Merit!

We got a merit at Eisteddford! the girls all did so well, but the adjudicator was lank strict..... our girls all deserved honours at least :)

will write more tomorrow - just popping in quickly before i go off to mugg n bean for a pity party ;)

mwah
xxx

Quirks

Tomorrow my baby Tayla is doing Eisteddford - which means she is dancing in front of a hall full of people, on stage – alone! She did it last year and received honours, (81%) she did so well. I think I am more nervous than her!

So, I’ve been thinking, we all have our own little quirks – come on, I know none of you really want to admit to them but I am taking the plunge, by sharing my list with you. Not superstitions, just little everyday things that you just can’t change:

1) I always have to walk up the stairs right foot first, never the left
2) Chip / Crisp packets should NEVER be opened upside down
3) Anything with numbers involved MUST land on an EVEN number. EG: the volume on TV/radio, amount of smarties I put in my mouth, amount of potatoes to be mushed up for dinner – you get the picture. Crap this means I need to produce one more child …. Absolutely no ways, sorry, I make an exception to the rule. I love the little sprogs, but one more and I really would be sent off to the nut house.
4) Due to my photographic memory – I memorize car number / license plates. Weird I know. I never look at the person driving, I always recognize you by your number plate – challenge me, come on, I know all of my close friends ones off by heart.
5) In the shower I have a strict routine – something I don’t usually have otherwise: WASH HAIR – WASH BODY – SHAVE – RINSE – WRAP HAIR UP IN TOWEL - DRY FACE AND ARMS FIRST – THEN THE REST. I never waiver from it – ever.
6) Toilet matters should be done at home and nowhere else – if we go away for the weekend – I hold it in until Sunday night. If im in the mall, I drive home and then go back to the mall. Personal, but true
7) I drive from one side of the mall to the other – I know I know I know….
8) If I am spelling out a word in my head, I flex each letter out in my leg calf muscles. I’m not explaining this very well – I would have to show you. Then again, no I wouldn’t, its too embarrassing.
9) Clothes can never be folded inside out
10) I have a strong sense of smell, and smell lots of things before I eat them/use them. I think this is due to the fact that my sister and I were always convinced my mother was trying to poison us with her cooking when we were growing up. But oh, what I would give for mums home-cooked dinner right now…. J
11) If I hear a song I love, I memorize all the words within a few minutes and insist on belting out my new fave song to everyone I see. – and they simply have to love it too, otherwise there is clearly something mentally wrong with them.
12) I hate routine – washing on a Monday, shopping on a Tuesday, dye your hair on Wednesday… etc etc. it works for some, but not for me. I do have general routine with the kids but my life is pretty spontaneous, and I love that.
13) Whenever im with Hazel, I have to blink my right eye 32 times in one sentence. Just kidding – its just because you insist on blowing your smoke in my eyes friend.
14) I once read that ‘Whenever you leave a room, you should always do one thing before you leave to make that room more beautiful’ something simple, like pick up the book kicking around under the coffee table, that’s been crumpled and stood on by every kid that’s passed it. Smell the roses you have had on the table for a week still in the cellophane. Chuck away the crusty macdonalds burger that has superglued itself to your duvet. You know, simple stuff ;) so I always do it, and hop from room to room like the dam energizer bunny.
15) Always always wipe the bubbles off the sink after you have washed the dishes….
16) Always greet people with a smile, even if you don’t like them. Sometimes a smile is the only thing they need.
17) Talking of smiling, I smile and laugh way too much and often appropriately. Like when someone falls over, or when im trying to argue with someone ( I HATE that) or telling someone some bad news – why oh why do I always smile??!!

Now I’ve ended on number 17, but its ok, because I make an exception if the date means something to me, and I was born on the seventeenth. So for example the following odd numbers are fine to end up on: 23/25/17/29 etc etc etc

Gotta go grab a smoothie – yummy………..

Keep Smiling ;)

Lovies
Me xxx

Busy Lizzy

I'm really busy this week with organizing this conference and Garden Route trip..... My life has been taken over by emails, phone calls & the words : Taxi, Shuttle, Delegates, Transfer & Airport have taken over my entire vocabulary...

I HAVE been keeping up my beach walks though - now my mom & sister are unemployed again, I have walking partners ;)

I wanted to tell you my story about my friend Marita, but I need a photo to prove it, and I can't download it off my phone - friend, if you are reading this - email me your photo!!

This afternoon is busy busy with the kids afternoon - one is going to craft lesson, one to horse riding and Shanah bugs is just hanging with mom today, busy busy, and I am just seeing $$$$$ signs..

Tomorrow morning I'm going to watch Logan play in a rugby match at Sun Valley Primary - I'm so excited, he is such a cutie - here's a piccie of him how I remember him:

(i couldnt find one of him smaller - and yes Mands, i stole this from facebook ... :))

and this is him now! too cute - Love u lots Shmoges.

while i'm in a photo mood - this is my precious 10 month old nephew Jack, who I have never met!! I need to start making me some cash.... Love u lots precious boy ;)

Have a fantastic weekend !!

Keep Smiling

me xxx

Photo Shoot

Kat kindly did a fabulous, very impromptu mini photo shoot for us at dinner the other night.

Here are some of her piccies - please take a look at her work on her blog :

http://www.adventuresoftheroamingkat.blogspot.com/

I'm encouraging her to persue it - can you tell??

this first pic was finally taken after much hysteria - it was REALLY hard to balance. i had to squat over louise (sorry for breaking your back friend) and Hazel had to sit on my back. It was so funny, the guys couldn't believe we just suddenly decided to sprawl out on the kitchen floor to take photo's, and insisted on tickling us which was not helping the balance thing. The kids were also trying to get in on the photo, so I'm really surprised we managed to get a pic without a kid foot in it.

this second photie literally was taken sprawled out on the kitchen floor - ha ha - posh spice lips of course.

me and the fabulous photographer ;) im going to keep this pic because one day when you're rich and famous I could sell this photo for lots of bucks. so thanks.

I'm busy reading a book called " My life in my hands " by Alison Lapper. Most of you know her, because she is dead famous because she was born severely disabled and literally has no arms, but she became famous for something - i haven't got to that part yet, there is even a statue of her somewhere. oh i remember now, she is famous as an artist, and even received an award from the queen. I thought the title of the book was a bit insensitive, but maybe its meant to be that way? I'm not sure. lemme find a link : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Lapper

anyway this woman is a serious inspiration, she had a hellish childhood, but still managed to lead a fantastic life because of her attitude. I'll let you know more once I've read on a bit.

Hazel, I know what you're thinking.... for the record - I fully support Autism Awareness too.

Keep Smiling!

Lovies

me xxx

I am old!

So, tomorrow I am going to be a quarter of a century – yes people, 25. as in halfway to 50. that is so depressing!! I still feel about 11 ;)

As this post is all about me, all about me, I decided to dig up some old photies of me me & me. They’re scanned in so the quality isn’t that great.

This is me as baby – how cute am I?

I’m about 3 here – Shanah’s age. Shanah is like my twin! Check out the next photo.


This is Shanah – age 3! Scary hey?

Oh my goodness gracious – I cannot believe my mother did this to me. I’m like 12 here!! We were touring England for a month in a mobile home, and we stopped at this place called Sanford Park for the weekend. It may have actually been in Wales. Yes Emma & Craig – WAALEES!! We had to fancy dress for some competition for the Kids Club, so my mom dressed up Me, Meg & Sian as kittens. Ok, Meg and Sian were like 9 and 4 so that’s ok, but 12?? I thought I was dead hot, and we won of course. I reckon my mom just did it for a laugh – I’ll get you back mother.

Here I am, 16 and pregnant, it must have been my sexy cat outfit that did it and – yes those are braces on my teeth… Another thing I will just never live down.

And here’s me now - halfway to 50! I don’t know whats worse, this outfit or the kitten – ha ha!! Thats me on the right by the way..


Now you’re all probably hosing yourself laughing – have a wonderful weekend.. ;)

IT’S THE WWWWEEEKKKEEEENNNDDD BBAAABBBYYY!!!!!!!!

Keep Smiling,
Lovies
Me xxx

Helllooo

Just letting my blog know I havent forgotten about it..

I'm snowed under with organizing 2 conferences on this month and shane is going away now for 10 days up the garden route so things are hectic!

will write tomorrow - pwomise!!

I love you blog!

Lovies
me xxx

I love it....

So, most of you know that one of my all-time favourite movies is : 13 going on 30. I know, its weird. Its no-where near a classic hit, like Dirty Dancing for example, but the stupid thing makes me cry every time I watch it and I do not cry easily, ever. I love it because it makes you think about the little things in life you should appreciate and not take for granted because life is so short and before you know it, the things you should have appreciated are whisked away from you and you can never get those moments back.

On the way to school I was trying to self-inspire myself as I’m feeling really tired and blech today. So I thought about the things that I should be grateful for and the advantages of living in this close-knit (sometimes in-bred) little valley. Ok Ok, before you all shoot me down in flames, we all know it has many dis-advantages, BUT I am focusing on being positive (Put it out there - Read ‘The Secret’)

So here are just 7 of the little things on my list that are just SO cool:
( There are 7 because, 7 is my all-time favourite number )

All of the paragraphs below start with the words “I love it …….”

1) that the newspaper man at the traffic lights is the same newspaper man that has been there since I was five years old. He knows you by name, always asks you how your family is, runs over to your car to give you your newspaper first, is always smiley and friendly even though he’s been in the freezing sorry-ass cold air since 5am, AND he never ever looks any older, Mark - you rock.

2) That the girl who was ripped off for years at school for being in the Special Needs class, has a job and looks so happy, and the people at school that teased her, are still walking around like tik addicts, and even now they try and bum 20 bucks off you if they see you in the mall. You guys suck, Edith – you rock.

3) That the headmaster at Niamh’s school – was my headmaster…. Ok, so I’m not that old, but it still rocks. He calls you by name, his door is always open, he loves the kids as if they were his own, and I still feel like I should walk ‘single file on the left hand side of the corridor’ purely out of respect – ha ha. Mr Don – you rock.

4) when you unexpectedly bump into a good friend after such a long time, and you can still catch up and waffle away like you saw them only yesterday, AND that friend is not offended that you didn’t make an effort sooner.

5) That the people in the shops in town have known you since forever, and they seriously don’t mind if you buy something and then have to leave your kid as a deposit while you run to the ATM to draw some money…

6) That the beach never changes. I watched a home video of myself yesterday - I was 9 months old and in my pram on Fish-Hoek beach. The grass area was the same, the catwalk was the same, even the sounds were the same, and that rocks. The only bit that was different was that my mom was lying there in a sexy red bikini smothered in suntan oil totally ignoring me whilst catching up on her tan, and now that I’m a mom, I don’t do that. Number 1 because I would never be caught dead in a bikini and Number 2 because my kids are SO hyper. I’m usually saving one from being carried out by the tide, the other one from being sucked up by sinking sand and the little one from being attacked by a giant jellyfish (EVERYTHING on the beach to Shanah is a fish, whether it’s a Shell, A Bee, An Ice Cream or a Bucket & Spade, Shanah says they are all: FISH!!!! And don’t even try and argue with her, I tried that, and it doesn’t work.)

7) That I’ve had over 700 hits in 4 weeks on my blog ;) - you guys rock.

Hell, I think I should send my list to Oprah for her gratitude journal, I may just win a Nobel Peace Prize or something, you just Never know.

Keep Smiling my faithful blog-readers,
Lovies
Me xxx