It was all planned.  Booked.  Organized.  Then life happened.  Don't you just hate it when life comes in the way of fun???

Saturday we go for our normal breakfast.  We meet up with my in-laws and my MIL invites me to go to Namakwaland with her.  Namakwaland is in the Northern Cape.  Probably one of the most barren parts of our country.  Yet as we near spring, the MOST stunning flowers bloom in this area.  It covers the country in blankets of flowers.  It is just so beautiful.  I have never been there.  Ever.  So I grabbed this opportunity with both hands.

When my folks heard about this, they decided to join us.  (Thank goodness I got a big car lol)  My mom booked us places to stay over night.  I got the boys all excited.  Planned our week.  I could already see the photos I would take.

Then I remembered.  I have a course to attend on Friday.  I can't believe it.  I so badly need a break.  I so badly need to take time of.  Away from work. This was it.  This was what I needed.  Especially now.  My folks are going away for three weeks soon, so I'll be all alone in the office.  I needed a break now.

I'm so upset.  I even cried and believe me I'm not the crying type.  Best I get over it now.

The little guy is finally truly rolling.  For real.  All by himself.  So maybe I won't have to still carry him around when he is three lol

• I just love the smiles I get from him.  Even when he won't smile for others...he will smile for his Mommy.
• I enjoy the scream he uses only for his brothers when they get into his personal space and he wants them to move away immediately.
• I love the way he will put his head against my chest when he wants to nurse.
• The way he will move his head and body away if I put him against my chest (to see if he wants to nurse) and he doesn't want to.
• I love his appetite.
• I love our bath time.  Just him and me.
• I love how he is such an easy little guy.  I can take him anywhere, anytime and I know I won't have a problem.  He will be fine.  As long as he has me, he won't complain.  Not once.
• I love his laugh.  How he will all of a sudden find anything and everything funny.
• I love that he has the biggest smile on his face, when he wakes up and I'm next to him.
• I love how he will wait contently in my moms arms after waking up from a nap (during the week) and will the cry so sadly when I walk into the room to nurse.  As though he wants to tell me that he is sad that I wasn't there.  How could I.
• I love to see him love his Daddy so much.

I love his kisses.  Even when they aren't planted in exactly the right spot :) I love how he will actually move forward to kiss me.
I love how he has two great big brothers too :)

One of my internet friends brought up this question on our message board - "For those who drank little or no alcohol when you were younger...why not"

Well that would be me. I had my first alcohol drink at the age of 21.  At a work party.  It was a beer shandy lol  So not really alcohol anyway.  I have never gone on a drinking binge.  I have been drunk - heck yes - but never have I been so drunk that I can't remember what I did.  I have also only been drunk probably 4 or 5 times.  I haven't had any alcohol in ages.  And it's a non-issue for me.

Now back to her question.  Why did I never drink when I was younger.  (Younger meaning when I was a teenager).  The answer to this is not easy.  One I often talk about with my dad (well, more about what they did right for us not to get into drugs and how to keep my boys away from it) but I suppose this is very much the same.  My folks obviously did something right. Not of their three kids ever drank more than what would be considered normal, no-one drank as teenagers, we never tested drugs (not that I know of anyway lol)  But why?

I think, firstly, because we weren't around it much.  My folks never got stone drunk.  They had parties but we never really "knew" that they were drunk (although looking back as an adult they were lol)  In all reality though, this was only on rare occasions.  Not an every day thing AT ALL.

Secondly, we respected our parents too much.  We would just never do such a big thing...disappoint them in such a big way. They expected more of us and we did our damnedest to live up to their expectations.

Thirdly, they were very involved in our lives.  Knew all our friends.  Our teachers.  Where we were and what we were doing.  There was no way we could get involved with the "wrong" crowd.

They also spoke to us often.  Communication lines were open enough for them to know if something serious like that was up. (well as open as it can be with teenagers - especially a GIRL teenager)

We were not allowed out at night.  Meaning we weren't allowed out to parties, just walking around a mall, going to discos or stuff like that.  If we were out at night, it was at a friends house, who's parents my folks knew.

I'm thankful for the way I was raised.  I knew enough that I didn't feel I had to try it out.  My folks told us enough about how badly your body can react to stuff like that.  How quickly you can get addicted and how it will mess up the rest of your live.

I just didn't dare.  So I throw the question to you.  If you didn't drink as a young person, why not.  If you did...why?

My dad took this pic of my brother and my three sons on the night of Michael's birthday (the 8th) 

I am blessed to have a brother like him.  I am blessed to have him as the godfather to my three sons.

I remember us as little kids.  Him teaching me how to cycle.  He taught me how to rollerskate by pulling me behind his bicycle.  He taught me how to make a kettie, climb trees, play cricket.  I learned how to write my name when he went to Grade 1.  He taught me to. I was so proud when I went to school and could write my name.

He also did some typical brother things.  Swapping "lots" of money for one of my R10 notes.  Coins are a lot more right?  Using me to take his "love letters" to his girlfriend.  He taught me how to stand up for myself.  He had a "gang" in primary school - all guys.  We had a "gang" - all girls.  You get the picture.

He stood up for me though.  I had a big brother who wouldn't allow anyone to touch me.  Except him of course.  Oh my word did we ever fight.  I clearly remember my mom giving each of us a saucer of milk to drink - on the ground no less - since we were fighting like cats.

He taught me just how much I love him when he was coming out of coma after a car accident.  He would say every ones name, except mine.  I cried my eyes out.  We fought after his accident - more mature fights of course.  However, once he recovered from his accident and realized that I'm not personally responsible for his difficult recovery we became better friends every day.

He introduced me to my first serious boyfriend.  He supported me when Tommie and I almost got divorced. 

I hope that my boys will end with good relationships like ours. Even though we brother and sister (I personally think same sex siblings have better relationships), I'm thankful for the relationship we have.  I'm thankful that he is here for my sons.  Their lives are richer for having him in it.

I love you my Boet!

Like I promised I took some photos today. I found it very relaxing :)  I should do that more often.  Only thing is that I took all the photos out of my car and some even while the car was moving, so the quality is not great on all of them.

It also shows a town a sad view of our and country I suppose.  Don't go the slide show route, as I posted explanations with each photo.

My town through my camera