the last 2 months...

on the 15th November 2009 I set off to my homeland for my first christmas holiday in Cape Town with my family for 3 years. It had been planned and looked forward to for many months. This is what happens when you live the life I have for the last 5 years. You look forward to your next trip home.

With all this anticipation it had no choice but to be a magical, unforgettable holiday, and that it was.

Lily and I arrived on my mums 60th birthday. After a cramped and very long flight ,crisp,clear and sunny Cape Town was a sight for sore eyes as was my overly excited mother , dad , brother ,Veronica , steven and our little Sarah.

We celebrated mums birthday at wang thai on the milnerton beach front with some yummy sushi and cold ,dry white wine. Mum had her 60th party the saturday following that at My brother , Andrew's restaurant he manages , primi piatti in the waterfront. We had a blast . Lily came with for the evening and was so good , even falling asleep on some cushions her uncle put down for her. I got totally tiddly and was giggling much better with my friends Caroline and Veronica (see photos at the end of 3 woman in different poses)

I also got to meet carolines new little baby Nina who I had never met and see her eldest Amy again.what a delight they are. It is all the friends that I miss so much that make these trips so special. Seeing my friends ,Steven and Veronicas, daughter Sarah for the first time since she was 3 months old was very emotional for me. I had missed so much of her babyhood but she was so adorable and I miss her so much :(

Gav and Caths new little Jasper was adorable and their eldest Max can just melt your heart . he is adorable. I heard many a person say " I want a Max"

Clive and Niccis new little Hannah was the sweetest little baby and thier oldest Joshua is the most gentle soul. We had such fun together and Lily got to make some little friends. It was so special.

Of course the most important thing was my Mum and Dad having a magical , special time with their grandaughter. I think it was that. They spoiled her rotten and had her laughing and having such fun. they sang songs and did shows. they dressed up and made beaded necklaces and bracelets. They played in tents and swam in the pool. Every meal time they set her place with her wine. which was red grape juice in a sherry glass. she did stickering and went shopping and painted and drew and swang...

Her Uncle Andrew got to have some great fun with her too which I was so happy about and in the week off they were running around much better.

Lily got some little pet names whilst out there too. Amy christened her buggy and Sarah asked (a lot) for lila. I think being the oldest most of the time she drew a lot of attention.

We attended uncle Paul's Christmas party in the 2 week period before Christmas . I have such magical memories of going to a similar one when I was a child. The rotaract run it and proceeds go to charity. This one was held on groot constantia wine farm. shortly after arriving we stood in the queue to get onto the tractors with trailers that were filled with hay bales. They took us up the hill to the magic castle where the party is held. Upon arriving you throw hay at each other as though your life depends on it and then spend the next 3 hours trying to dig it out of your pants. this is of course a great hit with children who will pelt you with the stuff until your hayfever blasts up to unbearable and breathing is useless.

after this we settled down to a welcome and then Noddy and friends arrived with ice creams. We had our packed picnic supper and ice cream wafers and bid farewell to noddy. We then marched with a marching band and sang Christmas carols .

Then the magic begins. we sing father Christmas's favorite Christmas carol, silent night, after we have blown out all the lights that have been surrounding the castle. when everything is quiet and dark we hear the faint sound of sleigh bells. at this point lily was so overwhelmed with anticipation that she covered her eyes. With a firework bang Santa finally arrives on the top of the castle. To see Lily's face was just amazing. she could not believe he had actually arrived!

He came down and we called the fairy who ran around turning on the lights again. this was another feat that amazed lily and she has spent the weeks following running around with her wand wooshing it and "putting on" lights.

All was well until her name was called and we went up to to fetch her gift. she then decided she was very , very frightened of Santa and I had to pick her up. what followed has led me to say a silent prayer that Kristian does not use my camera properly. ..so I pick her up and we arrive at Santa's side. Cue a lot of "ho ho ho hello Lily have you been a good girl this year?" Yes Santa her mum says and then as there is a professional photographer there I kneel down with 15 kg child to be in photo. Lily buries her head in my shoulder and then it happened..I tried to get up. Knees buckle, and SANTA must help me up. Mortified is not even a word I can use.

Besides my embarrassment at father Christmas picking me up off the floor it was the most magical evening and one I hope to repeat .

We had a lovely Christmas party for the kids at Veronica's house as well. She had gone to so much effort putting all the toys out and hiring a lovely bouncy castle for us. Everyone bought a plate of something yummy and Santa's helper Uncle Steven dressed up terrifying most of the kids ,especially his own daughter. And leading most of the adults to be rolling around the floor in laughter. I don't think it will be anything he repeats.

in between all that Christmas fun we had lovely times at the beach and lunches out and all round good fun.

Christmas day was so great. Lily was absolutely , unbearably excited especially after the night before when she heard the sleigh bells when she was in the bath and then the fairies left her some new pajamas to wear on Christmas eve. She was entranced by her gifts all wrapped under the tree and Santa had left her a letter and eaten some of his mince pie and drank some 'whiskers"

she got a sizzling kitchen to make us food with and a princess dress up outfit as well as a fairy outfit with proper ballet shoes. other bits and bobs were in her stocking as well. pretty , pretty stuff because that's what she likes.

After pressie opening with tea and shortbread we started making the lunch and having showers.Our good friend Carol arrived to have lunch with us. On the menu was a prawn cocktail with avo followed by duck with an apricot stuffing , gammon and side of salmon. roast potatoes , bean salad , ruby coleslaw and pasta salad with all the condiments.

for pud I make a boozy British trifle which I thought was outstanding. to drink we had the fabulous pongratz. the rose edition and a white chenin blanc and blanc du noir.

fully stuffed and exhausted we settled down to watch enchanted which lily had got for Christmas.

after resting we went over to Steven and Ron's in the evening for traditional games evening. Its so much fun and this year was no different with us playing on the PlayStation. singstar and the buzz quiz. Sang our hearts out we did. well actually most of us did whilst I sing in a very tiny, controlled voice...who knew

We ended our holiday with a trip to Simonstown to boulders beach. Its my very favorite beach not only because the penguins swim with you but because its so secluded and safe and pretty.

The rest after that is the goodbyes which I tend to block out. Suffice to say I loved seeing everyone and we had the best holiday together. So if I saw you once or several times ..thank you for making my year!

cute little tush at boulders beach
My boozy british trifle
Kristian , Lily and Uncle Andrew
christmas lunch
fairy Lily and daddy
princess Lily
presents
Sarah , Lily and Max at the tree
carols by candlelight at Kirstenbosch gardens

Lila and sawah at butterfly world
daddy and lily at primi piatti at the waterfront
Amy and Lily sharing a table
the bouncy castle
Lilys pressies from father christmas at uncle pauls
Noddy and friends in front of the castle
hay throwing!
On the tractor with grandad and nana
my chritmas tree fairy
christmas tree 2009

letter to santa
lilys tent in the back garden. a huge hit
lily and grandad in the pool
little Nina Avnit with her excited scream. beware you need eardrums of steel
Sarah soo
watching tv with drew
caroline , Veronica and me having fun at mums 60th
the birthday girl with her grandaughter
Sarah , Max a,Lily and joshua at kirstenbosch
the girls going for a walk with uncle steven

having wine with uncle Andrew