Wordless Wednesday #201 - Ballet

The brain knows about love

Yesterday, when I went to pick up the Little Missy at school, two boys came from behind and called out to her and waved to her.

She waved back, smiling.
She explained: "They like me!"

I asked her later how she knows that they like her. Did they tell her?
"No, my brain told me!"

Pink walk for hope #ithembawalkathon

It was the annual iThemba Walkathon again today!

It has become a yearly walk for us to do!

It has struck me today that it is a walk for hope! It is about being able to overcome, of being survivors!
The dreaded C diagnosis does not mean it is final! NO!

"Early detection saves lives!" 

We all had so much fun, while we were also reminded of people walking in remembrance of their loved ones!

The Little Missy started the day on a bad note, with a tantrum or two, but it got much better with the walk!

With Cass who was convinced at the last minute to come along

The final hill that felt like Polly Shortts

We made it!

A great crowd of nearly 20 000 people!

Next year we do it again...

Thanks to iThemba for organising a great event!


Related posts:

- Annual pink walk for breast cancer

- iThemba Walk against breast cancer

- iThemba Walkathon 2011

Wordless Wednesday #200 - Random

PediaSure for sure?

I was invited to a talk on child nutrition, but was unfortunately not notified that it was cancelled! Not nice when you organise with Hubby to pick up the little one, and drive through afternoon traffic to get to venue! Luckily it was a great venue and Hubby and Little Missy joined me at Panettones in Parkview. Definitely a place to go with little ones.

So I got the goody bag from the marketing people, which includes pamplets on PediaSure, and a Mr Growing Grass Head which are giving us a daily fun factor when we arrive home. To see how much the "hair" has grown!

I am giving extra vitamins to our little one, but I don't think supplements are the final answer to nutritional deficiencies. We need to get the right stuff from the original source. But sometimes it can help, especially when you knows she needs that extra oomph after a few days of bad eating.

We tried the PediaSure milkshake and it is very tasty. I can't get my preschooler to drink milk. Only once in a blue moon, and then only a few sips. I don't know if it has anything to do with my extended breastfeeding (which hasn't stop), but I think she is only getting a little bit at this stage.

I am not worried, as my oldest was also not into drinking milk!

The Pediasure tastes like vanilla milkshake, and she loved it. But she also only drank half of the glass!
I think I will try and put the PediaSure into some of our food to get her to consume more. They have very nice recipes to try out!

There are days when the sweets of the day far outweigh the healthy food consumed! It happens with a manipulating picky eater who LOVES the sweet things in life! This is great to have in your cupboard as a back-up when you want to ensure they get in a little bit extra nutrition!

Disclaimer: I got the goody bag with the PediaSure as pictured in the photo above.

The stories she tells

The conversations in the car on our way back home:

(Where does she get it?)

 

She sees a car that's been in an accident, and tells me that her car is also broken, but that they can't fix it in "the other world." They do not have glue or tape to fix cars in her world. She is having trouble now to get back to her house in that world.

The pink house that's in the clouds, and that is too far away!

 

Her dad and I won't be able to come and visit her now!

"I am very sorry, okay Mom! Okay?"

 

I have to write this down, because by tomorrow I would have forgotten it. One day I would like to remember how she stuck to this story of her pink house in the clouds. And that she threatens us with not being able to visit her when we have done a transgression towards her!

 

Very precious!

 

What stories are you being told?

Friday is a big bonus after a week of concerts

It has been a very looooong week!

We have been busy with getting the little one ready for five concerts. She had to have her make-up on and locks in her hair. It has been daunting for me. (I am not a very good make-up person, or a hair person...) Little Missy was sleeping with silk stockings in her hair each night. I am very proud I got her looking concert-ready, five times in a row!

We had a function on Tuesday, and the other nights were spent at the school. I feel wasted!
I don't know how the teachers must feel? I can only imagine!
(We only had to sort one little person!)

We also had a great view of the concert. NOT!
We will have to wait for the DVD to see how the garden fairy ballerinas really performed. But it looked cute from the distance. (Little Missy is the one on the left, at the back-end of the queue...)

We are very grateful that the concert was on for only 45 minutes, and that each group got one item to perform! A big thumbs-up to the school for keeping it short!

Concerts done and dusted for this year!

Thank you, Friday! We are welcoming you with open arms.

A weekend of sunshine is up ahead! We are going to chill!
Hope you have a great Friday and weekend as well!


Related posts:

- Concert done and dusted!

- The Toddler's first concert

- The story of the angel vs the sheep

Wordless Wednesday #199 - Garden fairy waiting for the school concert to start

Rose with thorns

It is very difficult navigating the relationship arena when you are young. You still have to define and find yourself, while negotiating in a relationship with another person on the same path of self-definition.

That was true for me! Because of that I made the "mistakes" in my relationships, and made the wrong choice in my first marriage partner. (Now I don't think of it as mistakes any more, but as valuable life lessons.)
I would not have become the person I am now, and have been where I am now, had it not been for these "detours" in my life!

Of course, I am sharing my "wisdom" with my daughters!

It seems my eldest has a good shot of her own wisdom. She has picked up most from her interactions with the unfather, who is a very emotional manipulative person.

The boyfriends in her life does not get a chance to treat her badly.
She does not allow it!

On Friday night she changed the arrangements to make it easier for the the boyfriend to come and pick her up. He flipped, and said that she can't change the arrangements as she wish. He also came and gave back her books she has loaned him, and broke off the relationship. She shrugged, and said that was it!
When the boyfriend wanted to continue as usual on Saturday, by ignoring the previous night's altercation, she wanted nothing more to do with him. He has been sending flowers and chocolates, and continues to bug her with requests to stay his girlfriend! But he has not said he is sorry!

She says she does not take back ex-boyfriends!

I am proud of her! I think it shows that she is extremely smart with regards relationships.

If this guy gets mad about a small arrangement being changed, and then not apologising... What would happen when there are bigger issues at stake?
Something is not right there?

I wish I had her "smarts" when I was young!

(Sketch: Little Missy's sketch of her sister)

Why iPads? #iSchoolAfrica

I got a first-hand experience of the implementation of iPads at Moshoeshoe Primary School in Daveyton. It is part of the iSchoolAfrica project with support from the Peermont School Support Programme

The question is of course why iPads are being used, and not other tablets as well?
Especially since it seems that the initial cost of the iPad is higher than that of other tablets.

- "The total cost of operation and ownership when compared to other devices are significantly lower once one looks beyond the cost of an individual item to the cost of the iSchoolAfrica mobile lab solution and the advanced educational ecosystem offered by Apple."
                                                      - Peermont School Support Programme

- The solution for unprivileged students are on par with the same comparable technological level that is required in the workplace, by implementing iPads.

- Apple offers a range of standard applications that support creativity in teaching and learning...
                                                       - Peermont School Support Programme

- Apple technology has fewer systems failures and fewer viruses, keeping downtime to a minimum. Fraser Speirs - who helped in implementing iPads 1:1, the first in the world - had the same experience.

- The IT support required is less than other solutions and less intimidating to ordinary educators. 
                                                        - iSchoolAfrica
   
- The applications are mapped to the South African curriculum.

- ZA Books covering over 1000 SA text book titles, are offered on the iPad.



I just love my own iPad 2, and how easy it is to operate! I was even able to upgrade to IOS 7 in recent days, and it has given me immense pleasure. I have an older version of the product, but I am still able to use all the most recent upgraded applications.
I am totally biased! I know!


Disclaimer: Nobody has given me an iPad or an iPhone (I wish ;-)) to say these on my blog.


Related posts:

- iPads at Moshoeshoe Primary School - changing the South African landscape #iSchoolAfrica 

- iPads in Education - I want to be a teacher now! #iPadSamG

iPads at Moshoeshoe Primary School - changing the South African education landscape #iSchoolAfrica

I had the wonderful opportunity to see how iPads have been implemented in a primary school in Daveyton. By now all know that I have a passion for the iPad especially, and that I would love my own child to have access to it in her education.

The statistics worldwide shows an amazing increase in results across the board when there is an implementation of this type of technology in schools.

The initiative is part of an iSchoolAfrica Support Programme together with the Peermont School Support Programme (funded by Emperors Palace and Peermont Global). 

Through this kind of initiatives the same technology is available to government schools as is available in private schools.

Moshoeshoe Primary School

The Moshoesghoe Primary School started with a mobile lab of 20 iPads, and it has been increased to 50 iPads that are in mobile suitcases. The costs to the sponsors are significantly lower than erecting a computer lab, and the mobile labs go from class to class.

Daveyton

The teachers get hands-on training and workshops and the apps for use in the education (synced with the curriculum) are pre-loaded on the iPads.

We had the opportunity to see how iPads are used in the English and mathematics classes. In the English classes they are creating e-books, doing mind-mapping and planning, and presenting their final books to the classes. 

In the mathematics classes they are playing games to learn the basic concepts. I would have loved to do maths like this!

English teacher about the creation of an iBook on the iPad

The children working on BookCreator

A student presenting her iBook about an African culture to the class

The children doing maths by pairing bubbles. How cool is this?

Children in the mathematics class

iSchoolAfrica poster

Doing maths on the iPad

The Head of the Moshoeshoe Primary School

The Head of the school finally told us how much this initiative has meant to her school as well as the community. They are proud of what they have achieved. The teachers love working with the technology, and they see the impact of this technology in their final results.

They have a goal of 60/60 by 2015. 60% of the children to reach a 60% grade in their main subjects.
It is a reachable goal with the implementation of iPads.

It was extremely inspiring!


Related posts:

- Chosing iPads for your school - Fraser Speirs

- iPads in Education - I want to be a teacher now #iPadSamG

- Afrikaans op die iPad

Wordless Wednesday #198 - Watching the rugby

The enthusiastic gymnast

We had a reluctant gymnast on our hands at the end of last year. Little Missy complained and did not want to go. She was also very demanding that we stayed next to her with the little gymnastics.

It changed at the beginning of this year, and she has been happily going, and doing the exercises on her own.

On Saturday she moved up to a bigger class, where they will be learning to do small routines.

I have a rule that if you start with a new activity, that you should do it for at least a year. After that you can change your mind again. It is expensive to pay the fees and pay the clothes, and then just to move on to the next thing.

I am glad that we did not stop going to the gymnastics.

Update

It has been crazy here. I think everyone has the same experience, with all the end-of-the-year finals and stuff coming up.

We have only the Little One to sort, and we have to decide on which overlapping event to attend!

I have been busy working on a presentation, which kept me busy for a month (at least). I was cursing and stressing about having said yes, but it all went well in the end. 

It is sometimes necessary to accept some challenges! It helps to become not too complacent. Although you wonder about your own sanity, and why it is necessary to rattle your own complacent little box, while you are stressing out big-time!

I completed my first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) before that, and it also took up a lot of my time. I am definitely going to do more of these. It is free!

Little Missy is busy as well! She never stops practising the hand stands and roll-overs and ... Any kind of movement she thinks of doing next! She is moving up to the bigger class at gymnastics on Saturday, which is also going to be a change for her!

I have to conjure a different hairstyle for her each day! The previous week she had a tantrum about wanting curly hair. At six o'clock in the morning I had to make her hair curl! (Mothers can do anything!)

For the nerds/geeks here: I finally upgraded my iPad 2 to iOS 7, and I am loving it! I was contemplating chucking the thing, and all of a sudden it's got a new life! 

I am teling everybody I know about it, and somewhere someone must share my enthusiasm!?

Happy weekend!

Make a real difference this transport month - with car seats!

A real worthy cause! 

It freaks me out each time I see children standing or hanging around in the car!

The drop-off's are happening right now! 

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Details: http://www.ipledge.co.za/

Wordless Wednesday#197 - I need some encouragement