Travelling

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I went up to the farm with Paige Arran, Auntie Catherine, and Claire van der Linde's granny, Memom.

Here I am in front of the truck we drove up in.

The driving wasn't bad, but it did get quite hot! I took some notes during the journey.....

- Paige never stops eating!

- Arran can sleep just about anywhere

- I should've worn something cooler

- I can read in the car

- Paige often asks for sweets

- Arran is sleeping again

- Arran is sleeping again, now with my sunglasses on

- Arran took my sunglasses off while he was asleep

- Paige eats really fast

- Paige is asking for sweets again

- Shouldn't give Paige sweets, makes her crazy

- Paige named the 3 Sisters jenny Penny and Lenny

- After all this time in the car, Paige and Arran are only irritating each other now, and they aren't even sitting next to each other!

- The rain sounds static

- (Paige wrote this) Keren is mad, and Paige just read two books

- Arran's foot looks funny

- The clock is wrong

- Mine and Paige's stomachs hurt!

- Auntie Catherine saw lightning

- Oh, wait so did I!

- I really need the toilet!

- Paige would love it if I wet my dress

- Paige hopes lightning isn't on the farm

- Paige is cold

- Paige and I feel like we have wet our pants

- It smells like rain, I love it!

- This trip has been really easy!

- Might have to change a tyre in Bloem

- Arrival time, between 9 and 10

- We passed a really pretty stained glass hotel!

- We just saw a really ugly shoe sign

- The walls are still painted for the Soccer World Cup

- Battling sleep

- We have all been asleep for ages......

- Almost there!

- Getting excited!

- Finally reached our destination!

I had a great two days on the farm, reconnecting with my cousin.....

After my two days on the farm, we drove to Peitermaritzburg to Uncle Sandy and Auntie Lesley to stay therefor a night. The next morning was my Great-Grandpa's memorial service.

The cousins.......

After that we went to Auntie Deborah and Uncle Dieter. It was so cool, all of the ladies slept in the main bedroom, it was like one big sleepover! The next morning we went to the dam that's on the property. There is a bridge across it for a cycling race, so we were walking along that, trying very hard no to get wet!

It didn't work too well since the bridge sagged and touched almost the bottom (in the shallow parts).

Eventually Arran pushed Paige in and uncle Dieter tried to push me in, but if i was gonna go down, he was going with me!

Uncle Chris enjoyed fishing in the dam....

I miss everybody so much and I can't wait until we're all together again!

Paige's surprise party!

The day after my blessing ceremony (Monday) we had a surprise party for Paige. Her Nana took her fabric shopping and then came back to Tessa's house to "say goodbye" to her.........

Here are everyone waiting for her to arrive.........

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!

Tessa put together a cake after the Woods came to spend time with us.........

Needless to say everyone was impressed!

Almost all the guests had a great time swimming in Tessa's swimming pool.....

Paige got to chat to the girls too.........

After everyone left Josh and I went to Karate and then went back to Tessa to have a braai, all of the cousins (except Josh) piled onto the slide.

Blessing Ceremony

For my 13th birthday I had a blessing ceremony in Tokai forest. All my friends and family joined us and we braaied afterwards. It was a lovely day and it was so special that everyone made an effort to be there with me!

Here are Paige and me before everyone arrived. It was so nice that they could come up for my birthday! It was so much fun having them here!

Paige's little cousin, Zander, with chips in his mouth.......

My Dad read what he and Mom wrote for me first, it was so special......

my Granny and Auntie Deborah emailed their blessings, since they couldn't be here.......

Opa and Oma also had something to say, I was so glad they could come........

Auntie Catherine wrote me a letter that she read out........

Paige read me a song that she wrote, it was beautiful!

Grandpa said something for me too......

And Uncle Chris........

After that we ate and chatted.

Tessa made me some yummy caramel cupcakes, aren't they amazing?

Time to party!

My 13th birthday party was on the 1st of October, we all had a great time.......

Here are all the guests together on the couch.

Eating party food.

Playing the famous chocolate game, it was so much fun!

We had Singstar going throughout the party, almost everyone had a go!

We also played Dancemat, there was some serious competition between some of the girls!

This is my amazing cow cake that Tessa made for me, isn't it great?

The three cousins, all in blue.......

Paige and little Sarah, she is so cute!

After all the guests left, all of the cousins swam along with Nicole (who slept over) and Ashton (whose parents hadn't picked her up yet). It was freezing, but refreshing!!!

It was so great, i think everyone had a great time and my friends gave me amazing presents! It was wonderful!