Not easy to lose

Our nephew played in the National 0/11 rugby play-outs on Friday and his team made it through to the finals.  Since he is captain of the team, we felt we just had to be there to support him and drove 400 km there on Saturday morning.

His team was ahead 3 - 0 when the final siren went off.  The boys ‘relaxed’ and thought they had won the game but the ref had not blown his whistle and the other team scored a try.  They lost.

Losing is not easy.  Losing after the final siren went off, really sucks.  I felt so badly for the kids.  On the other side we were so proud of them.  They got silver medals and honestly you can’t ask more from a team who had 5 children from a younger age group in their team (because they don’t have enough players of that age)

I think the parents are way more upset and down about the game than the kids though.  The kids had finished crying and showed SUCH great sportsmanship, while the parents are still walking around trying to rationalize the loss.

After the game we thought it to be a good idea to drive 600 km back with the other parents, so that our boys can visit more with their cousin.  Plus another 200 km to get back home today.

Good thing we don’t mind driving!

 

Sagole Big Tree

We normally try to show the boys something different when we go away. I want them to experience as many different things as possible. The only true way to gain general knowledge is by seeing and doing and reading.

The boys recently asked me what the biggest tree in our country is. Now as with most things in life, this is a big dispute but it is said that this tree - the Baobab tree - in Limpopo is the biggest. It is over 3 000 years old or not depending on the source

We decided to take the boys there this past weekend while visiting my brother and his family. It was a long drive, especially back when I wanted to kill my brother and husband for the way they were driving.

It was so worth the trip. This tree is huge. I took loads of photos (just check my flickr). There’s a cave inside big enough to be a dining room….I mean you could fit a table and chairs….big.

The drive to the tree and back was over 300 km. A trip I didn’t plan on doing anytime soon until Jason asked if we could go again. My immediate reply was no because we have now seen it. But then he said that we do need to see it in summer too.

How do you say no to that kind of logic.

 

The road is long…

My brother and his family lives roughly 610 km from us. That’s over 7 hours if you stop. Which we do. I have three boys. We stop. At least once.

Every time we go there, I promise myself that I will not again. Not just for a weekend. It has to be for at least 5 days. However, the kids nag ask so often that we do end up going. I complain all the way. The kids don’t. They obviously handle the long distance better than me lol

But then I see the kids with their cousins and how much fun they have together and it’s all worth it. I wish we lived closer together.
There’s a house for sale next to my brother’s home and my boys asked us about a zillion times if we can buy that house. I think that would be their ideal world. Especially if my folks could move in right across or next to us. Not so sure how ideal it would be for the adults though!

 

Do not go there

Kids weren’t invited to my cousins wedding last weekend.  They offered to have a babysitter look after the kids but I don’t know this person AT ALL and my kids have never stayed with a babysitter.  I sure wasn’t going to let them stay with I-don’t-know-how-many-other-kids with a babysitter I dont’ know.

From the beginning I said that I was not going to stay too long.  Tommie was at the guesthouse alone with the boys and I know that Zander doesn’t go to sleep easily if I’m not with him. 

I greeted the family including the bride’s sister (who also has a daughter aged 3) .  She wanted to know why we were leaving so early (it was 8:30 pm and the wedding started at 3:00 pm already).  I explained to her that Zander doesn’t like going to sleep without me and would just be giving Tommie a hard time.  “Oh you spoil them too much” she said.

I spoil them too much?  I of course jumping on my high horse replied with “No I just love them”

I mean come on.  My kids weren’t with me.  I wanted to go back to them.  I wanted to make sure Zander goes to sleep easily.  I didn’t want to be at the wedding without my husband even though I think the wedding was stunning and relaxed and probably one of the nicest I have ever been to.

We are different.  She doesn’t mind leaving her little girl in the care of someone she doesn’t really know.  I do.  Don’t judge me on that and say I spoil my kids.  Don’t go there.