What's for Supper?

This is a question that as a Mommy I am asked ALLOT!

The girls will be busy with breakie, and ask..'Hey Mom, what's for supper?' My standard response is."Live in the moment!" or "Check the menu plan" which I post up on the fridge door.

But today, I have been thinking about supper allot!

I had the most scintillating day!! NOT!

 I spent the most of it at the Licence Department,renewing my driver's licence then the last part of it sitting in the car, waiting for Ash's remedial classes.. All that I ate was a quick cheese 'n chutney sarmie as I was walking out the door at 15h45 on the way out to take Ash.

As you well know, I love food. The thing is that I love to cook. My Dad was a chef, so I'm sure that I must have inherited a gene or two (^^,)

So on the menu tonight... ' Really Nice Breasts' I kid you not! That's the title.

 I just recently got a new cook book, Zhoozsh! Faking it by Jeremy & Jacqui Mansfield (no relation).
I am so enjoying it. The recipes are so very South African, and so very simple.

Oh yum!!

So what's for supper at your place?

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx

A Day at the Dam

Yay, summer is here! And what better way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon, than on the water!

After church this morning, we joined Dad and Mom for a relaxed day the the Vaal Dam.

The Mansfield family has a house at the dam, along with a boat. In the summer it is a wonderful day out.

Let's get the boat...

Life Jackets on... okay lets go!Go! Go!

Oh my! Kenzie has her two most favourite people around her!!

Daddy, and...

Grampa!!!  No need for the Mommy!! sniff

Thank goodness for my big girls! (^^,)

  

What a wonderful day!

With beautiful memories made!

I treasure family time

  

Thank you Precious Jesus, for precious family

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx

Heritage Day

What a wonderful and relaxing day, today has been.

Today we celebrated heritage Day! It was a such a special day, because my precious niece, Angelee celebrated her 7th birthday, and sweet Julie (Jan's sister in law) announced her engagement. Big congrats to both Her and Andrew!

And as a family, we celebrated our South African heritage with a good old fashioned braai!!



Well that's supper taken care off, now we're all going to snuggle up and pop a DVD in to watch!

Have a special evening

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx



It's about time!

That's it!

I've had enough!!

If I have to pick that jolly peg bag up off the floor one more time.....

I have tolerated this sorry state for more than enough time!

It is time for a change!

So off to Mr P I went, and as I couldn't find a suitable substitute, I decided to take matters into my own hands...

I found these gorgeous tea towels...

and this is what became of one of them...

Hip hip hooray

(^^,)

Chat soon sweet friends

Niqui xx

In the Garden

 My most favourite part of the day, is the early evening. Just when the sun starts to set.

I am so happy that it is now warm enough for me to be able to sit on the patio and watch the sun go down.

It is the part of the day, when I can just sit and breathe. I love listening to all the sounds, the mad chatter of the daytime birds coming in to roost, and then the evening birds waking up.

I especially love the sunset. Tonight Daddy painted the sky a bright orange, that faded into pink...sigh...

As I walked around the garden this evening, I had a big smile on my face. My very precious Father in Law, Bill, sent over some plants for me. Dad has the most spectacular garden. (When I grow up, I want to be able to garden like him (^^,)

Dad knows how much I love the garden, that for my birthday, (while I was away) he planted an entire bed for me. He also knows that I also forget to water the garden, when things get busy, so he planted a bed of succulents! LOL

I live next door to my folks, so Dad came over bright and early to drop off the plants, as well as two very strong men, to plant them!

The finished result..

By November they should all be flowering.

I love the relationship that I have with Bill. My heart sings when he calls me "My Girl"

Sitting on my patio lost in thought, I thought about my family. I once heard a saying...'You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family'... personally I think it is such a dumb saying. I believe God chooses our families. He knows just what we need (cheeky grin on my face). When I look at my family and extended family, I am grateful for each and everyone of them, sometimes we butt heads, but for the most part we're all cool. 

I had such an amazing thought last night, after reading Jan's blog. We chatted last night and she said that she was so overwhelmed from all the support that she has gotten over the past few days!  And out of my spirit I said, 'well my babe, that's just what family does, we're all part of the body of Christ'

We're all part of the same family (^^,)

Thank you precious Jesus for the most wonderful family that you have blessed me with. 

As you sit and relax this evening, take a moment to thank Precious Jesus for your family, and close friends.

Reach out and let them know how special they are to you.

 Have a super evening,

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx

Wisdom

After a delicious sushi dinner last night, here's what my fortune cookie said...

The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance

Proverbs 4 (The Message)

...He would sit me down and drill me;

"Take this to heart. Do what I tell you - live!

Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!

Don't forget one word! Don't deviate an inch!

never walk away from Wisdom - she guards you life;

love her - she keeps her eye on you.

Above all and before all, do this; Get Wisdom!

Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!

Throw your arms around her - believe me you won't regret it;

never let her go - she'll make your life glorious.

She'll garland your life with grace,

she'll festoon your days with beauty."

Dear friends take my advice;

it will add years to your life.

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx





Feeling Loved (^^,)

Yesterday my bestie, Dawn, got home from Abu Daubi. She was there for a week on business... cool hey!!

Anyways she bought me a little something....

I LOVE perfume, this one smells like summer! I am so blessed.

Have a super day (^^,)

Chat soon

Niqui xx

Mackenzie Turns 2

Would someone PLEASE stop the jolly clock!!!

Our sweetest little Kenzie Mae turned 2 on Saturday

It feels like just a moment ago we were in the delivery room, waiting to meet this precious little soul!

This is our little surprise! I am so grateful to our Daddy, who sees the bigger picture! Our lives would be incomplete without our little blessing! 

Gosh I love being a Mommy!

Happy Birthday, precious little Princess!



Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx



A Poem from Ashlynn

Earlier this year Ashlynn was diagnosed with Dyslexia. Most of this year, she has had a block against reading ot writing anything! It has been a frustrating road for both her and I. So I turned to my Daddy for help. And a few days ago while I was in prayer I heard Him tell me that He has Ashies in the palm if His hand and that He is healing her brain! On Monday afternoon, after her remedial lesson, we just started chatting. When we touched on her school work, she got very tearful. Her biggest fear at the moment is failing Grade 5. (It is at times like these that I am so very grateful for the Holy Spirit!! How anyone parents without Him is beyond me!!) I suggested maybe we should pray about it, and hand the fear over to Jesus. So that's what we did. I then felt led to tell her what the Father had told me last week. Her eyes grew so big, "Can He really do that?" "Of course I said! All we have to do is believe"( When God says something, it has to come to pass! His word will not return to Him void!)

At the moment we as a family are standing in faith for our little Zac's heart to be made whole (read his story on Jan's blog). I asked Ash what is the difference between her and Zac? God doesn't have any favourites! (^^,)

Since Monday, I have noticed a change in my girl! It is so exciting. Whenever I see her , she is working on her homework, or has pen to paper. So this morning, she shows me what she has been working on.

She's been writing poems. Loads of them...

This one touched my heart!

A seed to a sprout

When the sun lights up

you'll be the one

for greatness to come

nothing will fall in your way

Your destiny will come

Have a wonderful day



Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx



The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord...

Psalm 97.5

Once you cast your monumental problems to Jesus, they become microscopic in His mighty hands.

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx

Rest, My Dear

I had a bit of a moment yesterday. I kinda lost my focus and became totally overwhelmed by all I had to do yesterday. I started to get miserable, grumpy and short tempered. Ever had a moment like that?

Just about then I heard my Daddy whisper to me, "Come spend some time with me." What was my response? Oh Lord I have so much house work to do while Kenz sleeps. I've already had my quiet time this morning.

At this point I'm close to tears. The sad thing is that it is not even that time of the month! LOL Quite honestly I had no clue why I was feeling so emotional.

But again Daddy whispered to my heart " Come spend a few moments with me, and grab your New King James..."

So I make a cuppa, and took a seat. I closed my eyes, and just breathed.  He led me to Hebrews 4. The title of the passage... The Promise of Rest!





The Promise of Rest!!



 This is what it says;

Vs 9 and 10

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Over the past few weeks, I have been practicing the presence of Jesus. I know that He will never leave me nor forsake me. But I have been actively making sure that I involve Jesus in every aspect of my life. I am slowly starting to learn that He wants to be an active member in my whole life. What is important to me, no matter how trivial or insignificant, is important to Him.

So very gently my Daddy started to show me, that my focus had shifted. Instead of Jesus being my focus, I had become my focus. And this I have learned, if I am busy working on me, then it means that God has stopped working on me!

And that is why the balance has been upset in my little world. I had lost my peace! Time to shift gears, and put the reigns firmly back into my Saviour's hands.

And do you know what He said to me, once we had our precious time together?

"Okay My girl it's time to back to work. I'll help you with your housework! Let's start in the kitchen" No kidding!!

This blew my mind.

Our Awesome, Mighty, Magnificent God is interested in every detail of our lives. Whatever it is that you are facing today, I urge you to take that coffee break, and sit with our Daddy.

Enter into His rest today 

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx





Our New Addition

What a wonderful day, today has been.

After dropping my girls off at school this morning and arriving home. Alec (He helps me in the garden) came up to me and said, "Are you looking for your puppy?" I looked at him blankly, Huh? Nope I said we don't have a puppy. (We do have 4 adult dogs, all present and accounted for.) He then tells me that there is a puppy at my gate... OK I've just driven up my driveway, and I'm sure that I would have noticed a puppy...

So he, I and Kenzie take a stroll down the drive way. I stay on a small holding, I have a looooong driveway. And sure as nuts, there is the sweetest little puppy. A little under weight, and very happy to see me!

What to do?

In April this year, we had to put one of our very sweet little dogs down. Mr Wriggles was the sweetest pooch. He was part of our family for 10 years. And he belonged to my Janique. She was his little mommy. Where ever Nix was, there was Wriggles. He slept on her bed the whole 9 yards. They had such a special bond. We had to put him down because he was paralysed after playing rough with our very large Boer Bull cross. To say that Nix was devastated was an understatement. She cried for weeks.



She has slept with his picture next to her bed, ever since he went to Heaven.

My girl has been asking for quite some time now for another puppy to love. But to be quite honest, I have brushed her requests aside. Our Kenz is only now starting to sleep through the night, and the thought of a disruptive puppy is far to much for me to consider right now.

So back to my question... What to do?!

On the inside of me I knew exactly what needed to be done.

So off to the vet I went, with Kenzie in tow, and we had this little sweetie checked out. She is a stray, no-one is looking for her, and she is malnourished...

We had her de-wormed, and she got her shots.

After we got home, I sought the Father's face.

I know that it is a small matter, but nothing is too small or insignificant for Jesus. If it matters to me, It matters to Him.

I got my answer, this little pup has found us for a reason, and we are to take good care of her.

So I set off to fetch the girls. Ash got to the car first. As soon as she saw what was on my lap, she squealed with delight "Oh Mommy, you've got Janique a puppy!!"

?? I thought, I was going to give Janique the honor of naming this little pup.

That's kinda when the light bulb started to flicker on for me.

As soon as Nix got in the car.... "Oh Mommy she is so beautiful!" (^^,)

The name is Arwen (named for the Elf Princess in Lord of the Rings) Precious hey!?

When we got home, and Nix got a good look at her, she came to me excitedly... "look Mommy, she has long legs just like me, she is just perfect!"

So I left them alone for a minute. After a while I found Nix in the kitchen, where she had tears streaming down her face, "Mommy" she says "Jesus is so good to me! He knew just what I needed when He sent me this little princess"

Okay, so by now the light bulb is on. This is so not about me. This is about my sweet big girl, and her Jesus.

I get teary just sitting here thinking about it.

Sweet friends, Our Precious Jesus is so interested in every aspect of our lives.

So without further ado, please welcome the newest member of the Mansfield family...

Our little Princess Arwen



Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx

American Adventure, Part 2, Our Birthday Long Week-End

Hip Hip Hooray It's almost birthday time!! And this year Mom and I celebrated our special day with a road trip!!

First stop Annapolis, then onto New Jersey, where we would spend the night. The highlight...New York for one glorious day, and then back home!!

After a scumptious breakie with Sean Julie and Joan, we set off.

Annapolis.

This is such a quaint little town. One of it's claims to fame is the very prestigious Naval Academy. Over the week end, it is so wonderful to see all the Navy people walking around in their full white uniform!!

Mom and I enjoyed walking up and down the quaint little streets.  

Oh! Imagine my joy when we spotted this pink house!!

"Honey I'm Home!!" As Mom was taking this pic, I was really hoping that the owner wasn't about to open her door, and walk straight into me!! LOL

After our stroll, it was time for lunch, we decided to try Chick & Ruth's Deli. This place is has been there for ages, and judging by the queue outside, the food had to be good...

The food was tasty, but quite honestly this place was not quite our cup of tea! It was so crammed, and so  very noisy (I can hear Ian's voice in my head, saying 'shew Babes, you're getting old!!' tee hee) 

I like my space, and to have people sitting so close to me, freaked me out a little. We both breathed in a big calming breath when we left. LOL

As we were heading back to the car, I looked down, and this tickled my fancy (^^,)

With Annapolis behind us we crossed over the Potomac, and left Virgina and crossed over into Maryland, and then into Baltimore and finally into New Jersey.

Off to bed, with a smile on my face :) tomorrow New York!!

We caught the NJ Transit from Metuchin into New York.

As is tradition, I chose the place to have breakfast. And for me that was a no brainer!! I LOVE The French Roast!

This is my most favourite restaurant! They serve the most delicious coffee. It's not a touristy spot, so the local New Yorkers frequent the place. It has a very special charm about it.

After a most fabulous breakie, we made tracks :)

We decided to explore the Lower East Side. The wonderful thing about New York, is that with every neighborhood, that you explore, it has it's own very distinct personality. The Lower East side did not disappoint. I love walking New York.

In the early afternoon, we passed this quaint little shop. And Italian bakery and ice cream shop. The specialise in Italian Gelato

We decided to stop in for something yummy!

I had the most delish pistachio gelato and Momma, a tatofelo (excuse the spelling)

When I entered, I could sense that this had been here for a very long time. In chatting the owner (who looked to be a little younger than me). She said that shop was set up in 1904, and that her and her brother were the forth generation to be running it! I loved that!

After an afternoon, spent walking, shopping and more walking, we made our way up to Time Square. But first I had to stop in at Dashing Diva, to fix a broken nail!! As we do of course...

Mom chose our dinner location, Ellen's Stardust Diner. What a treat!

After a fab diner, we said good bye to all the lights, and headed back to New Jersey with very sore feet, but with big smiles on our faces!

As you can see, I did do a spot of shopping!

Saturday, was our birthday. We decided to walk up the road to the Bagel Pantry for breakie before heading home...

Oh yum!! a cream cheese and bacon bagel!

Have a look at my birthday treasures (^^,)

From Mom I got, the most gorgeous pair of shoes and perfume

From Jan, a beautiful watch. And from Dawn More shoes :)

Before leaving New Jersey Mom and I did a 'little' shopping, and then headed home.

For our special lunch, we went to the Broadway Diner!! Of course! Well it was on the way home!

This was such a special birthday, long week end. It was a rich time spent together! My love tank has been filled to overflowing!

 

What a special time...sigh...

Chat soon, sweet friends

Niqui xx