Fire Station Photos

Gioia's little playgroup is on FACEBOOK, so I was thrilled to find photos on the site from the Fire Station outing that included me! Search FB under Blink Ogies, Johan, there are plenty more!

My little sick toddler, in rainbow shoes

Gioia has had a very bad cough since Sunday.  Monday a super snotty nose followed, along with sneezing and weezing.  Eating vitamins is not a problem, but administering 5ml of anti-biotics via a syringe has turned into a challenge.  On day one I coaxed her with sweets and promises but once she tasted the bitter tasting liquid, it was tickets. I am so grateful I only have to give the milky mixture to her twice a day because I have to wrestle her down on the floor, like one would a python.  I wrap my legs around her waist to keep her from squirming and I pin her one arm to her back like a WWF wrestler would and then I lie on her second arm and somehow manage to shoot the meds in one painful ml at a time.  She mock vomits which makes me mock vomit and we are both so frustrated and red faced by the time the ordeal is over.  I wish so that the wonderful world of medicine would come up with a different system of adminisering their drugs to little ones. Its so tiresome.

Ashely - My personal Baker

Some of Ashley's latest creations!

Rainbow shoes

As a rule, I only buy Gioia the cutest shoes in the shop.  I found these 'Turtles' this morning while en route to the pharmacy to pick up some interflora for her.  They were on sale for R59! Im considering buying a another pair one size larger because who doesn't want to wear rainbows on their little feet every day.

Girlie Shoes

Labels for Gioia's shoes

For her shoes and lunch box etc.

Cute hey!

This chick has me singing in my car

I love her first track...her music sounds like a tame Amy Winehouse

A warning to Gioia's future boyfriends

I mentioned to Johan last night via google chat that his Gioia really likes boys!  She plays so nicely with Liam and Cian and she points out to me all the time that they are infact boys! Johan emailed this to me and asked me to print it out and stick it on her door.  Overkill?  Which one are you Johan? The beefy dude on the left or the weapon weilding crazy mask guy on the right...lets clear that up too!

Creative labels for kids

http://www.itsmine.co.za/, great site! I am ordering the shoe recogniser labels so she can tell left from right! I have also made a note of their magnetized party invites, for future parties.

Ideas for our new home

When I am paging through magazines in doctors offices or hair salons and I see a great idea I take a BB photo of it for my inspirational home folder on my laptop.  These are some findings from last week.  I love the headboards!

Hazeldean food market

I am in love with this mouth watering food market.  Its on every Saturday morning and I cant wait to take Johan there when he is home for a family style picnic.  The selection of food is amazing and unique and there are tables and benches under the trees for the patrons with or without their kiddies in tow.  Its a good idea to pack a bottle or two of wine and seat yourself in the shade and then to stuff your pie hole with delicious dely style snacks.  The smell of fresh filter coffee wafts on by on a breeze along with passion fruit muffins, giant pancakes and fresh cut flowers. 

Who are you?

If you ask Bean who she is in terms of different family members she will tell you the following.  Granny's Sweetie pie, Grandfather's Girlie, Claire's Monkey, Justin's Gammat, Mommy's Big girl or Sunshine and Daddy's Angel.  She is also able to tell you Tuesday follows Monday and the first few letters of the alphabet. To top all this off, she can sing her first Afrikaans song about a tortoise and his shell.  This tickles me pink!

Liam and Gioia

These two kiddos are able to chase each other for 3 hours straight.  They only took short breaks to bake bread, eat bread and a post bread loo stop. 

Shy Girl

''Mary Hair''?

A different look for Gioia.

Need help picking a baby name?

I love this site and their blog.  Very hip, current and fun! http://nameberry.com/

Siblings + Gioia

Rare weekend together

Travelling is Bliss

Just sit back and enjoy the ride

Oh the smell!

Since Gioia thinks milk and eggs come from the fridge, I have taken it upon myself to enlighten her, so off we toodled on an outing to the Irene milk farm.  There you can see, from a safe distance, how they milk the big brown cows with their bursting udders.  Bean was amazed and so was I...me more so about the fact that I was not coping with that farmy live animal smell!  A pic nic ensued on the green green grass and fun was had by all.

Easter chocolate fest begins

Christina, my gym buddy, bought Bean her first Easter egg for this year.  It came in a bunny's head, teaspoon in hand and Gioia just beamed when I handed it over.  She gushed and even gasped as she asked "for me?"

Chocolate face

Name stickers printed

Happy name stickers to mark ownership of their reading books, DVD's and lunch boxes.

Out of the mouth of Gioia

I want to document a few quirky things Gioia has sprouted lately.  We were on our way to cooks club Monday and she yelled at me from her back seat that I must please look at her, I explained that I cant take my eyes off the road so she yelled back across the loud music unsympathetically that I must turn and look at her or must she speak slower to me!

At cooks club, Michelle was quizzing the would be chefs about eggs.  She asked Gioia where eggs come from, to which my toddler replied ''from Mommy's house'', Michelle agreed with her and went on the ask ''but who makes them?'' Gioia replied that ''Lena (our domestic) does''.

Mandie, her first teacher, called me after Gioia attended her first class, to tell me that Gioia observed a fellow class mate having a late breakfast at school.   Gioia, who had had breakfast, walked over to Mandie and proceeded to politely place her order of oats, as it would seem Blink Ogies is a take away not a day care facility.

Oh so ready for school this morning

Save the Date cards - NOT MY DESIGN, but so cute non the less

Acorn Kids Easter Special - Bath Crayons



Email me should you want to order
lvbenade@gmail.com



Party Box

Fire Station with a Fire Truck

Gioia's school outing was such a blast! They made us feel very important by taking us for a drive in the huge red truck, and by letting the budding eager students open, hold, and close the powerful hose.  We all had a imprompt pic-nic in the garage and then took our excited spuds home for their well deserved naps.

Slumber Party

The little girls had a very sophisticated matchy- matchy slumber party last night.  Gioia welcomed her friends with mocktails. The umbrella embellished berry drinks were followed by a spaghetti dinner, a doubly bubbly bath and finally a classic DVD settled them.  The trio lay on the big double bed mattress on the TV room floor waiting for Mr Sandman to work his sandy magic.  Sleep-overs are sure to happen habitually in our home as Gioia just adores her girlfriends.  It’s just wonderful having such a charming enchanting girly girl that loves new adventures and is enthusiastic about novel experiences.  Thank you Williams wonder women!

Little Mommy

This weeks designs

Healthy Shortbread biscuits

Sansie and I joined the Thursday class this week at Little Cooks Club as Gioia had been a little unwell on Monday.  The class is full of children ranging in ages from two till about six.  The little chefs made shortbread biscuits in a variety of great shapes and once the baked goods came out of the oven all the moms enjoyed the treats over fruit juice and  a chit chat.  I must confess that Gioia did ALL the work and mixed all the ingredients beautifully by hand.  She certainly seems to need my help less and less as of late, and shoo-shoos me away most of the time.

So proud of this little Rascal

Blink Ogies

The first morning at school was a whopping success.  We parted tearfully but only smiles could be seen when we were re-united at 12:30.  I peeped through the window before entering the class room to see if  I could spot my blue eyed princess and there she was, banging a drum on the mat with all her new little friends.  Mandie sent me an MMS halfway through the morning of Gioia beaming at her table which made the morning without her bearable.  Friday we are joing the group for an outing to the fire station.  I think this is a very fitting first day trip for my Gioia as Johan was a 'fire man' when we met!

Courtesy MMS

5 hours without my Gioia

Mixed emotions ranging from sadness to elation have been plaguing me since early this morning.  Gioia is going to 'school' this morning!  I packed her family of owls ruck sack and  lunch bag last night and set out her clothes on her bed.  She is so excited and ready for this morning it makes me feel as though the timing is perfect, for her at least.  Update to follow aftrer 1.

Gioia's hosting her first Sleep-over

Friday the Williams girls are coming over for a christmas bed style sleep-over.  I have a whole evening planned for the girls that will include hair and face masks and pink spaghetti?  I think the highlight will be all the girls in one bed...am sure to photograph the event from the beginning to the end. Julie and are currently shopping for matching pj's for the girls.

Gioia

Afternoon in the veld

Funny hair





Patience...it takes plenty of patience

Warm water might have speeded up the process

Salon Cheval

As tradition would have it, the Benades babes visited Carmen's salon again.  Gioia sat perfectly still for a trim and blow wave as did I for a lock loving GHD treat.  I think the results speak for themselves?

Made in China?

Every little Girl needs/deserves/wants a Dolls House

I have been looking for the perfect Dolls House for Gioia/me, ever since I knew I was having a little girl.  They do however cost a small fortune, as I am sure you Mommy's know.  While visiting here with my folks we went to a beautiful new shop in the local centre, Lily's Poetry, and found the perrrrfect little house for our little girl.  It came with petite furnishings in all the colours of Mozart ice cream.  I also bought a little family for the little house, we are still negotiating the rental fees, they drive a hard bargain, so until such time or the month of November they will be residing side by side in the gift cupboard on the second floor of our family home in Kroonstad.

Matchy matchy Pink

Granny B has the most exquisite taste when it comes to cutlery and crockery and general home decor.  This morning for tea she surprised me with an all girl tea set in marshmellow pink.  For lunch Granny B set the table for Gioia in Hello Kitty (the only brand I tolerate for our kiddo), once again all pink.  It is such a happy girlie colour and drinking from a pink tea cup sure does make one feel elegant and ladylike.