January 2012

THE START OF THE YEAR !! - BANG BANG !!

We’ve started the year with a bang and January came and went quick quick quick!! Just to highlight some events on the home front.

BEACH FUN - HOT HOT HOT January so we have had loads of fun in the sun at the beach YEY!!! Troydie even got to "surf" on his little body board - so much fun!!

FUN IN THE GARDEN – we spent many an afternoon out in the garden playing on the jungle gym and trampoline.  The weather has been HOT HOT HOT – so the boyz loved the water in the little pool with the slide and shooting each other with water guns.

WE EVEN FIT ALL THREE ON OUR SWING!!

TROYDIE NUMBER 5 BIRTHDAY – Troy is 5 wow time has flown and our little baby is growing up so cute, he is telling everyone “I’m a BIG boy now”!  We started his birthday celebrations with some fun little pressies for him to open and the little minkies think it’s only a birthday if there are candles and a cake so mom improvised and we had candles on a chocolate with morning tea – too fun!!

BIRTHDAY RING – he had his special birthday ring at school where they sing for you and you blow the candles – Tan bought the relighting candles and they kept lighting up – all the giggles in the class it was priceless to watch all the kiddies faces!  Treyson and Tryston went with to the birthday ring, they were a little overwhelmed but really enjoyed it!

PONY PARTY – the Cowboys must ride!  Troydie just loves horses so we planned for party pony’s to come to his party.  What a blast they all had.  We had a small group of his friends meet at the park for a picnic party to ride as many times as they liked.  Troydie even got the pony onto a trot and then a gallop – many shrieks of laughter and big big smiles!  In all the party was a huge success with a game of pin the tail on the pony, shoot the bug using water guns, boot toss (throwing the boots into a hoop), horse shoe throwing, lasso the bottle filled with sand.  Everyone had a wonderful time. “ Happy Happy birthday to our cowboy boy Troydie!”

NEW BIKE – now that he’s five we launched out onto a new BIG bike and what a star he was.  We took them all riding on the afternoon of his birthday and he hoped on and off he went.  He just love that he can now ride FAST, riding is definitely one of our best family outings – just need to get mom and dad onto bike too! (Tryston has started to peddle his little bike round and round and is going quite well. Treyson still only peddling with one leg and battles to keep up with his speedy brothers)

It was a big day for Tryston  - Troyden got a new bike but Tryston learnt how to peddle ROUND AND ROUND on his bicycle - YEY for learning and they are just loving the outside on their bikes.

ZOO OUTING - we had a fun outing to the zoo near by Durbs and got to enjoy the LION up close and personal.  Then the chimpanzee's were a highlight.  They were very noisey and very active climbing up to the top of thier jungle gym and balancing right up top the pole - the boyz loved having picnic with them !!

SCHOOL HOMEWORK - With a bigger class and our little Troyd growing to be 5 he now gets to do some homework on a Friday afternoon.  What fun we have had this quarter, mom helped with a puppet boy out of paper that Troyd had to dress with paper clothes (just like a paper doll) too fun.  Dad helped with making a 3D man out of toilet roll, noodles, pipe cleaners and wool.  The fun of school begins!

HELICOPTER RIDE – Yes Dad and Troy got the opportunity to have a ride out over the sea and up and down the coast of Durban in a Helicopter.  We have a flight instructor in our church and she so wanted Mark to have a chance to ride.  Troydie was beside himself with excitement and so enjoyed the flight.  The only thing he was disappointed about was that the Helicopter didn’t get to ski on the water :) Enjoy the next few pics of the view of Durbs!

Ministry

YOUTH CAMP – our youth group started the year off with a camp at a camp site down on the south coast.  We were able to join them for a day and enjoy a time of fellowship and fun in the sun.  They did an obstacle course, played soccer, had several sessions lead by another visiting pastor diving into God’s word together and a trip to the beach for a swim.  In all what a blessing to be part of this special time growing together as a group in the Lord.

LADIES MINISTRY – Tan had her first ladies team meeting in January and was blessed in heaps and loads – she is so encouraged to be involved as the leader among the ladies.  She is excited about the challenge and the opportunity to be a shining light for Jesus amongst the ladies at Durban North.  Pray for her as she takes on this leadership roll that she would have wisdom, discernment and a great time of growing in God’s grace!  She is super excited about all events planned for the year ahead – praying that God be glorified in each one.

Thanks for your love, support and care of us – God bless in Heaps

Mark, Tan and Terrific T’s