2 Years Later

So it’s been a long time since I’ve blogged! Over 2 years! 

A lot has happened in my life over the past 2 years and I’m sort of recommitting myself to start blogging again. I’ve had two busy years and I want to take this year a little slower. Spend more time with my family and blogging. 

But first here is a bit on what happened to me!

I finished school and started working for my dad in his Health Shop 4-5 days a week.

The shop is now a complete family business! Which is really great.

I stopped Ballet as my teacher stopped giving lessons and I started Archery! Yip, what an amazing sport!

I did surprisingly good in archery and got NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) WP Colours in September 2013, along with my two brothers, CJ and Josua. 

In February 2014 I got my NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) S.A. Colours. 

Then in July 2014 (over my birthday), my mother and I went to Madison, Wisconsin, USA for the Worlds and All Starts Tournaments. Left to right, my dear Mother, Me, Roy Grimes, President of NASP and Wilhelm Greeff, President of NASP S.A.

We stayed/toured USA for 3 weeks and it was an absolute incredible experience!

South Africa got Second place at the All Stars.

We also spend a week in Nashville, Tennessee with Mrs. Nancy Campbell from Above Rubies.

I got to meet some amazing people, and Pen Palls which was incredible! Me and Mercy Campbell! 

This was at Rashida Jonson’s 18th birthday party with the theme 50s! 

I also stared my own business called One Spoon At A Time - I make healthy snacks for my dad’s health shop. I also give baking workshops for children and give children baking parties.

My family is all doing well too! 

All of us Children started Karate last year September too. This was taken last year (2014) at the Year End Prize giving.

My dad is a great boss and my personal archery coach! 

My mother is having her hands full with my 6 younger siblings since I’m not home that much anymore. I do miss the time spend with her though, we do still go out on dates together every now and then. It’s always So much fun!

My big brother CJ is doing well too, 20 years old already! He finished school last year and is now giving Archery lesson along with editing movies and a bunch of other really cool stuff.

Josua my 14 year old brother has grown up quite a lot too in the past 2 years. His also helping out once a week in the Shop. He is the one that loves the Karate the most of the family too!

My sweet little sister Danika who is 11 now (not so little anymore) is a little artistic girl that loves to paint and draw! I also love spending time braiding her long hair! 

Andrew is 9 years old now, a very detailed boy that loves to ask questions. He is also great in 

building contraptions, his bed is really cool and full of contraptions!

David is 8 years old, our little athletic brother that loves to climb trees and build lego!

Daniel is 6 years old, he loves to bake/cook with me in the kitchen, as then he can have the left-overs. He knows exactly what everything is and were to find it in our kitchen! He always has a smile on his face too!

Michael is the current youngest family member who will soon be 5 years old. He is a very busy and funny little boy and loves to do everything along with his big brothers!

The years went by quickly since I was so very busy all the time.

As the year came to an end I realized I needed to slow down, and appreciate life more, write about it again, etc.

In November last year, I took the bus to go visit my best friend and her family for a weekend in Sedgefield.

They live on a beautiful farm near the woods. That weekend I realized life doesn’t have to be a rush.  I need to take life a little slower.

So here I go, my year of Rest. I have asked my mother and a friend to keep me accountable in doing so! 

I hope to do many more posts this coming year!

Blessings 

Our Children: The Way We Build the Nation.

I found this article in the new Above Rubies #85 magazine and just had to post it. THIS is why I love living in a big family and why want a big family myself when I grow up! Totally love this:

Our Children: The Way We Build the Nation.

Children are wonderful.

They are beautiful.

They know how to get your attention.

We adore their chubby cheeks.

Their cute ways.

Their big innocent eyes.

Their little pitter patter of feet.

Their unending questions at they seek answers.

They are our flesh and blood.

They hold our DNA.

They are our future.

They are our heritage.

They are our true riches (money and possessions cannot compare).

They are gifted, talented, and creative.

They are tomorrow’s leaders.

They are tomorrow's provision for our family and nation.

They are tomorrow’s security.

They draw love and many other virtues from us.

They make us a charactered people as we build character in them.

We must take responsibility for them so they will in turn take responsibility for us.

Without children there would be no family.

No Home, Sweet Home.

No Family vacations.

No birthday parties.

No romances. 

No Weddings.

No future work force.

No future soldiers to fight evil.

No future fathers and mothers to raise children.

No babies.

No families.

No nation.

It is foolish to raise cats, dogs, and goldfish to satisfy our paternal and maternal instincts. 

Animals and things are no substitute for children.

By refusing children we accept the destruction of our nation.

Parenting children in NATION BUILDING.

Our western nations have become increasingly sterile, selfish, spoiled, and boring.

We have sacrificed our families and nations on the altars of selfishness, careerism, and materialism.

With smaller and smaller families we have become lonely, deprived, unfulfilled, and without character.

We have little, if any family to come home to.

No laughter, no singing, no natural family to entertain us.

We have no one to care for. We have given what little we have to daycare.

No one to love.

In turn, we have no one to love us.

We have been deceived.

We have created our own holocaust.

We have destroyed ourselves through contraception, sterilization, and abortion.

Pro-choice is the choice of destruction.

We are swiftly breaking the generational chain.

The dynasties are quickly ending.

Hell claps its hands.

Heaven weeps.

What have we left to live for?

By the grace of God, every Christian husband and wife should aim to build a dynasty for God.

The world, heaven, and all creation waits to see what can come out of your home.

Every home should be a little church-the father/pastor, the mother/assistant pastor, and the children the congregation.

Give your children your very best effort.

Your home is you sculpturing studio.

But, you are not sculpturing clay, stone, or paper mache.

You are sculpturing flesh and blood.

As your children are molded in the ways of God, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, you are sculpturing nothing less then the glorious likeness and image of Go.

Could anything be greater? I think not.

The whole world is waiting. Heaven is waiting.

All creation waits for the manifestation of the “sons of God.”

It is the desperate need of the nations.

What are you waiting for?

It is high time to stand up and take your place in the greatest building project of all time - THE FAMILY.

By Colin Campbell 

Above Rubies # 85.

A Weekend Away

Hi everyone, I know I haven’t been posting a lot lately. We had a very busy two months. But it is finally slowing down and I have some time to post about it. 

In October, we went away for a weekend to our favorite holiday place, Brenton-On-Sea, near Knysna. 

We had a wonderful time just enjoying each others company.

Brenton-On-Sea is such a beautiful place

With beautiful sunsets

Bright sunny days

Crystal clear water

Beautiful clean beach

Little birds tweeting around

Little toes curling in the sand

And such a sweet cozy cottage.

We always love playing on the beach and swimming in the sea:

Little ones “fishing”!

Call us crazy, but yes, CJ and I packed our tennis gear and played tennis on the sand! It was quite a challenge as the ball doesn’t bounce in the sand, but we had so much fun!

CJ, Josua and Danika built a water proof castle, 

Daniel could sit in the middle and when the water came - he was safe!

Little Michael fell in the water and was a little shocked, so he curled up against me and we bathed in the sun.It was so relaxing to have him close to me.

When we drove back from Knysna, one evening my mother took this beautiful picture of the Knysna lake.

We also had some friends over for a day:

Little ones eating at a table.

Some of us older children.

For desert we all fried marshmallows over the open fire and then dipped it in chocolate flakes. 

“Never knew frying a marshmallow is such hard work!” Little Michael.

“But it sure is good!”

All the Photo credit goes to my mother!

We had such a great time and can’t wait to be back!

Have a blessed week everyone.

The Ballet Concert 2012 Is Here!

As some of you know, my younger sister Danika and I do ballet at Colleen Williams' School of Ballet. Every second year we have a ballet concert and this year it is Jack and the Beanstalk! I will be dancing as a Farmer selling fruit and vegetables at the market where Jack sells the cow and a Waiter in the end party. Danika will be playing a balloon dancer also at the market.

All the ballet dancers always looks forward to this glorious event every two years. It’s going to be a spectacular display of colourful costumes and graceful pliés and pirouettes. More than a 100 ballerinas from as young as five years old to adults over 40 years will take part in the production. 

This past Saturday we had the dress-rehearsal and this coming weekend is the concert!

If you live in Cape Town be sure not to miss it! 

Tickets are R60 for the evening shows and R50 for the afternoon show.

I will post photos after the concert for my over sea blog readers!

Have a wonderful day 

Ballet Greetings