Animator vs. Animation

If you haven't seen these yet, do yourself a favour and check them out. They are brilliant!

Animator vs. Animation I

Animator vs. Animation II

It's Absolutely Fabulous Darling!

I always cut Quinn's hair, because I just do a number 4 electric clippers cut. Easy-peasy, quick and saves loads of money.

Griffin's hair however needs scissor cutting.... so we always end up at the hair dresser for him. But somehow fitting that in gets tricky, and as a result the poor child ends up with really long hair. Luckily that's pretty cool atm, and since we aren't in big school yet his hair doesn't HAVE to be short.

Tonight I decided it was too long though and needed cutting right now, so I went at it. Thinking worst case scenario, I'd have to take it to get fixed by a hairdresser, tomorrow.

I have to say, I don't think I did a completely terrible job at all.... I somehow managed to do layering and everything.

After he'd bathed and washed his hair, I asked him if it was ok, and he said he hadn't looked yet, and off he ran. He came dashing back and said, 'It looks FAB-u-lous! Thank you mommy!'


So without further ado here he is, before and after:

Before is on the left, after on the right, in case it's not clear. In that first after he was again telling me how fabulous it was.

Googlisms

Googlism for: jane

jane is boring?
jane is her name
jane is no crime
jane is a stupid communistic traitor bitch
jane is moving
jane is a veteran
jane is betty page
jane is spending $12m
jane is over rated
jane is a screaming girl
jane is the master bbs server
jane is doing a sponsored cycle in iceland
jane is attempting to walk across the street
jane is the times cook of the week
jane is back
jane is an independent missionary
jane is scooting her hosting
jane is too ill to move
jane is coming back
jane is a sweet girl
jane is better than natalie
jane is fun
jane is a heart breaker
jane is licked by every end porno inside
jane is a warner bros
jane is not
jane is one hot model
jane is 101
jane is going to be on spyder games tonight
jane is over rated
jane is black and she loves to ride the sybian whenever her husband
jane is no longer being produced
jane is strong
jane is installing windows 2000 professional
jane is performing on norwegian cruise line's ship norwegian sun
jane is treated like a servant by the guests
jane is the treasurer of off the record
jane is just jealous
jane is a 72
jane is able to finally return to rochester as an independent woman
jane is offering arts in education programs in the schools on installation art and papermaking
jane is compelling
jane is a superhero that can use her special strength
jane is portrayed as a survivor
jane is an image
jane is blessed with a large vocal range
jane is big with death
jane is ready early for her carriage ride to lowood
jane is an orphan who is at first raised by her aunt
jane is indomitable;
jane is not just a novelist
jane is feeling 'burning and fiery'
jane is one of a large family comprising seven girls and five boys of which she is the eldest
jane is sent to gateshead to live with her father's sister
jane is developing practical life skills
jane is a must for your next poetry reading or gay event
jane is also a licensed art therapist who has focused on innovative ways of teaching fine art
jane is listed in the census as living by herself
jane is edited as a lifestyle magazine for a new generation of confident
jane is the girl next door
jane is admittedly effective at doing most of what it attempts
jane is no longer a "pale little elf" but a "little sunny
jane is not agent brookes
jane is dismayed to find that she is falling for a man so bent on starting another
jane is my name
jane is a delight both to work with and to learn from
jane is as a baby in her mother's arms
jane is in a high risk group
jane is 17 years old and has down syndrome
jane is the title character of the iron dragon's daughter
jane is finally freed from persecution and enjoys more humane
jane is a lesbian
jane is named after jane seymour
jane is skilled with a horse and handles a gun like a master gunslinger
jane is robin to daria's batman
jane is in the garden
jane is fun
jane is betty page
jane is a heart breaker
jane is woman
jane is moving
jane is a meticulous
jane is naughty again
jane is talking to you
jane is the treasurer of off the record
jane is no ‘couch’ potato
jane is gone
jane is strong
jane is a hot mama
jane is no crime
jane is such a sweet thing
jane is here
jane is not the only one who likes dick
jane is it really that bad?
jane is still jane
jane is not
jane is in the hospital
jane is a sweet girl
jane is a longlegged goodlooking brunette
jane is a warner bros
jane is one hot model
jane is a horrifying character who seethes with the rage of a spoiled child
jane is mediocre
jane is arrested
jane is amusing
jane is big with death
jane is gone
jane is treated like a servant by the guests
jane is the token estrogen in the band
jane is already an outsider in middle class society
jane is a college graduate
jane is blessed with a large vocal range
jane is trying to find her dream man
jane is a past chairman of the attorney /realtor section of the san diego county bar association
jane is a great supervisor
jane is a must for your next poetry reading or gay event
jane is in a high risk group
jane is also a licensed art therapist who has focused on innovative ways of teaching fine art
jane is not visiting
jane is developing practical life skills
jane is a model
jane is representing more and
jane is 17 years old and has down syndrome
jane is a delight both to work with and to learn from
jane is dismayed to find that she is falling for a man so bent on starting another
jane is whisked away to neverland by captain hook and his pirates
jane is the girl next door
jane is the emotionally charged and ultimately uplifting story of an extraordinary woman coming to terms with her imminent death
jane is a piece of women's history in step with feminist theory demanding that women tell their own stories
jane is an open systems consultant with 22 years experience in open operating systems
jane is robin to daria's batman

So there you have it!

Try your own: Googlism

Quinn in the Tatler

Quinn was in the local community newspaper the Tatler last week.

He was photographed as part of a group shot taken at school when they dressed up in Springbok jerseys at school in support of the Springbok games during the Rugby World Cup. It was shown along side other pictures depicting the Cape Town Bok's Ticker Tape Parade from last week.

He is at the end of the front row on the right hand side.
Cute!

He was very excited when I showed him, after I spotted it there ;)

Oh and I have just realised it is Guy Fawkes tonight. Which explains the sounds of 'gun shots' I keep hearing ;)

Griffin the drama queen

Last night we sorted out Griffin's wardrobe - since it's his birthday soon, and he'll be getting some new clothes with his gifts etc. He has outgrown a lot of the stuff he had. I found a pair of 12-18 month shorts still in there!


Anyway I took everything up to age 4-5 out unless it was a really big cut, thing is some of the stuff is still pretty nice and a lot of it he still likes.

So he looks at the pile and says, and I quote 'ah man, it's ruining my whole life...'

I was like huh?

So he goes on, 'Winter, it's ruining my life. I couldn't wear this stuff cos it was winter and now it's all too small'

hehehehe.

Birth Buddies - Giving Back

Doing the doula work I have over the past year has been really rewarding. All of it. But the best part has got to be the volunteer work I have done. Sure it's tiring, very emotional and doesn't help to pay the bills, but there is nothing that compare to that feeling that you made a difference in someone's life and helped someone who had nothing, have that much nicer and kinder an experience. It is so worth it.

Our doula organisation is meeting on Tuesday, for the last meeting of the year. Part of this session is to prepare gift bags to donate to the hospital I volunteer at, to give needy new moms something in the days and weeks surrounding Christmas. I think it's a brilliant gesture and I am happy to help with it.

The idea was to beg, borrow and steel stuff, and sew up bags from scraps of fabric etc.

Now I am not (no longer) into the sewing lark. No thanks. In fact Richard uses my sewing machine FAR more than I do in the last 8 years or so. LOL. Also I am terrible at asking for donations. I just can't bring myself to do it. There are so many people asking, and SO many worthy causes.... No I just can't!

BUT I CAN SHOP! *

So here are my gift bags...

I did 3 girl bags and 3 boy bags.Each one contains:
- 5x newborn nappies
- 1x face cloth
- 1x bottle of lotion
- 1x newborn baby vest
- 1x baby hat
- 1x baby toy
- 1x feeding cup
(No dummies or bottles)

It seems like such a little now, I hope it will be helpful though. :)

* I guess at this rate I'll have to stick to my day job! ;)

Lego Mania!

On Saturday Griffin and I went to the Marsh Memorial Children's home fete. (Quinn was still away after a sleep over at a friend's house). This fete has become an annual event for us, it was our third year attending. It is just around the corner from where we live.

They take donations of toys, puzzles, books, clothes, bric-a-brac, baked goods etc and sell them very cheaply to raise money for the home. We donate a heap of stuff each year, and have fun spotting it again on the tables at the fete ;)

The things we find there are just awesome! Last year we got 4 full Bionicles in their cases, and in perfect condition, for R15 each. (They cos about R100 new)

So this year we were there at 8:50, in the pouring rain, in time for the 9am start, and it was well worth it...

Because this year we got Lego ** at R10 a bag!!! (Those see through bags like to get at fruit & veg city, or that you put your milk or rolls in at PnP). I got 4 of those and 2 big green flat pieces (whatever you call them, the things you build on). All for R44! SCORE.

Up to now the boys haven't really had Lego, as we have a big set of Duplo -both the real and generic kind - and the boys have been very creative with that. With just different sized and shaped plain bricks they made amazing things. Ships, jets, robots, dinosaurs, even transformers! So I didn't want to mess with that, and introduce fiddly specific lego pieces that are pre-shaped. Also I'll admit the mess factor was a consideration too, Duplo is much easier to pack up. But they are bigger now, and their room is more organised, so the only remaining constraint was cost. Lego is DAMNED expensive!

Over the past few birthdays they have recived a few small Lego sets, like a racing car and driver, or guy with skateboards, but not enough to really go wild with, so it doesn't get played with much on it's own.

But I suspect the Duplo is going to be forgotten now... Because when we got home and unpacked our stash we found EVERYTHING in there, sharks, horses, owls, windows, roof tiles, digger trucks, palm trees, police men, space ships, cowboys and Indians, Egyptian Pharaohs, skeletons, water skis, scuba gear, and even Harry Potter and friends (including Dobbie!), and Darth Vader & Yoda from Star wars! I kid you not. It's awesome!

Can you tell I am pretty excited about this? As I bought it, the man at the stall said, 'Your kids are going to love you' and I told him 'I think I am going to love me!'


It's play time!

It's hard to see it on this busy carpet, but this is the stash we got.

These are just some of the people in the set. We have since found wine glasses, a magnifying glass, spell book, broom stick,

** I also got a 100 piece puzzle of a baby fox, very cute for R10 and a stunning book for Quinn called Incredible Cross Sections "This dazzling book offers spread after spread of cutaway illustrations that reveal the hidden architecture of 18 celebrated structures, from a Gothic cathedral to a coal mine to the space shuttle. Details are so intricate that the reader will be tempted to reach for a magnifying glass--somehow Biesty conveys a sense of both the proverbial forest and its trees." for just R25.

Halloween gone - but not forgotten

So Halloween came and went on Wednesday night and we had a great time. It was the first time I hosted it at my house.

But Whew! It was exhausting!

It was a HOT day, so just preparing everything and dressing ourselves up took it out of us and then we ended up having just 4 adults and 18-20 kiddies! All the other adults dropped their kids and left - gee thanks!

So, with Richard away, I had to wrangle all the kids, socialise, cater, host, watch the pool, lead the trick or treating, make sure the house was locked, be polite to neighbours and everything. We also picked up some stray kids along the way - like the pied piper LOL, and I ended up feeding them and entertaining them too! ;) At least we met some more of our neighbours though.

It was actually really fun.

I took the photo below at the end of the evening after putting the boys to bed and then cleaning up. I have a feeling I would have looked like that anyway by then- even without the make up!


I was too busy at the time of the party to take many/any photos. It's a pity I didn't get a pic or 2 of our food table and the massive box of sweets we had. Oh well.

Here are a few pics we did get of our evening:

Quinn and I all dressed up and ready. He was some kind of demonic long haired rugby player (Victor Matfield? ;) ) I was a zombie, vampire, demented mom (i.e just my usual self!).

Griffin... say no more!

The gang we started off with. It was double the size when we got back.

Trick or Treating at our local Ghost House. Whoooooo!

Our little Jack-o-Lantern.

Larger versions of the pics are here.

By all accounts everyone enjoyed our party, and it was a great success. Thanks to everyone who came and contributed.