Galas

Miekie and Pieter had their galas on Friday and Saturday respectively. Miekie, who was terrified before the time, ended up winning her freestyle and butterfly events! Unfortunately I had meetings so I missed it. Marisa was there and took photos and videos:

I made it to Pieter's gala:

(Pieter only started using his arms over halfway through the length, thus giving his competitors a fair chance.)

This weekend is a multiple-birthday weekend. I'll have a post on that later today.

Start of the hockey season

Miekie played her first hockey matches on Saturday. She did very well and the team seemed much more engaged than last year.

Here are some shots of her in action:

Supporters

Lunch at the Rietondale Lodge across the road from the hockey fields

Last Bulletjie Rugby of the season

Yesterday Pieter played his final two Bulletjie Rugby matches of this season. The venue was the Centurion Rugby Club.

Pieter and his team

Miekie with Willemien the rabbit (dressed in Midstream supporters gear) and Neil

They all received end-of-season trophies

Pieter, the tophy, me (and the Gautrain)

Start of the hockey season

Having completed the netball season, Miekie and her fellow pupils have switched to hockey. Today was their first practice session.

A nice clear (but cold) afternoon

Marisa and I watched from the sidelines; Pieter brought along his hockey stick and played around with a friend (in the background of the picture)

More rugby

Today Pieter played in two rugby matches at Laerskool Constantiapark. Here are some photos and a short video.

Heading in the right direction

Later in the day, once we were back home, Pieter augmented his rugby attire with the presents that he received from his uncle Hannes on Thursday, when he came to spend the night. I was away on Thursday and Friday so missed him unfortunately.

Miekie spent the morning at one of her friend's birthday parties—one of the seemingly countless ones that a grade two girl gets invited to.

Eleven years and more sport

Friday was our wedding anniversary. Baby- and work-imposed constraints limited the day somewhat, but it was nice nevertheless!

Coffee in Brooklyn...

... not entirely literally; these two had milkshakes

Earlier in the week Miekie played her final netball game of the season.

Yesterday Pieter played another bulletjie rugby match. This time it was at Midstream College, conveniently close for an early match.

This was taken at Pieter's rugby practice on Wednesday

Later on Wednesday, close to the end of rugby practice (spot the moon and Venus)

More photos from the gala

Here are some of Marisa's photos that she took at the gala yesterday.

Pieter in flight

Earlier yesterday morning I took Pieter to his grade one assessment at Midstream College which lasted for 90 minutes and which he says went very well! We'll get their feedback in June.

On our way to the school

The first gala

Today was Miekie and Pieter's first gala! I took a few videos and photos and Google+ decided to create the following video, which beats any editing I can do:

Here are some of my photos.

Hanging around between events

Marisa Ford took this nice one of Miekie!

Pieter's rugby at Loftus

We all got up early this morning because it was the big Bulletjie rugby day at Loftus. This is the day where every participating school in the Pretoria region descends on Loftus and the day is crammed full of 20 minute rugby matches that take place on the stadium's ancillary rugby fields. All of Pieter's three matches took place fairly early and we were free to go home again around mid-morning.

I took photos and a few videos, as always. Here's a nice summary video that Google+ automatically created from my material, as is its wont to do from time to time.

Miekie's netball match

Miekie played in her first netball match of the season at Midstream Ridge school yesterday. She alternated between each half of both matches that she played in between the Goal Defence (GD) and Goal Shoot (GS) positions. Here are a few photos and a video.

Pre-match

Her team of supporters

Miekie the goal shooter

This video shows some highlights:

Pieter's first rugby match

Pieter took part in two rugby matches this morning. The Midstream team played against Laerskool Wonderboom (at Laerskool Wonderboom). Miekie wasn't there as she went to a friend's birthday party. Here are some photos and videos.

Before the first match

Some spectators

 After the rugby Marisa, Pieter, Neil and I had some coffee (and hot chocolate) before heading back home.

Netball practice and a chatty Neil

I popped out to pick up Miekie from Netball practice after school. I arrived before the end of the session and could take a few photos. Miekie, playing in the goal attack position, almost managed to score a goal:

Earlier today I tried to record a video of Neil making his cute baby sounds, but he keeps quite as soon as he notices that he's being filmed. The only thing that worked in the end was to make a sound-only recording, keeping my phone out of sight:

Bulletjies

Pieter is very keen to participate in Bulletjie Rugby this year. Yesterday was an initial impromptu training session. The real kick off, so to speak, of the season will be tomorrow afternoon.

It looks as though Pieter and Neil will be great friends. Pieter is a very loving big brother and is able to sooth Neil to sleep by playing him CDs in his room and by pushing him around in the pram. Neil might turn out to be a bulletjie one day himself (assuming we'll still be living in the same province then).