FIVETRIBE

We decided to take the kids out of school a week early and head off before the masses. Our first stop was Old McDaddys....our favourite getaway. Only 45mins from Cape Town - we loved the relaxed, remote yet luxurious quality of this place. We hired the Villa and were overwhelmed with how beautiful it is - the views breathtaking and the place is kitted out with wahite linen, speciality teas and a beautiful outdoor bath. The entire frontage (main bedroom, lounge, second bedroom) are fitted with glass wrap back doors - just spectacular. View from main bedroom Ensuite bath The kids have freedom here like few other places. They are able to amble between our Villa, the pool, the playroom, the tv room and the restaurant without adult supervision. The staff are friendly and kid-wise. Levi ambles up from the games room with backgammon. On the Wednesday my FH folks and my boet came through to have lunch and spend the afternoon with us. What a lovely surprise -it was the ...

I have found that doing ordinary things when in a state of turmoil truly is the answer to beginning to restore some equilibrium. Today found me simply doing chores, fetching (lots of) kids from school, watching them swim for hours. Baking banana bread with Lulu. Stoking up a braai to simply cook some wors. Sitting outside and taking in the beauty that surrounds us. Listening. Finding joy in baking! (who knew eh?) Although chaos apparently seems to try devour us (and many of my close friends) I determine to find the middle line. And I find security in the mundane.

Watching the annual Argus Cycle Tour This weekend, while the sun shone, we were in some degree of turmoil. For months (years really) we have know that change must come in terms of The Mans work life. There are only so many hours in a day and for 20yrs he has plough-ed relentlessly. Lulu needs a new second skin cozzie!! It has come to a head in a most disconcerting, uncomfortable way. We know that change is never comfortable but that one certainly needs to embrace the challenges and simply trust that brighter (hopefully easier!) days will eventually come. I loved this shot, taken on a walk around our estate. So beautiful. In dealing with all that has transpired it has heartened me deeply to see the friends we have come alongside us and hold up our arms in this time. Honey looking ridiculously grown-up on Friday evening! Despite feeling critically ill-equipped to face yet another day I am cautiously optimistic about the future and confident that I am not alone....

I can scarcely believe it has been a year since the last sports day - but here we are. We sat for many hours in the searing heat this morning to watch our kids do their thang. There were beeeg flutterbies this morning as the girls both suffer from minor nerves/excitement on sports day. The day went off without a hitch but with an interesting moment or two. Lulu with S, one of the cheerleaders. Lulu takes the long distance in her stride. The Mom's race...;-) Honey looks back in the sprint as a teammate stumbles badly. Watching her teammates Best mates and teammates! Green Team takes the Trophy again. Happiness! Both girls did extremely well, taking firsts or seconds in all their events. I was especially proud of Lulu who unfolded a story to me later this afternoon that showed such depth of character. I will share that in another post. Next year I will have all three sprogs to watch! Hooli, not to be outdone today tho, organised with his teach...

A bit of news from the last few days: We have welcomed Sweety to our home. Lulu has waited many years to become a hamster owner again. Sweety is even more special because it turns out she has no back right foot. That is weird. And it kinda shook the home for a while - there were tears and all kinds of drama. I think Lulu felt she may have damaged Sweety. Turns out that Sweety survived the night so we have decided she was born less-abled and therefore is somewhat of an anomaly. She is our 'No Limits' hamster and has been renamed Super Sweety. Honey went on SOS Camp out in Villiersdorp. She had an absolutely incredible time and has come home exhausted and filthy. :-) She conquered the 6m climbing wall, did night hikes, built fires and cooked her own food. Hooli is loving the sport part of his life. He simply wishes there was more of it. Cricket on Monday and Wednesday and athletics on Tuesday is just not enough. For him. He is now considering squash....which starts ...

I took this telltale snap as the two of them walked off to athletics together. I can scarcely believe that my baby boy (ssshhhh, dont let him hear me say that!) is catching up to his  big sister! They wear the same size shoe and I am guessing he may well be taller than her with the next couple of years! I am loving their new bond. When Honey is not around they have a very special love/hate relationship. :-)  I have even spotted them high-fiving each other during athletics - very very cool to witness moments like that. Sent from my HTC

Happy Valentines 2012! Valentines Day came and went without too much pomp and ceremony. I made little lollipop gifts to tuck into the kids lunchboxes and sent The Man off with sliced biltong and a note. :-) I came downstairs first thing in the morning to find a lovely note tacked onto the fridge door. This kind of works for me - I am not a Valentines Day kind of girl. Sure, we will give it a passing nod but its not a calendar date for us. Later in the day I decided to do something special as I saw the kids were keen to celebrate ... my kids are all about 'pomp and ceremony and celebrations'!  We decided to eat 'al fresco' - sushi for the adults and pizza for the kids. They decorated the table and each of them had to write  note to each other about why they love them.  Hooli had to draw a picture of each of us. All in all it turned into a pretty special evening without feeling contrived.  A beautiful evening to celebrate outside Pizza for the s...