Marie Stopes New Healthcare Centre in Springs

Marie Stopes South Africa

Marie Stopes South Africa Enhancing Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for women in the community.

It's Women's month in August. We have just celebrated Women's Day last week in South Africa. Miss Fine just asked me last week if Women's Day and Mother's Day are the same. Women's Day in South Africa are celebrated because strong women stood up and marched against injustices. We honour them and we want to be like them. We have come a long way, but there's still so many injustices that needs to be addressed. One of them is giving women equality, dignity and freedom of choice. That's why I love what Marie Stopes South Africa is doing.

Marie Stopes SA

On Wednesday 22 August, Marie Stopes will be opening a brand new centre in Springs, in the Springs Mall. Marie Stopes have centres across South Africa to provide quality, affordable and comprehensive services. They do not judge, but help with safe and reliable services.

The legacy I want my daughters to make their own #BeautyLegacy

The most recent Dove Beauty Legacy campaign made me think again about the legacy I want my daughters to have! Now, at this very moment!

I want them to know they are beautiful!
Inside!
AND
Outside!

When you are young, you are always looking at the flaws and the shortcomings in the mirror.
You are always  trying to get thinner and fitter and working off the big bum.
Always feeling that you are not the optimal version of the version you think you should be!

Now I know how much time I have spend on these time-wasting thoughts and activities.
I like myself so much more now that I am older. When I think about my younger self I know that I was beautiful already, and I should have spend my time on LIVING!
I am definitely not a more beautiful version of my younger self, but I am happy with who I am now!
I like my big bum because I can SIT on it!  (Thank you Wise Age!)

[For health reasons I need to get rid of a few kilograms, but it won't stop me from fretting about how I look and have an impact on what I am doing!]

I look at all the young girls that is the same age of my two daughters.
They are all beautiful!

I want them to know that, and I want them to live that!
To have the confidence to march out with gusto into Life and know that they are beautiful at that very moment in time!

In the spirit of Women's Day and Month in South Africa!

To my two daughters:
You are strong!
You are beautiful!
You can do whatever you set your mind out to do!
You are the best version of yourself right now!

Do not wait for a photograph years later to say to yourself that you were beautiful all long!
Don't let anybody else tell you something different! Because it will not be true!

I am telling you the truth now!
You are beautiful!

Dove #BeautyLegacy campaign: "The way a girl feels about beauty, starts with the way you feel about yours." - Dr Colinda Linde #quote #Dove

A photo posted by Karen Du Toit (@karentoittoit) on Aug 4, 2015 at 3:48am PDT

Disclaimer: I got the Dove "BeautyLegacy drop.
                  Follow the #BeautyLegacy hashtag to watch the beautiful video and message that goes with it!

Women's rights in the month of August

Strong Women #quote on Pinterest

Here's to strong women everywhere for the month of August!

And even though you think you are not strong, believe that you are!



The Student pulled out her soapbox, and I so love that she gets this:

"...the responsibility of the extent of the abuse, does not only lie with the abuser, but with you and how much you will allow until you say: ENOUGH!"

Read here:

Millenium Lady: Women's rights in the month of August





So proud of the strong woman she is!

A feverish weekend

We were planning a very relaxed Women's Day and weekend this past weekend!
(Murphy?!)

Little Missy started with a runny nose, and by Thursday night we were struggling with fever.
But not enough to prevent us from going to Decorex on Friday, our yearly inspiration! (And desperation!)
(I had won two tickets through Twitter's Stavey Vee! Yay!)

We dosed Little Missy with medicine, and for the most part she was sleeping in her stroller.
(As a matter of fact, Little Missy gets dosed by any medicine, so it is not on purpose that we "dose" her. We need to give the Panado or the Celestamine on occasion.)

(Dad got a lot of smiles from all the ladies while pushing her)

It was cold and rainy, but definitely not enough to keep the crowds away from Decorex.
I never knew I needed that thing, until I saw it right there!
Now our house and its interior decoration needs a complete overhaul!
We will be chasing that rainbow (see top photo), after all! *Wink smile*

Friday night had us up with the fever again. The Panado and suppository just before 12 did not help.
She was waking us up with fever dreams: "Hold me!" "I'm scared!" (Eyes wide open, but not awake! Afterwards she told us there was a HUGE FROG who touched the sky...)

While busy running the second bath of the night to cool her down, I followed my own rule:

"As soon as you begin to think "Should you take her to the doctor, or not?" - Take her!"

So we walked into emergency at 2 am on Saturday morning.

Not feeling well at all with red cheeks

20 minutes after the hospital's suppository kicked in!
Up and about!

The fever was dealt a definite blow, and up until now we are only struggling with the runny nose. I did not give her the antibiotics that was prescribed...

The rest of the weekend we tried to recover from the lost sleep, and spend some time with the family!


How was your weekend?

Happy Women's Day

Some inspiration from Pinterest!


Hope you have a nice relaxing weekend!

Special Women’s Day

I got to spend the day with my youngest daughter. It turned into a very special Women’s Day!

(Hubby had to attend the funeral of a friend’s father, and the teen spend the day with the boyfriend and his family...)

I took the Toddler to Lifestyle, a nursery with restaurants, shops and play areas for children. I promised the Toddler a train ride, and after that we just browsed around...

The Toddler inspected all the water features, the kitsch statues, the plants, and played around in the play area...

All on her terms and on her own time!

I should do more of this and more often with my child...


What did you do on Mother"s Day?

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6th Wedding Anniversary