Friday, 30 January 2009
Have you ever just stopped and looked?
Today I got out of the car and what did I see on the ground at my feet? A rather large earthworm. I took a moment to observe it and was simply amazed at the complexity of such a seemingly simple worm.
I got out the camera and tried to capture what I was seeing, but I don't think it could zoom as close as my eyes could.
See how it stretches out long and thin and then bunches up short and fat. And all of this is done presumably with no thought about it's own movement.
There is so much to learn in this world if we just stop and look. Once I watched a hairy spider walking along our tiled bathroom wall and was mesmerized for about 10 min.
Nature, animals, insects, birds, plants, humans, all so fascinating!
I got out the camera and tried to capture what I was seeing, but I don't think it could zoom as close as my eyes could.
See how it stretches out long and thin and then bunches up short and fat. And all of this is done presumably with no thought about it's own movement.
There is so much to learn in this world if we just stop and look. Once I watched a hairy spider walking along our tiled bathroom wall and was mesmerized for about 10 min.
Nature, animals, insects, birds, plants, humans, all so fascinating!
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Corbin the Evacuee
Corbin has been studding World War ll at school. The other day they went on a field trip and had to dress up as evacuees, complete with gas mask box. (The small tag has his name and address on it.)
He looks so sad because he was totally in character. He told me that evacuees were always sad when leaving home so he couldn't smile for the photo.
He looks so sad because he was totally in character. He told me that evacuees were always sad when leaving home so he couldn't smile for the photo.
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Did you also think your parents were stupid when you were a kid?
Last night's conversation:
Mom: "*Leslie did you brush your teeth?"
*Leslie: "A little bit."
Mom: "Well a little bit is not enough, please go and do a proper job."
*Leslie gets out of bed and starts to head for the bathroom, and then...
Mom: "Just let me smell your breath." (because if it doesn't have a hint of mintyness then I know there has not even been a little bit of brushing)
*Leslie: "No, I started brushing my teeth, but I didn't use any toothpaste."
YEAH RIGHT, LIKE I WAS BORN YESTERDAY!
*Name has been changed to protect the guilty, and no it is not the one you are thinking it is.
Mom: "*Leslie did you brush your teeth?"
*Leslie: "A little bit."
Mom: "Well a little bit is not enough, please go and do a proper job."
*Leslie gets out of bed and starts to head for the bathroom, and then...
Mom: "Just let me smell your breath." (because if it doesn't have a hint of mintyness then I know there has not even been a little bit of brushing)
*Leslie: "No, I started brushing my teeth, but I didn't use any toothpaste."
YEAH RIGHT, LIKE I WAS BORN YESTERDAY!
*Name has been changed to protect the guilty, and no it is not the one you are thinking it is.
Monday, 19 January 2009
Just felt like reading
I was reading my book and the kids were fighting about who's turn it was on the computer. So I said that the computer had to go off and they were to find something else to do. There was some grumbling but only for a minute or two and then the boy's were off upstairs to play with cars and blocks, and the girls decided to join me. 
It was lovely, and they did other things for the rest of the evening.
It was lovely, and they did other things for the rest of the evening.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Photos of Cheryn
Mom, choose your favourite. With glasses or without, from the front or from above. We had fun taking these.
Again, let me know if you were thinking of something different.
Again, let me know if you were thinking of something different.
Monday, 5 January 2009
Our holiday to England - part three
We jumped into the car on Christmas day and headed off for My sister Angela's house in Whyteleafe, Surrey. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get there, a very easy quiet drive, probably because everyone was loosening their belts after Christmas lunch instead of driving anywhere.
My other sister Dianne and her husband had recently moved over to England and are staying with Angela until they find their feet, so it was a full house! 13 people in one house, wow, at least there were two toilets!
We went for walks every day, chatted, went to the South African shop (and the Milo they have there is NOT from SA! How rude!) - because that is what I went there for.
The area is hilly so there were some lovely views on our walks.
One of the days we went up to the airfield and had a look at the monument and bomb shelters that are there. Corbin is learning about world war 2 at school at the moment, so he was especially excited to see a real bomb shelter.
Angela and Patrick have a bomb shelter in their back garden so there were quite a few of us who went there with him and got the tour and were told all about what people did in them.
It was nice to be there for Patrick's birthday, I hope you enjoyed yourself Patrick.
We enjoyed sitting by the fire and chatting late, late into the nights. Thank you Patrick and Angela for having us in your home, by now we are getting quite good at sleeping in people's lounges.
And an extra huge thank you to Angela for saving up your Tesco club card vouchers, because those are what got us across on the ferry and allowed us to have this great holiday. What a great Christmas Present! Thank you.
My other sister Dianne and her husband had recently moved over to England and are staying with Angela until they find their feet, so it was a full house! 13 people in one house, wow, at least there were two toilets!
We went for walks every day, chatted, went to the South African shop (and the Milo they have there is NOT from SA! How rude!) - because that is what I went there for.
The area is hilly so there were some lovely views on our walks.
One of the days we went up to the airfield and had a look at the monument and bomb shelters that are there. Corbin is learning about world war 2 at school at the moment, so he was especially excited to see a real bomb shelter.
Angela and Patrick have a bomb shelter in their back garden so there were quite a few of us who went there with him and got the tour and were told all about what people did in them.It was nice to be there for Patrick's birthday, I hope you enjoyed yourself Patrick.
We enjoyed sitting by the fire and chatting late, late into the nights. Thank you Patrick and Angela for having us in your home, by now we are getting quite good at sleeping in people's lounges.
And an extra huge thank you to Angela for saving up your Tesco club card vouchers, because those are what got us across on the ferry and allowed us to have this great holiday. What a great Christmas Present! Thank you.
Our holiday to England - part two
We left the beautiful hills of Wales and headed off to Hertfordshire, it took us 3 1/2 hours to get there. I must admit to some nervous feelings as we drove, Northern Ireland has it's freeways, and some of the sections are 4 lanes, but they are not so full of trucks and buses and big vehicles. At one point we were on a 5 lane freeway and there were so many trucks and vans, I felt intimidated. Just goes to show how being in a relatively quiet place can make you forget that there are busy places in the world.
We arrived at James and Elaine's house just before Elaine got there (she was coming home from work) so the timing was great.
Most of the time we were there we chatted and the kids played, it was great to relax. We went to see the new house that they will be moving into sometime this month, a few of the parks in the area, and the horses down the road that they like to feed sometimes. I liked the pathway along the small river, it was very pretty, and there were so many squirrels jumping from tree to tree.
Thai Chi? I don't know but it made a great picture!
Chanel and Rachel were almost inseparable the whole time we were there.
Here is how James likes to feed the horses:
We spent Christmas morning and early afternoon with them, it was good to see all the Cousins enjoying their time together.
Thanks James and Elaine for having us in your home, even although it is small we were very comfortable there.
We arrived at James and Elaine's house just before Elaine got there (she was coming home from work) so the timing was great.
Most of the time we were there we chatted and the kids played, it was great to relax. We went to see the new house that they will be moving into sometime this month, a few of the parks in the area, and the horses down the road that they like to feed sometimes. I liked the pathway along the small river, it was very pretty, and there were so many squirrels jumping from tree to tree.
Thai Chi? I don't know but it made a great picture!
Chanel and Rachel were almost inseparable the whole time we were there.
Here is how James likes to feed the horses:We spent Christmas morning and early afternoon with them, it was good to see all the Cousins enjoying their time together.
Thanks James and Elaine for having us in your home, even although it is small we were very comfortable there.
Friday, 2 January 2009
Photos of Rachel
My mom-in-law was asking for pictures of the kids for her to print off, so here's Rachel.... choose your favourite.
If you had something different in mind then let me know.
If you had something different in mind then let me know.
Our holiday to England - part one
Well first of all we woke up at 02:00 in the morning! Quite an early start to our day.
We drove for 4 1/2 hours down to Rosslare, for those who don't know, it is on the pointy tip of Southern Ireland on the South East. We arrived at the ferry terminal on time.
This was my first time on a big ferry, and I was amazed to see that it was like being in an airport duty free terminal. But the food was too expensive in my opinion. It took 3 1/2 hours to cross the water and then we were in Wales! Another peg on the map, our first time there.
Wales is very hilly and very beautiful. I loved the small village, country feeling to the place. Our friends Greg and Judi live there in a small village called Hay-on-wye. We enjoyed spending time with them. The kids just seem to pick up where they left off, they get on so well.
This is the village center, and this is all of it, it is tiny. The village consists of about four main lanes and loads of book shops. It isn't called the village of books for nothing.
And some of the sights...
This is me at the stone circle.
Judi and I in the hills.
The kids about to go on a walk.
Pete in the hills.
I thought Pete looked hilarious in this chair, just like an old man, especially with the blanket on his knees.
And that was Wales. Thanks to Greg and Judi for having us in your home and showing us around parts of where you live.
We drove for 4 1/2 hours down to Rosslare, for those who don't know, it is on the pointy tip of Southern Ireland on the South East. We arrived at the ferry terminal on time.
This was my first time on a big ferry, and I was amazed to see that it was like being in an airport duty free terminal. But the food was too expensive in my opinion. It took 3 1/2 hours to cross the water and then we were in Wales! Another peg on the map, our first time there.
Wales is very hilly and very beautiful. I loved the small village, country feeling to the place. Our friends Greg and Judi live there in a small village called Hay-on-wye. We enjoyed spending time with them. The kids just seem to pick up where they left off, they get on so well.
This is the village center, and this is all of it, it is tiny. The village consists of about four main lanes and loads of book shops. It isn't called the village of books for nothing.
And some of the sights...
This is me at the stone circle.
Judi and I in the hills.
The kids about to go on a walk.
Pete in the hills.
I thought Pete looked hilarious in this chair, just like an old man, especially with the blanket on his knees.
And that was Wales. Thanks to Greg and Judi for having us in your home and showing us around parts of where you live.
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