Good Memories

We had a Pereira, Slabbert, Austin & Von Brughan Snoek Braai last night at our place.  Lots of fun, good food & good company.  It's always good being with family.  Also the first time in a while that Brod & his sisters were together. 

This past week has felt like we're also on holiday, lots of fun trips, holiday meals, sun.  And lots of laughter.

Claudette has inspired me to get going with my art.  She painted a lovely picture for Brod's Birthday, and gave it to him this week.

Joslyn, Sophie & I in the kitchen.

Evelyn Slabbert on guitar, Phoebe is on the drums and Tiago Pereira on vocals. 

Vanessa, Brod & Claudette

Luis Pereira, Andre Slabbert, Renaldo Pereira, Vanessa Slabbert

Off on our adventure to the Pavillion for Luis' Birthday dinner on Monday night.  11 of us squashed into Claudette's Chrysler. 

Family Time

We have Brod's sister Claudette & family staying with us for the next week - and we've woken up to a beautiful day after a cold & rainy Sunday.  It's always great being with family - and today is Luis' birthday - so a celebration is in order.

Christmas was really great.  Another special year - with lovely memories.  I woke up early & got the atmosphere all ready, lights, camera & action!  Noah was the first up - asking when Father christmas was coming - as soon as I said,"Today!" - they were all up like a shot squealing and laughing.  Lots of good memories.  My folks heard all the commotion so came down to our house to join in the fun. 

I took the kids Christmas Caroling at the Kloof Rest Home on Christmas Eve with Bronwyn Holtzhausen, her mom & the 2 Elders.  THAT set the tone for my Christmas this year.  I really enjoyed it, and appreciated meeting new people.  Kloof Rest Home is such a special place.  Noah & Jonah got bored pretty quickly, and were trying to escape through the windows for the last half hour. Noah kept saying,"This is boring, I want to go home!".  Nice & loudly for everyone to hear - the little sweetheart. 

1 More Sleep

After counting down for weeks with the kids, we have finally arrived at the '1 More Sleep' spot.  Noah keeps saying, "Ahhh, it's taking FOREVER mom!"

It's my mom's birthday today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

What a crazy week.  I gave a talk on Sunday in church about how much I enjoy a simple Christmas - I spoke too soon, this has been the most insanely hectic & complicated week of December!  After standing and ironing for over an hour last night - I felt that something just HAD to give.  I have been making lots of gifts this year & have had some orders too to make different items - it's been great...but CRAZY. 

Brod just slipped out to do more Santa Shopping - we went out yesterday for some last minute things & for a date.  It has been a year since Brod's dad, Sigmund passed away & we have happy memories of the day we spent last year celebrating his life - so felt to go out & do it again.  The year has flown by.  So many lessons, and experiences in 2009 that I am thankful for, and scarred for life as well I reckon!  Ha ha!  Life has been full & filled with new adventures.  Brod and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary by going to the Karkloof Canopy Tours. 

The happy couple :)

Me screaming my way down the valley - proving I have good strong lungs

My hectic kuif.

Phoebe, our 8 year old, was baptised on her birthday - with all our special friends & family around to support her.  All the children in the baptistry clapped when she came out of thr water - so funny - it was really such a happy experience.  Hiram has all the pics on his camera, don't know if I'll ever get them.

Brod has completed his 2nd year of being an Independant Broker - it's been an amazing experience for us.  I started working with him in Feb of this year.  The work load has escalated - but it's great being together so much.  I have really appreciated learning from him and watching him work - and have really learned to admire him, he has an awesome understanding of the financial world.

Megan Matthews, Richard Van Zyl, Kirtsy Jubber & Felicity Van Zyl. Cameron Loftstrand was hiding behind the camera.

Brod also finished his first year as Early Morning Seminary Teacher - held in our house every morning during the school term.  He had a great group of youth, they had a lot of fun.  I am still wondering if he is teaching again next year?...

The end of year Seminary Breakfast with the class of 2009

I completed my first year as YW President - we have had some great activities and I have such a great group of lovely girls that are very entertaining and lots of fun.  I have 2 great counsellors (Tracy Wiblin & Kirby Chazen) and now have a secretary - which is great (Kelly Cameron).  Thursday nights have been our activity nights, we participated in the Stake Talent Show - and won! With a short version of Liken's 'Esther & the King'.  Had a great Youth Convention just outside Estcourt ( temps of 4 degrees & below outside).  

Megan Matthews, Baili CHazen, Mikaela Matthews & Michaela Wiblin in the back of our car on the way to the Temple. 

We've also had great family adventures & outings.

The Von Brughan families, and Slabberts @ the Botanical Gardens

Playing in the shore break @ Ushaka Beach

Phoebe & my Mom after Phoeb's class assembly @ KJP

Sophie was the flower girl for Niki & Greg Higgs - such a happy wedding

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE - we hope you feel the Spirit of Christ this year & it carries through to 2010 with you.

Lots of love.

The 'Joy' Blocks

Tis the Season ..

This is some of Jonah's artwork - I think Louise (Jo's teacher @ Beehive) is amazing with the different techniques that she uses to get the children in her class creating. 

2 lesson's from this week...
1. Fasting really does work - I have been reminded of this again this past week.  When we ask with real purpose & intent - the answer comes, and can come swiftly when we do it often.
2. Everyone is someone else's weirdo

Teachers gifts

"Thought is the blossom; language the bud, action the fruit behind it"(Ralph Waldo Emerson).  We have been very blessed this year to have 4 great blossom's teaching our children at their schools. Louise Thomas (a real gem) taught Jonah, Penny Grubb (with a name like that she should be into organic farming) helped Noah, Sally Cumins instructed Sophie, and Cathy Sheppard coaxed Phoebe along.  I have been keeping myself extra busy with making gifts for them this year - I am super inspired by lots of the crafts I find online & am trying them out.  It's been an incredibly empowering creative experience for me.  Ha ha!  I even jumped up and down when Louise opened her gift I'd made her this morning - I loved it so much (er'hem no time for humility in my life right now) - it's pictured to the right.  The HOME blocks. 

Another crazy week

And it's almost over - hooray!  We had a Young Women 'Heart Attack' evening last night at Helen Wilfords place for Aimee Wilford and Pearl Lofstrand - in the dreadful weather...we were all cold and soaked and hiding for 30 minutes while we waited for them to arrive.  It was lots of fun, and a great suprise for both the girls - Tracy Wiblin(my fantastic counsellor) got the girls a gift bag each with a lovely I LOVE SA Journal (which we all wrote in) and some other niknaks.  We had decorated Helen's lounge with red hearts & balloons - the girls were hiding behind curtains, behing chairs - lying prostrate on the floor...good thing the lights were off.  Aurene had baked heart shaped cupcakes which disappeared very quickly.  Tonight we are having an end of year Christmas Party for the girls - combined with Kloof YW, our last activity of the year. 

Noah & Jonah finish school tomorrow - Father Christmas is bringing them some Gogo's - they were pretty keen for them last week, they have been begging for them whenever they see their big cousins playing with theirs...however, I am not sure they will know what they are when they open them tomorrow.  I could kick myself - it was a toss up between the Transformers & Gogo's...I may have chosen the wrong toy.  Joys of Motherhood.  I stuggle with indecision.  It plagues my life. 

The girls only break up from school on the 11th Decemebr - another whole week.  I can see it takes every ounce of their strength to get out of bed in the mornings as we count down to the last 5 days.  Admittedly - it saps even more of my strength.  I am a school holidays fan.  I've been sewing up a storm today - to match the weather - still overcast and raining...been like this for days - I need the sun.  Not so great wearing jerseys in summer.