My Apologies....

My blog has been very neglected lately! After Grandma Lou and Poppy left we threw ourselves into back to school mode and then The Cullens overtook everything! Yes, I am talking about the Twilight series. I just finished the last book, and I am actually sad to have finished. Before Lou and Mike left we were in a book store and I was asking her advise on a new book to read..she suggested reading the Twilight book because I already had it and why not! Lou...its your fault! JK! So now I am done, and the blog entries will begin...I have so much to catch up on; our wonderful trip to the wineries, our great Christmas, and the first days of school!

Goodbye 2009...

Hello 2010! Wow what a year it has been for us! We have lived in South Africa now for almost 15 months, all of 2009. We have survived what I thought would be a long and sad year, but turned out to be a fast and exciting year for us. It makes me so sad to think that these years are going by so fast, my kids childhood is passing me by too quickly.
This year has been a good family year for us, as we have had lots of "us" time. South Africa has given us the gift of Time! Time to slow down and eat as a family every night, time to actually see what pretty cool kids we have, time to watch them face some of their fears and overcome, time to watch Hunter come out of his shell. South Africa has given us time to listen to Claire talk, time to watch Taylor grow up and make new friends. Time....sometimes it is what we need as parents to do what we need to do, better! We have had time to discover a country we would have never, ever come to; and fall in love with it! Time to take our kids on safaris, time to taste some great wines. Time to build memories to last a lifetime. Time to all go and watch an owl in our backyard(just happened), what a gift we have been given!
2009 will always remain close to my heart, as this was the year for our family to overcome. To overcome the fear of new schools, to overcome the sadness of goodbyes, to overcome the fear of the unknown, and to begin to overcome Speech Apraxia and developmental delay!
I look forward to what 2010 has in store for our family! I know there will be hard days, but I hope the good ones will outweigh the bad! I hope to see us settled back in the US before the end of the year, one thing I have learned is that family is everything and being a world away is too tough!

Holiday Travels!

We have been traveling, visiting and entertaining non stop since the 10Th of December! We picked up Grandma Lou and Poppy(Pat's parents from Florida) in Cape Town on the 11Th of December. We stayed there for 4 days and then hit the wine country for 2 days. We headed back to Port Elizabeth, and spent the rest of their trip doing stuff near home.
While in Cape Town we enjoyed showing them our favorite things to do, and added some things we have never done. We started with a trip to Simon's Town to see penguins and then headed to The Cape of Good Hope. This is where Cape Point is, where the Atlantic and the Indian oceans meet...Incredible!
View from Simon's Town...

On our way to Cape Point, huge Baboon on the side of the road...

Kids being blown away in Cape Point...

We did lots of souvenir shopping, we have learned to always try for a bargain! We went to Signal Hill where you can overlook all of the Cape Town Waterfront, and get a glimpse of the 2010 soccer stadium. Pat and the boys climbed Lions Head, one of the three famous mountains in Cape Town...Pat said at times it was very dangerous, only a small ledge away from falling(had I known!). We took everyone to see CATS the musical; we had second row seats...it was awesome! We visited the aquarium, ate on the waterfront, saw Table mountain; we never stopped!

Taylor and Claire looking at the CATS playbill...

Eating ice cream on Signal Hill...

Taylor trying to strike a deal...

While still staying in Cape Town, we went to a nearby winery. This winery, Spier, is more touristy than most because of some added extras. They have an Eagle Sanctuary and a Cheetah Foundation. The kids loved it! The boys actually held one of the eagles, while Claire just was able to pet some of the owls! After tending to some kid stuff; we moved on to the fun part, wine tasting! Pat has always enjoyed wine, while I have only begun since living in SA. After purchasing some wine (average bottle R30, $4.00) we headed back to Cape Town.
Claire with owl...

My cautious child, Taylor, with eagle...

Hunter with eagle...

Kids playing in one of the craft booths...

Enjoying the wine...

Next stop, Leipzig! Pure heaven, an old wine house where we stayed one night before heading to Port Elizabeth!

Our Christmas...

We tried to have an "Traditional" Christmas here in South Africa, and by all accounts I think we succeeded! Santa found us, and of course spoiled us! Here are a few of our new Christmas memories....
We started our Santa festivities by making and decorating cookies, and a visit to Santa!
Kiddos decorating cookies for Santa...

Claire, nervous to see Santa...

All three before Santa, thrilled with the camera :)!

Christmas Eve we left out our cookies and reindeer food!
Leaving out cookies for Santa...

Sprinkling Reindeer food...

Look what awaited us Christmas morning!
Taylor's stash...

Claire's Santa stash...

Hunter's stash...

After getting Santa's goodies we ripped through the gifts under the tree.

All presents were distributed into piles, here is one pile...

Claire playing with new castle

Hunter opening....

Claire riding new wheels(Thanks Mimi and Poppa)

Taylor opening new Puma golf shoes(Thanks Mimi and Poppa)

I picked one of these for my gifts from Mom and Dad, Thanks!

Pat surprised me with a painting of our very first house, made me cry!

All Christmas decor is down now,hoping for a good new year; and maybe we will be home this year!

Merry Christmas!

We have been very busy here...We have been to Cape Town, went to Cape Point(where two oceans meet), climbed Lions Head, seen the musical CATS, been to the wineries, stayed in the most beautiful old winery, been on a safari, and been to local game parks. Oh, and the things we have seen! Lions, Rhinos, Giraffe, Monkeys, Zebra, Elephants, Water buffalo, Penguins; all of which were in their natural environment. We are now home! Cooking, baking, wrapping, and all the other fun stuff we do to get ready for Santa Clause!

Baking, Praying & Wrapping...

The last few days in a nut shell!
Baking; I have been invited to a Cookie Exchange party tomorrow with 16 other eager (frustrated) bakers. I have had to bake 6 cookies for each person, resulting in a hell of a lot of cookies! Finally done! Unfortunately my cookie bars are a little too crisp-to late to start over (I am a baking disaster)!

Praying, Claire had some dental work done in the hospital today. She was put to sleep for the procedure, but sailed through with flying colors! Me..well, I was a nervous wreck; South African hospital, seeing your child fight to be put to sleep and then cry for 30 minutes as she came to! I said a lot of prayers before, during and after!
(Soundly sleeping after a tiring day!)

Wrapping; trying to get all of my Christmas shopping done and get everything all wrapped. Three teacher/tutor gifts done, seven to go!

Still loving Christmas!