Every picture tells a story!

"Hmmm, I'd really like one of those ice cream cones."

"Is this going to take long?"

"Thank you!"!

Here's an idea...

... do you think that retailers might consider lining the queue aisle with items such as dog food, floor polish or dare I say - fruit!
Does it really have to be sweets, chips and chocolates?
It was bad enough when all checkouts had short sweet-lined shelves at each individual checkout but these windy-windy queues with a mile of junk laid out before you to ask for and grab at and, okay I'll say it, run out of the shop with... I mean what are they thinking?!
It seems that it is those items that are always so sought after by trolley dwellers so how about offering them something they usually don't want, like say broccoli or brussel sprouts!
It might put a new spin on the "items-that-should-be-begged-for-at-every-available-opportunity" script that children seem to be born with!!

All jokes aside, I really wish some one would try that as an experiment to see what happens.
It might mean a more pleasant shopping experience for all shoppers, not just the ones who have small people in tow who don't "get it" after the 3rd "no, you may not have that chocolate/sweet/packet of chips"!
It was just a thought:-)

6 and 8.

Today was a double celebration! My niece, Willow and her cousin, Chiara both have birthdays around Christmas and New Year. This usually makes for a very busy Summer holiday!! This year, however, they were both away for their birthdays so they (or rather their moms) decided to do a combined bash. Also, both girls absolutely love horses so it made sense to share the cost of a pony party.

The kids had a ball.

Pony rides

(Niave actually overcame her horse-phobia and sat on one! Maybe we'll let it move next time!!)

Yummy food

Friends

And playing.

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Happy Belated birthday girls, and thank you for a lovely party.

A Painted House.

There is a book called "A Painted House" but this is not about that!

This is about OUR Painted House!!!

It is almost finished, just a few finishing touches and by tomorrow evening it should all be done. Yay.

Here is a quick look:

The front of the house, the roof and a section of guttering are still unfinished.

This is the side door - what can I say, there's no comparison!

It's almost as good as new!

Grade 2 girl.

Today Abigail went off to her first day of grade 2.
She was both excited and nervous but came home very happy (and a little hot! Summer holidays make it difficult to get back into socks and shoes!) with lots to tell about her day and her new teacher who she says is very kind and speaks in a soft voice!!
She was very pleased when a new girl arrived called Willow just like her cousin!


And so the 2009 school year begins...

Green monster.

What do you get when you take 1 unsupervised toddler and add 2 jars of powder paint?

Let me assure you that the picture does not do justice to the actual brilliance of the green, nor to the extent of the affected area!

Well, this is how the story goes: Grant was helping me set up a new invoicing system and needed some input from me, Niave was happily watching a DVD and chomping on some watermelon. Half way through the computer work she came in to ask if she could have more watermelon.

I said she could certainly have some more, but then I said the dreaded forbidden word - wait - till I'm finished and I'll cut some for you.

Well, a few minutes later Abigail arrived at the office door with a look of absolute horror on her face.

I knew I had to come quickly!

There I found Niave up to her wrists in green powder paint. (I had left 2 new jars of paint on the kitchen counter to use at school tomorrow.)

Well, in case you ever have a need for this information, it is safe to say that blue paint does NOT vacuum out of a carpet very well.

Niave was by then deposited into a bath and Abigail and I were left scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing.

I suppose she probably now knows that blue and yellow make green (lets put it this way - she better!).

And considering what I had left on the other counter...

...it could have been a LOT worse.

Niave was sent to bed at 5:30 (I did give her supper at least!) and is not to be heard from till tomorrow morning! If there is even so much as a murmur we will be heading back to the airport, this time to International Departures - Bev, since I don't know where she came from I'll be sending her to you!!

Just in case you were wondering...

This evening Abigail asked me to sew a loose strap onto a dolls dress. Niave also came along to see what it was that her mother was doing with a needle and thread - not something she sees very often!!
During the conversation that followed - answering Niaves 101 questions, Abigail informed her that "this is a special dress that Ouma bought me before you were born". (The emphasis being largely on the before you were born part!)
Not wanting to be outdone Niave's reply was an explaination of just where she was before she was born: "well, you know what Abi, before I was born I was at the airport"!
So, just in case you were wondering where we got her from (because we sometimes do!), now you know! We picked her up at International Arrivals!!