18 Dec

16 Dec

Christmas carols on the water. With bag-piper under the new, new moon. Magic.

15 Dec

Rudolph, the red-nosed vlei-deer.

12 Dec

... on the 13th ...

I finally unpacked my printer's tray. Can you see the Mandela for President badge, circa 1994? I've been reading and re-reading this great article about Madiba, sad, but so sensible.

11 Dec

Ack! I didn't take any photos today! So ... I'm later-gramming. Yup, just when I thought instagram couldn't get more laughable (follow the link, you'll thank me), I discovered #latergram - when you post a pic you took earlier, to post later, so it's not, like, instant - see?

These from the last day of school. Our Sunday, being the most delightful little flirt.

10 Dec

I like to have a presence, as it were, on my own Christmas tree. A little reminder that Mummy's watching ...

9 Dec

Eyeball piñata. Best 3rd birthday party ever.

8 Dec

What???

7 Dec

A visual manifestation of happiness.

6 Dec

Last day of school for the year, and last day for both of them at their respective schools. On the way home:

Sunday, 'I also got an old school now.'

Friday, 'Lots of new people are going to come into my life soon hey Mum?'

I am immeasurably grateful at how well they embrace change.

5 Dec

We went to the SPCA to look at dogs (not for us alas) and came home with ... a unicorn. Not the adoption we'd anticipated, but she couldn't be happier.

4 Dec

With a grandfather and an uncle as eminent botanists is it any wonder she knows how to pontificate, at length and with varying degrees of bullsh*t, about various plants?
This game was called 'Kirstenbosch'.

3 Dec

At first I was dismayed to see a whole roll of sparkly tape disappear, but then I reminded myself that this is what it was intended for: to bring joy.

2 Dec

And to continue a theme ...

My first favourite thing about Christmas (the list gets longer as the season goes on), is feeling justified in making frivolous crafty things and festooning the house with them. Not sure why I need any justification to do that at all, but I seem to think I do!

1 Dec

Despite their Ouma giving the girls 'real' advent calendars this year, I'm determined to re-use my matchboxes. 

I got this little guy in the post-Christmas sales at Checkers last December and thought I'd have some fun hiding him around the house with each day's matchbox.

(The first person to say 'Elf on a Shelf' gets a punch in the throat okay?)

P.S. Where have I been you ask? Two words: Downton Abbey. I refuse to apologise.

P.P.S. We have a winner! Thanks to everyone who participated, and to the Little Fire Company for a gorgeous prize.

sisters

During the looooong month of December when Friday was home from school and the girls and I were spending an inordinate amount of time together, I started taking a picture a day of the two of them. Very quick and silly snaps, just trying to capture random moments in their relationship, little snippets of their play.
I think Sunday so enjoyed having her big sister around so much and they're of an age now where they regard each other as viable play-mates, friends, accomplices.

Here's some of my favourites ...

My preciousness's.

Now to decide what to do with them all? Print a book, an album? A massive framed collage? For now I'll burn them all to CD and label it clearly ... it's a start.

24 Dec

Patchy internet access the last couple of days has left this space very quiet, but done wonders for my Christmas preparations.

I downloaded a bunch of pics this morning, here's a smattering of what we've been up to.

 Christmas Trees inspired by Love & Lollipops

 Brining the turkey in the camping fridge. Innovative no?

 Who knew she'd love mince pies so much? Little bit of sherry never hurt anyone right?

 

I finished Sunday's stocking just in time! She'll get her name on it next year, Maybe.

This was a great success.

 It's all been so ... jolly.
Christmas really, really is more fun once you have kids.

Have a lovely few days everyone, I'm taking a blog break 'til the New Year - see you then.

21 Dec

Giant fruit. Fabric paint. Repurposed vintage Skinny laMinx. Itchy shoulder.

It was a good day.

19 Dec

'Tis the party season gang, and this girlie is getting tired.

A quiet day today methinks.

16 Dec

A couple of weeks back I had a fun evening listening to Nine Inch Nails and making a string of paper matryoshkas.
As one does.

It was one of those sanity-saving exercises when I just needed a little all about me-ness. Friday was tres impressed when she saw them up but also indignant that I'd made them without her.
So today we remedied that, and she and some buddies made their own.

I'm loathe to admit it, but hers are way cooler. They have beards!