Libby & Julia

Sports day today

2011-06-22T07:44:00.001+02:00

It's Julia's sports day today and I'm really looking forward to it. She is all excited and determined to win the race!

As much as I try and convince her that it's not about who wins but having fun she just rolls her eyes at at me and I can almost hear her thoughts.

Will let you know how it goes...

Stand by me | Playing for Change

2011-02-06T20:24:00.000+02:00

This has been viewed by over 28 million people on YouTube so far. I LOVE it! It's from the award-winning documentary, Playing For Change: Peace Through Music, a "song around the world" in which musicians in different countries add their part to a cover of Ben E.King's classic Stand By Me as it travels the globe. It's really funky!

Once again.....hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown

2011-02-06T19:36:00.000+02:00

The wisdom in this 20 minute video clip is breathtaking. I will watch it over and over again, absorb it and try to always remember it.

The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

The Greatest Secret in the World...by Og Mandino

2010-10-08T16:18:00.000+02:00

The following is called the Greatest Secret in the World and is written by Og Mandino. What a different place this world would be if we each tried to apply this in our daily lives....

I greeted this day with love in my heart.

I praised my enemies.

I thought “I love you” silently to all I met today and I loved myself enough to protect my body from overindulgence and my mind from evil and despair.

I kept myself away from those whose weeping and complaining are contagious.

I avoided negative thoughts or words.

I tried to complete one more task when it was time to journey home and I did not allow the day to end in failure.

I refrained from all self-praise.

I learned at least one new thing about my profession today.

I concentrated on making each project better than the last.

I kept the market place and home separate from each other in my thoughts.

I greeted this morning with gratitude for the gift of another day.

I mourned not yesterday’s mistakes and defeats.

I wasted none of my precious time on foolishness.

I treated everyone with tenderness as if I would see them no more, and I truly lived this day as if it were my last.

I avoided all negative thoughts of failure and despair by making my actions control my thoughts.

I smiled often.

I moved swiftly.

I raised my voice to strengthen my confidence.

I made allowances for the moods of others and I refused to allow any setback or problem to discolour my day.

I laughed at the world and at myself today.

I refuse to take too seriously my petty understandings.

I laughed at my problems, my heartaches, my failures…even my successes.

I maintained my perspective by telling myself throughout the day, “this too shall pass.”

I put off no distasteful chore for another time.

I moved swiftly from task to task to avoid diversion and temptation.

I overcame my fears through action.

I prayed today. I repeated a familiar prayer but I also spoke a few words of my own asking for guidance and thanking my Creator for giving me the privilege of making something of this day…

…and my life.

2010-09-21T19:54:00.000+02:00

It’s World Gratitude Day today and so I’ve been thinking….

I am truly, deeply grateful for…

Julia…her smiles, her laughter, her tears and frustrations (I learn from these too), our conversations, her unbelievable strength of spirit in facing her challenges, her early morning cuddles, her wicked sense of humour, every single day that I get to spend with her, in fact…everything about her.

My health…I’ve survived a mild stroke and have had a “plug” inserted in my heart to prevent another one. I have the energy to get out of bed every morning and embrace the day. I’m living free of any medication which is not something that a lot of people are able to do.

My family…who accept me as I am, love me as I am.

My Faith…which is deeper every day.

My friends…their love, support, laughter, compassion, honesty.

The artists in the world that lighten my step and make my heart skip a beat with their fabric and paper designs. I never knew what joy I’d get from finding a piece of paper or fabric I absolutely love, and then putting together that scrapbook page or sewing that quilt and being so proud that I’ve actually finished something.

My freedom of choice…so many don't have that luxury.

The way my fat cat Tommy loves me at the end of the day, when its quiet at home, Jules is asleep, Britney is in her basket and it’s just us two. His purring is loud enough to wake the neighbours.

The noise and diversity in the world…we are all so ALIVE!

It’s the uncomplicated things that make me happy.

2010-09-19T18:40:00.000+02:00

Today was a special day.

I had lunch at Carol's house like I have done so many times before but today was the last one before they move out of the house that has been their home for 38 years to start a new chapter in Westville with Lauren and Tim.

It's not a move across borders or oceans but it is still a big change. Leaving the home you have known for 38 years is more than a little daunting, especially a home with so many happy memories.

When I arrived Charlie couldn’t wait to show me the special cake he had been baking for dessert!

Charlie….your cake was delicious! Thank you xx

It was a relaxed day, we enjoyed each other’s company and chatted about the changes we are all experiencing.

Laurence is trying to come to terms with his recent triple bypass and slowly accepting the enormity and trauma of his experience, frustrated that his body is not letting him do what he wants to at the moment. Eager to get back to the rhythm of his days but apprehensive at the same time.

Carol has taken the move of their home onto her shoulders as well as Laurence’s recovery and is trying desperately to keep it all together. It’s a frightening thing seeing your strong and loving hubby of so many years struggling and a little frail. Dealing with having the house tented, clearing out, cleaning, packing, organizing movers, etc. I get panicked just thinking about it and have to remind myself to just breathe. You too Carol, just breathe my friend….just breathe…

Tim & Lauren both supporting their folks through this challenging time and looking forward to having granny & gramps closer to them. Tim has helped move most of the household items already and doesn’t sit still for a minute. Busy helping wherever he can. An amazing and loving son-in-law. I can imagine that it’s not easy for Lauren to be helping with the packing up of her childhood home. It must feel strange. Also frightened by her dad’s recent experience but bravely pushing him into recovery.

And me…my own move is looming and I’m baby stepping through the stages of trying to co-ordinate it. Feeling very overwhelmed a lot of the time. Living amongst boxes. Nervous to leave the home that comforted me and became my safe haven for the last seven years. At the same time, excited beyond belief to be moving to our new home, finally have a garden again and terrified that I will probably kill every plant in it.

I know change is a good thing. I realize that it’s a hip and cool to be able to change in a moment, go with the flow, redirect your energy and just jump back in it. But, I’ve learnt in the last couple of years that I’m not that good at it. I can change, I can embrace it but I need a little more time than most. A little space to breathe.

With the undercurrent of all this, we laughed, relaxed and enjoyed each other today, knowing that as long as we all have each other, friends and family, we will be just fine.

Carol & I reminisced about our many happy days of quilting, and chatting (In Julia’s opinion…more chatting that quilting). Sad that our quilting room is gone, but also with a spark of excitement that we will settle down soon and have new happy times to look forward to.

Lauren and I planned to conquer the world of social media and explored some exciting new possibilities.

Tim and Dad cleared out the garage (a job which Dad was DREADING) and were both extremely proud of themselves.

Charles and Maddi did not stop for a second. They were blissfully happy all afternoon, playing in the water, inspecting the garden, sunning themselves while munching a quick snack and helping their dad whenever they saw the opportunity. Two very happy and very busy little bodies.

So I guess while the past rhythm of our lives is changing, we will learn to change with it. Adapting ourselves little by little and learning to open our hearts to the future that God has in store for all of us. We are holding on to our happy memories and celebrating them while we look forward to the new and exciting days that lie ahead of us.

The changing of our homes is what we have hoped for, dreamed about, prayed for and planned for. A month or two from now, we will be having lunch together in our new homes, laughing, enjoying each other and giggling about how we worrying about the unnecessary.

Embracing the change and bravely moving forward…that’s us.

Home Comforts

2010-08-16T22:28:00.000+02:00

Cheryl Mendelson, the author of Home Comforts, writes... "It is scarcely surprising then, that so many people imagine housekeeping to be boring, frustrating, repetitive, unintelligent drudgery. I cannot agree. Each of its regular routines brings satisfaction when it is completed . These routines echo the rhythm of life, and the housekeeping rhythm is the rhythm of the body. You get satisfaction not only from the sense of order, cleanliness, freshness, peace and plenty restored, but from the knowledge that you yourself and those you care about are going to enjoy these benefits."

I'm no domestic diva by any stretch of imagination, in fact, my home is probably more chaotic than the outside world. But I do want that home comfort! And I guess that now is as good a time as any to start creating it.

So next time I have a mountain of dishes staring at me, I will embrace the opportunity to create a little order in my life and hope that peace and plenty will be restored.

Bathing Buppy

2009-09-23T10:59:00.000+02:00

One of my favorite photos...

Scrapping catch up

2009-08-12T11:09:00.000+02:00

Managed to sneak a little time to scrap a week or so ago. The weather was perfect, it was one of those cold and rainy days, and Jules and I were at our favourite place, Aunty Carol’s house.

Carol and I scrapped - tried to at least – at one point Julia walked in and said “all I can hear in hear is a lot of yapping and not much scrapping is happening”

This is us, pretending to be productive.

Jules and Britney-Jane kept popping in and out to check on our progress.

I did finally manage to complete this layout. It’s a Scrapkits layout and I’m really happy with the way it turned out. I’ve been sorting through all my old photos and am making a serious effort in getting them scrapbooked and into albums. These photo’s are of a holiday we had in Sun City when Julia’s dad and I were still together. I think it’s important for Jules to be able to cherish the memories of these times and hope she enjoys the albums I’m making for her.

My beautiful fat cat Tommy is not at all interested in scrapbooking and chose to stay home and curled up on the couch.

Finished a stunning layout of my beautiful mom when she was younger which I will post shortly and I've just started a kit that I purchased from Desire Fourie's on-line shop, Doing Life, and will post that as soon as I've finished it too! Wow! I'm feeling productive!

Tagged

2009-07-09T08:57:00.000+02:00

I've been tagged by Desire Fourie on her blog, Doing Life. Thanks so much Desire for this award. I am required to share 10 honest facts about myself and tag some of my blog mates. Please feel free to join in on the fun.

Here goes, 10 random and honest facts about me:

* I bungee jumped once and loved it!! Would definitely do it again.
* I honestly believe that Chocolate should be declared the most important food group.
* I miss my family terribly and wish we lived closer.
* I'm unreasonably terrified of snakes, can't even look at them on the pages of a magazine.
* I love the internet, think it's truly amazing!
* I'm slowly learning to forgive myself for the mistakes I've made in life and am learning to like who I am.
* I'm also slowly learning to have more faith in my instincts and trust in myself.
* My most favorite time of the day is first thing in the morning when Jules climbs into bed with me and snuggles and cuddles. There is nothing better.
* "Something's gotta give" is my favorite movie. I love Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton together!
* I love to read but keep getting distracted and so have about 20 books that I'm currently reading and am half or quarter of the way through each of them. Not a good thing.

I'm tagging the following blog friends to share some honest facts with me

* Julia Houareau, who has just started her own blog called Julia's Space
* Gail from Gail's Pixels and Pictures
* Michelle from Life Experiences
* Samantha Wright from Sam's Scraps
* Tracy Gardiner from Live out Loud
* Sophia Allison from Sophia's World

Have fun!

Digital Layout

2009-05-30T15:08:00.000+02:00

Bups and I had a busy morning running around and getting chores done but our afternoon has been nice and relaxing. We visited Gail and Jules and I sat back and relaxed while Gail made this stunning digital layout for us.

These pics were taken with my cellphone (so they're not the greatest) but I love them! Jules and Britney are so happy in these pics, running along the beach. Britney was sopping wet and looked more like a drowned rat than a yorkie by the time we left the beach.

For more of Gail's stunning digital layouts, visit her blog Gail's Pixels and Pictures.

Stunning skies...

2009-05-22T13:13:00.000+02:00

Just a few of the benefits of getting up early in Durban...

Serious computer problem...

2009-05-07T08:50:00.000+02:00

Isn't she absolutely gorgeous!!

2009-05-04T09:12:00.000+02:00

My precious God child, Maddi xxx

Best Friends

2009-04-29T10:14:00.003+02:00

I managed to get a little scrapping done in the last week, this layout was {inspired} by a pic I saw in a magazine. Chantal and I were best mates when I lived in Jhb and I enjoyed thinking back to those days while I scrapped this.

Celebrate with Doing Life

2009-04-14T23:10:00.004+02:00

For all those happy scrappers out there...

Join Desire in celebrating 20 000 visitors to her blog, DOING LIFE, and take your chances at winning the fantastic scrapping goodies below.

Congratulations Desire on an absolutely stunning and informative blog. Your creativity {inspires} me every day!

Best of luck to everyone entering xxx

My Precious Girl,

2009-02-23T11:34:00.005+02:00

My hope for you is that you always...

You are so...

to me.

Love you always my BuppyLoo...

PS: Get yourself one of these great doodles from homegrownhospitality.typepad.com

Mystery of the missing cat....

2009-01-27T14:59:00.008+02:00

Where is that cat??

I know he's here somewhere....

Damn! Do you think that brat dog has seen me?

Help me?

Perhaps if I just hide further under the covers?

Hmmm....I wonder if he's up here?

Maybe I should turn around, much safer...

Aaahhhhhhh........she's got me....

Whats that saying?....Attack is the best form of defence....

Woohooooo!!! This is such fun!

Perhaps I should hide under this bed the next time?

So happy together

2009-01-27T09:32:00.002+02:00

I've finally managed to scrap these two photos of Jules and Britney-Jane! This is a Scrapkits layout and I thought it was perfectly suited. I did amend the pattern sheet just to tie more into my photos colouring.

Excellent advice

2009-01-27T09:18:00.003+02:00

Rod Smith had some amazing advice this morning in his daily column (You & Me) in The Mercury, this is what he wrote...

IF YOU want things to improve:
Define yourself. Let go of what is not yours. Hold what is yours with open hands. Sever yourself from electronic devices and your internet connection for several hours each week. Go for a long walk.

Read To Kill a Mockingbird. Be unpredictable. Risk more. Seek adventure above safety or balance. Give. Climb down the corporate ladder. Forgive those who hurt you. Give up being right. Affirm others. Read Cry, The Beloved Country. Listen. Talk less. Learn, and use, people’s names. Watch the movies Bruce Almighty, Shirley Valentine, Babette’s Feast and Billy Elliot. Write, and mail, thank-you cards. Read the Sermon on the Mount no matter what your core religious beliefs.

Stop victim thinking or behaving like one. Blaming the past, others or negative circumstances for your current situation is seldom productive. Relinquish the idea of having the power to change those whom you love.

Open the way for others to succeed. Become outrageously generous. By all means, get out of yourself, and you will find, somewhat ironically, that you will be a lot more comfortable with yourself and “things” really will improve.

Happy Day...

2009-01-26T10:13:00.003+02:00

Saturday was a very happy day for Julia. Her and Luke had planned a picnic "date" at Essenwood Market.

They enjoyed hotdogs and Fanta and chatted away for ages. Alison (Lukes mom) and I made sure that we sat far far away to give them some space! (Of course I had received strict instructions from Julia prior to the event to make myself scarce)

Aren't they sweet?? Julia spent the rest of the day holding her hand to her heart and saying things like..."that was so romantic"..."Luke is the best boyfriend on the planet"...."I love him so much"...."he has the most beautiful eyes Mom!".....and my favorite ...."mom, did you see that we held hands? Why didn't you get a photo of that? you could have scrapped it??"...

Truly Loved

2009-01-26T10:11:00.002+02:00

I love this photo of Julia. She looks so happy, mischievious and confident all at the same time. This photo was taken on a stunning Sunday morning having breakfast with my mom and Jules at uShaka, after taking baby Britney-Jane for a walk along the pier.

I scraplifted this layout from one of the scrapping magazines - sorry, can't remember which one :(

Precious Companions

2009-01-22T10:53:00.003+02:00

Living with animals can be a wonderful experience, especially if we choose to learn the valuable lessons animals teach through their natural enthusiasm, grace, resourcefulness, affection and forgiveness.
— Richard H. Pitcairn

Pics of Britney-Jane and Tommy, best mates...

Catching my breath...

2009-01-06T22:15:00.003+02:00

Happy New Year to all my fellow bloggers and friends! I hope that 2009 brings lots of joy and comfort into your lives!

Shew! To be honest, this December has left me feeling a little bruised, battered and fragile. It has been a crazy busy time, with so much change! A lot more change than I expected...some good, some bad and some I'm still trying to make up my mind about.

I've had amazing times and heart breaking times with family, busy evenings and parties with friends and colleagues, very difficult change and times at work. Lots of driving and travel, lots of back and forth, lots of running around, lots of late nights.

What I now know for sure is that there is so much that is beyond my control (it seems that God is determined to teach me this), no matter how much I wish differently. My controlling Scorpio nature is floundering at the moment, trying to make sense of all this change.

In the midst of all the rushing I didn't have a moment to do the things that make me feel good, grounded and in touch with my soul....I've missed the time with my friends, laughing until we cry, scrapping our memories, making quilts for my special people, reading books that expand and challenge my views, listening to my favorite music, cuddling my fat cat Tommy, listening to Britney-Jane snoring, blogging...

My plan for the next few weeks is to just take baby steps..... catch up with myself and reconnect, steal as many cuddles from Julia as she will allow, laugh, scrap, quilt, read, blog... My own form of therapy :)

The words flowing through my mind are BALANCE, QUIET, CALM, PEACE, STILLNESS, PAUSE, COMFORT AND BALANCE, BALANCE, BALANCE....

And I'm thinking that when the next December rolls around, I'm running for cover!

Mom's letter to Santa

2008-12-05T08:28:00.008+02:00

To all the precious mommies out there, I'm not sure who wrote this but I'm sure you can all identify with it!

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mum all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of choc bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18
years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any colour, except purple,which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the lolly aisle in the grocery store. I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows, a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes,Mummy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare tomato sauce a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an
organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.
Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, MUM...!

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children happy, healthy and always believing.

FOUR MORE SLEEPS TO GO....

2008-12-02T14:08:00.003+02:00

Four more sleeps to go until the DOING LIFE Scrapping day at Makaranga!

Organised and run by Desire(a.k.a. the darling teacha) and Doing life's dedicated assistant, Michelle (a.k.a Scrappy Walker)

I am in desperate need of some quality scrapping time and I can't wait!

What you doing Cawol??

2008-12-02T13:53:00.002+02:00

This is Carol and "Daffy" a.k.a "Baffy". Isn't he sweet? He's so obviously in love with Carol, follows her every where and is exceptionally jealous of Bups, Britney and I when we are around.

BROWN LEVEL 2

2008-12-01T13:52:00.007+02:00

Julia had her karate grading on Saturday afternoon and she did so well. She was awarded her Brown Level 2 stripe!

Next level is Brown 3 in another six months time and then six months after Brown 3 she will be grading for Black Belt.

I am so so proud of her!

And of course...to get the perfect photo of Julia...one has to try and try again. I'm convinced she deliberately teases me now!! That naughty grin and the whole shifting around of the certificate....makes me suspicious...evidence below...

DOING LIFE AWARD

2008-11-30T21:51:00.004+02:00

Wow! I am the lucky recipient of a Doing Life Blogging Buddy Award from my favourite darling teacha, Desire Fourie.

Here are the RULES for presenting this sought after award:
o Pick 5 bloggers that you consider as your best blogging buddies and deserves this award for their contribution towards the blogging community, no matter what language.
o State the name of the author of each blog as well as a link to each one's blogs.
o Each blogger (upon acceptance) of this award should do a post and show the award on their blog and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award.
o Link to DOING LIFE's blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award.
o Show these rules.

I have chosen six blogs to forward this to...

Desire Fourie at Doing Life: I know you've awarded this to me but I'm sending one right back to you!! Thank you for all your help and perserverance in getting me up and running in the blogging world. I'm having such fun!

Michelle Ramsey at Life Experiences. Michelle thank you so much for always visiting my blog and leaving comments. I love hearing from you and really enjoy finding out all about you on your blog.

Sophia Allison at Sophia's World. Sophia your blog rocks! And my goodness you are always leading the pack in terms of the latest webcam, techno stuff!

Tracy at I am here to Live out Loud. Tracy you have such a stunning sense of humour and thanks for the BOM challenge....I am finally ready to submit my next layout!

Dionne Collett at Collett Clan. D welcome to the world of blogging! I'm already enjoying reading about what you and your precious family get up to! Hope you enjoy blogging as much as I do.

Amazing Paper Grace - I love your blog and truly find it inspiring! You are so talented.

Charles Spencer

2008-11-24T08:48:00.002+02:00

I did this layout at a lesson with Desire (aka the darling teacha). It's of my precious Godchild, Charlie and is one of my favorite layouts. Don't you just love the baby feet?

Rest & Relaxation

2008-11-17T12:51:00.003+02:00

There is more to life than increasing its speed. ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

Seems that Julia, Britney-Jane and Tommy agree wholeheartedly with this quote...

2008-11-14T11:07:00.011+02:00

We had scrapping night last night. It's always such fun and mostly productive...

This is Gilly being ever so diligent...

and then threatening me re my annoying photography...

Barbs being ever so productive too...

and smiling so sweetly for the camera...

of course Britney-Jane always has to be the centre of attention and was having long coversations with Judy...

Tommy was completely unaffected by all the hard work and productivity and was definitely not getting involved at all...

Looking forward to another scrapping session soon!

Panic... dressmaker urgently needed...

2008-11-13T12:30:00.004+02:00

Long story short...

Julia has been dreaming of dancing with her BF... and we have finally managed to make arrangements for her and Luke to go to a dance at the end of the month.

Of course....she needs the perfect dress, shoes, bag, bracelet, lipstick, hairstyle, facial, nails, etc. {She is such a teenager!!} In our search we walked past a dress in Woolies that she fell in love with this last weekend and she was desperate for it! The cost.....wait for it....R950!! After picking myself up off the floor...I gently explained that there are other dresses out there....perhaps I could even make one?? Besides...the dress she had fallen in love with looked like a pretty easy design, off one shoulder creation... how hard could it be?? {I was feeling pretty brave obviously}. Anyway, she liked the idea of me trying to sew a dress for her and we agreed to search for a pattern rather and say goodbye to her first love {the one hanging in Woolies}.

It gets worse....to my absolute horror.....I arrived home last night to find Julia finishing off a painting of another perfect dress! One that she feels I could quite easily "whip up"....

I've received strict instructions on having to match the colours exactly and make sure that I get the side detail perfect.... {she's very particular about this...}

I'm having palpitations.....as far as I can see it.....my options are as follows:

a) hope and pray that Mr Price stocks something looking incredibly similar to this...
b) start frantically looking for fabric and patterns and hope that the end creation will be wearable ...
c) auction Britney-Jane {who's very cute, chews absolutely everything and is always climbing on my couches}and buy the Woolies dress.... Any bidders???

Britney-Jane had a bath yesterday so if you bid quickly she'll still be clean by the time you get her :)

Wow!!

2008-11-13T11:05:00.005+02:00

Oh my goodness! This post really resonated deep within and {inspired} me today! This is what I came accross on Alex the Girl's blog this morning....

"Please go out there and do. Live. Don’t be the same as yesterday. Don’t live vicariously online. Don’t use language that has no meaning or talk ideas you don’t really live. Don’t hide. Don’t copy others or live their ideas or life. Don’t fear doing your thing. Don’t fear doing. Instead of reading a decorating magazine, paint that room. Instead of thinking of baking, do up a cake. Run, walk, bike. Put that self help book down and pick up yourself.

Let go of the snark, your worries, your anger and fear and give into possibility, action, joy and life. Do. Do some more. Stop thinking about you. Stop blogging about just you and your kid and your pet. There’s a world out there to connect to, really connect to. Being of use is more important than being popular. Think about the lady down the street, the person at the drive through, the man fallen in the street, about politics, the environment, healthcare, another country and then do something about it. Never stop at thinking.

Dream big, work harder. Have lots of fun, lift a finger, do something for someone else. Cheer your friends on. Cheer yourself up. Celebrate as much as possible. Enjoy everything. Right now. It’s OK to want more and do more but be present with where you are or who you are with. Don’t rush the situation - even if it’s bad. Move on when you can. Don’t settle. Try everything you can and get over everything holding you back.

Go outside. Go outside yourself. Make a difference, make some change. Don’t complain about someone unless you’re talking to that someone. Don’t complain about a situation you’re not willing to make better. They don’t have it better and you don’t have it worse. Don’t make excuses. You’ll never see possibility if you do. And you’re smart and worth more than settling for a life of complaining and limitation.

Hope. Hope more. Give someone else hope. Get healthy and contribute to a healthy environment. Think about everything you do, you buy, you say. Only be lazy on Sunday and even then, be conscious. Rest is useful, giving up is not.

Play. Remember what it’s like to be seven. Remember to listen to a seven year old because you just have more words and life experience, not necessarily more wisdom. Have more questions than answers and don’t put everything into words. Sometimes just feel things and be. Be quiet more often, listen harder, talk exactly as you mean to.

Strive for your best and not what you think someone elses’ best is. Follow through. Don’t let others’ down. Don’t let yourself down. You are better than your circumstances. Ask for what you’re worth. Make magic happen don’t wish for it. Don’t envy others’ lives, envy yours. Live it fully. Teach by example how to live well, how to be treated, how to be kind, how to be alive.

Do. I can’t stress that one enough. Take action on your life. Make the change. No more sulking, waiting, thinking, reading, talking about.

It’s time. You’re ready"

Cuddly Cousins

2008-11-11T15:07:00.007+02:00

Last Sunday morning was one of those stunningly lazy and relaxed mornings. Robs, Meghan and Amy spent the night with us. When we woke in the morning it was raining and grey outside and we spent most of the morning in our pj's.

Jules made the best of this and just loved cuddling with her new cousin, Amy.

Counting the Days...

2008-11-11T13:15:00.010+02:00

My precious friend Carol (aka Cawol, not the teachers pet) and I have been diligently sewing Advent Calendars! We have big, huge, enormous plans to one day have our homes themed according to the event.....Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, Valentines, etc. And amazingly enough we have managed to finish the calendars just in time this year.

The fabrics were of course bought from our favorite quilting shop Cotton Tale in Hillcrest.

And now for the best part... stocking the calendar!!

So pretty!

2008-11-07T09:15:00.010+02:00

As I have mentioned previously... trying to get a decent pic of Julia Houareau is not for the faint hearted...

These were my attempts at getting pictures of her and her Aunty Gail for the "Who loves Julia" album.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Lucky for me though, Gail recently surprised me with some stunning digital layouts of Jules from her dad's wedding. She looked so pretty! And I love the layouts! Thank you so much Gail for spoiling me x x

Doesn't she look so lovely?? Seems that it takes a professional photographer to get Miss Houareau to pose...

Gail teaches digital scrapping as well as doing various collages by commission. Leave a comment below with your details if you're interested and Gail will contact you.

I love this one of me and my Bups! This was my birthday present from Gail last year.

Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comments, I so love hearing from you :)

Daddy's travel book

2008-10-27T17:55:00.014+02:00

My Buppy-Loo is in Johannesburg visiting her dad at the moment so I am sitting in the office blogging, I'm not quite ready to go back to a home where she isn't there waiting for me.

Her dad is going to be travelling for six weeks at a time to Nigeria and so she has gone to spend a couple of days with him before he leaves for the first six weeks.

Before she left, she decided that she would like to make something for him that he can keep with him on his travels and so we made this little travel book.

I stuck the photo's in for Jules and then she went and quietly sat by herself and did the journalling.

I am so amazed to see how this little girl of ours expresses herself, and I love the way she has written a day by day reading for her dad.

I couldn't stop the tears from welling up in my eyes when I read what she had written and my guess is that her dad may have the same problem.

Wish we lived closer!!

2008-10-23T15:16:00.003+02:00

I'm missing you so much today Dougat! Either you need to move to Durban or I need to move to Cape Town!!

You made me laugh so much on the phone this morning, you truly have such a unique (and at times twisted) outlook on life! You {INSPIRE} me!

Belly Button

2008-10-23T13:31:00.002+02:00

Julia's Aunty Feefs (aka Belly Button due to the countless belly button tickles, etc between the two of them) was here to visit this last weekend. She recently relocated to Seychelles to work on the Eden Island project. Jules and I both miss her so much and it was lovely to be able to spend some time together and catch up.

The weather wasn't great on Saturday morning but we still ventured out and spent some time wandering around Essenwood Market and drinking latte's. We also bumped into Mike and Gail which was lovely!

We hope it's not too long until your next visit Belly Button!

baby feet, giggles, cuddles & kisses...

2008-10-13T11:26:00.027+02:00

Baby feet... I just love them! I love how soft they are, I love how they have never been walked on, how squidgy they are, the chubby little toes...I love everything about them.

These are Maddi's feet, isn't it sweet how she has them crossed and leaning on the table. Maybe a sign of future confidence?

Jules and I spent a wonderfully lazy Sunday afternoon at Carol's relaxing and enjoying the company of our friends. I'm lucky enough to be Godmother to both Charlie and Maddi and it was really a treat to be able to just sit around and enjoy their little antics.

Charlie was showing us what his Mommy's face and Daddy's faces look like, he was so funny. Dad expression on the left and Mom expression in the middle. LOL...I guess it's no secret that Dad has been teaching him this trick!

I discovered that trying to get a pic of Tim without some weird expression is no small feat! ...And there I was thinking that Julia was the only difficult subject.

As for getting pics of Lauren.....let's just say....I'm taking the 5th on that one...

Grandad on the other hand was much more photogenic....

And precious Maddi just blew me away with her smiles and giggles!

Our afternoon was filled with lots of tender moments, hugs, kisses, giggles and laughter.

It seems that Charlie likes baby feet as much as I do.

And lucky Charlie....when he was feeling tired and overwhelmed ....he went straight to Granny for comfort.

There is so much in my life that I am grateful for... these precious friends and moments like this are at the top of my list.

Wordle about my blog

2008-10-10T11:49:00.002+02:00

Blog Wordle, originally uploaded by Libby 508.

This is a WORDLE made with all the words from my blog. You just enter your blog link at the Wordle site and voila! I've printed this one and scanned it to try and get a bigger version. Not great quality scanning though, will keep trying.

Having such fun today!

My very own "Wordle"

2008-10-10T11:07:00.003+02:00

This is such fun and opens a WORLD of opportunity for us scrappers. Pop over to the Wordle site and create your own one.

This is my first attempt...I'll be working on plenty others!

Hideous Green Outfits

2008-10-10T09:25:00.002+02:00

Hideous Green Outfits Sept 1976, originally uploaded by Libby 508.

I'm thinking of suggesting to Tracy that we include a layout of our most hideous outfits for the BOM Challenge...

I'm convinced this one is a winner!

I can't believe mom made us wear these....what on earth was she thinking???

OPERATION NICE

2008-10-09T12:37:00.009+02:00

I stumbled accross the most amazing blog today. Isn't it strange how the universe brings things to us just as we need them? And lately with the constant rushing, overwhelming demands, etc, etc...I'm feeling that it wouldn't be a bad thing to take the time and do my bit in making the world a nicer place.

The blog is called Operation Nice and this is a small explanation taken from their site....

"Don't you love it when people go out of their way to be nice? Like when someone waits to hold the door for you. Or when a stranger waves you into a line a traffic. Or even when a coworker shoots you a friendly smile along with a "have a nice day." If everyone was a little bit nicer to the folks they encountered each day, perhaps the world would be a more pleasant place. Operation NICE was initiated to remind you that a little NICE goes a long way."

Some suggestions from the blog are:

Give at least one sincere compliment a day and it doesn't have to be much. Tell someone they have a nice smile, or you like their shoes or you envy their patience. If you look for it, you can find something positive to say about anyone.

If you buy something from a vending machine, leave the change in the change thingy for the next person. It's funny how someone finding an unexpected quarter makes their day.

Make a bunch of small little notes that have positive messages like "Have a nice day!" or "Someone loves you" and hide them around a public area for random strangers to find. This is a good project for those who have kids.

Overtip your waitress.

Give an extra $5 when you pay for something (retail, fast food restaurant) and ask that they apply it to the next person in line.

If you pack lunches for your loved one, stick a small note telling them to have a great day. Similarly, hide small love letters in your significant others pockets/bags/jackets.

Clear the snow off a neighbor's car after a big snowfall.

When you see a mom with a stroller going into a building - hold the door for her. She'll appreciate it more than you'll know!

Send a random e-Card to someone you haven't talked to in a while for no special reason.

Put an extra nickel, dime or quarter in a parking meter for someone.

Leave flowers anonymously at a neighbors', May Day style.

Make eye contact with people and smile.

Wave when someone lets you merge on the road.

Let someone who has five items at the grocery store go in front of you and your cart full of items.

Pay the toll of the car driving behind you.

Holiday season is a great time to recognize people who are underappreciated...leave some homemade goodies in your mailbox with a thank you note for your postal carrier.

Give blood to the Red Cross.

When a waitress or other service person has been exceptional, let their manager know.

If you take walks around the neighborhood, bring along a bag and pick up trash as you go.

During the holidays, bring some hot chocolate or coffee to the bell ringers who are standing outside in cold weather.

Thank a co-worker or employee out of the blue for there hard work.

Let someone turn left when the light turns green because there is a long line of traffic behind you.

Give a child's old toys to a shelter every holiday season instead of trashing them.

Buy a homeless person some water on a hot day.

Let someone pregnant or older sit in your seat when none are available.

Thank your spouse, significant other, roommate, mom, etc. whenever they prepare a meal for you. It shows great appreciation.

When making dinner, double the recipe and deliver dinner to a neighbor.

Offer your mail carrier, trash man or anyone else working out side on a hot day a bottle of water.
When someone you come in contact with is doing a good job, tell them.

I'll be stopping by their site frequently and taking part in the assignments. It's really nice to know there are so many people out there that are willing to make a difference.

Why don't you join me in spreading a little "niceness"

Book of Me Challenge No 2

2008-09-29T09:50:00.001+02:00

DSC05508, originally uploaded by Libby 508.

I've finally managed to complete the second challenge!

Journalling reads as follows

Elizabeth is the Greek form of the Hebrew Elisheva meaning "my God is an Oath, "my God is abundance, "God's promise', or "oath of God". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheva is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of Jon the Baptist. Made popular by Queen Elizabeth I of England in the 16th century, Elizabeth is the name of the late Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth has 25 variant forms: Alizabeth, Bet, Beth, Betty, Bit, Elisa, Elizabet, Elisabeth, Elisabetta, Elissa, Eliza, Elizabel, Elizabeth, Elsa, Elspeth, Elyza,, Ilse, Isabel, Libby, Liesl, Lilibeth, Lisa, Liza, Lizbeth, Lizette.

I was named after my Aunt and Godmother, Maria Elizabeth. My dad added the Ann on.

There are 17 ships of the British Royal navy that have borne the name HMS Elizabeth.

Mother & Daughter

2008-09-25T09:02:00.001+02:00

I did this layout at a lesson with my clever teacha Desìre. Julia is on the left, I'm on the right.

Trying to get a pic of Bups...

2008-09-25T08:27:00.001+02:00

What is that saying?? .... you have to kiss a few frogs before you meet your prince??? Take a few swings before you hit the ball...

Well, in my case, I have to take a few HUNDRED (drama queen, exaggeration part in me coming out) photos to get one decent photo of Jules. I know I drive her absolutely mad with my constant paparazzi style clicking, but her eyes are always closed, she's pulling funny faces, not looking at me, etc, etc. And then of course there's the whole...."MOM, I've had enough now....MOM!!...talk to the hand...." (evidence of the hand below!)

Anyway ... on this attempt... this was the closest to a good shot that I could get.

What is life without a good challenge.....I will not be defeated ! "All I need is a little faith, trust and pixie dust"... so wish me luck while I drive her a little more crazy with my clicking...

Lessons in Life

2008-09-19T12:57:00.005+02:00

I received this on email today from a friend, it was written by Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

She says...

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 70 in August, so here goes:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath, it calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?".

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of whom God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative--dying young.

37. Your children only get one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift".

Excellent advice don't you think...

What to do when bored on a road trip...

2008-09-16T22:35:00.001+02:00

...by "hairstylist" Julia Houareau.

Dougat's Quilt

2008-09-15T12:11:00.009+02:00

I made this quilt for my precious brother Douglas (aka Dougat as Jules could never say Douglas when she was little)

Carol and I had lots of laughs together (there is often more laughing than quilting taking place) and it's definitely one of my favorite quilts.

The fabrics were all bought from Cotton Tale Fabrics in Hillcrest, the pattern is known as a Log Cabin design and it's definitely one of my favorite designs. There are so many different ways to place the squares and the patterns you can create are endless.

Here I am diligently sewing away!

Carol did hers as a gift for Nana in green and black and it looked absolutely stunning!

Love this quote...

2008-09-09T15:04:00.004+02:00

"Creativity means letting go of trying to be "perfect"...it means being willing to be wild, silly and downright outrageous."

-Christine Mason Miller

I'm going to keep this in mind when I've spent hours fixating on the smallest detail on one of my pages and learn to just let it go....

It truly is a dog's life!

2008-09-04T11:09:00.001+02:00

I've never thought of myself as a doggy loving kind of person...but now that Britney-Jane is around I have to admit that I'm surprised at how much she has crept into my heart, something I never expected. She was supposed to be Julia's dog and as far as Jules is concerned she very much still is, but as soon as Julia is in bed Britney and I quickly dash to the couch and cuddle together to watch a favorite program.

On nights when I'm too busy scrapping she lies at my feet and by 10h30/11pm when she's decided that she's really had enough and wants to go to bed, she'll stand up against my leg and look at me with those big brown eyes and "tell" me that it's bed time. Some nights I'm obedient and get up to brush teeth and turn lights off and she races to the bed before me! On the nights that I'm too enthralled with what I'm doing to get to bed, she'll pace up and down, quite annoyed, until I eventually agree to give in.

These pics are from when she was 8 weeks old, isnt she gorgeous?

Keagen's Quilt

2008-08-29T08:05:00.001+02:00

I made this quilt for Dionne's little boy, Keagen, about a year or so ago. Dionne and I spent hours mulling over the fabrics at Cotton Tale in Hillcrest (one of my very favorite places in the world - 2nd only to the Blue Room we used to visit at Desire's) The colours we chose are VERY bright and really make the design stand out nicely.

Baby No. 2

2008-08-28T11:52:00.002+02:00

I can't believe that almost nine months has gone by so fast (well for me anyway-probably not for Robs). We all got together on Sunday at Pot & Kettle in Botha's Hill for a surprise baby shower for Robyn. She was actually surprised which was lovely!

Her caesar is scheduled for 16 Sept so will keep you all posted on the arrival of her second little girl.

BOM Challenge No. 1

2008-08-28T10:34:00.001+02:00

Well... here it is...my first layout in the Book of Me challenge. As mentioned in my email to Tracy, it hasn't quite turned out the way I imagined it in my mind, but I have to let it go and not be perfectionist otherwise I will NEVER get through these challenges.

Journaling in the centre circle reads:

Mother to Julia - Born on 17 December 1993 at Parklands in Durban. Precious baby girl & love of my life.

Employee - Three Cities Management Ltd, Office Manager, Personal Assistant to Alan Vels, CEO.

Child of God - Born on 18 November 1971 at 6h35am in Scottburgh, Durban.

Daughter to David & Charlotte Blowers, Brown hair, green eyes, 1,75m tall. Currently single and happy with my life.

Granddaughter to Rhona & Stanley Blowers & Oupa and Ouma Mans.

Sister to Jennifer & Douglas and Step-Sister to Darren, Brett, Clinton, Lumar & Leannie.

Journaling in the outside circles reads:

Scorpio, Libby, Home maker, ex-wife, AVON consultant, Scrapbooker, Quilter, Sister-in-law, friend, confidant, Aunt, Niece, Cousin, God-parent, Miglio consultant, Justine consultant.

Off to start the next challenge, wish me luck...

Julia - Fashionista extraordinaire

2008-08-27T10:52:00.003+02:00

It seems that Julia (Supergirl) has taken to adding sequins, beads and glitter paint on to almost everything lately.

I arrived home a little while ago to find that she had chopped off the bottom of her tracksuit pants and added "some bling" (her words).

She's extremely proud of her creation which she proceeded to wear to my office during the school holidays!! She caused quite a stir as you can imagine!

I'm starting to worry that I'll arrive home to find Britney-Jane and Tommy looking rather colourful and full of sequins :)

Jen's Fairy Quilt

2008-08-26T14:53:00.002+02:00

My sister Jen is mad about fairies! At the age of 34 she has just redecorated her entire bedroom in a fairy theme. She's single at the moment so she is able to do that...(My mom is however very concerned that any new man in Jen's life will run a mile when he sees her new bedroom) but then again....who cares!! As long as it makes her happy.

Quilting is one of my favorite hobbies (when I find the time to do it) and so to go with her new bedroom, I made her a fairy quilt. It took me FOREVER and I would never have completed it without constant encouragement and prodding from my dearest Carol. But we finally reached the end of it and to my relief, Jen was delighted with it.

It is a KING SIZE quilt, made with Log Cabin patterns as the base and then appliqued fairies on top.

Initially the plan was to make matching cushions, pj bag, pillow covers etc but I have seriously reconsidered my options and advised Jen that for now, it'll just be the quilt.

Love

My very own Blog Award

2008-08-25T15:22:00.003+02:00

Yippeeeeeee!!!! I just got a blog award from the darling teacha!

Here it is...

This is so exciting, I am just loving all this blogging and the new friends I'm making, it's such fun and once you're hooked you've had it! No going back, it's way too much fun.

The rules of this award are simple: 1. Make a blog post where you pass the award on to seven blogs you like and 2. Post a comment at their blog to tell them about the award! I've only awarded four awards as I'm still pretty new to this game. My awards go to Desire Fourie at Doing Life , Michelle Ramsey at Life Experiences , Tracy Gardiner at {L}ive out {L}oud and Sophia Allison at Sophia's World .

Well done everyone and thanks for your inspiring blogs.

Young love

2008-08-25T12:28:00.000+02:00

Isn't young love just the most divine thing!

Jules & Luke planned an ice-cream date for Saturday morning. We met at 09h30 at Milky Lane at Pavillion (after spending over an hour with Julia trying to decide what to wear). Alison (Luke's mom) and I decided it was WAY too early for ice-cream so we landed up "accross the road" at Sam Browns for breakfast instead.

Jules was teaching Luke how to play the Suduku game on her cell and they were chatting away.

Jules made sure to give Luke a big hug when leaving and then whispered in my ear "Shew mom....can you hear my heart beating....it's crazy being in love....)

I'm sure they're already planning the next date...so will keep you posted.

Even more pics from "Who loves Julia" mini-album

2008-08-22T14:28:00.001+02:00

More pics from "Who Loves Julia" mini album

2008-08-22T14:23:00.000+02:00

"Who loves Julia" Mini-Album - WORK IN PROGRESS

2008-08-22T14:02:00.002+02:00

I've been working on this mini-album for much longer than I'd like to admit. Most of the layouts in it were done with Tha Darling Teacha's (Desire Fourie at Doing Life) guidance and expertise. The idea was to create an album for Julia to remind her of how loved and how special she is, and of all the people who care about her.

I still need to get layouts done of her and myself! Her uncle Doug, her aunt Jen, her precious ouma, Aunty Jintz, Robs, Meghan, her cousins, her stepmom, her BF, definitely her puppy and others. So much to do, so little time :)

Anyway, this is as far as I've got for now and I'm newly committed to finishing it off.

The best part for me is that Jules already loves looking through this album and often if she meets someone that she really connects with she'll say to me.... "Mom - don't forget to put her in my who loves me album!"

Lazy days

2008-08-22T11:35:00.000+02:00

I just love these two photo's! Jules and Britney-Jane - both so at peace and relaxed and totally smitten with each other.

Julia's Bags

2008-08-22T11:27:00.000+02:00

Julia has recently been keeping herself busy and decorating shopping bags which she sells for R50 each. She chooses the fabric herself, finding a design that "speaks to her" and then sits for absolute ages and painstakingly glues each sequin onto the fabric and decorates with her glitter and puff paints.

I think this one is the best one so far!

Pergamano

2008-08-20T09:30:00.000+02:00

Jules & I decided to go for a Pergamano lesson a little while ago, and with a little patience and perserverance on our side (as well as the teachers), this is the result of our first attempt.

We are both so proud of ourselves! Our next lesson is the first Saturday in September and I can't wait to see what we manage to create then. I was so {inspired} to see what creations the ladies were all working on. Such amazing talent all around us. My ultimate aim is to find a way to include some pergamano effects into my scrapbooking layouts.

Morning cuddles...

2008-08-19T12:57:00.000+02:00

Cuddles in the morning with Jules... the best part of my day!

Paige was the lucky recipient this weekend. I'll have to get my cuddles tomorrow morning :)

Love of Horses...

2008-08-19T10:42:00.003+02:00

It seems that Julia has developed the same love of horses that I have always had. Here she is riding "Liam" at the stables at Alpine.

Jeanne, who assisted Jules, was absolutely amazing. She taught us both so much about horses in the time we spent with her, for example, that a horse has approximately the same intelligence as a two and a half year old child. I never knew that! Jeanne was so patient with Julia and took the time to show her how to sit in the saddle correctly, make Liam stop and go and turn in the direction she wants him to go, put her heels down in the stirrups, mount and dismount. Jules was full of excitement by the time she had finished her ride and has committed to returning and helping Jeanne groom the horses next time we visit Alpine. We arrived just wanting Jules to have a quick horse ride, we left full of enthusiasm and feeling even more passionate about horses!

Weekend at Alpine

2008-08-19T10:05:00.001+02:00

We spent the weekend with Kimmie and Paige at Alpine Heath in the Drakensberg. All of us in desperate need of some R&R and Alpine certainly did the trick. I must admit that when screaming around my apartment trying to do last minute packing I had the thought "I'm really not sure if this is worth it" but once we were in the car and playing "Eye Spy" with the girls I was really looking forward to getting there.

We weren't extremely energetic this time, it was lovely to just really relax, let the girls jump around on the trampolines, jungle gym, etc. Britney-Jane (our precious yorkie) came with (thank you Alpine Heath for breaking the rules for us). Britney loved it as much as we did and was frantically running around and sniffing everthing she could.

2007-05-17T13:39:00.000+02:00

What a clever girl I am :)
I just managed to set up my own blog (with a little help from Blogspot of course)
Well......Now I suppose I need to get creative and write something to post........need time to think about this.....
Till then.......