Why do vacations end?

Why can't we be on vacation forever? *sigh* It has been a holiday in Paradise! Five days are just too short!

Dunkeld Country Estate, Dullstroom, Mpumalanga

Fishing with Dad

The trout dams were full of the brightly coloured fish. Hubby and the Toddler got a few nibbles and the fish ate all their bread. It was lots of fun!

Dullstroom is a very beautiful place. The trees, trout dams and quaint little town with lots of little shops with little treasures are a great place go and rest. It is always a bit chilly there, even in summer, but there's nothing that beats a fire-place at night!

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Now, back to reality...
Luckily we have a long weekend ahead of us! Again! Miracles never ends!

Who watched the Royal Wedding today? It is the real fairy tale story come true! Even a cynic like me thought the beautiful Princess and Prince rode off in the sunset together...  Happily ever after! (wink smile)

Holiday in Paradise - Yes, we can do it!

Break-away in Dullstroom in Mpumalanga. This is Paradise!

I am of the opinion that if a couple can survive a holiday together, they can do life together! Nothing magnifies differences in couples more than being 24/7 in each other's company, and getting to agree on activities to do...


Major conflict points:

- Packing

While busy packing and getting everything into bags, Hubby starts putting it into the car already. The stuff that gets remembered later on, all lands up in 100 little bags that needs to be carried and sorted at the holiday destination. It drives me crazy!

- Driving

It is very difficult to be a back seat driver when I am not allowed to even whisper a warning! He has seen the problem already! Best to catch a bit of shut-eye...

- The holiday

My best holiday involves around books and sleeping. Not always fun activities for the rest of the family!

Getting to agree on activities can be a logistical nightmare...

- The Personalities & quirks

The Toddler runs around like a wound-up mouse, and wants to do This/No, that!/No, No, This!

The Teen wants to read, and she reminds us that she's got homework to do... We can't stay out for too long! But then she complains about not having any "inspiration" when sitting down to doing it. And then not doing it!

I want to sleep! Sleep again! And read!

Hubby conjures up winning recipes for the braai (barbecue). We have had trout, as well as pork fillets with olives already! (I am lucky, I KNOW!)

But, we get to listen to the 100-days cough! COUGH, cough-cough, COUGH-GOUGH! Some of the consequences of that work conference three weeks back. (Enough already!)

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Luckily we are on holiday in Paradise. Dullstroom is a beautiful little town set in between lots of trees, trout fishing dams and Heaven, of course! I love the quiet solitude of the surrounding area and the fire at the end of the day!

Except for all the nigglies we are really having a great time!

We have survived a number of holidays already... Major accomplishment! It is a good indication of us staying together for years to come! (Big smile!)

Happy holidays!

What do you think of relationships and holidays?

Wordless Wednesday #73 - Autumn in Mpumalanga

Dunkeld Country Estate
Dullstroom

Movie Clip Monday #12 - Toddler laughing

There is nothing as catching as a toddler laughing.

Tasneem at MumDrum had her two young ones laughing in the car last week in her Movie Clip Monday.
I am following suit. It is a video I took on the 1st day of January of this year!

The Easter bunny came round

Where are those eggs?

Even the teens helped with the search!

This is what the Easter bunny brought us!

Guess when I went to bought my share of the Easter eggs? Only this morning. The shelves were nearly bare... Luckily there were still some white eggs (white egg with chocolate on the inside) and of course Kinderjoy. Always a winner! And our friends had the real Easter bunny chocolates to share!

Hope you had a nice Easter as well?
And tomorrow we get to sleep a bit late on this long rainy weekend! Yeah!

A rainy looong weekend

It is rainy here, and it seems that winter is making an early call this year! Going to the Mall we see everyone dressed in their warmest winter woollies.

Lovely weather for a long weekend! A bit of sarcasm here, but we awarm potre making the most of it! A  of goodness is stewing on the stove (thanks Hubby) and we are watching Ironman and the Toddler is catching up on some afternoon sleep... What could be better than this?

We had some family time with the niece and nephew and the grandparents yesterday! I do love Easter time! It is a time of reconnection with family and thinking of Life reborn...

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! We’ve got Monday off as well! Sleeping late is not an option! It is a necessity! Recharging our batteries...

Easter eggs tomorrow! Officially you are allowed to eat that chocolate! Enjoy! (Wink smile)

Related post:
The Tuesday after a long weekend

A lover of books at 28 months

The Toddler loves books! She is 28 months today!  My job is done! *Pat on shoulder*

We went to pick up some Disney books at the Post Office yesterday afternoon. The Toddler wanted to hold it immediately, and it had to go with when we went shopping in the Mall this afternoon. I read “A Bug’s Life” to her when we went to bed, and while breastfeeding there was two books firmly clutched in her hands... Two books stuck between us, but she would not let go!  She was telling me over and over of some of the incidents in the book; the ants, the naughty grasshoppers and the bird in flames!

I think it is the greatest accomplishment to get a child to love reading! It is giving her access to the whole world of knowledge and experience! I loved books when I was small, and I think it is one the big reasons I went to study Librarianship.

When I ask the Toddler if she wants to go to bed, it is always a firm “No!” But when I ask her if she wants to read a story, she says goodbye to her Dad and start walking up the stairs...

Wordless Wednesday #72 - "Smile!" for the camera

The cute things she does

A couple of cute things The Toddler is doing at the moment. It is all connected with her command of acquiring new uses of the language...

Saying all Teacher-like: “Dis reg!” (It’s correct!), when we are doing or saying something that she approves off!

She uses the “Yes!” in a tone which says: Of course! (What else?)

She saw a plane passing by over the play ground, and told the teachers at day care the “vlieghuis” (fly house) broke the clouds.

I thought she said yesterday that her nose is bothering her. I gave her a tissue, and told her to blow her nose. She literally blew on it with her breath, and chucked it over her shoulder... A giant miscommunication! We had to smile! But it made me realise how trustworthy she is. She does something just because I told her to do it, without questioning me...

Today when I went to pick her up at day care, she started to run to me. But stopped abruptly, and turned back to the teacher: “Sweeties!” They had made a cookie and Smarties autumn tree in class today, and she had remembered to ask for it when going home!

She is afraid of heights! She does not like walking on the high beams or jumping into the sponge pit at the gymnastics class. But she loves playing on the jungle gym at our local mall where I sometimes cringe when she climbs onto the slide from the bottom or climbing up a rock climbing-looking wall...  It is a good sign that she only needs a bit of time to get used to the heights!

She holds the top of her bottle hold over one eye, and tells us to smile. Just as I tell her in the mornings to smile at my cell (Morning’s first photo at day care).  See the photos of this morning where I had to tell her to smile again, because she was giving me a really skew smile.

I love this age! (Huge smile!)

The Dress!

The final year matric dance dress seems to be quite a big deal! No, it is one of the focus points of this year!


It does not matter that it is only taking place at the end of September this year! No, it is a matter-of-urgency!

Since The Teen returned from her overseas tour it has been a constant discussion point. I had a “very urgent” talk very soon thereafter. “Should we not consider having this Dress made?” Only the choice of university (which is another story altogether) seems to be taking up some of her head space!

I think I am going to have to exercise some amount of patience / understanding / negotiating skills this year! I have given The Teen a budget with regards the Dress, but it seems her choice of Dress exceeds that budget. (I am not going to budge… I am not going to budge…) It is far more expensive than I would spend on any ball gown!

I have given The Speech: This is only one function! You are going to have to attend lots and lots of functions in years to come! You look extremely pretty in a very simple elegant design. So much more pretty than an elaborate Ball Gown! She agrees about the simple and elegant… (phew!)

I spent yesterday afternoon at two shops in the Mall where I think we are paying off that hefty rent bill a month. The dresses far far exceed our prize range… And it did not help that she found a near perfect dress! Luckily she agreed it was not a “Wow! Dress” (wipe sweat from brow)…

Any suggestions on how to not go crazy in searching for that perfect dress? I am Mrs Plain and Mrs Cheap (if I can get away with it!). I always believe it is not the most expensive that looks the most beautiful!

Image: Microsoft Clip Art: Princess

Daddy's girl

Daddy is the flavour of the month at this time! Daddy must do everything! He must read the Toddler her story, and he must lie next to her when she goes to sleep... He must make her bottle!

And she wants to go to him the whole time! "Pappa toe!"
Maybe it's got something to do with him going away last week to a conference?

I am not complaining at all! It is a wonderful relationship, and Mum gets a bit of me-time! (Wicked! Wink smile!)

Perfect, it seems!

I am looking forward to a beautiful weekend. Winter is closing in on us, but we are going to enjoy a bit of the warmth of staying indoors, and each other's company!

Hope you have a lovely time as well!

I am linking up with Supermom and her Friend Finding Fridays today.

Breastfeeding the toddler in public

It is not something that happens very often. To breastfeed the Toddler in a public place is some sort of coup d’état! It is a major feat!

We usually try to distract the Toddler when she asks to breastfeed in a public place, until we get home... But sometimes I have to oblige.

It is not that I do not want to breastfeed her when she wants it, but the photos show some of the difficulties. I do not carry the button “I breastfeed in Public” without a reason on my blog. I do believe that breastfeeding should happen anywhere and any place, but we are stuck in a culture where it is not openly done, and where breastfeeding a “Toddler” is also not a commonplace occurrence. I do hope that we will change our thinking about the most natural thing in the world... To breastfeed our babies with 100% perfect nourishment for as long as they want!

I am a somewhat undercover breastfeeding mum in public (meant literally)! I usually carry a scarf with me to cover up! See the little hand; and it is busy the whole time. Also trying to grab the scarf and pulling it down!

As long as it is still working for me and for her, I will continue. I no longer have a cut-off date! I do think it is very beneficial to her. She does not get sick very often, and when she does, it is not in the extreme... There is also nothing more comforting than still being able to calm her when she is upset. Nothing is as special as the ten minutes in the morning before we rush out of the door, or coming home at night, and sitting with her while breastfeeding...

Wordless Wednesday #71 - Swing-swing

Partner at conferences and team-buildings

I am really irritated by conferences and team-buildings where the partner has to go away for a couple of nights. Even one night is not on... No, I am more than irritated!

(Or the case of Sour Grapes-face. ME!)

Rhetorical questions to companies:

• Why can’t you say what you have to say during normal working hours?
• Why do you have to do team-building with people who do not work with you in the same branch/department?
• Why take a staff member out of his office for days, AND then have to cope with absenteeism afterwards because of THE FLU? (Or THE HANGOVER)
• Why do you spend exorbitant amounts on travel and lodging and gifts and entertainment? It does not make sense in this day of cut-backs and poor economies, or is somebody not giving us the whole picture?
• Why do you take parents away from their families?
• Why do you have harem night parties with lots of booze when the spouses are not around? (We always get to hear the stories afterwards…)

I am just venting a little bit after the Hubby had to go to a conference, and came back sick like a dog. He was not here for almost three days, and now he is also relegated to bed! Shame and he still gets up to help with dinner and dropping The Teen off at school in the mornings… He’s the real Hero here, and I am Mrs. Sour Grapes! Sorry, Hubby, I know it is not your fault!

Who also feels a bit annoyed with all these “conferences” the partner has to attend?
(Please tell me it is not only me that hates it when Hubby has to go away!)

Movie Clip Monday #11 - Toddler singing

The Toddler is singing now with gusto! She doesn't need any prompting from us.
She used the medicine cup as a microphone yesterday, but was not impressed when she saw me trying to capture it for the video! A soprano in the making? (wink smile)

Using Tasneem's great idea of Movie Clip Mondays.

This week I’m grateful for... my family

I am linking up with Maxabella and her I’m grateful for.

It is Sunday already, but I m so glad my family is all back at home again. The Teen is back from her Paris and London tour, and Hubby is back from his Namibia conference. I missed them!

Nothing than a missing family member to make us realise how important they are in our lives!

How lucky we are to be a family! Our lives are enriched beyond our wildest expectations. We are able to share our lives and tours... We know that when we share our photos, the members of our family actually want to see what we have been up to! (wink smile)

I love my family!

Thank you, Friday! You are a lekker day!

You have arrived! I am very glad this week that Friday is here!

I told the Toddler this morning: “Today is a lekker day!” She repeated: “Today is a lekker day! I will not cry at the school!” The last part was her insertion.

She wanted to pull the lip this morning at day care, but Sindy and I “bullied” her into smiling.

We had a bit of a sleep fail last night when the toddler did not want to go to sleep at her usual bedtime. We did the whole reading-breastfeeding-in-the-dark routine, but then she wanted to get out of bed again… To Daddy (“Pappa gaan!”) who was not there last night. It does not help telling her he is in Namibia for work! Luckily she was fine with me in bed for the rest of the night.

Hope you have a great Friday! It is going to be a lekker day!

What to do on a Thursday night?

In surburbia? When Hubby is not here, and The Teen is on her forever tour… (It feels like that! Two weeks are very long!)


It is only me and the Toddler tonight! The case of when the cat is away… What to do?

No, Hubby, before you get concerned… I can’t wait for a quite night all on our own, just The Toddler and me. Being lazy and going to bed early… What is better than that?

Autumn has arrived with its cold spread of clouds, grey, wet and orange. I think we have had three days of this already, and the main topic of conversation is the weather on this side of the world. We are very one track minded, we South Africans! We are complaining already! I do hope it is not a very long winter this year! Three months are way too much…

Vegging out on the couch tonight does not sound like too bad of a deal with the weather!

What would you do on a night like tonight?

Wordless Wednesday #70 - Toddler with rain coat

Aging and family members



I hate being confronted with aging in all of its “pleasant” physical symptoms. Especially when a family member gets hit by it… It immediately translates into genes and it could target me as well! Some day when I am going to age… (Not now!).

I am not afraid of old age, and I have been saying that I want to turn that dial until 100. But it sure won’t be “fun” when I have all sorts of ailments…

My grandmother is nearing that wonderful age of 90 (in June), but it seems that the frail little body is struggling at the moment. She has been very independent, and we hope it will continue like this! We hope you get well very soon, Grandma! 90 is a very good age to have come!

If she struggles with poor blood circulation, I check my own sores to see if it does not heal as quickly. When her hand gets swollen with gout (something else?), maybe that is in my blood as well? If my father gets a heart attack, I immediately get uptight when my own heart feels uptight! Stress or real heart trouble?

Sounds a bit melodramatic or hypochondriac of me, but I find the older I get the more I think about this! Especially since I’ve got a very young Toddler in my life that I want to see grow up…

Who else thinks of this, or I am showing symptoms of… Old Age?

(Photo: Grandma with the toddler the previous year)

Morning's first photo at day care #18 - Cupcakes

Toddler with cupcakes, very impressed with herself because she is taking it to her teacher. And she helped mom with it!

Sunday night cupcake conundrum

Why do I always remember on a Sunday night of something that needs to be done or bought on a Monday morning? I totally forgot about buying (note: not making) those cupcakes for day care. They take turns in the classes to sell it to generate funds. I am sure the idea is for the mums to make to themselves... But I don't see anything wrong with Spar or Woolworths cupcakes. They are yummy as well, and my stress levels stay way down low...

When we went in search of the cupcakes, it turn out all the other mums have already done their cupcake shopping. I had to make do with bought muffins and my own homemade icing. The sprinkles really did the job, and Toddler helped me with putting it on. I think it looks really swell for a Sunday night fix! (I hope somebody like Shayne at Yummy Mummy Cupcake does not read this!)

It's the end of another weekend.We are missing the Teen who is now visiting my sister in London. It seems she is having a great time...

The Toddler kept us busy, and I was thinking tonight that they really teach you about resilience. If she wants something, she will keep at it. Again, and again, and again... "No!" does not have any effect. She wanted to play with a water spray toy, and although we kept telling her that it is evening already, she kept on asking. She did not get her wish, but we had to explain for over an hour that the sun has already gone to sleep...

The Toddler fell asleep in a shopping trolley and slept quite comfortably through most of the shopping trip to the mall on Saturday.

The Toddler was not impressed with the Easter Bunnies at the mall. I seems they are in the same untrustworthy league as the Red Beardy Man!

Good night, Weekend! It was a blink, but it was GRAND!

Related post:
Morning's first photo at day care #18 - Cupcakes

Post Traumatic Dentist Syndrome

Today I had first hand experience of why people are afraid of the dentist. I was traumatized for 45 minutes, and it felt like hours and hours of hell...

It was the toddler’s first visit to the dentist. She did not want to sit on that big chair on her own, but it was okay when she sat on my lap. The dentist had a quick look in her mouth, and that was it. She pulled her lips in that unhappy grimace... He said that her teeth are skew and that she would probably need braces when she is older. (Poor girl, as I have been through a whole brace history with the Teen, I am definitely not looking forward to doing it again. But that’s worries for later...)

Her dad was there, and she could go home with him. Sigh of relief that her first meeting with a dentist was not as traumatic as my visit today!

I am never going to that dentist again. Mental note! I am never going to the dentist again!!

That’s when my torture started. I was only expecting a quick check-up and clean, but the doctor said he noticed two teeth that needed fixing. The next moment that needle was in his hand, and he was in my mouth, the sharp sting of the needle, and him pressing against my cheek bone with his finger... I presume it was to lessen the sting of the needle, but that needle was in my mouth for a very long time.

Then he proceeded to fix the other tooth without any anesthetics. He told me that I should tell him when it gets too uncomfortable, and then he would also numb the other side of my mouth. The thought of another needle in the other side of my mouth made me agree with him...

It was torture:
The one side of my face was numb. There was a hand, and cotton balls, and a sucking instrument, AND another instrument which smelt like steel burning in my mouth. The glare of the lights above my eyes was blinding me, and because I had to close my eyes very tightly, my contact lenses started to act up, and tears were running down my cheeks. Do you think it bothered the dentist in any way? No, no indication of that! He and his assistant were discussing her previous employers who apparently treated her very badly...

“Listen here, you torturers, I am writhing in pain here!” No, I did not say it! Why do we suck it up?

After he had finished with my teeth, the cleaning started. The torture had no end to it...They have a water-spraying instrument, but I am sure it is faulty. My whole face was sprayed, and later I was even grateful when they put a towel over my face! That last fluoride treatment is still making me feel nauseous as I am writing here.

I only got my face back four hours later. In that time I tried to eat some pizza, but it did not taste like anything... And I LOVE pizza! It means I missed a whole yummylicious pizza experience as well!

Up until now I was not afraid of the dentist, and I believed one should go on a regular basis.
My beliefs have been shattered! The dentist is THE DEVIL! I am never going to the dentist again...

I will take my toddler to a dentist, but also definitely not to this one again! My face has been violated, and I have been traumatized forever!

I am now suffering from PTDS – Post Traumatic Dentist Syndrome! (Powerwoman got a beating today!)