Showing posts with label Family Traditions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Traditions. Show all posts

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

Ethan's third birthday











My little builder boy requested a Lego block birthday cake.

We decided to make the most of this amazing weather and had a little picnic in the park.








Slides and swings, see-saws and jungle gyms,
kite-flying and Lego building fun.







An amazing day!!


Friday, 13 June 2014

To Ethan, on your Third Birthday



This past year has flown by... my baby boy is now my little man!
The cute curls are growing out (you have your Daddy's hair!)
and the diapers are long gone!
 Thankfully, the cuddles and kisses, the snuggles and hugs, still remain!

During the last year, you have needed me less and less.
I love your independent spirit and your perseverance.
You never give up, even if it means squeezing your toes into sneakers that are a size too small!

I miss your midnight visits - no more cold little toes creeping under the blanket,
no little voice calling out in the dark, 'want you!'
Instead, my heart swells with pride at the sight of you and Tamlyn tucked into bed reading.
Soon you will move to your Big Boy Room.
 I hope that you and Tamlyn continue with your bedtime story-time together!

You have now been in school for six months in Teacher Rose's Grade000 class.


During your first week at school, you unwound an entire roll of toilet paper around all the desks and chairs in your class. Your favourite learning activities are Bicarb-vinegar reactions (explosions)


You have also started attending Sunday School and have learnt 'The Lord's Prayer' by heart.
I am so proud of you!!!!

This year in a nutshell:

* Favorite hang-out    - Jimmy Jungles



* Love animals, sea creatures and bugs.

* When asked where you would like to go too, you answer :
     Ushaka - to see the sharks, turtles and Nemo.
                         or
    the farm - to feed the sheep and cows and ride on the pony.



                         
  You also love feeding the fish and ducks at the park and going to the blockyard with Dad.


  You've gotten over your fear of the ocean and love visits to the beach, splash pad and pool.




* Favourite Storybook - The Gingerbread Man.

* Favourite Lullaby - Over in the meadow; Baby, baby, close your lovely eyes.

* Favourite Clothes - biker jacket, takkies...





   You also love wearing shorts; call your pjs 'jimamas' and you wear your sunglasses on your head (like Dad).
  Long-sleeved formal shirts are called 'granddad's shirts' and when you wear a tie, you peek into the mirror and exclaim 'Just like Grandad!'
Wellington boots are for stomping about and killing cockroaches.

* Favourite toys - tool set, mini bobcat, lego and Tamlyn's computer.

* Favourite food - Curry, any curry, especially if it is on Mom or Dad's plate! You hate getting your fingers messed and wipe your hands at least a dozen times during the meal. Cooldrink bottles are still very precious to you-you continue to carry them around from room to room.

* Favourite T.V program - Mickey Mouse ClubHouse and Art Attack (You love to copy Alex the Big Artist and often empty your closet and arrange your clothes across the floor to create 'Big Art'.)

Whenever I bake, you are always in the kitchen. You love to lick the frosting and cake batter, and of course, sample the sprinkles! You call your chef hat 'Muffin Man hat'.


   My darling boy, I love you so very much! Your charming smile and infectious laugh brightens my day. Your sweet hugs and wet kisses never fail to make me feel better. Even your mischief antics have a special place in my heart. You have learnt so much and grown so fast in the past year. I can't wait to see what this year has in store for us.
May God bless you infinitely, my darling son. 
May 'every good and perfect gift from above' be yours,
 just as you are my 'good and perfect gift'!!!
 Happy Birthday, Ethan Micheal!!!!

Father's Week - 13\06\14



A picture says a thousand words!!!





Thursday, 12 June 2014

Father's Week - 12\06\14



Fruit Facials, anyone?


The Butterballs had a blast mixing and applying this easy fruit mask.

Ingredients: 2 mashed bananas and 2 tbls honey.

Leaves skin soft and smooth....Yummy Dad!!


Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Father's Week - 10\06\14



The Butterballs love massages! Rubbing on body lotion always involves a mini massage and the pain of little bumps and bruises are magically massaged and kissed away.

Today the Butterballs have decided to give dad a back massage.




 
After a few minutes of massaging (read: playing with the almond oil),
 the Butterballs decided to use dad's back as a jungle gym \ slippery slide.

I'm not sure who enjoyed this treat more - Calvin or the Butterballs!

Monday, 9 June 2014

Fathers Week Celebrations





Calvin is an amazing husband and an awesome Dad. He works tirelessly to provide for our family and even after a long day at work, he still finds the energy to romp around with the Butterballs.

Going out for breakfast with Dad (while Mom is at work), is one of the Butterballs favourite activities - they get to have ice-cream for breakfast!

Calvin's spur-of-the-moment excursions ensure that the Butterballs jump up and race excitedly to the door as soon as they hear his bakkie pull into the driveway.

My husband is a GREAT dad and although we try to show our appreciation everyday of the year, we like to make Father's Day extra special by dedicating an entire week to spoiling dad!

During Father's Week, Calvin gets a special treat each day to remind him how much we love him and how special he is.

We started Father's Week with a sweet treat
... a giant chocolate cupcake!
...Yum!


Friday, 6 June 2014

Birthday Traditions : Super-special Birthday Breakfast




Ethan loves frozen yoghurt so it was off to Filo's for a yummy breakfast celebration!







He looks like he's in heaven!!!

 

Monday, 2 June 2014

Birthday Traditions : Photo Shoot Fun


Both Butterballs are super excited about writing a Birthday Bucket List.
Tamlyn already has her list done even though her birthday is in September,
and her list has changed at least a dozen times in the last week!!!
What have I got myself into??!!

Ethan's Birthday Bucket List is fairly simple...He wants to:
* Fly a kite
* Visit the blockyard. Calvin runs a Construction Company and Ethan loves watching the manufacturing of the retaining blocks.
* Fix stuff....read: Bash things with a hammer!  His favourite toy from the toolbox is his hammer
 which he uses to 'fix' everything from the bathroom door to the kitchen sink!




Ethan is totally crazy about construction, building, fixing (and breaking!)
so I decided to kill two birds with one stone by doing his birthday photo shoot at the blockyard.




This mini construction shoot was sooo fun!!!
Ethan loved every second of it!!




As for his Birthday Bucket List... 1 down, 2 to go!

Friday, 30 May 2014

Fun Family Birthday Traditions

Birthday celebrations are THE highlight of the Butterballs year.
Anyone's birthday...even Milo the dog, and Boots the goldfish's birthday is the perfect excuse for a celebration.
So I try my best to make the Butterballs birthday celebrations super-special.
In addition to a little celebration at school with their classmates, 
and their themed family birthday bash, 
we have a few family birthday traditions to make their birthday month really memorable.


* Birthday Photo shoot
Each year, a week before their birthday,
 I do a mini photo shoot with the Butterballs.

The theme of the photo shoot depends on the Butterballs
favourite activities or hobbies at that time.
Ethan's second birthday shoot was taken at the playground because he was totally crazy about 'flying through the sky' on a swing.


Tamlyn's fourth birthday shoot was taken at the duckpond cos one of her favourite pastimes was feeding the ducks.


I also include balloons in their photo shoot...
what's a birthday without balloons!!!
The number of balloons represents their age - 2 balloons = 2 years old.
 
* Extra Special Breakfast
One Saturday in their birthday month is set aside for an extra special breakfast. The Birthday Butterball gets to choose where we go too for breakfast.

This year, I was hoping to include 2 new birthday traditions


* The Cupcake Wake-up Call
First thing in the morning, the family gathers around the Birthday-Butterball's bed to sing Happy Birthday, after presenting the Butterball with a candle-studded cupcake.
I'm not sure if this idea will actually work as the Butterballs are usually out of bed at dawn
...especially on their birthday!!!

* The Birthday Bucket List
I got this idea from this amazing blog 'Peanut Blossom'
The Butterballs get to choose activities that they would like to do during their birthday month. 
The activities should require very little expense and of course, are subject to Mom and Dad's approval.
The number of activities on the list depend on the Butterballs age,
so this year, Ethan will have a 3-for-3 list, where he chooses 3 activities for his third birthday.

I'll be finding out how these new traditions work out, real soon!
Ethan's birthday is just around the corner...
Can't wait!!!



Saturday, 22 March 2014

Easter Photo Shoot

In keeping with our family tradition,
 we begin our Easter count-down with an Easter-themed mini-shoot.

This year, I did a fun, mini egg-hunt with the Butterballs.
All this rain has left the grass lush and green,
perfect for a quick frolic in the sunshine!

The Butterballs totally loved rolling in the grass
 and scooping up the brightly colored eggs (which were empty)!!

Surprisingly, the lack of candy-filled eggs didn't disappoint them.
They were just so happy to be messing around outside!





Thursday, 13 February 2014

Valentine Fondue





We are officially a family of chocoholics!!
Anything and everything chocolate has our name on it!!
...and makes dieting an absolute nightmare!!

As the LOVE Day draws near, 
I decided to spoil hubby and the Butterballs
 with a yummy chocolate fondue.



I set up a dipper tray of fresh strawberries, mini heart-shaped cupcakes and strawberry marshmallows.




For the Chocolate sauce, I dropped squares of milk chocolate and a few caramels into a saucepan. I then added a generous splash of double cream and heated gently. 
The sauce was to die for!!!
A few bowls of Valentine sprinkles later and we were all set to go!

We used plastic heart-shaped drinking straws instead of skewers. 
I saw this idea on hoosierhomemade.com and just fell in love with it.
Too sweet!!



Unfortunately, the straws didn't hold the cupcakes very well. 

It was fine during the chocolate dipping and sprinkles-coating 
but as soon as the Butterballs attempted to bite into the cupcake, it all fell apart!



It did work perfectly with the marshmallows and strawberries though!
Perhaps my cupcakes were just too soft...


But despite the crumbling cupcakes, my family LOVED the sweet valentine surprise!

Every chocolate-coated bite ;)