A Winter Wonderland

We had what we consider to be our first real snow today. It started at around 5am and has been snowing on and off since then. It was really well timed because our clocks were turned back at 2am, so we are now 9 hours behind SA.

We decided to drive out to Bragg Creek this morning. The snow was really coming down there. We drove a little bit out of town and pulled off on the side of the road to have a bit of a run around in the snow, and boy did we have fun!!! Just after we had pulled over a gentleman in a bakkie stopped and asked us if we needed help. He thought we were in trouble and needed a hand. Imagine, "we are fine thank you, we have just stopped here so we can beat each other with snowballs"!!!

We had so much fun in the snow. Hannes and I chased each other throwing snow balls at each other and Jared. He thought it was an absolute scream and did his best to retaliate. I was amazed at the snow though. I always imagined it to be wet. This was so dry that you could barely get it into a ball. Our jackets and gloves were dry after we had finished. That really wasn't what I had expected at all.

So, we have officially had our first play in the snow, although, I have been told that today's snowfall is nothing compared to what is still to come.

Our next fun purchase is going to be a toboggan. I wish you could have seen the kiddies in the park over the road riding up and down the hillside this morning. And the dad's pulling the little ones on the pavement on a sled. We wondered how long these children have spent waiting for the snow to arrive, since it is late this year.

While we were getting ourselves organised to leave, Jared sat on a chair at the window and watched the world go by and the snow fall.


Putting in fuel in Bragg Creek. You can take the monkey out of the bush... :o) My crazy South African love in nothing but a T-Shirt!!!



Making a run for it!! That big stretch of white to the left is the highway.


"Let me go mommy!!!" He doesn't stand still for a minute.


Me and my daddy.


We now know for sure that every cent we spent on his snow suit was worth it. He loved the snow. Or in Jared speak the "nowe"


When we got home Jared and daddy shared a story on our very comfy new lounge suite before they both went and had a well deserved sleep.

My little frog prince

So as you know we celebrated our first Halloween on Wednesday, and boy did we all have fun!!

We were invited to a late afternoon party which was great for the smaller kiddies because they don't get the trick or treating thing just yet.

We did a few neighbours when we got home though, but Jared was more interested in running up and down the pavement than he was in ringing doorbells and asking for sweets. It is only funny the first time when you get to the door and as it is answered you realise that the real trick or treater isn't there anymore but rather running down the road!!! You have to wonder if the people think you are really that desperate for sweets :o)

The party was really nice, we had a whole menagerie there. We had a few skunks, a bear, a few ducks and of course a frog. Unfortunately I never managed to get a photo of all the little animals in a row because they honestly don't sit still for long enough. You will see in the photo that I did manage that this may not be the little ducks favourite holiday so far :o)

By the end of the evening Jared was honestly exhausted. He managed to charm his way into us giving him one of his little chocolate bars that he had trick or treated. He was not a happy froggie when it was finished though.

Here are the pics :o)

We are not very happy ducks and the frog just wants to make a run for it!!

The tantrum!! I want more!!

It was luckily very short lived and our happy boy was back.

Weather Watch

We had about 1cm of snow overnight last night. Yippeee!!! Get this though, the high yesterday was 22deg. It went from that to snow and a high for today forecast for 5deg. They weren't joking when they said that the temperatures fluctuate here.

So here are a few pics I took out of our front and back doors this morning. It was about 7:30am so the sun was coming up. It is a beautiful sunshine day outside now. I just checked the weather though and it is -1!! Jared and I are on our way to our first Halloween Party so we will be nice and warm :o)

Our little Springbok

Better late than never I suppose!!

We got into the rugby fever here on Saturday too. Jared spent the day in his little Springbok tracksuit. It is very difficult to get photos of him with my camera at the moment because he never stands or sits still long enough to take the pic, so here is a photo of his back side - it is really the best I could do :o)

The independant bug hit our home later than is the average, but it seems to be here in full force ha ha!! Jared now insists on feeding himself, brushing his own teeth, washing his hair and body and pretty much anything else that he feels like doing alone. All except holding his own bottle or cup, that is still mommy's job. (am I allowed to be secretly happy?!!)

He does quite well with the spoon, but the mess is always horrendous. I took some pics on Saturday. He was a real grouch though so I never got any dry eyed ones of him. This is what the kitchen floor looks like after a normal mealtime in our house at the moment. Thank goodness for central vaccuum and fancy mops :o) Once he has decided he has had enough to eat the bowl and spoon are systematically flung from the high chair, each met with a shocked "oh no" as they hit the floor!

Pumpkins, Hayrides, goats and bunnies

Jared and I went for a pumpkin hunt at a petting farm. It was really so well done. You go for a hayride out to the pumpkin patch. The kiddies then get to hunt their pumpkins. Then, you ride back (again a hayride) to a place where they have everything set out and you get to decorate your pumpkin. Then you can go and spend time with the animals. You can go into all the pens and love the animals. They are so tame. We never got further than the goats, pigs and bunnies cos Jared wouldn't leave. He especially loved the goats. He shrieked with laughter when he saw the bunnies hopping, that was very funny. We were both filthy by the time we left to go home and we both slept very well last night.

On the hayride

The hunt is on...

My pumpkin, I see my pumpkin!!!

Now if only I can just hold onto it

I got it!!! Here I come.

Please, no pictures!

The decorating room

So many goats, so little time!!

I love you goat!

Eeya!!! (ear!!!) :o)

Hello goat! I see you eat leaves, so I brought you one.

Our beautiful, beautiful boy.

All fall down...

I put Jared down for his afternoon nap yesterday. I heard him get off his bed and then he was very busy playing. (I could hear the noise, it sounded like he was building on another room). I left him because he was happy. After it while it got quiet and I decided to go and see what the damage was and that he was ok. This is what I found…

General Jared update:

He is talking like a champion. He copies any word that you tell him to say. He gives them all his best shot. He will tell you the noise a dog, cat, bird, pig and sheep make. He points to and names his mouth, eyes, nose, ears and teeth. He understands and says “no” to anything he doesn’t want or knows he shouldn’t be doing (he does it anyway though :o). He says “more” when he wants something. He says biscuit. He is a big tease. He will pretend to ignore you for a while and then burst out laughing when he can’t take the suspense any longer. He says “there you are” when you do something for him like take him out of his highchair. He understands up and down and can say both and will also tell me downstairs when he wants to go down in the morning. He can throw and kick a ball. He loves playing cars, complete with car sounds and hooter noises. He still loves music and dancing. Anything with even the slightest beat gets him dancing. He still flirts with the ladies, although now he first pretends to be shy for a bit. He also says “thank you” when you give him something and when he gives you something. When he bumps his head he rubs the spot and says “ow”. He still refuses to hold his own bottle – he has 3 a day. 1 in the morning before he gets up, 1 at naptime and 1 at bedtime. He will also not hold his sippy cup. When he is thirsty he will bring it to me arms outstretched saying “more” with a big smile on his face. His vocabulary really is great, I have honestly lost count of how many words he can say. He is coming along in leaps and bounds and we are loving him to bits. He is a really amazing little guy.

My Beanie Boys

Aren't my boys handsome! We woke up to our first snow on the ground on Friday. It was -1 outside and according to the weather it felt like -6. Jared and I spent the day doing our usual stuff and we were able to keep warm.

When Hannes gets home in the afternoon he and Jared run around outside for a while playing ball in the garden or across the road or swinging in the back yard. This day was no different. They bundled up with their warm jackets and beanies, Jared with his mittens too and spent some time running around in the back yard having a ball. It is so precious to see how they enjoy each other. My very special boys...

Our back yard

Out the front door

Finished running around


So funny!!!