner and breakfast

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Weekly Wrap-Up:Full and Fabulous

A full week with beautiful autumn weather....

There were exams for Josh, a new experience for Zak, wonderful mom and daughter time and lots of work put in....

Zak enjoyed his first session at City Rock, an indoor climbing adventure...he said it was tough and challenged him physically but loads of fun and of course all the more so when it's done with a buddy! Hopefully his twice a week basketball sessions will help build muscle strength so the climbing becomes less challenging.

He and I have been focusing on anatomy and physiology for the last while so it's great for him to have a good understanding of what physical activity does for the body and the great benefits in disease prevention etc. 

Keren had to do English and Afrikaans orals this week as part of her formal assessments. A dear teacher friend came to listen and mark her orals. These get sent in to our curriculum provider and form part of her marks for the year. 

She and I also visited a local school and spent a wonderful hour with the Consumer Studies teacher who gave her great tips for exams and showed us the set up of the kitchen. I had been a bit wary of what she may think due to the fact that Keren is home educated but she was incredibly welcoming and has invited Keren back to observe practical exam sessions. This will be an enormous help to Keren to prepare her for her final exams in a few months time.

Keren cooked dinner twice this week as she has 8 practical sessions to complete this term. She made a delicious cottage pie and a beef stew. Its great for me to get a night off! 

She and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon together midweek. I had a voucher from my last birthday and I invited her to join me for a facial treatment. This girl works so hard and I figured she deserved a little pampering! It was her first facial and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterwards we did a little shopping and she found herself a great pair of jeans and some boots. She was even more thrilled when the jeans were marked down to half price at the till point. 

At the same time we found cream cheese marked down to R5 a tub! Apparently the store had bought too much stock. We stocked up and came home to make a delicious cheesecake using freshly picked granadillas from the garden. 

This morning my neighbor and I had a long overdue coffee date. It's really great that I can leave the kids for an hour or two and know that they will get on with their work while I am gone. We visited a local nursery and enjoyed delicious chicken mayo and avo sandwiches out in the autumn sunshine.

Another highlight of the week was getting my new phone. A highlight for Zak too as it meant he got my old one. I am so grateful for savvy kids who laugh at me but who know how to teach their mom how to use this new technology!

So at the end of a full week, there is youth as usual tonight and time to just relax for hubby and me!

Weekly Wrap-Up: Another Short One

With public holidays on Monday and Friday this past week it really did go fast!

The high-lite of the week was my nephew's visit on his birthday. He is such a delight and it was lovely to have him here. 

We ate the most delicious chocolate cake and he had fun helping me smash some tiles. 

School went well despite the short week and Zak resumed basketball lessons. He was a bit reluctant but I could see he really enjoyed it once he got back into it.

Keren had consumer study practical work to do which meant I got a night off cooking dinner. She made a spaghetti bolognaise and a molded cucumber salad, both really tasty. All her prescribed recipes seem to be suitable for dinner so that means a regular night off for me.

 She had fun making cake toppers for my nephew's party too. Poor little guy's party had to be postponed though as he got sick.

My niece came around to take some photos of Zak for her photography assignments.

She really is talented and captures her subjects well.

Zak was really happy that one of his best friends returned after being away for some time and they got to spend the day together on Friday and enjoyed youth group too. Keren missed youth for the first time in months as she is not feeling well. 

We enjoyed a family dinner at hubby's parents during the week as his cousin and her son were visiting from Holland. A lovely evening.

How was your week?