One of the winners in the Blurb book contest... YEAH!

I just found out now, that the picture of 'Juliet and Jasmine hugging' is a winner of the Blurb book contest!!

WOW, that is amazing!! Thank You so much to the team of I ♥ Faces!! I am honored and very proud of my beautiful girls, I know their smiles make me happy, but also others!!

Go over to the I heart faces website and choose one of your favorites for the Reader’s Choice Award!! and tell your friends to VOTE!
The winner will get a FREE I ♥ Faces Blurb book!


Have a Super Sunday!
Mireille

I am hooked on....

Africology! Which is an ethical, natural and anti-ageing skincare brand from South Africa, practices fair trade and is currently involved in projects to help disadvantaged teenagers and provide water tanks for isolated African communities.


I've been trying out this range of products by Africology: they're fairly new to South Africa, about 2 years old and are only sold in Spa's or at their warehouse close to my house. Their sales benefit good causes as well as my skin and I like that ;-)

All products in the range contain natural ingredients with anti-aging properties are fragranced using essential oils, not synthetic perfumes. I just fell in love with the products because several of them contain neroli, my absolute favourite essential oil, which is native to Africa. The marula skin conditioning body oil, for example, is absolutely heavenly, and a real treat for skin that's looking a bit tired.

The fragrances really do have an effect on the mood, and having applied the body oil and moisturiser earlier in the day, I keep getting delicious wafts of a deep and grounding fragrance, all of which is helping me chill out a lot more than I normally would in the middle of a hectic week!


With a philosophy based on beauty that is more than just 'skin deep' Africology uses only natural ingredients, and all its products are fairly traded. The causes it helps are all based in the brand's country of origin, and based around the idea of empowerment: one is a water project, providing water tanks to isolated African communities that don't have access to running water; another supports and coaches local teenagers.

They just started selling in the UK, but not yet in the USA or elsewhere in the world, but hey they are looking for distributors, so if you want to try it out, give them a call or check out their website here.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
Mireille

Last day of school and giveaway's....

Today is the last day of school, and the kids are doing fun things. No more homework and just enjoying each other.

They did a talent show, JJ was in a play: Goldilocks and the 3 bears. They were so cute! Here with her friends Sonia and Jeongwoo. JJ was the papa bear ;-)


Jezz did a dance with her friend Lyng, oh this was oh so cute as well! Very gracefully they were dancing on guitar music, just adorable, but hard to take a good pic!

I ordered these custom made stamps at this super cute website called: Vlijtig and we made these giveaway's for their fellow students, special reading, math and OT teachers and for the bus driver Mr. Linda. A small little card with a Thank You note, a lollipop or chocolate and their own stamp. Just a little something to say goodbye and have a great holiday!

But look how cute these stamps turned out? Jezz with a little side fringe and JJ with no bangs. Kristel from Vlijtig will make one of your child if you send her a picture, isn't that a cute gift or what? Check out her website here.






Next week the girls start winter school, 3 weeks of fun filled activities at school. To break this loong break of 10 weeks!

Enjoy your day!
Mireille

Swimming pool, relaxing, books, Disney, Florida...

Sounds good huh? Soon we will be there and enjoying a relaxing week only a little over 3 weeks and we will be out of this dry winter weather and soaking our bodies in the sun! YEAH! I am looking forward to this vacation, we need a break!!

We're going to stay at the Hilton Grand Vacation club on International drive in Florida. Tuscan style villas that are so beautiful and luxurious that I can't wait to get pampered. Soak my white body in the sun, so it will glow and read many many books, while the girls get entertained by the Kiddie club. Sip a martini by the pool side! (in moderation it is allowed again ;-)

Life is good!!






And for the girls life is grand as well, since we're visiting Disney World again. Hopefully we can meet some new made blogging friends and some other friends who are living here and going at the same time to Disney. So Annie, Sharon and Susanne let's try to make an effort to meet!! I would LOVE that!

I am trying to get an appointment in the beauty salon for the girls, that is their dream already since the last time we've visited Disney. And hopefully we can find some discount tickets as well, that would be even sweeter!

So Florida here we come!

PS: If any of you who reads my blog regularly and you live close by, drop me a line and maybe we can meet??

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
Mireille

Bye bye to our friends....

Last weekend we had a Sunday brunch with friends of us who are moving back to the US. These are the friends who gave us the 5 bunnies; Marny, Sam, Zack, Zane and Emma.

The guys had their last round of golf in the morning and after that we invited them for a brunch. However, I am still on my detox diet but since they are leaving next weekend, we couldn't do it on another day. So I decided to make a few dishes that I could eat as well.

While I was preparing the dishes in the morning I was drinking my green shakes and herbal teas... in the meantime the house started smelling just wonderfully with all these yummy aroma's and I couldn't eat them!!


So what did I make: A yummy Broccoli crunch salad, with apples, pecan nuts and this super duper almond vinaigrette. (I ate this veggie dish).


A savory asparagus bread pudding. (I didn't eat this one) A seasonal family style recipe that you can easily prepare the night before, although I didn't.


And a Ricotta Zucchini Cheesecake (which I also didn't touch) Although it is named a cheesecake there is no cream cheese involved. It's a bit lighter and less egg-y than a quiche. Very yummy according to Dirk!

I added a green salad with home made dressing that I could eat, but all the rest of the goodies, like a cold platter with different kind of cheeses and cold-cuts, 3 kinds of breads. All these delish things I didn't eat, and just enjoyed my green salad and broccoli salad. And for dessert a bit of fruit salad while the others enjoyed home made brownies with vanilla ice cream.

Talking about willpower or what?? Cooking for a big crowd and sitting with them on the same table and NOT touching a thing that wasn't good for me!!

But you know what? I had NO problem whatsoever... REALLY. Since it was my 19th day and I feel the last week on this detox diet I didn't care for all these heavy dishes anymore. Even though they weren't that heavy, I was more interested in these crunchy broccoli and green salad leaves and I was probably the one that enjoyed this brunch the most!

By the way: I am on my LAST DAY of my 21 day Detox and tomorrow I start with my 11 day AFTER Detox. That means that I will be adding 1 food group a day, so slowly building up to a full spectrum of foods again. During these 11 days I will have mostly my green shakes, but now I am adding some protein shakes to the regimen, and then salads, cooked vegetables, brown rice, and some fish and chicken. Red meat is NOT advisable and I won't go there either.

My total weight loss in 3 weeks in 15 lbs, not bad huh?

I can recommend this diet to anyone who has the stamina to go through a rigorous cleansing of your body. Because it feels amazing!!

I will keep you updated on my progress on the after results!
Have a Terrific Tuesday!
Mireille