Pay-It-Forward

Today we were thrilled to get an email from Zelda Mycroft of the Chaeli Campaign, announcing that J and K have both been selected to be ambassadors for Pay-It-Forward! Below are their own motivations for wanting to become part of this exciting venture:

Recently I was challenged by a book that I read, to step out of my comfort zone, rise above the normal expectations of society for teens, and to do things too big to accomplish alone. The Pay-it-Forward program will help to get me started doing things this way. (J)

I have been challenged to do things out of my comfort zone and that are too big for me to do alone. For some time I have felt that God is calling me to make a difference in my community. This will give me the opportunity to do so. (K)

Below is an excerpt from the application form so you can understand better what it entails:

We are delighted to invite young people between the ages of 10 and 14 to apply to become our 2010 Pay-It-Forward Ambassadors. If selected for this programme, you will embark on an incredible journey as an individual and as a member of the Ambassador team. What we do through this programme is grow a relationship with a group of young people who would like to work with The Chaeli Campaign to implement social change and to promote inclusion and diversity by making a difference in the lives of differently-abled children. You would be required to promote some of our events in your schools and in your communities and will also have an opportunity to learn about social entrepreneurship and grow your own projects.The backbone of the project will be to:
attend a monthly workshop session (2 hours per month on a Saturday) where you will receive information / training and be able to brainstorm issues around how entrepreneurship can create positive change in people and communities. Our Founding Committee members and 2009 Ambassadors will be mentors and will also lead some of these discussions so it won't just be managed by old fogeys like me!

• promote Chaeli Campaign events (e.g. Art & Poetry Competition, Grand Prix, Junior Chaeli Riders, etc.) at your school and in your community in order to raise a positive awareness of inclusion and diversity re: disability;
• grow your own events or projects: we will provide guidance through brainstorming and support with logistics;

We would like each young person to commit to being a Pay -It-Forward Ambassador for one year-this is essential for each of you to have time to grow in knowledge, confidence and also to grow your own ideas of how you intend being agents of change in your own communities.

As their mom, I am so blessed that they have the opportunity to take part in something so exciting and challenging!

Keepers...cooking fun

Today we had another keepers get together. It was perfectly timed for me as it meant a night off as the girls prepared dinner for their families.

I have been really tired over the last couple of days as we adjust to J's new curriculum. Last night I was up until midnight marking and checking his days work, after a full day and much time doing admin on the computer. ( I am organising the Pick n Pay cooking school classes for this year and a careers outing for the high school children.)

One of the moms instructed the girls on how to make spaghetti bollonaise and another mom taught the girls to make a lemon tart. Both were delicious!

The girls had some time to socialise and the moms had a great time of fellowship together. It really just gave me the boost that I needed and I treasure the support and encouragement that we experience together.

Clebrating South Africa 2010

This morning a special friend and I went to a breakfast put on by our church. It was a wonderful time of celebrating South Africa 2010. The weather was more than good and the venue perfect!. The views out across the Constantia vineyards toward the back of our magnificent Table Mountain were spectacular.
The tent was filled with more than 300 women gathered to celebrate together. We were treated to a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit salad, muesli, yogurt, quiche, muffins and juice and coffee.We enjoyed a fashion show and dance by some of the Dizzy Feet Dance School students. It was lovely to watch.There were two guest speakers, Bertha Du Plessis/ Cronje and Louise Swart. Both were excellent. Bertha bravely shared her testimony about her life with Hansie Cronje and how she survived and coped with his tragic death. She truly loved this man and went through incredible highs and lows with him. She shared how God was her strength at the time of his death. She is a brave and humble woman. She is now happily married with two young sons. Louise spoke about the power we have as woman to change things around us. She spoke about the power of the tongue and the mind. It was a fantastic morning.

I was impressed to find Eric teaching J and his friend accountancy when I came home. I just love the way these boys have taken on their work with such determination and diligence. They aim to be ready to write their term tests by 22 March so there is some catching up to be done.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to visit the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the first time ever. I had complimentary tickets to the Go Natural and Organic Expo. T and I escaped the heat for an afternoon of fun! We enjoyed the delicious samples of the likes of organic olives prepared in more ways than one can think of, organic chocolates , dried fruit, organic wines, pestos , tapenades, juices.....you name it, it was there! I could not resist some Aloe pickle and their newly launched choaloes ( aloe covered in dark chocolate!)
I was also pleased to find an organic solution to the snout nosed beetles that are chomping my veg garden , as well as a solution to the caterpillars.

Baby Eric

Yesterday we had baby Eric for the day as his mum was working. My, he has grown since he last visited. The younger two so enjoyed him! (J was too busy with his new books) K had a good chance to play mommy with him and she did really well! He is going to be a year old next month and is such a cute little thing. He has enormous , brown eyes and the cutest little smile! He looked so handsome in his little jeans and trendy t shirt.

He couldn't resist sucking and trying to chew on K's apple. He had his own thin slivers of apple but hers was far more interesting!

He is not walking yet, but cruising as he holds onto the furniture. He is rather vocal and loves to screech which made the children laugh and in turn made him screech more! He loved Z's antics and cried when Z left the room.

I did feel rather sorry for him though, as he is at that age where he has formed strong bonds with his family and we were like strangers to him. He was fairly miserable in the afternoon and very happy when his auntie came to fetch him!

Hooray!

Hooray! J's school books arrived yesterday. We have been waiting patiently for them to arrive and it was with great excitement that I woke him yesterday so we could go and fetch the parcel at the post office. (I knew that once they arrived, he would be incredibly busy, so I have let him sleep in a bit recently.)

He was eager to get stuck in with his books and over the last two days, has managed to start his English, Physical Science, Life Science, Geography and Business Studies. Among the 9 subjects, he will also be doing Accounting.....a subject I have no knowledge of. Thankfully that is a subject Hubby excelled in and so he is taking the role of Accountancy teacher. Today he came home with the necessary journal, cash book and ledger.

It will be quite a change from the way J has been schooled until now but he is so eager to excel that I don't think the adjustment will be too much of a challenge for him.

I have made a number of calls to the subject advisers and to the curriculum provider with queries and I am pleased to say, they have all been very supportive and helpful. The subject advisers are available on the phone or email for any queries or problems that may arise.This is just what we need for this phase of J's education.

He will be writing term tests towards the end of March and in the third term, then exams in July and November. There are open book tests regularly and portfolio assignments which get sent in for marking. Today we received a newsletter from the curriculum providers that was full of necessary information including a year planner and dates for a congress in our area later in the year. We are excited to embark on this new journey together!

Doing Hard Things

I have recently started reading an incredible book to the children called "Do Hard Things", it is written by a set of home educated twins. It is a teenage rebellion against low expectations that society places on teenagers.
Did you know that there were no "teens" until around 1900 when a number of labour and school reform laws were passed to protect children from the harsh conditions in factories?

These laws had some far reaching consequences as teens were removed from the workforce and had to attend school. They were no longer key producers and contributors. They became consumers. The teen years between childhood and adulthood became something new and distinctive. The teenager remade the world as we know it. Entire industries revolve around the consumer habits of teens - movies, music, fashion, fast food....

We have so enjoyed reading this book together and discussing the concept of rebelling against low expectations. There are five basic ideas of doing hard things in the book. They are:

1)doing things outside of our comfort zone

2)doing things that go beyond what is expected or required

3)doing things that are too big to accomplish alone

4) doing things that don't earn an immediate payoff

5)doing things that challenge the cultural norm

J out of his comfort zone!

We have decided that they will all learn to do more around the home and gain some necessary life skills in the process. So today J and K learned how to operate the washing machine. J also did some baking for the family, which is usually K's job (not really a job to her as she loves baking!). I was amazed at his enthusiasm once he got round the idea. He made the most delicious cheese and bacon muffins and even caramelised the onion that he added to the mix!

K made us a fantastic seed loaf too!

We had also found an article in the weekend paper about kids making a difference.The Chaeli Campaign recently launched a Pay It Forward Programme. They help kids to make a difference in their communities by mentoring them for a year. The kids act as an ambassador for the Chaeli Campaign and at the end of the year, they will have a chance to organise their own fundraising for an issue that is close to their hearts. J sent them an email and we have already had a response , together with application forms! I am so excited for the children and we will have to see if they get accepted as ambassadors!

Weekend fun

The week went by with the usual school and we have been enjoying our books on Egypt and the game that our friends lent us. I was also happy to get back into Tae Bo after being sick. I managed 3 classes this week and my body is still telling me that I have been exercising again but it feels good!

Saturday morning saw J back at training for karate in Camps Bay. Eric took the opportunity take K out on a daddy & daughter date. He and K walked on the beach and went for smoothies on the beach front. I am so pleased that they had this time together. In the afternoon, he had a game of cricket and I organised an impromptu get together for the children and their friends at our house.



One of Ks friends was here a bit early and the girls spent their time on the wall (their favourite place to climb up to) chatting and enjoying some lunch.
I want our home to be a place where the children enjoy entertaining their friends and where they can have good clean fun. The kids, all ten of them from 7 to 16 years of age, had lots of fun. They swam, rode their j boards and made their own pizzas.

Today, Valentine's day, was special. K was up early and set the table outside for breakfast. She had baked some scones yesterday and we enjoyed them with my homemade apricot jam, and a cherry berry jam from Ladybrand, and cream....a rather rich breakfast! We enjoyed a fresh pot of coffee and there were chocolates at everyones place. Hubby spoiled me with red and white roses, a chocolate and a magazine to enjoy!

After church, we came home for a quick lunch and then took the kids down to the flea market. They each found something they wanted to buy with their pocket money. We went for a walk on the beach and came home to relax. This evening I cooked a gammon and we enjoyed that with salads and baked potatoes. A lovely day....