Archive for May, 2011

By Jude Foulston, new mom, wife, entrepreneur,  friend and crafter who’s loving the challenge of trying to  keep it all together on a daily basis.  She works for TomorrowToday, is  the creator of Jamtin & recently started a blog Colour Giggles.

I have a confession…. I used to be one of those people who mocked, yes, mocked the mom’s who went to great lengths for their children’s birthday parties. You know the ones that I’m talking about – with ponies, jumping castles, designer party packs and cakes on a par with what you would see at a wedding.  I was especially amazed when these parties were for the early birthdays, when really, the little mites wouldn’t be any the wiser, and as long as you had the ‘obligatory photo’ (you know, the one with said birthday child shoving his face full of cake) all would be good.

That was until I became a Mom…. Or more specifically – 5 weeks before my little one’s FIRST birthday. All of a sudden the birthday party started consuming my thoughts, daydreaming of being one of those super moms who makes handmade  bunting for decorations, graphic designed invitations, with designer party packs, and entertainment for the kids that fills the air with squeals of laughter.

After initially feeling guilty for starting to think of ‘over-the-top’ ways to celebrate my monkey’s birthday (especially since I’ve openly admitted to mocking mom’s previously), I’ve accepted that I DO want to celebrate this first year we’ve both survived, and been blessed with an amazing daughter.

I now get why people go to the ends of the world, often blowing their monthly budget on these events . We intrinsically want the best for our children and we want to shout to the world that we love our children and will do anything for them. If it takes ponies, jumping castles and tiered cupcakes, well then so be it. We’ve earned it, we’ve had enough sleepless nights, butternut mushed into our favourite jerseys and stolen Sunday afternoon naps, to do whatever we want to express our love for our babies and the achievement we’ve accomplished.

So…  I will be going overboard for Layla’s birthday party – this does not mean that there will be ponies in the garden, nor will there be jumping castles. There are plenty more birthdays for that! I will however be making an effort with my invitations, I will be going overboard with the decorations and have an unreasonable ratio of balloons to children. I will decorate the cake beautifully and spend far too much time on it – I know Layla won’t know it’s beautiful, but that’s ok – one day she will.  I’m going to give party packs to all the kids and I’m going to love every minute of this special day celebrating the day I gave birth to this little miracle that has brought us so much joy for the last 365 days.

This may not seem overboard to you at all and that’s fine. For me, it is… this is my overboard.

I probably won’t have people lining up for an invitation to the 2nd birthday party because of any of it – I don’t care. The people that love our family and the special little person’s life that we are celebrating will be there. Not because of the decorations or party packs, but because it’s a celebration

by Tanya Kovarsky, the editor of Living & Loving magazine, mom to Max, and a fan of running, baking, reading and iPads. Find her on Twitter (@TanyaKovarsky) or her blog.

My son Max recently started playschool, and the other day the best thing happened. He got his first invite ever to a birthday party. I don’t even know the mom or the child who’s birthday it is, and I assume every kid in the class was invited, but boy was I proud. My son made the cut! Which means I made the cut too, since I’m assuming I’m invited because I can’t exactly drop Max off and leave him. Or can I? What are the rules? And can I even go if I haven’t met the parents? And what present do I get – how much should one spend for these things? What happens if I have an awkward high-school moment and am left out of conversation, or no one likes me? And worse – what if my son is “that” child – the clingy/destructive/icing-licker-before- the-cake-is-cut dude?

We’ve been to parties before – friends and family, but this is the first real school event, and despite the nerves, I’m hoping that it will be like riding a bike – the first time might be a little tricky and there might be some hurts, but that afterwards it will be all fun, balloons and party packs.

But with motherhood   one anxiety always leads to another, and with Max’s impending second birthday in September, I’m loosely thinking about what to do. Do I have the whole she bang with venue, entertainment and catering, or do I keep it simple because let’s face it, Max isn’t really going to know, and will probably still be more fascinated with the Flings and wrapping paper and boxes than clowns, ponies or themed decor?

But parties are often for the parents, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We’re proud, we’re celebrating the growth of our little ones, and we love putting in effort. Which is why I think I might veer to the latter. I want to make invites, I want to shop for party packs, and I want to buy Chardonnay for when my nerves set in (on that note, is Chardonnay acceptable for the adults at parties?) Plus I want to order a kick-ass cake, show it off, and eat gum sweets at the kiddies’ table. And take pics and post them on Instagram (an awesome iPhone photo-sharing app). It’s all about the pictures, and party packs, and precious moments. I’m off to plan, and pick out an outfit for our first school party next week…=

Recipes supplied by  Richard Rust , a fabulous, 5 star trained, gourmet chef. He has cooked for, amongst others, British royalty, Woolworths and written for Taste magazine. His company Gourmet Gurus caters for children’s parties; lunch boxes; private/corporate functions and dinner parties.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE ROLLS

makes 12 large or 36 cocktail
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
500gm chicken sausages
2 eggs beaten with 2tbsp milk
Heat an oven to 160c

1. Lightly grease a baking sheet
2. Carefully roll out the pastry. Slice 4cm long strips
3. Remove sausage meat from the casings – get the kids to squeeze out!
4. Make long sausages approx 1cm thick and place in the middle of the pastry strips
5. Brush 1 edge of each strip with the egg mixture and fold over, press the edges together firmly
6. Repeat process until all meat and pastry is used
7. Cut each roll into desired size, brush tops with the egg mixture
8. Place sausage rolls on the sheet; leave a small space in between each one to allow for the pastry to rise
9. Bake for 40minutes or until well risen and golden brown, allow to cool slightly before removing onto a serving plate

QUICK FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

makes 8 large or 36 small
1 French Baguette
12 tbsp ready made pizza sauce or Napoletana sauce
200gm mild cheddar cheese, grated
6 slices ham, chopped
1 small tin diced pineapple, drained

1. Heat an oven to 160c
2. Slice French stick into quarters, slice horizontally place on a baking sheet, top with the sauce, cheese, ham and pineapple.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted, slice into smaller pieces if desired

PEANUT CHICKEN STICKS

makes 36
4 chicken breasts
8 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
4 tbsp warm water
½ tin coconut cream
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1. Soak 36 wooden skewers in warm water
2. Slice the chicken breast into 36 even sized strips
3. Mix remaining ingredients and add to chicken, marinate for 30minutes
4. Thread a chicken strip onto 1 skewer, repeat with remaining chicken

Either grill under a hot grill or braai until golden and cooked through
Heat remaining sauce and serve as a dipping sauce on the side

GOOEY POPCORN LOLLIES

makes 12
500gm marshmallows
250gm popping corn
1 tbsp oil

1.In a large pan, on a low heat gently melt the marshmallows stirring occasionally
2. In a separate pan heat the oil over a medium heat, add the popping corn and place a tight fitting lid over
3. Shake the popcorn pan when you can hear the corn popping shake the pan frequently, once the popping stops remove from the heat and place in a large bowl to prevent burning
4. Add the melted marshmallows to the popcorn and stir well, when cooling down shape into balls and place on a skewer, lay on greaseproof paper to set
5. If you find the mixture sticky when rolling lightly dust your hands with icing sugar

ICE CREAM CAKE

2lt ice cream or 2x 1lt different flavored ice cream
Small bar milk chocolate
Selection of assorted sweets eg jelly tots

1. Line a deep cake tin with plastic wrap and place in freezer
2. Allow ice cream to soften slightly and press into the lined tin, layer if using different flavours
3. Place tin back in freezer for at least 2hours
4. Gently melt chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, do not allow the water to touch the bowl
5. Remove the tin form the freezer and place upside down onto a serving plate, use the plastic wrap to ease out if needed, remove the plastic
6. Drizzle the chocolate over the cake for design effects and decorate with the sweets, place back in freezer until ready to serve

Tips; for themed parties by small plastic toys to decorate, to pipe a name or message use ready made icing and cut out letters or pipe onto a silicone mat or greaseproof and place on the cake

Catch Merle from Jozikids.co.za on Jacaranda, every Sunday morning, to find out what to do with your kids and families  on the weekend and in the week ahead.

If you haven’t discovered it yet, Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues and lessons.

Let’s see what we’ve got for you on Mother’s Day, May 8th

In Kyalami, Johannesburg ,  you can experience the magic of the South African Lipizzaner stallions, dancing to Mamma Mia, in two special Mothers’ day performances at 10.30am and 2.30pm. Visitors are welcome to meet the riders and feed carrots to the beautiful horses after the show.

At Montecasino, catch the last show at 6pm tonight of Dreamgirls, an internationally acclaimed Broadway musical with an  all South African cast

At the Barnyard Theatre in Menlyn Park, Pretoria at 2pm today you can still see the musical – Rough Diamonds & Divas–  which pays tribute to the likes of Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, Tina Turner, Bonnie Tyler, Cher and a few more surprises.  Its on until May 29 at 8,30 from Tues to Sat with afternoon shows on Sunday.

And in the week ahead don’t miss The Baby Expo MamaMagic™ at the Coca Cola Dome in Northgate where you’ll find all the essentials you need from 0-6 years old with Barney on stage daily,  expert advice  and unbeatable shopping.  Open daily 9-6pm R60 pp, under 10yrs olds enter free.

Zwartkops Quad Centre in Centurion is joining  Jacaranda’s Winter Warmer project and offering a free quadbike ride in exchange for a new blanket. They are open daily from 9am-5pm excluding Mondays and Thursdays.

Wanting a special adventure next weekend. The Cavern Resort & Spa in the Drakensberg is hosting a Mountain Bike Challenge for the weekend where all proceeds go to a primary school in the area. Great family resort with health spa,  kids activities, views and fabulous walks.

Here’s wishing all moms a fabulous Mother’s Day and I’ll be back  next Sunday with ideas of what you can do with your kids next week.

supplied by Russell Davidoff, dad to 3 kids all under the age of 6, former accountant turned passionate importer of  Freshly Frozen Herbs

Did you know that there are great health advantages of herbs?
Garlic is famous for being a natural antibiotic as well as a powerful immunity booster.
Ginger is a strong anti-nausea agents, very helpful for morning sickness.
Basil aids in the promotion of breast milk for nursing moms.

Here are some simple recipes to help you make the most of them.

ORANGE AND GINGER PORK CHOPS (serves 6)

6 lean pork chops
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 frozen ginger cubes
6 orange slices
3/4 cup sour cream

1. Brown the chops on both sides.
2. Add the orange juice.
3. Reduce the heat, cover and cook on a low heat for about 30 minutes.
4. Uncover, and add ginger cubes and salt, and place an orange slice on each pork chop.
5. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until chops are tender.
6. Remove chops from heat and place into an ovenproof dish.
7. Place 1 tablespoon of sour cream onto each chop. Place under the broiler for about one minute, and then serve immediately.

ROAST LAMB WITH YOGHURT (serves 4-6)

Leg of lamb (1.3- 1.5 kg, boneless)
4 frozen garlic cubes
300g natural yoghurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 frozen coriander cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, mint, garlic and coriander cubes, olive oil and salt and pepper.
2. Place the leg of lamb in a roasting tin and pour over the yoghurt mixture.
3. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
4. Roast the lamb at 180 degrees for 20 minutes per 450g, plus an additional 20 minutes.

by Martine Bauer,  part time working mom of an 11yr old girl and a  4 yr old boy,  passionate cook, reader and traveller. Visit her on Facebook

We recently took the kids to see the play African adventure and I really wanted to share our experience with your readers- all I can say is WOW!!! What a fabulous play. My 4 yr old, 11 yr old and us “ the geriatric parents” all had a wonderful time.

First off as we arrived there is an “interest table” in the foyer with all sorts of fossils/skulls/bones/pictures as well as a game ranger on hand to answer all questions popping out of enquiring minds- we could barely drag the kids away for the start of the play. The play itself was fabulous, the puppetry professional and there was enough “funny” to keep the kids and adults alike in stitches.

Then of course we had the moral story of protecting our rhino against poachers- so well done, it would be wonderful if all schools could organize a viewing for their learners. The best part- the play was only 60 minutes long ( no interval) and no time to get bored for a second!

Congratulations to all the cast and crew- I look forward to many more productions like this.

Many Thanks

by Sine Thieme, a writer and mother of four who is new to South Africa and busy chronicling her experiences on her blog, Joburg Expat.

This Mother’s Day, why not ask for the gift of attending a parenting workshop? It might seem counterintuitive to want to concern yourself with more mothering questions when all you really want to do on Mother’s Day is kick back and have no kid duties, but trust me, you will gain a lot. I recently attending one called  from this particular class. It is called “Strong Mothers Strong Sons” and facilitated by Megan de Beyer,  a psychologist who has run a number of these courses throughout South Africa and in California. I had the good fortune of attending her recent appearance at Dainfern College in Johannesburg.

For one, it was very refreshing to spend a whole weekend just listening to someone else’s teaching, especially someone with so much insight into the workings of families, and families with teenagers in particular. As mothers, we are always busy organizing other people’s lives, checking things off lists, and feeding people who seem to constantly be hungry, so sitting in class for a change without having to lift a finger was a soothing experience. None of Megan’s revelations in and of itself was really news to me. But it is one thing to know what you’re supposed to do (and not to do). It’s an entirely different matter to stop, take a step back, and look at the big picture for a change.

We discussed many topics, ranging from your teenager’s need for more independence as his brain develops, our need as mothers to be in control, female versus male emotional states, A-Type versus B-Type personalities, and – a must for a workshop on teenagers – sex, drugs, and alcohol. I came away with a number of great messages, such as:

After an entire weekend of listening to Megan, not only do I feel energized to adjust my parenting approach, I also feel a new calmness, fueled by complete trust and belief in my children, a sense of awe and wonder that I get to witness their development. I’m sure it’ll wear off after a while, as all such things are prone to do, at which time I might have to attend another workshop. But in the meantime I feel content and proud as a mother of four wonderful children

For more details, read my related post on my parenting blog, Desperate Mothers.

Click here to find information about organisatoins that offer parenting workshops on Jozikids,

by Tanya Kovarsky, the editor of Living & Loving magazine, mom to Max, and a fan of running, baking, reading and iPads. Find her on Twitter (@TanyaKovarsky) or her blog.

Last week, I had brunch with a group of moms I met through a website forum. Tomorrow, I have playdate with a mom I met on Twitter and through our blogs, and I’m trying to arrange – via email on Smartphones – drinks with another mom I connected with through my magazine’s website forum. I considered these moms “friends” before even meeting them, and with them, there are dozens more, connecting, consoling and chatting with me digitally, whether it’s through blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting or posting on forums.

My digital connections with other moms have helped me through sleepless nights, have enabled me to find great costume shops in Joburg, and have made me feel “normal” with my imperfections as a mother. For example, the other night, after a trying wake-up at 2am with a crying teething baby, I Tweeted that I was awake and had a miserable baby. Five minutes later, I had not only received Tweets of compassion, but had found another mom whose baby was going through the same thing. In that moment, my “problem” was halved, my heart warmed, and I’d found a new “friend”.

From my online friends and reading their blogs, Tweets and posts, I’ve learnt that I’m not the only one who wants to go to the loo alone, and I’m not the sole mom who occasionally gives her kid cereal and yoghurt for supper because it’s easiest, or wishes that she could go back to the pre-children days for a few hours just for that Sunday-afternoon nap.

Digital connections are making motherhood easier and less lonely. It’s allowing us to vent about our challenges, to ask for a the best tried-and-tested nappy rash remedies, to moan about loss of sleep, and to find comfort from those who just “get it”, without judgement most of the time. No one said motherhood was easy, but my iPad, Blackberry and laptop are facilitating my journey, thanks to the friends, listeners and supporters “inside.