December.

December was a mad month. Busy, busy, busy.
The first week of December is always manic with both the girls finishing off their school years as well as me finishing mine. That's 3 schools end of year activities in 1 week!
They each had a "concert" on the same day, Abigail had her drama showcase and Niave had her Nativity Play. It was quite a job juggling the 2 but we made it, well, most of us, Grant got stuck on the 3rd (or 4th) floor with a broken lift so he missed the whole lot!

Abigail introducing her groups skit.

Niave belting out her Christmas Carols!

When all the school events were finished it didn't get less busy...Niave was determined to get dressed up for her last year of Postcards, a 0 - 6 year old Carol Service at our church, having been 1 or 2 years as Mary and another as an angel she decided to go as the Star this time, I was quite chuffed with the fact that I threw a costume together in no time with just what we had at home! 

Mitchell (aka Joseph) and Niave - the Star of Bethlehem!

Two days later both Niave and Abigail took part in the Annual Carol Service at church. They had been practising for a good few weeks and it went very well.

Also that same weekend was cousin Marley's 5th birthday party, great fun at Roly Polyz and an hilarious magician who had the kids in fits of laughter!

For 2 years now I've been running an art workshop in the first 2 weeks of the holidays, with slightly older children - primary school age. The girls obviously took part as well and were kept very busy creating all sorts of things from pot plants to pet rocks to mosaic etc.

Budding artists at work!

We finished up just in time for my sister's arrival, and just when we thought the busy-ness was over...!

Camping Out.

One of the things on our "to-do" list is camping. However, it is not really conducive to wheelchairs so up to now it hasn't happened yet, except for last night when Niave and I got to "camp" at school for the Grade R Parent/Child Sleepover - a right of passage for any Barkly House kid!

The options were to camp outside in the playground or to sleep inside, seeing as we don't camp we don't have a tent but we do know a few seasoned campers and were able to borrow an wonderful tent and blow-up mattress from Grant's dad.

I was not really looking forward to it at first, and by the time I got my head around the idea we were on day 4 of howling gale-force South Easter winds that had caused havoc and quite a bit of damage around Cape Town so by Friday morning I was a little anxious to say the least.

Anyway, it went ahead and so we set off to brave the elements!

The tent dwellers

The children were so excited, Niave was beside herself!! We had our tent set up in about 15 minutes, but the mattress took a little longer, the pump I had didn't want to work, but there were a few campers with the same mattress and so we could borrow a pump - and some legs to do the pumping!

One happy camper!

First off we had a braai, I left our tongs behind but some helpful dads came to our rescue and got our boerewors cooked!

The kids had so much fun roasting marshmallows and playing torch games. 

By this time the wind had already subsided quite a bit with longer and longer gaps between the gusts.

After supper it was ice-lolly time before the children were gathered together for Story Time.

Then after brushing teeth and putting on their PJ's it was one last story before lights out.

 It was funny brushing teeth at school!

I had expected Niave to take a while to wind down after all the excitement but once we were settled and zipped into our tent she was out for the count!

She slept soundly the whole night. I on the other hand did not!
After dozing off around 11:15pm, I awoke with a shock at 12:50am to the sound of sprinklers, it sounded like they were right outside our tent but after some quick investigation I discovered they were the sprinklers next door at Greenfield!!
My next wake-up call was from a little boy crying and then puking 1 tent away: +- 2:45am!
Whoever suggested that roosters crow at dawn was sadly mistaken because at 3:30am the rooster crowed for the first time and every 5 minutes after that!
At 4:45am what sounded like a rubbish truck was doing the rounds and around 5:15 some very loud students either came or went from the Res next to the school.
By 6:00am we were awake to a beautiful windless day.

So after all the anxiety about the wind, it was hardly a factor, the tent didn't even sway as I thought it would.
All in all not the best nights sleep I've ever had but definitely better than I expected it to be. And from the reports of the snoring that went on inside I was very glad to be in my self-contained, cockroach-free environment!

The school provided cereal for breakfast, Niave had her's on the swing!!

 After breakfast we packed up and were home by just after 8:00am for a much needed shower and change of clothes! I'm looking forward to a good nights sleep tonight!

The Fudge Fiasco!

Last week the grade 4's had their Trading Day, like a market day, it is part of the curriculum, each grade has a turn to make and sell something.
This year that had to work in groups - who's idea was it to work in groups - ever?!
Anyway, we were given the unenviable task of making English Toffee to fall in line with the "England" theme that had been chosen.
After 1 so-so attempt at toffee we changed our choice to fudge, however that almost turned out more disastrous...
With the Trading day being on a Friday, we made our fudge on the Wednesday so that all we needed to do was package it the night before and there wouldn't be any stress - Hahahahaha, it didn't quite turn out that way!
First we carefully measured everything and then stirred and stirred and stirred and stirred some more until after about 45 minutes we assumed by the colour and consistency that it was "ready".

We poured it out into my beautiful new purpose-bought baking tray and put it aside to set.

It looked promising but the next morning I knew something was wrong when it needed to be spooned rather than cut out of the tray.
It looked like fudge, it tasted like fudge but it just wasn't fudgy like fudge.
Panic stations...this is THURSDAY, less than 24 hours before the event, there was only 1 thing to do - call in reinforcements.
In this kind of situation who would you call? You need to ask yourself that question, it's like "phone a friend" on Who wants to be a Millionaire, well for me there was only one person to call - my friend Lisa - the Queen of fudge and anything baked really!
Thank you Lord for friends who will ditch their afternoons plans to save your fudge!
Once again we stirred, for a very, very long time (and when I say "we" I mean "she"!)
Eventually we decided it was time to pour...don't ask me what we did differently, but it worked!
And don't ask me what I would've done if it had not worked, all you need to know is - it worked!

Due to the extreme stressfulness of the situation no photo's were taken by me, but I stole this one off Facebook! How do you like that bunting?!!

The Trading day was a success, she "sold out" which seems to be the mark of success!
Hooray for no more Trading days till 2013!

Ballet Presentation 2012.

Yesterday Niave took part in her 3rd annual Ballet Presentation, possibly her last, the jury is still out on whether or not she is going to continue with it next year...
She did very well and almost made it to the end without an incident...almost, but just before the graceful curtsy she happened to notice her sister in the front row smiling and in true Niave style took great offence at the fact that she was "laughing" at her and front and centre stuck her tongue out to show her disapproval!
I wished that the chair I was sitting in could have swallowed me right then, but I realise that in a few years time it will be a funny memory.
We have this dilemma with Niave, she hates to be laughed at, and I do mean hates!
She cannot laugh at herself and gets very upset if she feels others are laughing at her. I am hoping and praying that she grows out of it soon but for now we persevere in trying to explain to her that we are not laughing at her.
But she is only 6 and I suppose this too shall pass and one day be a distant memory, can't wait for that day!
Anyway, some pictures...

I am amazed at all they can do when I think back to her first few weeks of ballet and how she couldn't even skip, and now she remembers all these steps and dances.
I really hope she carries on, I can see that she really likes it and actually I prefer it to modern dancing, and she has such a lovely teacher. After her session we stayed to watch the grade 1's and she was very impressed with what they did and seems more keen than before to continue. I live in hope!

Niave's last preschool Sports Day.

About a month ago Niave took part in her 3rd and final Barkly House Sports Day. Another opportunity for me to see just how much she has grown and matured in that time.
Below you will see 3 photo's, 1 from each year, as you will notice there is a vast difference between the one on the left and the one on the right!!

In her first year she had to be literally dragged around the field, moping all the way, whereas this year she went around unassisted and loving it!

The Older Group's race is a water race, they have to fill up a cup with water and then run to a bucket and pour it in! After watching the older children do it 2 years in a row, she couldn't wait to do it herself!

Next year she gets to be a small fish in a big pond again, but fortunately a pond with which she is very familiar!

The Waterfront Wheel.

In October we had the opportunity to ride on the Big Wheel at the Waterfront. It is Cape Towns attempt at the London Eye!! But MUCH smaller!
I wouldn't say I'm scared of heights but I do have have some issues...I was fine but a little tense!! Niave was totally freaked out but fortunately it wasn't that long a ride so she coped too.

The views:

A lovely outing and one that we hope to repeat minus Niave, plus Grant:-)

A surprise prize!

A few months ago Niave entered the Chaeli Campaign Art and Poetry Competition.

Last year she entered too and we were called to say when the prize giving was taking place and so we were there to receive her certificate.

This year however, I was unaware that the prize giving had taken place or that Niave had won a prize!!!

A couple of weeks ago I found out by chance that her envelope was awaiting collection at the Chaeli Campaign office!

On arriving home after collecting it, I had hardly stepped over the threshold of the front door when the envelope was opened revealing another certificate and R300.00!!!

A very happy little girl!

Her sister who had not entered despite my attempts to encourage her to do so, was not very impressed!! But 2013 may see 2 Hutton's entering the competition after all!

Niave had a happy time shopping, first up was, of course, a soft toy - Niaves absolute favourite, a Yoohoo friend has joined the clan, she also bought her sister a  Cadbury's Bubbly for her birthday. She has made a few other purchases and has only about R15.00 left to her name!! That money was so hot it burned a hole right through her pocket!!!