Sports Day and Madawhohah

So Nico and Benedikt went off last Saturday morning for a father and son sports day at Nico's school. Apparently Nico was a total wimp and clung to Benedikt's leg instead of joining in all the cool games. Although to be fair he was in the process of getting sick. He is now on anti biotics again. The second time in his little life already! Grrrr.

Benedikt got a Thai massage voucher and TWO cool cards from Nico for Fathers Day. Gampa got pajamas!

I took Malawi for a run, made some milk and did some work while they were out. Exciting stuff! Malawi was staying with us for the 10 days that Boz and Collin were in Namibia for work.

I do think that Nico's immune system is quite strong though. He doesn't get sick that often. He eats good things like chia seeds and goji berries and fresh spinach, orange & ginger juice! I'm happy with his daily diet. Although his appetite is not huge he does eat a good variety of things. He STILL only weighs 10kgs though. Little lighty.

Then we took Nico to the movies for the first time this last weekend. He LOVED it!

We watched Madagasgar 3 with a colleague of Benedikt's, his wife and their cute 1 and a half year old boy.	The movie was in 3D so we all got these COOL glasses to wear. Nico actually kept his on for about 70% of the time. He just got irritated with them cos he couldnt see the popcorn box clearly!
The movie was EXCELLENT. So funny for adults and for kids!	He stood up for most of the movie and was pretty mesmerised by the whole thing. We were amazed that he lasted the whole 1.5 hours!

On a different topic, every week, each member of my immediate family (bro, sis, mum & pops) sends a group email to all of us telling us what they've been up to during the week and what's on for the weekend. Its now called the Weemail apparently (Weekly Wielopolski mail).
My brother is an adventure addict. He is always looking for new ways to explore and experience the world. He currently lives in Troon on the Scottish coast as his posting for these 2 years is as a search and rescue pilot.
These are 2 extracts from 2 of his recent emails:
Sunday I windsurfed from my house to the island you see out the window. About 35 km across fairly open ocean. Was quite fun and still pretty tired from doing it! Legs in tatters, took four hours in the end and got wet inside my drysuit cos I needed to pee. So peed out my special pee zip but then fell off my board and water and wee came to fill my drysuit, no longer dry.
Raced to catch the last ferry back, got on with minutes to spare much to amusements of passengers. Took my pee soaked drysuit off in front of them and made some new friends.
Then got on a train with all my windsurfing kit and about the drunken Neds, even the conductor had to smile. Good adventure. Apart from the final expensive taxi....

And as if that wasn't enough, here is his latest:
Also had an adventure on Friday. I kite surfed to Arran in about 25knots of wind on a big downwinder from my house. About 54km of kiting in hectic conditions with just me out in the open ocean. Was pretty scary and 3:20 of very hard sailing, body is battered and bruised and really sore but it was awesome. Saftey wise i had the coastguard notified, a radio on me, a sat tracker and a raft from work that is tiny but blows up automatically. I also had my mates on duty tracking and they flew out to see me, so there i was about 20 km from Arran, stunning mountain venue island to sail to and my own helo above with mates filming. At one point their downwash collapsed my kite and i wiped out, worried it would not relaunch but luckily all good.

He also makes the papers sometimes and recently him and his crew got an award from an Admiral for one of their amazing rescues in HECTIC weather.
Some photos of him in action at work: We are naturally all SUPER proud of him

We are freezing!

This is us watching telly in the evenings!!

So Joburg's winter has hit. As of this week, officially. I'd forgotten how cold it gets here. We can't get the heating to work in our house and its the coldest, draftiest, least insulated house EVER built. We go outside and take layers off... and when we come back inside we put them all back on! I sit at my computer with a beanie on and gloves and 20 jackets and a blanket over my legs. It's RIDICULOUS. We are fantasising about our well heated house that is very nearly built in Munich. Roll on the German winter, its going to be easier to handle than the South African winter thats for sure!

Nico in Holly's seat in Leanne's car. He still talks about this fun trip!	We went to a cool kiddies animal farm in Kyalami. Nico is trampoline OBSESSED lately!
Feeding the geese, ducks and chickens	Tractors are so much fun

So good news on the admin side of my life: I got my new South African ID book with Schneider as my surname. (Who is Sarah Schneider??!) Which took only 4 months :)
They did have to register our marriage in South Africa as well. The fourth country to do as much! (Don't ever marry a foreigner in a foreign country!!)
I straight away applied for my new SA passport and that took 4 days. Unbelievable! So after I got that, Benedikt, Nico and I had to go in and apply for Nico's SA passport. Which is due mid July so things could get close.
What is nice with my surname change is that it's just in time for our move to Germany (well that was planned) so I can start fresh as Frau Schneider. ie I won't have chemist accounts in one name and gym memberships in another and and and!
Next up, I have to change my bank account to my married surname. AND get a new drivers licence which means going in to some horrible germ infested building and waiting for hours and doing another eye test etc....Urgh!
Changing your surname SUCKS. I really don't like having to do it!

By the way, speaking of moving (AGAIN), I counted the times I've moved house in my life... it's up at 32!!! So after this move to Germany I'll be on 33. That almost one move for every year of my life. Hectique!

Here is a cute video of Nico.... he still can't say his 's's

Great news on the Nico front - he is off the bottle! My goal was to have him off the bottle by the age of 2 which happens at the end of July. But we are going to Mauritius at the end of June so rather than find an alternative to his home made almond milk that he drinks, I thought we should stop the whole milk thing now already. We replaced the bottle drinking session before bedtime, with story time. Which he LOVES.

Nelspruit to visit Bonnie and Abby

So this last weekend Benedikt, Boz and I drove the 3.5 hours to Nelspruit to visit our surster Bonnie. Bonnie's age is right in between mine and Mandy's and the 3 of us really were as close as sisters - we certainly spent a LARGE chunk of our childhood and early twenties together, getting up to no good of course.

To use my sister's words: "Abby has done nothing but entertain us all day! Oh my soul she is such a happy kid. She sings soooooo well. And had us all in stitches tonight with her wit."

Abby is Bonnie's 11 year old girl. She is just BURSTING with confidence. In a really nice way. Bonnie is such a good mom - she is fun and entertaining yes strict when necessary. Abby is so well adjusted and has good manners too. Well done Bones!

Nico was mad about Abby. He kept staring at her and wanting to be near her! And he would let her hold his hand etc, but no one else!	We spent Sunday morning in the beautiful town of Kaapsche Hoop
Sexy bums!The 3 of us did gymnastics together for years and years. Bonnie went on to do it even longer and was seriosuly good. She had her own personal Russian coach!	We went on a lovely 5km nature trail. But only did half as pancakes were calling. Abby climbed every rock formation!
Like I said, Nico would hold Abby's hand but not Bonnies. Little brat	The obligatory family photo. We need a fourth member dammit!
Kaapsche Hoop is well known for its wild horses. Although clearly some of them are now not so wild	Abby, Bonnie and Nico. We had such a good time, lots of laughs, lots of reminiscing and PLENTY of catching up of course. We hadn't seen each for 3 years after all

Benedikt is away A LOT for work in Howick these 3 weeks. We miss him tons. But at least I have a car! So last week Nico and I went to stay with Aunty Mandy in Brits the Pits.

I took Mandy's yoga class again, well just led them through parts of the Ashtanga Primary Series. Only cos I know it so well! Nico joined in as well :)

Gampa has been invaluable with Nico. He is just always there to listen out for him in the mornings when we go out exercising. And he is there for me in the evenings while I get supper ready. Nico just LOVES him Gampa. And LOVES running through in his pajamas at 7pm and saying goodnight to him!

And you may have noticed Nico's Hitler haircut in that photo of him in the bath? Yip, we turned our backs for 2 seconds while Uncle Collin was cutting his hair (as has become the tradition) and next thing we knew, Collin had the clippers out! Yikes, Nico's hair is now short short. But long on top as we stopped Collin from getting to that!
Oh well, it will grow!