30 days of thanks: day 26

Day 26: camera phones

I have an iPhone 4s. The camera is good - in fact the vast majority of pics I post here are taken with that camera. I recently went through my collection of family ohotos and it is remarkable how many pictures I take now that I have a camera at my fingertips all the time.

I love having a chronicle of my life - and more specifically, of my kids' childhood. So today I am grateful for my camera phone.

As an example, I give you the last picture I took - the cocktail menu at Gourmet Garage where we had dinner.

 

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30 days of thanks: day 25

Day 25: summer rain

I grew up in Cape Town, with hot, humid summers and rainy winters. I love winter rain, the quiet of it, the cuddly feeling that it brings. Suggling under the duvet with a cup of hot chocolate.

But today, I am financially grateful for summer rain. I never need to water my garden in summer, and the plants need less water in winter. And of course our thunderstorms are exhilirating!

 

 

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30 days of thanks: day 24

Day 24: Rescue Remedy

I discovered RR when my oldest was about 1, and I have been grateful for it many, many times. Today is one of those days when I feel I would have been a total wreck without it - and I am not even the one who took RR. So today I am grateful for Rescue Remedy.

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30 days of thanks: day 23

Day 23: The joy of parenthood

It is true that youth is wasted on the young - or at least, childhood is wasted on children. I love that I get to relive the world through the eyes of my children.

They won the battle with a T Rex:

Playing in the park with cousins:

Playing dress-up. I am totally keeping this pic for when she is a chef one day - this is the child who asks me if she may smell the strange cheese I bought. She was smelling food before tasting it when I was still spoon feeding her.

Throwing water balloons into the hula hoop.

School concert - she was a "macarena girl". Yes, they did the macarna!

Cooking mussels with Daddy:

Nothing like blowing a vuvuzela in your underwear...

First Halloween!

Birthday "ring" at preschool.

Balloons!

First attempt at a sandcastle. More decorating than construction!

A few random holiday moments:

 

Ballet concert:

I am grateful that I get to watch their lives unfold.

 

 

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30 days of thanks: day 22

Day 22: year-end holidays

Especially in South Africa! This year I will have 3 weeks of paid leave, to spend time with family and celebrate Christmas. With typical Johannesburg weather, it will be gorgeous summer, borderline too hot but that is what the swimming pool is for! With family lunches on the patio, friends to spend time with, and the celebration of the birth of Christ, I am grateful to have this holiday to look forward to.

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30 days of thanks: day 21

Day 21: my job

I am an actuary, working for a healthcare company. And I love it.

I get to do work that I enjoy, that I am good at, with amazing colleagues at an amazing company. It is rare, and I am grateful.

 

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30 days of thanks: day 20

Day 20: good schools

My oldest is in kindergarten (grade R) this year, and on 9 Jan next year she will move on to "big school". It was a massive decision for us to choose the right school, and I am confident that we made the best possible choice. Today I am grateful not only for the fantastic choice of schools we had, but also that we got into Craighall for her.

 

 

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30 days of thanks: day 19

Day 19: a husband who cooks

I have already devoted a day of thanks to the amazing man I married, but today I am specifically grateful for his favourite hobby: cooking. I can manage very well in the kitchen, but I do not really enjoy cooking. Baking is more my thing. And I find it absolutely amazing that my husband can come home after a long day at the office and still want to cook dinner for the family.

I am grateful for many aspects of his cooking:

• Of course, the fabulous results!
• The balance of health and flavour - lots of veggies, but with a bit of butter or cheese.
• He is a neater cook than I am, mostly from his time running the pizzeria. So not only does he get better meals on our plates, but the kitchen does not look like a disaster zone afterwards!
• It is a love language for him, so he takes into account every personal preference that he knows of when he plans a menu.

 

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30 days of thanks: day 18

Day 18: fruit juice

I am a juice junkie. When I was at university, I used to joke that I spend on fruit juice what other students spend on alcohol. Over time, I have mostly stopped drinking juice because it is so hard to find preservative free juice.

Enter our new juicer.

And the juice of 10 oranges.

Yay!

 

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Renovations update

In between all the other thankfulness I also want to give you an update of our renovations progress. It's exciting!

The roof is done, the last section (concrete slab over the patio) was cast last weekend and now needs to be propped for 3 weeks while it dries, but my whole house now officially has a roof again!

All ceilings are in place.

Front wall around the courtyard by the front door is done

First coats of paint are on the walls and we have a final shortlist of colours for the last coats.

Underfloor heating in the living room, kitchen and playroom are done.


All the windows are in, obviously no glass yet.

Tiling started this week in the living room and kitchen; we have not yet decided on the laminate wood for the playroom so that is probably a week or 2 away.

Most of the plumbing and electrical work is done; light fittings for most rooms have been chosen. The kitchen installation starts on the 19th - I can't wait!

 

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30 days of thanks: day 17

Day 17: sleep

Isn't it great that our brains require time out at the end of each day?

I struggle with insomnia regularly, and most nights I take melatonin or a herbal suoplement to help me sleep. It does not always work. But last night I got almost 8 hours strait, and so I am reminded of how fantastic sleep is.

And let us not forget the awesomeness of children who sleep! The first 5 hour stretch with a newborn, the midday chance to get things done when older ones nap. I am super grateful for every minute of sleep I get.

 

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30 days of thanks: day 16

Day 16: old friends

As an introvert, I don't generally have many close friends, but I treasure the ones I do have immensely. I am feeling a little nostalgic today, missing the friends from my youth, and appreciating the ones who are still in my life.

I love it when friendship reaches that level where you don't have to do anything to keep e friendship going. Where life can intervene and you do not have much contact for a year, and then pick up the phone and it's like no time has passed. I am grateful for friends who know 5 or 10 or even 15 years of my story, and who have shared their story with me for the same time.

 

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30 days of thanks: day 15

Day 15: holidays and rest days

I always find that November is a month when I am supe aware of how important holidays are. This year maybe even more so than usual, but I probably feel like that every year. I can't wait for Christmas, spending time with family and taking a good long break from work. Today I am grateful for the opportunity to do all of that.

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30 days of thanks: day 14

Day 14: family

I have much to be thankful for when it comes to family.

The best husband in the whole world (really).

Two gorgeous, loving, healthy, smart daughters. The hug in this picture was voluntary.

I don't have pictures of everyone on my iPad so I'll just list the others:

Parents who love me and love God

Fantastic siblings

In laws who support me and love me like their own

I am blessed!

 

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