The Grid

So I recently joined Virgin Active. Still trying to lose the extra pregnancy weight and all that. My daughter is now 3. I am pretty sure that I no longer have an excuse for carrying he extra kilograms around.
Anyway...
VA has this class called The Grid. Basically 6 moves that you perform for 40 seconds each and then you get a 20 second break before doing it again. You could say that I am trying to kill my fat. The next day my muscles are killing me and I really curse the stairs in our house.

So today was The Grid day. This was only my 4th session so everything is still a bit new and fun. Every time the moves are different and I really liked today's set. It was all going well until I started feeling faint and had a coughing fit on the 3rd of the 6 rounds. Curse you family for getting sick and passing your nasty germs on to me.

I had to walk out of the class. My chest is still aching and I am waiting for the constant coughing to start. It 34 degrees today and it does not feel like the right weather to be getting sick.

So here is some advice... skip the grid if you feel a vague hint of a cold coming on. I am off to find the Vitamin C and hope that this vanishes instead of getting worse.

Of course I am a Mom and this is the busiest time of year at work for me and for getting stuff done for the kids so I may get the Batman voice but I won't be sick. Just not allowed.

Sunday things

Kids making a space ship from their toys.

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Easy Dinner Idea - Bacon and Gnocchi bake

I am trying to out new recipes every week and I will be sharing them here with you. The idea is to give you guys simple meals to make that kids will enjoy and get me to try new things in the kitchen.

So here is the first one and I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients
250g bacon - diced
Punnet mushrooms- chopped
1 onion - chopped
2 tsp crushed garlic
100g grated cheese
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 pack gnocchi

Seasoning

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

2. Fry the onions and chopped garlic in a little oil of your choice.

3. Add the bacon and mushrooms.

4. Fry till the bacon is cooked.

5. Add a tin of tomatoes and simmer.

6. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to the boil.

7. Carefully add your gnocchi to the pot of boiling water.

8. Once the gnocchi rise to the surface they are done.

9. Drain the gnocchi.

10. Mix the gnocchi and tomato/ bacon sauce together.

11. Pour into an oven safe dish and top with the grated cheese.

12. Bake in the pre-heated oven until the cheese has melted.

Dish rating: 5/5

My son adored this and polished his plate. Hubby and I enjoyed it and it goes really well with a glass of wine. Took me about 10 min of prep and 10 min in the oven so the perfect week night dish. Toddler didn't touch it but she is still feeling a bit unwell. Any tips for picky eaters?

sharing a bed with your kid

One of the "joys" of parenting is that occasionally you will need to share a bed with your kid or kids. Kid is preferable to kids. If there is one kid in the bed you may be allowed 10 cm to sleep on but if another kid joins the mix you will end up on the floor.

Don't get me wrong... I loved sharing a bed with E when he was a baby. It made feeding easier and he was such a calm sleeper. He slept with his feet on my head and head on my husband. He still managed to touch both of us even when we got a King Size bed. I still don't know how but he did. I am sure toddlers have the abilities of an octopus for many months.

Z on the other hand is a noisy and wriggly sleeper. She has slept in her own cot or bed from day one. I am now an older Mom and I value my sleep far too much.

Last night she was really sick and I was worried so I let her move into my bed. She was thrilled with the idea and set up her book and bottle on my husband's night stand. I got lots of cuddles and other sleep avoidance for hours. She eventually fell asleep and after finishing up some work I went to bed. I moved her across to the other side of the bed and went to sleep on my side. Within five seconds she had an arm across me. I let her settle and moved her back across the bed. After playing this game for an hour I gave up. I slept on my side with a toddler pressed against my back. Again I will point out that we have a king size bed. I don't how they do it but kids will always gravitate towards the parent in bed.

Lucky for me she is feeling a bit better today. BUT in even better news the husband is home today. So guess who is getting the snotty toddler in bed with him tonight. He-he. I will be in another room enjoying the space.

The results

So, if you read this blog then you will know that we spent close to R20 000 taking E to different Doctors and therapists to diagnose if he had an issue. He sometimes swapped his letters, didn't grip his pen correctly and had a tendency to drift off while working. Turns out that he is BORED. Final conclusion is that he has very high IQ and doesn't find school interesting or challenging. So I have asked the teacher to push him and this term we have seen really great results. The kid is trying harder at school and we are super proud of him. At home I am trying to get him to work with speed. The rush in the morning has improved and we are getting to school with 20 minutes to spare instead of 2 minutes. All progress.

In the holidays we are going to take him for and eye test as he may have a slight vision problem. End result is that he doesn't need a million different types of therapy. I never felt that he did.

Z started moaning and crying in the middle of the night and today woke up with a fever. So I am in the Calpol world and dealing with a three year old that won't let me put her down. My back is already feeling the strain. Luckily I have a few hours off today. It's called work but sometimes as a parent it feels like time off.

End of the year

Only 11 days left of the school year. How did time go by so quickly? I am sure the 4th term just started, but already I am going to end of year plays and packing sports clothes for the last time. Tomorrow is the last day of school swim practice and the last day of homework for the year. At least the bag will be pretty light each day.

Yesterday we went to watch Z in her end of year school play. She was a monkey and a very adorable one. I can't believe how much she has changed in one year. At the start of the year she hardly spoke and tended to play on her own. Now she was singing loudly and doing all the actions with her friends. She is ready to start Grade 000 now and I know she will have a wonderful time. She has had the most amazing teacher this year. Miss M has loved those kids as though they were her own. Z runs into school every morning to give Miss M a cuddle. I know that her next teacher will be lovely but I am so glad that her school career started with someone as wonderful as Miss M. Such as change from the awful start that E had.

E is getting really excited about the end of the year and the move to Grade 2. I just can't believe how fast he is growing up. He still gives me big cuddles and wants to sit on my lap when he is sad. I know these moments are coming to an end so I treasure every one of them. He tells me that he will still give me cuddles all the time and that he will always love me above every one else. I know that will change and I am okay with it but for now I am going to enjoy every cuddle and sweet word.

This last weekend we went to the Cherry Festival in Ficksburg. I was probably not in the right mood for it but I hated every moment. The R100 entrance fee per adult and R50 per child is really not worth it. I had told E that we would find interesting cherry based food to try. Not true. They have cherry liqueurs and a few cherry jams but that was it. The majority of the stuff for sale was cheap plastic toys. I hate these things and the kids begging for them. They had a police dog show that was vaguely entertaining and the usual very expensive and badly maintained rides that pitch up at all country fairs. It was extremely hot and you have to park miles away and walk past a selection of hawkers, while dodging potholes and trying to look after two kids. I was not happy by the time we got to the entrance so you can imagine how thrilled I was by the plastic and rides. We ended up in a beer tent with loud music playing. It was awful. We left after buying a few boxes of cherries.

The weekend improved in Clarens at the lovely Clarens Brewery. They had yummy cherry juice for the kids and interesting craft ciders and beers for the adults. It was so nice to relax in the cool around the town square.

We did have another sour note with dinner. The German restaurant has lovely views and a nice play area....BUT it took almost two hours for our food to arrive. We got there at six. Kids food arrived at 6:30. Everybody is happy and we watched the kids play together. All great but after a long day in the sun, waiting another 90 minutes for our food was not great. My meal was pretty awful. Bland and badly cooked. The majority of the 8 adults at the table had issues with their meals. So after all that waiting the majority of food was left behind and we grabbed tired children for the drive back to the campsite.

Golden Gate campsite is very pretty. Lush green grass and large trees make a for a lovely camping site. My only objection is the busy road right next to the camp ground. It gets loud at night and we had bikers arriving late into the night. However the views make up for that. Waking up with the mountains towering above you was a great start to the day.

The highlight of the weekend was stopping at Piggly Wiggly in the Midlands. We really need to go there on a more regular basis. The kids had fun on the playground and enjoyed exploring the shops. A yummy lunch at the restaurant followed by a train ride = happy kids.

So what did you do this weekend past?

Monday stories

My draft box is full but I am just not getting to posting anything...

So first the news:

We are still sorting out things with E. I seem to be spending my life in Doctor's waiting rooms. This is not a cheap experiment I promise you. Bills are heading towards the R20000 mark and we are not yet finished. Final appointment is on Monday with the Pediatrician. To be honest I am not even sure what we are looking for anymore. Nobody seems to be finding any issues and since the start of this term he has been getting full marks in all his tests and has stopped swapping his letters and numbers around. Yet they keep pushing that he needs OT. I really don't know anymore.
To top it all off his front teeth are not coming out and the adult teeth are out and being pushed sideways. So dentist on Wednesday. Poor little guy. He is only seven and the schools just seem to expect so much from them now. On the plus side he is really happy and loving every sport he is doing this term. The school has a brand new astro turf they are playing hockey on. He plays twice a week and looks forward to hockey days. The olympics has pushed the love further. Swimming is continuing to be a favourite and although he is not as obsessed with Phelps as I am, he loved watching all the races with me. So some good and some bad in the term so far.

Z just carries on with her happy little life. That kid is the happiest little soul I know and I hope she stays that way.She has an awesome little group of friends in and out of school. She runs to school in the morning to hug her friends and I love watching the super cute moments. The other day I told her to put her shoes on the right feet. She gave me a very cross look and said, " They are my shoes and my feet, so on the right feet." I can't argue with that. Toddler logic is awesome.

We just spent the weekend at Bonamanzi near Hluhluwe Game reserve. I have to highly recommend this spot. Huge campsites with individual bathrooms and kitchenette. We spent the weekend driving around the nearby game parks. A highlight for the kids was watching the huge bonfire that is lit next to the restaurant and pub every night. Be aware that its a popular wedding venue so the restaurant area is generally closed for a private function on Saturday nights. The braai area at each campsite is clean and well maintained but you will need to bring your own braai grid.

Mkhuze was very sad. The reserve is dry and they have massive construction going on. We saw a few giraffe, impala and a small pod of hippos. A warning about Mkhuze, just because the map says toilets and picnic site, doesn't mean there is anything there. Z wanted a pee so we drove a long way up a dirt road to find a rubbish bin and a small clearing. No tables or toilets in sight. I would avoid this reserve until the construction is finished and the rains have come.

Charter's creek is not worth the drive or the fee at the moment. The lake is dry and the buildings have been left to fall apart. We found broken glass in the bathrooms from smashed windows and the whole place had an abandoned feel. The jetty needs to be replaced, the reception area rebuilt and bathrooms fixed. The road was in decent condition but the drive to St.Lucia is short and there is very little to see.

Hluhluwe was fantastic as usual. I love the reserve and the chance that something exciting will be around the next corner. We spent two days exploring the park. Saw huge herds of elephant and about 40 rhino. The kids have each got a tablet and they had great fun taking photos of the wildlife. I had to park to get just the right angle. There is a playground at Hilltop and another at Mpila if the kids get tired of the car. The Centenary center offers great value meals (Burger R35) and a decent selection of beers and ciders if you want to eat out. Avoid Hilltop for food. the prices are high and the food is very average.

I am reviving www.katinafrica.co.za and it should be filled with articles of mine, travel ideas and awesome photos. I will let you know as soon as its ready. I already have a few giveaways and competitions lined up for the site to make your December holiday fun for kids and adults. Think date night for Mom and Dad:)

Where to live.....

Okay, so we have made the decision to build our own home. Great idea but now the question is where? I live on my own with the kids most of the time so it has to be in one of the secure estates. So which Estate?

This question combined with work(paying for the house) and house design is filling most of my time.

We have chosen an architect.. thanks Cat for the help with that.

Now we need to find a piece of grass to build the house on.

The choice is between Brettenwood, Simbithi and Zimbali.

I am not that keen on Zimbali.... I have never really liked the feel of the estate but its still a contender if someone can sell me on it. I do like the direct beach access but the security issues they have had recently are a worry. I suspect the problem comes from having a hotel and restaurant with easy access by foot to the whole estate.

Simbithi is my happy place. I have always loved this estate. The security is awesome. I love the bush and wildlife. I love the wide variety of styles when it comes to the homes. I am very comfortable here. HOWEVER... Simbithi is almost sold and the land available is the dregs and its very expensive. The build process is really difficult for some of the sites, with sloping land and narrow entrances.

Brettenwood. On the security side, they don't allow short term lets which makes the place much safer. They use the same security company as Simbithi so I would feel safe. The plots are cheaper and it is very kids friendly. BUT it doesn't feel like home. There is far less bush in the estate and very few animals.

I hate having to decide... I want Simbithi but Brettenwood is the better buy financially. Yuck!!

So where would you choose to live out of the three? Or where in the world would you live if you had a choice:)

This is before we even get to the crazy parts of cost, design, builders and planning permission. Oh and hubby has decided I should project manage the build. Suddenly it seems a lifetime ago that I worked in construction..... I might just go crazy.

I am sure that it will be worth it in the end. Please someone remind me of this when I am stuck in the world of planning permission.

Dying young

The great story of an early death that is romanticized by poets and songwriters. Think for a minute about all the songs about dying young. Well the reality is far more tragic.

I had planned to write a funny post about school reunions but then I a got a letter from the kid's school.

The College section is currently writing exams. After they had finished writing yesterday, two boys got a lift home with a matric friend who attends a different school. They where involved in a massive accident on the Berea turn off from the M4. One Grade 10 boy died on the scene and the Grade 11 boy is in a critical condition in hospital.

The school has cancelled all exams for today and they are bringing in counselors to talk to the kids. My children are far too young to have known this Grade 10 boy BUT E is asking questions.

I told him that school may be a bit different today. When we arrived they had wreaths on the flag poll at the Prep and the flags are flying at half -mast. He understands that people die when they get very old like his great-grandmother did last year. Dying young is not something that he had thought possible till now.

I bet there will be more questions after school.

I kept thinking about that boys family last night and this morning on the trip to school. They won't be driving that route with their son again. As a parent, I keep thinking about my own children and hoping that nothing like this ever happens to them.

Give your kids an extra hug today for the parents that can never hug their son again. Spare a thought for a school and the children that are now facing a reality that they hadn't even considered before.

What am I doing wrong? Oh right, I hate mornings.

So this morning husband was home as he had a meeting in Pinetown. So today I made school lunches and kid breakfast but ignored the getting kids ready part of the day. Okay I got eldest in the bath but I figured hubby could do the rest. I was waiting for the meltdown as the kids performed their morning terrorist routine.

Guess what?!!

E actually washed himself in the bath and got out after 15 min without a fuss. He ate his breakfast quickly and drank all his milk. He brushed his teeth, washed his face and got dressed in the fastest time in history. He was ready for school at 6:55.

Z got into the bath without screaming, got out out of the bath laughing and happily accepted the clothes I had laid out for her. She let hubby brush her hair without screaming or tears. In fact she bounced and laughed the whole time.

Both kids got play time and they left for school at 7:15.

How the hell did he do it and what am I doing wrong? If I get the kids in the car by 7:20 its a miracle.

Husband dearest suggested that it may be because I am not a morning person and any smiles I try in the morning are fake. True his chirpy personality this morning did cause me to ask what the hell was wrong with him?

Let's hope that he moves down here soon so I can become the evening parent and he can deal with morning chores.

Peak stress

So right now I feel like I am balancing a million things. I am working extra hours to save towards a house, trying to find the right piece of land on which to build said house, stressing about choosing the right piece of land and the right architect before we even start with the stress of the actual build, I am still single parenting during the week and I chose to dismiss my maid so I am doing all the housework as well. So that is the end of my pity party.

Z is now 3 and wow 3 is way more fun then 2. By fun I mean, constantly saying "I won't like it" and "No thank you" to everything. Try dress her in the morning and you get one of those two responses to everything. At least she is polite but it does take for ever to get ready.

E is 7 and we are facing the hill of therapy. He went for a full assessment last week to try and find the issue. He is reversing his numbers but not letters. He fades out often and you can't get a response and the final issue is that he doesn't follow instructions. We will see what the results are and take it from there. On a positive note he is starting to really find his place at school. He plays with a number of kids in different classes and grades. I don't know how they manage it but as a large school with about 350 students, they all seem to know each other.

On the housework issue, I was getting tired of having to re-iron clothes, clean the bathrooms(they got pretty gross) and clean the kitchen all while paying somebody else to clean the house. Last week I moved my recipe book holder and found grime underneath it. I don't think she had ever bothered to lift anything and clean. I looked around the house and found tons of issues with the cleaning and I had a large amount of family coming for the weekend. So I had to spend the whole of Friday cleaning and doing the ironing that she hadn't bothered to do. So I decided to start following a few Youtube channels that show cleaning and organizing tips. If women there can work full-time and clean then so can I. So far it's going pretty well. I hate moping the floors but otherwise I really don't mind the work. I have split it over different days and it takes me about 10 min in the morning and 30 min at night to keep the house looking good and the laundry done. I will take about an hour every weekend to deep clean but I am happy to do it. Everything is where it's meant to be now and I don't spend ages looking for items.

On a final note... any tips for choosing an architect? I have a list of approved ones on the estate but there are 25. I don't know where to start and I need to chose one so that I can get them to look at the sites we have chosen and give their opinions. My favourite site is a pan-handle with a very narrow entrance to a steep slope. The land the house will be built on is flat but getting there is going to be an issue. Any tips or suggestions?????

Have an awesome week.

Five for Friday

A blogger that I have followed for years, Cat@juggling act of life recently started doing Five for Friday posts and I love the idea. If you have never read her blog, please go and check it out. She is awesome. So here is the first of my Five for Friday posts.

1. We have just finished the first week back at school for Term 2. Both kids are loving being back at school with all their friends. Seeing the joy on their faces at drop-off reinforces the fact that we made the right choice moving here. They are both so happy. I can't believe that E is in the second term of Grade 1. He will be 7 in a few weeks and I can't stand how fast my baby is growing up. The school year is flying by.

2. Today I feel really lucky to live in Ballito. As the rest of the country heads into winter, we can look forward to a continuation of balmy evenings and lovely days. I live for the warmth and I love Durban winters. A recent trip up North reminded me of how cold it already is in parts of the country. NO THANK YOU:)

3. E had his first chess club meeting at school on Tuesday. I have tried to teach him to play for years with no luck. Apparently one session with a teacher has him setting up the board correctly and starting to learn how the pieces move. I know she is a great coach but really, sometimes as a parent you just want to throw your hands in the air. Why can't they ever listen to us?!!! He is really loving it and can't wait for next week's meeting.

4. My Dad bought a Tangle Teaser brush for Z yesterday on Takealot. It will arrive on Monday and I will let you know next week if it works. Currently every morning involves tears as her hair knots really badly at night. I have tried tying her hair up to sleep but she wiggles so much that it comes loose and we have a fizzy and knot filled mess in the morning. The Organics Detangler spray is a life-saver but hopefully this brush will help get the knots out gently.

5. I know it may not seem a lot to you but today I managed an 8min/km. I actually ran the whole km at pace. In my world running constantly for 15 min before I slowed to a walk was a huge achievment. I have always hated running and swimming was my happy place but I have finally caught the running bug. I trail run/jog/walk twice a week on a 4km trail and hit the treadmill twice a week for a 20min session. Baby steps and all that.

Kruger Trip

This Easter break we had a fantastic stroke of luck... all the government schools went back on the 5th April but our school only started on the 11th April. We had to take advantage of the chance to go on holiday out of the normal school break. We used to spend weeks in Kruger every year but our last trip was almost two years ago. It was time to go back.

A's sister has kids at a school that has its long holiday in April so they decided to join us on the trip. My in-laws recently purchased a new trailer/caravan from Bushwakka so they decided to join us and it became a camping holiday. This was new territory for me as we have always stayed in the standard bungalows in Kruger. I spent ages reading reviews of campsites on 4X4 forums and in the end I chose to spend the first two nights at Maroela and then three nights at Skukuza.

I drove up to Vryheid on the 1st April and had a relaxing weekend in Vryheid visiting old friends and celebrating kids birthdays. We packed the two vehicles and trailer on Sunday evening. Monday was a really long day. We left at 6am and drove up the through Nelspruit to Orpen gate. We did stop once to let the kids run around at Casterbridge in White River. A cute little spot with a jungle gym and some interesting shops. We had planned to eat there but father-in-law had made tons of sandwiches for the trip and everybody was fairly full. The restaurant there is called Gumtreez and it really looked very nice and had a play area. If I take that route again, I am sure we will stop there.

Orpen check-in was fairly easy but I don't think I would use the gate again. It lacks the sense of arrival in the park that you get from most of the gates. Maroela camp was fantastic. Really small with only 25 sites and at the time of our visit it was nearly empty. We camped alongside the dry Timbavati riverbed. The game viewing in camp was brilliant. At night we had hyena next to the fence and during the day we saw elephant, bushbuck and kudu. The camp has a really nice disabled bathroom which made camping far more comfortable for my mother-in-law. The ablutions were clean and modern. I was truly surprised by this little camp. The camp manager and his wife keep the place spotless and even help you to set up camp. I highly recommend this spot to everyone and I can't wait to go back there.

We did get started fairly late in the morning but that was due to the size of the group and everyone having different plans. We still had amazing sightings. The weather was fairly warm the first two days but then the temperature plummeted. It was rainy and chilly as we drove to Skukuza. The thought of putting up the tent in the rain was fairly miserable. Luckily the skies cleared as we arrived and we managed to get the tents up before the next drizzle started. The ground at Skukuza is rock hard and we had fairly rough time pegging the tent. This was not helped by our tents age and state of disrepair. We got the tent up using ropes and rocks. So be warned that camping here takes a large amount of muscle or a handy tree to tie the tent to. After we had exchanged some "affectionate" words while putting up the tent and trying to string together poles with snapped elastic, we have decided to buy a roof top tent. Let me know if you have any advice in this regard.

Camping at Skukuza was not great. The camp is noisy at night. Trucks driving at all hours, people drinking and talking through the night and people starting to pack camp at 4am. It was a very different world to the bush sounds of Maroela. At Maroela I heard lion and hyena, now it was the sound of civilization. The camping is fairly crowded and as mentioned before the ground is very solid, so putting up your tent is not easy. Sadly the biggest camp in the park did not have disabled ablutions which made life fairly difficult for my mom-in-law. The only disabled toilet is near the shop, on the other side of the camp from the camping area and there are no showers or baths that cater to the physically disabled. Hopefully this is changed soon.

We did have incredible sightings around Skukuza including a sighting of 8 female lions and we were the only car there. By the time the lion had finished playing on the road and vanished into the bush another four cars had arrived. It was still the most incredible sighting and it was pure luck to arrive at that moment.

The five days of the trip went by so quickly but we really did have a great time. The cousins played constantly in the camp and Skukuza now has a jungle gym next to the main restaurant that the kids loved. Food has improved greatly in Kruger since our last trip. We only ate out on the Friday night to celebrate A and his sister's birthday but the food at the Cattle Baron was lovely and the decor fitted the setting. We had an ice-cream at the Wimpy at Pretoriuskop and amazingly they have even toned down their image to suit the bush setting.

A and I are going back at the end of September for our wedding anniversary and I really can't wait.

If you would like to see more of my pictures follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katinafrica_/ I post pretty much every day. Don't forget to like East Coast Life on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/nataleastcoastdays/

Mommy Types

I know this is completely random and really shouldn't upset me BUT... On Facebook a few of my friends in this area posted one of those generic Tag posts. The idea was to post a pic that made you proud to be a Mommy and tag all of your friends that you think are great Mom's and would post a proud Mommy pic of their own.

Drum Roll....
Nobody tagged me.

Yes I know that Facebook is stupid and doesn't really matter in real life but still... sad face moment.

I have coffee dates with these women when I get a chance, so we do see each other on a fairly regular basis. I have hosted baby showers for them and bought presents for kids. We have spent numerous play dates together but I am still not really considered that type of Mommy. The one who would have proud Mommy moments.

It took me a while to think about the difference between myself and these women. I finally realised the truth and it wasn't pleasant. They are all stay-at-home Moms and everybody they tagged was a stay-at-home Mom. I am an evil work-from-home Mom. I can't imagine how much the full-time working Mom's are being judged.

As a point, I am not judging stay-at-home parents. If you are happy in your life I will not judge your choices. However, you are judging me and adding to the already over-whelming guilt I feel.

Yes, there are times I have to skip moments with my kid because of work projects. I won't always be there for them. I am working so that they can go to the best school I can afford, so they have a roof over their heads in a safe place, so that I can give them the best life that I can.

Then comes the crux, I work because I love it. If I didn't need another cent in my life, I would still write. I wouldn't write for anybody else. I would write for the pure joy it brings me.

So yes, I will miss out on moments when I have a deadline, I will stay up past midnight to get things done but none of that makes me a bad Mother.

I adore my kids and I am proud Mommy. They mean the world to me and if you think that my job means that I don't care as much, you are blind.

If you work a full-time job and still manage to juggle a family, I salute you and tag you to show a proud-mommy moment.

If you work from home and stay up all night to get a job done, here is your tag and please show your proud-mommy moment.

If you are a stay-at-home, please show your proud-mommy moment.

We are all proud of our little ones and doing the best we can. Let's not make things harder by judging each other.

Catch Up and some news

So here is a quick catch up on whats been happening in my little world..

1. E started Grade 1. Prep school is a completely different ball game filled with extra-mural activities and homework. He is thriving and loving the challenge. He still adores swimming and currently swims twice a week at school and twice a week with a private coach. I am not sure if this is really a sport that he will compete in but I will support him as long as he enjoys it. This term he chose to do tennis twice a week as his school extra-mural. It has meant coming home at 4 on a Monday, so I hope that next term will be a bit less chaotic. He has made some really good friends at school including a sweet little girl, A who often gets a lift home with us.

2. Z started playgroup at the same school. She nearly ran into school on the first day. She was so excited to finally be able to go to the same school as big brother. I knew she was ready as she had started to cry every time we dropped at E at school. She wanted to be part of the fun. We have had one or two teary days, including one where she actually said Waahh. The rest of the time she loves school and adores her teacher. Her vocab has improved in leaps and bounds. She is in a really sweet class and they all hug each other in the morning. They will have 16 years of school together and I am sure some of these little friendships will last. All of her food issues have vanished and she loves sitting at table to eat with her friends. They get porridge in the morning, a fruit snack and a cooked lunch. Her favourite food is the Mac and cheese. Apparently she always eats two bowls of that.

3. A has still not been able to move to Ballito. A year later and I am still in the single parent world during the week. It still sucks and the kids find it really hard. Hold thumbs that everything works out this year.

So now for the news.... I am launching a parenting/travel/ organising Youtube channel. The first video will upload on Monday. Schedule for now is:
Monday- organisation
Thursday - fun video : this may be parenting, cooking or travel related depending on whats happening in our lives.

I think we need more South African Youtube channels. I love the US parenting channels but I battle to find any of the items they mention here.

I will eventually link it to my blog. Still undecided if I am going to continue with East Coast Life or move everything to Katinafrica. What do you think?

Anyway, so that's what I have been doing... expanding my freelance career and learning how to edit videos. I will put the link here once the first video uploads.

Cheers

Freelancing 101

I have had lots of requests for this post...so here goes.

How I started
I worked as a contract employee from home for many years and when that job ended, I couldn't face returning to the work place. I started searching the web for Freelance writing jobs. I have tried every site out there and had varying levels of success. Over the past seven years I have learnt a few things and now I will share them with you.

Things to remember
1. This is a job... you can't sit around all day and expect to be paid.
2. You will spend hours searching for work and nobody pays you for that time.
3. Its a great idea to have some back up funds or a full-time employed partner when you first start. You will not make a lot of money at first. It can take years to find your stride. I am only in a really happy place with lots of work now.
4. People will try to scam you. This is the internet and it can be very hard to trace people. I spent weeks on a job only for the client to vanish without payment. Learn to judge clients.
5. A friend told me that you need balls of steel in this job and that's true. Editors and clients can make you feel worthless and as a freelancer it is very personal.
6. Be prepared to work through the night to meet deadlines
7. People will treat you like you don't work.
8. Finally you will never have another true holiday again. Vacation time does not exist in the freelance world. When you don't work, you don't get paid.

So on the positive side

Your time is your own. You are able to work odd hours so that you can be there for your children.You can work anywhere in the world. Most work will be in US$.

What should you do

If you want to give freelancing a try, it's actually pretty easy. Some sites you sign up and they send you work, others you browse through job listings.

Only ever sign up on free sites. Run away from any site that requests money. The majority are scams.Don't ever give out your card details.

So here are the steps:
1. Go to PayPal and sign up for an account. The majority of sites and clients will want to pay through PayPal.
2. Get an online FNB account if you don't bank with them. This is currently the only way to get PayPal payments in SA. FNB are very helpful in setting this up. Money takes 5 - 8 business days to clear in your account.
3. Now start signing up on websites. Spend time on your profiles and use a great picture. This is what a client uses to chose you to do the work. Here are the names of a few sites to try:
Upwork.com
Guru.com
Fiverr.com
Peopleperhour.com

I don't personally use any of these sites anymore but they can be a great starting point. Be aware of clients with new profiles when you first start as these can be a scam. Stick with experienced clients and they will help you to build a decent portfolio.

If you would like to write articles try:
iWriter
Custom Content
Pure Content
Freedom with writing
ProBlogger job board

Some of these sites have fairly stringent application processes, so be aware of that.

The other way to get jobs is to ask around on your FB page or other social media. You may be able to get clients through your contacts and these can be high paying clients.

I realized that I have lots more to say on this topic and a massive deadline looming... so this will be a series of posts. Feel free to ask question. Type the site name into Google. Sorry no time for Hyperlinks today:)

Truth