Today is my Dear Hubby's 46th Birthday...not only his, but also his twin sister's - Kathleen (who lives in the UK). So, Happy Birthday Dadda!...and Aunty Kathleen! I asked what the worst part of being a twin was. . .being asked whether he and Kathy were identical twins....Duuuuh! Oliver explaining to me that he bought his dadda TWO Beers (read his lips). Sorry Kathy none for you!

I (actually we) am/are real cynics with all the Valentines Day hype and we choose not to support Hallmark, any unscrupulous flower merchants and street vendors selling Valentine tack! But, at 6 bucks apiece and a sweet being the best form of bribery (this is what I resort to when I want to photograph Oliver: bribery - BAD mother!).... I reakon it was a bargain!! Happy Valentines day!

I am sure that the title got your attention....no, my mom does not smoke pot! Sunday is family day. We used to pop round the folks on Sunday, but with the three midgets, each one requiring a fully loaded trailer of goods for a mere 4-hour outing, we have now chosen, for our sanity, to stay home on weekends...anyone wanting to see us, or the midgets, know where to find us and know where the fridge is ...and  "Oh while you are up won't you pour me a glass of wine" routine. I am paying up my "mommy debts" today. My mom now comes to visit us every Sunday, and Oliver just Loooves his granny. Mom brings along new clothing for the boys, sweets and cakes, a fully cooked meal for all (the only home-cooked meal of the week) and a bottle of wine! So this post is dedicated to granny (mom)....THANK YOU for the small and simple things you do that mean the world to us! Pics from this weekend. Those that read the blog will be able to spot terminator and 'the gay one' at a glance...no title necessary. Oli in the middle. Stephen and Laura's wedding pics in a couple of days time.

When blogging last week, there were a number of images that I wanted to include when posting, but then, when selecting I thought ... which ones are the true reflection of the holiday break, the ones I wrote about? Pictures with the same noise and energy levels? .....and when honest with myself my 'favs' were really not the reality pics!! Liam's first 5 step shuffle was a moment that had to be snapped ...no time to play with settings or notice annoying backgrounds, just a 'reality' snap. So, I promised myself last week that if I posted a bit of reality....that I could then post my favourites, for ME! And so here they are, the rose tinted "Martha Stewart" version, where it all looks sooooo beautiful, so quiet, peaceful and loving! Inbetween all the mayhem (and drinking), I did have a smidgen of time to "play".  Those that prefer the Martha Stewart version (and don't drink)....ignore the "reality Slap" caption at the bottom of each pic!! I will be kind to Liam's foot ....no REALITY SLAP...no 'scratch n' sniff' option REALITY SLAP: This bit of "quiet, serene pink" ...is cousin Angelique, who is sweet, can sit on her own for over half an hour and just generally has urges to kiss, hug and do "aaahhh" stuff....AND SHE IS NOT MINE! REALITY SLAP: This, as DH (Dear Hubbie) calls "her" is the daughter we always wanted. Yes, Jake is ours...."Jakie" my sweatheart if you do ever read my blog, one day, I never implied you were gay...it was your dad.      REALITY SLAP: Liam is independent, and permanently on a mission. He does not need me, has no separation anxeity, he needs FOOD!...and 'AMMO'! Like 'Terminator' he gets given a mission, and he just goes on the journey to acheive it. Over the hurdles through the battlefield, he just goes until "the world has been saved".  He also thinks he is Oliver's twin, so is more interested in mimicking Oliver, than bonding with his gay twin brother. (Jake..your dad typed in 'gay'...not me!) REALITY SLAP: This is Sam's daughter, Ashley. Sam is my childminder, helps me edit pics and basically allows me to have some "sanity" in a day. Ashley and Oliver are my second set of twins (one month apart) they love each other to bits and want to rip each other apart every 9 minutes! There was a fight over the sprinkler 3 minutes after this picture was taken. REALITY SLAP: Jake you look so damn cute in this pic, that I will refrain from making any gay comments...and yes, sweetie, I do agree, Barney needs to relook his colour scheme...purple just does not work for him. REALITY SLAP: Two seconds later....Liam climbed onto Oliver...great photo opportunity I thought, poised and ready on the trigger. Liam accidentlly headbutts Oliver...Liam cries, Oliver cries...Jake cries! (I am not sure why Jake cries?...maybe the sensitive side?). BTW - Liam's headbutts can make a grown man cry...we do not call him "Terminator" for nothing! REALITY SLAP: Oliver decides to join Jake....climbs into the tub...tub rather small....Oliver, clumsy as hell...., Jake gets an elbow, Jake cries...Mom yells...Oliver cries! REALITY SLAP: Oliver looking down at the poor ant he was so chuffed at stomping on. REALITY SLAP: Liam inbetween missions...sensitive "moment" per-chance?   ... NNAAAH!!...just checking to see the quickest escape route...down the stairs OR over the 'stoep' wall!....Oh! and have I packed the 'AMMO'? REALITY SLAP: Oliver relishes at the fact that Liam finds him funny, does it again...and of course again..knocks Liam over...same routine..Liam cries...mom yells not to be so rough..Oliver cries...don't remember Jake crying? there may be hope yet!...of you being straight Jake? BTW...to the brides that are bashing their foreheads on their keyboards...."If I have to see one more snotty nosed 'Carlyle sprog' I will spew!!" ...I promise to post a wedding related blog next week - albeit regurgitated!

We baked, we swam, we cried and somewhere in between I am sure we laughed?, we fought, they fought, I yelled, I nagged...........I drank..........I survived!! School holidays are over.......sigh of relief....back to some sort of sanity!. I promise I will never moan about the cost of school fees ever again. Not quite as relaxing and refreshing as I'd hoped, but I was grateful to have some time with the boys and some extra time to edit. In 2008, I shall strive towards "quality of life" and make every effort to stick to that one-wedding-a-month goal, I somehow never managed to acheive in 2007. That "quality of life" I mention is summed up in my first sentence of this entry, so I may find myself straying every now and then. Some pics from the "quality time" break ...without the screams.   Oliver after his afternoon nap... I know as a) he only wears his nappy for the nap b) he is sitting down, still groggy...not running wild   Oliver towing Jake along with the new "digger" truck Santabloke brought Jake with a cheap pair of shades.... that if I knew would cause so many fights, I would have bought three! The "wild" one Liam who is sooooo chuffed with himself, now that he is walking. He just goes!!!  Jake not yet. Attacking dad