Fig Season

On "our neighbours' farm" (in other words my parents-in-law) the harvest season for figs started at the beginning of January 2011.  Therefore we were up every day at 05h30 with a team of workers to make sure we get all the ripe figs off the trees.  Then certain orders being collected and the bulks going to the factory in town.  At the peak we were delivering 3000kg a day!  Add the Paarl summer heat of average 35deg outside, then one is quite tired come evening time.  But its a 'good' tired!

With only two more days of harvest left, then the 2011 season is also over again.  Here are a few pics from the last 6 weeks:

Crates loaded on the tractor.

Toni doing some quality control

Figs ready for picking.

Workers picking in the orchards.

Jaco packing crates to be delivered to the factory. 

The dogs were running after us the whole day....every day!

Father-in-law weighing the crates of his produce. 

Mother-in-law getting orders ready.

Crates ready for delivery to the factory.

The little 'helper' with his own wheelburrow. 

   

Christmas 2010

This year we spent Christmas with my parents in Langebaan.  Lots of eating......!  The kids of course enjoyed the fact that Father Christmas made his appearance (i guess more for what he was bringing with him!).  Here's a few pictures:

Jamie and Sophia on the beach.....Rolien supervising.

Father Christmas...still not so sure about this man.

Taking Sophia for a lift.

Gregory watching things from the couch.

Family photo

Family Photos

With kids in general growing so quickly and changing just as quickly, we have had some family photos taken. Here's a few of our favourites.....

The boys

Jamie looking serious.....

Family

In the paddocks

School Concert

Walking out on stage!

Singing!

Playing the drums

Sheep with the angels

Hanging around with Joseph and Mary

Last Saturday Jamie had his first school Christmas concert.  With the family taking up a whole row in the audience, i kind of thought that the moment might be too big!  But all went well, and although there were some other kids having a cry every now and then, Jamie did quite well.  Singing excitedly at various times and together with the rest of his class, and also being faithful sheep at the feet of Joseph and Mary!  Here's the pics.

Surveying in Ghana

Ghana coast

I'm busy with a survey project off the coast of Ghana.  Here's a picture i took of the coastline where we are working, showing the unspoilt area.

Gregory awake

Here's a picture with Gregory awake (seeing that all the other pictures of him i've posted all show him sleeping...!)

Toni turns.... (ummm..shhh..30!)

On 09 October 2010, Toni turned a very young and joyful 30 years old.  To celebrate the day she held a Breakfast at Nwanedi Country Manor in Paarl on the Saturday morning.  Here are some pictures of the day (unfortunately i was out at sea, so i had to do with phonecalls to hear how the day went!)

Toni and Jamie outside on veranda

Jamie and cousin Sophia 'dancing'.

Breakfast table

 

Barberton daisies with cupcakes for pudding!



Gregory update

Here's an update on the young Gregory.  As Toni would say...he's growing like a weed!!  He went for his 6 week vacinations this week and is weighing 6.16 kg already.  Moving on to number 3 nappies already.  Here's a few recent pics.


Here he is sleeping



And here he is...ummm....sleeping again!



Jamie turns 3!!

Three years have gone by very quickly!!!

On 01 October 2010, Jamie turned 3! We asked him what sort of a party does he want and there was only one answer...tractor! If we said: 'how about a train party?' it was just 'no'. So tractor it was. The weather fortunately played along (where does one let 12 three olds run around when its raining outside?)

Here are some pictures of the day:

The Tractor cake!

Singing Happy Birthday

Tractor rides in the horse paddocks.

Its still not clear if the mom's or the kids where enjoying it more??

The horses also got to get some carrots...no chips and sweets!

Gregory arrives!

Well, after about nine months of being in Toni's tummy, little Gregory Anthony Stemmet made his arrival on monday 30 August 2010. Born a healthy little boy at 4.06kg!! Below are some pictures showing how the day went......



Here Toni is waiting to go in for the c-section, all smiles.....means the drugs are working!



Ok, ok, admit it...you had to look twice there! Looks just like one of the doctors (although Toni says more like one of the assistants!)



Back to the more serious stuff! The operation in progress with Gregory's arrival into this big world only minutes away! At this stage the doctors kept on saying: "big baby this one".



Here's the three of us about 5 minutes after Gregory came into the world.



Weighing in at 4.06kg....and screaming his head off! Hell, you can't blame him, his whole environment changed very rapidly. And its a lot colder out here.



After all the excitement of the afternoon, he then had a good little nap (after a good drink of course!). Toni and Gregory then stayed three nights in the Medi-Clinic before they could come back home again.



Then it was time for the grandparents and his big brother for the first visit. Here Jamie watches Gregory whilst he's sleeping. He then later found out that this little fellow can make quite a lot of noise if he wants to!



At home and settling into life at Olive Yard.

Helping with DIY

Helping dad to paint his desk.


Takes a lot of concentration.

Some pics of Jamie helping to paint.....well 'help' could also make a bit of extra work, but hey its all part of growing up!!

Some Knysna holiday photos

On the John Benn ferry


Drawing in the sand....cold day!


At the Knysna heads

A bit overdue.......but here are some of the photos of our holiday in Knysna during June!