Happy Birthday, Rosie!

Crazy busy.  That's the only way to describe what this last week was like.  Every morning (for me and the children) was filled with travelling to Dzanani for their youth bible lectureship and every afternoon had some weird random "emergency" that wan't too bad but just increased the stress and chaos level.  One day Liam threw a shovel at Rosie and caused a head wound...lots of blood, but not too bad of a cut once we were able to see it properly.  The next day Liam locked one of the bedroom doors...for which we have no key...when all of the windows were closed and no one was in the room.  Adam Kendall-Ball (who is visiting) was able to get it open for us eventually.  Thursday James and the guys ran into a fork lift that was parked on the side of the road with the forks raised and sticking into the road...mixed in trees so it couldn't be seen.  Who parks a forklift like that?!  It opened the Condor like a tin can and smashed the windscreen and front and back passenger windows.  God was really watching out for those guys because no one was hurt- not even the guys right next to the windows.  The day after that one Henry broke his arm while playing on the kids' new swing set.  I still have no idea how that one happened.  He says he was climbing and "then it happened" and he adamantly insists he didn't fall.  

But today was Rosie's 8th birthday and we ended this weird week with some fun.  We had a pool party and braai (cook out) to celebrate.  How strange to have a pool party for a December birthday!  

Playing in their pjs early on Rosie's birthday.  

I found pirate costume making kits on clearance the other day
 so we've had some fierce pirates hanging around.  

Pool party at our house!  The thatched area behind the pool is called a lapa.
You can see James working on the braai (grill).
Rosie requested steak for her birthday dinner.

Poor Henry was so upset about not being able to play in the pool,
but Mama planned ahead and got a little fishing game for
him to play with...in a bucket.  

The pool seen from inside the lapa.  The room behind the glass doors is James' study.
You can see my washer machine in the dark space to the right.  It's outside, but so
far that hasn't been too big of an issue.  It's kind of nice to have a
rainy day as an excuse to not do laundry.

Henry decorating Rosie's cake.
He insisted on the chef hat because he could not find an apron.
 I guess you have to get in character.  

Sampling the wares.  And I thought you'd like to see more of the kitchen.
Yes, Tammy, those are the pots they decorated at Macy's birthday party!  

Birthday girl fresh out of the pool...in December!  

LOVED seeing the look on her face when she saw one of her presents.
It was a book on the flags of the world.  And Henry, photo bombing as usual.