Amazing skies at dusk. The days are getting warmer and the cloud-scape has been nothing short of amazing. Rather therapeutic to watch them move and change their shape, flitting across the wide expanse of the skies.

** Photo taken on Olympus E-PL2

We are still settling into a routine, to get to work and mind the kids. I am thankful for productive days where I can just craft and prepare new releases for Valentine’s.

** Photo taken on Olympus E-PL2

Warm days always need some cooling off. We stopped by Cold Storage and cooled down at the dairy section. Cool breezes anyone?

** Photo taken with the iphone 4S

With Jayden and Kathlene being in school, there’s been time to sneak in a breakfast with friends. Young and younger! Lil A4 being all smiley during one of them morning brekkies when we are all half awake.

** Photo taken with the iphone 4S

Kathlene is still trying to overcome her disgust for sand. She absolutely hates the feeling of sand under her feet. Eeeeyuck! Playgrounds though, are still a lot of fun. Nevermind that I still miss the old concrete playgrounds I had growing up.

** Photo taken with the iphone 4S

Tea with a friend, and a photowalk is always a welcome treat. Antoinette with its french delights, was a delightful treat to the senses. Much cheaper than a trip out to Paris anyday.

** Photos taken with Olympus E-PL2

Quite frankly, the area has changed so much beyond recognition. I do think this was one of the better blend of old and new.

** Photos taken with Olympus E-PL2

Really really thankful to know these awesome people. From blogging to real life friends. From wedding preps, to weddings, to pregnancies, first months and birthdays. Here’s to many more to come.

** Photos taken with Olympus E-PL2

The short walk to school. Always a highlight after breakfast

** Photo taken with the iphone 4S

Me like hydrangeas. Enough said.

** Photo taken with the iphone 4S

Friday was a nice, sunlit day. With only Jayden in school, I brought Kath for a walk round the estate. Strangely familiar yet different, it was quite the novel way to teach Kath colours and nature. I was pleasantly surprised that she actually did not fuss, and that we managed quite a distance (2km!) on her little feet, before she finally decided she wanted to head home.

Sunlit days, with the amazing magnetic lens for the iphone, worked wonders.

We went out gallivanting in town today. Thankfully missing the lunch crowd by minutes, getting a table fast enough. Again, the photos were taken off the iphone. What I am thankful for today is, in my laziness to actually work with Photoshop, I managed to collage the image with apps straight off the phone. Life saver I say. If you have never tinkered around with apps, you really don’t know what you are missing out on!

** All photos taken with the iphone 4S. Amazing in my eyes.

It sure doesn’t look like it but we were minutes away from bedtime. To be more exact, we were minutes away from them actually falling asleep, and way past bedtime.

After a long day with kids, the magical moment when they doze off into the still of the night is rather welcoming. Enough said.

Nitey nite.

** All photos taken with iphone 4S

Self explanatory really. I’ve been hearing them tell tales on each other almost daily so such moments, are meant to be treasured. Kath, who only remembers being wronged, has no concept of when it occured and will persistently repeat it to anyone who would listen. Until the next wrong is done against her. Heh.

Poor Jayden. She’s really getting historical here.

** Photos from IPhone 4S as we were sending J off to school today. It is still orientation week meaning shorter hours and no lessons for K!

Today I’m thankful for a fuss-free, painless day of school. Jayden had a mini-meltdown when he started two years back. It was probably due to him having a relatively new sister. He would cry the most when I sent him off. Thankfully, drama-mama days ended within the first 2 weeks of school and never came back.

Today, Kath joined her brother in waking early and prepping for school. The novelty of it all far outweighed everything else and she went about orientation without a hitch. Heck, she was happy to go. As was Jayden. New school, new surroundings, but the duo were good.

They chattered non-stop after. Sharing snippets here and there. I think this is going to work!

Loving the new school uniforms. They cost a pretty penny but don’t you want to pinch their cheeks?!

** Way more pictures of Kath because I was allowed to sit in her class. And because they were slow with breakfast, we literally scampered across to school.

** All photos taken with Iphone 4S.

The new work year starts again tomorrow and we were out for a late lunch at Bakerzin. I’m thankful for the opportunity to dine out. The kids always eat better outside, they stay put in their chairs (most of the time anyway) and somehow, manage to finish their food promptly. They’d polish up their plates and be reasonably well behaved. You see a different side to these two.

Today’s treat was at Bakerzin. One of my favourites and it seems like the kids like it too. Well, save for the bread and vinegar dips that they pulled long faces at. I guess we’d be back?

Now to finish up with the preparations for the first day back at school for J and K. Frankly, I’m thankful for that too! But that’s another thanksgiving item for another day.

This new year, I’m trying a new pet project. 365 days of thanksgiving; one item a day. One whole year through. I never quite made it through with my photo-a-day series last year so let’s see how far along I’d get with this. At the end of it all, I figure, this will make a painless yet awesome photobook no? (yes yes, me and my infatuation with photobooks!)

Today, I’m thankful for playdates. We were invited by WM to her place for a chill out playdate. It didn’t start out smooth, with a fair bit of chaos but it settled down nicely in the end. The ball pen was THE place where friendships were made. The 3 older kids suddenly bonded over the plastic balls and finally, could play together.

Playdates are always fun. Watching the kids warm up, easing into a state of comfortable interaction. It’s also when you see the differences in age groups. The younger tods were terrorised by these two. Tsktsk. Still, all in, a lovely afternoon. Perfect occasion to go trigger happy and ogle at babies.

And yes, thank you, two are enough.

**  All photos taken with the Olympus EPL2. A ‘featherweight’ compared to the Canon 1000D. Perfect occasion to tinker with the (new) camera!

Just like that, the year is ending. Just like that, 2012 is coming. Both kids will be in school, their new school and they are pretty darn excited. Good for us. Hopefully, the transition will be much easier as compared to when J first started out in pre-N.

So, we’d see you again in 2012… Till then, cheers!

We’ve been somewhat busy and all over about town. We finally settled down to seriously celebrate Christmas. Here’s wishing one and all a very Blessed Christmas.

(Hopefully, more regular updates will follow soon. Else, you can just hop over to flickr!)

We snuck the kids out to the movies just now. Never mind that it’s a weekday and there’s school for Jayden tomorrow. The term is almost ending. Not like last minute cramming is going to get him all that much smarter.

So, mum and I packed both kids out of the house and barely made it in time for the show. We managed to grab dinner. Something of a feat if you asked me.

It was quite an experience. Thanks to C, we got gala premiere tickets to Happy Feet 2. A photobooth was set up, balloon man (we realised too late) and face/hand painting galore. Kids obviously tickled by the fanfare.

Plus… Glasses. Or what looked like sunglasses to them. Think they must have been in heaven.

Kath didn’t take well to the darkness, loud music and well, larger than life characters on screen. Didn’t help that it was 3D. She freaked out and kept asking to go out. She finally calmed down, spending pretty much the entire time on my lap. She was rather disappointed when the show ended.

‘what? But I was just getting started!’

Jayden on the other hand, enjoyed himself. Though I suspect the show is a tad long for the boy. He sat by himself, watched attentively and didn’t flinch at the looming images. Plot was somewhat lost on him but he caught on after some explanation.

All in, a nice break from routine.

** I personally liked Happy Feet better. I do admit the cheesy funny songs in Part 2 were entertaining!