Home Sweet Home

My girls got home last night and it is so nice to have them back - lots of excitement and chatter as I am told all the news and the highlights - again and again:)
I couldn't stand all the washing so i stayed up to 1am to wash everything, including the shoes they took with and their sleeping bags - now all is back to normal - clean!!!
Downloaded all the photos they took, some sweet, some very random - teenagers:)
So I had to pop out for a mini grocery shop this morn too, as according to my girls, there is 'nothing that they eat in the house' and so we are all happy again:) they are lying in front of the tellie, catching up on all their stories that they missed while they were away - I want to quickly work a little on my December Daily and then I think i will have run out of excuses and might well have to study a little:(
Chat soon
Love Helen:)

Missing my girls...

.... even though its just been 3 days and 3 nights - I am missing my girls terribly. I have spoken to them on the phone but the signal is so bad that the conversations were only made up of broken words and 'pardon' 'can't hear you' etc. Anyway, the sms system works better but I only seem to get news early in the morning or late at night - they are having a great time, its just the heat that seems to be hectic, but they seem to be getting a lot of swimming done too. They travel home tomorrow after lunch and will be back in Roodepoort around 9pm?? Can't wait to see them and hear all the news in detail. Michelle, Mercia and myself had a study session yesterday, but didn't actually get to the studying - we had copious amounts of coffee and worked out all the things we have to study with a timeline - now i have to actually just sit down and start with the studying, but there always seems to be something else that has to be done - enough complaining. My dear friend Juliet is coming for tea tomorrow morn, and then we can catch up on all our news.
Next week, I have to finalise my Christmas shopping and luckily my girls can do the wrapping for me - which reminds me - while they were on camp, my Hubby and I bought their Christmas gifts, wrapped and hid them away. Can't say what they are in case my girls check out my blog - hee hee:)
Chat soon
Love Helen:)

A lovely Sunday .......

........ with a lovely lunch. Visited with our friends Henk and Hayley in Pretoria, and Hayley went to so much trouble today with lunch. She made us a lovey Lasagne with a delicious cabbage salad. Her daughter, Rachel baked us a yummy apple pudding, which we had with custard. Many mugs of tea and coffee later, we took some Christmas pics for our Christmas albums. Seeing as my daughters are on camp, Rachel spent the afternoon chatting to Hayley and I. This doesn't happen often as normally the girls are off together doing their thing. So, it was lovely to have some time with her to "share" - it made me realise how quickly she is growing up too:) Tomorrow she leaves on her own summer camp too, so I'm sure Hayley will be missing her chatterings:) Angelique has been texting me regularly and all is well with the girls at camp and sounds like they are all having fun:) Now, off to do some washing:(

Chat soon
Love Helen:)

Off to Summer Camp!

What life and vigour a whole group of teenagers can display at 4.30 in the morning. Sigh!! The joy of youth and the carefree days of teen years - a blessing indeed:) Well, the girls are off on the much anticipated Summer Camp and excitement is running high. We had all the kids up by 4.30am, dressed, sleeping bags packed, eating chocolate croissants and drinking tea by 5.00am. Cars packed, teeth brushed, last loo round and on our way be 5.30am, only to wait for the buses to finally depart by 7.45am. Nevertheless, all round excitement. My hubby prayed for the bus drivers, I prayed for the children and I'm sure most of the other mothers did too. Now, I trust they will have an unforgettable amazing experience on this camp and that it will draw them closer to God:) Back at home, tidying up and packing the dishwasher, I realise how quiet it is without the girls at home. No word from them yet, but seeing as the bus trip is 8 hours long, I'm sure i will at least get an sms or two before they arrive.
Back to tidying up now and maybe I could fit in a wee time to work on my Christmas album.
Off to have lunch at my dear friend Hayley tomorrow, so hoping I will have something to take with to show her - hmmm, wonder how her Christmas Album is shaping up?
Have a peaceful weekend and chat soon, love:)

Busy, busy, busy - another busy morning running around getting all the last things that the girls need to pack for Summer Camp.... Well, in between all of that, I have managed to get all my Christmas cards, written, decorated, stamped and posted - Phew!! Glad I managed to complete that little task as I needed my eldest daughters help - she had to check names, addresses, paste stickers, etc.
Tonight the girls go to their last Youth session for the year and then I will be having 8 teenagers sleeping over here tonight as they all need lifts in the morning to the buses - I'm way happy to do that - as i get a few days peace - however, my dear friend Kim, the youth leader, will be travelling with 22 young people and spending the next 5 days with them - literally day and night. She needs an award of sorts - I'm sure!!
Have a listen to my Christmas music on my playlist - don't Christmas Carols just put one in the mood for Christmas and at the same time bring back such warm Christmas memories? I love Christmas music:)

Blessings 'til we chat again:)

Well, the last couple of weeks have just flown by and we still don't seem to be slowing down. Well, first some awesome news - our eldest daughter was made Headgirl of her school - we are so proud of her, and trust that she will be able to fulfill her many duties with pride and efficiency:) She also received an Academic scroll for having maintained 4 distinctions throughout the year in English, Afrikaans, Biology and Maths Literacy - Way to go girl! - you deserve your reward for your hard work - We are so proud of you:) Our youngest daughter has also achieved so well and we are just as proud of you sweetie - Coming back into a very academic school, she has achieved so well - Well done girl - you rock!! Well, the girls are on holiday, but are preparing to leave for Summer Camp with their Youth group on Saturday, so we have been doing Highlights, pedicures, costume shopping, shorts and t-shirt shopping, shoe shopping and did I mention shopping!!!! Girls, girls girls:)

Journal your Christmas

So last year I joined an online class with Shimelle called Journal your Christmas, and received prompts everyday for 37 days starting from the 1st of Dec through Jan. I managed to finish my Christmas Album early Jan 2008 and must say I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of creating this album. The best thing about this class is that you join once and every year Shimelle invites you to make a new album with her. Anyway, this year I have pre-made my album and will not be spending as much time or investing as much detail into it as I am writing exams in Jan 09 and have to spend quiet a bit of time on studying over the festive season - how sad:( Nevertheless, with a pre-made album I can surely spare a few minutes a day to quickly snap a photo, print and journal where, what and who???? Therefore, I can be a committed student and a part time scrapper this Dec:)

Exams almost over

Good morning to you all on this beautiful warm late Spring morning - it is so peaceful here at home, i can hear the birds chirping and the sound of the odd dog barking in the distance. I haven't been out today, but i am about to leave to fetch my daughters from school as they finish early during exams. Only 3 days and 3 exams left for each of them Yah!! Then no more driving at all hours of the day, dancing also ends on Thursday so triple Yah!! Yah!! Yah!! Looking forward to peaceful mornings and restful afternoons (Yeah right!!) Well, I can wish, can't I. Wishing you all a peaceful day 'til we chat again

Love Helen:)

Yippee!! New banner

Well, now that I have my blog up and running, I think it is high time that I actually blog. My original banner was so boring - correction - my original banner was none existent, but thanks to Wilna Furstenburg, I now have a cute Christmas banner - Thanks so much Wilna:) I'm just about done with all my faffing on my blog - all that remains is to learn how to add links and things, but tomorrow is another day - off to phone my friend Hayley to tell her I have actually blogged. Also want to chat to her about the Scrappink scrapping conference we attended on Saturday, the pages are up on the net and want to give her a heads up!!

Well, until next time

Love to all
Helen:)

Oh yes, also still have to learn how to do a signature;)

BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 100 versions and 50 languages.: Info

BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 100 versions and 50 languages.: Info

Time correction

Just another quick post to add to my first one - I have corrected my time zones now - my previous post was typed on Monday morning - hopefully, I have now corrected the problem:)

Creating my Blog

Well, starting and creating this blog has been way more challenging than I imagined it would be - not to mention time consuming. Nevertheless, the beginnings of Here with Helen are here - Yah!! Slowly but surely I'm learning and eventually I'm sure I will have a blog after my own heart. In the meantime, thanks to my dear friend Hayley, I have a clock - if it wasn't for her step by step over the phone instructions, we would still not know the time:)
My next challenge is my playlist - I was very proud of myself for actually managing to make a playlist - however, when it came to putting it on my blog - I ended up putting it on my Facebook instead - pure frustration!
Today, is another busy day with all the normal running arounds to meet my familys' needs, so I doubt whether I will have the time to "play around" and figure out my playlist. But, tomorrow is another day.
A blessed week to you all:)
Love Helen