Augrabies and other wafflings...

This week seems to have just flown by - I can't believe it's already Friday!! Mind you, I have only had a 3 day week and it has been a busy one (at work - finally!!!). Jake & I spent last weekend in Augrabies, with our good friends, Wesley & Lizelle van Vuuren. For those of you who don't know South Africa all that well, Augrabies is in the Northern Cape, about 100km outside of Upington. It gets very hot there in Summer time. Wesley's birthday's on Christmas day and he'll be turning 30. Christmas is also harvest time for them (they grow grapes for export/rasins), so it's generally an impractical time of year for a party of any kind. So, this last weekend being a long one, Lizelle organised a surprise party for him and we all went up to Augrabies for it. Rosanne and Gareth drove up with Jake and I and we just had such a good time together. Once again, Jake travelled like a star. He slept a little, sang a lot, nattered away and looked for holy smolies, which are giant bird's nests built on power lines and were called "holy smolies" after Gareth saw one and said "holy moly". We stayed in a lovely self-catering guest house, which had an enclosed lawn area and jungle gym for Jake. We spent most of our time at Wesley & Lizelle's though, which was literally right across the road from the guest house. It was really great having a few days away from the rush of every day life so soon after our Greek holiday. Jake loves it on the farm and Wes has made up a little farm yard for the kids with ducks and geese and chickens and goats and a pig (called Suzy, yes after me). The chickens have 3 tiny chicks and about 18 eggs that they're sitting on and the geese are sitting on another 6 eggs. Lizelle's also expecting their second baby, so their farm seems to be very fertile indeed! We spent some time over at Kamkiri, which is a privately owned game reserve, where we did horse-riding. I haven't riden since the day before I found out I was pregnant with Jake (4 years at the beginning of September) and I was really nervous about it. Amazing how one loses confidence in one's abilities, when actually horse-riding's a bit like riding a bicycle - once you know how, you can't forget. Once I was back in the saddle, I just didn't want to get out again. I'd love to take it up again, but I just never seem to be able to find the time. I must try looking into it properly again. I'd love to get Jake riding too. Some photos of our time in Augrabies...

Horse-riding (look how fat I got on holiday!!):

Jake's first time in the saddle:

Jake & Lara-Lyn:

Jake at Saturday night's party:

Jake & I at the Canyon in the Augrabies Falls National Park ('scuse what we look like):

I was a bit worried about going up, because Douglas was going to be there, with his new fiance (who he hasn't even bought a ring for yet). I needn't have worried though - he didn't even bother introducing her to us and they had a huge fight. I did help her with the dishes, just so I could get to know her a little - she's really young (23), but seems sweet enough. I just hope she knows what she's getting herself into, he's a real player. Anyway, we all got along fine and it really wasn't that bad. At least I know now that he definitely isn't the one for me and I'm quite contented with that. He didn't spend too much time with Jake either, which I was really glad about - his behaviour with Jake after we broke up was shocking.

We got home from Augrabies on Tuesday evening, had supper with my folks and went straight to bed. Jake spent the day with my mother-in-law on Wednesday and put his swimming skills to test by falling in the pool. Not as dramatic as it initially sounded, he was playing on the top step, but did go completely under water. He came up laughing, so I was happy with that. His swimming is coming on well again now. This term didn't start off too well and he vomited in the pool during his first lesson. He's still insisting that his teacher holds him through the lesson, but his confidence is definitely up from where we left off at the end of last term. She's spent a lot of time working on his style while he wants her to hold him, so I'm really happy with how he's progressing now. It's been a frustrating time for me watching from the side of the pool, knowing how well he really can swim.

I'm going through a bit of post-holiday blues with him at the moment too. He seems to be going through quite an awkward stage. He's just decided that he won't smile or say hello to anyone, no matter what I say or do. I've discussed it with him and have explained that from now on, if he's rude to people, he will be sent to the bathroom, until he decides to be the polite little boy that everyone loves. It seems to be going well so far (only been 2 days). He's also not eating all that well at the moment, but I'm not too worried about it. I've put him onto vitamins, because they say it increases appetite. I'm also working on sitting at the dinner table for evening meals (we often eat off our laps) and he's not allowed to leave the table until we're all finished eating. Giving him a choice - sit with us and eat, or sit in the bathroom. He seems to be eating better at the table too. And he's not getting nice snacks during the day (sweeties or biscuits or chips) unless he eats properly. Blackmail. Like I've told so many new mommies lately, it's all about perserverence. And Jake's grown about 8cm since his birthday in May, so he's obviously not doing too badly.

Anyway, tonight I've got my niece & goddaughter's school fashion show; tomorrow's art, which I'm starting to get irritated by - I just don't have the time for it at this point in my life. I seem to be missing kids parties and with working during the week, my weekend time with Jake is precious. I'll finish the painting I've been doing, but I think I'm going to quit once it's done. At least until my life quietens down a bit, which'll probably only be once Jake leaves home one day. Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going through to Wellington with my friend Jacki and her son, Steven. Jacki's boyfriend's got a holiday house there and has left his keys with her while he's overseas. We're going to spend tomorrow night in the jacuzzi and drinking wine. Home on Sunday, no plans. If the weather's nice enough, we might go through to the Blue Peter for sundowners.

Enjoy your weekend! Look after yourselves and all your cute kiddies. XXX PS. Some photos from Augrabies, I have more, but don't have my camera with me today.

To my child...

I've read this before, but think it's so true. Life gets so busy and we tend to let the small things pass us by without a thought. Our children are such wonderful blessings to us all and this poem always reminds me to just stop and enjoy each passing moment. One day our kids will grow up and move on with their own exciting lives, following their own dreams. So spoil them while you can, in whatever way you choose, especially with your time.

Jake & I made a vegetable garden this past weekend. We planted cherry tomatoes, strawberries, child-friendly flowers, a lemon tree and various seeds (all in pots). Every evening when I get home from work, I help him fill his watering can and let him water his plants on his own. He digs in the sand and gets muddy and he loves ever second of it. He did most of the planting on his own and is very, very proud of his little garden and it's been wonderful watching him learn about planting and fertilizing and watering and pests and now waiting for his seeds to sprout. I can't wait for his first "harvest"!! It's so important to give them the happy memories of a fleeting childhood that they so deserve. This poem makes me cry every time I read it. I love you, Jake XXX

Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face and laugh when I feel like crying. Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is. Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play. Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together. Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles. Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by. Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned. Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them. Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys. Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you. Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry. Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars. Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows. Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given. I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore. And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him for nothing, except one more day.............. AUTHOR UNKNOWN

There and back again!

Well, before everyone bites my head off for not blogging, I thought I'd better try find some time during my day to type up a higldy-pigldy post. Work has been busy since I got back, but seems to be settling down (at least for a few days before month-end) again now. Gives me time to do things like this...

Packed and ready to go (only 1 of those bags was allowed for Jake & I!):

My mom, Jake & I on the flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg:

So, we had the most amazing holiday ever and it was an experience of a lifetime. The weather was unbelievable and it went up to 47 deg (apparently) the one day. We have all come back nice and tanned, although mine seems to be fading already. I wish it was summer already so I could show it off a bit before it's completely disappeared (I never go brown!).

We started off our stay in Greece with a few days in Athens. It's a massive, busy city (aren't they all?), but there's plenty to see and do on foot. The whole area is just seeped in history and I learnt so much. The Acropolis is incredible and it's quite amazing to be there, knowing that the Parthenon and other main buildings of it were built during the 5th centuary BC!!! The views of the city from the acropolis are stunning! We also visited Poseidon's Temple, which was built sometime between the 5th & 6th centuaries B.C. too.

Jake & I at The Acropolis "the Gateway" (note how white I was!):

Kathy, my mom, Jake, me, Michelle & Joanne at Poseidon's Temple:

Our next stop away from Athens was the beautiful, vibrant island of Skiathos. Skiathos is about 50 mins flight north east of Athens. We spent 2 nights in Skiathos (one on land, the seond on our yacht, "Thetis") before our sailing trip began. From Skiathos, we visted Skopelos, Alonissos and Skiros. We visited so many tiny bays and saw the most incredible places along the way. The sailing was a fantastic experience, although it was lots of hard work and plenty of stress, which we weren't prepared for. My uncle was our skipper and to say he was hard on us at times, would be an understatement. There were at least 2 occassions where I ended up in tears, threatening to catch the next ferry in the opposite direction. I mean, why can't they just say front and back or left and right?? Still, we had tons of fun on the water and it was also time where we were forced (when we weren't working) to relax. We couldn't do anything, except play games, lie on the deck or snooze. Being on yachts allowed us to visit places you can't get to without a boat, we saw things that most tourists never see. We saw dolphins 3 times, once right next to the boat. It was incredible!! And the waters are so blue and so warm - at 10m, you can still see the bottom!

Jake was an absolute star too! He slept on all the flights (6 in total) and behaved so well on the yacht. He had a special spot to sit when we were coming into/leaving port and he never really performed over having to sit quietly while we did our thing. And it was fabulous to have so much time with him. We played cards on the deck and swam and went to the beach and ate ice-cream and just generally enjoyed one another's company. It's been really difficult getting back to reality and I'm really not enjoying having to come to work full time anymore. I'm desperate for a half day job and I've decided to give my current job till the end of the year, before I ask them if they'd consider employing me half day. It's so convenient...

Jake at the helm:

Jake & I swimming in Monastery Bay:

Fortunately, we weren't affected by the massive fires that have wrecked complete havoc across Greece. We did see the start of one big fire, which had apparently spread to 35km and killed 15 people by the time the evening news came on. Thankfully, we didn't have access to television on the yacht and if we did see one in any of the towns we stopped in, it was all in Greek, so we had no idea of what was going on around us. Since getting home, it's been quite frightening to see what we were in the midst of and to realise how many people's lives have been affected by this devastation. All while we were enjoying our holiday...Thanks to everyone who sent messages to check that we were safe.

And that's about it. We were all pretty exhausted when we got home after all the travelling, but relaxed. It was a stunning holiday and I would definitely love to visit Greece again in the future!!

PS. It's been completely impossible trying to decide which photos to put up on my blog and I still haven't had mine put onto CD yet (well I did, but the quality was so bad, the photo shop has to re-do them). So, here are just a few of my dad's from our trip, in no real order (more to follow when I get mine back!!)...

Skiathos Town:

Arch at Lalaria:

Jake & I in the streets of Skopelos Town:

View over Skopelos Town:

Skopelos

View from Old Town on Skopelos:

Steni Vala:

Jake & I in Orei:

Palio Trikeri (only has 30 permanent inhabitants!):

Sunset over North Bay. This was is an active volcanic cauldren:

Jake & Eve on the beach at Lanaria Bay, Skyros (nice, comfy rocks):

Skyros Town:

Our whole group (we were 5 yachts worth!) in Skiathos on our last night:

The crew of 'Thetis'

Our last day spent at Koukounaries beach, Skiathos:

Us at Koukounaries (Skiathos) on our last day:

Jake & I on the flight leaving Skiathos for Athens