Borrowed list

I borrowed this list from Arnold’s mommy, but added the clothes item myself.

End Of the Year Survey

Where did you begin ​2010?​​ At home with the children and grandchildren.
Did you have any encounters​ with the police?​​ No, fortunately none that I can remember.  No accidents, no speeding tickets.
Where​ did you go on vacation?​​ Umhlanga  Rocks (when I swam the Midmar) and Cape Town for our anniversary.
Did you know anybody​ who got marri​ed?​​ Our twin nephews: Martin and Sharon and later Hendrik and Stella.  Both Kwazisabantu weddings…. oh no those were 2009!
Did you know anybo​dy who passe​d away? Tiemie, Anne’s sister in law.  She died of diabetes.  What a shock!  Missed her at our family reunion.
What conce​rts/​​shows​ did you go to? We went to the opera once…. La Traviata.
Where​ do you live now? We’ve been living on the farm for 16 years.
Descr​ ibe your birth​day I went to the zoo with Thelwyn and Dorette and the little ones.  Dorette was still on maternity leave, but Thelwyn took a day off.   GREAT, GREAT FUN! Had lots of SMS’s but could not reply – new phone and memory was supposedly full!  Very frustrating!  Jan and I had dinner at Pachos.  Wish I had a photo of that.
Did you get any tatto​os or pierc​ing?​​ Nope.  But I was with Dorette when she had her ears pierced.
What'​​s the one thing​ you thoug​ht you would​ never​ do but did in 2010?​​
Agree that Tammy start Grade 10. 
What has/​​have been your favor​ite momen​t(​​s)​​?​​ Janita’s birth.  Outings with and visits by family and friends.
What'​​s somet​hing you learn​ed about​ yours​elf?​​ That I (I!!) have high cholesterol and that my uterus needs checking.
Any new addit​ions to your famil​y?​​ Yes! Gert and Dorette’s Janita and Hendrik and Stella’s Jean and Martin and Sharon’s Luca.
What was your best month​? May – when we had our umteenph honeymoon in the Cape.
What music​ will you remem​ber 2010 by? Waka-waka – the world cup song.
Made new frien​ds? ​Yes.  We joined a house church.  Very rewarding.
Favour​it Night​[​​s]​​ out? Our anniversary and birthday dinners.
Any regre​ts?​​ Yes, for wasted time.  But Jesus forgives me, so I can forgive myself.
What do you want to chang​e in 2011?​​ I want to lose 1.5 kg (at least), I want to be an EXCELLENT teacher.  I want to get involved with a local cell group.
Overa​ll,​​ how would​ you rate this year? On a scale from 1- 10 I would rate this year a "9".
What would​ you chang​e about​ 2010?​​ I wish I had gone to church more often. 
Other ​ than home,​​ where​ did you spend​ most of your time?​​ With Tammy.
Any life chang​es in 2010? ​No much, but I learned a lot about nutrition and have banned aspertame and margarine from the house.  Since eating the right fats and other cholesterol lowering foods, I have lost two kilograms.  I haven't had been sick at all in 2010.
Chang​ed your hairs​tyle? ​​No, but am trying to grow grey gracefully now!
Get a new job? No, I continued homeschooling Tammy for the 3rd year. 
Do you have a New Year'​​s resol​ution​?​​ Plenty! A blogpost full. More New Year’s prayers than resolutions.
Do anyth​ing embar​rassi​ng?​​ I tripped on the parking lot of a shopping centre and fell really hard – felt very stupid!
Be hones​t - did you watch​ Ameri​can Idol? No – I watched the semi-finals and finals of " South Africa’s got talent“ and  now and then  “Strictly come dancing” (BBC – we haven’t had that for a long time in S.A.) and now and then America’s “So you think you can dance.”   I’m not all that into reality shows.
Are you happy​ to see 2010 go?  Yes, what is done is done.  I look forward to 2011.  Lots of exciting projects.
Been snowb​oardi​ng? ​​I wish!
New clothes?
I got high rise jeans. Jeh!  I got a turquoise and a red dress and I love them both.  And two turqoise tops and a black top to match my turqouise and black skirts.  2010 was my turquoise year!  And practical walking sandals - less tiring than flip flops.
Been naugh​ty or nice?
I think I’ve been more nice that naughty.
What are you wishi​ng for in 2011? That’s another blogpost!

Family Reunion 2010

We had our annual “De Vos” family reunion on Gene and Lalie’s farm, Goodland in December.  I missed my mother.  She was such a practical woman and planned these events very well.  To have a place where we, as a family, could get together is the reason why she bought the farm, where we now live, in the first place.  However the family has since grown so large that is far more practical to have it at Goodland, where there is lots of space for everyone. We are now the “old people” and our children the “adults” and the great grandchildren the children.  It makes one realize how short life is!  It feels like yesterday when my sisters and I were the mommies of little ones, constantly busy taking children to the toilet, helping them in an out of swimming things, rubbing on suntan lotion and wiping sticky hands! 
I did not have my camera with me on Saturday when the L’s and Wally and Jessica were also there, but here are some pictures of Sunday morning.

We had our Sunday “service” at 10:00 in the hall.  We started by singing Ma’s favourite hymns and then Ruth and Dirk shared their horrific experience three months ago and how it had strengthened their faith: In September Ruth was in a hurry to get to work and she asked Dirk to help her to get the bakkie (pick-up) started.  Their nephew, Matty, had come unnoticed out of the house. The bakkie jumped and Matty was squashed between the wall and the house.   At first he seemed lifeless, but his grandfather, the missionary Erlo Stegen, picked him up and walked with him in the garden and prayed… he soon seemed much better and they rushed him to the hospital.  There a series of miracles happened: he was not going to survive the operation, but he did; his leg seemed white and lifeless and they were told it would have to be amputated… but after prayer, the leg was pink again…. and yet in the end he died.  The answered prayers were God’s way of saying that He is in control.  Scripture that Ruth had received (Ps 139) said “When I was woven together…All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”  This gave them great comfort.  Matty’s  parents gave a thank you letter for all the prayers and support they had received.  The scripture they mentioned in the letter was 1 Peter 5: 6-11:  “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.  Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”   We were all humbled and amazed at their faith and love and especially their determination to “LOOK UP!”

Elsabe and Koos with some of their grandchildren.  (Their 11th and 12th grandchildren arrived this month.  Jean on the 14th morning  and Luca today, 29 Dec 2010. Hendrik en Stella, Martin en Sharon: Veels geluk met die kleintjies.  Hoop julle is almal by die volgende familiefees!)
 
Koos, Jan, Cobus with Carien and Netta.

Martelize, Hendrik and Thelwyn

The family lining up for coffee and brunch after the service.

Birthday boy Jan (Cobus and Netta )with his new train.       Abia (Nelia and Jopie ) asleep in her pram.

Carien (youngest of Cobus and Netta) busy on the floor of the hall. Below: Urielle (Jopie and Nelia) and Elsabe (Cobus and Netta) with party plates.

Below: Dirk and Ruth’s 4 children: Arno, Ria, Josh and Rudi.


Eugenie and George.  (Are we hearing wedding bells??)

Ethie and Jansie (our 7 highway girl)


Last goodbyes on the stoep.  (The French don’t greet when they leave.  The Afrikaners don’t leave when they greet.)
Family, I love you!  You are all so special.  I’m looking forward to New Year’s Eve when some of us will get together again!  Hurrah for family! 

Christmas 2010

We had a very blessed Christmas with family.  On Friday night the F’s came over – at least 5 of them as this year was “in-law” Christmas for them.  The whole F and B clan will come together for our Symbol event on Old Year’s Eve  – a twenty three year old tradition that we normally keep on Christmas Eve. 

Janita in her party dress                      Martelize in her party dress

Trying to get a group photo of our grandchildren, but with wriggly Janita and camera shy two year olds, it was not too successful!

It was a lovely warm evening so we sat outside on our new extended stoep.

We usually use practical wine red or dark multicoloured tablecloths, but for this occasion, we decked all the tables in white.  When I was in the material shop I saw a bride rolling down white flimsy fabric with silver glitter and I thought it would give the tables a Chrismassy feel.  Later I realised the mommies would be uncomfortable to let the little ones eat at such a fancy table, so we got transparent plastic to cover it- my fancy white table, but practical and no fear of spills and smears.

We started the evening with a nativity “puppet show” .  Martelize immediately wanted all the animals out of the stables: she wanted “Jessica” (the horse) for herself.   They loved the Bethlehem star.

Janita trying out the gift of gold… and soon Mary was without a headband….

On Christmas morning, Gert’s brother, Hannes (left) joined us.  He brought his smart camera: we planned to have lots of family photos taken, but sadly it did not quite materialize the way I had hoped. We’ll try again another day!

We all dressed in red and blue…. but some red clothes dissapeared before the photos could be taken!  But I did get a few precious moments for my collage to be.  (Hopefully I’ll get  even better ones from Hannes and Frans.)







Most of our gifts were wrapped in newspaper – it’s cheap, fun to tear and very easy to clear up!

What is that?

Martelize trying out her new make-up.

Our little engineer busy with bottles and gravel stones.

Martelize got a trampoline from her parents.  Fun for all!

Oom Deon and Oupa Jo watching Martelize’s antics.

While everyone else had a nap, the little L’s had a splash. 
Wrapped in their new swimming towels.  (Not the most practical colours, but that is all the material shop had – sorry Dorette!)

Supper for a hungry girl!

“Bring ‘n lappie asseblief!”   This is why the plastic was a good idea!

Some more hopping on the trampoline.
Thank you Jesus that we could celebrate your birthday with such joy and happiness.