Mom and Dad’s 18th Anniversary Card and Some Photos

My mom and dad celebrated 18 years of marriage on Sunday the 8^th.  I decided to make them a beautiful wedding anniversary card for their special day, along with a few other things which I hope to share with you very soon!  

I used a lovely wedding stamp which my sweet friend gave to me, along with lots of paper roses and pretty paper! I so enjoyed putting this card together and I would like to enter the following challenges with it:

Anything Goes Challenge for 'Anything Goes', Tip Top Tuesday for 'Anything Goes' and Bearly Mine Challenge, also for 'Anything Goes'

We got done very quickly on Sunday so we could go for a picnic at Jubilee Creek. Being in the middle of the very hot season, we went early to secure a shady spot near the water and Mom packed a delicious lunch the night before.

Beth and Gabrielle splashing in the creek.

Nancy baked yummy chocolate and vanilla  cookies for tea time.

This is beautiful Jubilee Creek where we enjoyed Mom and Dad’s special day.

Sofia who is three months today!!  Isn’t she so cute?

Gabrielle...

...And Rebekah.

I’m so proud of you, Mom and Dad!  Love you lots!

Photographs from the Last Few Weeks

December is such a busy time of year for us!  Here are a few photographs of the last few outings we have done and I hope to back and blogging regularly soon!!

We celebrated Christmas as a family and the little ones were delighted with their gifts...so were Nancy and I!  Read more on Nancy’s blog here. 

This is my Christmas present from my mom and dad which I just adore! A beautiful sewing kit in beautiful boxes which I’ve already started using!

We went to visit friends of ours who were on holiday from Cape Town the other day and spent the whole time in the swimming pool! We had a lovely afternoon and were so sad when the day ended!

Mommy and her adorable baby enjoying some sunshine.

Sweet Gabrielle in her tube.

 I took Rebekah for a swim in the ‘deep water’ and she loved it!

Rebekah and Gabrielle sharing a moment together.

Beth...relaxing! 

Nancy’s blue eyes...aren’t they beautiful?

On one particular morning this week we headed down to Myoli Beach in Sedgefield to go for a swim.  When we arrived it started pouring with rain, so Dad asked God to let it clear so we could play at the beach, and guess what?  It did!  Nancy and I were able to have a fantastic time in the waves!  Dad took all these stunning photographs...I think he did a pretty good job!

Gabrielle at Myoli Beach

Little miss Rebekah

My dad took this photograph of me ducking under the waves at Myoli Beach...isn’t it interesting?

I love this one of Gabrielle lying on the beach. Look at her reflection in the sand...beautiful!

Beth going boogie boarding!

A sunflower plant came up in our garden a few months ago, and now we are enjoying yellow sunflowers which never seem to stop blooming!

P.S. Sensational Sewing Challenge is open for another month (till end of January 2012) so please enter all your Christmas makes HERE. Remember, I’m offering a PRIZE, so don’t miss it!!

Blessings,

Kelly-Anne

Outing to the Kouga River

On Saturday my family went for a drive through the Kouga Mountain Range for the afternoon. Beth and I stayed at home because we weren’t feeling so well. Beth was very disappointed because they went with another family who are good friends of ours. Their daughter is the same age as Beth and she and Beth adore each other!

I asked my dad to please take lots of photographs so that I could feel like I was there too and of course, so that I could share them on my blog!

Signposts showing the way to the Kouga.

My dad took some gorgeous pictures on the drive:

My mom says that these photos don’t do justice to the beauty of the Kouga…

A lovely, long gravel road leading to the river...

Magnificent hills!

Look at this amazing piece of countryside!  We have lived in many different places here in South Africa and it has been wonderful to see the different vegetation and geological formations!

A little closer using the zoom...

Then they arrived at the Kouga River which is Port Elizabeth’s main water supply.

The river almost looks glossy or like glass...it is so romantic and beautiful!

A gurgling stream...

Everyone getting ready for a swim!

Miss Gabrielle getting ready to splash in the water...but, oh...it was cold!

Well done, she got in – look at her sweet face!

 

Rebekah waiting for her turn in the water

Then it was time to take the long, stunning road home...

A lovely afternoon, beautiful scenery and a cool swim...what a life!

Blessings,

Kelly-Anne

Swimming Lessons

Wednesdays are swimming days for the homeschooled children in Twee Riviere.
There are two age groups: over 10yrs and under 10yrs. The older children swim in one of the local dams under my dad’s tutelage as he is a qualified swimming coach, and the little ones swim in a pool with another homeschooling mom coaching them.

Practising different strokes

 

We have some free time to play when we finish the lesson.

The dam is situated in a beautiful part of the countryside.
That’s our house you can see in the distance on the left.
Aren’t we so blessed?

Have a lovely week ahead!

Blessings,
Kelly-Anne

Hot Days And Swimming

It has been so hot here in the Langkloof!  In the afternoons we sometimes get thunder and lightning and heavy rain! We go swimming almost every day in the leiwater channel to at least try and cool off, but once we get out and come back to the house, we are already almost dry!  Sometimes we go swim in a dam (there are lots of dams around here) or in the river, but the channel is closest to the house, so most of the time we go there!

When swimming in the channel you need at least two people – one to block up one end of the pipe...

And another to sit on the other end...
Once the water reaches a certain level, you stand up and the water gushes through the pipe and the person sitting on the far end pops out and gets to have a refreshing ‘dunk’!


Then very quickly the person who blocked up the pipe runs to join the person who is being dunked with gushing water so you can enjoy yourselves together!

The other night we were so hot from playing games outside that we decided to go and have a dip (this was at 8:00pm)! It was lots of fun!
We are really enjoying ourselves here on Bethany farm!
Have a wonderful week!

Blessings,
Kelly-Anne