A breath of fresh air… 30 January 2017

I was invited by Sister Linda Dunn (“Mission-Mom” to the Johannesburg, South Africa Mission June 2014 – March 2017) to attend a women’s gathering where we shared lunch, dessert, and testimony with each other. What a wonderful experience it was!

There were over 25 women that attended, and a fun-fact that I wasn’t aware of was that every stake in Gauteng had a representation there. There was most definitely a tangible spirit in the home of absolute strength, a strength that could bear ALL things, a strength that only is only developed by pressing forward through life with “bedrock faith” and an unshakable trust in Christ, our Saviour, and Redeemer.

Some of the ladies in the photo (left) above: Sister Makasi, Sarah Wentzel, Natalie & Tessa Brown, Sister Larson, Sister Mdletshe and her daughter, Me, Isabel Krauss.

We enjoyed an oh-so-tasty lunch of Chicken salad with fruit pieces and homemade rolls (click on the links for the recipes) and then a variety of deserts one being the most delicious trifle I have ever tasted (and I am not usually a trifle person)

     

Photos: Left- Sister Wells and Sister Larson who serve at the JHB Mission office with the homemade rolls. Right – Wenzile, serving the food to all of us.

Photo: Dishing up in the kitchen was Irene Tshabalala, Sister Wells, Sister Dunn and Sister Larson.

We also had the opportunity to be edified and uplifted by the testimonies and experiences shared by those coming from, preparing to and currently are serving as missions in various capacities.

We heard from Sarah Wentzel who recently returned from serving an 18-month mission in the Salt Lake City, Temple Square Mission.

She spoke of some treasured experiences from her mission. She spoke of having the Saviour with her at all times because He cares about us individually and loves us so dearly He is there with us, standing shoulder to shoulder, navigating through this mortal experience together. She also mentioned the importance of following the promptings we get. Natalie Brown, Sarah and I had a wonderful discussion at our table about distinguishing what are promptings and what are just thoughts of our own and we reflected on the video series by Elder Bednar called “Patterns of Light” and came to the conclusion that if the thought leads us to do good it doesn’t matter whether it was from the spirit or ourselves we should just go with it. I have not known Sarah much and today was my first real interaction with her but she is a wonderful human being and her love and care for people is inspiring.

Photo: Sarah Wentzel and Irene Tshabalala

We then heard from Andronica Lebethoa, she will be leaving, along with her husband and 4 young children, to serve as Mission President and Companion in the Cape Town, South African Mission in just a few short months. She spoke of the special gift of sisterhood we share thanks to the Relief Society programme, how we can learn from different ladies throughout the different stages of our lives and together we help each other grow both temporally and spiritually. I loved how she stood with such humility yet confidence in her faith as she is about to embark on a new chapter in her life.

Photo: Andronica Lebethoa

Last but not least we heard from Sister Willis and Sister Foxx, they are serving as Seminary & Institute missionaries. They spoke of developing a relationship and relying on your scriptures to guide you through day-to-day living. Sister Foxx also shared her word for the year which was ASK. The answers are all there and they will come if we only but ask the question, the answers might not always be clear or the answers we are hoping for but the answers are there even if that answer turns out to be “wait”.

Photo from left to right: Sister Foxx and Sister Willis

Sister Dunn invited us to ponder a word for 2017 that we would apply to ourselves, after some reflecting and thinking I decided that my word for 2017 would be “FIRST” taken from a scripture in Matthew 6:33 KJV – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

I chose this word because in life we are so busy, and whilst we are busy doing good things I feel like I often neglect the important things like personal and family scripture study and prayer. I chose this word so that it is a reminder and a check point for me throughout the year to make sure that those important things are done and then focus on all the other good things that need doing.

How beautiful is this wall art???

To close off we were treated to a concert worthy musical item by Gianfranco Vizzini where he played the piano and sang “Come unto Christ” (follow the link to watch a version of the song from YouTube) (or you can get the sheet music and words here)

Photo from left to right: Elizabeth Vizzini (Gianfranco’s mom), Sister Dunn, Gianfranco Vizzini (the musical masterpiece)

It left me speechless and so filled with the spirit. I got goosebumps on top of goosebumps and then some more goosebumps on top of all the rest! It was the perfect ending to a perfect afternoon with an invitation that He has extended to all of us and continues to do so day after day,

Come unto Christ.

Come unto Him,

And by His grace be made holy again.

He’s calling your name.

He’s waiting for you

With arms open wide.

Come unto Christ.

So to say the least, this gathering, for me personally, was like a much-needed breath of fresh air. It renewed my hope, gave me the courage to carry on and most importantly reminded me that I am NEVER alone!

PS: All photo credits got to Sister Linda Dunn

 

 

Christmas….. all year round

Firstly…. HaPpY nEw YeAr!!!!!!!!!! I hope that 2017 will be a year of faith, fun, family & friends for all! I honestly cannot believe that the brand new year is already 11 days old! Anyway, over the December period I had a wonderful time spent with family and those friends that feel like family (I will post all about it later), but in amongst all the busy-ness I had a very profound thought, to me it was so profound that I even made a note on my phone about it so that I would remember to write about it. Here it is then…. Your thoughts are welcome 🙂

It goes without saying that this season was going to be a very difficult one for me and my family because it was the first without my dad *tears welling up just thinking about it…*. I was busy cleaning my kitchen (this is usually when I do all my thinking) and wondering what my dad would’ve been doing that would be special for Christmas if he were with us. I thought about it, and thought some more and then, just for good measure, I thought about it even more and I was puzzled as to why I couldn’t think of a single Christmas tradition my dad had and then it hit me, like a ton of bricks!

My dad didn’t change, there was nothing that he did over the Christmas period that he didn’t do any other day of the year, Monday – Sunday, 01 January – 31 December he was the same, and that, my friends, is exactly why he was so loved by all those who knew him, and it made me love and miss him just that much more.  Let me explain…

During the festive season, there is an almost tangible sense of peace on earth and goodwill toward men that can be felt everywhere you go. Sure there is still the insanely busy shopping malls, choc-a-block parking lots, and jam-packed highways but people, in general, have a sense of consideration for their fellow man, we are more willing to share what we have, we greet tellers with a smile and friendly “hello” or “Merry Christmas” even after standing in a que that felt like it was never-ending etc. I’m sure you have experienced this yourself, even your social media pages are flooded with posts of cheer, best wishes, uplifting video clips and encouragement to do good and think of others.

All the said emotions are clumped together and referred to as “The Christmas Spirit”, and oh what a wonderful spirit it is!

For the most part, I am generalizing now, the Christmas spirit arrives on it’s own about the 2nd week into December (when the work year is coming to an end and holidays are approaching) and leaves just as quickly and unnoticed again during the first week of January (usually when the reality of back to work and school dawns). And so it repeats itself every year.

Well with my dad, as I mentioned earlier, there was no change, he was kind and thoughtful where ever he went, he always greeted people with a smile, he was generous no matter what day it was and he never waited for a “season” to think of others before himself. He was “Christmas” twenty-four/seven, 365.

Having this realization caused me to reflect on my own life and that perhaps I am guilty of waiting for Christmas to be better. It made me want to change and become a little more like my hero.

I love you Dad. You were always, and still are my biggest fan, my best friend, the one that encouraged me like no one else could, you loved me NO MATTER WHAT, and you are without a doubt the best teacher I ever had, and though there is a veil between us now and a period of physical separation you still find ways to teach me lessons, uplift me and push me to do better and be better. I am so grateful that families can continue into the eternities and that we have that blessing in our lives.

A #PerfectDay! – 10 December 2016

Today I learned that sometimes the best things in life are free! I also was reminded that we (myself included) far too often take the simple pleasures for granted.

It’s been an extremely hot summer so far here in sunny South Africa, so with the business of the past month done and dusted and the activities of the festive season not yet upon us we had a breather in our calendar. A weekend where nothing had been planned! They really are few and far between!

So what to do???

Well on Friday night we followed our normal Friday night tradition, we pushed the couches together, brought the bedding through and got set for a night of hot dogs and movies in the lounge. JP and I have been doing this since just after we got married and it has become somewhat of an unwritten rule in our home, Friday nights are simply not Friday nights without hot-dogs and a “big-bed” (as Taigen calls it) in the lounge.

As a side note regarding hotdogs for my South African friends, we have tried many vieannas….. and can happily say so far the best we have found by far is from Spar, it’s their own brand called “Hotdoggers” (I have not been sponsored) 

Saturday morning came and the sun was out in all its glory….. it was HOT! By 8am we were already standing outside in the shade trying to absorb the little breeze there was. JP had an idea to blow up the little pool that we have for the kids (High-5 for that one babe) The kids were in their element.

Out came mom with the sun block and before the floor of the pool was even covered in water the kids were in, having the time of their lives. I do apologize to our neighbors….

What fun was had by all of us, yes even JP and I got into the little pool!

There was splashing, jumping, swimming underwater and even some tanning (I won’t mention the consequences I have suffered from a little innocent tanning….. my poor legs!)

Later on that evening my mom came over, we put some chicken pieces and boerewors on the braai and whipped up a few salads (coleslaw & potato) added some traditional South African pap and had ourselves a delicious supper.

All in all a #PerfectDay that cost us nothing!

 

 

Celebration, Celebration, Celebration! – 10 November – 04 December 2016

Just to get it out the way this post has not been sponsored by any of the establishments mentioned.

As the title says, our family has recently had 3 celebrations, all in the space of a couple of weeks!!!!

It was JP’s birthdays on 10 November. He turned 29 (he is feeling very old LOL so we are saying this in a whisper) It was our 8th wedding anniversary on 26 November and it was my 28th birthday on 4 December.

Now as you can imagine if we had to celebrate each of these separately it would be a budget’s worst nightmare! So what we do as a family is combine the 3 occasions and have one joyous family celebration.

My lovely mom, who I treasure more than she knows….. treated us to lunch at Burgerbox Roadhouse on our anniversary as an extra celebration that we didn’t expect. It was so good. Thanks mom ❤

Tiara; Mom; Taigen – Nana with her “special treasures” 

JP & Jarryd; Jarryd & Mom

Me and my world – Tiara, Taigen & JP

Pulling faces & Playing Peek-A-Boo

This year we went to Billy G’s at Silverstar Casino for dinner. It was quite fabulous! It’s a buffet restaurant so you can imagine, we left with VERY full tummies! We had sushi, some sort of beef stew, shrimps, salads and delicious pudding. It was definitely an enjoyable meal , and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a meal that can cater for the undecided LOL! And as a bonus, there is a pensioners price, children 6 years or younger eat for FREE and if you go on your birthday (remember to take your ID as proof) your meal is on the house! There is one little catch, you have to book!!!!! At least a week in advance because they fill up really quickly!

While we were there we took some photos. There is an open area in the middle of the food court with water features that are beautiful, especially at night because they light up in different colours. They also had a man-made “beach” there for the kids to play in as part of their holiday program.

From left to right: Me & Mom; Mom;  Jarryd and Mom

Tiara and Taigen by the fountains

JP & Jarryd brothers….. in law

Taigen – Always the joker; Tiara – Always the poser;

Two completely different little spirits, love them for their uniqueness 

Beautiful fountains of light and JP as can only be expected, running through them getting wet!

My whole world, wrapped up in 4 people ❤

When all is said and done I am so grateful! Grateful for my own life, grateful for my husband that I can share my life with and build one together, grateful for my children even when they drive me insane, grateful for my mom (and my late dad 😦 ) for all the joy and opportunities they have made possible for me and that they are STILL there, 28 years later, to support and help where they can. I love you guys eternally, through thick and thin! Thank you for loving me!

Words of Wise Men – 18 November 2016

On Friday, 18 November 2016 I had an opportunity to be in the presence of a wonderful man, an apostle of the Lord in fact, and listen to him speak to us.

What.?. Ok, let me explain….

Every year each area of the church has what is called an Area Review where a general authority will come from church headquarters and review certain things in the area to make sure the church is being operated in accordance  with the teachings and doctrines of the church. During the visit, the general authority also relays messages to the membership and we, as employees of the church, get a special employee devotional.

So, as I said before, on Friday, 18 November 2016 I had an opportunity to be in the presence of a wonderful man, an apostle of the Lord, in fact, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, and listen to him speak to us, and these are four of the thoughts I had during the devotional.

1. Each person’s voice and opinions need to be heard and respected.

I love this statement!

I have seen first hand the impact something seemingly as small as allowing one to express their opinions has on the life of that person. I believe that this principle should be applied from as young as possible, this is how children develop and learn. Being able to express your opinions, speak your mind, and assert yourself is a skill that is so necessary in today’s world which will, unfortunately, not get any better. In  saying this while we are teaching our children to express themselves we need to teach them how to do it with respect and dignity. I do also believe that just as it is important to allow everyone to express their opinions, it is equally important to accept when people do not share your opinions and that you do not have to subscribe to the opinions of everyone else.

2. The Lord is hoping that you will give ALL that you can offer. 

This made me think…. ALOT!

The Lord has already given me (and you) His Only Begotten Son to atone for our sins and make it possible for us to return and live with Him in the life hereafter, He has given us the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead, to prompt and direct us in the things we should be doing and offer gentle correction when necessary. He has given us the scriptures, the Holy Bible which contains the teachings of the prophets of old and the earthly ministry of Christ, and The Book of Mormon which, like the Bible, contains teaching from prophets of old, it also records the Saviour’s teaching to the Nephites, and it was written for our day, and then, as if all the above wasn’t enough He, through the prophet Joseph Smith, restored the gospel to the earth as it was during ministry of Christ which includes living prophets and apostle of the Lord who further provide counsel and instruction for our eternal well-being.

All of the above were given to us freely, because of the great loves He has for each one of us. He has given us, and still promises to give us, ALL that He has. The question I asked myself is this..

Am I giving ALL that I can?

The answer has to be no.

I have resolved to put in a better effort in giving ALL that I can… because I love Him and He loved me first!

3. Revelation comes when we have the right question.

How often have I (or you) felt like the Lord is silent, or prayers are going unheard and unanswered? Many times…. I was wrong, and I was taught correctly today.

The Lord is never silent, our prayers are always heard and our prayers will always be answered when we align our prayers with the Lord’s will.

If you ever feel that the Lord has gone mum, look at the question, examine the prayer, trust that He who created you, loves you and always has your best interests on the very top of His priorities and perhaps what you are asking for so desperately is not what will bring you the happiness He desires for you.

4. He loves all His children but only trusts a few.

WOW! Feels harsh right? Perhaps, but so very true!

Regardless of what you think, say or do Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ love you! That has been true since before the foundation of the earth and will still be true long after the earth has come and gone. Nothing, no matter how bad, nothing can and will ever change that.

However, the Lord is wise and will not allow his beloved children to be lead astray by those that choose differently. He will entrust those that are living righteously, that are striving to keep the commandments and obey His teachings with responsibilities to carry out on earth that are necessary for the safe return of His precious children.

Thankfully we are not doomed if we make a mistake, we have the priceless gift of the Savior’s atonement and the opportunity to repent and be forgiven of our wrong doings.

Each one of us can be one of those the Father can trust, by doing the small and simple things on a daily basis striving each time to do better we can and will earn the Lord’s trust. We can be the instruments in His hands to bring about good.

By simply living close to the Spirit, abiding by His teachings and walking in the Saviours footsteps we will be called a “good and faithful servant” and in that perfect day we will be the son’s and daughter’s in whom the Lord will be well pleased.

It was a marvelous experience, I hope to be able to carry these impressions with me always. As part of the devotional, we also heard from Elder Kevin S. Hamilton and Elder Ulisses Soares, they also shared some insightful thoughts.

“You learn to hear the voice of the Lord by listening to the whisperings of the Spirit”    Elder Hamilton

“Gods work was to develop the plan, the Saviours work was to fulfill the plan through the atonement, and our work is to help others come to understand the plan and apply it in their lives” 

Elder Soares

      

Some photos from the day (not taken by me)

 

 

 

Bittersweet – October 2016

With October being over, and the rush it came with, I have had a few days to reflect on the past whirlwind of a month. What a whirlwind it was!!

There was alot of changes in our little family this month which brought with it a trail of emotions I wasn’t quite prepared for.

JP left one job and started another. The period in between the change (although short) was a very stressful one for me, but the stress was good for me, it taught me a lesson. JP was unemployed for a total of 4 days (2 of them being the weekend) and within those four days my stress levels skyrocketed and those that know me well will tell you that means my temper and mood go with it, I was short and impatient with everyone around me, I was worrying about bills to pay that were still months away, in a nutshell I was so wrapped up in my “needs” that I overlooked the effect I had on those around me. When JP started his new job (which he loves and is much better for him as a person than the old one) I was reminded of a scripture quote “Oh ye of little faith”. I was looking at this “mountain” of a problem in front of me and trying to solve it all on my own like I didn’t need any help from above. How mistaken I was! I learned a valuable lesson, one that I am still trying daily to apply. The bigger picture of our lives is there, grand, glorious and perfectly planned but it is not for us to see, we need to develop the faith of a child in our omnipotent Father.

We moved house….. not my favorite past time in the least! The adjustment has been far better than I was expecting taking into consideration that we went from a three bedroomed house with a massive garden and a large kitchen to a two bedroom flat with a not so massive garden and small kitchen….. I was foreseeing a couple of issues you could say…. I thought the kids were going to be so frustrated sharing a room and having restricted playing space…. I was convinced I would have to keep half my kitchen stuff in boxes and I was positive that the kid’s beds wouldn’t fit into the second bedroom. I am so grateful that none of these potential issues became problems! The kids are so happy in their new home, ALL of my kitchen stuff fits in my little kitchen like a glove and both beds fit perfectly in the second bedroom and the kids are only too content sharing a room. This little house has quickly become our home sweet home where the only adjustment we are still getting used to is having to wait in a mini que to use the toilet in the morning…..

We changed wards…… this one was probably the scariest….when we moved the new house fell into the Krugersdorp 2nd ward boundaries. I loved Krugersdorp 1st Ward, they were my extended family and the thought of “leaving them behind” was heartbreaking. Ok so maybe I am being a bit dramatic…. I still see the members of K1 in passing because we meet in the same building just at different times. We attended our first Sunday in K2 it was a fast and testimony meeting. I was very emotional for some reason but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The biggest change for me personally was attending Relief Society instead of Young Women, I really do miss my girls.  We had a thought-provoking lesson on being prepared. How prepared are you? Physically, Mentally, Financially, Spiritually, Emotionally? Answering these can be overwhelming for most of us and thinking of the possibilities are scary but we are given a promise by a loving Heavenly Father who ALWAYS keeps His promises “but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” Although I am by no means 100% prepared in all those aspects ( I don’t think one can ever be 100% prepared for the un-expectancies of life) I do take comfort in the fact that as long as I am working towards that goal my family and I will be protected and looked after.

So those were my major changes that October brought and through all of that we had our annual audit done at work (no audit it pleasant) and I wrote my final FM finance exam. Like I said a whirlwind month of note… but most of all the emotion that rattled me the most the that of missing my Dad, not being able to talk to him about my fears, hopes, and dreams and  not having his calm reassuring unconditional love around me. I missed you, dad, I still miss you, every single day, it’s been 3 and half months and still not even slightly easier.

 

What a night it was! 27 September 2016

Wow, its been like a month since I last posted. One thing I can say is that time waits for no one. I am amazed at how full my days are and they just keep getting busier but I have also realized that we need to make time for what is important. If we say we will do something “when we have the time” well then guess what…. it will never get done! Journaling is important! It might not seem like something that should be on one’s list of priorities but I think it should be. Journaling is a way to record special occasions, life changing events, and even lessons learned from tough situations. A journal will allow people to get to know us in a way after we are long gone and it will allow us to reflect on the personal growth within each of us and those we love.

Journaling is important! It might not seem like something that should be on one’s list of priorities but I think it should be. Journaling is a way to record special occasions, life changing events, and even lessons learned from tough situations. A journal will allow people to get to know us in a way after we are long gone and it will allow us to reflect on the personal growth within each of us and those we love.

Tuesday, 27 September 2016 was definitely a night I would like to remember! We went to The Barnyard Theatre in Cresta to watch their own production 1 Hit Wonders

I love the Barnyard, the atmosphere there is amazing, you can dance, sing-a-long with the performers and just completely let your hair down without compromising any of your standards! It’s proper good, clean fun, I would highly recommend visiting there as often as you can.

What made this night even more enjoyable for me is the company that came along. I am so glad my family and friends that I love dearly were able to join us.

Jean-Pierre, Tiara, and Taigen Berger – it was  such a highlight for me to be able to treat you guys to a family night out where special memories were made and the bonds that link us were fortified. Love you guys to eternity and beyond

Left: Taigen & Tiara before the show started, they really are my favorite children in the whole wide world! 

Middle: My man (JP) with the drummer taken after the show. This guy was seriously amazing! JP was beyond impressed! 

Right: Me with all the female performers. The lady on my left was the bass guitarist, she was awesome!

Jeanne Andrews a.k.a Mom – I hope you enjoyed it, it was an emotional night for you in many ways because dad loved the barnyard more than any of us. Imagining him going absolutely crazy while the drummer did his solo, screaming at the top of his lungs between songs, and banging on the table like a teenager demanding an encore at the end of the show put a smile on my face and brought back some of the best memories. I know dad would want you to carry on doing the things you love and enjoying life to the fullest. Even though he wasn’t there in body I’m sure he would’ve been shaking his tush like only he can do!

Mom & her grand children! Unconditional love captured in a moment! Blessed are those that snuggle & hug, spoil and pamper, boast & brag for they shall be called Nana!

Deryn & Tracy Venski, Jaden & Crystal Swarts – Although it was very last minute thank  you for coming! Thank you for your continuous support over this very tough year, you were always there, always constant, through all the up’s & down’s you have been there like a north star! It was great seeing you enjoy yourselves! PS: That’s the fastest I have EVER heard of anyone get from 14th Avenue to Cresta….. that little Atos has hidden super powers I’m sure of it!

From left to right: Crystal Swarts, Jaden Swartz, Tracy Venski, Deryn Venski

Caitlin & Joseph Van Scheltema – You two are just fantastic…. I have not other words!!!! We didn’t know each other from a bar of soap and were drawn together through the inseparable friendship our little boy’s share! How glad I am that, however it came about, we became friends! I am so looking forward to a very long friendship with your family and plenty more gatherings of fun 🙂 oh, and Joseph, it was your first Barnyard experience! Pretty cool huh? Thank you guys for just simply being you, you are an example to me of what a happy, christ centered, family looks like. I hope to be able to emulate that one day!

Joseph & Caitlyn Van Scheltema and myself and JP

 

And last but not least, thank you Barnyard, Cresta for the 10 free tickets for that night! It was EPIC!!!!!

 

Eat, Drink (Juice), and be merry :)

What a strange follow on post from the one before right!!!!! But the honest truth is that men (and women) are that they might have joy! (2 Nephi 2:25). The past month has been a busy one, it has been a month filled with celebrations, old friendships were rekindled, new friendships were formed and recent friendships were strengthened! The celebrations were a bit different for some of us without dad there but still wonderful none the less and an unmistakable spirit of love, joy and peace could be felt in abundance. There were smiles all around and the laughter was contagious, just like dad would’ve wanted it!

Anyway, so what was all the celebrations about??????

Celebration 1 – A very, very merry unbirthday party

On Saturday, 27 August 2016 we had a joint birthday party celebration for my two pumpkins, Tiara and Taigen, Tiara turned 7 years old on August 20 and Taigen will be turning 3 years old on September 26. The theme was Alice in Wonderland (PS: It is a fantastic theme for a party on a budget)

Picture: Invitations for the guests (address and contact number hidden for security)

There were so many people and children! For refreshments we had hot dogs (always a hit), Queen of heart Jam tarts, Chocolate spoons, marshmallow Pop-Corn balls, Jelly cups, Cheshire Cat tails, Ice-Cream cone cupcakes and Fridge tart

         

From left to right: Hot dog station, Fridge Tart (compliments of my amazing mom) and Chocolate spoons (Photo credit: Mandy Erasmus)

         

From left to right: Cheshire cats tails, Ice-Cream cone cupcakes (didn’t exactly come out as planned #nailedit), marshmallow popcorn balls (Photo credit: Mandy Erasmus)

        

On left: The sweetie station spread, On right: Jelly cups (by far the favorite of the day) (Photo credit: Mandy Erasmus)

My house was still recovering for at least a week nad a half after all that sugar!!!!

My mom arranged a jumping castle for the kids (she is the best, I know), you can never, ever go wrong with a jumping castle! Oh what fun was had on that by all (old and young) on that jumping castle

From top, left to right: Lincoln Williamson, Cullin Milne, Hunter Mile, Simon Milne, Angel, Matheo, Jade Swarts, Tyler Milne, Zoe Milne 

Mommy (Erika) Milne couldn’t be at the party because she brought the newest member of the Milne family into the world the night before. He is super cute! Congrats Milne family, we know Bradley will bring you endless joy 🙂 A celebration within a celebration!

Photo credit: Carla Shannon of Carla Shannon Photography

So back to the party, the sweets were divine, the entertainment was a blast, the company was great but the cherry on the cake was, without a doubt, the photo booth and decorations all put together by Mandy Erasmus and her wonderful family, the day would not have been a success without you, thank you, thank you, thank you ❤

Some of the decoration and pictures of the photo booth set up (Photo Credit: Mandy Erasmus)

Just a few of the many incredibly cute moments that were captured at the photo booth thanks to Mandy Erasmus and family.

All in all the day was a great one! There were many tired but happy children and most importantly memories made and cherished. Thank you to all that came, for all the VERY generous gifts Tiara and Taigen received and for the love shared. Special thanks to my husband, Jean-Pierre Berger for your late night help with the food, to my mom Jeanne Andrews for the shopping companion, additional snacks and of course the jumping castle and to the Erasmus family for their effort and love into making it fun for everyone and capturing all these wonderful memories that we can preserve.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Enjoy the slide show of all the other pictures that were taken that marvelous day 🙂        Photo credits: Mandy Erasmus

Celebration 2: Jesse turns two with a va-va-voom

Saturday, 3 September 2016 we celebrated the birthday of another precious beyond words little boy. Jesse is so full of life and energy, he is always happy and ready for play, just an overall joy to be around. Jesse and Taigen also happen to be the best of friends 🙂

Caitlyn and Joseph Van Scheltema, Jesse’s parents, but together such a cute little party for their little man, we were lucky enough to be invited 🙂 Again the smiles were in no short supply and company was relaxed and oh so enjoyable.

Best buds these two, Taigen (in the red) and Jesse (on his brand new bike from his Aunty Courtney)

Noah, the St. Bernard, what other two-year-old can say they had a pony at their party……. 😛 Just kidding…… nobody rode the dog 🙂

More jumping castle fun, and Miss Chloe Shannon catching a tan while striking a pose, she is such a cutie! But the coolest part of the party (apart from the company), for me at least, was the soda floats and the chocolate cake, it was super yummy!

Thank-you Van Scheltema’s for the invite and for the fun-filled day and a big HaPPy BiRthDay to Jesse!

Celebration 3: Ocean Basket turns 21!

Tuesday 13 September 2016 Ocean Basket celebrated its 21st year of operation in South Africa and to share their accomplishment with the country they had a special run for that day only, R21.00 for fish and chips, what a bargain, normal price is around R60.00!

When I saw the post on Facebook I was so excited and we planned to make a night of it at the Key West branch with some great friends, Allan & Carey Harvey, Joseph, Caitlyn & Jesse Van Scheltemna and then the four of us, JP, Shelly, Tiara & Taigen. We looked forward to it all week and at last the day arrived!

Although we had to wait a bit for a table (they were crazy busy) it was so well worth it, the kids played and chased each other in the corridor of the mall while the adults chatted away.

They served the most divine bread while we waited for the food, Allan asked for a second helping… high-five! We had water served in Jam Jars (because they ran out of glasses) and then gorgeous fish and chips with extra lemon butter sauce (thanks for the tip Guy Shannon) We were so impressed with the sizes of the fish portions.

From left to right: Joseph Van Scheltema, Caitlyn Van Scheltema, Jesse Van Scheltema, Carey Harvey, Allan Harvey, Tiara Berger, Taigen Berger, Shelly Berger (Me), Jean-Pierre (JP) Berger.

We all left with full tummies, happy hearts and happy wallets, R 168.00 for 9 people! Thanks Ocean Basket for the opportunity for a fun night out and thanks to the Harvey’s and Van Scheltema’s for the good company 🙂

Through all these occasions there have been so many wonderful things to be grateful for but overall I have learned that none of these celebrations would be possible without the gift of life. I am grateful for that glorious gift that I was given by a kind, loving and eternal Father in Heaven.

Life itself is a gift each and every day, let’s celebrate it!

 

 

 

 

Grateful for…. (29 June – 06 July 2016)

Wednesday, 06 July 2016 – The ability to adapt to change is a wonderful thing and a positive attitude during changes, especially when the change is not a pleasant one, makes the transformation process so much more bearable. A butterfly doesn’t become a beautiful specimen without having to endure the caterpillar stage. I can attest that having a positive outlook towards life and people when going through change WILL make the experience less painful and you will be able to find joy in the smaller things. Today I am simply grateful that I am becoming more grateful and just appreciating life in general with all its bumps along the way, today I am grateful that I am finding my own happiness

Tuesday, 05 July 2016 – The weather over the past week has been cold, especially the nights and early mornings, and to put it mildly I do not do well with the cold! So this past week when I get home from work I jumped into my warmest,  fuzziest pj’s and start the routine stuff like cooking supper and bathing kids then I snuggle up on the couch with a blanket and watch some TV (at the moment I am watching a series called Castle, I’m hooked!) Last night was especially cold and as I was changing into my pj’s with some speed to get warm as quick as possible. I thought to myself, what if I didn’t have these warm pj’s to change into? That question allowed me to take a moment to appreciate the seemingly small things that I do have that I most often overlook and take for granted. The things we take as standard supply in our lives might be the very thing that another person is praying for. My old, but warm, pair of pj’s that I see as “just a set of pj’s” in someone else’s life could very well be a miracle. Today I am thankful for the “small” necessities and comforts that I have.

Monday, 04 July 2016 – Today was a tough one!!! I really had to dig deep and it was so hard to swallow the bitterness that comes with the natural man and find something to be positive about. There is a LONG story behind it all, and to avoid leaving bitterness on my blog I’ll spare you the details, but in short an opportunity that I had been working extremely hard for was taken away from me because of something completely out of my control, political and unfair. I got the bad news at about one in the afternoon and I was shattered, to say the least, and almost as it were through divine intervention I got an email to notify me that Madison Erasmus had posted a new blog, the title of the post…. “A light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out…” that is exactly how I felt, it was like my thought and mind were on a page in front of me! As I read about how there will always be people who offer “light” when your life seems dark I remember thinking …”well that clearly doesn’t apply to me at the moment…” and then there was a statement that hit me right between the eyes… “light and everything that goes with it – goodness, kindness, purity – can be found even in the darkest, filthiest places and we might be ones carrying it.” NEVER has a phrase sunk so deep into my soul! I was expecting the good feelings to come from someone else but the truth is I am the one that holds my own light, a light that can only be extinguished if I allow it to. As I am writing I sit with tears welling up in my eyes as that truth is confirmed to me again. Madison Erasmus, yesterday you came to me rescue and taught me something I hope never to forget and for that, i am eternally grateful for!

“…A light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out…” Classic Girl in 2016

You can read her full post by clicking on the link above

Sunday, 03 July 2016 – Hugs are wonderful things, even more wonderful when the hug is unprovoked and unexpected, a dear friend of mine, Susan Heydenrych, gave me just that, an unexpected, unprovoked hug in the passageway at church today and it was such a pleasant thing in my day.  I did a very quick mini research on the unseen effects of hugging people and being hugged, I found it quite interesting. 1) A full body hug stimulates the nervous system. 2) Hugs decrease the feeling of loneliness, helps you combat fear, increases self-esteem, affirms relationships, defuses tension and shows appreciation. 3) A hug normally lasts 9.5 seconds. 4) A hug that lasts 20 seconds or longer reduces the level of stress hormone in your body. 5) A hug can reduce your heart rate and lowers blood pressure. Today I am grateful for hugs 🙂

Saturday, 02 July 2016 – Today as a family we took an unplanned detour while looking for a material shop. What a simple yet fun afternoon all looking for the shop and taking in the beauty around us. Today I am thankful for family!

Friday, 01 July 2016 – Good music can completely change your day!!! I woke up feeling a bit under the weather emotionally for reasons unknown to myself…. As the day went dragging along my day didn’t improve until I listened to a prompting I had to play some good music. It wasn’t long after I started streaming Mormon channel radio that I felt the positive change in my mood and before I knew it I was happily singing along 🙂 Today I am grateful for good music and the talented people who make it.

Thursday, 30 June 2016 – Today I am grateful for wonderful and kind friends that I have in my life. Tiara loves the idea of ballet (performing in general really) and a dear friend of mine Carla Shannon is a ballet teacher, yesterday  Carla gave Tiara the opportunity to participate in a ballet theatre production that she is doing called “The Magic Toybox “. Her first rehearsal is this Saturday. Tiara is over the moon with excitement. Today I am grateful for special friends. Thank you Carla, love you long time 🙂

Wednesday, 29 June 2016 – I am grateful for priesthood blessings that always provide counsel and comfort and reassure me of the love the Saviour has for me personally. I am grateful that the fullness of the everlasting gospel has been restored and that I am a member of that church.