End of "Summer"

Catching up on the blog:  This is from a month ago...

Summer is officially coming to an end here, though it is only apparent on the calendar.  Paolo has been in town for a few weeks- a real treat for all of us.  Here is a glimpse of a week of our lives in mid-March...

Paolo does a "Cardio Tennis" class every Saturday.  He loves it!

Once Paolo finishes we head to stables nearby for the children's horseback riding lessons.

Maria spends the entire lesson with an intense look of concentration.  I only know she is actually having fun since she talks nonstop about her horse the rest of the week!

Gio gets a much bigger horse and goes a lot faster.  He loves it.

Saturday afternoons we often have friends over for a swim and braai (cookout). 

We surprised the kids and rented a bouncy house this time.  Two local teenagers joined the fun, adding dish soap and the hose to the slide.  Things got wild!

Eventually we got everyone inside for movies and popsicles...

...and the grownups got to sit outside and enjoy the quiet.

Maria inherited her first princess dress from a very kind older child.  She was beyond thrilled...

...like the kind of thrilled that meant I had to bargain with bribe her to get it off at bedtime.

And what princess would refuse an evening bike ride?

Monday Gio woke early filled with excitement for his first rugby lesson.  He is in full gear in preparation for the afternoon session.

Maria is obsessed with getting her hair cut but HATES getting it washed.  Luckily she seems to enjoy it at the salon.  If only she would be this willing at home in the bathtub!

What?!  A rainy day??  I think we have had about 3 of these since we arrived here in October.  

I discovered a grocery store with all sorts of yummy US goodies.  While I rarely crave American foods anymore a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup is not something I will ever pass up!

"My cheacher Peer."

Pierre is the local junior golf pro.  Maria is his youngest student.  She absolutely adores him and asks daily hourly to go see him.

Another Saturday, another birthday party.  Maria got invited by one of her classmates and had a terrific time.

Do NOT tell my mother but Gio rides around Pretoria on a motorcycle with Paolo.

Yep, another brithday party.  Same day.

This one was for Juliet (girl in orange, a classmate of Gio's), but the family did not mind Maria crashing it for a bit.

And what is new with Enzo?  Well, he has hit a new level of laziness.  Here is how he now eats his dinner.

And, finally, two videos of rugby and other things on the 18th hole (right outside of our back gate)....

Golf, Head-Shaving & 'Beebahs'

We are nearing the end of summer here in South Africa.  Paolo is finally finished with an insane period of constant travel (USA, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Cape Town, Swaziland, Lesotho), and we are looking forward to a family trip in two weeks to Cape Town and then the Garden Route.  Some images from the last two weeks....

Maria's nightly swing while the boys "actively" patrol for rabbits on the golf course.

Gio had another day off from school so I took him to a climbing park.  He loved it!

Maria got a new backpack for school.  And what does a 2-year-old take to school??  Water, sunscreen, hat, change of clothes, bouncy balls, Hello Kitty necklace, stuffed elephant...

Captured the moment Enzo hears thunder and just before he races up to our bathroom shower to hide.

South African restaurants are the best.  Children wander away from your table for a few minutes and come back from the play area looking like this!

Every morning I have to wake them both.  Not easy.

Maria's newest obsession (she has MANY) is water coloring...

My afternoon walks with the boys usually mean all 3 of them.  

Maria has a swim lesson on Wednesday afternoons.  Before the lesson we try out new restaurants (for her second lunch since she also eats at school!).  This one, Afro-Boer, is a new favorite.  And next time we are bringing the dogs who are allowed here!

And then the swim lesson.  Maria has come such a long way with these.  A month ago I had to sit on the edge of the pool, and she cried if even a drop of water touched her face.

Now I get to sit with the parents on the other side of the glass and she jumps in happily and goes far under water.  Woo hoo!

Maria wants to do EVERYTHING Gio does, which now means joining his golf lessons.  Gio is very generous to let her butt in...

...and our wonderful pro Pierre is so very patient.

Last weekend there was a Shave-a-thon in our nearby shopping center.  Guess who joined in?

Gone!

Maria also wanted her head shaved but finally consented to having a stencil painted instead.

"Beebahs!!"- Maria
Just another Saturday in Pretoria.

A rare evening with Paolo at home (off to Botswana in the morning, though).  That is him in the distance with Maria. I am back with the 3 furry boys.  Gio is, of course, fishing.

Maria now picks out her entire outfit.  Here is Monday's look.

Go, Blue Bulls!! (our local rugby team)

Tuesday these two boys turned 5.  Well, at least we know Enzo did!  Bruno's birthday is unknown.  Our vet estimated he is about the same age as Enzo based on his teeth and suggested we just give him Enzo's birthday to make things simpler.

Tuesday's look. 

Pepper is stalking the bunny bag.

Until next time!  xoxo.  Clara