A Picnic....

Hello all you lovely people!!

Welcome and I am so glad you could pop by to say hello!!!

Last weekend my sisters and I took our little families out for the day on a picnic!! And what a wonderful day we had!! Just relaxing, walking, eating and lots and lots of laughter and fun was had by all!!!!! 

 We didn't have to go far either!! Only about a 10 minute drive from home, you can find the most beautiful botanical gardens!!!!! 

I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised to find such a beautiful spot in the middle of the city!!!! It was wonderfully peaceful!!!!

The sound of falling water surrounded us, from the waterfall all the way down to the river bed!!!!!

The dappled sunlight kept us cool and ...... 
there were plenty of interesting little places to rest weary old bones!!!!!!!!!

Sister Zennet ...... 

            .... Margaret ...

.... her daughter Shani and hubby Andrew, aka Skinny ......

.... and their daughter, Kensi!! (Just the cutest little girl you have ever seen!!!!)

.... and my own little Miss J, and yes she is also as cute as a button!!!!!!

....there were lots of giggles .......

..... sing alongs .....

                  ....and exploring ......

          ...... some friendly visitors ......

        ...... and some interesting facts ......

... "the cliff face at the waterfall is composed of quartzite of the Orange Grove Formation at the base of the Witwatersrand Super group, a thick succession of ancient sedimentary 

rocks that contain the largest known deposit of gold in the world" !!!! Interesting, don't you think??!!

We are planning on going back there soon, just to have a coffee at the little restaurant and to walk through the beautiful nursery!!!!

Well dear friends, that was fun!!! Almost as much as the picnic!!!!

This week Moms taxi will be in full swing as my little Miss J starts her final exams!!! Oh dear, the traffic in the city is really scary!!!!

Hope you have a happy, colourful and creative weekend!!!

"Till next time!!

Love Always

AMarie

My photo album 2012

Hi there all my friends!!

I just love this photo a friend send to us this morning!!  Calm!!!!! Sooo would love to be at the sea right now!!!!!!!!  Living in the desert can really make you miss it so much.  In my minds eye, I can actually see, hear and smell the sea.  Ah, wonderful!!!

I would like to wish you and your loved ones a Very Happy 2013 and may this year be the best year of your life, filled with laughter and joy and may all your dreams come true!!!  May it be creative and full of colour, flowers, good food, good times with family and friends, good fortune, loads of love and loads of blessings from above and may we all learn to appreciate what we already have!!

Come with me as we page through my photo album, remembering the good, and the not so good moments.

New arrivals.....
A bouncy little baby girl, Kensi....                   

 joined the family! Proud parents Andrew and Shani Claase.
(My own little Miss J was the baby of the family)

 Shani is my sister Margaret's, eldest daughter.  sn't that a beautiful new family?
                         
And then there were the animals....
                    New Kittens......


                                Abbey-blue.......

                             Baby Impala.....  

 Dozer....
(a gift from our friend Jacques, just before he died) 

          Lola, Dozer's best friend......

   A baby Rhino..... So precious!!!!!!!!!

New Careers were started........

Christian in military school....
Margaret, my dear sister's youngest and Shani's brother.....

and my very own little Miss J started her 1st year at varsity

(B.com Financial Accounting - clever girl!!!)

       (and just by the way - they both passed)
             Miss J and cousin Shani..........

 And then there were rescues......

    a Barn Owl came down the chimney....

A Kingfisher had a lucky escape from the cats...

 A huge python was rescued and found a new home on the farm....

and so did Cinderella..... Now retired and never will she be pulling a cart again.

There was the drought.....

                    Sandstorms.....

inside a sand storm......

              
And then the rain came and our barren land was transformed.....

                       

.... and paradise had returned once more!!!!!!


Stolen property was recovered, with many grateful prayers!!!!

\

                    
My sweet dear daughter, Miss Molly, turned 21....
Just a small gathering at home with family & friends....

Can't believe she's 21 already!!!!!

2012 was also the year I taught myself to                   crochet and now I  can't stop!!!  Really!!. I am totally addicted!!              

3 blankets, 3 bags, 2 hats, 3 headbands, a scarf, and various other makes.... LOVE IT!!!! Thank you to all my blogger friends for your inspiring blogs and patterns!!!!

In May 2012 we lost our dear friend, Jacques, and only 1 month later his son, Juan, died when a tornado struck the house he was in.  Eight months later and we still mourn their untimely deaths!!!

R.I.P.  We really miss you, Jacques!

Hubby also gave us a few horrifying  moments in 2012....
1. Attacked by a lion.    2. A burst appendix.   3.  A really nasty 2nd degree burn on his hand.  4.  A cracked rib (from falling off his motorbike)  5.  Tick-bite fever.   6.  A stomach ulcer.  
And I am so happy to say he survived it all and is as strong as an ox once again.  But please hubby, you are nearing 60 and your body is trying to tell you to slow down now, please!!!!!!!
And now just a few random pictures......


Sister Zennet ready for a new adventure

and searching for something she's swore she had!!!!
but never did find....

Lazy, crazy fun summer days....

 ... and then it was Christmas....

All in all, we had a good year and here's hoping that 2013 will be even better.
Thank you for visiting my blog, I really appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all
AMarie