E - Vida

Yesterday I came across an article in a local family magazine where the Mom spoke of a separation anxiety issue. Interestingly enough, it was not the kid suffering from it nearly as much as the Mom was! It got me thinking about how as parents we often think that we are here to teach our kids everything. When in actual fact, they teach us just as much - if not more? Case in point: I can't stand the sight of  a cockroach - dead or alive. I have smashed many a dustpan while in a fit of uncontrollable rage against a cockroach - not because I'm the Indiana Ashleigh of vermin hunting, but because I don't want any part left of the roach - a part that could possibly reproduce or mutate to come back and irk me! Yesterday evening I found a cockroach in the spare bedroom. I was horrified. Might I add that P-J despises them almost as much as I do and to this end, refuses to assist in these situations. It's quite ridiculous, the two of us, I know. Be that as it may, there l...

A conversation between P-J and Jorja about acquiring a car once she’s able to drive: Jorja : So when I’m older, I’ll learn to drive... P-J : Yes, but you get your own car Jorja : Really? P-J : Yes. We aren’t buying you a car Jorja : Awww. Maybe I can take Mom’s? P-J: No. You can’t just have it. You can buy it Jorja : I won’t have to buy it. It will already be paid for. And you don’t pay more money on something that’s already paid for. Made you look!

As I sat last night cleaning off Jorja's 7th (or 8th) version of nail polish of the Summer holidays, I thought about how differently we'd approached the start of the new school year - compared to last year. Right at the beginning of January 2014, we shopped for uniform and shoes, sourced lunch menus and painstakingly labelled every fold, frame and shoe lace of whatever was heading into the wide world of big school. In January 2015, I quickly stopped by the school shop for a few absolute essentials (that school shorts would have to do another 2 terms at least!) almost forgot to collect the new bright, white shoes from the Klaasens - especially imported from the UK on their holiday - and planned school lunch by standing in front of the fridge trying to tune into my creative mind's eye... Ha! Needless to say, we are a lot more mellowed out this year. But that does not take away from the life-preparing experience that is: learning. I think to a large degree, we downplay...

What's not to love about a New Year? Clean slates, new diaries, hopes, goals and timelines. I fall for it every time. This year is no exception because each year I hope to be a better version of what I was the year before. My 2014 was a memorable one - A first year at school, travels, progress, growth and success at the workplace and more! But upon closer in(tro)spection, I found that the year also held: Too little listening for all the talking, Too much planning and too little implementing, Too much eating with too little exercising! Too little encouraging to balance out the sighing, Too many distractions and too little attention, Big investments in low priorities, And big efforts spent on things with little meaning. I look forward to the year ahead; Not because I think I will right all the wrongs of the year past, but because I know that the mere fact that I can identify these areas of concern means that I can work a little more on them...

When our Christmas Tree moved house with us, we lost a lot of its trimmings (including the lights) on the way! I thought for sure it would look to be lacking festive cheer, but Jorja took charge of the decorating this year and it looked perfect! All packed up by 27 December though!  We set the 18 seats in a long line with simple blue and white decor, punctuated with striking orange roses and barbeton daisies - compliments of a pretty bouquet my Mother-in-Law gave me for our 8th wedding anniversary. Initially, Jorja was concerned about the fact that it didn't look like a traditional birthday party, but as long as we were still singing Happy Birthday , she was keen! The real reason for the season While Chef P-J prepped in the kitchen, the kids took to the bicycles found in Pa's store room. Jorja went vintage and Ethan found a scooter that fit his style well. Finally, it was time to eat! But first, let's consume a Father Christmas-shaped...