Family family family!

The kiddos and I flew back home last Wednesday, while Andre is driving home tonight. Very glad to have him home after a busy week with the kids! However, there have been some really fun parts to this week, for me. On Friday I got to go to a CD release party for an old friend, Matthew Perryman Jones, whose music is fantastic (find him at www.mpjmusic.com). Since Husbie was out of town, I went with my friend Bobbi Jo, who is an awesome photographer and took the shot below (find her at www.bobbijobrooks.com). We had the best time out!

The rest of the weekend we had such fun family time! My aunt Tracy and her husband and kids flew in from South Africa, as they are visiting the States for three weeks. They spent the weekend here with us, flew down to Disney yesterday for four days and then go up to Illinois to be with my parents for another two weeks or so. We saw them last year on our trip to Cape Town, so they had met Jack then but they hadn't met any of Nessa's girls or Steve's little Wyn. We had such a great time with them, although we kept them very busy! Coke factory on Saturday morning, family cookout at Nessa's that evening. Church then lunch at Steve's on Sunday. Then dinner at our house followed by the Stone Mountain laser show. They spent Monday at the mall, experiencing the wonder of the American SHOPS!! The boys went to Sean's softball game that evening while us girls had dinner together and then we sent them off to Disney yesterday morning. Whew!

Jack reunited with his cousins after two months away...so happy!

The big kids "helping" me make dessert on Saturday night, with my cousin Lauren keeping things under control!

Granny, my cousin Lauren, my aunt Tracy, Nolen, and my cousin David, with all our kiddos (Granny's 6 great-grandchildren!)

Waiting for the laser who on Sunday night (all the kids were home so we had fun adult time!)

Me and my siblings

Ness and Gran

Me and my Gran

Steve and Gran

Granny with 5 of her 7 grandchildren

Cousins

We went a little snap happy with my brother's wonderful camera, when they were up visiting at my parents a couple of weeks ago. Kids are such fun subjects! And Sophie and Wyn were so funny together! Even though they are three months apart, they are about the same size (although Wyn has passed Sophie in weight now!).

Not very ladylike, Soph!

That's better!

This is fun

Let's cuddle

Or we could just naval gaze for a bit

Or eat my hands

Are we done yet?!

No, wait, I'm having fun now!

Happy Wyn, tired Sophie

Sweetness!

Time to say goodbye...

After spending two months in Illinois with my parents, we are finally packing up and heading home tomorrow. It's been a wonderful time for lots of reasons and I'm sure it'll take some adjusting when we get back home! The Husbie has had several remodeling projects up here which is why we stayed so long. Anyway, although we've been away from home, I've felt awfully busy and haven't kept up with the blog. So, for your viewing pleasure, here's a recap of our trip :

We celebrated Mum's birthday before she left for her trip to England

We weaned Jack off his pacifier, high chair and bib! He is so proud to sit in a big chair now!

And Sophie started rice cereal and apple sauce

Liesl and her boys visited

Sophie turned 5 months old....

And then six...

The peonies bloomed, and then the roses and now June has brought the hydrangeas out. There is nothing like having fresh flowers in the house!

We celebrated Mother's Day...

And then Father's Day

Mum returned from England...

And brought back Granny who is visiting from Cape Town

Sophie went swimming for the first time

And Jack learned to swim with water wings!

Cousin Wyn came to visit

And helped Sophie celebrate her half birthday!

And Jack spent most of his time outside playing with the dogs...

Swinging on the new playground (or "mine park" as he calls it) that Daddy put up in the back garden

And generally being a boy!

And don't ask me what I've been doing all this time. Whenever someone asks me that, and I can't come up with anything worthwhile, I simply say, "Keeping the children alive"!

Father's Day 2012

We've had a fun weekend celebrating the dad's in our lives! And so glad to be up here in Illinois to spend time with my Dad this year. Last night we went out for dinner with Mum and Dad. And even the kiddos didn't do too badly at the restaurant. Thankfully.

Yummy dinner out at Longhorn Steakhouse on Saturday night

Mum and Dad left this afternoon for a little holiday so we got some last minute shots of Dad and the kiddos together before they left. Jack has had the BEST time spending so much time with his Grandpa while we've been here the past two months. They're buddies for sure :)

Happy Father's Day to my Dad...so glad to be able to spend it with you this year. We love you Dad (and Grandpa!)

Just as we started a tradition for Mother's Day this year, we've begun a Father's Day one too. I packed a picnic of Andre's favorite foods and we chose a fun place to go  this afternoon after naps. As the kiddos get older, they can help pick out the special food we put in the picnic for Daddy. We had such a fun outing and enjoyed the gorgeous sunny day down at the waterfront.

Happy Father's Day to our dear Daddy...we are so proud of you and thankful for you. We love you!!!

Sophie loved the fresh air and sunshine

Summertime picnics...one of my favorite things

Teaching Sophie how to open the bottle

The boy and his bike

Me and my girl

And Daddy let me drive!

Happy Birthday and the Zoo

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful sister today!! You are a wonderful sister, wife, friend and mom to your three littles. Love you Ness!

Recent pic of Ness with her three girls

I'm so behind on posts from our time here in Illinois, but thought I'd post what we did today. Being a beautiful day here, we decided to visit the local zoo. Granny treated us and even got a wagon for Jack to ride on, much to his delight!

Visiting the ponies in the petting zoo...they are housed in a barn-like structure and as soon as Jack saw the building he yelled, "I go visit the farm, Mom!"

He had great fun pulling the wagon, as well as riding in it

Posing with the zebra's in the background at the Africa exhibit

Sophie was actually there too!

Magnificent giraffes...Granny and I were commenting that although we're from Africa and have seen giraffes in the wild, neither of us had ever seen a giraffe that close before! They are truly beautiful and such graceful creatures.

Watching the lioness sunning herself up on the rocks

Posing by the tiger statue, as the real tiger was new and still getting used to his "park". He didn't want to make an appearance today!

What a fun outing..thanks for taking us Granny! And the kids slept for three hours this afternoon. Bonus to a busy morning!