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Good times, bad times and all sorts of times at The Bunny House lately.

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 11:39:09 +0000

I’ve been writing for a few other publications, sites and blogs lately and getting my writing kicks where I can. I haven’t really been putting this blog as priority lately, and just going with it as we do. I got really in to food, health, fitness, local travel… Raising Men has changed with us and our interests over the years, which is why I can’t really label it as any sort of platform in particular. We’re just a little bit of everything these days. However, here’s a little time capsule of us, if you will.

Noah is such a little champion. We had him assessed with an Educational Psychologist where they checked on all aspects of his personality, emotional and mental development. It’s so important to do this. It’s SO important. A lot of things just ‘clicked’ in our feedback report. So many little quirks about Noah just started making … Read the rest

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“It’s a beautiful day to save lives, people. Let’s have fun” – Derek Shepherd.

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 10:02:28 +0000

Hi I’m just here quickly to tell you that The Sunflower Fund’s National Bandana Day is on 12 October. What is Sunflower Fund? Clue: It has nothing to do with Sunflowers: The Sunflower Fund was formed in 1999 by parents whose children had contracted leukemia, and in some cases had lost their battle against it. Leukemia is a group of cancers that start in the bone marrow and results in high volumes of abnormal white blood cells. Symptoms include bleeding and bruising problems, feeling very tired and an increased risk of infections. Treatment is chemotherapy, radiation therapy and bone marrow transplants. Doesn’t sound very great, does it? Leukemia is the most common cancer amongst children. In 2012 leukemia developed in 352,000 people globally and caused 265,000 deaths. Sometimes all that these kids need is some bone marrow. Bone marrow that you have laying around and don’t really need. We’re … Read the rest

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Noah is styled by Keedo! Cute kids clothing made and loved in South Africa

Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:47:04 +0000

I LOVE dressing the boys. I always thought I’d want a girl to play dress-up with, but boys are so… Cool. They also love getting messy, climbing, digging, swinging, rolling and falling. Boys are busy! Girls are too, but I mean boys are… really busy. I’m a bit sneaky with their clothes – I buy everything a size or two too big so they can grow in to stuff. I mean, Noah and Ben are almost 2 years apart and they’re the same size! With all my hand-me-down dreams properly deflated, I’m really trying to make their clothes last as long as possible. Ideally, their clothes need to last two years – so they NEED to be good quality. I’ve bought clothes that haven’t survived 3 months with my two. I see all the mom’s in the audience nodding in agreement (I see you).

The boys’ individuality has really started … Read the rest

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Goodbye little baby house in Observatory. It’s time for us to move on now.

Fri, 29 Aug 2014 17:38:48 +0000

This weekend we’re moving out of our little house in Observatory. It’s a very beautiful semi-detached house, so our neighbors have the ‘other half’ which is exactly the same size and layout. I heard that our current house was built in 1923 and with the railways, all the houses were split in 2 to accommodate the rail workers or something. So we really loved the old Victorian charm of 2 fireplaces, wooden floors and high ceilings. We really loved living here for so many reasons and made the two bedroom setup work for as long as possible!

Right now, we need a bigger garden. A storage shed. An office. A guest room. Parking. Automated gates. Heck even a driveway would be nice. I wish that I’d put up pictures of all our houses since I started Raising Men. There are so many memories in this home. Through so many good … Read the rest

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Betty’s Bay in the Overberg. And my little baby photography background

Wed, 27 Aug 2014 09:35:58 +0000

My mom lives in Betty’s Bay in The Overberg. We go visit as often as possible because obviously we LOVE my mom and Lester. It’s so nice to see them and lounge on their porch with an ocean view as the boys play in the garden. Jack loves exploring the fynbos, paths and streams and digging his heart out at the beach.

There’s so much to do in the Overberg – with beaches, fishing, quad biking, hiking and even sand boarding. In Betty’s Bay you’re also very close to Hermanus, Stanford, Kleinmond, Pringle Bay and Elgin. After about a year of exploring the area, we’re still dead-set on Betty’s Bay as the perfect weekend retreat for the whole family.

I recently got a propers Canon professional camera and a few lenses from Graeme, so I’ve started playing around again. I used to be my school’s photographer and belonged to a … Read the rest

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Old Mac Daddy – Luxury Airstream Trailer Park in Elgin, Western Cape

Tue, 26 Aug 2014 19:13:19 +0000

Last weekend we were invited to spend a night at Old Mac Daddy in Elgin, Overberg. When you hear “trailer park”, your mind makes all sorts of unglamorous assumptions. We were completely overwhelmed by how beautiful, luxurious and quirky it is. Creativity is the cornerstone of this mini caravan resort. It’s like sleeping in a little 50s art gallery in the most beautiful setting – the Elgin Valley. So beautiful in fact, that the Old Mac Daddy project won a Gold Loerie Award in the Three Dimensional and Environmental Design Category – Interior Design Temporary Structures. Read more about the concept, designers, architects and process here. Really, the trailers are beautiful, – each designed by an artist, designer or creative living and working in Cape Town

Old Mac Daddy offers 10 trailer units, two lakeside units and the family-sized Daddy’s Villa. Each has themed bedrooms and earth-friendly living … Read the rest

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We got a Border Collie! His name is Jack, and he is the very, very best dog.

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 11:07:44 +0000

I totally forgot to tell my blog that we got a DOG. Yes yes a real dog. Wait, we also got a new house which is why we got a new dog and it’s all so flippin’ exciting that you wouldn’t even believe it. Guys. He is the most amazing little pup. We’ve always loved both Staffies and Border Collies. Those are just THE dogs for me. I grew up with Staffies: Madonna, Wilbur, Sebastian and Caine. They were the BEST. We really wanted a Collie because of their sweet natures and intelligence. Also: How do you say no to those gorgeous blue eyes? We had to act super fast to get him as he was the only blue-eyed boy in the litter! Then we had to arrange his transport from George and it was just so exciting – all of it!

Jack is an absolute treat. While puppies are … Read the rest

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Writers write and all of that. A tiny little baby Raising Men announcement

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 19:34:17 +0000

I love writing. I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. Raising Men has been an incredible outlet for me to learn, grow and enjoy my little road as a maybe / am I really? writer. I’m excruciatingly excited to tell you that I’ve just signed up with two phenomenal brands and platforms as an on-board writer. I keep refreshing my inbox in expectation that they’ve realised their awful mistake, and that they’re going to call the whole thing off.

I’ll be writing a monthly column for Parent24. I wrote a little something for them a few months ago, and since then I’ve been welcomed in as a permanent feature. Isn’t that something? And… I have to brag because this is the BIGGEST deal for me, because Scott from Parent24 said something along the line of “All of us here enjoy your writing and humour” —> okay … Read the rest

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A very merry un-birthday, to us.

Wed, 30 Jul 2014 07:57:29 +0000

I’m turning 30 next week.I’m supposed to write something. About how much I’ve learned and how grown up I am and how I’m all scared of getting old. Or something. I have no infinite wisdom for you. Getting older doesn’t even matter. Right now, it’s just something on the calendar that I have to get through in order to carry on with everything else. I’m not sad or ungrateful. I’m just really, really focused right now. I’m like that cartoon dog that catches a scent… and his tail goes all pointy and he ignores everyone else. Which cartoon was that? Was it Pluto? No I’m sure it wasn’t Pluto.

I am just so focused right now. I don’t mind putting the work in (I publicly enjoy on it) because it’s for ME and there’s something quite liberating and excruciating about all of it… All these little projects that are happening … Read the rest

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TEN benefits & facts about running and THREE upcoming races to enter!

Sun, 27 Jul 2014 17:25:46 +0000

It’s been such a long, (mostly uphill) road for me! I started out with running a few months ago and never imagined how much I’d love it. I really was a BEGINNER on every level. Right now I’m still brand new at all of this. My first 21km was a project or experiment. People ask why I started running as if it was my idea and it really wasn’t. I had signed up with Knysna Oyster Festival as a beginner Sports Writer of sorts, and it was an assignment. It was a challenge I could NOT turn down. I worked really hard for the opportunity – I trained, saw numerous medical professionals, kitted out, joined a gym and spent tiny baby fortunes on shoes, accessories and everything else I needed. We’ve spoken about all of this. Sorry. I really just can’t get over it – all of it. I still … Read the rest

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