we worked too!

The real reason we were away for the weekend was to work :o)

On the previous hotel shoots, Patrick had found it awkward to ask guests to pose for the photographs he needed for the brochure - so he asked if we wouldn't mind tagging along as his models for this one.

So, this is us working!!

This poor horse was so old - I felt so sorry for itBraeden decided that this was the best part of the holiday, and has been very keen to start horse-riding lessons as a result!Jamie can always be trusted upon to find the highest point, and then conquer it! :o)This took a fair amount of convincing for me to do - but I did enjoy it once I got going!

out for a duck

While at the Spa, we had such a sweet encounter one morning ...

We were making our way to the heated pools, when we noticed something very unusual in the cold pool ...

A mother duck and her cute little ducklings - they couldn't have been more than a week old!

The boys were desperate to get near them

then Jamie had the great idea to run back to our room and get some bread

instantly we had both mother and babies literally eating out of our hands!

it was so amazing to actually be able to see what their webbed feet do under water - usually not possible because of muddied pond water

these next two shots were taken by Dylan - he had the great idea of putting the camera at water level and really captured the cute factor!

later on in the day, Jamie and Braeden decided to swim with them!

what are little boys made of?

always learning

I love the way children sieze every learning opportunity ...

We were fortunate to be part of a shoot Patrick was doing up at the Natal Spa Hotel (near Vryheid) this past weekend.
At breakfast on the first morning, Braeden was fascinated by the way the serviettes were folded, and asked the waiter to teach him how to do it.

He was so proud of his first effort that he had to photograph it

... from all angles :o)

.. and he practiced his new-found talent for the rest of the weekend!

cycling in the midlands forest area

we decided to go for a cycle further inland recently - so we headed off for the beautiful Midlands area.

on the way, we stopped at the site where Nelson Mandela was arrested on the 5th August 1962

just a random spot along one of the roads in the Howick area - amazing to think that this was the site of an act which would have such far-reaching consequences for all of us

We stopped at the Piggely-Wiggely restaurant complex for an early lunch before our cycle

and then we were off!

we were all so proud of how well Braeden kept up with the rest of us

he had just got a fancy camel pack and cycling gloves for Christmas, and was loving the opportunity of trying them out!

Just when we most needed it, Patrick found this borehole! We were all sweltering in the stifling heat, so this was water which never felt so good!!
Feeling wonderfully refreshed, we made our way back - downhill this time!

You had to be there to have the full experience of this - sights, sounds .... and smells!!

Then, the best find of all!!

This amazing field, freshly plowed, appeared on our left as we came up the last hill.

It spoke so clearly to me, and was such an amazingly visual example of the parable where Jesus talks about the seed falling on good soil.

This soil was beautiful - it smelt amazing, it was perfectly prepared.

We had a good discussion about how Jesus wants our hearts to be like this, and we compared it to the very hard, compacted and rocky soil we were standing on. What a wonderful visual example of one of Jesus' great teachings!

Patrick saw this photo that I had taken of the field, and liked it so much, he came back and took one exactly the same on his fancy high-end camera. Now that made me feel good!! :o)

We had some VERY tired boys in the car on the journey home

so, a wonderfully refreshing swim at home completed a beautiful day