Monthly Archives: June 2018
Science centre
Adam was feeling better today so we were off to the science centre for our postponed visit.
All we need is, another brick in the wall
Is Addy eating the fruit or is the fruit eating him?
Family hands
I love our bunch and they all had fun this morning.
Happy 9th birthday Grace!
Our little munchkin turned 9 today….9! It is incredible that she has been around for 9 years, our sushi loving, board game playing, mountain bike riding, book reading, early waking, super girl.
She played happy birthday for herself
It was a chilled out day at home watching movie and making sushi for supper. Adam has been sick and vomiting so we were home bound even though we had plans to go to the science centre.
Grace did say at the end of the day that she had really enjoyed it.
May it be a blessed and wonderful year ahead for you.
Grace’s Masterchef party
Grace decided she wanted a Masterchef party this year, so after much brain racking we finally figured out what our “pressure test” and invention test were going to be.
Grace was asking about it (we kept the challenges a surprise) so I told her we’re making tuna with rice. She thought that tinned tuna was a horrible idea…..but it turns out our was perfect.
And the challenge is….sushi!
Workstation, ready for action
Instead of a true pressure test, they had to follow and keep up as I demonstrated. There were two teams of five and they each made a roll of sushi and then rotated out.
They did really well, with some of them making excellent sushi
My demo sushi (2nd time making sushi, with the 1st being the previous night)
Eli and Adam judged this as the winning team (it was a presentation challenge)
But both did well
And everyone enjoyed eating it
Next up was a blind tasting to determine which ingredients could be used in the invention test. Yummy things like cocoa powder, choc chips, oats, banana, cinnamon and more.
Donné gave them a basic muffin recipe and they could then mix their own choice of ingredients into the muffins.
Some serious planning to decide what goes in
Then time to work quickly to have the muffins mixed and in the muffin tin before the clock ran out
Grace’s team made choc chip lemon muffins which were delicious and the winning choice. The other team had oats, choc chips and a “hint of banana” (which was a single slice) – good muffins but not quite a flavourful as the choc chip lemon ones.
Cake time!
Grace has really made some wonderful friends and built on those relationships this year.
Grace, Nyasha, Anna, Natasha and Famke
Grace really enjoyed it, was super surprised and excited about the sushi, and the other children seemed to have a great time too. Lots of smiles, fun and laughter for them and for us.
And we now have the skills to make our own sushi…..
Ballet Addy
When you come upstairs for a show and leotards are the order of the day…
He went on to do a bum wiggle dance which I tanked by taking a photo instead of a video. Oh well, there’s always next time.
Birthday circle
Grace had her birthday circle at school today – the last one in lower elementary! (This is her birthday circle at school, her birthday is next week Friday)
She had everyone laughing with her stories and in particular with her picture of Eli and the Moustache.
Connection
The last few weeks have been difficult for me, my moms cancer has spread to her thyroid, I was diagnosed with glaucoma, our finances are in a scary space and Duncan is doing some exciting new work, but with a very tight deadline which has resulted in a more than usual tired, stressed out husband.
From the outside you wouldn’t know that I’m an emotional wreck (My emotional outbursts I keep for my kids and my husband). I chat, I smile, I check in with friends. I look whole and complete and yet I feel broken and raw.
What I have noticed in the past few weeks is how seldom someone actually stops and asks how I am. People ask about my mom, my kids, school, Duncan, general chit chat, but seldom a direct ‘how are you Donné?’
Today when a cashier at the shop asked me how I was and I nearly burst into tears, I realised how much I needed someone to just ask.
Don’t get me wrong I do have people in my life who do check in and who take interest in me, but I guess it made me pause and think, why was I craving that simple question.
So do I take a genuine interest in how the people in my life are doing? Do they know that I am there for them, a shoulder, an ear and everything else.
A friend posted this the other day, a good reminder to stop, reach out, and take the time to let our family, friends and even strangers know we care with a simple ‘how are you doing?’
Distinction
Grace’s goal for her ballet exam was to be better than last time. She got 65% last time and said that she would be happy with 66%. I thought that was a rather good perspective – just keep improving.
Well, she improved and was very chuffed – the three girls in her group all got a distinction/gold for their exam! Happy little munchkin and definitely better than last time.
River water
Filling up bottles from the Lourens river during mountain biking at school
The children were very excited to get some nice cool drinking water straight from the river.
Grandparents at Vergelegen
Gogo and Gramps stopped in for a quick weekend visit and we had a lovely lunch at Stables at Vergelegen
Like mother….
…like daughter
This is what you do when you’re trying to smile
Walking up to the royal Oak
