Dominic turns 1 !!!

blissful weekend

We have just had the most sublime weekend.
Some friends visited from London, and we spent time at the beach, at the aquarium, taking in the Armed Forces Day Celebration, walking in Dartmoor and eating ice-cream...what more could a girl want?
Jill and Mike are the kind of friends who you don't have to fuss over, they just relax into your home and our time spent together was just fun, and RELAXED! ...SiGH! When we said goodbye last night and I shut our front door, I took a big breath, and just thought to myself that they are such good, kind hearted, lovely people.....it also helps that their gorgeous kiddies are just....gorgeous. I was thrilled that Scout and Mikayla got on so well. We know the power of the Mouse, and I know Mikayla is a bit of a softie; and I just figured Scout was going to be a huge bully...but no. It seems the chalk and cheese combination really worked!
Mr A. and I are so blessed with our friends......yip, we are VERY lucky fishes!!

Speaking of the beloved...guess where he is today? Having a braai on a beach in the Maldives? Oh life is so hard on a big boat! ha ha




Chalk and Cheese!

mY jOY:
After talking about my granny pants aka big, white, cotton M & S knickers......Google runs an ad on MY blog for incontinence pads.......how delightful?!

crafty update

our dear friends are about to have a baby. In fact this little boy should have been here a week ago. I guess he is just a happy bunny where he is.....but c'mon we are all waiting little guy! ( and your mom feels like a balloon, and I think she REALLY wants you out!). Anyway, to celebrate this joy I had to go back to my quilting.....

Don't you want one too?

Well I am now taking orders, I have been convinced they are lovely enough....so just drop me an email if they tickle your fancy!

It was also Eliza's birthday party yesterday.

She turned 2! Sweet girl.

And as she has a thing for Gloria and the boys, I had to make her a Madagascar cake!

mY jOY;

Apart from having a long hot bath! ha ha.

No, my joy today comes in the email form from my bloggy buddy in America. She met her birth mom and it has been the most astounding time in her life. Her life had had a big bump and she was floundering a bit, but now she has not one but TWO moms behind her.....and as she is a terrific mom already, I would say things are definitely on the up for Wendy .

Today in pictures...

Oh I do love to be beside the sea-side....

Who says umbrellas are just for rain?

I have a confession.

I have fallen in love.

Head over heels, giggly, googly-eyed love.

With a child.

Which isn't mine.

But I am smitten.

Completely and utterly.

And you would be too if you were to spend just a millisecond with her.

It is official:

I HEART PHOEBE.

mY jOY:

So Mouse has hayfever, and I got a prescription from the doc for an antihistime.

I noticed this on the label this morning....

got that Mouse?

I am afraid your evening sundowner will have to go...

best to just stick with the milk and Milo then.

finding the Princess.....

Congratulations Clive & Charlene

Scout flirting.....

Darling Jojo XXX

Beautiful Charlotte

Best buddies, Mouse & Ava

And what a princess Charlene was! Scout was mesmorised when she walked up the aisle. It was a beautiful wedding, filled with romance, warmth, happiness and love.

AND I was completely spoilt by everyone....it made the entering into my thirties a bit easier......somehow turning 30 was easier than 31! ha ha.

Clive and Charlene, we really do wish you all of life's richest blessings.XXX

Taryn

When I fell pregnant, I wanted to do the very best for my bump - I bought all the books, ate right, dropped the caffeine...that was SO HARD! , got all the babyshop catalogues...and wanted - no NEEDED- everything! I also knew I wanted to approach it as holistically as possible...including a water-birth with candles and soft music. I watched a few waterbirths on tv - YIKES, so then I wanted a hospital with ALL the doctors and nurses, ALL the drugs and ALL the bright lights shining on my V-jay-jay ( don't you just love that nickname?) Needless to say I got what I wanted but in hindsight would've preferred the first option - But Scout was a terror even in utero so I had to bend to her will...and haven't stopped really....
Okay, I digress.
I found an AMAZING homeopath who nurtured me through my whole pregnancy, she was so kind, so wonderful, you can almost see this amazing aura emanating from her every pore. I used to get so excited on the morning of my appointment " yay, I am off to see Taryn" , it could've had something to do with the fact I could talk about ME and MY CRAZY ISSUES for ONE WHOLE HOUR NON-STOP.....pretty cool huh? don't get jealous, go find your own homeopath!
Anyway, I moved away and then moved Very Far Away, but with the stupid hayfever ( I know I said I wouldn't mention it, but I have to to bring Taryn into context) I got hold of Taryn again and had a TELEPHONE CONSULTATION...another WHOLE HOUR of ME,ME,Me ...except for the five minutes when the Latter-day -saints tried to convert me on my doorstep
" I am on the PHONE with my homeopath - you are interrupting my ME time - and costing me money - shoo!"
Since I last saw Taryn she has had a cute baba boy, Joel, and she has a blog. Her post today was spot on, and I have to share it with you. It brought tears to my eyes as I remember sitting on the stairs in tears wondering why I had this child if I couldn't look after her, I suffered from post natal depression, and I am very far from my family and sometimes feel so isolated on my journey through motherhood. Although I have a patient/doctorish type of relationship with Taryn, I am incredibly fond of her, and find her serenity and philosophies such an inspiration.
http://mothersmusings.co.uk/musings/

mY jOY:
....IS NOT drinking at least a cup of green tea a day as Taryn recommends for my poor liver...I would much rather eat a hobnob......and no Jonty, that has nothing to do with Adam's anatomy, that is a biscuit you get over here!!!

loathe and loving running

so running huh?

that exercise that requires walking...but rather quickly...

I love running for these reasons:

it is my ME time - ipod in-world out

it aids the wibbliness of thighs and bum

it strengthens my asthmatic lungs

cute boys tend to run....shoulders back, breasts out ( me, not them)

and those endorphins afterwards are just such a high.....no kidding!duh!

I hate running for these reasons:

if I get tired and don't concentrate my knee hurts

if I have a bad run, then I never want to do it again...ever

hills

and more hills.....need I say more

When Mr A. left, so did my live-in babysitter. In fact as soon as we knew he was going I think I was bummed the most about not being able to run. I was advised to just pop Scout in the buggy and run with her....ahem....ARE YOU FREAKING MAD? DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO RUN WHILST PUSHING 14KGS IN A BUGGY????????? I also find that once I am out of a habit it takes a while to get back into it. At the moment I can only run one day a week - a Friday when Scout is at school, and that is about to change. I have been so lazy about actually doing this run but I did this morning. I didn't want to, but made myself and I LOVED it. I am sure my legs are going to hurt tomorrow, and I am sure that cute boy I passed laughed at my beet-red face. But I ran 4 miles - without stopping, and without needing my asthma pump - pretty cool huh?

I did miss my Mr A. Motivator cycling beside me, and for a brief moment I missed the boy with the very long legs who wears extraordinarily short shorts. Now that is a look.

And during all that me time - 42 minutes to be exact - I listened to some rocking tunes, did a to-do list...which I have forgotten - apart from the taxes (POO), thought about my friend who is having a bad time in her pregnancy, thought about my bloggy friend who needs a new house, thought about my brother-in-law....it's his birthday today - frip frap froup, forgot to phone him this morning, and thought about Mr A....but those thoughts are censored - sorry!

We all need me time, when we are NOT a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister....we are just ME.

mY jOY:

Jonty

My brother-in-law

seen here holding Scout when she was 4 months old

now I could come up with some caustic comment about the look on her face and the fact he is holding her...but I won't as it is his birthday today, so I will be nice.

Of course tomorrow isn't your birthday anymore Mr J, and I still have those Borat photos in my possession......tightrope man....I own you!

Happy 150th

"Could you let down your hair and be transparent for awhile,
To see if you’re human after all?
Honesty is a hard attribute to find when we all want to seem like
We’ve got it all figured out
But let me be the first to say that I don’t have a clue
I don’t have all the answers
Ain’t going to pretend like I do
Just trying to find my way, just trying, the best that I know how…
…Well I haven’t memorized all the cute things to say
Maybe I’ll master this art-form some day
If I quote all the lines off the top of my head
Will you believe that I fully understand all these things I’ve read? "

Some of the words from a favourite song of mine: "Trying" on the album No Name Face by Lifehouse. If you don’t know it already, do yourself a favour and track it down next time you’re in a CD shop and have a listen- beautiful, moody and mellow. I love the words and so identify. Aren’t we all trying?

The best that I know how…So if we improve our “know how”- we improve our best? Sometimes, I feel like I cling to a very stale “know-how”. I’m not talking about books here. As a wonderful and funny friend of mine (David Jeffery) once told me, “You can’t read yourself clever.” But boy have I tried. There’s that word again.

Starting a friendship over the e-mail with Nola (my cousin), has reminded me of the most important source of this special kind of “know-how”. The example set by others. Someone who inspires you to do something different… To be something different- even if only in the tiniest of ways that might leave you a better person. Wish that my path would cross with this sort more often. Do we ever stop and think- how many people we allow to leave us a worse person- even if only in the tiniest of ways…

Reading Nola’s blog- I felt uncomfortable at first. Where is the cynicism? We all wear our cynicism like a medal, like an armour. God forbid that we should show our vulnerabilities anywhere, but especially not in the public domain. So nice to find someone who has and who will- but in such a wonderful, light-hearted and joyous way. Someone to reintroduce us to the art of open praise and devotion to those we love.

So enough of the deep stuff. In one of your blogs you mentioned putting on your big girl panties. Did you mean these ones? This has to be my all time favourite movie! Someone that I completely identify with- especially in the kitchen.

This is one of my favourite scenes and reminds me of when you and I were about 20 years younger. Can’t remember where exactly we were- somewhere in Natal- Howick or Pietermaritzburg. You and I “stole” a row-boat moored on a dam’s bank and went for a “joy-row”. Regrettably, we did not have the delectable Mr Grant to amuse us with rude limericks.

Anyway, Nola- I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for the beautiful blog. Wishing you many happy days and new joys to blog about in the next 150…I look forward to reading them all.

With love,
Kristy
x

150 post part 2

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle. -Thicht Nhat Hanh.
Hello- I am Aimee Nola's friend from Plymouth and those are my 3 cherubs staring out at you. I thought I would start my post with a flashy quote which really summed up what I thought about my life as is it is today.
I think knowing Nola and her dear daughter Scout and lovely husband Adam as really made me appreciate what good friends can be.I do think they are brave for welcoming us and our tribe (3 aged 3 and under!) I have only known her since last September I think but we have had such fun together with the snowy days in January, festive meals and the rare sunny days spent in her lovely garden in the woods watching the kids transfer sand and generally appreciating the miraculous moments that can happen in a day which we don't take for granted until perhaps we reflect on them.
Today has been a sunny day and we went exploring in the woods as a family. The girls found fairies and pirates under the trees and dreamt there were butterflies coming out of the flowers.
I hope they never cease to have this wonder about the world around them and really appreciate moments such as these.
Thanks Nola for letting me raid your blog and here's to another century and 50 (whatever the collective term for 150 is ?!)

150th post - part one

Hello, I am Nola's friend Olivia.

Nola and I met when we were twelve years old at school. We have a very dear mutual friend in common and even though we lost contact with each other, we reconnected a while back and our friendship to me is a blessing and a gift.

I like Nola, have a precious little girl who is also two and she is the light of my life. I love that her and I have daughters close in age and that we can share similar experiences. I admire Nola for being such a wonderful mother and how she puts her whole heart into her family.

I have never posted a blog before so this is my first attempt (I am one of those who still find it a challenge to work out the camcorder let alone know how Nola even figured out how to create a site like this!) I decided to share a poem that I think is fitting with Nola's blog and I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for trusting me to contribute to Nolicool, I am honoured and treasure our friendship.

With love,

Olivia

TEA FOR THREE

Come and sit with me and we'll have tea

And talk of things that were and things that are to be

Of places we will go and things that we will see

Just the two of us

My dear daughter and me

A little wooden table

With chairs for two, not three

Yes, of course you may bring your bear

And place him on my knee.

No longer just the two of us

It's tea for three, I see

My dear daughter, the bedraggled bear and me

The years passed by and you grew up

Framed in memory, I still see

Cherub hands dimpled daintily, clutching ivory cup of tea

Twinkle laughter owns the moment

Baby faced and full of glee

Starshine dusted by the angels

Oh, God's precious gift to me!

If I live to be a hundred

I shall never richer be

Then when I shared your dazzling presence

And together we sipped tea.

My dear Daughter, the bedraggled bear, and Me!

~ Lee Scott

This is Kristy......and Christopher

WHO IS THIS CUTE BABY YOU ASK?

well, this is little Christopher.

He is my second cousin....I think.....this whole family naming thing sometimes really confuses me.

All I know, is that he is far too cute.

And he belongs to my cousin Kristy.

Okay, so she was on a hen night....

what you think she goes out like that normally?

...well maybe I am not sure...

and the reason I am not sure is because I am just getting to know her.

OKay, sounds odd....but my family was wide-spread when I was growing up so we didn't really see each other often,

but

with the global WWW-DOT-COM we are able to say hi,

how you doing?

and I can tell you this:

Kristy has a fancy job title

I have no idea what she does.

Kristy is married to a very handsome chap called James

I have met him...once.

Kristy has a super-cute baby called Christopher

My uncle is called Christopher.

Kristy has a very special quilt

And would buy one of mine.

Kristy is a techno-phobe

she is worse on a computor than me

but I bet she is a whole lot better in a board-room than me.

Kristy has a fear of falling asleep in her dinner after one glass of wine

I know! Don't all we mother's know about the tiredness....

Basically I think she is very cool, and I am glad that in our grand old thirties we are finally friends!!!!

mY jOY:
With the sunshiny weather today I thought I would paint the squirrell apartment....
I think the lavender/mint racing stripe colour scheme was not quite what Popple had in mind, but he seems to be okay with it....

be glad for friends

Do you have a friend who has known you a very long time?
Do you have a friend who has a slightly worrying obsession with cats?
Do you have a friend who can sew brilliantly?
Do you have a friend who has the most outrageous giggle?
Do you have a friend who is an insomniac?
Do you have a friend who always takes the blame but it's not her fault?
Do you have a friend with crazy corkscrew hair?
Do you have a friend who you can share a tub of ben 'n jerry's with and feel no guilt?
Do you have a friend who you can have a big fall out with but still be friends?
Do you have a friend who can listen to you and not judge?
Do you have a friend whom you can be utterly honest with?
Do you have a friend who loves home and away?
Do you have a friend who you have absolutely no photos of so have to steal from facebook?

I have a friend like that. Just tonight I phoned her and told her my soul. She still loves me, she still cares and our friendship is strong enough for her to tell me to pull up my socks without offence. So to make sure we are on completely the right track, one more question....

Do you have a friend called Sue Turner? I DO!

Okay, so here her hair is all blown out, but normally it is the most gorgeous corkscrews which I love and she hates.....funny girl!

friends and stuff

I can tell my ( well not really MY) news...secret thing...from the other day.....
My LOVELY Julie-friend and her handsome husband are expanding by another little people!!!
Yay!!!! The stork is due to drop by at the end of August - what happy news.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
check them out here!

then......

pop along to here to look at an incredibly talented individual !!!!!!!!!

Sometimes we don't get what we want, but the key is to stop and look at what we do have.
I have the love of my husband, and the adoration (for now - let's talk again in about 15 years time!!) of my daughter.
What more is there?

now....
Look at this handsome chap!
My nephew had his first day at big school this week! Doesn't time just fly? and doesn't he look just scrumptious?

We are so proud of you Callum buddy

XXXXX