tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4657279103594895432024-03-22T04:57:14.507+04:00now, then habibimariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-34993144896696639562009-05-12T01:34:00.001+04:002009-05-12T01:34:08.145+04:00We’ve moved …<p><a href="http://www.nowthenhabibi.com/"><img title="blogmove" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="437" alt="blogmove" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SgiZz_MhtuI/AAAAAAAABHs/hIVcIjhcf64/blogmove%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="437" border="0" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p><a title="http://www.nowthenhabibi.com/" href="http://www.nowthenhabibi.com/" target="_blank"><font size="5">http://www.nowthenhabibi.com/</font></a></p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-83361342653219775022009-04-15T19:08:00.001+04:002009-04-15T19:08:35.487+04:00NDISB April Blog Train<p><font face="Arial">Welcome to the NDISB April Blog Train! We have a smashing collaboration kit for you, celebrating Mother Earth. </font></p> <p><font face="Arial">Here’s the kit preview:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SeX4UaNiTUI/AAAAAAAABHU/cIIILsZ7mko/s1600-h/NDISB_04-09_NDBlogtrain_NaturalEart%5B5%5D.jpg"><img title="NDISB_04-09_NDBlogtrain_NaturalEart" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="393" alt="NDISB_04-09_NDBlogtrain_NaturalEart" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SeX4WaLqL_I/AAAAAAAABHY/MohZogKuqYA/NDISB_04-09_NDBlogtrain_NaturalEart_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="341" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><font face="Arial">And here’s my part:</font></p> <p><font face="Arial"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SeX4Xn1t6ZI/AAAAAAAABHc/tBegm9DMFnY/s1600-h/mazanaturalearthwordartpreview%5B7%5D.jpg"><img title="mazanaturalearthwordartpreview" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="394" alt="mazanaturalearthwordartpreview" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SeX4YjQ0xvI/AAAAAAAABHg/F9X8umTO-7o/mazanaturalearthwordartpreview_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" border="0" /></a> </font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SeX4anmUw6I/AAAAAAAABHk/E1DwWy6b1yA/s1600-h/NDISB_maznaturalearthqppreview%5B5%5D.jpg"><img title="NDISB_maznaturalearthqppreview" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="405" alt="NDISB_maznaturalearthqppreview" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SeX4b0NO6GI/AAAAAAAABHo/V2KUNLIYqzc/NDISB_maznaturalearthqppreview_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="351" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=128&products_id=5032"><font color="#ea7500">This is the link</font></a> for the Word Art. Please use coupon code: <strong>NDISB-BT-MazWA-t34hi</strong></font></p> <p><font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.ndisb.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=128&products_id=5045"><font color="#ea7500">And this is the link</font></a> for the QP’s. Please use coupon code: <strong>NDISB-BT-MazQP-m92uj</strong></font></p> <p><font face="Arial">Your next stop is </font><a href="http://scrapbookartstudio.wordpress.com/"><font face="Arial" color="#ea7500">Tahera’s blog.</font></a></p> <p><font face="Arial">If you feel lost, the list to the whole train can be found on the </font><font face="Arial" color="#ea7500"><a href="http://www.ndisb.com/blog"><strong>NDISB blog.</strong></a></font><font face="Arial"></font></p> <p><font face="Arial"><strong><em>**You can only use one coupon code per transaction, you will need to repeat this process for each contribution to the blog train**</em></strong> Keep going with each blog train stop until you have the entire kit, all of the word art and the quick pages!!</font></p> <p><font face="Arial">Enjoy the goodies! </font></p> <p><em><font face="Arial">**Please note that due to the fact that we are from all over the world and live in different time-zones… some of the blog posts might not be ready when you arrive. Please move along to the next blog on the list and check back later for those post/s. Thank you for your patience, we hope you have fun and enjoy the April “A Natural Earth” Blog Train kit.</font></em></p> <p><em><font face="Arial">PS… Watch for the next NDISB blog train in June!</font></em></p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-33566123637362364452009-03-20T01:44:00.001+04:002009-03-20T01:44:42.342+04:00Happy Birthday dear G!!! Happy Birthday dear G!!!<p> </p> <p>Happy Birthday dearest Geeee-eeeee, happy birthday to YOU!!!!!</p> <p>You know how much we love you, and you do know how much we miss you. So, here’s a little somefink for now:</p> <p><embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/gbday09.flv"></embed></p> <p>and if the above doesn’t work, here’s the direct link:</p> <p><a title="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/?action=view&current=gbday09.flv" href="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/?action=view&current=gbday09.flv">http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/?action=view&current=gbday09.flv</a></p> <p>I miss you more than I could possibly express in words, you are my soul mate, my love, my best friend forever and I can not wait to see you again. Hope you have a totally fab day {ok,  have a totally fab Saturday, as I reckon flying on your b-day is not exactly the best way to spend it, lol!}</p> <p>All our love,</p> <p>Gideon, Marianne, Kaydin, Jackie & Lara</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-4207506488889528422009-03-01T12:42:00.003+04:002009-03-01T13:01:28.088+04:00Tonight is blog update night<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I'm not allowed to scrap or browse the galleries or play on the forums, until I've done this! {Ok, I've uploaded 1, just one layout!}</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What's up with us? Not much and plenty all at the same time .... Jurie came to visit for a day, the Kaydin does new things all the time and work for Gideon is a wee bit stressful at the moment. There's been a lot of turmoil in the construction industry lately, as you can imagine, with the credit crunch going on, a lot of projects have been put on hold and some have been cancelled all together, it's been interesting to say the least. So, for those of you that want to come visit ..... G, Bea, Dilly, Annet, not picking on anyone here, just throwing some random names out there .... you might wanna start thinking about actually doing it, there's seriously NO telling until when we'll be here.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Right, onto the photo's, I'll start with Jurie's visit, we took him to the dunes, took the toy cars with, fun was had by all ...</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCfetcZuI/AAAAAAAABDY/k9nA9_UZtGM/s1600-h/IMG_2215%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2215" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCgjDIKKI/AAAAAAAABDc/LjYvps7K4aY/IMG_2215_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="442" border="0" height="301" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanChs82F6I/AAAAAAAABDg/d5PghTKwZUY/s1600-h/IMG_2222%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2222" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCinalpuI/AAAAAAAABDk/HMvuiF4ReCk/IMG_2222_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="452" border="0" height="307" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCjpNbB7I/AAAAAAAABDo/DJNkUaazou4/s1600-h/IMG_2224%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2224" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCksZaksI/AAAAAAAABDs/-1541nzqz1w/IMG_2224_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="468" border="0" height="318" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I keep on telling you people, but you don't want to believe me, this is SERIOUS stuff.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanClwWNSPI/AAAAAAAABDw/K27uMYctenY/s1600-h/IMG_2230%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2230" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCmydEJsI/AAAAAAAABD0/LDGBIYHrUyM/IMG_2230_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="462" border="0" height="314" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It's a science really.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCn9y7sVI/AAAAAAAABD4/FyiCFFkaiCE/s1600-h/IMG_2268%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2268" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCo0VIglI/AAAAAAAABD8/hKEvNeLGXs4/IMG_2268_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="464" border="0" height="316" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and obviously any discussion is much more productive with lots of admirers (sorry, advisors)</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kaydin practicing for his own remote control car:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCqbeXJjI/AAAAAAAABEA/2cGKsYaKOHw/s1600-h/IMG_2254%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2254" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCrrv6B6I/AAAAAAAABEE/0vBUBQWL10U/IMG_2254_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="472" border="0" height="321" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">one obviously needs to understand all there is about tyres, before one can have one's own r/c car:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCszLmxUI/AAAAAAAABEI/SqDMXDMRc5I/s1600-h/IMG_2256%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2256" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCtzkNrPI/AAAAAAAABEM/fXgaxfgZxuo/IMG_2256_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="475" border="0" height="326" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The art of building a tower with them is clearly of the utmost importance.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Flying cars are all the rage these days:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCu7ru-mI/AAAAAAAABEQ/sn22soLyyoQ/s1600-h/IMG_2232%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2232" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCvxJB6wI/AAAAAAAABEU/CDvW1akB1K8/IMG_2232_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" border="0" height="326" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCwtvkhbI/AAAAAAAABEY/U6TMCu2igDE/s1600-h/IMG_2233%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2233" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCxvVBNrI/AAAAAAAABEc/0_HnqPbxkPI/IMG_2233_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="486" border="0" height="331" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCyjj9HZI/AAAAAAAABEg/pCh-Tle_GjY/s1600-h/IMG_2234%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2234" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanCzcwRRBI/AAAAAAAABEk/TB_Zys-kjVU/IMG_2234_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="494" border="0" height="336" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC0R9WTbI/AAAAAAAABEo/6WIXsXepxvY/s1600-h/IMG_2235%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2235" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC1fWR2rI/AAAAAAAABEs/a3YgICJP7Ks/IMG_2235_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="502" border="0" height="343" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It's a serious hobby, I keep on telling you all, you just won't believe me!</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And finally, some interesting rock/sand formations:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC2lWBRJI/AAAAAAAABEw/-KKWZlof6o0/s1600-h/IMG_2289%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2289" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC3qTsQyI/AAAAAAAABE0/TVP3OMi8GsA/IMG_2289_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="299" border="0" height="440" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC4-bfMHI/AAAAAAAABE4/HEYHu0kYf9I/s1600-h/IMG_2285%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2285" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC6MHMHfI/AAAAAAAABE8/mMHt1i1g09Y/IMG_2285_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" border="0" height="343" /></a> </p> <h2 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">FIRST in line .... when cute was handed out</h2> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kaydin is now learning a new word almost every day and he's starting to make these two-word sentences. Jackie is now "Da-da". A car is a "ka". Please is "a-bie", which is his interpretation of the afrikaans word "asseblief", thank you is "dan-dan", (afrikaans = dankie). Chantel became "Tella", going downstairs is "a", (afrikaans = af) this also applies to lights being turned off, and when he says that Gideon is downstairs he'll say "onne", which is down (afrikaans = onder). "Anne" (ok, not as in the name, you need to read the letters a-nn-e, that would be other, or depending on the context, could be another (afrikaans = ander) It's totally cute. </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">A favourite is to spend time with Gideon when he's working on is r/c car (I keep on telling you people, this is a serious hobby), he'll then go back and forth from the dining room to the kitchen getting his dad a beer, and or throwing away the empty can and getting a new one and closing the fridge door ..... are we talented or what? <img alt="Winking" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/3.gif" /> The point I'm getting to, is that while this whole to-ing and fro-ing is happening, he does this little run (the child can not walk, he runs, he runs everywhere), he looks like that little cartoon character that used to be at the end of a TV program called Alias (also at the end of Lost) "Bad robot", it's too funny, I can totally picture Kaydin running in the grass like that:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/l848eXy634I&hl=en&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <h2 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mr. Bug day</h2> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Bug day was large, it was huge, it was the highlight of the week. I saw this poor guy a few times around the house, never managed to catch him, then one night, before I went to bed, he was strolling towards the stairs, I though, well, it's now or never and the child would be just thrilled to see him .... so enter, Mr. Bug:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC7AoiBHI/AAAAAAAABFA/6zAovFexCG4/s1600-h/IMG_2309%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2309" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC8H8Hk_I/AAAAAAAABFE/Xdcl5pN8yR4/IMG_2309_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="421" border="0" height="286" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC9NIbz1I/AAAAAAAABFI/MymYJ252Nsg/s1600-h/IMG_2313%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2313" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC-ZxKRrI/AAAAAAAABFM/d3lpE3zy6Nc/IMG_2313_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="428" border="0" height="291" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The poor dude, he had no idea, no warning, not the slightest hint of what was about to happen:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanC_YoyZsI/AAAAAAAABFU/jhByiJBQ3zk/s1600-h/IMG_2323a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2323a" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDADXlmaI/AAAAAAAABFY/9Y6eQVaPiVE/IMG_2323a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="305" border="0" height="417" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">nope, not a clue</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDBGtKxVI/AAAAAAAABFc/MCMxCswmXf4/s1600-h/IMG_2326a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2326a" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDCKHhj9I/AAAAAAAABFg/3n0IVnUxqFo/IMG_2326a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="274" border="0" height="438" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDDZTYEOI/AAAAAAAABFk/XkRFHiLIp1o/s1600-h/IMG_2333a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2333a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDEx31TNI/AAAAAAAABFo/jjAf-i_SFKI/IMG_2333a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="277" border="0" height="407" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and no, the fascination didn't end here ...</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDGHCczzI/AAAAAAAABFs/WebwipqMpWs/s1600-h/IMG_2337a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2337a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDHDJof2I/AAAAAAAABFw/ntqjt8r88OE/IMG_2337a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="279" border="0" height="410" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kaydin's making he's own "goggo's" with his hands here, they were dancing, and while he did that, he was calling to Mr. Bug "come goggo"... I'm sure Mr. Bug was by now wishing this would just end and wondering why he would choose to be this child's entertainment?</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDIFukA1I/AAAAAAAABF0/sfwShvwEkBU/s1600-h/IMG_2342a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2342a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDJPjcJ9I/AAAAAAAABF4/T38wzU6BGHI/IMG_2342a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="278" border="0" height="409" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">no, he's not squeamish, at all</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDKUJRLrI/AAAAAAAABF8/RDSa8dZ1McM/s1600-h/IMG_2349a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2349a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDLhpATpI/AAAAAAAABGA/Ra50K0wrwwk/IMG_2349a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="329" border="0" height="420" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We made the goggo "go to sleep" soon after this, no, we didn't kill it, we sent it to the neighbours <img alt="Batting Eyelashes" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/5.gif" /></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Some more photo's from earlier that morning, the boy is just so HAPPY if he can play in water ... </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDNTGckoI/AAAAAAAABGE/T2Fq0ihnkMs/s1600-h/IMG_2307%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2307" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDO-jWB1I/AAAAAAAABGI/H5d_0lJXEmg/IMG_2307_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="436" border="0" height="297" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDQLpyvKI/AAAAAAAABGM/385kfYv8Z8I/s1600-h/IMG_2294a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="IMG_2294a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SanDRLnDrhI/AAAAAAAABGQ/swSvD32gssY/IMG_2294a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="442" border="0" height="301" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And if you didn't know, Oupa Didi, here's a photo of YOU! <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" />. Yes, we had some KFC the other night, Kaydin was quite happily munching along when, he started saying "Didi-Didi", while pointing at the KFC wrappers .... so, there you go, we didn't know that Oupa Didi was the original Colonel Sanders. I of course think the child is a genius for making the connection! <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKDKrlPlI/AAAAAAAABGU/nd7ooY2pPUg/s1600-h/image2.png"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="image" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKEhF4ElI/AAAAAAAABGY/lKAempDkEjM/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="244" border="0" height="244" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Right, now onto some of my life. When I don't do the SAHM-thing, I like to fiddle on my laptop. One of the things that I'm really into at the moment is a strange American hobby called "digital scrapbooking", it's friggen awesome, to be creative while I'm on my laptop, man that's like serious heaven to me!! A by-product of this hobby, is that I also spend some time on internet sites, where other addicts gather, we share our art and we talk in the forums and it's quite fabulous how one can make online friends and know what's going on in their lives! Take the recent fires in Oz for example, man, the whole Snap and Scrap was worried that our friends down-under are ok and that everybody was safe. It's such a wonderful thing, friendship, be it online or in real life, some days, I'm not sure what the difference is.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Another by-product of this hobby is that, should you happen to make layouts (we call it LO for short) that a designer or even a site-owner like, they may invite you to join the Creative Team (CT) for that site, or for a specific designer. Sometimes they will place an ad and you can apply to be part of a site or a designer's CT. Now yours truly here has managed to get herself into both those positions actually, lol!! I get to scrap with <a href="http://snapandscrap.tv/shoppe/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=12">Bree of Scrap'it's</a> awesome designs, as well as being on the CT for <a href="http://www.snapandscrap.tv/">Snap and Scrap</a>, <a href="http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=64">MKC</a> and most recently, <a href="http://www.ndisb.com/">Natural Designs in Scrapbooking</a>. </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Why all the ramble? Well, because I've decided it's about time that I share some of those LO's with you .... so here, to celebrate Mr. Bug:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKGIq3HDI/AAAAAAAABGc/I6x-Ez5Toa4/s1600-h/dinskip13.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="dinskip1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKHpJtmYI/AAAAAAAABGg/g5P4CWXxCc4/dinskip1_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="405" border="0" height="405" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and for a font challenge on NDISB, here's my Dream Baby:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKJOMTFVI/AAAAAAAABGk/uWLAtlIWAm4/s1600-h/adsr4ch83.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="adsr-4ch8" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKKlnVLsI/AAAAAAAABGo/DWh3kYvoEiI/adsr4ch8_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="403" border="0" height="403" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">and to showcase a charity kit, called <a href="http://snapandscrap.tv/shoppe/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=51">Lifting Hopes</a> that <a href="http://www.snapandscrap.tv/">Snap and Scrap</a> is hosting .... the boy got up to all kinds of mischief, I can't help it, he gets a whole new personality when he's in photoshop, lol! <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKMSG8RGI/AAAAAAAABGs/h41WJBi4LX8/s1600-h/liftinghopes3.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="liftinghopes" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKNzKVogI/AAAAAAAABGw/B0juPKQxiUI/liftinghopes_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="403" border="0" height="403" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKPfuJ8jI/AAAAAAAABG0/pXZPNJpjYRk/s1600-h/liftinghopes25.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="liftinghopes2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKRcs5MhI/AAAAAAAABG4/9kiO3dkqhD4/liftinghopes2_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="410" border="0" height="410" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">so, there you have it, my other life revealed, be prepared to see some more <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">And then on a sunny day you get this lovely surprise in your inbox {it NEVER ceases to amaze me, who the people are that read my blog!!} <a href="http://chitchatandscrappn.blogspot.com/">Thanks Marilyn!!!!!</a> You made my day a whole lot happier <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /> who knew ... ?!</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKSR5wvtI/AAAAAAAABG8/dxDujo8eqoA/s1600-h/award_fra_Lissie4.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="award_fra_Lissie" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKTXFa_aI/AAAAAAAABHA/_8Ipj5NoWgw/award_fra_Lissie_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="174" border="0" height="212" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I got tagged as well, by the lovely <a href="http://digiscraptina.blogspot.com/">Tina!!</a> Now, I honestly need to go think about who I'll tag, but in the mean time, here's the gist of it:</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The rules are: </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">•Go to your photo folder in your computer <br />•Go to the 6th folder of photos <br />•Go to the sixth picture <br />•Put the picture on your blog and a description of it <br />•Invite six friends to join the challenge <br />•Link them in your blog.</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKUvSE2oI/AAAAAAAABHE/2yMGcgyXNzI/s1600-h/DSC045653.jpg"><img style="border-width: 0px;" alt="DSC04565" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SapKVY8VgyI/AAAAAAAABHI/eRa_8UkgzjQ/DSC04565_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="429" border="0" height="326" /></a> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">oh LOL!!!! I bring you chubby-baby!!!!! what a hoot!!! I remember this day quite clearly, we had just came back from the dunes, he's daddy was playing silly buggers and he had his first pair of camo pants on!!! A whole 5 months old!!!!</p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ok, so who am I going to tag? .... </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://scrappingwithkatie.blogspot.com/">Katie</a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://www.chaosandchemistry.com/">Mitz</a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://apeneforyourthoughts.blogspot.com/">Pene</a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://www.rxdawg97.blogspot.com/">Melissa</a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://charliesdigiscraps.blogspot.com/">Charlie</a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://beautybeholden.blogspot.com/">Caryn</a></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We send much love to all!!</p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></p>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-3293021808335246462009-01-08T09:17:00.002+04:002009-01-08T09:19:58.372+04:00Birthday Photo's<p>As promised <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p>Opening pressies first thing yesterday morning</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWL9iJ9iOI/AAAAAAAABAo/izUUio5BTOE/s1600-h/IMG_1906a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="425" alt="IMG_1906a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWL-5xgSUI/AAAAAAAABAs/jZmVtG0n9XA/IMG_1906a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWL_96_y2I/AAAAAAAABAw/5yN0z3U1PEk/s1600-h/IMG_1910a4.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="427" alt="IMG_1910a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMBIhyr_I/AAAAAAAABA0/vCeM2LfWyAw/IMG_1910a_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="293" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>rrrrrriiiippping the paper :)</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMCT05pwI/AAAAAAAABA4/aL4yuCXVKlo/s1600-h/IMG_1911a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="430" alt="IMG_1911a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMDybgTCI/AAAAAAAABA8/6iu8O5Y7l-8/IMG_1911a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="293" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>test driving the toys:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMFKwuu0I/AAAAAAAABBA/N3xxy42FNU8/s1600-h/IMG_1914a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="390" alt="IMG_1914a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMGKy2A8I/AAAAAAAABBE/AnnABEYZpH8/IMG_1914a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Giving his dollie a hug</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMHOvXZdI/AAAAAAAABBI/LRmqBIHWozk/s1600-h/IMG_1924a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="424" alt="IMG_1924a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMIBZwviI/AAAAAAAABBM/RNVi5I2O7WA/IMG_1924a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="289" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMJGGgcKI/AAAAAAAABBQ/qS2wJBS8Fk8/s1600-h/IMG_1925a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="420" alt="IMG_1925a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMKPMOfwI/AAAAAAAABBU/3dhCszytkio/IMG_1925a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="286" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>blowing the candles:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMLwk6zZI/AAAAAAAABBY/XJomDAK0C-I/s1600-h/IMG_1929a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="366" alt="IMG_1929a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMNzj_c8I/AAAAAAAABBc/4ahA7v004Og/IMG_1929a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="438" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMPfOxnqI/AAAAAAAABBg/vfEUu1CzzEk/s1600-h/IMG_1931a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="409" alt="IMG_1931a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMQYs1pqI/AAAAAAAABBk/eD8tG4BRlp8/IMG_1931a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="444" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>the cake:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMR3c4TqI/AAAAAAAABBo/KMVLrOp74IE/s1600-h/IMG_1934a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="466" alt="IMG_1934a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMTVOZDBI/AAAAAAAABBs/wFe1qjBA8tY/IMG_1934a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="317" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMU84xGUI/AAAAAAAABBw/ktH_1OdJPd0/s1600-h/IMG_1938a4.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="463" alt="IMG_1938a" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMWB1MdBI/AAAAAAAABB0/hgwMsiKgsjo/IMG_1938a_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMXcWZVXI/AAAAAAAABB4/-XBP-ZkIUSs/s1600-h/IMG_1947a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="462" alt="IMG_1947a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMYq2oPYI/AAAAAAAABB8/8iruUxV7skY/IMG_1947a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="314" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>a family portrait:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMaaNGrLI/AAAAAAAABCA/VzrsIJNgwn8/s1600-h/IMG_1955a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="333" alt="IMG_1955a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SWWMb-W8pXI/AAAAAAAABCE/p6JPAH-Jijg/IMG_1955a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="490" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and the birthday boy was in bed by eight!!! Totally exhausted from a day filled with awesome pressies and love and attention and of course, chocolate cake <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p>Thanks so much to everybody that send him wishes and made his day so special, I told him about every message! </p> <p>We send love and light! </p>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-91376425921558077652009-01-07T01:57:00.002+04:002009-01-07T02:00:56.773+04:00Happy 2nd Birthday Dear Kaydin!!!!<p>May the year ahead be even better-der than the last!!</p> <p> Last year this time, you weren't even walking yet, and now, well you just don't stop do you? You don't even sit still in the bath!!! You're always going, going going!!! I SO love that about you, you've turned into such a cutie-pie little boy! You're sense of humour amazes me daily!! Especially when you do the "eyes" thing when we eat {reminder to self: GET that on video!!} it's just too funny!!</p> <p>The way you're starting to talk, imitating every word we say, is just so precious! You call yourself "Nini", I'm sure it's your way of abbreviating {WHY is that such a long word??} Kaydin. I love that you're so absolutely adorable, so much so, that people, who meet you for the first time, comment on how amazing you are, and I know, by the way they say "amazing", they've noticed that special Kaydin-factor, that's what I call it. You have a way of looking at someone, you just make our hearts melt, my love!!</p> <p>I love that you love your Daddy with such utter abandon and enthusiasm, to the point where he can't go upstairs, without you getting upset! {I do of course also utterly adore how the Daddy is just totally in love wih the boy and tries so very, very hard to be a good Daddy, at which, my love, may I just say, you are completely successful}</p> <p>But what I love most is the 15 minutes before you go to bed. I give you a bottle and you tell me the stories of the day {while I try to sing a lullaby, it's not too successful at the moment!} You'll say: "Pappa WHAAAAA" I say: "Yes, did Daddy scare you" {a favourite game at the moment} and then you call "Lala", "Pappa", "mmmmmmma", "Nada" {which is Gideon2 by the way} .... you go through your whole repertoire of words and take a few sips of your milk in between. When you're done, you push the bottle away, I then ask: "are you SURE you're finished", at which point you just push the bottle further away and say "doedoe". We then look at the stars and the moons that your night light makes and then I get a big hug and a good night kiss and a quite resolute, "doedoe" and "bye-bye", I cover you with your blankie, send you an air-kiss, *mwah*  and you're off to sleep ..... this is my favourite time of the day .....</p> <p>We love you so very much darling Kaydin, we wish you a blessed and happy, happy birthday!!!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>{I will update with photo's later today <img alt="Cool" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/16.gif" />}</p>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-89147990854001743732008-12-24T09:21:00.001+04:002008-12-24T09:21:19.413+04:00the BIG update post!!<p>Alright, fasten your seatbelts!! The wedding was awesome! I couldn't be happier for Bea and Wimpie, and they are just SUCH an adorable couple!!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFpuEgTkI/AAAAAAAAA9c/yUOHA8nvsEw/s1600-h/IMG_08273.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="497" alt="IMG_0827" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFrqNG6CI/AAAAAAAAA9g/dWSmcUFni3Q/IMG_0827_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="302" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>Our visit in SA was just awesome, I LOVE going home!!</p> <p>And when we got home to Abu Dhabi, it was back and forth about the house-move and then finally, we moved! So, right now, we're in our beautiful new house. There are still a couple of boxes that needs unpacking, but we're mostly settled. I love this house, it's fairly close to the shops, yet still out of town. It's a very new suburb and we don't even have street lights yet!! The garden is MUCH smaller than the previous house, but hey, we've got GRASS!!!!! {NO, not THAT kind, lol!} Green, green grass!!!! So beautiful! Gids of course, made provision for flower beds when we put the grass in, so we're just waiting for Ouma Hettie to bring us the herb seeds!!</p> <p>said grass:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFs4FfiAI/AAAAAAAAA9k/xrJmzcdp1D4/s1600-h/IMG_1575%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="418" alt="IMG_1575" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFuXno-GI/AAAAAAAAA9o/-QJd1Kkih5k/IMG_1575_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The Kaydin is awfully cute, learning a new word almost every day, the other day, he said "Jackie"!!! well, ok, not quite, it came out "Ghekie" but we SO know what he means, and of course all the hand clapping and "well done's" just adds to his excitement of the new word he's learned! <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Playing the other day .... Gia-Michelle, if you listen closely, you'll hear him say "ganga"  <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p><embed src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/kaydin121208.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p> </p> <h2>Christmas in Abu Dhabi</h2> <p>So the G-man's leave was cancelled {we're not talking about it} which means we're here for Christmas. It's not the end of the world though, the weather is positively awesome, we had a whole 10ºC  (that's 50F to my American friends) the other morning and the days are gorgeous at no more than 26/27ºC (that's about 78F) it's awesome.</p> <p>So getting into the Chrissy spirit, we have a beautiful tree and I got all creative and made a Christmas wreath {Marinda's totally chuffed, 'cause she got one too, happiness all round, what can I say, I like to share}</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFwahW6fI/AAAAAAAAA9s/GpcB0HvJ4Rc/s1600-h/IMG_1630a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="425" alt="IMG_1630a" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFyNXWzaI/AAAAAAAAA9w/gVRdTp9_tK8/IMG_1630a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="296" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Then we had the oh so important Christmas card photo shoot: </p> <p><em>Kaydin, come stand here in front of the tree and smile, please?</em></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHFzqo7WfI/AAAAAAAAA90/VOkRJAXGgno/s1600-h/IMG_1610%5B7%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="406" alt="IMG_1610" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF1fYGyZI/AAAAAAAAA94/dYM_u32K-VQ/IMG_1610_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="276" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF2l88UxI/AAAAAAAAA98/BXZLGtZdVY4/s1600-h/IMG_1611%5B8%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="408" alt="IMG_1611" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF4KHIcyI/AAAAAAAAA-A/i84gJWQKN9w/IMG_1611_thumb%5B6%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="278" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><em>hhmmm, no? ok, Daddy, please come and help me here?!</em></p> <p>Daddy put him on his lap, and proceeded to tickle him, I kinda new it wasn't going to be too helpful, but hey, I got some awesomely cute shots :)</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF5SrraZI/AAAAAAAAA-E/iDIh6GOkLh4/s1600-h/IMG_1613%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="392" alt="IMG_1613" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF7ZIajpI/AAAAAAAAA-I/wMQwyanmS-E/IMG_1613_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="267" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF8_G0FCI/AAAAAAAAA-M/r-7E-mcyyLE/s1600-h/IMG_1614%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="398" alt="IMG_1614" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF-oZWWjI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/5BCQR6BOZ-k/IMG_1614_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="271" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHF_6l2ETI/AAAAAAAAA-U/36U_afSSpns/s1600-h/IMG_1615%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="389" alt="IMG_1615" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGBaIc_CI/AAAAAAAAA-c/6RZvJy0JvIg/IMG_1615_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="265" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>This is the card I made, we asked him "how does the baba smile?" and this was the response, just hilarious!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGCwmDz1I/AAAAAAAAA-g/oBONKz4aLKA/xmas08%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="448" alt="xmas08" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGEfyrSaI/AAAAAAAAA-k/aPKQOk2XcHA/xmas08_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <h2>in other news:</h2> <p>well not much actually, like I said Gideon won't be on leave this year, he'll take Christmas day off though. We have friends coming over for Christmas Eve, going to unwrap presents and have a merry good time, then Christmas day at the neighbours, where we plan on stuffing ourselves with some good food. </p> <p>My mom arrives on the 27th, we've been telling Kaydin that Ouma (grandma) is coming for a visit. Now, if you ask him who's coming to visit, he'll say "mmmmmma" and then when you ask him when she's coming, he answers "nnnnou-nou", which is "later". Shame it's been "nou-nou" for about a month already! lol!</p> <p>Kaydin and I joined the mad people that wake up early to go ride their remote control cars, he SO enjoys it, got some nice shots:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGGV4Us5I/AAAAAAAAA-o/_wfGuZIMG38/s1600-h/IMG_1587%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="284" alt="IMG_1587" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGH_oQ-DI/AAAAAAAAA-s/xzsMUJguB2g/IMG_1587_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="417" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGJDpQdvI/AAAAAAAAA-w/AO1tQfteMls/s1600-h/IMG_1588%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="293" alt="IMG_1588" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGKQiSfjI/AAAAAAAAA-0/h_HpQOhF4rA/IMG_1588_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGLiXRRrI/AAAAAAAAA-4/cLXDWMHFBXs/s1600-h/IMG_1577%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="389" alt="IMG_1577" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGM-btJiI/AAAAAAAAA-8/poPjw6qI5NY/IMG_1577_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="265" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGOGjqzqI/AAAAAAAAA_A/URVPL7IfhJQ/s1600-h/IMG_1584%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="390" alt="IMG_1584" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGP-0RBKI/AAAAAAAAA_E/jbf1LgV85Pk/IMG_1584_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="265" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGRLhoszI/AAAAAAAAA_I/b5sLpdfj-6k/s1600-h/IMG_1602%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="293" alt="IMG_1602" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGS4fXeYI/AAAAAAAAA_M/uSsUCRp1G-E/IMG_1602_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGT3LQMsI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/f6IzMnAKL-w/s1600-h/IMG_1605%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="387" alt="IMG_1605" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGVvtFG1I/AAAAAAAAA_U/yOe9Q1KK7m0/IMG_1605_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="263" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>We went camping a few weeks ago, just way too much fun!! This was the sunset:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGWwY-2TI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/g7zJACM3J88/s1600-h/IMG_1634%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="321" alt="IMG_1634" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGYW7SGAI/AAAAAAAAA_c/JBO_RYvrrL8/IMG_1634_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="472" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>And Kaydin has a new girlfriend (sorry Jo!!, these long distance relationships never seem to work, lol) her name is Francesca and let me tell you, she's a looker!!! Her mom's gonna have to buy a shotgun in a few years time!! hehe, the shotgun will be for the OTHER boyfriends, as Kaydin's got dibs on this one!!! And yes, if you were wondering, she's Marinda and Oscar's adorable little darling, I tell you, she was first in line when "cute" was being handed out, oh, ok a very close second to the K-dude, lol!! <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGZ38eXWI/AAAAAAAAA_g/fTNT6FhJ3A0/s1600-h/IMG_8329%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="291" alt="IMG_8329" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGbdblEQI/AAAAAAAAA_k/fvKZZe7IsX0/IMG_8329_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="427" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Kaydin showing her his car, she's a girl though, not really interested, heheee </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGdYXoBmI/AAAAAAAAA_o/K-iry87alpU/s1600-h/IMG_8335%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="304" alt="IMG_8335" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGfOVAd2I/AAAAAAAAA_s/wVrv0h5TY3g/IMG_8335_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="447" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Did I mention that it was COLD?! We froze our nunu's off!!! My boys, nice and cozy the next morning:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGgoBjxwI/AAAAAAAAA_w/OnGBgfzmw2s/s1600-h/IMG_8485%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="316" alt="IMG_8485" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGiEd009I/AAAAAAAAA_0/KmesFzCiB2A/IMG_8485_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="465" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Gideon, practicing for number two:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGjSLdI5I/AAAAAAAAA_4/6EFF7zpEnXI/s1600-h/IMG_8519%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="442" alt="IMG_8519" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGk5C2OEI/AAAAAAAAA_8/Uxeilpq79yw/IMG_8519_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="301" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Kisses:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGnFVqe6I/AAAAAAAABAA/zcNScPKnSHg/s1600-h/IMG_8520%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="436" alt="IMG_8520" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGoTH2eOI/AAAAAAAABAE/1r1sMbpHTK0/IMG_8520_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="297" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>(no, I have no idea why he's pulling, that face, lol!!)</p> <p>The camels came for a visit, and they weren't scared of us... at all, they just kept coming closer!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGqK-whCI/AAAAAAAABAI/Xulvfom3g3M/s1600-h/IMG_8528%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="287" alt="IMG_8528" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGrtdxsvI/AAAAAAAABAM/Bw-UWFRS69c/IMG_8528_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="422" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGtdw9N2I/AAAAAAAABAQ/7NRh04h-oIo/s1600-h/IMG_8533%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="298" alt="IMG_8533" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGvclgEKI/AAAAAAAABAU/GzVLv4PKgPA/IMG_8533_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="434" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>And if I remember correctly, Chantel didn't even use her zoom lens on this one:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGwgcoF3I/AAAAAAAABAY/ttUrsRFgTSw/s1600-h/IMG_8538%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="303" alt="IMG_8538" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_sMlCbWuR86E/SVHGyQ_wcoI/AAAAAAAABAc/Jkf1RLp1_V4/IMG_8538_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="446" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>{Credit to Chantel for the pics of the next day}</p> <p>Right, and tomorrow (or in a few hours) it's run, run, run, to get this house in order for all the people coming over! YEAH!! can't wait!!</p> <p>We send much love to all. We wish you a blessed and happy Christmas and a wonderfully prosperous new year!</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-21254413257486849252008-08-27T13:24:00.001+04:002008-08-27T13:24:46.621+04:00by popular demand<p>heheee, ok, not quite, but I got your attention, didn't I?</p> <p>Pieter, here's the video of the cars in action:</p> <p> <embed src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/mov00Eedit.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p>and to the grandparents and the members of the Kaydin fan club .... he brought Gideon's t-shirt to me yesterday afternoon, I asked him if he wanted to put it on <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /> ..... ok, he didn't have too much of a choice heheee, our little spokie (ghost, for the english people) I just thought he looked too funny!!!!!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SLUdUtMpznI/AAAAAAAAAko/NAMDfpMAlHc/s1600-h/DSC05177a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="452" alt="" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SLUdVZXXX_I/AAAAAAAAAks/GnoAbH-AOTU/DSC05177a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SLUdWeUy3fI/AAAAAAAAAkw/p53YAcj48AY/s1600-h/DSC05180a3.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="472" alt="" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SLUdXRAcYdI/AAAAAAAAAk0/DnSO31pu-ik/DSC05180a_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="313" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and here's the boy having a SERIOUS conversation with ... um, I don't know actually, but he's talking on the phone <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" />, Gideon is looking all serious, 'cause he's about to break the credit card on spares for the toy car, he was surfing the net for prices <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p><embed src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/MOV05173.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p>We send much love to all!</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-83363025642456174542008-08-21T16:26:00.001+04:002008-08-21T16:26:46.512+04:00the fast and the furious<p>as you will see, we have a racer-in-training <img alt="Winking" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/3.gif" /> The first thing Kaydin did when Gideon gave him the car, was to walk straight to the front gate .... Gideon says he thinks Kaydin wanted to take it out to the street to play with it there .... seeing as that's what dad and Gideon2 does when they're testing their cars!! <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /> We told him no, not now, so he walked to the "workshop" instead, to put it away, seeing as all the other toy cars live there!! After supper, they off course had to go get it, and this was the scene in the kitchen:</p> <p> <embed src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/MOV05160.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Ouma Hettie did come for a visit, so fun to have her here. I must admit, I enjoyed giving her some good quality baby-sitting time, I managed to book a whole week's worth of dental appointments! (don't ask!) Anyhoot, took her to see the Picasso exhibition, which was, shall we say interesting. It made me ponder the whole "but is it art?" question. I do think one should at the very least consider it, even if one doesn't quite "get" it or understand it. </p> <p>Also took mum to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, she was appropriately awed and kept on saying how pleasantly surprised she was with the tasteful interior decorating <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Speaking of dentist appointments, I found me a really nice,  totally professional Lebanese dentist, called Dr. Grace. She's so cool, she gives me drugs before the appointment, now being on the drugs (it's half a dormicum, but i'm so weaned from "normal" pills like myprodol, it knocks me for a six) I'm not allowed to drive. So it was an interesting scenario, rounding up the friends to drop me and pick me up. Now, one of those days, Marinda kindly helped, it was cool though, 'cause I helped her as well, she needed a car <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /> I needed a lift, it all worked out just fine. Jeez, I digress, the funny thing was, when I stopped at the dentist to give the car to Rinda so she can be on her merry shopping way, as she got out, she quipped "Thank God it's not warm" <- yeah, good thing that, with the temps right up at 48C, it just cracked me up <img alt="Big Grin" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/4.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <p>And today I was yet again reminded of the sometimes unpleasant aspect of being a woman here. Went grocery shopping and as I was waiting in line for the veggie-weigh-in lady, here comes a man with about 10 packs of bananas, he moves my one packet of onions out the way and puts his packets on the counter, I looked at him a little bit surprised (though only for about a second) you live here long enough, you learn that this will happen. I say to him, but I was here first? He had the audacity to smile at me. The veggie-lady was too busy with the other customers to see that he pushed in front of me, so she weighed his stuff first (normally, they're quite good with the arabs and will help "first come first serve") anyhow, so she proceeded to help him, I felt like giving a pack to Kaydin to munch away at, but thought better of it .... In the end, I just gave the guy a piece of my mind ... in Afrikaans, so he didn't understand, but there was no mistaken my tone of voice. The thing is though, that to him, I'm really just a woman and as such can be treated without any respect or dignity. He's goat and/or camel probably gets treated better than his wive(s). I also understand, yet it doesn't make the frustration any less, that in his world, in his culture, where he comes from, he did nothing wrong and I really don't fault him for it. Ok, I feel better now <img alt="Sigh" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/46.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <h2>all sorts of adorable: </h2> <p>Right now Kaydin's being totally cute (I know I've said it before, but it's TRUE!) Both the pups are "Lala", though he knows that one is Lara and the other on Jackie, he just can't say Jackie yet! On the video, I ask him to call Lara, that's when he does the cute little high-pitched "LALA". He does the same high-pitch when Gideon tells him to call me, "MAMMAAA" it's totally funny! He has this TOTAL fascination with Gideon's car keys, ok any keys really, but Gideon's is first prize, now, we've figured out that if he sees the keys hanging on the holder and we tell him that they're "sleeping", he's cool with that, waves "bye-bye" and we can move on <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" />  This does not however apply when Gids gets home from work with said keys in hand .... then Kaydin WANTS it ... yes, Gideon usually gives in <img alt="Smug" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/15.gif" /> Oh and balls, he loves balls, here's another video where he's playing with Gids and kicking it, too cute I tell you!</p> <p> <embed src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/MOV05156.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p> </p> <p>That's us for now, to those that we'll be seeing soon - YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To those that we won't, hope to catch you in December!</p> <p>We send much love</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-67721403727786859252008-07-10T00:28:00.001+04:002008-07-10T00:28:29.771+04:00strange encounters of the Arab kind ...<p>Went grocery shopping ... had a difficult time with the K-man who really does not want to sit in the little chair in the front of the trolley, no, it's much more fun standing up, pointing at everything and going "BA! BA! BAAAA!!!!" at the top of your voice and then promptly throw a tantrum when mommy doesn't want to give you even one of the "BA's", whichever one it was that took your fancy that particular nano-second. Seriously, it could be anything, from hairspray to toilet paper to dog food (actually the dog food is quite the treat at the moment, lol!). </p> <p>So, after this, I was rather tired and I dug deep for some sense and patience when, as we were leaving, on our way down the escalator (It's a funky angled one, not one with steps. So cool, it works with magnets, where you can park the trolley on it, and it's at such and angle that the trolley doesn't tip and the magnets keep it in place!) I digress, on our way down, at the top of the escalator I find an Arab lady, I always wait for them to go before me, the majority will push in front of you anyway, but this particular lady says "No, no, you have baby, you go first!" <- um, ok WOW I think, that was very nice of her, I say "shukran", standing behind the trolley, trying to keep the boy occupied, well, the next moment, out the corner of my eye, I just see flaring fabrics as nice Arab lady lunges towards Kaydin, grabs his face in both her hands and proceeds to give him big smooches and with exclamations of " HABIBI!!!!, SUCH a beautiful boy, ah hamdullah! may he grow to be big and strong, mashallah!!" Kaydin, being his charming self (quite forgetting at this point to "BA!") just gives her a million dollar smile and a belly-giggle and she starts all over again! By the time we get to the bottom, I say Shukran Habibti for the kind comments and what does mashallah mean? she's very impressed that I ask, and firstly ask me, where we're from, I reply South Africa, she says, oh, ok it's like when you would say "touch wood". Next thing you know, I know that she has three children, the youngest is 11 and I must take her cell number, "cause I must see this beautiful boy again" :) Her name is Feda and please I must call her :) </p> <p>I've not called her, mainly because I've not been back to that part of town, I did however send her a sms to thank her for the kind words, and so that she can have my number as well :) She hasn't replied, I think she may not be able to read English, though she speaks it really well. Even more interesting, Feda was completely covered, abaya, sheila and a little string that connected the sheila to the cover for her mouth, I could only see her eyes.</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-53532709069077887352008-07-05T22:40:00.001+04:002008-07-05T22:40:12.743+04:00okie ... dokie .....<p>Good news!!! I have my laptop back!! YEAH!!! Have had it back for a while already actually, just been otherwise occupied {read: too lazy and just uninspired} to actually blog <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p>Thanks to an enormous guilt-trip brought along by quite a not so subtle email from a certain grandpa, here I am <img alt="Winking" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/3.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <p>So, straight to the Kaydin update, the boy is being really, really, really cute! Starting to imitate what we do and making some new sounds. Recently, whenever he puts something in his mouth that we don't want, we say to him to spit it out, it's "gaga" (the guttural-g sound as in "loch", as in Loch Ness Monster, ok I could go places with that too, but I digress)  he then started to say "ghagha" with the g pronounced as in gross. Too cute! He can now also point to his eyes, nose, mouth and ears!</p> <p>Right, now to the new toys ... the Gideons bought remote control cars because, well, one's toy collection is obviously incomplete without a remote car. <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /> It's a whole undertaking, they have tools and spares and special petrol, I seem to  remember the word nitrogen (!)being used and special batteries, I obviously don't get just how serious this is ... nope, I'm constantly slightly amused by the whole venture, especially when they get up at stupid 'o clock to go play ... Here then are some pictures of the cars in action:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_A10SlRI/AAAAAAAAAi4/-IcWcGxGo9c/s1600-h/IMG_%20-016%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="270" alt="IMG_ -016" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_EhU19NI/AAAAAAAAAi8/v_Z_qo1MWzY/IMG_%20-016_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="396" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_HpVM4VI/AAAAAAAAAjA/7PSzZe1xYfg/s1600-h/IMG_-125%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="276" alt="IMG_-125" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_LdZjDCI/AAAAAAAAAjE/vxchggQl2rQ/IMG_-125_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="405" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_OZRHYiI/AAAAAAAAAjI/NQX3EGu-VOQ/s1600-h/IMG_%20-100%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="278" alt="IMG_ -100" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_RFf5ooI/AAAAAAAAAjM/PZFYYNJxJ2k/IMG_%20-100_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="409" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_U1_eHnI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/7h3OmUNQ0bI/s1600-h/IMG_%20-093%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="288" alt="IMG_ -093" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_ZM13QCI/AAAAAAAAAjU/TmZ4Ljk6HkA/IMG_%20-093_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="419" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The one thing that's really amazing though, is how the K-man is picking up on things. Daddy's play-car must be started in a special way, where he puts a stick in a hole, pushes a button and the car starts, ok, I'll get him to explain it properly <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" />  The totally adorable thing though is, that when Kaydin got his own remote car to play with, what is the first thing he did with the remote aerial? Yip, tried to find a whole to stick the wire into, lol!!! Like so:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_dCcQjBI/AAAAAAAAAjY/DxSr8-Xr1hI/s1600-h/IMG_0285%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="285" alt="IMG_0285" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_hd8My0I/AAAAAAAAAjc/ck1-4P5jlSk/IMG_0285_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_l4xlXKI/AAAAAAAAAjg/lZyeEk9N8sA/s1600-h/IMG_0296%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="390" alt="IMG_0296" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_q2soyyI/AAAAAAAAAjk/SY-ySlwnUxI/IMG_0296_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="265" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and here are some more Kaydin pics for all you fan club members <img alt="Applause" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/41.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_vd5xidI/AAAAAAAAAjs/o0uAfaWHBYo/s1600-h/IMG_9849%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="386" alt="IMG_9849" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_zRqZRVI/AAAAAAAAAjw/qZe8cl2fKEU/IMG_9849_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="263" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_3Y7UflI/AAAAAAAAAj0/1fVT7vaRR1Y/s1600-h/IMG_9855%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="397" alt="IMG_9855" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_8bZCx5I/AAAAAAAAAj4/qa3WpGR_tyM/IMG_9855_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG-_9n9LCpI/AAAAAAAAAj8/rib34Zp-408/s1600-h/IMG_9878%5B4%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="391" alt="IMG_9878" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG_AAaVX9uI/AAAAAAAAAkA/JWNsJiBeI3I/IMG_9878_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="268" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and a rare quite moment:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG_ABVD-rbI/AAAAAAAAAkE/lZRicaFhF-s/s1600-h/IMG_9883a%5B3%5D.jpg"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="355" alt="IMG_9883a" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/marianne.huyser/SG_AC-jSq-I/AAAAAAAAAkI/1_JmDlWmO7s/IMG_9883a_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="264" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The weather is wholly crappy with temps right up into 47C degrees!! Oh, it was called a heat wave, lol!!!!! Yes, that amused me no-end. I get that they called it that because the temps rose so rapidly, it's just funny though that when normal day temps for summer is round 47 - 50C with about 60% humidity, we were somehow in the midst of a heat wave ... at least we have a pool!! YEAH!! which, last night at 30C was too cold for me! seriously, I need it to be about 33C, that's just comfy <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p>No much other news, except that Ouma Hettie may be coming for a visit near the end of July (she said she's brave, we have aircon, so ja, she can definitely come for a visit), we're coming to SA in September for a wedding!! Terribly exciting as my slightly-demented friend (the bride) asked me to be their wedding photographer ... Ja, I'm quite nervous, yet very excited! We're then going to SA again, in December! YEAH!!!! haul out the champers people, christmas at home!!!!! It's gonna be cool <img alt="Happy" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/1.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <p>We send much love!</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-48322185649630301972008-05-13T00:49:00.019+04:002008-12-13T17:19:02.708+04:00Customer Service ... Shmervice<span style="font-family:arial;">First, a note to: This post may upset sensitive readers, in other words: Beatrix -> go grab a drink, have some drugs, get comfy and remember to breath my friend .... And don't say that I didn't warn you :)<br /><br />I still don't have my laptop ... it's been three weeks .... I thought I'd document this for posterity, 'cause I know that I WILL find this funny one day ... ok, maybe one day in my next life!<br /><br />Right, so last we heard was that they will let me know about the "care pack" and send me the info ... hmmm, ok well, we've established that this is in fact an impossible task to accomplish, trust me, not even Tom Cruise could free-fall in there looking all sexy in his black ski mask and hack into their pc to get me the info. After receiving a totally incomprehensible email (um, yes it turned out to be somewhat possible to send an email), with none of the info I asked for, I called them back, so that they can please fix and re-send ... while on the phone, I remembered to ask about payment for this, hoping that i can off course just pay when I collect my fixed laptop .... hmmm, not so much. Nope, should I choose the "care pack", I have to load the child, get in the car and drive the 40 minutes in to town, to go pay cash for this "care pack" option. And NO, they will not accept EFT's or any other form of modern payment, such as credit cards or debit cards, as is totally acceptable anywhere else in the world. Again, I remind you that here in the UAE, different rules apply, to most anything.<br /><br />I asked the girlie if I could please speak to the manager, to explain to him that I seriously do not wanna drive all the way there to pay, all the way back and then still wait for my laptop, while we could eliminate the whole driving thing, with a sophisticated little invention called "Electronic Funds Transfer", done safely and securely through your bank, online and oh yes, it's INSTANT. NOPE, it's against company policy, I have to come and pay the money in cash. When I tried to reason with him, explaining the above with as much tact, patience and stupid English as I possessed at the time, he promptly put the phone down in my ear. I felt so cared for.<br /><br />I also obviously decided (after three more days of not receiving clarifying email re what the hell they want me to pay for should I choose a care pack) that I'm in fact not going to part with the money and asked them to just send me a quote for the faulty motherboard and I'll pay for that when I collect my laptop. That email they managed to send the same day, in pdf format nogal!! .... the mind boggles<br /><br />So, two weeks after that, yip, you guessed it, I'm still waiting for my laptop, 'cause the repair company is still waiting for the part from hp. I know this, 'cause I had to call them, nope they can't call me, I guess, as a person without a "care pack", I'm just not special enough ;)<br /><br />On to some good news though, we now have a swimming pool!!! it's a kind of blow-up one, and it's awesome!! We have toys and a bar and everything!!! :) I see lots of most pleasant evenings ahead :)<br /><br />and here's some eye candy:<br /><br />the pool:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dzo7Vr31JwCmYNJhO0ZlTEZ88ujkw8e_1UAgnGCNfRFkobX7XWktBhP4PqrpRAv7uGUu5y7khRXSHeVPbK6QDK_-Tkt1fdukgeiELHMpwIVTrFJ_UUPTJe9DTraL0up5ROdiNooKmFM/s1600-h/IMG_+106.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dzo7Vr31JwCmYNJhO0ZlTEZ88ujkw8e_1UAgnGCNfRFkobX7XWktBhP4PqrpRAv7uGUu5y7khRXSHeVPbK6QDK_-Tkt1fdukgeiELHMpwIVTrFJ_UUPTJe9DTraL0up5ROdiNooKmFM/s400/IMG_+106.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202544063390403666" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9CGr4h8rM6TE2uD9gmxRPHh1YmCAUWQH94XLmxm12Y0UhO_zNtM1HWz4ZqtfRXiSBjsZEqFZCFthEBwI9h_-cc4N3U6NviPDd9ERWMecSCaD2FiRSeHmKT6BSdIeHryUw5gjrgsrtjA/s1600-h/IMG_+111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9CGr4h8rM6TE2uD9gmxRPHh1YmCAUWQH94XLmxm12Y0UhO_zNtM1HWz4ZqtfRXiSBjsZEqFZCFthEBwI9h_-cc4N3U6NviPDd9ERWMecSCaD2FiRSeHmKT6BSdIeHryUw5gjrgsrtjA/s400/IMG_+111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202544071980338274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C7VfRQ21tBG0c3Kk9qxRFsO0JBcq9IM4BpWh8kfk2oN7LfOyawY-YtcrjLQ1Msx1k7AZtaZk1oN1jLQb4E3N-K51P0TDSeM5Oh-0m-xwnqdaK754pkcuSeBSh3DoiPpREGg2Z6sV6lU/s1600-h/IMG_+126.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1C7VfRQ21tBG0c3Kk9qxRFsO0JBcq9IM4BpWh8kfk2oN7LfOyawY-YtcrjLQ1Msx1k7AZtaZk1oN1jLQb4E3N-K51P0TDSeM5Oh-0m-xwnqdaK754pkcuSeBSh3DoiPpREGg2Z6sV6lU/s400/IMG_+126.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202544080570272882" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">the bar (HOW organised are we??) oh, and that blue and yellow bottle is Kaydin's water bottle, though he really does prefer daddy's beer :)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_L9qaz7MhSO1KPAy0YVDkTaL12CfIHHf0MlytLXCNicr0uugOigaMBVBDOpINR8-BrdbocxTVLQZjjjYcPIw35EVHXRf2H6-z64xMvYBV4EQbmp1lMsODcg_gRd8wAuekQ2-akvQa7w/s1600-h/IMG_+136.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh_L9qaz7MhSO1KPAy0YVDkTaL12CfIHHf0MlytLXCNicr0uugOigaMBVBDOpINR8-BrdbocxTVLQZjjjYcPIw35EVHXRf2H6-z64xMvYBV4EQbmp1lMsODcg_gRd8wAuekQ2-akvQa7w/s400/IMG_+136.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202544089160207490" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">and when you stay in the pool too long you get "old feet":<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePTgG5AQ3wrM6DG36KespwriQxH8u3e4WIw4oPGfeb5stUt-Euv5aZJxAKo2QPHVh8Ej0pHNFEogxbHdpvOLUpyTpY_yLpG1oW_OkSC55_GqWbKGhsxnGx1qlJaFL1u28eCHTBt0IY3Q/s1600-h/IMG_+143.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePTgG5AQ3wrM6DG36KespwriQxH8u3e4WIw4oPGfeb5stUt-Euv5aZJxAKo2QPHVh8Ej0pHNFEogxbHdpvOLUpyTpY_yLpG1oW_OkSC55_GqWbKGhsxnGx1qlJaFL1u28eCHTBt0IY3Q/s400/IMG_+143.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202544093455174802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">and this was last week, before we even got into the pool :)<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/MOV04954.flv" height="361" width="448"></embed><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">if you can't see the video, here's a direct link:<br /></span><a href="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/?action=view&current=MOV04954.flv" target="_blank">http://s77.photobucket.com<wbr>/albums/j46/maz_08/?action<wbr>=view&current=MOV04954.flv</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">we send much love ... and no, I don't have my laptop back yet ....<br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-89606073081515865472008-04-22T08:57:00.006+04:002008-12-13T17:19:04.640+04:00Generally speaking<span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:arial;" >First the bad news:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Well, bad news for me anyway. My laptop died. She's at the hp hospital and I'm waiting for the techie to fix her. Apparently the motherboard is gone ... It saddens me greatly. The ordeal of getting her to the hospital nearly had me in tears as well, tears of frustration that is. I called to get directions, now we've been there before, so really it was just to jog my memory. HA! I asked the receptionist for directions, and this is more or less what she said:</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">"youtakeairportroad,right?towardscornicheturnrighatthestreetbetweenthesecondandthirdrobots<br />beforecorniche,right?behindtheiranianschool" - R-I-G-H-T, I asked to please speak to her manager as I couldn't understand a word she was saying. Speaking with an Indian accent and all. I understood the manager a bit better at least, but his directions sucked just as much. The only bit that was correct was to turn right at the street with the sign for the Iranian School ... 40 minutes later I found their office, I was not amused. Anyways, booked the laptop in after being in the queue for about 10 minutes and after 3 Arabs pushed in front of me. They think nothing of it, trust me. Always remember, I'm the infidel and a woman at that, slight higher than shark shit on the totem pole. The techie called me after two days and informed me that it's the motherboard that died and it will cost me Dhs2,250 to fix, that's including labour. Then she, yes, the techie is a lady! proceeded to try and sell me "Care Pack", I said fine, but you're gonna have to send me that on an email, as I can't commit to paying you whatever amount it is you want, without seeing the docs? Surely this makes sense? I used to be on her side of the phone, I did those quotes, I know what I'm talking about. Wait, I know what I'm talking about in a WESTERN country, here, everything has its own set of rules. Anyhoo, 3 days later, not counting Friday, I'm STILL waiting for that email ... yes, I'm about to call the manager. </span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />A Real quick visit:</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br />So Linda came for a BLITZvisit. In and out of Abu Dhabi in 4 days! We were BUSY. Took her to Marina Mall, Ibn Batutta mall in Dubai, she saw the desert, took her to two exhibitions at the Emirates Palace hotel and to the Grand Mosque! She had a total blast and just could not get over the place :) It is something to see to believe. She then met her hubby at the airport and they went to Oman together, he was on a business trip and she got to tag along. Ja, it's a terrible life, but someone's got to do it hey? I don't have pics for you ... they're on the dead pc .... will post as soon as I can.</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />Work an other such boring things :)</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Or, the reason for us being here :) Gids is working in Dubai at the moment (YUK), the one site is in beeeg trouble and some of the guys have been asked to help out there, temporarily. To give you an idea of where he is at the moment:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">http://www.ameinfo.com/122350.html</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />http://www.alec.ae/projectsdetail.asp?uri=14&s=5&ss=1&iType=1</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So, as soon as that site is finished, he gets to go to Al Raha Beach development, here in Abu Dhabi ... to give you an idea:</span><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WkxZ262X3UQ&hl=en&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WkxZ262X3UQ&hl=en&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />now this video is of the whole development. Alec is building housing for Etihad staff. Their tiny little portion of this development is worth Dhs2.5 billion. Money, is so not a problem. It is rather impressive hey?</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />Toys for boys and goodies for girls</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br />In other news, the boy went shopping. We got toys :) In time for summer, he now has a rather large tv to play his Playstation 3 on and I have a Wii :) The reason for the Wii? Well, it's got Mario Brothers, off course :) heheee, can't wait to be 7 years old again. We're going to have the most fun. </span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />The Kaydin Kronikles:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Well the boy is still walking strong, exploring the garden every opportunity he gets and we moved the doggy gate from the top landing to the bottom, so now he can't get onto the stairs, and he can play in his room too :) Totally perfect for summer approaching, another place for him to play as the garden just won't be an option at 47C and 70% humidity. We're not there yet, but that's what it will be like in summer. woopikadoo, yes i'm totally excited about that :(</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />and here are some recent pics of the K-man:<br /><br />sitting on the step with me, he's too cute, climbs off the step and then reverses until his calves touches the step, and then he sits down :)<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFOUX-O7b3Ix9S6zQ17iAjF4nViDzTVuJNFXKeAZuwoUduihufTJfngG3kav7dIZJTUs8csSzdRH2f_Ioctqqhp9hoMeHRE6hs_PbLLXZ06uZXltNXGw7bOvl1Y0kSVXEyyEqZA5FIoQ/s1600-h/IMG_+038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFOUX-O7b3Ix9S6zQ17iAjF4nViDzTVuJNFXKeAZuwoUduihufTJfngG3kav7dIZJTUs8csSzdRH2f_Ioctqqhp9hoMeHRE6hs_PbLLXZ06uZXltNXGw7bOvl1Y0kSVXEyyEqZA5FIoQ/s400/IMG_+038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191949664562530626" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Peek-a-boo<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4g_KsgfSj4lQGsHLh-qQ-pDfS_dm4OVud4-JXAReij5ohk99zpLs7Effy9gaXHbyNZRHP4Hb-lzP94GQfB82ucOWfxgu2_UECAoWrShspliDVxua2zE6RKpm6QoHv4aJjT9OGQEtw4ew/s1600-h/IMG_+041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4g_KsgfSj4lQGsHLh-qQ-pDfS_dm4OVud4-JXAReij5ohk99zpLs7Effy9gaXHbyNZRHP4Hb-lzP94GQfB82ucOWfxgu2_UECAoWrShspliDVxua2zE6RKpm6QoHv4aJjT9OGQEtw4ew/s400/IMG_+041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191949677447432530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpMeHOpEicEG-0ZqihAtdb_mIUlpskMVuNdjpMKZRRolvMBN3g9eUC9hIwJ1rvcPtW90OZ-nB5Z_DMM6w4YviiI0yMiPwNkllPkRJomU1xz4CCAiVB7CZMzExtfIj9A2aN8EmfChxvv8/s1600-h/IMG_+043.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwpMeHOpEicEG-0ZqihAtdb_mIUlpskMVuNdjpMKZRRolvMBN3g9eUC9hIwJ1rvcPtW90OZ-nB5Z_DMM6w4YviiI0yMiPwNkllPkRJomU1xz4CCAiVB7CZMzExtfIj9A2aN8EmfChxvv8/s400/IMG_+043.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191949686037367138" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">can also be played with anything that will cover his face :)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZIR82PEUZR_uihEVC6cpvw782P8xuLzhs1wpv7OBqwMYwIfPY1BT0wvnAJsBVHf_SaDbNRtMoswwWMlYD_ybIL03p5OYdOnc154MC6YtNQf5KIJ8zHzTpjU4LsLQ6AgTO6Fw8e_I4c/s1600-h/IMG_+070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZIR82PEUZR_uihEVC6cpvw782P8xuLzhs1wpv7OBqwMYwIfPY1BT0wvnAJsBVHf_SaDbNRtMoswwWMlYD_ybIL03p5OYdOnc154MC6YtNQf5KIJ8zHzTpjU4LsLQ6AgTO6Fw8e_I4c/s400/IMG_+070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191956107013474674" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmVprfUdjrjtnpLhehxJKvYdeOgrMAoeV10tWXhcajxw3G_7PPqe3b-jWF1VKn0h7rmEOvtqHCFr0HiVIW1vJqyVWteZCrwoSQ4wNsUDxrv0IAWUrc1j6cY78Xv0hNcwMyP9ZFjYXZIU/s1600-h/IMG_+067.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmVprfUdjrjtnpLhehxJKvYdeOgrMAoeV10tWXhcajxw3G_7PPqe3b-jWF1VKn0h7rmEOvtqHCFr0HiVIW1vJqyVWteZCrwoSQ4wNsUDxrv0IAWUrc1j6cY78Xv0hNcwMyP9ZFjYXZIU/s400/IMG_+067.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191956115603409282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z1t7-7Zs74NJkjgdkKPS4K8WoVajKFwjyEdqqbBvAyxPHmdOxFjw6ifCo6lhGPSt7xPnC0v49Bo3S5d1v1O6U1i2qtogQM4lwmHUuwEnHw6OnsZd8OutNDxR8WmF8NKMcmOUxOoMRCI/s1600-h/IMG_+072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z1t7-7Zs74NJkjgdkKPS4K8WoVajKFwjyEdqqbBvAyxPHmdOxFjw6ifCo6lhGPSt7xPnC0v49Bo3S5d1v1O6U1i2qtogQM4lwmHUuwEnHw6OnsZd8OutNDxR8WmF8NKMcmOUxOoMRCI/s400/IMG_+072.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191956119898376594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Giving Lara a hug, he hugs everything though, he'll hug the floor too, if you ask him to :)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqxPbQcpjcPQvSRUbRRJ-nhW_L_cXfDioCkb87FBniBqQCGEDcecoqbpSWVto_Cekpz4Zj0cRS-SpvtyLfYNUYBL4DCoJdocb-clqLLliRs6r_gTpSFxV27XVeJ0I7N8YRWMgCh20aoI/s1600-h/IMG_+081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqxPbQcpjcPQvSRUbRRJ-nhW_L_cXfDioCkb87FBniBqQCGEDcecoqbpSWVto_Cekpz4Zj0cRS-SpvtyLfYNUYBL4DCoJdocb-clqLLliRs6r_gTpSFxV27XVeJ0I7N8YRWMgCh20aoI/s400/IMG_+081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191956124193343906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />I'm the coolest mum, check the toys!! And both the red and green quads are total favourite toys :)<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgku8U-VWJk8o2pMqyytKZn7GomuzlNGroHZkk1i705XpkuVjf07z6VCzvNvS8bvSVlyqBDlEEabXyeFw0OW-5npSB6KKazWnyuzkg4pC_qvotiHQBy1VdBVNAAm21-DeGoPIym4Keq-eU/s1600-h/IMG_+087.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgku8U-VWJk8o2pMqyytKZn7GomuzlNGroHZkk1i705XpkuVjf07z6VCzvNvS8bvSVlyqBDlEEabXyeFw0OW-5npSB6KKazWnyuzkg4pC_qvotiHQBy1VdBVNAAm21-DeGoPIym4Keq-eU/s400/IMG_+087.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191956132783278514" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">We send much love to all </span>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-89772395259372475712008-04-02T23:42:00.001+04:002008-04-02T23:42:10.774+04:00Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nayan Mosque<p>Shortly after we arrived back in the UAE, my darling friend Marinda asked if I wanted to visit the Grand Mosque with her ... um DUH!!!!!!! So it was that Marinda, Anel, Lynnie, and I found ourselves visiting the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nayan Mosque. They've been building it for 7 years so the interest in the building, as you can imagine is rather immense. The late Sheikh Zayed, in the spirit of religious tolerance declared that this mosque be open to the public. This is rather a big deal as non-muslims are usually not allowed inside a mosque. The very best part though, you're not only allowed to go inside, they welcome (camera)trigger happy people.<img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /> Yes .... it's a bit like heaven to me.</p> <h2><font color="#b0b000">The facts:</font></h2> <p>The mosque is named after Sheikh Zayed, the founder and first president of the UAE, it's known as the Grand Mosque though.</p> <p>The Mosque is large enough to accommodate more than 30<font color="#c0c0c0">,000 </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worshipper"><font color="#c0c0c0">worshippers</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0">.</font></p> <p>There are <font color="#c0c0c0">four </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minaret"><font color="#c0c0c0">minarets</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0"> on the four corners of the mosque which rise about 107 meters in height. There are 57 domes covering the outside yard and the main building as well. The domes are decorated with white marble and the </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interior_decoration"><font color="#c0c0c0">interior decoration</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0"> is made of marble. The </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtyard"><font color="#c0c0c0">courtyard</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0"> is paved with floral marble designs and measures about 17,000 square meters.</font></p> <p><em><font color="#c0c0c0" size="1">above info from wikipedia</font></em></p> <p>So, we meet up at the mosque, Marinda, Anel, Lynnie and I and proceed to the entrance, where we get dressed by the ladies at reception in abaya's and sheila's. That would be the long black dress and head scarf. Talk about weird! Though I must say, a sheila would come in most handy on those bad-hair days! We went inside, in search of our tour guide, who were supposed to take us on the 10:00 tour. Looking around we saw no-one that looked like a tour guide or even a group of lost tourists like us ... Marinda went and asked at the reception where we would be able to find our elusive guide .... "No madam, she didn't come to work today", lovely. So we moseyed around on our own, took plenty photo's and made out way out, over the enormous courtyard and caught up with another tour that was in progress. We decided to follow them, went back into the main prayer hall and heard the beginning of the tour as we would have, if our guide decided to actually show up for work.  Must admit though, we didn't listen too much to what the guide was saying, me with one eye on Kaydin who was having a total blast on the Dhs2 million carpet and Lynnie watching Layla and Anel shooting pics of us like she's an aspiring paparazzi! It was good fun though.</p> <p>Here then, are the pictorial of our very memorable visit:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Pg4cwJmGI/AAAAAAAAAc8/AfiPPW0bSS8/IMG_92673.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="310" alt="IMG_9267" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Pg5swJmHI/AAAAAAAAAdE/gOWhNwPZrko/IMG_9267_thumb1.jpg" width="382" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Pg7MwJmII/AAAAAAAAAdM/lFQvggqxeTA/IMG_92683.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="429" alt="IMG_9268" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Pg9cwJmJI/AAAAAAAAAdU/iJodp_GsPoc/IMG_9268_thumb1.jpg" width="292" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>detail on one of the pillars: </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Pg-cwJmKI/AAAAAAAAAdc/DizBF4CW8m8/IMG_93283.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="429" alt="IMG_9328" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Pg_swJmLI/AAAAAAAAAdk/XDXtfAui0Lg/IMG_9328_thumb1.jpg" width="292" border="0" /></a></p> <p>A pretty glass door:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhBMwJmMI/AAAAAAAAAds/2mja6Zq7h8c/IMG_92743.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="416" alt="IMG_9274" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhCcwJmNI/AAAAAAAAAd0/T1dWCIQrCaM/IMG_9274_thumb1.jpg" width="283" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>detail inside on of the smaller domes:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhEMwJmOI/AAAAAAAAAd8/0emPOz2YaLI/IMG_94233.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="255" alt="IMG_9423" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhFcwJmPI/AAAAAAAAAeE/ZUpoQ_TQzDM/IMG_9423_thumb1.jpg" width="374" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The carpet inside is the "World's Largest Carpet" made by Iran's Carpet Company and <font color="#c0c0c0">designed by </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_peoples"><font color="#c0c0c0">Iranian</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0"> artist </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ali_Khaliqi&action=edit&redlink=1"><font color="#c0c0c0">Ali Khaliqi</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0">.</font><font color="#c0c0c0"> This carpet measures 5,627 square meters, and was made by around</font> 1,200 weavers, 20 technicians, and 30 workers. The weight of this carpet is 47 tons - 35 tons of wool, and 12 tons of cotton. There are 2,268,000 knots within the carpet. As I mentioned previously, Kaydin thought it was pretty cool too, lol!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhHcwJmQI/AAAAAAAAAeM/pQpEbzLfETA/0993.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="392" alt="099" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhJcwJmRI/AAAAAAAAAeU/Uko-xyqFmeU/099_thumb1.jpg" width="286" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>This mosque also holds, the largest chandelier. There are seven imported chandeliers from <font color="#c0c0c0">Germany and are </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper"><font color="#c0c0c0">copper</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0"> and </font><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold-plated"><font color="#c0c0c0">gold-plated</font></a><font color="#c0c0c0">. The largest chandelier has a 10 meter</font> diameter and a 15 meter height. It is rather impressive, I'll give them that! (this photo is just the bottom half!)</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhMMwJmSI/AAAAAAAAAec/UV-Dgm5e2tI/IMG_92843.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="401" alt="IMG_9284" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhN8wJmTI/AAAAAAAAAek/V_y3q4RTUjM/IMG_9284_thumb1.jpg" width="273" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Now, we all know that when the muslims pray, they face towards Mecca, this picture below, is the wall inside the mosque towards which they face whilst praying, on it is the 99 names of Allah, and this one in gold, is his name in Arabic. It's 24 carat gold plated, yes, really.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhPMwJmUI/AAAAAAAAAes/TVfMjPwN1Pg/IMG_92943.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="398" alt="IMG_9294" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhQcwJmVI/AAAAAAAAAe0/mTvrUtSgols/IMG_9294_thumb1.jpg" width="271" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Beautiful scene, walking out, to the courtyard:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhR8wJmWI/AAAAAAAAAe8/KpKGGVioMhA/IMG_92703.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="429" alt="IMG_9270" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhTMwJmXI/AAAAAAAAAfE/txa5L04rThE/IMG_9270_thumb1.jpg" width="292" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Looking back towards the main prayer hall:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhUswJmYI/AAAAAAAAAfM/aQSr2jAYiZw/IMG_94563.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="305" alt="IMG_9456" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhWcwJmZI/AAAAAAAAAfU/oOclDjjRSgg/IMG_9456_thumb1.jpg" width="448" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhX8wJmaI/AAAAAAAAAfc/k2MRbts_hks/0684.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="343" alt="068" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhZswJmbI/AAAAAAAAAfk/xrITKQ6fwGo/068_thumb2.jpg" width="448" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Lynnie and I:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhbMwJmcI/AAAAAAAAAfs/_uFfL0VL2mA/0794.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="348" alt="079" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_Phc8wJmdI/AAAAAAAAAf0/CFkRjuUNq0Y/079_thumb2.jpg" width="455" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PheMwJmeI/AAAAAAAAAf8/9BQu9SCC64k/0804.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="337" alt="080" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhfcwJmfI/AAAAAAAAAgE/wiYZj8Wkwqo/080_thumb2.jpg" width="465" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>How funny are we? Thanks Anel for the cool pics! </p> <p>And finally, here we are Umm Kaydin, Umm Luca, Umm Luke and Umm Layla :) In the muslim culture a mother is known as "the mother of" followed by the name of her first born son, if, like Lynnie there isn't a son (yet), you're known by the name of your oldest daughter. That's why Anel is Umm (mother of) Luke, even though her daughter, Lara, is older than Luke. Just and interesting custom, we've off course adopted it, and many a time refer to each other as Umm :)</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhhswJmgI/AAAAAAAAAgM/CYrAPOSECcE/1143.jpg"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="331" alt="114" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R_PhjswJmhI/AAAAAAAAAgU/pap1kDLMEfw/114_thumb1.jpg" width="454" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>I'll tell you this though, it was a totally interesting experience, wearing an abaya. There are days where I think it could come in most handy. It does feel a bit as if you disappear and I can just imagine how much more with the sheila covering your face.</p> <p>Shortly after this I got news that my sister Linda is coming to visit me! Only 4 days, but hey, I'll take what I can get. She's the only of my sisters that haven't been here, to it was very exciting news!</p> <p>More of her visit in the next post.</p> <p>And now for the Kaydin Kronikles:</p> <p>The boy is walking like a champ, as if he's been doing it for years! He's also cool with going down steps now, understands very well about "bum first" and gets up from crawling in a flash! </p> <p>The other day, he took his sippy cup with water from the kitchen table, took a sip and summarily dropped it on the floor :) we'll teach him to put it back, I was just so chuffed that he's figured out that, that blue bottle is the water bottle and he can help himself!</p> <p>And this morning, he brought me his bottle with milk :) Too cute! He's also starting to say small words. Most things are "ba", the ball, a book and boxes.  "Me", as in how a sheep would make, is milky and mamma :) It is nice to understand a little better what he wants.</p> <p>And tonight, while rocking him to sleep, I sang an old zulu lullaby, "tula-tula", the line goes something like: "tula, tula baba, tula tula" but before I could get to the second "tula-tula" bit, little bebe pipes up in a sleepy voice "baba" :D It was really difficult not to laugh, too sweet! I'm searching the web for a sample of the song, so that my international friends can hear what it sounds like .... just give me a moment, ok?</p> <p>Oh and for those that don't know: Zulu is an indigenous language of South Africa and one of the biggest black tribes in the country. </p> <p>much love to all</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-87676516544260981682008-03-17T17:45:00.001+04:002008-03-17T17:45:07.718+04:00we're back!!!!<p>Double, triple YEEEEEHA!!!!!!!!!! Man it was good to have my feet on UAE soil again, and the best part of it was seeing Gideon off course .... I missed him way more than I expected ;)</p> <p>A quick warning - this is a LONG post ... go grab that glass of wine and get comfy :)</p> <p>So, back to the SA holiday. We had a blast, it was super special seeing everybody. It was busy though, we spent the first week in Pretoria, then went to Plettenbergbay to visit my in-laws, then to Cape Town or more specifically the gorgeous little town of Grabouw, where Genevieve and Sheldon now lives and then back to Pretoria for some last minute shopping.</p> <p>Some random thoughts that I've been mulling over in my head:</p> <p>South Africa still is in my mind, the most awesome country. It's friendly and green and has a sense of humour so distinct. Mostly the people are just trying to make a living and provide for their families as best they can. Why is it then that the Government seem incapable of listening to its people and make the changes that are so necessary? And more than ten years on, can we please stop blaming Apartheid? There comes a point, where you have to take responsibility for your actions, it's a law actually, Newton's, if I'm not mistaken, for every action, there's an equal an opposite reaction ... this isn't rocket science? Oh, wait, maybe it is...</p> <p>And then a weird thing happened at a braai one day, completely, out of the blue came the attack ... the one about why on earth would I even dare think about coming back. The reason I was so surprised is because the source of the question was so unexpected. I explained that I want to come home, for me, for Kaydin, for Gideon, for my family and friends. So that my boy can know his country and the Afrikaans culture that he was born into. So that he may know about normal weekends and that there's either cricket or rugby on a saturday and that to go camping in the veld is really the normal way of doing it, with grass and trees and birds and wildlife around you. To be woken by the sound of the bosloerie in the tree and the hippos in the water ... that is his birthright, to know his country and his culture and that we have 11 different languages and that they are all beautiful in their own way. I want him to know that not every family drives a Land Cruiser or a Prado and that you should respect people for who they are, not what they look like or what car they drive. So that he can grow up in a country with so much diversity, it will take you a lifetime to understand it, but you can and should make an effort every single day. So that he can make an informed decision about living in SA one day or moving elsewhere, because how can you make an intelligent decision about something so momentous, if you don't have all the facts? And that, is my prerogative, as his parent to make the seemingly stupid decision to move back. Good thing it's mine to make and not yours.</p> <p>A very pleasant evening was spent with one of my dearest friends, whom I'm also fortunate to call my sister. What made it even more special was all the gifted souls present that night. It was a privilege and an honour to be there and like I told you that evening dearest Dilly, thank you so much for inviting them while I was there, it was a blast, a hoot and so very precious to me, to be able to share thoughts, to be given life lessons and messages that were meant to come to me then. Thank you.</p> <p>And to answer someone else's question, what was it like to be back, second time round?</p> <p>The people still drive very slowly!</p> <p>The taxi's seemed to have acquired some road sense!</p> <p>The politicians still just fart around</p> <p>Carte Blanche is still one of THE best programs on TV, ever.</p> <p>The people seemed friendlier, everybody was smiling and helpful and not so negative</p> <p>Woolworths RULES, wish we could get a Woolies Food here!</p> <p>The view from the top of Sir Lowries Pass is probably one of the best I've ever had the good fortune to see. I could do that every day :) Thanks G&S for making the effort to stop at the look-out point, it was awesome!! ((HUGS))</p> <p>And last but not least, think I've mentioned this already? It's good to be home, where all my things are, LOL!</p> <p>So, all in all a somewhat bitter-sweet trip. I've realised that while we're here, my heart will always be torn, between wanting to be back home in SA and wanting to be here, in Abu Dhabi, my adoptive home.</p> <p>And off course, here are a selection of pics:</p> <p>Salomé and Ben entertaining Kaydin</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95K1aoh7DI/AAAAAAAAAXw/_qchr0_U9a8/IMG_30513"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="261" alt="IMG_3051" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95K26oh7EI/AAAAAAAAAX4/CK3i5OyfMf8/IMG_3051_thumb1" width="383" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>all the cousins on my side of the family (from left to right): Salomé, Gina, Ben Luca, Nicoletta & Kaydin:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95K6Koh7FI/AAAAAAAAAYA/MH8MQXBQqTA/IMG_3059copy23"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="275" alt="IMG_3059 copy (2)" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95K7aoh7GI/AAAAAAAAAYI/7IbxLrJ_C8U/IMG_3059copy2_thumb1" width="359" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95K9qoh7HI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/DycPDfVNM-8/IMG_88223"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="250" alt="IMG_8822" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95K_Koh7II/AAAAAAAAAYY/YXlelxgfJGc/IMG_8822_thumb1" width="367" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LB6oh7JI/AAAAAAAAAYg/6C18sFexfHY/IMG_87814"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="447" alt="IMG_8781" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LDaoh7KI/AAAAAAAAAYo/SVvXd5kaZbI/IMG_8781_thumb2" width="307" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>My sister Linda has the most amazing garden, and look who came to see what all the commotion was about:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LF6oh7LI/AAAAAAAAAYw/vOv6vKg-wG0/IMG_88113"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="257" alt="IMG_8811" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LHaoh7MI/AAAAAAAAAY4/fG5AGZ5WehE/IMG_8811_thumb1" width="377" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>with his other cousin Quinn and Oupa (his grandfather):</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LNqoh7NI/AAAAAAAAAZA/sFh7ibjAh40/IMG_884123"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="259" alt="IMG_8841 (2)" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LO6oh7OI/AAAAAAAAAZI/35zHQHLRSSI/IMG_88412_thumb1" width="380" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>playing drums with Annet & Ouma Hettie:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LSKoh7PI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/clYgx2v2ZFY/IMG_88663"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="257" alt="IMG_8866" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LTaoh7QI/AAAAAAAAAZY/Y591dSN9er8/IMG_8866_thumb1" width="377" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Bea's cat found the stroller a most comfortable place to take a nap, LOL! </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LU6oh7RI/AAAAAAAAAZg/-x2V6FlPS0s/IMG_88854"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="436" alt="IMG_8885" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R95LWqoh7SI/AAAAAAAAAZo/ODWCaFbx7rA/IMG_8885_thumb2" width="300" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Unpacking Ouma Nobie's tupperware cupboard in Plett:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951dqoh7TI/AAAAAAAAAZw/wq228unRpkU/IMG_888623"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="265" alt="IMG_8886 (2)" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951eqoh7UI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/C9SxjimZY-c/IMG_88862_thumb1" width="389" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951fqoh7VI/AAAAAAAAAaA/lh8lPLf9_bI/IMG_88884"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="434" alt="IMG_8888" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951gqoh7WI/AAAAAAAAAaI/lSGEqpaZa28/IMG_8888_thumb2" width="298" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>first driving lessons: </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951iqoh7XI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/afCyRi-p8ZY/IMG_89423"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="274" alt="IMG_8942" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951jqoh7YI/AAAAAAAAAaY/2bgv9NX-9ZI/IMG_8942_thumb1" width="402" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>That view that I mentioned:<a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951kqoh7ZI/AAAAAAAAAag/9IkkgSubQvk/IMG_9049%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="274" alt="IMG_9049" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951l6oh7aI/AAAAAAAAAao/KsRiI9NRTgk/IMG_9049_thumb%5B1%5D" width="402" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951naoh7bI/AAAAAAAAAa0/AzWIlcLIhyE/IMG_9054%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="278" alt="IMG_9054" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951oaoh7cI/AAAAAAAAAa8/XzEjal-UswY/IMG_9054_thumb%5B1%5D" width="409" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Kaydin & Angus playing:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951p6oh7dI/AAAAAAAAAbE/XyvBNAL86tA/IMG_9037%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="430" alt="IMG_9037" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951rKoh7eI/AAAAAAAAAbM/Cih2wPsHyWU/IMG_9037_thumb%5B1%5D" width="293" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>meeting Bev and Fiona, in person! we had such a wonderful time together! Thanks for making the effort girls! (hugs)</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951saoh7fI/AAAAAAAAAbU/7nouEIzUqKk/IMG_9002%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="274" alt="IMG_9002" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951tqoh7gI/AAAAAAAAAbc/vUXpcQnbozM/IMG_9002_thumb%5B1%5D" width="402" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and back in Gauteng, visiting with my sister Dalene and her family, this would be her children playing with Kaydin, their dad eventually said to them: "now remember, he's not a barbie doll, put-him-DOWN!" LOL!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951vKoh7hI/AAAAAAAAAbk/uG_cTPAFBVU/IMG_9075%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="276" alt="IMG_9075" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951waoh7iI/AAAAAAAAAbs/8EhJ6WJOzj8/IMG_9075_thumb%5B1%5D" width="405" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951x6oh7jI/AAAAAAAAAb0/LYOSj6DpuwA/IMG_9103%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="278" alt="IMG_9103" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R951zKoh7kI/AAAAAAAAAb8/YbtcZHMpFzI/IMG_9103_thumb%5B1%5D" width="408" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and here's me, having a merry old time :)</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R9510aoh7lI/AAAAAAAAAcE/9sT_1BbNXaA/IMG_9113%5B4%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="439" alt="IMG_9113" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R9511qoh7mI/AAAAAAAAAcM/eoWB0zeXXCY/IMG_9113_thumb%5B2%5D" width="302" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and finally, back home the boys catching up in Kaydin's room :)</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R9513Koh7nI/AAAAAAAAAcU/xTZtM7ltQGQ/IMG_9196%20%283%29%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="331" alt="IMG_9196 (3)" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R9514aoh7oI/AAAAAAAAAcc/vGxhN8v6W0s/IMG_9196%20%283%29_thumb%5B1%5D" width="380" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>I send much love to all ... </p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-73820483613278343082008-02-14T22:18:00.001+04:002008-02-14T22:18:40.403+04:00it was a secret ...<p>I've had this post saved in drafts for a while now, I couldn't post about the holiday 'cause some people that read this were on the receiving end of a surprise visit from me, LOL!!!</p> <p>So, Gids has got STRICT instructions on how to publish this, AFTER the 11th of February, as by then, both girls will know that I'm in SA. Ooooohhhhh Giggles!!!!</p> <p>My mom and I had such a relaxing time, went to the shops when we felt like it, mostly we just stayed at home.</p> <p>I really wanted to take my mom camping and we thought this past weekend the perfect time, as it was Gideon's off Saturday, which meant that we could leave Friday arvie, sleep over and come back Saturday round about lunch time. Or so we thought, on Wednesday Gideon said he heard on the radio something about and impending sandstorm, we checked on the local paper's web site and sure enough, high winds, low temperatures and a specific note that any outdoor activities would be highly unpleasant. We decided to not tempt mother nature and decided not to go, a bit disappointing none the less. However, we were not going to miss anything so decided to drive to the beach, to get a look at the rough seas and high winds ... The wind was unpleasant enough, but you have to giggle at the high seas, though in fairness, this really is quite rough by UAE standards, it usually looks like a dam:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFlImqunI/AAAAAAAAAUY/E1flG8OLhOo/IMG_29407"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="270" alt="IMG_2940" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFmImquoI/AAAAAAAAAUg/0Ovyb7wcCr0/IMG_2940_thumb3" width="396" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>The K-man off course had a blast:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFnYmqupI/AAAAAAAAAUo/hbFqmPEspf8/IMG_29517"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="265" alt="IMG_2951" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFoYmquqI/AAAAAAAAAUw/VnR5qPa9QfU/IMG_2951_thumb3" width="390" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFpYmqurI/AAAAAAAAAU4/x6IYL7hHc3s/IMG_29797"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="269" alt="IMG_2979" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFqYmqusI/AAAAAAAAAVA/eiq4bOnLSXo/IMG_2979_thumb3" width="395" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFromqutI/AAAAAAAAAVI/vzKgDSQtMhg/IMG_29817"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="392" alt="IMG_2981" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFsomquuI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/BkC-v2KCUQ4/IMG_2981_thumb3" width="267" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFt4mquvI/AAAAAAAAAVY/On-YIhKGuwE/IMG_30207"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="278" alt="IMG_3020" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFvImquwI/AAAAAAAAAVg/2KNLR2Uuj-o/IMG_3020_thumb3" width="409" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFwYmquxI/AAAAAAAAAVo/K4czeaWXouI/IMG_30287"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="273" alt="IMG_3028" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFxomquyI/AAAAAAAAAVw/prI5adMahqc/IMG_3028_thumb3" width="401" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFyomquzI/AAAAAAAAAV4/eIrbQfDwkgg/IMG_30357"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="269" alt="IMG_3035" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SFzomqu0I/AAAAAAAAAWA/hVDmopofxrA/IMG_3035_thumb3" width="395" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and for some bizarre reason his daddy wouldn't let him crawl right into the ocean LOL!!! (ok, it's a good reason, I didn't pack any dry clothes, K-man doesn't actually care or understand, LOL!!)</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF04mqu1I/AAAAAAAAAWI/DlQdFIjdFPo/IMG_30417"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="271" alt="IMG_3041" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF14mqu2I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/B4AUz7TrV2A/IMG_3041_thumb3" width="398" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF3Ymqu3I/AAAAAAAAAWY/fS3uxmFfu6E/IMG_30427"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="276" alt="IMG_3042" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF4Ymqu4I/AAAAAAAAAWg/YQqT3D8qu9s/IMG_3042_thumb3" width="405" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF5omqu5I/AAAAAAAAAWo/TOI9Ts_g-2E/IMG_30447"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="277" alt="IMG_3044" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF6omqu6I/AAAAAAAAAWw/9S17VEvSM2U/IMG_3044_thumb3" width="407" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>And then my mom spotted the Dude, off course Gideon had to rescue him, we're not sure if he made it back into the ocean safely, but hey, we tried:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF74mqu7I/AAAAAAAAAW4/ppMs5SfAV4A/IMG_30177"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="249" alt="IMG_3017" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF9Imqu8I/AAAAAAAAAXA/0GZDXn1KUGA/IMG_3017_thumb3" width="366" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF-Imqu9I/AAAAAAAAAXI/QYV9X5Da0Fs/IMG_29997"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="254" alt="IMG_2999" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R7SF_omqu-I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/Mz61RdHfir0/IMG_2999_thumb3" width="373" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>So, in the next week we'll go do some last minute shopping, I seriously don't understand why we do this, leave stuff to the last minute that is. And by the time Gideon publishes this for me, the K-man and I will be in sunny Pretoria :-). It's going to be a busy holiday, we're in Gauteng for about a week, then off to Plett to visit my in-laws, then to Cape Town to visit Genevieve & Sheldon and meet up with some online friends and then back to Pretoria for the last week ... I may not do this again soon, I get exhausted just reading it! LOL!!!</p> <p>So, while typing this, the wind is still blowing a week later and it's still flippen COLD, by UAE standards. I'm all packed and ready to go. The pressies are wrapped, the tickets and passports are ready, so to those of you in SA that I'll be seeing - I CAN'T wait and am SO looking forward to seeing everybody!!</p> <p>A quick funny: As you know by now, we share the house with another couple and because we share the kitchen as well, we're on a rotating schedule as far as dinner is concerned. Which means that I only have to worry about dinner every second night, it's just marvelous let me tell you. Not so much for Gids though, now that I'll be gone. So, the other night while we were chatting, he asked me, a little desperately: "what will I feed the people"? I'm slightly amused by the comment as the other people are two adults!! I replied, well, you know how to cook, you've seen me in the kitchen ... he says, (slightly more panicky by now), ja, but I don't actually KNOW how to make pasta or rice or mac and cheese .... I just giggled and said well, when it's your turn, phone me and i'll give you the recipe and instructions :ROTFL ... so I told the other lady of the house the story .... she agreed to let him suffer for a few nights ... <img alt="Very Happy" src="http://www.digitalscrapbooking.co.za/modules/Forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" border="0" /> <img alt="Very Happy" src="http://www.digitalscrapbooking.co.za/modules/Forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" border="0" /> aaahhhh, it's GOOD to let them be on their own for a little sometimes <img alt="Very Happy" src="http://www.digitalscrapbooking.co.za/modules/Forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" border="0" /> <img alt="Very Happy" src="http://www.digitalscrapbooking.co.za/modules/Forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" border="0" /> I'm still hugely amused.</p> <p>So, here I am, on the eve of leaving for home, totally excited and yet a little sad, I'm going to miss the non-chef so much, I'm going to miss not having him around to help and I'm sad that he's going to miss a whole month out of Kaydin's life ... I am also however tremendously excited about seeing everybody, about the totally cool surprise I planned for Bea and Gia-Michelle, about going to Grabouw and spending copious special days with G and Shelly. About being able to spend precious time with the other Ouma and Oupa, so that they can also have some K-man time .... Hugely excited about seeing my sisters, giddy in fact LOL!!!</p> <p>So, to all of you that we'll be seeing soon - YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p> <p>Darling Gideon - I love you more than I can possibly ever say. I'm so thankful and so very grateful. Thanks my love, for this holiday, we'll miss you so very much and we'll speak to you as often as possible ... remember to call about that mac and cheese recipe, hey? <img alt="Very Happy" src="http://www.digitalscrapbooking.co.za/modules/Forums/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif" border="0" /></p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-18716914655204438962008-01-19T23:55:00.001+04:002008-01-19T23:55:24.866+04:00and finally! the birthday party!!<p>Took us long enough to get there, lol!!! </p> <p>I just have to tell you about buying the ingredients for this ever so important birthday cake. You'd think that you can walk into a big supermarket and there would be a place where they group all the baking goodies together? Hmmm, not so much. They do have the flour and icing sugar together with the baking soda and cake-in-a-box mixes, however, no goodies to decorate the cake with. The candles, oh yes, upstairs with all the party paraphernalia (ok, that makes a little bit of sense). The multi-coloured sprinkle thingy's that you'd put on the icing ... no, they don't have those. The silver ball thingy's that you'd put on the icing to decorate with .... nope. Liquorice sticks, ah yes, with the sweeties and you can only get the rolled-up ones. Oh, and coconut flakes, ah yes but off course you'd think to go look for it where the breadcrumbs are, makes total sense.  This little exercise took me about an hour! </p> <p>We were going to have the party last weekend, then the K-man got sick and I decided nope, not a good idea so we postponed to this weekend. Which turned out to be just fine, with my mom here it was so special to share his party with her! </p> <p>Then I came down with a n-a-s-t-y tummy bug on Thursday arvie, but hey, I was a real trooper and managed to mix and bake the cupcakes for the birthday cake, then managed to mix the carrot cake for the grown-ups and just when that was in the oven, realised I wasn't gonna make it and asked my mom to please keep an eye on it for me. That was me, in bed and I didn't move until 11:00 on Friday morning! Gids very sweetly took Kaydin with to the desert and I got to sleep in and feel marginally better. <img alt="Smile" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/regular_smile.gif" /> The people came at about 15:00 and we had a blast. Gids and I both got all teary-eyed when we sang "happy birthday", I tried to hide behind my camera ... The K-man didn't quite know what to do with the cake and candle at first, but later on he realised that he can actually get himself all sticky and dirty and man was that fun.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVQI7s3HI/AAAAAAAAARQ/qTApr6mkMKY/IMG_2869%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="249" alt="IMG_2869" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVQ47s3II/AAAAAAAAARY/-MFw23gwZgs/IMG_2869_thumb%5B5%5D" width="361" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVSY7s3JI/AAAAAAAAARg/JqeflWGcvws/IMG_2873%5B8%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="249" alt="IMG_2873" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVTI7s3KI/AAAAAAAAARo/3fO75KqP-Lw/IMG_2873_thumb%5B6%5D" width="358" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVUo7s3LI/AAAAAAAAARw/evXM9_yS8Is/IMG_2874%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="242" alt="IMG_2874" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVVY7s3MI/AAAAAAAAAR4/CUuxZlDCXRA/IMG_2874_thumb%5B5%5D" width="351" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVXI7s3NI/AAAAAAAAASA/hRtKuRQStjk/IMG_2877%5B10%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="240" alt="IMG_2877" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVYY7s3OI/AAAAAAAAASI/eBzUlns4zTg/IMG_2877_thumb%5B6%5D" width="348" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVZY7s3PI/AAAAAAAAASQ/CZENKN5VmQs/IMG_2894%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="332" alt="IMG_2894" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVaY7s3QI/AAAAAAAAASY/dWxnmM91jno/IMG_2894_thumb%5B5%5D" width="229" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVbY7s3RI/AAAAAAAAASg/s5mzmwbG138/IMG_2902%5B8%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="296" alt="IMG_2902" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVcY7s3SI/AAAAAAAAASo/kfPjyRzJk2w/IMG_2902_thumb%5B6%5D" width="269" border="0" /></a> </p> <p> <a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVdo7s3TI/AAAAAAAAASw/gyKQ7PIgwFg/IMG_2906%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="309" alt="IMG_2906" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVeo7s3UI/AAAAAAAAAS4/2ai2oCKWMJs/IMG_2906_thumb%5B5%5D" width="305" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVfo7s3VI/AAAAAAAAATA/jc45iLYGKeM/IMG_2915%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="210" alt="IMG_2915" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVhI7s3WI/AAAAAAAAATI/84eKxo7QM-g/IMG_2915_thumb%5B5%5D" width="304" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JViY7s3XI/AAAAAAAAATQ/b3iG0aaICCQ/IMG_2920%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="215" alt="IMG_2920" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVjY7s3YI/AAAAAAAAATY/Ead1V-9Ctmo/IMG_2920_thumb%5B5%5D" width="312" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVk47s3ZI/AAAAAAAAATg/doDoVkq7D80/IMG_2922%5B7%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="221" alt="IMG_2922" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVmI7s3aI/AAAAAAAAATo/ClZvAqoA-B8/IMG_2922_thumb%5B5%5D" width="321" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVoY7s3bI/AAAAAAAAATw/VgtKnxzKKIc/IMG_2924%5B14%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="299" alt="IMG_2924" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R5JVqo7s3cI/AAAAAAAAAT4/VAC4C-0J3Qo/IMG_2924_thumb%5B12%5D" width="317" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>ok, that's us for now</p> <p>much love to all</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-46706905911348170442008-01-15T10:57:00.001+04:002008-01-15T10:57:42.894+04:00it's raining, it's pouring!!!<p>For the last few days it's been raining on and off, so totally lovely! And such a big deal that it's making the headlines!! LOL! you KNOW you live in the desert when 16mm makes it to the headlines <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /></p> <p><a title="http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10182101.html" href="http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10182101.html"><font size="2">http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10182101.html</font></a></p> <p>And here are some pics from last night, when it started to come down again:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZP47s2_I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/yHuwGZEm3do/IMG_2850%5B6%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="263" alt="IMG_2850" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZRo7s3AI/AAAAAAAAAQY/iKMwk5rTXS8/IMG_2850_thumb%5B2%5D" width="387" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZSo7s3BI/AAAAAAAAAQg/hLZejhS4x4g/IMG_2853%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="314" alt="IMG_2853" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZTo7s3CI/AAAAAAAAAQo/0B78_EUNV9g/IMG_2853_thumb%5B1%5D" width="214" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and this morning:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZVY7s3DI/AAAAAAAAAQw/DGhyiofitco/IMG_2856%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="224" alt="IMG_2856" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZWY7s3EI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/_XWMNNEOWHQ/IMG_2856_thumb%5B1%5D" width="329" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZYI7s3FI/AAAAAAAAARA/d_GVq23ZrC8/IMG_2867%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="329" alt="IMG_2867" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4xZZI7s3GI/AAAAAAAAARI/D20ZG3F-Pm4/IMG_2867_thumb%5B1%5D" width="224" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Totally lekker!! </p> <p>And in other news, the K-man's not been very well, all snotty and coughing, the poor guy slept most of yesterday but awoke to his old self this morning with his usual "wa-wa" sound and having serious discussions with the toys in his cot.</p> <p>My mom's arriving for a visit tonight and the house is off course looking, well let's just say it's less than tidy. Thank goodness for the last minute as nothing would get done in this house if it wasn't for the last minute! Gids will therefore sort out my mom's room tonight when he's home from work and I'll be fetching her from the airport, now that's teamwork for you hey?</p> <p>No other news, just wanted to share the rain thing.</p> <p>much love to all</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-54123392675802762782008-01-07T12:58:00.001+04:002008-01-07T12:58:22.715+04:00Happy birthday Kaydin!!!!<p>And off course I can't help to be just a little overwhelmed! I keep on thinking back to last year and keep on looking at the clock. </p> <p>I'm quite in awe with just how far we've come. I'm so relieved that the year went by mostly without any hitches. I'm eternally grateful that we have such an easy going boy. I am totally humbled and immeasurably thankful for all the support and love everybody has shown us. </p> <p>I'm actually just gob-smacked, mostly because I was convinced that I would have broken him by now. </p> <p>So here's to you, our little fighter and companion, may the years ahead be more than you ever dreamed, we can't wait to share the rest of your life with you.</p> <p>Once more for old times sake, Kaydin at birth:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4Hpoo7s27I/AAAAAAAAAPw/_TsWh8ToXI4/Picture%20056%5B5%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="262" alt="" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4HppY7s28I/AAAAAAAAAP4/GgEs9WS3Ax4/Picture%20056_thumb%5B3%5D" width="359" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and now:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4Hpq47s29I/AAAAAAAAAQA/Q2aI3eWYMR4/IMG_4938%5B10%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="248" alt="IMG_4938" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4HprY7s2-I/AAAAAAAAAQI/aJ_p28dPppo/IMG_4938_thumb%5B8%5D" width="357" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>much love to all, from all of us</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-83647380162921873012008-01-06T20:56:00.001+04:002008-01-06T20:56:31.541+04:00we still do it ...<p>Get up at stupid-O'clock that is, and drive to parts unknown. This time we went to Fujeirah and more specifically Snoopy Island. We were going to go just for the day and at about 15:00 decided to see if they have rooms available, turns out they did, so we stayed over. </p> <p>And herewith the whole story in pictures:</p> <p>a map to show where we went:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHq47s2ZI/AAAAAAAAALg/3UMCDvumVU8/uae_map%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="200" alt="uae_map" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHr47s2aI/AAAAAAAAALo/8qF9lY54i_c/uae_map_thumb%5B1%5D" width="378" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Sunrise at stupid-O'clock:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHtI7s2bI/AAAAAAAAALw/AZriDZW3RwY/IMG_2605%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="258" alt="IMG_2605" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHuI7s2cI/AAAAAAAAAL4/9qw7lh6xpME/IMG_2605_thumb%5B1%5D" width="374" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Carpet shops on the side of the road, just before entering Fujeirah.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHvY7s2dI/AAAAAAAAAMA/vX9bpWnN4L4/IMG_2612%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="264" alt="IMG_2612" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHxI7s2eI/AAAAAAAAAMI/MaBo3heRyoE/IMG_2612_thumb%5B1%5D" width="383" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and here's Moi, a rare shot of me behind the camera <img alt="Smile" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/regular_smile.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHy47s2fI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/5IQB5rPh7yQ/IMG_4747%5B12%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="266" alt="IMG_4747" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EHz47s2gI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Q7uAbKNZhcw/IMG_4747_thumb%5B10%5D" width="378" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The nursery on the other side of the road:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH1I7s2hI/AAAAAAAAAMg/QwQDj7OOZzA/IMG_2613%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="264" alt="IMG_2613" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH147s2iI/AAAAAAAAAMo/3QnQWQ7QAag/IMG_2613_thumb%5B1%5D" width="384" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>And just to prove that Kaydin really does wake up with a smile:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH3I7s2jI/AAAAAAAAAMw/2Em2F6AGTGk/IMG_4750%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="250" alt="IMG_4750" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH347s2kI/AAAAAAAAAM4/IBqBeIMKDn4/IMG_4750_thumb%5B1%5D" width="363" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Just before the resort you'll find Bidiya mosque. It's the UAE’s oldest place of worship and is known as the “Ottoman Mosque”. It is unique in design with four small domes held up by a massive central pillar. We drove past too quickly though and I didn't really get a nice shot and on our way back we were way too tired to stop. Will do next time though.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH5I7s2lI/AAAAAAAAANA/RlyUwYO3cjE/IMG_2635%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="256" alt="IMG_2635" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH6Y7s2mI/AAAAAAAAANI/chUCe0daQ0o/IMG_2635_thumb%5B1%5D" width="372" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>And now for the fun part, at the beach, off course we had to get the boy into the sea as fast as possible. He was totally adorable, not scared at all and seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. The only concern Kaydin had was that daddy just wouldn't let him crawl right into the sea! Dad's, such spoil sports sometimes, LOL!! <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH7o7s2nI/AAAAAAAAANQ/y_XlgA6pEaw/IMG_2658%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="255" alt="IMG_2658" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH8o7s2oI/AAAAAAAAANY/4j1vZY1iOM0/IMG_2658_thumb%5B1%5D" width="370" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH9Y7s2pI/AAAAAAAAANg/noEbAdr0Mqc/IMG_2667%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="253" alt="IMG_2667" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH-Y7s2qI/AAAAAAAAANo/xoRp_l-bSU4/IMG_2667_thumb%5B1%5D" width="367" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EH_o7s2rI/AAAAAAAAANw/ZM7DLJaiMTE/IMG_2677%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="257" alt="IMG_2677" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIAY7s2sI/AAAAAAAAAN4/jfISAHX_XgQ/IMG_2677_thumb%5B1%5D" width="373" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIB47s2tI/AAAAAAAAAOA/fEq5wFP6zo0/IMG_2697%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="256" alt="IMG_2697" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIC47s2uI/AAAAAAAAAOI/G1icjJDQFKg/IMG_2697_thumb%5B1%5D" width="371" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EID47s2vI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/NERs7Zc115o/IMG_2731%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="257" alt="IMG_2731" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIEo7s2wI/AAAAAAAAAOY/bV6Merpv-oQ/IMG_2731_thumb%5B1%5D" width="373" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>This would be Snoopy Island, yes it's something to do with the cartoon character and the rock looking like Snoopy lying on his back <img alt="Smile" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/regular_smile.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIF47s2xI/AAAAAAAAAOg/5TJiwCNa478/IMG_4778%5B12%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="248" alt="IMG_4778" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIG47s2yI/AAAAAAAAAOo/eTLes0Ij9gQ/IMG_4778_thumb%5B10%5D" width="360" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>A totally lovely day with the other people snorkelling and generally just having a merry good time, especially when we found out that we could in fact have a drink or two on the beach, which off course also greatly influenced the decision on staying over LOL!! </p> <p>The view from our room's balcony and in the second picture a rare shot of some locals also enjoying the beach.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIH47s2zI/AAAAAAAAAOw/Rk4eYMXRYrE/IMG_2829%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="261" alt="IMG_2829" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EII47s20I/AAAAAAAAAO4/ChTs2KoE1aQ/IMG_2829_thumb%5B1%5D" width="379" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIKI7s21I/AAAAAAAAAPA/hoJPTHcK7ZI/IMG_2832%5B3%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="258" alt="IMG_2832" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIK47s22I/AAAAAAAAAPI/YPz-9ykMPWQ/IMG_2832_thumb%5B1%5D" width="375" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>And because I'm such a curios person and because I didn't want to miss out on anything, I decided to try my hand at this snorkel-thing too. And because we all looked so cute in our wet suites, I asked for a family portrait, Gideon Schoeman obliged, thanks dude! <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIMI7s23I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/u04m-ddEE-8/IMG_4901%5B10%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="260" alt="IMG_4901" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EINI7s24I/AAAAAAAAAPY/Rwgk5nQAhdM/IMG_4901_thumb%5B8%5D" width="377" border="0" /></a>  </p> <p>And that was it, now I'm hooked and Gids will in the very near future have to take me shopping, for gear off course. What an experience!! It felt like I was watching a National Geographic show, only I was IN it, totally awesomely brilliant experience! And with Gids & Chantel's help, I think I did ok for a rookie. A truly awesome moment was when I wanted to get slightly panicky, 'cause I didn't know where we were going, I reached out to Gideon's side and there he was, ready with a guiding hand, holding on to me, until I was ready to let go. It helps to do these things with someone you share a brain cell with LOL!!</p> <p>And just to show, the village helping to raise Kaydin, Gideon & Chantel Schoeman our housemates and very dear friends:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIOY7s25I/AAAAAAAAAPg/huwOWUd3AB8/IMG_2759%5B4%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="254" alt="IMG_2759" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4EIPY7s26I/AAAAAAAAAPo/bMDr9c9Pw6U/IMG_2759_thumb%5B2%5D" width="365" border="0" /></a></p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-53905022799638895062008-01-06T09:35:00.001+04:002008-01-07T23:47:39.749+04:00here's to the new year<p>May it be blessed and exceed all our expectations. We had a rather quiet braai with friends on new years eve.<br /></p> <p>New years day brought with it some awesome weather and I hauled out the K-man's new water toy, he had fun <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /> the thing that kept him amused no end was the little fountain, he kept on pushing his face into it, too funny.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4BojI7s2PI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/yHh_b2tG1t0/IMG_2579%5B3%5D"><img style="border: 0px none ;" alt="IMG_2579" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4Boj47s2QI/AAAAAAAAAKA/4Rm2p0lw7ms/IMG_2579_thumb%5B1%5D" border="0" height="262" width="380" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4BolI7s2RI/AAAAAAAAAKI/E0UxZZtZuRQ/IMG_2584%5B7%5D"><img style="border: 0px none ;" alt="IMG_2584" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R4Bol47s2SI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/4p2KOPoJjoA/IMG_2584_thumb%5B5%5D" border="0" height="270" width="377" /></a> </p> <p>We subsequently had the best impromptu weekend away. More later, I'm still processing the pictures <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /></p>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-12191607869083474372007-12-31T09:08:00.001+04:002007-12-31T09:08:56.253+04:00Kaydin has a girlfriend<p>Really. And the boy has taste too, here's her bio:</p> <p>she's 16 months old, I think it's quite interesting that he would choose an older woman, but hey, whatever makes him happy. <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /></p> <p>she has brown hair </p> <p>the sweetest smile ever</p> <p>Her name is Taia, isn't it beautiful? </p> <p>She lives in  Ottowa, Canada</p> <p>They haven't yet met, but her mother and I are great friends, we met online, how modern is that? heheee. </p> <p>Meet Taia, blowing kisses at Kaydin, while watching the video in the previous post, I'm just ooohhhing and aaahing here.</p> <p><embed src="http://img.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vidmg.photobucket.com/albums/v356/Jo-Ann/videos/12b2ff4a.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p>Dearest Jo - Thanks so much for sharing, HUGE HUGS <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /></p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-5940405370081614912007-12-30T13:28:00.001+04:002007-12-30T13:28:50.201+04:00Desert Challenge 2007, Liwa<p>So Diederik & Louise came to visit and we took them up to Liwa, there where the big dunes are. Luckily this coincided with the UAE Desert Challenge which is sort of like a test run for the guys that will be doing the Paris to Dakar rally. I'm so glad we went, what a sight! We were early and parked on a dune to wait for the riders to come through and have breakfast, some things that happened while we waited:</p> <p><font color="#bbbb00">base camp:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkDY7s1pI/AAAAAAAAAFI/yCpOv4_aAEA/IMG%20047%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="257" alt="IMG 047" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkEo7s1qI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/dg_R9z_zLpg/IMG%20047_thumb%5B1%5D" width="373" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><font color="#bbbb00">the k-man:</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkGY7s1rI/AAAAAAAAAFY/XqAM_ru9Hrk/IMG%20058%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="260" alt="IMG 058" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkHY7s1sI/AAAAAAAAAFg/13zJPnn7g4w/IMG%20058_thumb%5B1%5D" width="377" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkIo7s1tI/AAAAAAAAAFo/nIGiri3UrEc/IMG%20057%5B6%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="266" alt="IMG 057" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkJo7s1uI/AAAAAAAAAFw/VkLz-1jGIgI/IMG%20057_thumb%5B4%5D" width="377" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkKo7s1vI/AAAAAAAAAF4/jIITSxItTvQ/IMG%20056%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="265" alt="IMG 056" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkMI7s1wI/AAAAAAAAAGA/rl-Jsp2bGho/IMG%20056_thumb%5B1%5D" width="385" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkNY7s1xI/AAAAAAAAAGI/VyqVdG8iDDY/IMG%20091%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="269" alt="IMG 091" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkOo7s1yI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/IJTB5IM1IaE/IMG%20091_thumb%5B1%5D" width="390" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkP47s1zI/AAAAAAAAAGY/OPFjDZVb7C8/IMG%20077%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="271" alt="IMG 077" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkQ47s10I/AAAAAAAAAGg/Lw6wkJv1SsI/IMG%20077_thumb%5B1%5D" width="393" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkR47s11I/AAAAAAAAAGo/NW8MXyWrMXY/IMG%20073%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="275" alt="IMG 073" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkTI7s12I/AAAAAAAAAGw/vUUbaYEGBh8/IMG%20073_thumb%5B1%5D" width="399" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkU47s13I/AAAAAAAAAG4/u4bVH17yIhQ/IMG%20070%5B4%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="278" alt="IMG 070" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkWI7s14I/AAAAAAAAAHA/OXd6cLyJAiE/IMG%20070_thumb%5B2%5D" width="400" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Gideon then decided we weren't at the right place, so we took off to find where the bikes will come past and we were just in time. Taken VERY quickly out of the car window:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkXo7s15I/AAAAAAAAAHI/eV7cmuExYAk/IMG%20123%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="275" alt="IMG 123" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkY47s16I/AAAAAAAAAHQ/_2JBMskPdTk/IMG%20123_thumb%5B1%5D" width="399" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>And here's some more from the better vantage point where we eventually parked:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkbY7s17I/AAAAAAAAAHY/ZSsUmBACOOY/IMG%20130%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="275" alt="IMG 130" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkdI7s18I/AAAAAAAAAHg/qgQje4yJTGM/IMG%20130_thumb%5B1%5D" width="399" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkeY7s19I/AAAAAAAAAHo/FMcrIp13MsY/IMG%20140%5B4%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="280" alt="IMG 140" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkf47s1-I/AAAAAAAAAHw/n0DIcx50E7k/IMG%20140_thumb%5B2%5D" width="403" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkhY7s1_I/AAAAAAAAAH4/4g_hk8JHCgo/IMG%20155%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="281" alt="IMG 155" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkj47s2AI/AAAAAAAAAIA/7n-vuXQHdaw/IMG%20155_thumb%5B1%5D" width="408" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dklY7s2BI/AAAAAAAAAII/d6h-5uHj0zc/IMG%20165%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="282" alt="IMG 165" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkm47s2CI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/1xdXEhRmIr4/IMG%20165_thumb%5B1%5D" width="409" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkoI7s2DI/AAAAAAAAAIY/Ui0slDArOCg/IMG%20160%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="286" alt="IMG 160" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkpI7s2EI/AAAAAAAAAIg/UR_4h6luBys/IMG%20160_thumb%5B1%5D" width="415" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and then the trucks came!!! <img alt="Smile" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/regular_smile.gif" /></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkqY7s2FI/AAAAAAAAAIo/SH_phB9deTI/IMG%20252%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="356" alt="IMG 252" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkrY7s2GI/AAAAAAAAAIw/eGA0T5P852M/IMG%20252_thumb%5B1%5D" width="384" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkso7s2HI/AAAAAAAAAI4/4gQO33x-G7E/IMG%20253%5B5%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="262" alt="IMG 253" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkt47s2II/AAAAAAAAAJA/3e4xGTZPRFk/IMG%20253_thumb%5B3%5D" width="375" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dku47s2JI/AAAAAAAAAJI/2VOBaS1k0fQ/IMG%20256%5B5%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="262" alt="IMG 256" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkwI7s2KI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/pj45h5iLnBE/IMG%20256_thumb%5B3%5D" width="373" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and THEN the police came to say hallo, how cool is this shot? Gids took the camera up the hill and just as he was coming back down he saw the chopper and snapped away <img alt="Open-mouthed" src="http://messenger.msn.com/MMM2006-04-19_17.00/Resource/emoticons/teeth_smile.gif" /></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkxI7s2LI/AAAAAAAAAJY/RscAND4hbnM/IMG%20262%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="241" alt="IMG 262" src="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkx47s2MI/AAAAAAAAAJg/4LT8szSNh1w/IMG%20262_thumb%5B1%5D" width="350" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dkzI7s2NI/AAAAAAAAAJo/exwhkGvyZwI/IMG%20264%5B3%5D"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="238" alt="IMG 264" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R3dk0I7s2OI/AAAAAAAAAJw/8WPN5T3KMB4/IMG%20264_thumb%5B1%5D" width="345" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Totally cool!! So, if anyone's interested, round about October next year we're going camping at Liwa to watch the whole race, it's still a bit warm that time of year but it should be quite an experience.</p> <p>We had a lovely visit with Diederik and Louise and she decided to discover that she's pregnant, while with us! So special! So we have a new pregnant fairy in the family and as far as I know she and baba is doing quite well (HINT HINT you two, LOL!)</p> <p>We then had a small breather, before Chantel's parents arrived for their visit over christmas. More later, I still need to process those pictures, but I can tell you, I got spoiled rotten and the K-man quite enjoyed his first christmas too. I'm now thinking of what to do for his birthday, which is only EIGHT days away!!!! I can't actually believe how the time flew. He's growing up really fast now and does something new everyday, the latest is to stick his tongue out, rather hysterical :)</p> <p>Here's a video of him the other day, giggling away at Gideon making funny noises.</p> <p> <embed src="http://i77.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/MOV04886.flv" width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" /></p> <p>much love to all</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-80091888926128400642007-12-17T00:36:00.001+04:002007-12-17T00:36:29.292+04:00back online!<p>whhooooopi kaaayyyyyeeeeah!</p> <p>right, get coffee or your beverage of choice, this might just turn into a long post :-)</p> <h3><em>moving ... </em></h3> <p>You wouldn't think that this could be a whole topic on it's own. Then again, maybe you would. So the big day arrived and the packers and the boxes found each other, sometimes more successfully than other times and it took them three trips to get everything at the new house. </p> <p>Way before that happy moment though we had a couple of incidents, don't we always? At about lunch time they all trooped out of the door with a friendly wave and said bye-bye, going for lunch back in a bit. No problem we say, thankful for the breather. Until we noticed that they went for lunch using the moving truck as their means of transport, which in itself is not a problem. When you realise however, that they left for lunch in the moving truck which is halfway packed with your boxes and furniture, it becomes slightly concerning ... Gideon made a moderately frantic phone call to the manager who ensured him the people and the truck and our belongings will all return. Very well said Gideon, but we don't know what they've packed in there and we must find just one little screw missing when we unpack and there will be some serious uncomfortable moments for certain people that are supposed to be in charge. The manager person ensured Gideon that we really shouldn't panic. Sure enough, about an hour later half of the troops returned. I noticed they were back and waited with great anticipation for them to start packing the rest of the house. I waited some more and a little bit more and by 20 minutes later with absolutely no activity went looking for them. Here they were calmly sitting on the front stoep, playing with cell phones, talking and joking and generally having a merry good time. When I asked why in the [bleep] were they not packing I got some incoherent answer in stupid-English. I asked again, this time also using stupid-English, hoping that my question will be understood ... hhmmmm, not so much but after much frustration and hand signals I managed to understand. They were waiting for their colleagues to return and the lunch hour wasn't over yet. My response was something to the effect of: "Then why in allah's name do you bother to return before the time and confuse the madam entirely?" Keeping in mind that I was by this time in no mood for any excuse whatsoever and was generally just a smidgen irritated. I did manage to not [bleep] them. They eventually got their asses into gear and continued the work. </p> <p>When it was finally time for me to go to the new house with Kaydin and our assorted paraphernalia, Gideon very kindly called with a warning. The people that were supposed to have moved out of the majilis and the maids room, haven't. We were moving into an occupied house ... ! That was almost the last straw, in tears, exhausted from a very long day and totally not amused, I arrived here and Gideon was not kidding, not even a little bit! The dude's stuff was all over the place! The majilis, the kitchen, the stoep and the maids room, his stuff was everywhere! At least Gideon and Gideon moved it out of the room and onto the stoep so that we could move our furniture in. As you can imagine, It was just a little bit chaotic.</p> <p>I spent the rest of the week cleaning the kitchen and unpacking boxes. We're almost completely settled just a few more things like curtains and pictures to sort out.</p> <p>Oh, and we watched the rugby final at the new house! Some seriously nice people over at showtime came to install the dish through all the chaos of the move and that night, Gids and I parked our very tired bodies on the couches, we placed the cooler box with the beers for Gideon and wine for me in between us and we didn't move. I thought we were quite organised :-)</p> <h3><em>the news in pictures ...</em></h3> <p>There are a couple of people here that want to convince me that I really should take photo's professionally. They even paid me money to take photo's of their kids and to make it into Christmas cards! The mind boggles but does not complain :-) Here are a couple of samples:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMAUcURiI/AAAAAAAAADI/ghStP7N-xPQ/card-a%5B12%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="271" alt="card-a" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMBkcURjI/AAAAAAAAADQ/vEDmXB79vp8/card-a_thumb%5B10%5D" width="394" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMC0cURkI/AAAAAAAAADY/UBHPYqz1kGc/card-c%5B14%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="446" alt="card-c" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMEEcURlI/AAAAAAAAADg/So2ISvi4u5o/card-c_thumb%5B12%5D" width="310" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMFkcURmI/AAAAAAAAADo/PxR5c2iwMGU/IMG_2087b%5B10%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="296" alt="IMG_2087b" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMG0cURnI/AAAAAAAAADw/b43zseXONzU/IMG_2087b_thumb%5B8%5D" width="430" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Thanks for the opportunity ladies and for putting your trust in me :-)</p> <h3><em>the kaydin kronikles</em></h3> <p>the K-man is crawling like a champ and standing up against everything and everyone. We still only have 7 teeth though the grumpy-level indicates that we might have more on the way. I was convinced I saw the eye-teeth the other day, but nope not yet. Here then some eye-candy. Promise to post more soon.</p> <p>early morning:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMIEcURoI/AAAAAAAAAD4/LyuN1M9Snd0/IMG_1996%5B11%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="273" alt="IMG_1996" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMJEcURpI/AAAAAAAAAEA/h89l86pHGnE/IMG_1996_thumb%5B9%5D" width="401" border="0" /></a></p> <p>helping daddy wash the car </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMKUcURqI/AAAAAAAAAEI/HhzWBiIPFPI/IMG_1997%5B8%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="280" alt="IMG_1997" src="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMLkcURrI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/ZHxLDcQzaLE/IMG_1997_thumb%5B6%5D" width="412" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>HA! found the exhaust pipe:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMM0cURsI/AAAAAAAAAEY/Lc1Z6CFqXyE/IMG_2000%5B9%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="288" alt="IMG_2000" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMN0cURtI/AAAAAAAAAEg/Y-lBS2ga6fM/IMG_2000_thumb%5B7%5D" width="423" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMPEcURuI/AAAAAAAAAEo/Dh_njozE1rc/IMG_2008%5B8%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="295" alt="IMG_2008" src="http://lh6.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMQEcURvI/AAAAAAAAAEw/e4ipMtVvW3g/IMG_2008_thumb%5B6%5D" width="434" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>and then he had to get shoes because by now he scraped some skin off his little toe :-)) Gia, do they look familiar? :))</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMRkcURwI/AAAAAAAAAE4/g-rUlLiQXxY/IMG_2011%5B8%5D"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="312" alt="IMG_2011" src="http://lh5.google.com/marianne.huyser/R2WMS0cURxI/AAAAAAAAAFA/vd5IUSwzHaI/IMG_2011_thumb%5B6%5D" width="459" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Right, that's it for now. Promise I won't make you wait so long before I post again :-))</p> <p> </p> <p>much love to all</p> mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-465727910359489543.post-56138905996325263762007-10-18T23:28:00.000+04:002007-10-19T01:29:31.570+04:00A wedding, a hat and a couple of boxes<span style="font-family:arial;">The wedding would be the neighbours across the road from us. And how do I know that there's a wedding you ask, this is how:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/IMG_1161.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The locals adorn their homes with these beautiful lights when there's a wedding in the family. So pretty, I thought.<br /><br />And how is a hat connected to all of this? Well not at all, it just made the title sound funky. There is a hat though, on the boy's head. I bought this yesterday and he's not quite sure what to do with it ...<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/IMG_1187.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/IMG_1168.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/IMG_1174.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/IMG_1173.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j46/maz_08/IMG_1182.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And the boxes? Well, we're finally moving!! Our timing sucks BIG time though, we're moving on Saturday .... yes, Rugby World Cup Final Day!!! We should be mostly done though by the time the game is on. This presented yet another problem, where and how will we be watching the game? Try and get our cable company to do the installation on Saturday and therefore have no problem, or disconnect and go watch elsewhere? Well, turns out the cable company is closed on Friday and Saturdays, they can do it on Sunday or Monday there. Yes, the problem is crystal clear to me too. So we decided we're leaving the tv and decoder and associated paraphernalia, we'll come back to the old house to watch the game here :) How's that for making sure we see the game!!<br /><br />And how are we doing with the packing you might wanna know? Well, um, not so much, LOL!! I've packed one box with Kaydin's clothes, there's an empty one in the lounge, waiting for dvd's. The rest is in the storeroom and will be hauled out with much fanfare tomorrow on the holy Friday. We're talented that way, procrastinate is our mutual hobby. That's why, if it wasn't for the last minute, nothing in this house would ever be done! Now, just before you panic, we're only packing our personal stuff, clothes, jewelery, dvd's etc, the moving company will bring some more boxes and people and they find each other and my cabinets and they pack for us. They also dismantle the furniture and then assemble again at the new house. I get to pack the boxes out though, it's cool, then I know where everything is.<br /><br />HA!!! and speaking of EWAB! Friends of ours, Chantel and Gideon took this to new heights, here we thought camping was a really cool way of avoiding the work of packing and moving, but no, they went and won tickets to the final, yes, THAT final!! Too cool and I stand in awe at the skill it took, to upstage us in such a spectacular way!! heheeee<br /><br />I'm also signing off with this post. Those of you that remember the move last year will know that the new connection might take a week or a month or just a few days, it really does depend on how the forces that be feel on that particular day. So we're holding thumbs that we'll at least be able to watch tv and have our internet connection very, very soon thereafter. Inshallah ... habibi, inshallah<br /><br />And last, but definitely not least, GO BOKKE!!!!!!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>mariannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14040284717683743287noreply@blogger.com6