The Day Our WIFI Didn't Work

The other day, our WIFI wasn't working and we all know that in today's day and age how inconvenient that can be!! It was a public holiday and the weather was gloomy and I thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up on some blog work before the bigger kids came out of their rooms looking for food (teens...need I say more). Needless to say I was a little frustrated that so many good ideas were getting wasted.

 

But do you know what else happened? The kids crept out of their rooms and climbed into my bed. They made tents and fortresses out of duvets and pillows. They played hide and seek and wrestling games...and we got to chat around the kitchen table over hot chocolate and tea. And even though the house didn't stay all that neat, it was filled with laughter and giggles and sounded very much the way childhood should!

 

And all the while it didn't quite sink in what was happening. How the house was suddenly alive and bustling again. How there was no arguments over passwords and earphones. How my room, even though a bit messy, was filled with feet and limbs and bodies that were once small but now surpassed my own! My house was vibrant and alive and filled with the electric energy that kids naturally bring... which, during recent times, had started to fade...or maybe it hadn't...but I had stopped being observant about those things.

 

And then the penny dropped! When husband got home from work and asked the kids what they were up to while he was gone; and my son promptly replied " We communicated with each other the entire day because the WIFI wasn't working!"

 

Naturally this made me laugh out loud, but it also made me realise that we've slowly become lost behind our screens (more so me than the kids)  and that I've been selfishly using the children's WIFI time as my own quiet time. For a little while my kids were safely within my four walls, but we were all slowly getting lost to the internet! So I've decided to be pro-active about it all and restrict everyone's screen time, especially my own, and have more 'face to face' time and more time doing things kids should...or parents should...or a bit of both.

 

By evening, the internet is working again and all the kids were back in their rooms *sigh*. But I didn't mind, because we had a productive day in each others company...and I really needed to write this blog post ;-)

 

Photograph by :  2Cherries Photography


Thanks for reading!

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)

 

 

 

Faux Fur for a Faux Autumn

I love the interludes between seasons...the way Summer lingers around that much longer before Autumn...The way Winter gradually gives way to Spring. The way our wardrobes go through a gradual transition with the changing weather. I love that our Summer wardrobes are usually still relevant a month later with the help of light layering...And that we get to peel away the layers of our Winter warmers as we embrace Spring!

But this year there has been no gradual change! There has been no prolonged Summer. No transition. Just a sudden abandonment... and in it's wake...in all the places that Summer used to linger...is a frosty chill (and a couple of rain storms) that has had me heading for some warmer layers a little sooner than I thought!

In a time of year where the weather is temperamental and unpredictable, clever layering is key! It helps to have a few classic staples in the wardrobe that stays in style for more than one season and that can be spiced up with a few key seasonal trends and accessories. Here Moon has transformed an all black ensemble and taken the look from classic, to fabulous and trendy, with the help of a statement neck piece, accessories and a fur sleeveless vest (which comes with detachable leather sleeves). A lighter weight dress with the layered fur vest, makes it easy to peel away and add on as we adjust to the mood swings of the weather. And with just a change of a few key elements like accessories and jacket, this look can also so easily be transformed into a whole new outfit!

Outfit Details :

Dress, tights and boots : Woolworths

Fur vest  (with detachable sleeves): Guess

Jewels : various 

Thanks for reading!

Peace,

NAMU :) 

Preserving our Memories with 2Cherries Photography

Memories are such an important part of our lives! In memories we find little pieces of our childhood...get reacquainted with old friends...we get lost in our teenage years...we fall in love all over again...we capture our youth...our firsts (steps...baby...home). We simply remember a time that has passed too quickly; a time worth remembering!

Some might say that I hang too long onto special moments. That by trying to encapsulate it's essence, I am losing out on the moment. But a mother knows that childhood is fleeting and that the millions of memories and magical moments in between would be lost if we didn't make some kind of effort to preserve them. A mother will paint an elaborate childhood for her kids, capturing all the highs with painstaking effort...frozen smiles and loving embraces...it's the moments that make her journey worthwhile!

My own childhood is trapped in the pages of numerous photo albums...Big moments like Birthdays, Eids, Graduations, Holidays (and our ugly phases)...and some of the seemingly insignificant ones...cycling, rollerblading, swimming in our backyard and climbing mountains... all bound together with love and fondness that had my mom not paused to capture it, I doubt we would remember it at all.

It's why I try so hard to do the same, but as a mother who is frantically trying to capture everything, I often get left behind the lens. It's why I started this blog; combining pictures and words to fully preserve my feelings and emotions in a constantly changing landscape. It's why I work so tirelessly to write these notes  to my family, my children; so that one day, when their memories may fail them, they have this carefully curated treasures to help them remember...

Audrey and Benita from 2Cherries Photography understand fully the importance of preserving memories! Family ties are as important to them as it is to us. They do in pictures what I do in words...they preserve special memories!! They've made their livelihood out of capturing special moments while we get to live them. They've been trusted by brides on their biggest day, new mothers bonding with their babies, children's portraits at their cutest and most loveable stage and tender moments between couples...and now we've entrusted them with capturing our little family and I couldn't be more happy with the outcome!

It's really great when photographers are funny and encouraging and down to earth! The way they put you at ease as if you are standing in front of an old friend! It really shows in the images and the 2Cherries really managed to captured the best parts of my family! There was no sign of a moody teen or awkward tween and even camera shy husband rose to the occasion thanks to the pleasant personalities of Audrey and Benita!

Each picture tells a story; of love, friendship, bonds between siblings, a first time mom and the love of a grandmother. Each photo has encapsulated our present moment...frozen smiles and happy hearts...these pictures tell the story of our Family! Childhood may be fleeting and memories are unreliable, but images last a lifetime!

Meet the ladies behind 2Cherries and take a look at a few of my favourite pics!

Meet the 2Cherries Audrey and Benita <3

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in booking a shoot, you can contact the 2Cherries via email

 

2cherriesphotography@gmail.com

 

OR

 

Follow them on Facebook

 

2Cherries Photography

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :) 

 

 

 

To my Sister on her Birthday

Another year has passed and in its wake are moments and memories that have undoubtedly shaped and reshaped you to the core. I know that many moments have left you feeling defeated...But I also know that it's in the depths of despair where the light and fight enters our soul.

Life is indeed a mystery...We never know why things happen the way they do; the way life reveals itself in periodic cycles of hardships and bliss. But what I do know is that each frame of our lives is only a small piece of a much broader picture... like piecing together a puzzle...slowly giving way to a clearer view!

Birthdays are a great reminder that we were all born with a purpose! That this picture we see now is only a partial view. That there are still many more pieces of our life's puzzle to fit together before the journey is complete. It is a reminder that every day, every piece, every fragment and every moment is part of a bigger plan. A bigger picture that we cannot see. It gives us hope that there is still another horizon for us to meet...

And as we weave our way through life, some parts will be easier to put together while others may leave us feeling frustrated. I know that some moments will be filled with laughter and others will be scattered with hardship. There will be people walking along side us trying to help create the perfect picture, but at the end of it all, it's inside our own selves where we will find all the pieces we will ever need to create the end result!

I know that at times this journey seems hard...that piecing together the little fragments is difficult  and frustrating. That sometimes you wonder if you are strong enough and tough enough. But today I want you to know that what I see, is a strong woman! A dedicated and smart woman! A mother and a wonderful example of a woman painting the strokes of her own picture! Creating her own portrait! And that a week, month, year from now, all these strokes...all these pieces...the struggle and strife; will make way and reveal a picture you have been building and creating with every step and every breath of your soul and it will be worth all the sacrifices!

Happy birthday my dear sister!! Always know, that wherever life takes you, we will always be by your side...putting the pieces together...trying to figure it all out!

 

Happy Birthday!

 

Love,

 

NAMU :)

  

Battle of the Bulge - The Mental Plateau

So... I survived the holidays, I've lost a few kilos and outgrew my dependency on my fat jeans! My clothes are fitting so much better; dare I say, even a bit looser and I've finally reached my 'thin' fat weight! You know, where you're thin enough to fit into your smaller sizes but not thin enough to be classified thin??! Anyway, I've reached my comfort zone. Not my ideal weight, but my comfortable weight...and with that comes a mental plateau!

If  I'm going to be honest with myself, then I have to admit that I've started to slack a little bit. The momentum with which I've started this journey has started to wane. To me, it's all too familiar...lose a couple of kilos, fit into your favourite jeans and then find myself smack bang in the centre of a love triangle of wanting to lose more weight but not able to give up food!

Perhaps I was a bit presumptuous thinking that this dieters high would last forever!! Perhaps I thought that I could keep the momentum going strong. But I am learning that this journey; as with every journey; will be greeted with many peaks and dips along the way. And when the dips appear, we need to fight hard to propel ourselves forward before we get stuck in the rut once more...

For me, it's important to recognise and acknowledge these little potholes. To deny them would only mean that I'm lying to myself and evading my own reality...only to wake up when the kilos have piled back on! So right now, I need a good kick up the rear to get the engines roaring again; to get the desire and fire inside to start burning up once more!  I feel like if I can break past my current weight, my comfortable weight, it will be like I've finally made a breakthrough worthy to note!

And almost as if the internet can read my mind, amidst my social media feeds I've been finding random posts pop up, inviting me to join various challenges; enticing me to give up bread and sugar and other delicious things that are apparently not good for you, but gives you the kick start you need and gets you back into gear ;-)  I know I've got to do something different...this may just be what I need!

Thanks for reading!

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)

 

Mini Getaway to Montagu Springs

Can you believe that there were only 45 school days in the first term??? Honestly, it felt like 100 days or more of torture as I saw the kids through various orals, projects, assignments and assessments that drained the life out of us! 'Cos even though they're the ones doing all the hard work, someone has to do the running around for all the bits and bobs, charts, split pins and other stuff we don't have casually laying around the house!! And just when I thought we were about done with projects, there's always that one teacher who loves to surprise torture us with a last minute dash and scramble...

 

So when that last week hit us, I was more than ready to throw in the towel and drive into the sunset and away from it all! Which is exactly what we did....although it was more midday than sunset...but you know what I mean! We headed away from the rush, the chaos, the daily chase. We headed away from the hustle and bustle of the Big world and headed through the mountains, passed quaint and quiet little towns and into the neat little valley where Montagu Springs is nestled.

 

This place houses so many of my memories through the years! Walking the grounds after so long was like walking hand in hand with nostalgia. We'd come here so often as a young family; when the kids were too young to brave travels that were more adventurous. And even further back, with my own parents and siblings, sneaking out of windows with my brother to go watch the sun rise; racing each other on those big, red, pedal bikes! I came here when I was pregnant with my second child...with my parents and sisters and the kids. And then again with them when the numbers doubled. I was here with my father-in-law when he was sickly, to give him a change of scenery and perspective and a little fresh air and we've found our way back this year, after many years, to find that so many things have changed.

 

The house we stayed in the last few times had burnt to the ground. Those red pedal bikes were no longer there. The ducks we so often went to sit and watch, seemed to have dispersed. But even though what once was there is now gone...the images and memories created in a different time under different circumstances remain frozen and intact, and it was wonderful being able to relive some of those memories with the kids...and in turn build new ones for us to treasure.

It was a refreshing break! Embracing the new day with a kind of peace that comes from having nowhere to rush to, nothing to chase. For a few brief days we were enveloped in the calmness of our natural surroundings ... and with the luxury of all our every day amenities thanks to our top class accommodation in the Mountain Chalets. For a little while time passed by slower than usual, where an hour didn't disappear in flashes and lightning bolts. Where we actually relaxed, bonded and enjoyed each others company.

And even once we got back home, the relaxed, "nothing to do" vibe continued...and for the first time in a long time Easter break actually felt like a break! For the first time in a long time I felt like there was a long enough pause to truly rejuvenate body and mind...and for the first time I honestly feel ready to tackle the 50 odd days of the second term of school!

Literally took hundreds of pics in just 4 days and sifting through them all was a nightmare....but here's a few of my favourite.

En route...obligatory selfie while the going is good!

 

 

<3

 

The last time we were here these private Jacuzzi's weren't yet ready.

 

 

 

We arrived midweek, so it felt like we had the place to ourselves!

Taken by my six year old <3

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 For now, it's back to reality!

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)